For the past few decades, anime has become a hugely popular Japanese export. Starting in the late 90’s, we started to really see anime gain a large fanbase in the United States and around the world. By the 2000’s, what used to be obscure media that you could only find in catalogs and specialty stores was airing on cable TV and available for purchase in stores like Best Buy.
Last week, I went over the top 5 anime movies that influenced my love of the genre. Anime month continues here at retro room as I go through the anime TV shows that had a similar impact on me.
#5 Dragon Ball Z
Image:Comicbook.com
Gotta get this one out of the way. DBZ is a classic series that really needs no introduction and I was a huge fan of the series during its original run on Cartoon Network. The stack of dozens of DBZ DVDs I now own attest to how addictive I found the series.
#4 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Image:ayay.co.uk
In the late 90’s, Evangelion became a hugely popular series. The show took the tired mecha genre and turned it on its head by introducing brain-twisting themes and ideas that inspired countless discussions and debates about what Eva was trying to convey to its audience. With theology, ssychology and philosophy all sprinkled throughout the show, its something you really have to dig into to get the most out of it. Devoted fans found a lot to debate when it comes to Evangelion and it remains an anime classic over 20 years after it first aired.
#3 Death Note
Image:Screenrant
A powerful premise sets the stage for this series. What would you do if you had the power to kill anyone simply by writing their name in a book? That’s the philosophical debate that surrounds Death Note, where the highly intelligent student Light Yagami acquires such book and sets out to reshape the world by eliminating criminals en masse.
The attention to detail and chess-like planning between Light and the investigators trying to figure out who’s carrying out these murders is brilliant and highly engaging.
#2 Ranma 1/2
Image:Miscrave
Ya pa pa, ya pa pa…that theme song from season 1 gets burned into my brain just thinking about Ranma 1/2. A fun an often hilarious series from Inu-Yasha creator Rumiko Takahashi, the show is a screwball comedy that ties together martial arts and romance with an amazing gimmick. When Ranma a cursed boy who, when splashed with cold water, turns into a girl. Hot water returns him to his normal boy form. Other characters develop curses as well that turns his father into a giant panda, a love interest into a cat and his rivals into a tiny big and a goose. The show is weird, but in all the right ways.
#1 Cowboy Bebop
Image:Dotandline.net
I’ll state to this day that Cowboy Bebop is just about the coolest thing ever created. The space western theme combined with the amazing jazz soundtrack sets the stage for a series with fantastic characters, great pacing, an overarching story peppered with unique standalone episodes and a perfect ending.
Cowboy Bebop isn’t just my favorite anime series of all time, its my favorite TV show of all time.
Honorable mentions
- Hellsing
- Trigun
- Berserk
- Tenchi Muyo
- Rurouni Kenshin
- Slayers
So if you're an anime fan, which movies were the most influential on you? I'm sure I've left off many people's favorites like Bleach, Full Metal Alchemist, Naruto, One Piece, Sailor Moon, Gundam, among others. Let's discuss!
Thanks for reading. As always, upvotes, resteems and comments are appreciated!
Cover Image Source: Wallpaperflare
Finally some Ranma 1/2 appreciation because that was my first completed series and probably one of the biggest contributor to my love for anime today.
Though in my country the most influential during my generation would be Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, Yu yu Hakusho, Flame of Recca, Gundam Series, Doraemon, Pokemon and Fushigi Yuugi.
I started watching it in the 90's when Viz was releasing it on VHS, with just two episodes per tape, at like $25 each. And I had like 20 or more tapes (I got a deal on some of them, at least).
Anime fans today don't know how good they have it :)
Cowboy Bebop is great and it's also my favourite anime serie but I miss Samurai Champloo in the mentions at least. Anyways it's a good selection :).
I loved Champloo as well, but I can't say that it really influenced my love of anime since it was already so similar in style and structure to Cowboy Bebop.
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One question I have for everyone is if Hellsing is better than Hellsing Ultimate, or vice versa.
Interesting list you got there. Out of the five, I can only say I've watched DBZ (who hasn't?). However, I just so happen to be in the middle of watching "Neon Genesis Evangelion" Has me intrigued so far and that intro is just magical lol. -Who knows? I might just go down that list of yours and watch'em all :D. If I were to recommend an anime it would have to be "Hunter x Hunter". Both the 1999 and the 2011 versions are awesome! But it would probably be easier to start with the newer version.
hey retro-room! it seems we bump into each other frequently here on steemit! love most of your gaming posts, but didn't think you had anime love too!
I've seen them all... except for slayers I think that one was WAY before I started watching anime. Anyways, we created a place for anime fans, so you can come visit if you'd like: https://discord.gg/7JQruwm if not, well, we can always see each other on the chain :D
For me the most influential one was Clannad, because it was probably the first anime drama that I saw and expanded my horizons on the genre... I could probably talk about a hundred more than I liked... but then the comment would be too long and boring...
First as a kid in Liberia West Africa in 1966 I was exposed to Marine Boy, Astro Boy, Tobor The Eighth Man, Speed Racer and Kimba The White Lion. Imprinted forever. Life intervened and I was separated from anime for decades.
In the 1990's our paths again crossed. Cyber City Oedo 808 and the other Korean drawn classics made up group one...Ninja Scroll, Cobra, Goku Midnite Eye, Wicked City and Demon City Shinjuku.
Group two was the awesome anime created by Rumiko Takahashi including Laughing Target, The Mermaid Saga and the infamous Ranma 1/2.
Group three were the girl groups Silent Moebius, Sol Bianca and probably my fav superhero group pf all time Bubblegum Crisis. The spinoffs Bubblegum Crash and AD Police are just head shakingly good storytelling.
Group four are the movies that just knocked me on my ass. Akira, Vampire Hunter D, Ghost in the Shell, Neo Tokyo, Metropolis by Madhouse and Memories by Studio 4C and the incomparable Dagger of Kamui.
Group four is Studio Ghibli. Laputa, Grave of the Fireflies (yes I wept) Nausicaä and My Neighbor Totoro. Forgive me but This is the smallest list I could provide. The stories in these clusters are what is responsible for my love of anime today. Hope my disobedience of the rules will not be held too much against me. Arigato gozaimasu.