TIIIIIIMAAAAAAA!!!! TIMA! TIMA!.... TIIIIIIMAAAAAAAAAAA~!!!!!
Sorry, I just had to get that out of the way... Anime? you may wonder how that fits into the stream of things between the impassioned, boorish social commentary, the black power perspective and spiritual philosophizing... well, Anime is a strange thing. cartoons allow us to create completely new worlds, and Anime, is the high art of animation, so it's interesting to see what folks have done with it. Let me tell you, there is some really good shit out there. Stuff that really will blow your mind and make you think and put you in a creative head space.
To me, it seems that Anime, the good stuff anyway is overinterpretated. Mainly, western folks look at japanese anime and then try to read into it, like they're in English Class deconstructing The Canterbury Tales and looking at all the allusions and reasons and rationales and hidden political and social pokes and prods. Anime in Japan is a form of entertainment that, as stated above, allows the writers and creator to be free of the rational world in constructing their storylines.
I find it amusing to read interviews of great anime legends, such as Osamu Tezuka and Katsuhiro Otomo, and all of the concrete questions that are being asked about plot and intent, and then the technical questions about how it was done, financed, etc, etc, etc. They totally miss the point. Interpreting good anime is like interpreting a dream. To interview the creator in an attempt to ascertain concrete meaning is to miss. Would it make sense to ask such questions of yourself about the "production" of your own dreams?
Below is some of the best anime and anime that is universally accepted as the best, as well as the anime that I have found to be outstanding.
1. METROPOLIS: I'm going to give this one high marks, just because it ends like all movies should end, with the destruction of the entire world. But, in an amazing twist of absurdity, as the world is coming to an end, inexplicably, yet, so apropos, "I can't stop loving you" by Ray Charles comes blasting from every direction. You can't hear the sounds of buildings crashing, people talking, nothing, just Ray Charles singin' his black ass off. This movie starts slow and then slowly hooks you. When the cute little robot girl makes her appearance, it really finds it's groove. There's the jealous kid with the gun. The evil scientist, the arrogant blue blood leader of the world, the boy and detective family member and the cyborg assistant. But the heart of this movie revolves around this strange love affair between a boy and the cute robot girl. Unbeknownst to anyone, save one, the girl was actually created to take over and destroy the world, which she attempts to do. If not for love, she would have succeeded. The visuals are absolutely amazing. The art deco inspired design, is great, but as in all great anime's, you probably have to watch it 3-4 times just to get to the end, but once you do, it all comes together beautifully.
Rating: 5 out of 5
2. STEAMBOY: This is some crazy shit. The movie is like, 2 hours long, but the last hour and 10 minutes is the final climax. It seems to be about to end for fuckin' ever, and they pull out all the stops, and then more, and more, and more. it's completely off the hook. But, only in anime could you get away with some shit like this. I mean, it's a cartoon, why not continually pull out stops? what's stopping you? certainly not the director or writers. It's a technically astute film. the sets, incredible, the concept, astounding. it's essentially a long chase sequence, and a world changing piece of technology that everyone wants, and it pits a father, against his son, who is then pit against his son (Steamboy). there's a rich white girl, Victorian England, and just beautiful animation and hollering throughout.
Rating: 5 out of 5
3. TOKYO GODFATHERS: This story is about a transsexual, a runaway girl, and an older alcoholic x-bike shop owner, who are all homeless, have banded together and find themselves with a baby to take care of in the dead of winter. They search for the kids parents. They seemingly find the kids parents, but in the search, they all have to re-visit their past, ala "A Christmas Carol" style, and the parents story, is much more than it seems. It features some unpredictable, but believable plot twists, and by the end of the log journey, you have really come to love the characters. I have to admit, I didn't think it would happen, but the ending of this movie, made me cry. It was beautiful, and a real cliffhanger.
Rating: 5 out of 5
4. AKIRA: This movie has a Japanese motorcycle gang in post-apocalyptic Japan. The cause of the nuclear disaster is unknown, but the opening scene gives away some vital clues. The weirdness is so creative and weird, that it makes you wonder why this corny, bullshit motorcycle gang element was even included. There are some strange telepathic mutants, who can bend and control reality. A revolutionary underground network, that is in over it's head, and the character "Akira" who was the cause of the Apocalypse, due to the power of his mind. The twist is that one of the motorcycle punks, has the ability to go toe to toe with Akira. The movie has some real creepy and creative scenes that are totally weird. Ultimately, the corny parts of this movie, drag the entire exercise into the toilet.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5, but with a few scenes that make it a must see.
5. MEMORIES: Three short movies. The first is a mix between "Alien" "Blade Runner" "2001" and "Solaris". It's damn good. all the "mind/what's real" bullshit that every good sci-fi movie has. The second movie, is totally weird. This guy takes a pill that turns him into a toxic, lethal plume of death. The last one, is about a future society, 1984-type, that just shoots bombs off to an unknown enemy. The story makes little sense, and follows the mother, father and son. It's wierd. All three of them, are like a n Anime, "Creepshow", a good movie to watch when you're bedridden and already starting to come unglued.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5
6. APPLESEED: A great futuristic, save the world from destruction by the all-knowing computer type of movie. The heroes are brave, foolish, good looking, and incapable of being killed. half the population are "bioroids" that can not reproduce, the rest are humans. "mya" controls the entire city, and these geriatric motherfuckers that float around, make all the major decisions. The heroine's mother, developed the code for the bioroids, and also has the key to destroy and save them. The final sequence is off the hook, as 12 unstoppable machines march to the center of town to destroy a vat of lethal virus. Of course, with half a second left, the world is saves, and it's all good.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5, but it's mindless.
7. PAPRIKA: A dreaming machine begins to suck people into coma's. somewhat reminiscent of "The Cell" with J-Lo. It has the same weirdness as Akira, but much more of it. A great surreal world. But whereas most movies that have two worlds where characters pop back and forth, this one actually is as amazing in it's "real" world as in it's dream one. It's damn near R-rated, and definitely not for kids.
Rating 3.5 out of 5.
8. FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN: This one is very similar to Appleseed. The monsters are better, scarier, and the final sequences, more exciting. Makes you think a bit harder, but overall, just as good. No more, no less.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5, but it's mindless.
9. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES: I'm putting this one down here, cause it's horrible. The movie is essentially 2 hours of watching 2 kids die of starvation. Nothing good happens to them. It's depressing and fucked up. Don't get it. There's not a single ray of sunshine in this one. BUT, the overall story is on the suffering of war, the death and destruction, the struggle for life, the end of every relationship and joy that drives humans to move and to love and enjoy. In our current world, we are all given license to moan and gripe and be wounded for losses, be they of individuals, jobs, relationships. But in this movie, the losses are so total, that there is no room to moan and be wounded. There is only time to struggle with all of ones might to keep up with the pace of survival. To acquire food, to stay warm, to deal with the unforeseen and to improvise. This movie is just about a couple of kids thrust into an existence of survival. A survival that based upon their love, dedication and need to preserve the last thing that means anything to them in their life. They are supported by the idea that their father will one day return, but by the end, this is quashed too. When folks think about Japan and war, one thinks of the atrocities against the Chinese, The alliance with the Germans, Pearls Harbor, the Bataan Death March, the firebombing of the major cities, the dropping of 2 nuclear bombs, surrender and the miraculous return to glory. This film holds the lense tightly on the suffering of the Japanese people, and their most vulnerable citizens, children. For that, I have to give this film high ratings. It must represent something that was deep in the national consciousness, and had to be expressed, but it certainly doesn't qualify in my mind as "entertainment" it's something else entirely, and as such, it demonstrates the vast range and capability of anime, as exemplified in the other great anime sci-fi mentioned above.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
10. NAUSICAA, VALLEY OF THE WIND: This one is pretty creative. good battles, good story, strange creatures, good scenes. But, it's for kids. It's too corny and cutesy for any real Black man to enjoy, but the kids got off on it. It's a lot like the old Speed Racer, or Marine Boy (that I can't seem to find anywhere).
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 for kids, 1 out of 5 for adults.
As a final note, I think it would be a shame for anyone that considered themselves to be a movie lover, and film afficianado to get through life without at least a short sojourn into the realm of anime. If nothing else, it will add to your understanding and experience of movies, what they are, what they can be, and what they can convey.
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