Wabi Sabi

       Cowboy Bebop is definitely one of my favorite anime and one of the most highly regarded anime of all time. It follows the misadventures of the crew members of the Bebop, a spaceship that serves as the home and transportation for 3 space bounty hunters (Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine), genius hacker Ed, and hyper-intelligent dog Ein. The show is mostly episodic, but there is an overarching storyline that weaves in and out of the story. Its stories range from hilariously comedic to deeply philosophical and emotionally resonant. I watched this anime when I was in middle school, and I can confidently say that it has affected me more than almost any other piece of media.      The cultures depicted in this show are an interesting blend of Japanese and Western. Because the show takes place in an age where space travel is the norm, many of the places they visit are diverse melting pots. One distinctly Japanese cultural element that remains...

       Haikyuu is a shonen manga about a short high school boy, named Hinata, who is incredibly passionate about volleyball. In middle school, he sees a player called the "Little Giant" playing in the Japan Youth National Tournament on TV. The player is short like him, and his performance is so striking that Hinata decides that he wants to play volleyball and get to his level. Hinata is unable to play on a real volleyball team until high school because his middle school does not have one. Hinata decides to attend the Little Giant's alma mater Karasuno High, and his journey to the top of the sport begins. This manga is high octane. The artwork accentuates the force and ludicrous speed at which the players are moving without fully moving into the realm of fantasy. The characters are also quite well written, and the story tracks their development as players and people in unison. Through the elaborate matches and conflicts in the story, the reader watches the team grow i...

The protagonist Thorfinn on the left and the antagonist Askeladd on the right      Vinland Saga is a seinen (青年) anime (aimed at the demographic of men 18-30) that follows the story of Thorfinn as he seeks vengeance for the death of his father Thors. Thors was an unrivaled viking hero who deserted to settle down to start a family and care for a village in Iceland. Thors is brought back into the fray of war as one of his old comrades threatens to ransack the village if Thors does not fight against the English. All this was a plot to kill Thors for his desertion. The pirate for hire Askeladd and his crew are paid to kill Thors. Thorfinn stowed away on Thors's ship and watches as his father is slayed by Askeladd's archers after Askeladd disrespects the sanctity of his duel with Thors. Thorfinn then stows away on Askeladd's ship before joining the crew for the chance to earn a duel with Askeladd and take his life.          Thorfinn is a child har...

       Made in Abyss is an incredibly intense anime (Definitely not for children or the faint of heart). Initially, the whimsical setting of the early episodes and the rather wholesome adventures of the young protagonists set the viewer up for a pleasant fairytale-like experience. Quickly, the viewer realizes that things are not bright and bubbly, as the protagonists delve into the beautiful but brutal abyss. Death is a constant and almost everything is hostile. In the second season, the protagonists have passed the point of no return. They would die painfully if they attempted to ascend. They discover a thriving community with a horrific past and end up having the fate of the community placed in their hands.      This anime is so unique that the plot is unpredictable for the most part. It does follow the trend in anime of seemingly cheery stories that take remarkably dark turns. Because the story takes place in such a creative and alien setting the cu...