Top 5 Anime That Made (Just) Me Think

I’m an odd sort of fellow. My brain latches onto very incongruous things and then just expands on them in ways that don’t always have a logical basis. I will find myself thinking back time and again on series and discovering new little elements to puzzle out. There are movies and shows which are obvious food for thought and countless essays have been written on them already. These aren’t the ones I’m going to list today.

These are the shows I either rarely see analyzed or that I tend to single out an element no one else cares about. Here are the top 5 sows that made me think, and just me…

5) Shin Sekai Yori

OK, the symbolism is strong with this one and there are so many elements to delve into both in the narrative and on the technical front, that I’m probably not in fact the only one to be picking on this particular point… This is why it sits on the bottom of the list.

Like I said, this is a series that is lush with meaning. You can easily find something to spark your imagination. Be it moral responsibilities of higher consciousness or perils of evolution or the terrors of growing up. I do think about those elements a lot. However, those clothes were BEAUTIFUL! The fashion design element of Shin Sekai Yori was on point! Traditional and recognizable clothing with just tiny alterations to throw an uncanny element to those silhouettes. They were both deeply interesting and completely practical.

Yeah yeah, bring on the blonde jokes. You have a show like Shin Sekai Yori and I focus on the pretty dresses… Trust me, it’s rare to find such an eye for design in anime! Fashion is a reflection of the culture from which it stems and the pale colours and just slightly altered classical lines of the Shin Sekai clothing betrays a lot about the society it comes from, way before any of the big reveals take place! Awesome, right?

4) Psycho Pass

Yeah, yeah… no one ever analyses Psycho Pass or anything. It’s not like I’ve linked a Ph.D. thesis on the show before, or anything…

Basically, copy-paste the first paragraph from above. And it’s still clothing that triggered me. Although not exactly in the same way. In one episode, Akane uses what appears to be a portable holographic projector to change the appearance of her clothes. Of course, the first thing I thought was Is she actually naked? Wait, is everybody? I’m a simple soul…

We also find out at some point that the same type of technology was used to make a rundown little apartment *look* luxurious. Basically, it seemed like a readily available way to enhance the aesthetic appearance of just about anything and affordable even to those that had subpar living conditions.

So, what does this do to the economy? Honestly, luxury, a lot of which is aesthetic, is one of the biggest markets available right now. Considering that international relations with Japan must already be precarious due to the Psycho Pass system, having a cheap gadget that eliminates the need/drive to “get yourself something pretty” is bound to have some serious market implications. I can hardly properly wrap my mind around it as is…

3) Steins;Gate

I just think about Steins Gate a lot you guys… That’s all.

All right, this is a point people rarely talk about, in the visual novel, the “bad ends” or rather alternate character routes each reveal a lot about Okabe, the people around him and just how much strain time travel puts on the human psyche. It’s an element that builds over time and cannot be properly translated into 24 episodes, in my opinion.

Anywho, Faris is the best…. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. SuXX route really shows us how far gone Okabe can get in a way that adds a lot of depth to his character and Ruka’s route has some beautiful themes of acceptance and personal growth but Faris’ route constructs a carefully balanced and powerful female character that remains on of my favourite in media in general. And all of it depends on the survival of her father.

It’s an indirect thesis on the importance of parenthood and the impact we have on our children, whether they be organic or not. How a simple presence, even imperfect and occasionally disengaged, can make a huge difference in a person’s development. Sure, Faris’ nature is impressive and still somewhat present no matter what, but it’s nurture that really made her bloom. Considering this is a mind-bending time travel story, I guess I understand why people may want to concentrate on something other than the Nature vs Nurture question.

2) Gurren Lagann

OK, I should rewrite my first paragraph, these are all series that have made everyone think, it’s just that I fixate on little random things. Man, I loved Gurren Lagann. I Loved the feminist messaging, I loved the bittersweet resolutions, I loved that it was carried on the back of a memory and almost destroyed by a dream. And I keep wondering about the number 7…

I might be an idiot, and everybody already knows the answer to this, but what is the significance of the number 7 in Gurren Lagann??? I am vaguely aware that it plays a role in Christian dogma. Episode 7 is possibly the most important turning point in the series, Tepplin falls on the 7^th day of battle when Lordgenome (that name is so on the nose) is defeated, civilization then flourishes freely for 7 years until the Anti-Spiral war breaks out and finally, Nia and Simon say their vows 7 days after their return to earth and then… For some reason, this pattern really stuck with me, as you can see.

Honourable Mentions

Humanity has Declined

I think this is a heck of a witty show. I was particularly touched by the plight of the personified satellites for instance but there is a lot of precious moments throughout the series. But I think the humour may be a bit too bizarre and a lot of people got stuck on the weird side of it instead of the brilliant.

To Be A Hero/Heroine

It seems like both of these shows were written to be purposefully divisive. They tend towards bad taste, childish jokes and extreme iterations of already questionable tropes to wrap around deeply human and touching experience. I think about both shows on a regular basis.

1)      The Eccentric Family

The Eccentric Family is generally well regarded. Few people will argue that it is not a good series at least on some level. I suppose some could find it boring or just too aimless for their tastes, but I’ve rarely seen anyone just flat out rejected as a failure.

To me, it’s one of the most poignant pieces of the estrangement and malaise of modern society. I think this series is one of the smartest pieces of writing I have come across and to be perfectly honest, I don’t think I’m skilled enough to explain it.

I’m not the only one that has noticed the deep exploration of the human condition through the eyes of magical creatures slowly outliving their time. But I still think this show doesn’t get the points it deserves for the intelligent and measured social-psychological treatise that it is.

Also, Benten.

There you go, 5 random things that made me think and I rarely see discussed.

Do you have any anime or elements in anime that make your synapse fire? Do you want to tell me about it? It’s probably going to fascinate me and completely take over my mind, and I love that!