#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 

#8 Studio Ghibli!

          Studio Ghibli is an animation studio located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka a western city of Tokyo Japan. Studio Ghibli is considered the 'Disney' of Japanese animation. While it is definitely not as big as Disney's Animation Studio it is just as well known.

          (Studio Ghibli is separate from the Studio Ghibli Museum but both are located in Mitaka. I'll talk more about the museum later.)

          Studio Ghibli is a place of imagination and creativity, the founders of Studio Ghibli are Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and Isao Takahata. Some of Miyazaki's more well known films are My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Howls Moving Castle; just to name a few. For a full list click here. (This does not include shorts or collaborative works.) Some of Takahata's works are The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbors the Yamadas, and Pom-Poko. For a full list click here.

          Hayao Miyazaki personally designed the museum and made both the interior and exterior as whimsical as can be. With a Catbus room and a little cafe, visitors are never bored and are continuously finding little details that make them smile.

          Studio Ghibli and the Ghibli museum are two places that I want to visit in my lifetime. I want to go there and see where some of my favorite movies were made and where all of the amazing ideas formed and were made into reality.

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 

#6 Cowboy Bebop!

"This is real mystic and all but do you have anything to eat here?"

          Cowboy Bebop can most accurately be described as a 'space western'. Even the characters call themselves cowboys. It's fast paced and most of the time each episode has its own story without overlapping into the next one. While there is an underlying plot, it seems to only become the center of attention at certain points in the show. Cowboy Bebop also has one of the most interesting music styles. Combining western, opera, and jazz music together. This new style of music was made by one of the most prominent artist in anime; Yoko Kanno. The fast paced and catchy opening isn't only fun to listen to, but to watch as well. 

         
           Cowboy Bebop isn't always fast paced, sometimes it seems downright slow, but keep in mind that there will be fast moments where you might have to rewatch the show to make sure you see everything. 

          'Cowboys' are another name for bounty hunters in 2071. 'Bebop' is the name of the ship that Spike, Jet, Fay, Ed, and Ein live on. 

          



          Spike's our main character and could be considered the one that usually get the rest of them in trouble. He's also a master of Jeet Kune Do, which he almost always has to use when they go after bounties.


           Jet's the captain of The Bebop and tries to keep order between the others. He use to be an investigator for the Inter Planetary Space Police (IPSP) until his former partner betrayed him and led to him losing his right arm. 


          Fay is a thief and joins the Bebop crew after repeatedly running into them. She was put into a cryogenic sleep and woke up 54 years later in 2071 not remembering who she is, and with an insane amount of debt.  


          Ed is a highly renowned hacker and does everything her own way. From walking on her hands, to typing with her feet. She joins the crew when she hacks into the Bebops navigation controls and brings them to her. Ein is a corgi that has the intelligence of a human. Ein joins the crew accidentally when they're chasing after a bounty. Ein is also referred to as a 'data dog' and can do things that other canine can't do; like drive a spaceship, or play shogi. If you want to read more about the characters click here.

          The Bebop crew may be bounty hunters but most of the time they don't have any money. Most of it goes to repairs for things that Spike breaks or is gambled away by Fay. Unsurprisingly that also means that they don't have money for food. Most of them can be bribed with food, especially Spike, into doing random jobs and even helping total strangers.

          Cowboy Bebop was a big step forwards for the sci-fi genre of anime and could even be considered a sci-fi anime classic. While it is old it doesn't lack in action or comedic moments. 

Until next time, 

"See you, space cowboy."

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 

#4 The Aristocats!

          ♪♫ Everybody wants to be a cat! Because the cat's the only cat, that knows where it's at! ♫♪  

           Nobody says it better than a cat. Being one of the older Disney creations, The Aristocats has a very traditional animation style, including left over pencil lines, beautiful hand drawn scenery, and original artistic styling. Even though it's older doesn't mean that it's missing any of the Disney magic. 

          Our main characters, as you may have guessed already, are cats. Duchess and her three kittens, Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse, live with a retired opera singer named Madame Adelaide Bonfamille and her English butler, Edgar. They're living a sheltered life, not wanting for anything. However, Madame Adelaide is growing older and she decides to name her cats as her benefactors of her fortune in the case of her death. Her butler, Edgar, who has been with her for years finds out that he would receive nothing and hatches a plan to get rid of the cats. That night he puts sleeping pills in their milk and whisks all four of them away. That's where the real adventure begins. Then they meet O'malley. He's not high class like them but from the alleys. His charming and sometimes silly personality helps guide the lost family on a sometimes erratic path back home. 

          If you want to watch the preview click here. If you want to read some interesting facts 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

#3 The Classic Duo!

          In my opinion these two movies are must see animation classics. If you haven't heard of Akira or Ghost In The Shell that's okay! Akira came out in 1988 and went the extra mile by actually animating the mouth movements to match the words being said, pre recording dialog, and creating detailed background scenery. It was the final breakthrough that got anime noticed in the U.S. Akira is equivalent to The Walking Dead in getting its genre (or type of media style) recognized. While The Walking Dead opened up the zombie theme, Akira was the final step in making anime popular in America.

          If you want to read Akira's description click here. If you want to know more about it, like how it was made and who was involved click here.

           The Ghost in the Shell that I'm talking about is the original one made in 1995. (Ghost in the Shell has a lot of side series and stand alone movies.) If you want to know the best order to watch all of them in click here. 
          The music used in the movie is different than anything I've ever heard in any animated movie. If you want to listen to "The Making of Cyborg", which is the most recognized and (in my opinion) most awesome song in the movie click here.

          Ghost in the Shell likes to hint at deeper questions in its dialogue that you might not catch the first time you watch it. If you want to read more about Ghost in the Shell click here. If you want to read the movie description click here. 

          Both Ghost in the Shell and Akira take place in the future. They're also both in the science fiction scene, specifically the cyberpunk genre. If you're not a big fan of political insurrection, cyborgs, some gore, or military related action then these aren't for you. But if not, then I highly suggest you watch them.

          If you want to take a look at other Japanese animated classics 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