1. Ashita No Joe - Great boxing series that features the greatest anime rivalry, but it also has great story as it explores the downsides of being a boxer such as suffering permanent damage and inflicting harm on others. It's also about how a passion can change an individual into a better person.
2. Jungle King Tar-chan/Jungle no Ouja Taa-chan - Great shonen series that starts off rather comedic with its perverted style humor but surprisingly becomes a better story with arc. It eventually becomes the story of a manly pacifist who cherishes nature and wishes for humanity to be as peaceful as wildlife. The only problem to this show are its below average subtitles.
3. Treasure Island/Takarajima - An anime interpretation of the Treasure Island novel. I haven't read the book but heard this anime does a wonderful interpretation of the story. The highlight for me was the charismatic John Silver whose obsessive quest for treasure amazed me. In terms of story depth, Treasure Island covers the themes of adventure, betrayal, greed, murder and determination.
4. Kaiji & Kaiji 2 - A series that focuses on psychological gambling and forces people to betray their comrades for their own survival. The story is very realistic and dark displaying a depressing outlook to humanity where money is more valuable than a person's life. The plot of show is for Kaiji to win his freedom of the hellish gambles and prove to himself that there's hope in trusting people.
5. Black Jack OVA/Black Jack TV/Black Jack 21
All of these series are mostly episodic by nature uncovering the daily life of an unlicensed doctor named Black Jack. He's similar to Captain Harlock as he is very stubborn and may appear selfish at times but is truly a heroic figure. Most episodes follow the personal philosophies of Osamu Tezuka which include anti-war, the value of life and respecting nature.
6. Mushishi - This anime contains a similar structure to the Black Jack series as it follows a Mushi Master who plays a doctor-like role. Much of the anime follows Ginko's travels across the world where he helps people who have come in contact with Mushi; creatures which are the manifestation of nature. Like Black Jack, episodes can vary in quality but Mushishi's signature traits are its usage of mood and atmosphere as the series relies heavily on music and backgrounds filled with plant life. The anime has developed a very soothing aura when watching but can also bring life lessons and conflicts often dealing with Man Vs Nature.
7. Gintama - It's challenging to get into Gintama as it does begin with a slow start and its humor being very plain as compared to its later episodes. Basically, Gintama follows the mundane life of Gintoki, Kagura, and Glasses who do odd jobs for a living. Once you stick long enough with this series you'll come to appreciate its episodic style of story telling. Some arcs focus on comedy, others are drama and others on action, but this show manages to create a "silver soul" if you will as displays the ups and downs of an adult life but knows how to cheer you up when things are looking down. It's truly a great show that combines multiple genres which shows the skill of its writing and manages to create some hilarious parodies along the way.
8. Fist of the North Star - This is the prime example of a manly shonen whose tale expresses the conflicts of love and sorrow. While the series may seem bland and repetitive at first, the story eventually into one of brotherly conflict with some hints of a romantic drama through the fiancée of the main character Kenshiro. Much of the content centers on the concept of love and how it changes people. Such examples include how those who grew up without love can become heartless and savages; causing murder on a global scale. Kenshiro's main objective is to be the messiah of the world where he bring back peace to this apocalyptic wasteland filled with mad tyrants. His road becomes a bloody path as he battles with many adversaries who are all tragic in their own way, but by the end of the day the world needed a savior.
9. Berserk - Taking place in a medieval period, this series follows the mercenary Guts and his search of a purpose. Most of his life is filled with grief and see's humanity as pitiful but gradually changes his outlook with the encounter of the Band of the Hawk. Keeping spoilers to a minimum, Berserk explores human lusts such as ambition, sexual desires and desensitization of man. Throughout the anime, demons are hinted, thus displaying a physical form to human sins. While Berserk's 1st impression may seem as mindless violence, it later exhibits fate and the gradual corruption of a human being. Berserk borrows a few elements from the 1972 Devilman Manga but places its own spin on the subject matter.
10. Gungrave - Gungrave has a similar story to Berserk as it also focuses on betrayal and corruption but instead takes place in a modern era following the life of two friends joining the mafia. Later on, the series becomes sci-fi heavy but still manages to deliver a great story, regardless of its change in tone. While not as grand in scale as Berserk, Gungrave is still a great mafia anime. |