Tag Archives: discussion

My Favorite Anime 2023 Addendum

I last updated my list of favorites in 2014. I always thought it was mostly a futile exercise: how am I supposed to compare things that are so radically different, aside from sharing a common medium? Every time you’d ask me you’d get a different answer.

So instead of updating the list, this time I’m just going to tell you all a bunch of my favorite anime since then. Most of them are in alphabetical order— but I did make an attempt at ranking the top 15. Enjoy! And please share what you think I left out!

Click the links for more details about each show.

ACCA
I don’t even know how to explain this. A corrupt cop eats bread and saves the country?? It is wild while having a relaxed tone, and some fascinating characters. I need to rewatch this.

Aho Girl
So stupid and so funny. Just a really well made comedy. Kanojo mo Kanojo by the same author was great too but Aho Girl had the perfect adaptation.

Akiba Maid War
It was when the main character was tied to a chair, being drowned by a rival maid in a tub of tomato juice, when her rival threw a live goat at her, that I truly fell in love with Akiba Maid Wars. Continue reading My Favorite Anime 2023 Addendum

Resisting Capitalism in Classroom of the Elite

Classroom of the Elite is, by most measures, not an especially good anime. But thematically I think it’s great and I’ve been enjoying it.

The whole setup is a pretty obvious analogy for capitalism. The students enter a school where they earn money each month based on their performance. They are literally divided into classes and forced to fight in class warfare. The upper classes have all the advantages and the lower classes are treated like trash. All while the upper classes and the teachers pretend that this system is fair and just. Continue reading Resisting Capitalism in Classroom of the Elite

Thoughts on Nationalism in Anime (Inspired by Seikaisuru Kado)

As many of my readers know, I enjoy watching shows with strong nationalistic leanings. The main reason being that I think nationalism is:

A. One of the most destructive ideologies in human history;
B. Fascinating, as are all human belief systems;
C. Something I once fell for; and
D. Fucking stupid.

Some of the anime I enjoyed watching the most include such nationalistic classics as Gasaraki, Gigantic Formula, Gunbuster, and even shows as subtle with their nationalist messaging as Gate and Mahouka. The other day I was discussing the nationalism in Seikaisuru Kado with Marina, and she encouraged me to write a blog post. So here we are. Continue reading Thoughts on Nationalism in Anime (Inspired by Seikaisuru Kado)

Sakuracon Plans

I’ll be at Sakuracon in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Who’s going? I don’t particularly give a crap about the convention, but I would like to meet up with people, so let me know if you’ll be there! I haven’t researched anything that’s happening, but I’ll probably follow Marina and her husband around most of the time. Or maybe her husband and I will ditch Marina and try to see a panel about some quality anime like Twintails, which she doesn’t have the good taste to appreciate. Anyway, the best way to contact me is on twitter!