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Essential Anime: Difference between revisions
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** [[Super Robot]] [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Mazinger Z]]''. Aired in Japan from 1972 to 1974. The show that launched the Super Robot Genre. While ''Tetsujin 28'' was the original giant robot, ''Mazinger'' is probably the most influential and biggest [[Trope Maker]].
** [[Real Robot]] [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'': A cultural phenomenon in its own right, ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' (or ''Kidou Senshi Gundam'') aired in Japan from 1979 to 1980. It has survived in several iterations since, most recently as the ongoing ''[[Gundam Unicorn]]'' and ''[[Gundam AGE]]''. It is notable (at least in its earlier entries) for establishing the [[Real Robot Genre]], grounding the robots somewhere closer to reality (both size- and technology-wise) and focusing more on the life and tribulations of their pilots. The plots of the series are pure military drama, and would work just as well were the robots to be replaced by tanks, ships or any other modern fighting vehicle, with the Gundam taking the role of game changing, cutting edge technology.
** [[Transforming Mecha]] [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Macross]]'' (1982). Best known as the source for the first third of ''Robotech'' (1984) in the US, it helped launch the Transforming Robot genre, along with the ''[[Transformers]]''.
* [[Deconstruction]]s:
** ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'': The most influential series on the Humongous Mecha genre since ''Mobile Suit Gundam, Evangelion'' aired in Japan from 1995 to 1996. In America, it was released commercially into the market prepared by such series as ''Ranma ½'' and ''Sailor Moon''. While many other series could be called better gateways for people starting out in anime, this is a must for anyone who wants to go further in the mecha genre, or who are interested in dark psychological drama and eschatology. It's also one of anime's most (in)famous examples of [[Mind Screw]].
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* [[Unbuilt Trope]]: ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'' aired from 1981-1986. The first major work by [[Rumiko Takahashi]] this work parodied the [[Unwanted Harem]] genre before it become a genre. ''(Add to description here)''
* [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]'': The ''Tenchi'' OVA series, along with ''Ranma ½'', introduced non-Japanese audiences to the unwanted harem genre. Followed by ''Tenchi Universe'', the television ''Tenchi'' continuity, which aired in Japan in 1995 and differs significantly in scope from the original 1992 OVA. ''Tenchi Universe'' was then followed by several other series with (mostly) the same core cast and situations (but with often radically different implementations), as well as three motion pictures. A third OVA series released in 2004 extends the original OVA plotline, but leaves matters just as [[Tenchi Solution|unresolved]] as its predecessors.
* [[Deconstruction]]s:
** ''[[Ranma ½]]''. Aired in Japan from 1989 to 1992, and based on the manga of the same name by [[Rumiko Takahashi]], ''Ranma ½'' is a fusion of romance/comedy and shonen fighting, and was, along with ''Sailor Moon'', one of the early-1990s gateway anime for North American fans. It is also a Deconstruction of the still [[Unbuilt Trope]] of the [[Unwanted Harem]], although most of this flies over the head of [[Values Dissonance|Western]] viewers, as they don't realize the [[Pillars of Moral Character|very real Japanese moral dilemma]] Ranma is in. (Being engaged to more than one girl is [[Serious Business]].) This series is also the [[Trope Codifier]] for the [[Love Dodecahedron]] sub-genre, with every member of the [[Unwanted Harem]] having his or her own unrequited love interest, and is often considered the best example of [[Belligerent Sexual Tension]] -- the [[Belligerent Sexual Tension]] trope was once called "Takahashi Couple" -- or even its [[Trope Codifier]].
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* [[Trope Maker]]: ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' (1995): This is a must for anyone who is interested in dark psychological drama and eschatology. They don't call it [[Gainax Ending]] for nothing.
* [[Trope Codifier]]: One of these:
** ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'' (1997): Compared stylistically to ''Rose Of Versailles'', ''Revolutionary Girl Utena'' (''Shoujo Kakumei Utena'') aired in Japan in 1997. It couples a shojo dueling story with elements of chivalric romance, Jungian psychology, and a surreal thriller. Its post-modern narrative and feminist themes distinguish it from any other anime ever made.
** ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'' (1998)
** ''[[Boogiepop Phantom]]'' (2000)
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** Straight: ''[[Dragonball Z]]'': The first shonen fighting series to get really popular in America. Aired in Japan from 1989 to 1996 as the sequel to the original ''[[Dragon Ball]]'', also became the most popular series in Mexico during the nineties.
** [[Parody]]: ''[[Ranma ½]]''. Aired in Japan from 1989 to 1992, and based on the manga of the same name by Takahashi Rumiko, ''Ranma ½'' is a fusion of romance/comedy and shonen fighting, and was, along with ''Sailor Moon'', one of the early-1990s gateway anime for North American fans. Codified the [[Martial Arts and Crafts]] form of parody.
** Samurai/weapons variation: ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'': Perhaps the most well-known samurai series, ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'' (also sometimes known as ''Samurai X'' outside of Japan due to licensing issues) aired in Japan from 1996 to 1998. A fictionalized look at Japan circa the end of the 19th Century, it blends historical fiction with high-powered shonen fighting. Two OVA series were released as well, the first very well received, the second, not so much.
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''(Most of us know nothing about these shows or what makes them shoujo -- or more specific subgenre -- we need a lot of help here)'' The equivalent in North America would be "chick flick" - this is a target demographic, not a genre. That said, shoujo does have some defining characteristics, which should be listed here.
* [[Trope Maker]]: ''[[Princess Knight]]'' (''Ribon no Kishi''): Aired 1967-68 in Japan. Distributed under the title ''Choppy and the Princess'' in America, ''Princess Knight'' followed the adventures of Princess Sapphire, a young girl who was mistakenly given the heart of a boy and a girl, and how she was raised as a boy in order to inherit the throne of her country in order to thwart the efforts of Duke Duralumon. The story shows Sapphire's interactions and conflicts with people and her own heart, staples of the shoujo genre that still hold to this day.
* [[Trope Codifier]]: One of these:
** ''[[Rose of Versailles]]'': The highly influential 1979 anime/manga that changed [[Shojo]] anime. The historical drama lasted for two years. Notable for being one of the first Shojo anime series.
** ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'': Compared stylistically to ''Rose Of Versailles'', ''Revolutionary Girl Utena'' (''Shoujo Kakumei Utena'') aired in Japan in 1997. It couples a shojo dueling story with elements of chivalric romance, Jungian psychology, and a surreal thriller. Its post-modern narrative and feminist themes distinguish it from any other anime ever made.
* [[Deconstruction]]: ''[[Please Save My Earth]]'' - one of the first and best Shoujo science fictions. Deals with aliens sent to Earth to research it, and their reincarnations on Earth. Also involves some fantasy stuff.
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* [[Trope Codifier]]s:
** Shoujo: ''Attack No. 1'' (''Atakku Nanbaa Wan'') based on the 1968 manga and airing starting in 1969. Kozue Ayuhara comes to college and joins the volleyball team, shows talent that impresses the coach and eventually the other players, and through intense training rises to become one of Japan's Olympic champion volleyball team. [[Trope Maker]] for many of the shoujo sports anime tropes, including having a crush on the male coach.
** Romantic: ''[[Touch]]''. One of Mitsuru Adachi's first major works. ''Touch'' established him as dominating the subgenre of sports with romance, which he continues to today with recent works like ''[[Cross Game]]''. It also established as obligatory the tragic background story for the hero and the use of sports as a catharsis for the complications of life and romance.
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Pretty much the same as [[:Category:Fantasy|Fantasy]] anywhere else, but filtered through Japanese culture.
* [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Record of Lodoss War]]'', one of the best examples of cross-cultural osmosis for integrating all the best known ''Western'' fantasy tropes in an anime.
Subgenre: [[Trapped in Another World]]
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* [[Trope Codifier]]: One of these:
** ''[[Ghost in
** ''[[Akira]]'', the philosophical [[Mind Screw]] of a film that introduced many Westerners to the genre of anime and successfully overcame the [[Animation Age Ghetto]] for the first time.
** ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]''
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* [[Trope Codifier]]s:
** [[Mundane Fantastic|"Fantasy"]] [[Slice of Life]] [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Aria]]'' aired from Fall of 2005 to 2008. ''Aria'' is often identified as a trope codifier for "pure" Slice of Life anime. Set in a fantastical world, yet there is little or no adventure beyond the typical life issues we see on Earth. For people who like lovely imagery of beautiful girls against a wondrous backdrop, this Slice Of Life series is a nice change of pace from the action and fanservice of most other anime. Known for a slow pace, and beautifully drawn scenery. Often compared with the earlier manga ''[[Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou]]''.
** 4-koma (literally "four panel" as in newspaper comics, often called sketch comedy in North America) [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[Azumanga Daioh]]'', which can best be described as anime sketch comedy, aired in Japan in 2002. Definitely a schoolyard comedy, but with a scene-based take on it, rather than a more episodic take. Originally aired in five-minute segments during the week, which were then combined on Saturday into a half-hour episode.
** Subculture [[Slice of Life]] Trope Codifier: ''[[Welcome to The NHK]]'' aired July to December 2006, and took a look at some of the subcultures of Japan.
** [[Moe]] [[Slice of Life]] [[Trope Codifier]]: ''[[K-On!]]'' aired from Spring of 2009 to Summer of 2010. Cute highschool girls form a girl band and do cute things together. Surprisingly ''K-On!'' has appealed to wide demographic swath, including girls. This is generally attributed to the toning down of Otaku elements (such as [[Fan Service]]), and the heavy dependence on nostalgia.
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== Films by Release Date ==
* ''[[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind]]'' (Japanese title, ''Kaze no Tani no Naushika'') (1984): Post-apocalyptic SF/Fantasy story about the futility of war and Man's place in nature (both extremely common themes in <s>anime</s> postwar Japanese culture) and the dangers of biological warfare. Its success paved the way for the founding of the highly influential [[Studio Ghibli]].
* ''[[Project A-ko]]'' (1986): For many US fans, this silly schoolyard comedy cum Sci-fi parody was the first feature-length anime available, while in Japan its surrealist humor strongly influenced later films and series such as ''[[Excel Saga (anime)|Excel Saga]]'' and ''[[Azumanga Daioh]]''. It directly inspired the 2003 American film ''[http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0275799/ Xtracurricular]''.
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