#16 Stop Motion Animation!

We've all heard of stop motion animation, but here's a little video about it. 

(It includes a tiny robot!)

#14 Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto?!

          You remember that cool guy from school? The one that everyone wanted to be friends with? And the one that some people hated because he was too cool? Sakamoto is that guy. Even if you were someone who hated that one guy it's pretty funny when you get to watch it from afar.

          Sakamoto is loved by all of his classmates and all of the girls have a crush on him. The only problem is the bullies. They don't see why everyone loves him, no one is that cool. So they come up with a few plans to embarrass him or to make him drop his cool. However, nothing fazes Sakamoto. From a falling eraser, to having his chair pulled out from underneath him, he's always cool. No situation puts him on edge or disrupts his day. Not even a ride through the hall in a mop cart.

         Sakamoto also goes out of his way to help people, even if those people are trying to prank him or get him into trouble. Sakamoto isn't even fazed by a fire or rescuing someone from falling off a balcony. Though when he does help he always adds an extra flair.

          This anime is over the top ridiculous and that's what makes it funny. The silly reactions and responses are worth watching just because of how impossible or perfect they are. It also doesn't skimp on the sparkles. Lots and lots of sparkles. But hey, it's a light anime it's not supposed to be serious. Maybe we should try to be more like Sakamoto, if only to keep life interesting. If you want to read more about Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto? click here. 

         Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto is an anime that you would watch if you've had a bad day or if you just want to watch something funny. Even if you don't usually watch school life anime I would definitely give this one a try.


I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy

#13 Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation!

          "Even in death the bones remain. Bones symbolize life, and embody death."

          If you love the crime tv show Bones then this is the anime for you! Just like Temperance Brennan, (from Bones) Sakurako isn't the best with people, and throws herself into her work. (Which can involve assisting the police when they find unidentified corpses.)


          The main character in the anime is actually a high school boy named Shotaro, who happens to stumble upon Sakurako and ends up becoming her assistant. They work together to resolve unidentified remains and she teaches him more about bones and death itself.

           Sakurako is an osteologist and likes to spend her time reassembling the bones of animals. While this pastime may seem macabre she does it because she really finds bones to be beautiful. (which is totally understandable)

          Beautiful Bones also includes a lot of good quotes and ideas like "Real death gives people pause." They make you think about how we see the dead, and how we view death in general. How we don't really want to think about our bodies once we're dead even though our bones can still tell our stories. 
          Although this anime does revolve around death, I wouldn't say that its dark or depressing overall it's mostly positive.

          Beautiful Bones includes a reverie for the dead and the willingness to solve how they died. Nothing gets over looked in this animation including scientific facts and figures. Beautiful Bones is not a fast paced anime nor does it have much action, but it holds unique ideals that I haven't seen in other shows.

If you want to read more about Beautiful Bones click here.

       I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy 

       

#12 Drifters!

          Drifters involves A LOT of violence and it also includes a lot of historical figures. Drifters takes place in a world that's in between life and death. Renowned warriors on the brink of death are taken to this world to fight in a war to end all wars. They're called Drifters.

          All of the warriors are well known somewhere, if not everywhere in the world. The three main characters are, Shimazu Toyohisa, Oda Nobunaga, and Nasu no Yoichi. All three are from Japan but there are others from different countries like Joan of Arc, Grigori Rasputin, Hannibal Barca, Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid, and many others. If you want to look at who all is included click here.

          The animation style isa lot like Hellsing, the faces, teeth, and shading for example are very much alike. The only large difference is that in Drifters the animation style switches back and forth between hyper realistic and cartoonish. 
          The clothing and characters are extremely detailed and engaging thoughout the entire anime. The opening is especially highly detailed and includes a storyboard-like introduction.

          Many of the historical figures you might not recognize. (I know that I had to google some of them.) Even though these characters were once real people some of them are given supernatural powers. An example would be Joan of Arc, who is given the ability to control flames. If you're not familiar with Joan of Arc she was a heroine in the 100 Year War but was then betrayed by the people she was fighting for and was burned at the stake. Her anger at the betrayal sparked her hatred for people, causing her to join the Ends, instead of the Drifters.

          (If you want to read more about the actual Joan of Arc click here. If you want to read more about the character click here.)

          The Ends consist of people who have given up hope in humanity and would rather see them all dead. Rasputin, Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, Gilles de Rais, and Hijikata Toshizo all joined the Ends. They are led by The Black King and their only goal is to destroy mankind and let the creatures and beast 'inherit the world.'

          The Drifters chose Shimazu Toyohisa as their leader, for his unmatched war expertise. From poisoning the enemies water, to setting death traps, he can come up with ideas whenever they're needed. The Drifters goal is to take back the world from the Orte Empire and free all of the people who have been enslaved, essentially liberating the entire country from the inside out.

          Drifters also included spots of comedy and characters who literally act insane. The comedy helps keep the show from becoming just another war anime and helps break up the dark overtones.

If you want to read the full description click here. If you want to watch the first episode click here.

I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy 

#11 One Punch Man!

          Recently added to Netflix, One Punch Man follows Saitama, who can win any fight with just one punch. Because he's so strong nothing is challenging to him no matter how impossible it seems to us. His strength and power aren't obvious from the outside and he doesn't even look like a hero. His red gloves and yellow body suit are more like a Ronald McDonald outfit. His shiny bald head also doesn't scream super hero. 

         (One of the best things about this anime is that the artist switches between styles easily and effortlessly as shown in the first picture.)

          All of the characters are unique and over the top. They also love to talk about themselves and share their backstories. 
          Because they tend to do this often, Saitama will tell them to shorten their back stories to "20 words or less." 
          
          Saitama chose to be a super hero for the fun of it. He could be considered a casual hero. He isn't really known or recognized by other heroes or by the government . In this show the other heroes try to do everything they can to be recognized and remembered. While Saitama would rather go to the grocery store during a sale.

          Since Saitama's fights end so quickly he often takes the time to listen to his opponents for awhile. One of the best examples is the fight between him and Carnage Kabuto. (Click here to watch it.)

         

One Punch Man does involve gore, blood, and violence. It's abrupt and up front, so if that's not your thing don't be fooled by its ability to seems family friendly. If you want to read more about One Punch Man click here.

I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy 

#10 Tom and Jerry!

          If you've ever watched Saturday morning cartoons then you've definitely watched a few episodes of Tom and Jerry. These two crazy animals can make just about anyone laugh just by throwing things at each other or getting caught in each other's traps.

          If you don't already know, Tom and Jerry is about a cat and a mouse who just can't seem to get along. Tom, the cat, is always trying to either eat or get rid of Jerry, the mouse. While it might seem easy enough for a cat to catch a mouse, Jerry is smarter than he looks. No matter how hard Tom tries he can never catch Jerry, even if he does, Jerry always finds a way out of what Tom has planned.

          Tom and Jerry was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera who also created Scooby-Doo, the Jetsons, The Flinstones, Yogi Bear, and The Smurfs, to name a few. (If you want to read more about them and their business click here. ) The first episode aired in the 1940's in a movie theater.

          Even though they're known for tormenting each other they do sometimes find common ground, usually when another character steps in and causes problems for the both of them. 

         
       One of my favorite episodes is called The Zoot Cat. It was released on February 26, 1944. I'm not completely sure why it's one of my favorites but it's probably because of the music. It takes place on Valentine's Day when Tom tries to give Jerry as a gift to his girl. Tom tries to impress her by serenading her and by giving her flowers. He ends up embarrassing himself and she laughs at him. While feeling sorry for himself he hears an ad on the radio about a Zoot suit. He thinks that if he gets a Zoot suit it would solve all of his problems, so he decides to make his own suit out of her hammock and a lamp shade. 


          Tom and Jerry could be considered an American classic. These classics can be fun to watch and you might just find your old favorite episode.

Did you know?

 Tom and Jerry were originally named Jasper and Jinx in their first debut episode!

I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy 

#9 Black Lagoon!

          From kidnapping to killing the Black Lagoon crew will do anything if they're paid enough. 

          The crew on the Black Lagoon are pirate mercenaries who aren't afraid to shoot anyone who tries to mess with their cargo. The members of Lagoon Company include Revy, our gun crazy, short tempered, foul-mouthed protagonist; Rock, a former salaryman, diplomatic, one time hostage, male protagonist; Dutch, the captain of the Black Lagoon, former marine, and cool character; and Benny, the mechanic, computer specialist and researcher. (If you want to read more about Black Lagoon click here.)

          All of the women in Black Lagoon know their way around weapons. From machine gun toting nuns, to a Thai E-nep knife wielding assassin. The women don't need anyone to protect them, even if it's from each other. While in most anime it's more common to see the guys starting violence, these ladies are willing to pick a fight with anyone.

          
          Rei Hiroe; creator of Black Lagoon, said that the series was inspired by Quinton Tarentino, Stephen King, James Ellroy, John Woo, and actual pirate cases in the 1990's in the East China sea. Some of the gun fights were based on spaghetti westerns and cowboy movies. Black Lagoon first aired in 2006 and was well accepted in the US due to the extreme violence and action.

          Black Lagoon is all about violence and money. It also takes the time to get the viewer invested in the characters. They all have a reason for why they do their job and why they act the way they do. Nothing is as simple as it may appear especially the characters. Black Lagoon is fast paced and bloody and I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like violence. But if you don't mind gun fights, explosions, crime syndicates, and kick-ass women then this is the anime for you.

(If you want to watch Black Lagoon click here.)

I do not own any of the pictures, gifs, or videos used in this post or any other post on AnimationNomination they are protected under the fair use policy