Anime, Crazy

Japanese animation (anime) has a huge manga and television audience. Anime didn't really make a big impact where I live until the mid-nineties. It was everything we had always wanted to see, only it wasn't for kids. I watched Vampire Hunter D first, in 1995. It was made in 1985, so there was an obvious lag for it making it across the Pacific. American cartoons tend to be shallow, and most were conservative compared to the swords, ninjas, sex, blood, plots and suspense in anime. I guess we are just more wholesome in America. Funny.

I have been actively watching anime since 2003. I had lost interest through my twenties, when one day L came to me and asked, "Will you just watch one episode of this?" She used that Southern accent that most Southern men miss altogether. It effects me; sometimes when I prefer another option. As usual it worked. I sat down to watch 1 episode of an anime called "Escaflowne", after much inquiry from her.

After the twenty-four minute episode, I stared at the screen, speechless. I was processing something so intriguing that I could not move. Right before I was ready to acknowledge whether or not I liked it, I turned to my lady, still without words, and she says, "Do you want to watch another one?" My answer, "There's more?" She then knew that I was hooked, and we had a new thing in common. It took me about a week to watch all twenty-six episodes, and the story never lost my attention. It was like watching an action/thriller on human growth hormone; a ton of it.

Eventually, we had watched most of the mainstream anime series and movies. Then the internet exploded with anime sites. There are hundreds of them out there. I would venture to say that there is an anime out there for everyone, of any taste. It is a great way to go to sleep versus the news too. Anyway, I have seen many different series and movies; some have over three hundred episodes with three or four movies interspersed. I actually prefer anime to any sitcom or news show, so much that it influenced me to stop watching tv at all. There were other factors too, but who cares.

This is a list of some animes I have seen and reccomend:

Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, X, Naruto, Bleach, Samurai Champloo, Lain, Neon Genesis: Evangelion, Blood+, Fairy Tail

I hesitate to give links. These titles can be watched for free legally online, but certain sites are better than others depending on browser type, and ads. Netflix has a good selection as well. These are cartoons that you will kick your kids out of the room to watch. It's like religion; it just takes acceptance of some unbelievable stuff. I think we are seeing the results of a country that got nuked, and how it affected every part of their culture through anime. It's unfortunate that we have such routines that we can't really connect with our neighbors, much less an entirely different culture that has so much more to offer than great cars.

Note: I was "crazy" before I watched anime, and no harm will be done to your mental state, in moderation.

                                           *Johnny*

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