Wabi Sabi

 Eureka Seven Eureka Seven is a Bildungsroman story that follows a young boy whose fate becomes intertwined with a group of anti-war rebels when a young girl in a massive robot crashes into his shed. He joins up with the mercenary group Gekkostate and becomes the co-pilot of the robot Nirvash, a machine capable of surfing trapar (transparent light) waves and fighting against similar machines utilized by the fascist military. The sprawling epic philosophizes on the nature of love, family, nation, religion, war, and culture. I could not even begin to explain the story because of the way it webs across all of these substantial topics. The backdrop for this story is futuristic yet the culture of Gekkostate is firmly rooted in the Second Summer of love, a massive movement in the U.K. in which house music and raves swept across the country. The spirit of rebellion during this period is reflected in the mixture of surfer culture and house music raver culture that Gekkostate depicts in its...

 Samurai Champloo Samurai Champloo is an incredible journey. From the director of Cowboy Bebop, an undeniable masterpiece, Samurai Champloo follows renegade swordsman Mugen, disgraced samurai Jin, and teenage girl Fuu. It depicts the Edo period around 80 years after the end of the Sengoku period but blends it with modern speaking and behavior. Like Cowboy Bebop, the series blends episodic storytelling with a main story through-line. The main story episodes are where this story shines, diving into the complicated pasts of the three main characters as they journey to find Fuu's father, the samurai that smells of sunflowers. The story deals with lost souls struggling to find any means of purpose in life as their roots in any particular person or place are cut continuously. While the often brash and headstrong characters keep the tone light for the most part, there is a strong philosophical basis within the show. The show is incredibly stylish with its blend of hip-hop and classical Ja...

 Natsume's Book of Friends Natsume returning the name of a youkai      Natsume's Book of Friends is a lively "slice of life" anime that follows Takashi Natsume, a boy with the ability to see youkai, and the high-level youkai, Madara, with whom he makes a pact. Natsume's grandmother, to whom Natsume bares a striking resemblance, left behind the titular Book of Friends for Natsume. His grandmother possessed great spiritual power and used her abilities to subjugate scores of youkai by writing their names in the Book of Friends. Consequently, these youkai target Natsume in order to acquire the book and use it for their own benefit. Madara makes an accord with Natsume to receive the Book after his death. He then serves as Madara's bodyguard and teacher as Natsume interacts with both friendly and hostile youkai in order to restore balance to the world around him. The story is engaging yet light-hearted and relaxing. Natsume is kind-hearted despite some Anthropocene ...

 Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Yakumo Yuurakutei (young and old)      Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu depicts the story of an ex-yakuza, Yotarou, fresh out of prison who has fallen in love with the Japanese art of comedic storytelling known as rakugo. The story takes place in the present as the ex-yakuza is taken in by Yakumo Yuurakutei, one of the most respected of all rakugo practitioners, and learns the craft. It also takes place in the past as it explores the incredible and tragic life of Yakumo Yuurakutei and the death of his once-best friend and rival, as well as the father of the girl under Yakumo's care Konatsu. The show is dripping with noir style as it depicts a time of great upheaval in Japan post-war. Though I have not finished the show yet or watched its second season, it is already turning out to be one of my all-time favorites with its wonderfully well-drawn and fascinating characters and its incredible animation of the nuances of the art of rakugo. Suke...

 Bungou Stray Dogs Season 4 This winter season the fourth season of Bungou Stray Dogs began airing. The series follows 18-year-old Nakajima Atsushi's entrance into the real world after he is kicked out of his orphanage due to his age. Atsushi is known as "Gifted" due to his ability to turn into a powerful tiger. He is taken in by the Armed Detective Agency, taught to control his powers, and thrust into a world full of underground crime syndicates and other powerful Gifted.  Thus far, this season has depicted the foundation of the Armed Detective Agency by Fukuzawa Yukichi and Edogawa Ranpo. This three-episode arc showed Fukuzawa taking Ranpo under his wing. Ranpo shares the name of the famous Japanese author Edogawa Ranpo, who revolutionized the Japanese mystery story. To reflect this, Ranpo is intellectually powerful enough to immediately see the truth about any person and situation, making him the ultimate detective at 14. Fukuzawa was previously a political assassin fo...

Land of the Lustrous Phos on a scouting mission      Houseki No Kuni (or Land of the Lustrous in English) is easily one of the most entrancing anime I have ever had the pleasure of watching. From the very first scene, the world pulls you in with its beauty. CGI animation in anime is often maligned because it is often jarringly different from classic 2D animation, but Land of the Lustrous shows that a full CGI anime can be stunningly gorgeous. The next thing that the show grabs you with is its fascinatingly mysterious setting. The inhabitants of the world that the show focuses on are crystalline organisms composed of minerals with smaller entities flowing through them. These units come together to make a whole Gem as they are known. Due to their beautiful mineral composition, a moon-dwelling species called Lunarians travels to earth in order to destroy the Gems and take their bodies as decoration. The Gems all of their jobs to maintain their community and fend off the Luna...