Wabi Sabi

 Soul Eater Soul Eater is nothing if not bombastic. In Death City, Death Weapon Meister Academy, led by Lord Death himself (a surprisingly goofy and caring character), trains young weapon and wielder (aka meister) duos. The goal of the Academy is to create a "death scythe," a powerful weapon to fight against evil. The catch is that the weapons are not just items. They are human weapon hybrids. The two primary protagonists are the demon scythe Soul Eater Evans and his meister Maka Albarn. Maka is straight-laced while Soul is concerned primarily with coolness. Despite these differences, they make a strong duo and eventually come to take on the threat of overwhelming madness that has the potential to consume their world. If this sounds over the top, it is because it is. The show pulls no punches and never takes itself too seriously even if it does broach serious topics. It is incredibly enjoyable even with its flaws. As I watched this show when I was younger, it introduced me to...

 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 ...