15 replies to this topic

[NexusNine]

Okay, so this is more like a top 50 list, but only the top 25 Anime will get the special treatment of having pretty little pictures and a mini-review written for them.  So without ado, here's 50-26:  

50. Knights of Remune  
49. Neon Genesis Evangelion  
48. Black Magic M66
47. Dominion Tank Police  
46. RG Veda  
45. Fire Emblem  
44. Lost Universe  
43. Maze
42. A.D. Police  
41. Big O
40. Dirty Pair Flash
39. Ronin Warriors  
38. Ranma 1/2
37. Trigun  
36. Iria: Zeiram the Animation  
35. Vision of Escaflowne
34. InuYasha
33. The Mysterious Play: Fushigi Yugi
32. Slayers (the various series and movies)  
31. Cowboy Bebop  
30. Love Hina  
29. Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040  
28. Gunsmith Cats
27. Metropolis  
26. Ai Yori Aoshi  


And now for 25-21:


25. The World of Narue  

What do you get when an Anime obsessed fanboy meets up with a cute, funny alien girl who's lived on earth her whole life and goes to school in Japan?  A funny love story with alien terrorist and a teleporting alien girl whose older sister is two years younger than she is.   The World of Narue is a funny and interesting Anime that takes what seems like a bazaar idea and actually makes it work.  Narue is of course the resident alien girl for whom I speak of, and the obsessed Anime fanboy just so happens to be her newfound boyfriend, Kazuto Iizuka.  From there it's one wacky adventure after another.  The series does suffer from a lack of episodes, and the quirky space action aspect of the series takes more than just a back seat to the romantic part of the tale, it almost completely disappears by episode three and doesn't appear much again until the last episode of the series: episode twelve.  The series is still good, but it could have explored some of the space adventure-y aspect of the story, which was actually set up quite nicely in the early part of the series.  Boasting charming and likable characters, this Anime is still worth a look.  

  
24. Burst Angel  

Dark, gritty, and chicks with guns.  Sometimes the action outweighs the story, but did I mention it has chicks with guns?  What makes this Anime work is the art design and story when it's front and center, and it tries to treat the cast as an ensemble rather than focusing on one character, though Jo and Meg are defiantly the two main characters.  By about half way through the series, though, you'll want to smack Meg upside the head for getting kidnapped like... well, all the time, but when Jo gets pissed, the series gets seriously cool.  It's dark, violent, full of action, surprisingly funny, and has great voice acting all around.  Not for everyone, but worth a look.  


23. The Dirty Pair / Dirty Pair: Project Eden  

They are the Lovely Angels, and their mission?... to destroy everything they just so happen to come across.  Not on purpose, of course, it's just their luck.  Kei and Yuri are the original chicks with guns, the icons that brought respect the gun bunny genre with their plights and adventures across the galaxies as agents for the WWWA.  The series is fun, witty, and can surprisingly be intelligent at times.  The series rarely strays away from its comic roots but sometimes does in favor of telling a more serious story.  

Project Eden is the second of three films and is by far the best Dirty Pair has to offer.  While the other two films are worth a look as well, they don't quite reach the caliber of either the series or Project Eden.  If you like the series and movies, however, Dirty Pair: Flash is also worth a look, though it follows the plights of a different Kei and Yuri and never quite captures the charm of the original.  

Dirty Pair moves up two spots from my previous review.  

  
22. Assemble Insert  

An evil organization runs rampant through the city of Tokyo, smashing and looting everything using their mega cool set of mecha.  The Tokyo police are dumbfounded; they can't seem to stop them?  What can they do?  Easy, hold a pop idol contest to find the best singer in Tokyo... you know, who also isn't all that bad at kicking evil-doing, mecha wielding, badie a$$.  And that's where Maron comes in, a superhuman, shy teen who sort of just gets roped into the contest by her family.  This Anime is very culture based and a parody on Japanese life in the late 1980s (the Anime itself was produced in 1989), so this title isn't going to appeal to everyone.  For those that know a little about Japanese culture, this Anime will surely entertain in its own quirky little way.  Funny and mostly  family friendly, this Anime is well worth at least a look.  

  
21. Quack Experimental Anime Excel Saga  

I give my permission to turn Excel Saga into a one-paragraph Anime review!  Again.  Yes, that's again an inside joke, and you'll get it if you see the Anime.  This is still one of the most messed up Anime I've ever seen, and it's also still one of the funniest.  For goodness sake, a dog gets labeled "emergency food" in this Anime and even sings the end credits.  Yeah, that's how messed up this Anime is.  In my other review I said that this Anime was a funny, wacky, euphoric joyride, and well worth watching -- and that's still pretty much how is goes.  It remains number 21 on my list.  

So there you have it, 50-21.  20-16 coming soon.   

EDITED to fix up the top 26-50 list a little.  After thinking a little more, several Anime have been bumped off the list and a few Anime have been added in.

Edited by Slipfighter, 13 January 2007 - 02:14 PM.

[Niko]

Hee... I enjoyed these last time.

50. Knights of Remune :  I've been meaning to see this for a long time.  I really love "KO Seiki Beast", which I believe is from the same creator, but shorter.  Quite a fun little comedy-type series.

38. Ranma 1/2 :  I'm gradually rewatching this series, and had forgotten how fun it is.  I think the running gags will still get a bit old before the series is over, but the first season is a definite keeper, fer sure.

34. InuYasha:  Hrrrrmmmm... I don't dislike InuYash as much as I used to, but I still don't think it'll ever be Top 50 material for me.  Certain moments from each arc are pretty good, but a lot of the series felt like filler to me, even when they were in the midst of a non-filler arc.

25. World of Narue:  Haven't seen it, but you gotta love the relative proliferation of shows specifically starring otaku in recent years...  

Sadly, haven't seen enough Excel Saga to love it as much as everyone else, and I think when I do, my expectations are going to be set way too high for it to live up to its own rep.  

[NexusNine]

  
20. Vampire Hunter D / Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust  

Vampire Hunter D is a classic among classics, coming out of the 1980s and into the early 1990s crop of Streamline video releases.  It's a dark, gritty, and sometimes an extremely violent animation, but the story is well written and worth checking out.  It's often times fairly funny, too, thanks in part to D's sarcastic talking hand.  

Bloodlust is the long awaited sequel to the original, but to be clear, has no story connections to the original at all beyond the basic backbone of D's story.  It's darker than the original, less violent, and not as funny, but in general it does just about everything else better than the original.  The animation trumps the original in leaps and bounds, the voice acting is often better, and the story better paced.  The interesting thing to note, however, is that this Anime was actually written and recorded in English first, effectively making the Japanese version the dub.  In fact, Bloodlust debuted in Japan in English with Japanese subtitles.  

  
19. Wolf's Rain  

Wolf's Rain drops three spots from my previous review thread.  While the characters are still interesting and fully fleshed out, the story intriguing, and Yoko Kanno’s soundtrack mesmerizing, the more and more I think about the human to wolf mechanics, the less and less the logic holds up.  Their human forms are really nothing but an illusion, but they at times do things that wolves simply can't do.  The mechanics, I believe, became problematic for the creators at times, and huge leaps in logic had to be taken to suit a situation.  This could have been easier solved if the wolves had been lycanthropes, though a less interesting approach that would have been.  Still, this Anime does have a lot to offer and should still be checked out.  

  
18. Witch Hunter Robin  

While some people dislike the pacing of this Anime, I actually like it.  I think the story unfolds well and treats its characters well.  Best described as Le Femme Nakita meets ancient witch lore, Witch Hunter Robin follows the plights of STN-J member Robin, a witch hired on to capture other witches.  After her power starts to grow, the STN-J turns on Robin and begins hunting her.  Little do they know who they're truly up against or how high her power can actually go.  Boasting an intriguing story and easy to relate to characters, plus having an interesting take on witchcraft and witch folklore, this Anime is certainly worth one's attention.  

Witch Hunter Robin moves up one spot from my previous review thread.  

  
17. Now and Then, Here and there  

What starts off as a normal looking, fun-loving Anime, quickly turns into one of the darkest, grittiest Anime I've ever seen.  The character designs will never give it away, but this is one really dark and profound series, dealing with issues of war, enslavement, and even teen pregnancy.  Men, women and children are killed, spare nobody in a massive, bloody war.  Boasting charming characters, though, and masterful storytelling, this Anime is more than worth a look.  This OVA series does suffer from a transparent and overly crazy villain that can quickly annoy the snot out just about anyone.  Still, not a bad series by any means.  

  
16. Samurai Champloo  

Who knew Hip-Hop and feudal Japan could mix so well.  I don't know how, but Samurai Champloo makes it work.  The characters work well together and the series is full of genuine laughs.  More concept driven than story driven, Samurai Champloo is still worth checking out by all means.

15-11 coming soon.

Edited by Slipfighter, 18 January 2007 - 01:37 PM.

[NexusNine]

[quote name='Niko' post='947131' date='Jan 15 2007, 04:11 PM']Hee... I enjoyed these last time.[/quote]  

They were fun last time, weren't they?   

[quote]50. Knights of Remune :  I've been meaning to see this for a long time.  I really love "KO Seiki Beast", which I believe is from the same creator, but shorter.  Quite a fun little comedy-type series.[/quote]  

Yup, same creator.   Knight of Remune is certainly a funny little series, too.   

[quote]38. Ranma 1/2 :  I'm gradually rewatching this series, and had forgotten how fun it is.  I think the running gags will still get a bit old before the series is over, but the first season is a definite keeper, fer sure. [/quote]  

It's best not to watch this series fast.  It's good you're watching it slow; it holds up better that way.   

[quote]34. InuYasha:  Hrrrrmmmm... I don't dislike InuYash as much as I used to, but I still don't think it'll ever be Top 50 material for me.  Certain moments from each arc are pretty good, but a lot of the series felt like filler to me, even when they were in the midst of a non-filler arc.[/quote]  

I think this series would have been better if it was around 50 episodes instead of 160 plus.  It kept forgetting it had an arch to finish.  

[quote]25. World of Narue:  Haven't seen it, but you gotta love the relative proliferation of shows specifically starring otaku in recent years...  [/quote]  

Can't disagree with you there.   

[quote]Sadly, haven't seen enough Excel Saga to love it as much as everyone else, and I think when I do, my expectations are going to be set way too high for it to live up to its own rep.  [/quote]  

Don't let that stop you from seeing this.  You have to see it at least once.     

[/quote]

[NexusNine]

  
15. Dragon Half  

Up three spots from my other review thread, Dragon Half's humor holds up remarkably well.  It asks one of the most profound questions ever raised in an Anime: What's a girl to do when her favorite pop singer has been hired to assassinate her?  The answer: have a wacky adventure, of course.   This is, as I said before, a laugh your a$$ off Anime that knows how to make you laugh, and this OVA seres should entertain most any Anime fan who's into wacky Anime comedy.  

  
14. Akira  

Another classic among classics, Akira is a timeless title that asks some serious questions in the backdrop of a cyber-punk world.  Dark, violent and often intriguing, this mind twist of an Anime asks you to think instead of just idly watch.  It's a condensed but well told story with some of the best visuals ever created for an animated feature.  It's worth the time and effort to watch.  

  
13. Sorcerer Hunters  

If you like funny Anime with a sometimes serious twist, and lot of gratuitous fan service, then Sorcerer Hunters is the Anime for you.  At times the fan service feels a bit too much, but the wit and charm of the series often shines through, and when this Anime wants to be serious, it does it well.  It won't win any awards, but it's just fun and entertaining enough to make it into my top 25 list this time around.  It probably would have made it into my other one if I had thought about it then.   

  
12. Bleach  

Though this is an Anime I'm still watching, I've seen more than enough to know that Bleach belongs on this top 25 Anime list.  Sometimes a little annoying with it's over explanations and exposition dumps, not to mention characters suffering from what I like to call the Dragonball Z syndrome (in that the characters talk way too much during action sequences and blow massive opportunities to attack while standing there talking), this Anime still boasts charming characters and an intriguing story.  It gets more hype than it probably deserves, but it surely isn't a bad Anime.  

  
11. Record of Lodoss War  

This is a powerful, 12-episode OVA series that takes traditional role-playing and tells an animated story that comments on war and the significance of love and the power of the heart.  It's one of the best OVA series out there, with a traditional, classic feel.  It has charming characters and a well-told story.  A must see.  

Record of Lodoss War moves up one spot from my other review thread.    

10-6 coming soon.  

So, what's your thoughts on the list.  Would these Anime have made it onto your list?  Let's talk Anime.

Edited by Slipfighter, 18 January 2007 - 05:13 PM.

[Niko]

Slipfighter, on Jan 18 2007, 04:39 PM, said:

So, what's your thoughts on the list.

That we have fairly different tastes in anime.   Of the titles you've listed for the Top 50 so far, there are about 20 of them that I've seen enough of to have an informed opinion on.  Most of those I like well enough, but only 6 or 7 are actually series that would be in the running for my Top 50 right now.

Quote

InuYasha: I think this series would have been better if it was around 50 episodes instead of 160 plus. It kept forgetting it had an arch to finish.

Agreed.   My biggest problem, I think, is that I really like InuYasha's group, but couldn't care less about the squazillion other characters in this series.  This kind of show usually needs that large cast to keep it rolling for eons, but in InuYasha, every time the focus shifts to Sesshomaru or Koga or Naraku's various henchmen, I get bored real quick.

19. Wolf's Rain:  Love the series, but not enough to put it in a Top 25.  Great beginning, great ending, but just a bit too meandering and pointless in the middle for me to really rate it this high.

18. Witch Hunter Robin:  This was #50 on my list last time (having won out against Wolf's Rain, as it happens), but I think it'd get pushed off the list if I was doing it now.  Great premise and I love the characters, but as you said, I found the pacing to be toooooo plodding and I also thought the ultimate pay-off was quite disappointing.  After the events around episodes 14/15-ish, I expected the series to explode with cool stuff going on, but it never really did.

17. Now and Then, Here and There:  I've been organizing a monthly anime meetup for the last six months, and this was the first series we watched.  No one believed me when I told them how dark and evil it was, so their reactions when things started getting brutal were pretty priceless. It was quite the bonding experience.    The villain is certainly over-the-top, but for me that adds a certain amount of curiosity.  How does a guy who's so blatantly bats--t crazy get that close to complete world domination?

14. Akira:  Overrated, imo, but I certainly can't quibble over including the classics.

12. Bleach:  Ok, this one I don't get at all.  I'm not immune to the charm of this type of show ("One Piece" is my twoo wuv right now), and I think I've given the series a fair shake, but I just don't enjoy it in the slightest.  Someone in my meetup loves it though, so I guess I'll be getting another chance to revise my opinion since we're going to end up watching the whole thing, I'm sure.  

11. Record of Lodoss War:  Yay!   My favorite placement on the list so far.

(Oh, and ooc, SF, have you checked out "Ergo Proxy" yet?  With it being from the same studio as Champloo, having a cyberpunky theme, and starring a character who looks like she stepped out of your Evanescence banner, it seems like a shoo-in for you. )

Edited by Niko, 19 January 2007 - 04:58 PM.

[NexusNine]

10. Robotech  

What can you say about the Anime that pretty much influenced an entire generation of Anime fans?  Some Anime fans refuse to consider Robotech an Anime due to it being three separate Anime series rewritten to tell an essentially new story.  Many Anime fans, however, do consider it Anime, and I’m one of those people.  It’s a profound story of war and devastation, about how love is the world’s only hope of survival, and how coinciding with your peers is the path to peace.  Though the second saga is a tad bit weak, The Robotech Masters, the over arcing story is remarkably strong and has few plot holes considering the rewrites.  The characters are absolutely charming and easy to relate with, and with Shadow Chronicles on the way, the epic that is Robotech is about to get that much more epic.  This Anime is an absolute must see.  


09. Read or Die / R.O.D. TV  

You can watch one without the other, but I wouldn’t suggest it.  Read or Die is an OVA series that follows events surrounding Yomiko Readman, A.K.A: The Paper.  Yomiko is a master paper manipulator who loves books and works for the government.  After the events of the OVA comes the events of the TV series, where we meet three more paper manipulators who go by the code name: The Paper Sisters, though they aren’t actually blood sisters.  Events from the OVA carry over to the TV series, and Yomiko eventually comes back into play.  This series has great characters, a great story, and is one of the more original efforts I’ve seen in Anime in a while.  While both work well enough on their own, I suggest watching both.  Both are well worth taking a look at.  


08. Bubblegum Crisis / Bubblegum Crash OVA  

While I thought about including Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 in this review, it simply comes down to it that Tokyo 2040 just doesn’t match the charm and caliber of the original OVAs that got it all started.  The biggest problem with Tokyo 2040 is that all logic just falls apart in the last third of the series, and it asks the audience to take extremely large leaps to suspend their disbelief to buy the story that almost just get shoveled out at the end.  The original OVA, however, holds together far better, taking an almost episodic approach to its story with an arc playing out in the background.  The only problem with the OVA is it was essentially cut short due to production issues, and a three-episode OVA was thrown together to finish the arc.  Together the Bubblegum Crisis and Bubblegum Crash OVAs tell the tale of the Knight Sabers and their heroic fight against the booming population of Boomers (Cyborgs) that are running rampant through Mega Tokyo.  These OVAs utilize the cyber-punk genre far better than Tokyo 2040 does, with a better soundtrack, better animation, and a stronger grasp of the cyber-punk genre in of itself.  These are classics by all means, and should be checked out by any Anime fan.  


07.  Tenchi Muyo! / Tenchi Universe / Tenchi in Tokyo / Tenchi Muyo! GXP / Tenchi Movies  

Tenchi, Tenchi, and more Tenchi.  How much Tenchi can there be?  Lots.  This mini review is dedicated to the long running Tenchi series that has three OVAs, three TV series, and three movies.  To make this simple, Tenchi Muyo! is the original Tenchi series, made up of two OVA series that clock in at 12 episodes and a couple of specials.  The second movie, Tenchi The Movie 2: Daughter of Darkness takes place in this continuity.  Tenchi Muyo! TV: Tenchi Universe is a 26-episode TV series that retells the OVA with more fleshed out characters.  The first and third movies, Tenchi Muyo! In Love and Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Tenchi Forever, takes place in this continuity.  Tenchi in Tokyo stands on its own to tell a new story following Tenchi yet again, while Tenchi Muyo! GXP is a stand alone series that follows Seina Yamada, who looks a lot like Tenchi but isn’t.  The point is, regardless to what Tenchi series you watch, you always get great characters and a fun Anime to watch.  The whole series, except Tenchi Muyo! Ryo Ohki, which I haven’t seen yet, makes it into my top 10 this time around.  Every Anime fan should check out at least one Tenchi series or movie, though be warned that the movies are very tied in with the series and expects the audience to already know these characters.  Highly recommended series.  


06. Comic Party  

In my other review thread, I said this was one of the most refreshing Anime titles I’d seen in years… and it still applies.  This is a funny, romantic comedy that explores the meaning of art through the growing trend of fan comics in Japan.  The characters are very likeable, and the story never gets too serious, so this title becomes a nice breather when you want to get away from the more violent, darker, or action packed Anime out there.  I still can’t say enough good things about this Anime.  Really, go forth to an Anime shop and pick this one up!   

5-1 coming soon.

Edited by Slipfighter, 20 January 2007 - 11:31 PM.

[Captain Jack]

Slipfighter, on Jan 19 2007, 10:57 PM, said:

robotech15.jpg
10. Robotech  

What can you say about the Anime that pretty much influenced an entire generation of Anime fans?  Some Anime fans refuse to consider Robotech an Anime due to it being three separate Anime series rewritten to tell an essentially new story.  Many Anime fans, however, do consider it Anime, and I’m one of those people.  It’s a profound story of war and devastation, about how love is the world’s only hope of survival, and how coinciding with your peers is the path to peace.  Though the second saga is a tad bit weak, The Robotech Masters, the over arcing story is remarkably strong and has few plot holes considering the rewrites.  The characters are absolutely charming and easy to relate with, and with Shadow Chronicles on the way, the epic that is Robotech is about to get that much more epic.  This Anime is an absolute must see.

The pic of Lisa Hayes looks different somehow.  For me, this is my #1 Anime show.

It's too bad "Big O" never had a chance to continue in the U.S.  It did for a little, but then *poof* gone.   I rather liked it.

How come "Starblazers" never made the list?  Did it not sort of break new ground for Japanese animation in the United States?  How about "Battle of the Planets" and even (ugh) "Speed Racer"?  Yes, I'm old school.  

[NexusNine]

Niko, on Jan 19 2007, 09:07 PM, said:

That we have fairly different tastes in anime.

  

I guess we do.   

Quote

19. Wolf's Rain:  Love the series, but not enough to put it in a Top 25.  Great beginning, great ending, but just a bit too meandering and pointless in the middle for me to really rate it this high.

  

It's got a good story and great characters, so that's why I put it in my top 25.  That and how original the concept is.  

Quote

18. Witch Hunter Robin:  This was #50 on my list last time (having won out against Wolf's Rain, as it happens), but I think it'd get pushed off the list if I was doing it now.  Great premise and I love the characters, but as you said, I found the pacing to be toooooo plodding and I also thought the ultimate pay-off was quite disappointing.  After the events around episodes 14/15-ish, I expected the series to explode with cool stuff going on, but it never really did.

  

I just love the myths and characters in this Anime.  And the pacing doesn't really bother me.  

Quote

17. Now and Then, Here and There:  I've been organizing a monthly anime meetup for the last six months, and this was the first series we watched.  No one believed me when I told them how dark and evil it was, so their reactions when things started getting brutal were pretty priceless. It was quite the bonding experience.    The villain is certainly over-the-top, but for me that adds a certain amount of curiosity.  How does a guy who's so blatantly bats--t crazy get that close to complete world domination?

  

My nephew's jaw hit the floor when he saw this one.   

Quote

12. Bleach:  Ok, this one I don't get at all.  I'm not immune to the charm of this type of show ("One Piece" is my twoo wuv right now), and I think I've given the series a fair shake, but I just don't enjoy it in the slightest.  Someone in my meetup loves it though, so I guess I'll be getting another chance to revise my opinion since we're going to end up watching the whole thing, I'm sure.  

  

It works well considering its flaws.  

Quote

11. Record of Lodoss War:  Yay!   My favorite placement on the list so far.

  

I love this Anime.  

Quote

(Oh, and ooc, SF, have you checked out "Ergo Proxy" yet?  With it being from the same studio as Champloo, having a cyberpunky theme, and starring a character who looks like she stepped out of your Evanescence banner, it seems like a shoo-in for you. )

  

Haven't seen this one yet, but I've certainly thought of picking it up.

Edited by Slipfighter, 20 January 2007 - 08:53 PM.

[MegL]

Oooo! Nice to see the return of this thread

[NexusNine]

Spidey, on Jan 20 2007, 08:22 AM, said:

The pic of Lisa Hayes looks different somehow.

  

It's the design they used for the movie Macross: Do You Remember Love?.  

Quote

For me, this is my #1 Anime show.

It's hard not to put this one higher on my list.

Quote

It's too bad "Big O" never had a chance to continue in the U.S.  It did for a little, but then *poof* gone.   I rather liked it.

  

It actually did finish its run here in the U.S.  In fact, season 2 was only made because Cartoon Network flipped part of the bill for its production.  The show ran through its entire two seasons.  

Quote

How come "Starblazers" never made the list?  Did it not sort of break new ground for Japanese animation in the United States?  How about "Battle of the Planets" and even (ugh) "Speed Racer"?  Yes, I'm old school.  

  

Trust me, it was hard to leave those off the list.  I started watching Anime in 1982, and there's a ton of early Anime that I could have listed: Voltron, TranZor Z, Astroboy, and the titles you just mentioned.  Hey, some may even make it on to my next top 50 list.  Moods and tastes change.

Edited by Slipfighter, 24 January 2007 - 08:12 PM.

[NexusNine]

MegL, on Jan 23 2007, 03:31 AM, said:

Oooo! Nice to see the return of this thread

  

Thank you.  

The top 5 is coming soon.

[NexusNine]

I didn't forget about this, I've just been busy.  I'll do the top five countdown one at a time.


5. Perfect Blue  

Number five in my original review list, Perfect Blue remains number five in this list.  If you like Hitchcock, this movie is probably right up your alley.  It'll twist your perceptions of reality in so many ways you'll probably lose count long before the movie ends.  It's a true psychological thriller in all sense of the term -- which makes this Anime quite unique due to the lack of this genre in the medium.  What reality is the real reality of Mima, the singer turned actress who just may be the character she plays pretending to be a singer turned actress.  Yes, it's that messed up.  Masterful animation combined with masterful storytelling and direction makes Perfect Blue a must see for all fan of psychological thrillers.  Be warned, though, that this is a mature title and does contain graphic violence, nudity, and sexual content.  If any of the above bothers you, you may want to skip this one.

Edited by Slipfighter, 03 February 2007 - 08:43 PM.

[Davesnothome]

What happened? Did the countdown get stuck?

Or is this meant to be a cliffhanger???

Dave

[NexusNine]

Davesnothome, on Mar 11 2007, 12:57 PM, said:

What happened? Did the countdown get stuck?

Or is this meant to be a cliffhanger???

Dave

  

I got really busy with college and just forgot about this thread for a bit.  Sorry for the delay.  This top 25 list officially continues later on today.

Edited by Slipfighter, 12 June 2007 - 03:23 AM.

[NexusNine]

  

4. Elfen Lied  

Dark, ultra violent, and ultra cute, this Anime is without a doubt one of the most disturbing series I've ever seen in Anime, if not simply just in general.  One minute the mood is so dark and violent that it numbs your mind, and then the next it's so cute and funny that you think you're watching an entirely different Anime.  That may sound like a criticism, but it actually isn't.  Somehow Elfen Lied makes it work.  The story is dark, about a new race of humans or being called the diclonius that are trying to take over the world and wipe out the human race.  Lucy is a teenage diclonius who, after a killing spree as a child, is being held in captivity, with her mind under as certain kind of control.  But it doesn't work; she escapes and is released into the world.  The problem, though, is that she has no memory of her dark past, who she is, or even of the world in general.  She becomes a new person, an alternate personality that manifests her good, innocent nature.  In this personality, she has no knowledge of anything, like a newborn child, and can only say one word: Nyū.  Found by Kohta, a teenage boy living on his own in Japan, Lucy's alternate personality becomes known as Nyū, mainly because Kohta thinks Lucy is saying her name over and over again.  From this point forward, we come to know Lucy more as Nyū as Kohta and those close to him teach her how to live in the world.  But not all is well, Lucy isn't completely gone, and when in extreme danger or injured, Nyū reverts back to Lucy, using invisible arms to rip and tear all those around her apart.  The series follows this struggle between personalities in Lucy, her innocent and primal sides, until finally the two find balance in the end.  Again, this is a very dark, violent series, though it gets incredibly cute and charming when one least expects it.  This is well worth checking out, but this series is darker and more violent than even the likes of Perfect Blue when it wants to be, so please note that this Anime is certainly not for everyone.

Edited by Slipfighter, 12 June 2007 - 02:35 PM.