Tier 7: I love you, but this is where you get off. I’m sorry.
Baby Steps
This is a pretty recent Tennis anime, based on a long running manga, The story of a meticulous note taker who learns the love of tennis from a girl.
Why it's on the list
Moves along at a slow but steady pace, which honestly makes it feel like it moves along at a good quick pace considering this is still basically a Shonen tournament anime. Manages to keep the tennis matches fun and compelling to watch without ever dipping into the supernatural. What elevates this show is its romance. Again, it moves slowly, but without forced bullshit forced between them. They’re just taking their time, as the title of the show indicates.
Why it's not higher
It’s still just a Shonen tournament anime, although not a super over the top one. The romance elevates it, but only so far. Has some weird inconsistent animation.
Naruto (Non-Filler Only)
Magical fighting ninja. By non-filler I mean every story not from the manga. That cuts a lot of episodes. Also be aware I haven’t quite finished Naruto yet so… yeah.
Why it's on the list
In structure this is just a shonen tournament anime, but what elevates this show is Naruto himself. Because Naruto, despite appearances, is not a traditional Shonen hero. He actually follows the tropes of a Shoujo heroine. A Shonen hero wants to be the strongest there is (i.e. Goku). A Shoujo heroine wants to save her friends. Naruto presents a bait and switch. His desire to become Hokage, leader of his Ninja village, looks like a traditional Shonen goal. But as the series progresses, as we come to understand Naruto better, and as he grows up, this desire reveals itself to be about protecting friends, not just being strong. The show’s themes of loneliness, and the inheritance of the Will of Fire play into this as well.
Why it's not higher
Still just mostly a Shonen Tournament anime. Really drags in the back end. Filler is omitted here, but is still a pain to sift through. So much filler… All bad! The show also takes about 20 episodes to get going, (There are entire shows shorter than that on this list!) It’s a problem up front. (Although looking back at those first episodes actually works better because you have a better idea about who these kids are growing into.) The drag of the final arc broke my habit of keeping up with the manga weekly, which I did for years. Once I find the time and energy to finish it this could move.
Digimon Adventure
One of my favorite shows as a kid rears its head again. This time it’s the one I have the most emotional attachment to. I love these characters. I also love every little small detail in this show. Even the mistakes, like strange voice acting quirks in the dub. I’ve poured over this show so many times it’s hard to look at it critically. And yet we’re only in Tier 7 so here goes.
Why it's on the list
I said I love these characters but they’re pretty simple archetypes. They’re well done and do have some depth, but their greatest strength is their ability to bounce of each other. Their interactions are what’s so great. Also, for a fantasy show about a magical land of monsters, it’s amazingly grounded. First they wonder where they are, then about how to get home, then getting food, then finding shelter. This is also one of the few shows about kids saving the world where the parents matter. And it’s done well, where you can see how the parent’s personalities and baggage reflected back and influenced their children. Does a great job of world building, introducing rules to the world and how it works. Sticks to those rules and still manages to be surprising. The show mostly sticks to formula, but occasionally breaks out of it, something I really appreciate, and is a key part of why it sticks with me so strongly. It’s a show with consequences, despite some evidence to the contrary. The kids makes mistakes and things go wrong. Over the course of the show they learn and grow up a little. I could go on and on about Digimon. It was a revelation to me as a kid and when I start really digging into it I want to put it higher but…
Why it's not higher
Relies very heavily on reusing transformation sequences. Very low budget show. For the most part it is still just a formulaic Good vs Evil kids show. Particularly the first arc, which was originally going to be the entirety of the show, before it got picked up for more episodes because of its popularity. The second arc is the weakest (Also the shortest).
Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade
Gainax gonna Gainax. This story of kids reality hoping is initially all about parody. With each episode tackling a different genre of fiction.
Why it's on the list
The two main characters have great chemistry and are very likeable. They make you want to see their story play out as they try to get back home. But it’s the turning point, when the show goes Gainax, that gets it here. Once the show becomes serious it really sets itself apart. The romance here is really sweet.
Why it's not higher
The show handles sentimentality way better than it does comedy. But that change in tone and direction doesn’t come until near the end of the, admittedly short series. I like this show a lot, but I also find I like it more in retrospect than when actually watching it.
When the Seagulls Cry
Probably the biggest discrepancy between how much I like a show and its place on this list. I love this show, but its flaws are too big for me to overlook here. Based on a visual novel series, this show is all about denying the existence of witches in the face of obvious magic and witches. It’s a show about battles of wit with no wit. It’s about having the indomitable conviction to continue to say “Witches don’t exist.” Plot wise this involves reliving the same event over and over trying to solve the gruesome murders that take place, explaining closed door murders without ever resorting to saying “A witch did it.”
Why it's on the list
This show is so much fun. It’s bombastic and ridiculous. The way it continues to both mix and amp things up on subsequent iterations is a ride that continuously impressed me. I can never experience a story about witches the same ever again. In fact, there’s a show higher up on this list whose ending meant so much more to me because of this show.
Why it's not higher
But the show has no ending. They hadn’t finished the games by the end of the first season and it’s been long enough since they did finish them that it’s clear the anime will never have an ending. On top of that the final arc is by far the weakest, and doesn’t involve the primary characters that make the show so great. It makes the show really hard to recommend, even though I love it. Can’t justify putting it higher on this list.
