First up one of my all time favourites the Tezuka directed ‘Bagi the Monster of Mighty Nature’ (1984). It fosters psychedelic allusions and experimental techniques to tell the story of a girl who has 50/50 cat/human DNA and is the last of her kind after the rest got slaughtered.
At number 2 is Nadia : Secret of Blue Water. Starts in Paris in 1889, its got good battles, good characterisation and while a handful of the 39 episodes are throwaway the series is strong with the central theme being the relationship between the mysterious bluewater jewel and the lost city of Atlantis. Original concept on ANN is listed as none other than Hayao Miyazaki.
3rd is Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal, Rurouni Kenshin in Japanese.
Next is Barefoot Gen, its a horrific look at the atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima.The is a a trailer for the live action version.
At 5 comes Tokusatsu show Kure Kure Takora. In many ways it can be seen as a convergance of Teletubbies and The Magic Roundabout. With 260 2:41 minute episodes it will keep you entertained for a while. Here’s episode 244, inspired by William Tell?
New Miyazaki film ‘Gake no ue no Ponyo’ or Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is looking good. Its been 4 years since Howl’s Moving Castle and it looks set to be another winner.
No list would be complete without Paprika, a film that simply dazzled me when I first saw it. Here’s a guy playing a paprika.
At 8 is Kirby of the Stars (Hoshi no Kaabii). Featuring a round 100 episodes we see Metaknight fighting alongside Kirby as King Dedede conjurs up a range of well animated monsters to take him down, there’s a lot social opinion in there and plot structures are unusually adept . JK Rowling gets a speaking role here in Episode 38 – watch out for demonbeast Broom King.
Rumiko Takahashi creator of Ranma 1/2 created Rumic Worlds in the beginning.
Still on TV in Japan its Regios.
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