Today's Post of Vik's All-Purpose Blog Is Called...

 ...Bluey!
 

In case you're not familiar with it, Bluey is an Australian animated children's show created by Joe Brumm, which debuted in 2018. The Show follows its titular character, a six (later seven) year old girl, as well as her family and friends. 
Oh, yeah and they're all anthropomorphic dogs.
 

Over the years, Bluey has received nigh universal praise and going in, I was worried that the show would turn out to be the victim of over-hype. However, having watched every episode that's currently available, I can only join my own voice to the choir.
 

Bluey's most obvious asset lies in its presentation: Each episode of this show looks and sounds great, with episodes like Sleepytime and Handstand being particular stand-outs. As for the writing, it usually manages to match the visual and soundtrack in quality. Bluey as a show is, at various turns, funny, sweet and genuinely poignant.
 

Honestly, I struggle to think of anything negative to say about this show. Obviously, not every episode is a winner. For example, the episode called Blue Mountains is an absolute slog, which is impressive in a way, considering that every episode of Bluey (with one notable exception) is less than eight minutes long and some characters leaves me cold (I'm looking at you, Calypso). However, these are minor issues that does not in any significant way take away my enjoyment of Bluey as a whole.
 

In conclusion, Bluey is a great cartoon. I'm glad I finally decided to watch it. 

A Whisper In My Ear. A Voice So Strong and Clear...

I don't think its a stretch to claim that, out of all the comics that takes place in medieval times and/or deals with the Arthurian legends, Hal Foster's Prince Valiant, is the most well-known. Though it was never a staple of my childhood, in the same way as Tintin by Hergé, or the various Disney comics, by creators such as Carl Barks and Don Rosa, I remember enjoying the volumes of Prince Valiant I read translated into Swedish, when I was a boy. 

Unlike the source material, The Legend of Prince Valiant was not a part of my childhood. I don't think it ever aired on Swedish television. If it did, it was not on any of the channels that were available to me, at the time. 

As such, I remained completely ignorant of this show's existence, until fairly recently, when a review written by one of my mutuals on SensCritique, awoke my interest in it. Having watched the show in its entirety, I've decided to share my thoughts on it. Here goes:

The Legend of Prince Valiant begins similarly to the comic (as far as I can remember), with the Kingdom of Thule being conquered by an evil warlord and the King, the Queen and their son, Valiant being forced to flee and seek refuge in a marsh. 

One evening, the young Valiant has a dream in which a voice speaks to him, summoning him to a place called Camelot. Valiant has never heard of such a place before, but he's convinced that it exists and so, against his father's wishes, he sets out on a journey to find Camelot. He is joined by Arn, a young peasant and Rowan, the daughter of a blacksmith. Both of whom have had the same dream. After many adventures, the trio arrives at Camelot and the court of King Arthur, where they begin their long road towards knighthood and for Valiant to reclaim his father's kingdom.

Visually, The Legend of Prince Valiant looks fine.Sometimes, the characters go off-model, but the backgrounds are lush and detailed and the show features some fairly impressive battle-scenes. The Soundtrack is superb (with the show's opening theme; Where the Truth Lies deserving special mention, being suitably grandiose) as is the voice-acting. Valiant himself is voiced by Robby Benson, known as the voice of Prince Alexander from King's Quest VI to fans of graphic adventure games and as Beast from Disney's Beauty and the Beast to everyone else who's heard of him. Fittingly enough, when Aleta, the woman who becomes Valiant's love-interest makes her appearance in the show, she's voiced by Paige O'Hara aka. Belle from the above mentioned movie.

Writing is likewise of high quality: Characters are by and large, well-rounded and interesting. My favorite character (if I had to choose) would probably be Duncan. He starts out as a minor recurring villain and ends up having arguably the best character arc in the entire series. 

During its two seasons, The Legend of Prince Valiant tackles some heavy topics, such as; alcoholism, child-abuse, racism and even gun...sorry, crossbow-safety. It does this without coming across as preachy or condescending. 

Though it seems to have fallen into obscurity, The Legend of Prince Valiant is one of the best western cartoons of the 90's. Easily comparable to the likes of Batman: TAS and Gargoyles. Highly recommended.

Quick Takes

 Some brief notes on a few of the shows and movies that I've watched lately.

Dune (2021)

Saw this one in the theater, together with my Mom.

Although I'm one of those people who usually prefer to watch film within the comforts of his  own home, this is one movie that I'm glad I saw on the big screen, rather than waiting for it to come out on some streaming service. Dennis Villeneuve has directed a splendid adaptation of the first half of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel, with the actors really bringing the characters to life (with special mention to Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica). Obviously, some changes have been made to the source-material, such as changing the gender of one character, but nothing that bothered me. I'm looking forward to part two.

The Third Man

Re-watch.

Honestly, what can I say about The Third Man? Its one of the all-time greats. Everything about this movie is top-notch: The Cinematography, the writing, the acting (Welles, of course, but also Cotten and pretty much everyone, right down to the bit-parts) and, of course, the music. See it and if you already have? See it again.

Grand Illusion

My third Renoir-film, set during World War 1 This is an incredibly humanistic war-/prison escape movie, which lets the viewer feel empathy/sympathy for all the characters, including the one that could easily have been depicted as a villain, considering his nationality and when the movie was originally made. Another must-watch.

Odd Taxi

Going into this one, the title and art-style had led me to expect a quirky slice-of-life series. Instead, I got a character-driven, dialogue-heavy crime drama, one that features a truly memorable cast of characters (special mention must go to the yakuza porcupine who speaks entirely in rap) and offers a scathing look at social media and internet celebrities, among other aspects of modern culture. We're only at the beginning of the 2020's, but this is already one of my favorite shows of the decade.

Final Space, Season 3

Apparently, Final Space has been cancelled, which means that the third season is also the last one. That's a shame, not only because it means that the series ends on a massive cliffhanger, but also because I liked Final Space. Sure, it was never one of my favorites, but it was a show that I enjoyed watching. I'll miss it.

As for this season, I personally feel it was the strongest of the three. Sure, the comedy part of this sci-fi dramedy, was (as usual), very hit and miss, but the drama was consistently engaging. This was also the darkest season, to the point where I found myself wanting Gary and co to catch a break.

The Ending of the End

By the time of this post, the series finale to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has already been out for quite some time and perhaps you're wondering why I haven't written about it sooner? The Reason is simple; other things have demanded my attention, that includes other series, whose siren-song had a stronger hold on me than that of the horse-show's. Still, better late than never.  Now, for the purpose of this post, I've decided to focus on what I consider to be my favorite and least favorite aspect of this finale, starting with the latter.

Spoiler-warning, in case you, like me, are late to the party and haven't watched these episodes yet.



My least favorite part of the series finale was easily the whole reveal that Grogar was just Discord the entire time. I will say this, I did not see this coming. Its highly possibly that I missed or misread some really obvious foreshadowing, but I did not expect it all, so I guess the writers deserve some credit for managing to surprise me. However, just because something is a surprise does not mean that you have to like it. Say that you are walking down the street and a random stranger comes up to you and kicks you in the shins. That too would be quite a surprise, wouldn't it?

I'm sure that there are people out there who liked this twist and they're entitled to their opinion. Personally though, I would've preferred it if the show had actually given us the real Grogar and had him be the final threat for the heroes to face.

See, throughout this season I honestly thought that Grogar was aware that the other villains were plotting against him and had taken precautions against it. Or, alternatively, that Grogar didn't care about the betrayal, because trying to use his own bell against him would only serve to make him stronger, meaning that Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow had been played into his hands (well, hoofs) all along.

That's not what we got though. Instead of having the real Grogar be one step ahead of his associates, the show gave us a Discord who is so confident that he has the other villains cowed that it comes as a complete surprise to him when they end up stabbing him in the back and stripping him of all his powers. Than again, I suppose I can't be too hard on Discord, its not like this sort of thing has ever happened to him before.
Oh, wait.

Speaking of which, why even send the evil trio after the real bell in the first place? Why not just create a replica of it? Maybe Discord did not expect for them to actually retrieve the bell, much less learn how to use it, but why take that chance?

Look, I get that in order for the real villains to be an actual threat and for the finale to have real stakes, Discord's whole scheme needs to blow up in his face. However, I can't say that this makes me look more favorably on the twist in question.

Enough negativity, let's move on to what I consider the high-light of these final episodes: Namely, the Magic of Friendship Grows, a truly touching song that sums up FiM's central theme and served as a great note to end the series on.

So, now that it has reached its conclusion, what are my thoughts on the show as a whole?
It does not happen often, but I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find a work of entertainment that exceeds my expectations and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is, in my mind, the perfect example of this (at least as far as TV-shows are concerned).

I went into this show with what can best be described as grudging curiosity, figuring that I'd watch the original two-parter to see what all the fuzz was about and although I can't say I was immediately vowed by the series premiere, it did keep my interest and by the end of it, it had awoken in me an interest in seeing more of the world presented by this show and the characters that inhabited it.

So I continued to watch and as I delved deeper into the show, the more I found myself enjoying it. There was even a time when I ranked it among my favorite animated series. In later years, my enthusiasm began to cool down, though never to the point where I completely lost interest in the show, as was the case with some other cartoons from this decade that I used to be into.

Although, Friendship is Magic may not count among my favorite animated shows these days, it is a show that I will always retain a great deal of fondness for and I can certainly see myself returning to my favorite episodes every now and then, just as I sometimes return to favorite episodes of Batman: The Animated Series (to name one example).

For now though, the time has come for me to bid Equestria and its denizens a fond farewell. Last but not least, I would like to offer my gratitude to Lauren Faust and to all the voice-actors, animators, story-boarders, song-writers, etc, who made this show possible over the years. You managed to make me, a grown man, invested in a show that chronicled the daily lives of a group of cute, talking horses and that, in my opinion, is something that deserves  respect.

Thank you.

Final Space Season Two

Recently, the second season of Final Space was made available on Netflix and having watched it, I thought I'd write a few words about it.

I won't go into any great details about the plot for this season, so as not to spoil it for those of you have not yet seen it. I shall just content myself with mentioning that this season revolves around (anti-) hero Gary Goodspeed and his crew of misfits quest to find six dimensional keys needed to free the titan Bolo and open a path to final space, in order to free Gary's love-interest Quin, who was trapped there, following the events of the first season.

Ideally speaking, the second season of a show should be an improvement over the one that came before it and I am pleased to say that season 2 of Final Space succeeds in that regard, those aspects of the first season that I liked are still present, whereas the things I cared less about have been either fixed or toned down considerably.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the way Final Space's second season handles its main character. In my original review of the show, I stated that I didn't care much for Gary, so I was pleasantly surprised that I found him to be greatly improved as a character this time around, with Season two succeeding him into making him a protagonist that I found myself rooting for in a way that the first season did not.

I will also say that, while I maintain my opinion that Final Space is at its best during its more serious moments, I found myself liking the comedic moments more this time around. Not every joke lands (the "marking the territory" scene early in the season went on for way longer than it needed) but, generally speaking, I thought they landed more often than in season one.

Season two further expands Final Space's universe adding new characters, most of which I enjoyed.. Of special note among the newcomers, in my opinion, is Cheryl Goodspeed; Gary's estranged mother, who serves as one of this season's primary antagonists. By any standards, Cheryl is a terrible person, not that that prevented me from appreciating her as a character. Her presence in the show also helps giving us more insight into her son and making him into a more sympathetic character.

Any negatives? Well, one could perhaps make the argument that, at times, the overarching story of season two feels less focused than that of season one, although, in my opinion, the interaction between the cast and Gary's character development compensate for it somewhat. In addition, certain plot-developments could perhaps have benefited from being developed more. Oh, and personally, I could have done with more Lord Commander.


That said, I ultimately found Final Space season two is a worthwhile continuation to the adventures of Gary, Mooncake and the others, one that definitely left me looking forward to season 3.

The Beginning of the End

As you may or may not be aware the final season of the Horse Show begun airing a couple of weeks ago. Now, I'm way behind on it, but I have seen the season premiere; appropriately titled The Beginning of the End and so, I thought I'd write something about it.
This was an interesting premiere. While The Cutie Map remains my favorite MLP season premiere, this one was definitely enjoyable and it gives me hope that the show's last season will be a good one. It really deserves it.

Discord was in top-form these episodes, being far portrayed in them than he has been in quite a while. Because I do feel that Discord's character has gotten a bit stale in later seasons. With the exception of Discordant Harmony, most episodes featuring him have tended to follow the same formula: Discord throws a fit because he's not at the center of attention, learns not to be such a spoiled brat and apologizes (except that one time when Starlight apologized to him, for some reason). Lather, rinse repeat. My point is, it's gotten quite old and predictable and predictable is not a word that should be associated with the Lord of Chaos.

So, its with great pleasure that I can say that I loved Discord here. This is exactly the kind of reformed Discord I want to see, someone who is snarky and self-absorbed, but nonetheless has his heart in the right place and genuinely has his friends' best interest at heart. Bravo to the writers and, as usual, a bravo to Mr. DeLancie for a great performance.

That said, my favorite part of these episodes were definitely the scenes spent with the villains. I just love villain team-ups like this and I really do hope that we get to see more of Grogar's Guild of Calamitous Intent as the season unfolds and that this isn't kept on the back-burner until the series finale. Basically, I want there to be at least a scene every other episodes showing the bad guys just hanging out, plotting their evil schemes. Or, even an entire episode centered entirely around the villains, with the heroes only being mentioned or, at the most, having a cameo.

Finally, I loved Twilight's hair-flip when she deflected Sombra's magic. Great little moment that.

Final Space

Sorry about the lack of new content the past few months. It was not my intention to let the blog go on hiatus for quite this long, but unfortunately, sometimes these things happen. Nonetheless, I offer you my apologies.

Anyway, not too long ago I wrapped up the eight season of Friendship Is Magic and originally, I had intended to write something about it. However, nothing I wrote really satisfied me, so I decided to put that idea on ice. However, I will briefly, give my opinion on this; the show's penultimate season, before we move on to the main event. 

Basically, while season 8 did feature several episodes I really like, I can't deny that MLP at this point is getting a bit long in the tooth and I don't feel as strongly for the series as I used too. Still, I will probably watch the final season, if only to see how the show ends.

But enough about miniature equines, its time to talk about another cartoon I watched fairly recently: Final Space. 

For those of you not in the know, Final Space is an animated series, which aired earlier this year., created by Olan Rogers. 

I first became aware of this series thanks to a video by Youtube cartoon reviewer EyeofSol, titled Final Space And the " Adult" Animation Myth (found here, in case you are interested), which piqued my curiosity in the show and upon seeing that it was available on Netflix, I decided to give it a go.

Set in the distant future, Final Space is the story of Gary Goodspeed, a young man who, due to certain circumstances, is currently serving a five year sentence aboard the prison ship, Galaxy One. Gary's routine is abruptly shattered when an adorable green creature crashes into him. Taking a liking to the critter, Gary names it Mooncake and adopts it as a pet. 

Unfortunately, it turns out that there are other people interested in Mooncake and soon, Gary finds himself caught up in a mission to keep his new friend out of the clutches of an alien warlord known as the Lord Commander and save the universe from complete destruction. You know, the usual stuff.

That's the basic plot of the show. So, what did I think of it? 

Well, I'm going to start by touching briefly on what is, in my opinion, one of the weakest aspects of Final Space: The Comedy. Now, of course I know that comedy is one of the most subjective things ever and if you found this show to be hilarious, than good for you. Personally though, I found the humor to be very hit & miss. Does that mean I sat through the first season of Final Space more stone-faced than a peeved Clint Eastwood? No, not at all; there was the occasional moment that made me crack a smile, but for the most part, the comedy of Final Space didn't tickle my funny-bone: I knew I was supposed to find certain scenes or exchanges funny, but they did not do it for me. 

Another aspect in which the show falters a bit is in the depiction of its main character, Gary. Voiced by Rogers himself (who also does the voice of Mooncake), most of Gary's dialogue consists of him either yelling in a high-pitched voice, rambling and otherwise being pretty obnoxious. In fact, watching Final Space I got the feeling that Gary could have stepped out of a web-comic and not one of the good ones either. 

To be fair, Gary gets a bit more tolerable as the show progresses and he has his moments that prevented me from completely disliking him, but there were still plenty of times when I wished he would shut up.

That's pretty much all the negative stuff I have to say about this series, because when push comes to shove, Final Space has far more strengths than flaws. 

The show's comedy may be uneven, but it definitely succeeds when it comes to its more serious and dramatic moments.  For example, I may not really be a fan of Gary as a character, but that doesn't change the fact that an early scene showing us his loneliness and isolation made me feel for the guy. Other moments, such as the death of a major character are handled very well. Furthermore, the plot is consistently engaging across the ten episodes that makes up the show's first season.

Finally, the voice actors all do a good job bringing their characters to life. The stand-out among the cast must be David Tennant, whose performance helps make the Lord Commander one of the more memorable villains to appear in a cartoon recently.

Despite a few quibbles, I do genuinely recommend Final Space and am looking forward to the second season and hope that it will prove as entertaining (or more) as this one. If you are in the mood for a serialized space-opera adventure, I say check it out.

My Favorite Animated Shows (2018 Edition)

Way back in 2015, I made a list of what I considered, at the time, to be my favorite animated shows; western cartoons and anime alike. Since then a lot has happened. Not only have I discovered plenty of new shows ("new" as in I hadn't seen them before, some of them are quite old) that are worthy to be included among my favorites, but I've also gone back and re-watched shows that I had not seen for many years. As such, I figured that it was high time that I updated my old list.  Before you jump ahead to check whether or not one of your favorite shows made it, there are a few things I need to inform you about:

First of all, unlike the previous list, this one does not rank the shows in order from best to, well, least best (there's no such thing as a worst entry on a list of favorites). Instead, I've chosen to list them in alphabetical order.
 I realize that this may take some of the fun out of things, since one of the main reasons as to why one would check out a list like this is due to curiosity as to where one's favorite show has placed and if its actually on the list at all. However, I prefer to do it this way. Besides, it will make it easier for me to add or remove shows, should I feel like it.

Furthermore, I've decided to limit myself to shows that have either finished airing or aren't currently airing new episodes.
Finally, if there's a show on here that you haven't seen, I hope that I have, in some way, made you interested in checking it out.
Well, enough of that. Let's get on to what you are all here for. Here we go:

Update 26/2 2019: Space Brothers added (full description to follow)

3000 Leauges in Search of Mother 

With 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, or Haha wo Tasunete Sanzenri as its called in the original Japanese, the late Isao Takahata (who passed away earlier this year) took a single chapter, albeit a very long one, of the Italian children's novel Cuore and expanded it into a 52 episode long anime, the result was arguably the best example of so-called adaptation expansion ever seen. During the course of its run-time, 3000 League presents the viewer with very believable depictions of life in Italy and South America during the late 19th Century and makes us care for the characters and their plight. A true classic and a worthy show to start this list of with.

Ashita no Joe

I'm a huge fan of Osamu Dezaki and so, it should come as no surprise that he will be well represented on this list, with Ashita no Joe being the first show of his to appear. The oldest show on the list,  Ashita no Joe (or Tomorrow's Joe, if you prefer) is a legendary anime and for good reasons; following Yabuki Joe's career in the boxing-ring as well as his personal growth as a person is fascinating. Definitely an anime that deserves its iconic status. 

Ashita no Nadja

Out of the shows I re-watched before making this list, Ashita no Nadja is most certainly the one that improved the most in my estimation. Not that I didn't like it before, but this second viewing of the series really elevated it in my eyes. The story of Nadja and her quest to find her mother has the feeling of one of those books that you read at a certain point in your life and which then stays with you forever. Add a great cast of supporting characters (including a really memorable villainess/anti-heroine), most of whom gets fleshed out during the course of the story and you have one of the finest works that the Shoujo genre has produced.

Dennou Coil

A great science-fiction series, Dennou Coil is also a rare example of an anime where the one-off episodes are more interesting and memorable than the ones that focus on the main plot. Not that the plot of Dennou Coil is bad, but its not what earns the show a spot on this list. No, what does are the episodes which was dedicated to exploring the setting and the technology invented for the series. Episodes such as the one in which the kids grow sentient beards or befriend a dinosaur-looking illegal were the most memorable ones the show has to offer and the ones that I, having recently re-watched the series for the first time in years, remembered the most vividly.

Future Boy Conan

In many ways, Future Boy Conan feels like a blue-print for Miyazaki's later work. Several character-types and themes appear in this series that will re-occur throughout the famed director's career. Of course, if that was the only thing Future Boy Conan had going for it, it wouldn't be on the list. No, Future Boy Conan is a great series in its own right and, even today stands as one of my favorite things Miyazaki has ever been involved in.

Gankutsuou

The best thing to come out of studio Gonzo. Gankutsuou is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, that despite taking place in the future and incorporating giant robots and demonic possessions in the plot, still captured the spirit of Dumas' novel better than any other version I've seen. The Count himself is charismatic, manipulative and completely merciless in his quest for revenge, as he should be and while I didn't care much for his character, I do think the decision to make Albert the protagonist instead of Edmond was an interesting one, since it adds an aura of mystery and terror to the story: Just who is this guy who worms his way into the lives of these families? What is his deal? 

In some ways, Gankutsuou actually improves on Dumas' work. For example, I never found Franz d'Epinay all that interesting in the original novel, but here he soon became one of my favorite members of the cast. In short, Gankutsuo is easily one of my favorite adaptations of a literary classic in any medium.

Gargoyles

I grew up in the 90's and Disney-cartoons like Talespin and Darkwing Duck were definitely a huge part of my childhood. Gargoyles, however, was not. The Show never aired in Sweden and so, it wasn't until much later in life that I became aware of its existence. Better late than never though, as the saying goes. With its comparatively darker and serious plots and art-style, Gargoyles had more in common with shows like Batman: TAS at its best, than its peers. Definitely my favorite animated series to come out of Disney and the best thing Greg Weisman ever created.

Giant Gorg

I've watched my share of mecha anime in my days, including several installments of the Gundam franchise. That said, if I had to pick only one representative of the genre to be on the list, it would have to be Giant Gorg. Featuring a memorable cast of characters, some of which aren't what they seem to be, as well as a great sense of adventure and mystery, this is a show that I would recommend even to those who are not into stuff involving giant robots.

Kaiba

The first Masaaki Yuasa anime on this list. The first half of Kaiba calls to mind the classic children's book The Little Prince, with the main character travelling to various planets and encountering their inhabitants. Although, it should be pointed out that Kaiba features a lot more violence and sexually active characters than Saint-Exupéry's opus. Taking place in the distant future, in which memories can be bought and sold, Kaiba is a great science-fiction story and one of the best short anime I've seen.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

This is the anime equivalent to something like War and Peace; a huge, sprawling epic with a cast that numbers in the hundreds. I don't know if I'll ever re-watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes, due to its massive length, but it is a show that I will always hold in immensely high regard. I'd go so far as to say that every anime-fan should watch it at least once.

The Long Long Holiday

A children's cartoon set during World War 2? That's not something you see every day, but that's exactly what the French cartoon Les Grandes Grandes Vacances, or The Long Long Holiday is. What's more, despite being for a children, the show does not pull its punches. It starts out fairly light, but as the characters become more involved with the local resistance and the Germans' grip on the village tighten, the show gradually takes on a darker, more serious tone. The final few episodes are among the most intense I have seen. Its not often that a cartoon has me concerned about the fate of its main characters, but The Long Long Holiday managed to do just that.

The Maxx

I've read the two volumes of the original Sam Keith comic that The Maxx is based on and why I enjoyed them a lot, this is one of the instances where I actually prefer the adaptation over the source material. Of course, the The Maxx cartoon is one of the most faithful adaptions of a comic-book I've seen, with only a few minor changes made to the story, such as replacing Erik Larsen's character Savage Dragon (a comic I've never read, incidentally) with a generic detective, or adding a new ending to wrap things up. With its treatment of serious themes, complex cast of characters and some of the best voice acting I've ever heard, The Maxx stands out as one of the most interesting western cartoons ever made. Of all the cartoons to come out of MTV in the 90's (though much like Gargoyles, I didn't watch it until much later), this is my favorite.

Mononoke & Mushi-Shi

That's right, I'm putting both these shows together. They are pretty much two sides of the same coin, with both of them starring an enigmatic character wandering the Japanese countryside, dealing with things beyond normal humans. Of course, there are several differences between them, such as their respective artstyles and Mushi-Shi having a calmer and more meditative feel to it, while Mononoke is more steeped in horror. Either way, both are great shows and definitely belong among my favorites.

Oniisama-E...

The first Osamu Dezaki adaptation of a Riyoko Ikeda manga on this list and although I have a slight preference for The Rose of Versailles, due to its more compelling main character and the fact that it takes place during a very interesting time in history, Oniisama E... (Dear Brother) certainly rivals the older show in terms of characterization and drama. I would also say that this is the best looking of all the shows Dezaki directed and considering how all his shows tend to look great, that's saying a lot.

Paranoia Agent

The body of work left behind by the late Satoshi Kon may have been small, but its quality can not be disputed. My personal favorite of Kon's work is Paranoia Agent, his only series. 

At its core, Paranoia Agent is basically a morality-tale about taking responsibility for one's actions, but its also a great mystery in the vein of David Lynch, filled with memorably weird imagery and characters. Never have cute little plush-dogs been so creepy.

Ping Pong the Animation

Out of all Yuasa's shows, Ping Pong is easily the one that's most grounded in real-life; there are no time-loops or other fantastic concepts to be found here. That's not to say that Ping Pong is boring though, far from it! The various ping-pong matches are both well-animated and full of intensity as well as great vehicles for exploring the characters and their motivations. All in all, Ping Pong is a show that deserves to stand alongside the likes of Ashita no Joe as one of the great works of its genre.

Princess Tutu

The title of this show and the fact that its main character is a duck who wants to dance ballet may lead you to believe that Princess Tutu is going to be something cute and light-hearted. Well, you'd be mistaken; the show is not devoid of cuteness, but its also filled with some really dark and intense moments, particularly near the end. Oh, and as you'd expect from a show like this, the music is fantastic.

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Revolutionary Girl Utena occupied the top spot on my old list and if this one was in any order...Well, it would definitely still be in the top three. No other show on this list is as heavy with symbolism or enjoyable in as many different ways as Revolutionary Girl Utena. It deals with important themes such as growing up, sexuality, gender roles, etc and does so expertly. It has conspiracy, intrigue, sword-fights, great comedic moments and an awesome soundtrack. Moreover it features one of the best ensemble casts in any show, animated or live-action. Basically, Utena is one of those shows that I think has something for everyone and while I do like Mawaru Penguindrum a lot (and am thinking of giving Yuri Kuma Arashi a second go), to me, Revolutionary Girl Utena will always be Kunihiko Ikuhara's magnum opus.

The Rose of Versailles

Its hard to pick a favorite out of Osamu Dezaki's work, but if I had to choose I'd go with The Rose of Versailles. Its often melodramatic as all get out, but the melodrama actually works, since its very easy to imagine the french aristocrats acting in that way. The show also does a good job at highlighting the differences between the petty schemes of the nobility and the much more important concerns of the french people at the time. Plus, The Rose of Versailles features one of the most charismatic, badass and awe-inspiring protagonists I've seen in Oscar Francois de Jareyes. As Axel von Fersen says to her at one point in the show: "Oscar, you are manlier than a man." 

Truer words were seldom spoken.

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

The newest show on the list, from a chronological perspective. Genroku Rakugo is one of the great character studies of the medium, chronicling the life of one man, from his childhood to his old age, while also letting us know the people around him. Its also a show that should be watched by anyone who appreciates the art of telling a good story. An amazing show that is a strong candidate for my favorite animated show of this decade.

Simoun

In my old review of Simoun (Please check it out for a more detailed view on what I thought of the show) I wrote that if I was to ever update my old top animated shows list, the show would definitely be on it somewhere. Well, here it is. With its well-developed cast of characters, interesting world-building and great music, Simoun has more than earned a place among my favorites.

Space Brothers

Many shows, whether live-action or animated deal with the relationship between siblings in some ways, it may not be the focus of the show, but its almost always there in some fashion. That said, if I had to pick my favorite sibling relationship it would have to be the one between Mutta and Hibito Namba; the titular Space Brothers. I think that everyone who has a brother and/or is one, can recognize themselves in these two. I know I did. 

Of course, that's not the only thing that earns Space Brothers a spot on this list. Throughout its 90+ episodes, the show presents us with an engaging story and well-drawn characters. In fact, the characterization is one of the strongest parts of this show, Mutta may be the protagonist, but many of the other characters feels as though they are the stars of their own stories, who just happens to cross the elder Namba brother's path.

Takarajima

Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is the novel about pirates and one of the foremost adventure novels ever written. As such, it is no wonder that it has been adapted many times over the years and though I haven't seen every version of the story, my favorite adaptation has to be this animated series courtesy of none other than Osamu Dezaki. Its not completely faithful to its source material (than again, what adaptation is?), but it captures the spirit of adventure and excitement of Stevenson's story perfectly and the changes that were made are, in my opinion, actually improvements; making an already classic story even better. The characters from the book were never portrayed better  than in this series, especially its two stars: John Silver and Jim Hawkins. Jim is especially great in this one, being a far more entertaining character than he usually is. Furthermore, the characters invented for the series, such as Puppy and Gray, fits so well within the narrative that its hard to picture Treasure Island without them. To this day, Takarajima stands as one of the finest adventure series that it has ever been my pleasure to watch.

The Tatami Galaxy

The final anime on this list to be directed by Masaki Yuaasa. The main character of The Tatami Galaxy lives through several different time-lines and in each one he tries to have the perfect college-experience ("the rose-colored campus life", as he calls it) . Naturally, he never achieves this goal, at first it seems like the blame for this should be laid entirely on Ozu, the protagonist's impish friend, but it gradually becomes clear that things are not quite so simple. The Tatami Galaxy is fantastic; its funny with hilarious rapid-style narration from the main character and it takes full advantage of its alternative time-line gimmick to show different aspects of its cast and of course like everything else Yuaasa has done, it has a really interesting look to it. One that I personally think is great.

The Venture Bros.

Closing out the list we have my favorite Adult Swim cartoon. The Venture Bros started out as a parody of boy-adventurers in general and Johnny Quest in particular, but has since evolved into something much more than that; featuring character-development and story-lines that the things it started out parodying could only dream of, while still being genuinely funny. Make no mistake, The Venture Bros main theme may be failure, but the show itself is definitely not a failure at all.

Some Great One-Off Characters

Most TV-shows, whether live-action or animated, tend to rely on a recurring cast of characters that the viewer gets to know intimately during the course of the series. However, every once in a while, a character appears that manage to make a lasting impression, despite only playing a (usually) major role in one episode. Below are a few of these "one-offs" that have remained in my memory over the years. I should point out that all the characters on this list are from shows that features a recurring cast, hence why there are no examples from The Twilight Zone or Decalogue to be found on it.

Hank Scorpio (The Simpsons)

Its been a long time since I lost any interest in The Simpsons, but that does not prevent me from looking back with a certain fondness at some of the older episodes. One of my favorite episodes of the show is You Only Move Twice, in which the family moves to another city, when Homer gets offered a job at Globex Corporation, headed by Hank Scorpio.

What makes Scorpio such a memorable character is his dual-nature. On one hand, he's a megalomaniacal super-villain with dreams of World Conquest, but he's also a genuinely friendly guy who cares about his employees, making him a far better person to work for than, say, Monty Burns. The fact that he gets a Shirley Bassey-esque theme song, worthy of any Bond villain, is also a point in his favor.

Hugo DeVries (Inspector Morse)

Based on the novels by Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse is one of the finest detective-series to come out of Britain. My personal favorite episode is one that's actually not based on a novel; namely, Masonic Mysteries. In this episode, Morse finds himself the target of a ghost from his past: Hugo DeVries, a con-man he sent to jail decades earlier and who is now out for revenge.

Vicious and intelligent, if there ever was a criminal in this series that qualified as Morse's own Professor Moriarty its DeVries. Played to chilling perfection by Ian McDiarmid, DeVries does not actually appear all that much in the episode, but his presence is felt throughout it. The scene in which he and Morse finally meet each other face to face is one of my favorite scenes of its type, in any show.

Lt. Joe Bookman (Seinfeld)

Appearing in the season 3 episode The Library (plus a cameo in the series finale), Lt. Joe Bookman is a library cop with an extreme dedication towards his job. His deadpan personality, rapid-fire way of speaking and the fact that he acts like a regular cop on the hunt for dangerous criminals, rather than library delinquents, combine to make Bookman one of the most memorable and funniest minor characters in this seminal sit-com.

Andy Von de Oniyate (Cowboy Bebop)

I was going to write something about Andy and how well he works as a reflection of the show's lead character Spike Spiegel. However, try as I might I was unable to come up with any argument for what makes Andy a great character that this post didn't make years ago and better. So go and read it and see you, Space Cowboy.

Krombopulos Michael (Rick & Morty)

Rick & Morty is not quite among my favorite cartoons, but there are some episodes of it that I really like (the one with the parasites, for example) and its not lacking in memorable one-off characters. My personal favorite is Krombopulos Michael, an alien assassin who we first see buying weapons from Rick and afterwards ends up getting killed by Morty, while trying to assassinate the telepathic gaseous life-form, which later calls itself Fart. Despite being only in two brief scenes in an episode, Krombopulos Michael's affable demeanor and his cheerful enthusiasm towards his work ("Oh, boy! Here I go killing again") makes him one of the funniest and most likable characters in the show.

A Brief Rant Concerning The Gem Show

Its never pleasant having to write something negative about a thing that you enjoy, but nevertheless, there are times when it must be done.
Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar, is a show that I have a deep fondness for, and is there any wonder why? In addition to being creative and imaginative, the show also boasts engaging characters, fascinating lore and some really excellent songs. However, recently, I must confess that I've started to be a tad frustrated by the show. More precisely, what frustrates me is the rather staggering amount of so-called filler; that is, episodes that are mostly inconsequential and do not further the plot in any way.

The latest episode, Room For Ruby is a good (or not) example of what I mean. Yes, I enjoyed the character of Navy and how devious she turned out to be, but in the end, I can't help but wonder what this episode accomplished in the grand scheme of things. Is the fact that the characters no longer have access to a spaceship going to be important down the line? One should hope so, otherwise, I can't help but wonder what the purpose behind the episode was.

Do not get the wrong idea, I have nothing against the more small-scale, character-focused episodes per se, but at this point, we already know the characters well enough. I want to find out more about Homeworld, about the diamonds, about the circumstances that led up to Rose Quartz's rebellion. How Pearl joined up with Rose and so forth. The show is at its fourth season; its high time that it gained some momentum and started to give us answers to some of these questions, instead of meandering about. Otherwise, I fear that the show may end up like Adventure Time and that is not something I wish to happen.

5 Favorite MLP: FIM Characters

Regular visitors of this blog (hopefully, I have a few of those), may recall that I have on occasion, mentioned my deep fondness for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. It's hands down, one of my favorite cartoons and, in my opinion, a perfect example of the saying that "concept is nothing, execution is everything". As with many of my favorite works of fiction, the one thing in particular that made me a fan of this show (I do not, however, consider myself a brony, mostly because I do not like to define myself based on the shows I watch) was the characters. The characters of Friendship Is Magic are, as a rule, enormously entertaining to watch, surprisingly well-rounded, with dynamic personalities and are brought to life wonderfully by their voice-actors. As such, I thought I'd make a list of what I consider to be my five favorite characters in the show. I should point out that, with the exception of my number one, whose place at the top is set in stone, the position a character occupy on the list is mostly random and may change, depending on how well an episode portrays them and how I feel at the moment. Basically, as with pretty much any top list, the order isn't really that important. After all, each one of these characters made it into my top 5, so obviously I really like all of them. Anyway, without further ado; these are my 5 Favorite MLP: FIM Characters:

5. Starlight Glimmer

"I may have been a tiny bit completely and utterly evil."

As the newest character on this list, Starlight is also the most divisive. Fans seem to either love her or hate her. Me? As you can tell, I'm firmly in the former camp. As George R.R. Martin once said: "There's nothing like a good villain" and Starlight was an excellent villain, arguably the best the show's had so far and definitely the most interesting, chiefly because how different she was from all the villains that came before her: Rather than being some ancient evil, a chaos spirit or a parasitic shape-shifter, Starlight was a seemingly regular unicorn, who also happened to be the leader of a cult. Starlight's brand of evil was also something new to the show; she was a self-righteous fanatic, who believed that her actions and warped ideology were for the greater good and not based on her own experiences in the past. This, to me, made her more compelling than a more stereotypical villain like Tirek. In fact, Starlight was so good in the role of the villain, that after she was redeemed in the season finale, I was a bit concerned that Starlight would lose what made her so interesting. I need not have worried, as season six have handled the character very well. Basically, Starlight is a great addition to the cast and I'm looking forward to see what the show will do with her in the future.

4. Twilight Sparkle

"I'm beginning to think that after friendship, the greatest magic of all, is proper silverware placement!"

Being the main character of a cartoon is not a guarantee that you're going to make it on to my list of favorites. Take Avatar: The Last Airbender, for example; I love that show, but Aang was rather overshadowed by a large part of his supporting cast, including some of the villains. So the fact that I have Twilight on this list should tell you something about how much I enjoy her as a main character. As a matter of fact, there was a time when Twilight was my favorite character in the show. Her smarts and love of reading just made her into an extremely appealing character. in my experience, its rare to have a lead in a cartoon aimed at kids, as brainy as Twilight. I also like the fact that even now, after she has gone from student and protege to a princess with a pupil of her own, Twilight is not presented as infallible; she still has moments where she lets her priorities be skewed or is just plain in the wrong, something that adds to her character. At the end of the day, I don't think Friendship Is Magic could ask for a better protagonist.

3. Maude Pie

"I like that fissure in the sidewalk. Its an elegant example of thermal expansion and soil settlement."

At first, I considered having the two most prominent Pie-sisters share a spot on this list. After all, a lot of Maude's appeal stems from how her stoic, deadpan personality, serves as contrast to Pinkie's exuberance However, I ultimately decided against it. You see, the thing about Pinkie is that I find her a very hit-and-miss character. When in the hands of a writer who gets her, she's great, when not, she can easily come off as grating and obnoxious (granted, this can be true for any of the main six, but I feel its especially notable with Pinkie). Maude, on the other hand, is consistently great, she's one of those characters who makes an episode a bit better, simply by being in it. Definitely my favorite supporting character (by which I mean that she's not one of the main six, a princess, or a villain) in the series. Of course, the fact that the episode she's introduced in is a strong contender for my favorite episode doesn't hurt things either.

2. Princess Celestia

"Now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you!"

Praise the sun!

Admittedly, Celestia is one of those characters that I like mostly for aesthetic reasons. Her design, voice and demeanor are simply incredibly appealing to me. She has an undeniable presence, being one of those characters who dominates every scene she's in. Of course, I relish all the little moments where we see the more human side of her, whether its sadness over having been forced to banish her sister (though to be fair, Luna only had herself to blame for that) or the sheer joy on her face, when she tells Twilight that "this has been the most fun gala in years". I should point out, that despite her having the least amount of development out of any character on this list (save for Maude, who doesn't need any), I do find Celestia to be a compelling character: She's a great ruler who puts the well-being of her subjects above all else, but at the same time, she also possesses a mischievous streak and has a bit of the trickster in her. To put it simply, I feel that Celestia is a deeply underappreciated character and an episode that focuses on her is what I want the most from the show at this point.

1. Rarity

"Why, look! There's our friend Rarity, going down in flames! Isn't friendship magic?!"

Unlike Twilight, Rarity wasn't a character that I took an immediate liking towards. However, the more I saw of her, the more I enjoyed her until she eventually became my favorite. Certainly, Rarity has plenty of flaws; she's vain, fussy and a bit narcissistic, the kind of character that could easily (as has been pointed out elsewhere) have been reduced to the role of a minor villain, or antagonist; a nuisance whose only purpose would be to make life difficult for Twilight and her friends on a day-to-day basis. However, Rarity is one of the show's main characters and her flaws are balanced by her many virtues. Time and time again, she has proven herself to be smart, resourceful and deeply caring towards others. At the beginning of this list, I mentioned that the characters in Friendship  Is Magic are surprisingly well-rounded. Well, no character in the show demonstrates this more than Rarity and that is why she's my favorite.

Back in the 90's, I was in a very famous TV-show...

Recently, I finished the third season of Netflix's original animated series Bojack Horseman and so, I decided to write a post about it.
Picture, if you will, the typical western cartoon made for an adult audience. These kinds of cartoons tend to have certain things in common: A main character who is basically a dick to everyone he interacts with. Plenty of vulgar humor, wacky hijinks and, finally, heavy drug- and/or alcohol abuse. For its first few episodes, Bojack Horseman comes across as yet another example of this type of cartoon; it certainly contains all of the ingredients mentioned above. However, if that was the case, I would hardly dedicate an entire post to the show. Fortunately, Bojack Horseman is a show that's far more interesting (and better) than the impression it initially gives.

Bojack Horseman takes place in a world that's pretty much our own, with the exception that a sizable part of the population consists of anthropomorphic animals. Its here that we meet the horseman himself; Bojack. Back in the 90's, Bojack was the star of the super-popular sitcom Horsin' Around (basically Full House, with a talking horse), but he hasn't done anything of note since the show ended and now spends his days either throwing parties or attempting to drown himself in drugs and alcohol. That is, until his agent tells him that he needs to finish the memoirs he promised to write years ago, in order to help revive his career. Tired of waiting, the publishing company has issued Bojack a ghost-writer, Diane Nguyen. As Bojack opens up more and more to Diane, it slowly dawns on him what life he has led and what kind of person he has been, or rather still is.

One of the things that sets Bojack Horseman apart from other shows of its type is how heavily serialized it is. Sure, shows like Archer and, especially, The Venture Bros featured continuity and on-going story-arcs, before Bojack existed.  However, those shows still started out being mostly episodic with plenty of self-contained episodes (it is, for example, completely possible for someone who has never seen Archer. to watch, say, the blimp episode from season 1 without any prior familiarity with the characters). This is not the case here; from the very beginning, its crucial that you watch the episodes in order. The lack of a status quo also serves to make Bojack Horseman the most realistic series of its type that I've seen (yes, despite the talking animals). Unlike, say, Homer Simpson, Bojack and the other characters inhabit a world in which their actions and choices have actual consequences (as Bojack's former friend and mentor Herb tells him in one of the show's most memorable moments: "You're going to live with the shitty thing you did, for the rest of your life).

Speaking of characters, while the show features quite a large cast, I'm going to limit myself to presenting only the five members of the main group. Aside from the aforementioned Bojack and Diane, we also have the former's agent and on-again-off-again girlfriend, Princess Carolyn. Todd, a slacker who showed up to one of Bojack's parties and never left and finally, Mr. Peanutbutter; a rival actor whom Bojack resents, mostly due to the fact that Mr. Peanutbutter is much happier and more well-adjusted than he himself is.
All of these characters play off each other really well and their voice actors (Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, etc) does a fine job portraying them. As the show has gone on, new sides of their personalities are revealed with even the characters which at first seem relegated to being just wacky comic-relief, turning out to be more well-rounded than they initially seem.

Seeing as how he's the star of the show, it should come as little surprise that Bojack gets fleshed out the most of all the characters. As Bojack Horseman progresses, Bojack goes from being merely another comedic asshole to, in my opinion, one of the most genuinely tragic characters in western animation. He's not tragic in the same way that the Ice-King from Adventure Time (to name one example) is though. No, Bojack's tragedy stems from the fact that he, from time to time, genuinely tries to become a better person, but his many personal flaws, hangups and neuroses, always seem to trip him up, leading him to fall back into his old habits.

The weakest part of Bojack Horseman, in my opinion, are the visuals. I don't find the art of the show unappealing to look at (if I did, I would've quit watching long ago), but I can't say that it's ever impressed me either, especially when compared to that of several other cartoons. I think its safe to say that in this case, the visuals play second fiddle to the writing. Thankfully, the writing is up to the task.
Bojack Horseman is a show that takes a while before it hits its stride. The early episodes of season one doesn't really do much to help the show stand out from others of its kind and if someone watched the show and decided to bail on it based on those episodes? Well, I can't really say I blame them for it.
That said, if you preserve, you'll find a show that's well worth watching. Bojack Horseman ranks as one of the best animated cartoons for adults to come out in recent years and is a close runner-up for the title of my favorite cartoon starring an anthropomorphic equine.

What I've Watched

Dear reader(s), it is my pleasure to bid you welcome to, what I plan to turn into a new feature on this blog. Under the header What I've Watched, I'm going to talk about the shows I've been watching lately; old and new, live-action and animated and my impressions of them. I don't have much more to say, so let's cut to the chase:


True Detective (season 2)

The first season of True Detective was some truly excellent television, featuring great directing and cinematography courtesy of Cary Joji Fukunaga and outstanding performances from Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Naturally, I was greatly looking forward to the second season. Well, season 2 is here and I'm half-way through and I have to say that, so far, its not living up to the standards of its predecessor. I knew that the new season would feature a completely different plot and cast of characters and I have no problem with that. However, I must admit that I find it increasingly hard to care about the various plots and sub-plots in this season. About the only time that the show has really clicked with me was at the end of episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3. Still, I'll keep watching, hopefully the show will improve in the second half.
The opening is great though.

Sonic Boom

This show, I must say, has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Its pretty formulaic (almost every episode I've seen boils down to Eggman hatching some scheme, usually involving robots, and Sonic and friends putting a stop to it), but it compensates for that by being genuinely funny. Its not Steven Universe or anything, but its an amusing series that I don't mind watching every now and then.

Garo the Animation

Another show I'm enjoying. Garo the Animation may not break new ground among fantasy anime or take the genre to new heights (at least not from what I've seen), but so far, its a solid show that does what it does very well. The cast  may not count among the most memorable the medium has offered us, but the characters are engaging and I'm interested to see what's going to happen next.

Yuri Kuma Arashi

Not sure what to think of this one yet. It has all the weirdness, visual richness and symbolism that I've come to expect from Ikuhara's work, but it hasn't really grabbed me the way that Utena or Penguin Drum did. So far, my favorite episode was the one focused on Lulu and her past. I must admit, I got a chuckle out of her repeated efforts to kill her little brother. On another note, the absence of a lengthy musical interlude, like the above-mentioned shows had, is somewhat disappointing.

Ripper Street (season 1)

I've saved the best for last. Ripper Street is a crime-series set in London, shortly after the Whitechapel Murders and its absolutely brilliant. The three main-characters are well-drawn and expertly portrayed by their actors (including Jerome Flynn, who you may recognize as Bronn from Game of Thrones) and they are backed-up by a strong supporting cast. The show also does a great job of depicting Victorian London and many of the cases, involves the social, political and economical conflicts of the time-period. This is one show that I recommend without any hesitation and I'm really looking forward to watching season 2.

Well, that's it, for now. If you have any suggestions or recommendations for me, please, feel free to post them in the comments.

Favorite Animated Shows (2009-2014)

As the title indicates, in this post I'm going to list my favorite animated shows created in the past five years. Before you start reading however, there's one thing I like to make absolutely clear:

This list is entirely subjective, naturally. It only includes shows that I've seen and, more importantly, liked. If a show isn't on the list I haven't seen it, or it simply wasn't my thing.

Now, with that of the way, let's get to the interesting stuff. Enjoy!

 Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated - I've already written about this show here , so if you want a more detailed review of it, I recommend clicking the link. Suffice to say that this is Scooby Doo made for those of us who like our cartoons with character development and on-going story-arcs. The first half of season 1 was dragged down a bit by a really unnecessary and bizarre love-triangle between Shaggy, Scooby and Velma, but aside from that unfortunate subplot, Mystery Incorporated was a great series. I especially enjoyed how the show starts out much like any Scooby Doo show with the gang solving mysteries involving guys dressed up as monsters and such, only for the stakes to gradually become much higher, until, the finale in which our heroes has to prevent the apocalypse. All this and the fact that this show gave us Prof. Pericles, one of the best villains I've ever seen in an animated show, is enough to make me declare Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated as the high point of this long-running franchise and frankly, I doubt that will change anytime soon.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - I avoided this show for the longest time, mostly due to all the massive hype it got, but also because, well, it's My Little Pony and that's a franchise I've never been into. However, eventually, I decided give the show a chance and I don't regret it. Friendship Is Magic could easily have been crap; an insipid show designed only to sell toys to young girls. Fortunately, it's anything but. The show is cute without being saccharine, doesn't talk down to it's target audience and, most importantly, is genuinely funny. In other words, it's everything a good kid's show should be.

Gravity Falls - Hands down my favorite Disney cartoon since Gargoyles. Gravity Falls is basically  kids-friendly version of Twin Peaks or The X-Files. It has a great mix between stand-alone episodes and an on-going story-arc/mystery and it features what is by far my favorite opening-sequence of any show on this list. The second season airs on August 1st and I for one can't wait.

Archer - This list isn't really in any particular order. However, if it was, Archer would almost certainly take the top spot.It's my favorite animated comedy series since The Venture Brothers.In fact, the two shows do share certain similarities, such as continuity between episodes and a cast of characters that somehow manages to be both complete fuck-ups and surprisingly competent, sometimes at the same time. The main character himself is perhaps the best example of this; Sterling Archer is pretty much James Bond with all of Bond's less appealing traits cranked up to eleven for comedic value, and yet, he's also a genuinely good field-agent. Something which makes him more interesting a character than if he was only a deluded nitwit. Here's hoping we get to follow Sterling and the rest of the misfits in ISIS for at least a few more years.

Armed Librarians: The Book of Bantorra - If there was any show on this list that I think deserves to be more well-known it would be Bantorra.Not only is the premise behind the show interesting, but it's also one of the rare anime I've seen in which a character appearing in the OP is not necessarily a guarantee for said character's survival. In short, Bantorra is a show that's not afraid to take risks or shake things up, which is always a plus in my book. Add to that the presence of a great anti-hero in Hamyuts Meseta and you have a highly underrated series.

Adventure Time -Landon of Mecha-Guignol once described Adventure Time as David Lynch and H.P. Lovecraft by way of Max Fleischer. That's pretty much the most apt description I've seen of this cartoon. Adventure Time is just filled to the brim with weird, surreal and creepy imagery, all of which I'm sure has kept at least a few kids (and possibly some adults) up at night. I also like the development given to some of the characters, such as Marcelline and The Ice-King, not to mention the fact that the show takes place post-apocalypse. I haven't watched all of Adventure Time, but what I've seen of the show has impressed me enough to earn it a place among my favorites.

Young Justice - Another great cartoon from the mind of Greg Weisman. Although not quite at the same level as some of his previous shows like Gargoyles or Spectacular Spider-Man, this was still a damn fine superhero-show. It's a rotten shame it got canceled after only two seasons.

From the New World - I should warn the reader that although the main characters in From The New World start out as children, this is not for the faint of heart. In fact, this is probably the darkest show on this list, being as far from Friendship is Magic as you can get. iI's also the most well-plotted (which may have something to do with the fact that it was adopted from a novel) with a great, suspenseful story set in an intriguing world, whose secrets are revealed gradually to the viewer. If there's anything negative I can say about this show, than it would be that the animation quality is pretty uneven, but the quality of the plot makes up for it.

Wakfu - Video-game adaptions tend to be rather hit and miss (with the misses far outstripping the hits, to be perfectly frank). One exception to this rule, however, is Wakfu. Now, I haven't actually played the game the show is based on (according to Wikipedia, it's a MMORPG), but that did not in any way take away from my enjoyment of the show itself. Wakfu is simply the best 'group of strangers band together in order to save the world' adventure series I've seen since Avatar: The Last Air-Bender. The characters are great, especially the antagonist of the show's first season, Nox, who is as compelling as any villain I've seen in fiction. The first few episodes after the two-part introduction can be a bit rocky (I recommend skipping the Miss Ugly episode entirely), but as a whole Wakfu is an immensely enjoyable series.

Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - The most recent series in the Lupin III franchise, this time focusing not on the master-thief himself, but instead on his female colleague/rival, Fujiko Mine.Stylistically, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine looks completely different from any other Lupin III series and some people may find the sketchy art-style the characters are drawn in  to be off-putting. Personally, I loved it. This show is a great example of how you can revitalize an old franchise and make it fresh while still keeping all the ingredients that made it a success in the first place.

Regular Show - To be perfectly honest I can't think of much to write about Regular Show. It pretty much speaks for itself and you either like it or you don't (obviously, I'm in the first camp). The show can be a bit formulaic at times, especially in the first season. However, it is consistently funny and definitely one of the better Cartoon Network shows I can think of at the moment. That said, I do have a slight preference for the episodes that break away from the usual "Mordecai and Rigby screw things over due to their habitual laziness" -shtick.

Shin Mazinger Shougeki Z Hen - I'm not as into mecha/giant robot anime as I used to be, but there are a few shows in that genre that I still enjoy, one of those shows is Giant Robo, which still stands out as one of the best OVA ever made. Shin Mazinger Shougeki Z Hen is from the same guy who directed Giant Robo and it shows. Both series operate on a vast, almost mythological scale, with larger-than-life heroes and villains battling each other in order to decide the fate of the world. However, Mazinger has one thing that Robo did not; Baron Ashura. Kojiro may be the nominal hero of the show, but it's really Ashura who drives the plot. In the end, Shin Mazinger is his/her story and I've always had a soft spot for stories that focused on the villain. That and the ending is one of the most memorable ones I can think of in an anime. If you've seen the show, you know what I mean.

Psycho-Pass -  One of two Gen Urobuchi shows on this list and to be honest, much as I enjoyed Madoka, I must admit to having a slight preference for this one. This is i largely thanks to Akane, whom I found to be a far more interesting protagonist than Madoka. She's not the only reason Psycho-Pass is here though; the rest of the cast does a great job as well. Particularly the antagonist, Shogo Makishima, who does make some legitimately good points about how massively screwed-up the system is, even if his methods are heinous. If you are in the mood for a really good cyber-punk police-show/conspiracy thriller à la Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex, than Psycho-Pass is a must-watch.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - To be honest, I'm no expert when it comes to the magical girl genre. I watched Sailor Moon as a kid, read some issues of W.I.T.C.H. and tried a few episodes of Princess Tutu, but ended up dropping it, since I found it to be to repetitive (I might give it another chance though). As such, I'm not really qualified to say if Madoka is a ground-breaking work that changed the genre (the Evangelion of magical girl anime, if you want) or not. That said, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is definitely among the best anime I've seen recently; featuring a strong plot which rapidly goes into pretty dark territory, without it feeling gratuitous and some really great visuals (the witches and their labyrinths are particularly interesting to look at, being surreal and nightmarish, as they should be). The only criticism of the show that I can think off-hand is the fact that I didn't find Madoka herself to be all that interesting, until the end of the show that is. Thankfully, the supporting cast more than make up for her. Kyuubey in particular is a great creation being a subversion of the typical magical girl-pet á la Luna of Sailor Moon fame. His adorable look and cute demeanor becomes more and more disturbing as the truth behind him and his plans for the magical girls are revealed to both the characters themselves and the viewer.

So, there you have it. I may make a sequel to this post where I talk about the shows that almost made it, but were left out for one reason or another. Don't hesitate to tell me what you think in the comment-section.