Animania

Anime are the next best thing to books, Paths into the minds of the creator and of ourselves. Their spread of topics is as diverse and  delivery makes much more  of an impact, albeit more limited in depth. This post is along the lines of the book bucket challenge spreading across the social networks and is my attempt to distill a few anime that impacted me the most from the several that i have so far seen.

I have been an avid anime watcher and found myself fascinated by them right from age old ones like Flame of Recca and DBZ to more recent ones like Mirai Nikki and what sets them apart for me, is the freedom which the animator has compared to regular movies. There are no limitations in what can happen in an anime unlike in the case of movies which can at best, showcase a mocking attempt at replicating something unnatural.

Case in Point, DragonBall Z (Spoiler Altert), an anime whose craze sent entire generations shouting in joy when Goku went Super Sayian and plunged them into dismay when Vegeta blows himself up in a failed attempt to kill Cell. An attempt to make a movie out of this anime drove the fans into a frenzy at the despicable nature of the result because it is NOT possible to have a realistic representation of the supernatural.

A book definitely has better freedom of expression as thoughts are better explained and elucidated at a pace comfortable to the reader but an anime has its advantage in the entertainment it provides simply because it's an audio-visual platform with an impact quotient that is greater.

To draft a list of anime that has impacted me is to list all the anime that i have ever watched since each once has atleast a subtle impact on me, if not by subject, atleast by delivery. But, to choose, the most impactful, they would be

1. Bakuman



An anime about a pair of students who aim to be established Mangaka ( Manga Writers ) and to release an anime in their name. It appeals to the heart of every Anime Aficionado and writer out there. It describes the state of mind of these budding mangaka through the ups and down of their career, spiced up with a romantic side story and several subplots ( read - manga within a manga - Mangaception ) and delivered in brilliant style. The heart warming story also is a great teacher walking the viewers through the process of manga writing while  also showing a dramatized back story to describe the motivation of the various writers.

I am not smoldering and incompletely combusted like those guys over there. Even if it’s just for a moment, I’m gonna Burn so Bright and so Red, I’ll Dazzle Everyone.
(Bakuman)



I prefer to be a humble dreamer, with visions to be realized, rather than the ruler of people with no dreams or desires.
Mashiro Moritaka (Bakuman)


2. Shinkgeki No Kyojin

A dystopian anime that reminds you both of the joys of freedom we enjoy and the depravity of humans when confronted by danger. A cynical, dark, tale of humanity's last stand against external and internal forces. Combining advanced technology with a semi-rustic setting and extremely realistic character descriptions, this anime has it all.

We’re going to explore the outside world someday, right? Far beyond these walls, there’s flaming water, land made of ice, and fields of sand spread wide. It’s the world my parents wanted to go to.
Armin Arelet (Shingeki no Kyojin)

If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you don’t fight, you can’t win!
Eren Yaeger (Shingeki no Kyojin)







3. Hungry Heart

Football. Sibling Rivalry. Passion.

An anime whose protagonist is a simple character with whom any person who has ever had a rival will connect to, more-so someone with a sibling. It drives you to the depths of despair and the heights of euphoria in the span of a few episodes. Watched this way back in 2006 and has been my most nostalgically recollected anime since.

When they call my brother a genius, it's an insult. He was born talented, but they don't know how hard he had to work to be that good.
-Kanou kiasuki, Hungry Heart Wild Striker

An Optimistic Cynic

I don't bother reading the newspaper anymore. It's vast pages are filled with more despair than any other piece of literature ever written. It only serves to further affirm my belief in the degradation of humankind and that surely, we can do no more harm to each other than we do already.

War.Murder.Rape.Armed Assault.Bribery.Fraud.Discrimination.

I don't think of myself as an Anarchist but i see myself losing faith in every institute set up by man as none seem to serve the purpose for which they are made. They serve the purpose of those who are a part of them. None of Democracy, Communism or Dictatorship accomplish the objective of their governance and mostly, for lack of will. The Education System is in a rut with student debt now reaching amounts large enough that they would comfortable feed a small family for a few years while not serving its main purpose of preparing the students for life outside. The economic system is on tenterhooks and is in such a precarious situation that governments across the world are all struggling to stay out of debt. Scientific progress is outstripping moral growth and important questions that should be asked before irreversible changes are made are no longer asked for lack of interest and information. The knowledgeable few hide facts in a stew of jargon making it impossible for a layman to have a fair discussion on topics which will soon be an indispensable part of their routine.

And yet,

And yet,

Despite the dark foreboding brought on by the thought of the failure of every system made by man, there is tiny beam of light that shines through. The light that glows from my regular interaction with my friends. The belief that even if every system fails, man will pull through on grit and that humans, by necessity being a hardy creature, will jugaad his way through problems. I still hold in my heart hte belief, surprisingly, that all hell will pass and that the heart of man is not rotten yet. The belief that  in every Hitler is hidden a soft side.

The amplifier, the agent, through which these feelings surface is different for each person. For me, 

it is through my choice of songs. 

Listening to songs like Iron Sky by Paolo Nutini reminds of all the reasons i believe in humans.

these songs which remind you of the good times; which can pull you through thoughts on the uselessness of human systems by reminding you of the goodness of man; which remind you to not over think and which can force you to action reignite my hope in humankind. No creature that can put a smile on the faces of others can inherently wish to harm the same people.  

Iron Sky - Paolo Nutini
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Imagine - John Lennon
Wind of Change - Scorpion
Right Now - Van Halen
Follow me now - Jason Gleed
You get what you give - New Radicals
Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson
Bittersweet Symphony - Verve
Suspended Animation (Album) - John Petrucci


PS - Grooveshark is blocked at my college. Some things are truly beyond hope.
I'll be adding the players for these songs when i get access to it. Thanks for reading!