Ashita no Joe - It has more soul than any other show Iβve seen. Men come from nothing and return to nothing, but their desires shine so brightly that itβs blinding. It almost plays like a 20th century retelling of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, but in boxing format - a friendship forged in rivalry and what follows in its wake. It made me feel emotions I didnβt think could exist, and made me thankful for what I have in my life.
Maison Ikkoku - If I could climb into a world portrayed in anime, it would be this one. It encapsulates mid - late 80s Japanese living in such perfectly flash frozen nuance that it makes me nostalgic for a time and place I never even experienced. Itβs a lazy melancholy world where nothing happens, the weird but well-intentioned neighbors bother you constantly, and you canβt help but love them. Rumiko Takahashiβs masterpiece. Sort of like Seinfeld, but with heart and soul and a romance arc on top.
Mahou ShoujoβMadoka Magica - I grew up on mahou shoujo like Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Minky Momo. It was largely my gateway into anime. While this show was largely all familiar elements to me, the narrative structure peeled back in successive layers as if unfurling a beautifully wrapped cocoon. The story had all been done before, but never presented in this way which made the gem at its center shine all the brighter when finally appearing.
Takarajima - The 70s was a true renaissance of anime that few people today still understand. It gave rise to a series of anime series adaptations of classic western literature (many of which belong to the World Masterpiece Theater anthology). It was not uncommon that such craftsmanship would be lavished upon these works that they could actually surpass their source material: shows like Anne of Green Gables and Nobodyβs Boy Remi. 1978βs Takarajima especially stands out to me because it is the absolute greatest adaptation of Robert Louis Stevensonβs Treasure Island. It humanizes John Silver in a way never portrayed before, painting him as a more relatable character, which makes the moral and narrative conflicts between him and Jim Hawkins all the more interesting. Director Dezaki and the production team couldβve so easily fallen into the trap of stereotyping the most iconic literary pirate of all time, but they chose the harder path and made the legend all the greater in my eyes.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Itβs the kind of show where if I rewatch one episode, Iβve watched a dozen of them before I realize it. It really is the perfect shounen, as it has all the build-up and absurd twists, but none of the disappointment, filler, or lack of resolution typically associated with battle shounen. I had a falling out with anime in 2005, and came back to find this show waiting for me in mid 2010. It brought me back, and restored my faith in the medium Iβd forgotten I loved so much earlier in life. For that Iβll always love this show.
