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silverthunder) wrote2008-03-25 06:59 pm
silverthunder) wrote2008-03-25 06:59 pm
Top Five Anime Showdown - Part Five
Well... I finally got around to posting the last bit of this little showdown, so here's the final match and the answer to which anime could be considered my favorite of all time. I feel like I have to thank ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
herongale yet again because she introduced me to both of the final two. She has fabulous taste.
Mushishi vs Uninhabited Planet Survive
Reasoning: I had a hard time with this one, I really did. And looking at the series objectively, disecting their individual elements and examining the writing criticallly... the decision should have been a simple one. But it wasn't, and I think that's just because of how my brain works.
Mushishi is the superior series - visually, plotwise, and in terms of the cleverness of the writing style. Despite the fact that it is episodic, it flows very well and its development of the main character is subtle and sharp. It never loses that mysterious, otherworldly feeling, but it never seems outrageous or unbelievable. Characters who appear for only one episode are fleshed decently and are unique from characters in all other episodes. There are a number of small touches that accumulate into a brilliant whole. The series is excellent.
Uninhabited Planet, while a very good series, is sometimes clumsy and awkward. The pacing is very good, but the plot is weak in places, and ranges on the edge of credibility. The series does constantly hold true to its basic theme - nature, its dangers and benefits and the importance of being careful with it - but it still goes to a few odd places. No filler, just slightly odd deviations. Each character in UPS is unique and well fleshed, and completely believable as an adolescent in a difficult situation. I have become very attached to the characters, and their actions and reactions to odd situations are really what makes this show great.
In the end, while Mushishi is quite possibly the most excellent series I have ever seen, it doesn't have the same charm to it that Uninhabited Planet Survive gives me. I feel warm and happy inside while watching that series, in a way that Mushishi can't quite match. I enjoy both thoroughly. I just get a better feeling from Uninhabited Planet Survive somehow.
Victor: Uninhabited Planet Survive
And after that, because I felt like doing it, I decided to pick my top five episodes from the winner and describe why I like them. So, here:
Top Five Episodes
Episode 8
The leadership decision is made in this episode. As was clear from the start, it's Luna, but at the start of the episode, Menori was acting as leader. She wasn't doing badly - you have to be harsh when the situation is life-or-death - but her style isn't really suitable for a group of kids.
Three major issues in the group are made apparent in this episode, and it is clear that Menori is ill-equipped to deal with them - whereas Luna has a better chance.
Number one is Howard. Beyond being useless, Howard is a huge detriment to the team. He is constantly ragging on everyone, he whines and complains, and he does things on his own after being told not to. He brings everyone else around him down.
Number two is Sharla. She is not equipped - mentally or physically - for survival on her own, and often has problems with the things they have to do in order to live. She doesn't seem to grasp the situation very well, and will become upset over things which are inevitable and cannot be changed. The fact that the group is against her really only makes her more upset, and feel more distant from everyone else.
Number three is Kaoru, and in many ways, I think he's the worst problem. Yes, he's helpful - he gathers food and makes weapons and is probably the most skilled fighter of them. But he will deliberately go against group decisions, wander off alone and do whatever he wants, and generally weaken any leader's position. The scene where Kaoru leaves the shuttle after Menori tells him not to is the most obvious example. Following this, the others mutiny one by one - not with malicious intent, but still.
I think at that point, Menori realizes that she isn't qualified to be the leader. The scene where she sits and stares out the window gets to me a little. I feel bad for her. The ending scene where Luna is voted in is clearly the final humiliation, and no one else even notices. Except maybe Howard, and who wants someone like him to notice something like that? Obviously she has been rejected, and she is rejected by everyone. Not a single person votes for her. The episode doesn't focus on it, but I still felt sorry for her.
Episode 21
The main reason I like this episode is because it pushes Bell into the spotlight. Up until this episode, Bell is a very passive character. He knows more about survival than any of them, so he is probably the most valuable group member, but he doesn't put himself forward. Most of the time, Bell seems to prefer to go along with the flow - the opinion of others seems very important to him, and he doesn't like antagonizing anyone. But in this episode, Bell actually stands up and goes against the decision of his friends - choosing to do what he knows is right even when the group vote is against him.
Typically, this attitude is dangerous in a group, and I don't think Bell would do this under normal circumstances, but the parallels to the situation with his father probably spurred him on. Besides that, he is aware that it's going to be a life-or-death decision and is obviously more than willing to risk the resentment and scorn of his peers.
At the end of the episode, Bell stares at his dirt-caked hands and thinks back on how his father's hands had looked after he saved his co-workers in the past. That's probably my favorite scene. Out of all of the things Bell has done up until now and the things he will do afterwards, I think this one will stick out in his mind.
Episode 38
This episode is exclusively a Luna episode - no one can argue that, because she's the only character who makes any kind of extended appearance in it. Luna is not my favorite character, but this episode really strikes a chord with me.
Through the whole series, Luna is the leader who encourages and guides the others, who is never afraid to act when she needs to, and who keeps them all together. Theh others all obviously see her as damn near invincible, as evidenced by their fervent belief at the beginning of the episode that she will be fine no matter what, even after being thrown overboard during a storm.
In this episode, we see Luna's strong will to live. She is stranded by herself this time, not as one of a team. She doesn't have Bell's survival skills or Kaoru's agility and innovation. There is no easily accessible food or drinking water. She doesn't really know how to start a fire, and she is absolutely awful at spearing or catching fish. There are times when you really expect her to give up, but she never does, even when her efforts seem pathetic.
I think there are two scenes that really spoke to me in this one. The first is after Luna's flashback to the scene with her father when she was young. She talks about how she had done everything the way she believes her parents would have wanted, and adds, "I want my father and mother to praise my hard work..." Here, Luna is not the ever-cheerful leader. She is a 14-year-old girl who craves gratification that she will never receive but still strives towards.
The second is closer to the end when she is wearily watching the sunrise and finds tears rolling down her cheeks unexpectedly. "Nature is very harsh, very kind... and very beautiful." It's one of those things you really only say when you're at least halfway out of it, but it's a thought that shows her respect for and awe of the environment, which is one of the foundations of Luna's character.
Episode 43
I went through stages with Howard's character - I hated him, I vagely despised him, I held him in contempt, I tolerated him, I liked him... In this episode, I gained a little bit of respect for him. This episode gives Howard his moment of heroism. It's not something he has done before or something you can expect him to do in the future, but he does it here, just once.
There are several poignant scenes in this episode. Firstly, the scene where Sharla shows the rose-shaped stone she found and makes up a story about its possible origins. Frustrated and frightened by their situation - low on food and water, and trapped in a desert without a visible end - Howard angrily belittles her story, grabs the stone, and throws it to the ground in a fit where it shatters. Everyone else understands the purpose of the story: to lighten the heavy mood. Howard only gets more frustrated when this is pointed out, and storms off to sulk. You can feel sorry for him pretty easily - everyone else understands, but he doesn't. Everyone else is able to grasp and accept this, and he isn't. Everyone else can do things, but he can't. Howard is a self-conscious and vain person. He can't stand to think that others think of him badly, because he doesn't want to think of himself badly. But here, it's hard to avoid it.
Second is the scene where Luna confronts Sharla about the way she has neglected to give herself a portion of the water rations. Howard listens in on this, and it obviously pains him to make the unflattering comparison between Sharla's selflessness and his own self-centered attitude. But at the same time, I think he feels helpless because he can't seem to change himself and become someone worthy of admiration the way the others all seem to be.
Last of all is the obvious: the scene where Howard runs back to the sinking ship to rescue Sharla. This is especially heroic because it comes from someone who through the whole series has not had one heroic moment. He has never put himself at risk, even for the sake of one of his friends. He's too cowardly and too self-absorbed. And he doesn't do it again in the remaining episodes. His character hasn't changed, but here he gains himself a little redemption for his actions at the start of the series.
Episode 44
There's a lot of raw emotion in this episode, and it's not difficult to see where it's coming from. For the first time, they have actually lost someone - actually, two people. Everyone is going to deal with this differently, and there is always at least one person who can't handle it. In this case, the person is Shingo. He's the youngest, so it's kind of logical.
With the situation they're in, none of them have time to go through the proper stages of grief. The others are able to manage by concentrating on what they need to do to keep the surviving members alive. Shingo obviously can't - he becomes engulfed in mourning to the point where he nearly loses the will to live himself.
Seeing this, Menori is purposefully harsh on him. The others are either too compassionate or just don't know how to deal with it, but she realizes that Shingo needs something to distract him. Her solution is to make him so angry with her that he is spurred into some sort of action. Shingo doesn't realize this until the end, but Menori cares a great deal about her friends - at least as much as he does - and her seeming callousness is not out of a disrespect for the lives lost but out of the need to preserve the lives that remain. She doesn't want him to be the next to die.
herongale yet again because she introduced me to both of the final two. She has fabulous taste.Mushishi vs Uninhabited Planet Survive
Reasoning: I had a hard time with this one, I really did. And looking at the series objectively, disecting their individual elements and examining the writing criticallly... the decision should have been a simple one. But it wasn't, and I think that's just because of how my brain works.
Mushishi is the superior series - visually, plotwise, and in terms of the cleverness of the writing style. Despite the fact that it is episodic, it flows very well and its development of the main character is subtle and sharp. It never loses that mysterious, otherworldly feeling, but it never seems outrageous or unbelievable. Characters who appear for only one episode are fleshed decently and are unique from characters in all other episodes. There are a number of small touches that accumulate into a brilliant whole. The series is excellent.
Uninhabited Planet, while a very good series, is sometimes clumsy and awkward. The pacing is very good, but the plot is weak in places, and ranges on the edge of credibility. The series does constantly hold true to its basic theme - nature, its dangers and benefits and the importance of being careful with it - but it still goes to a few odd places. No filler, just slightly odd deviations. Each character in UPS is unique and well fleshed, and completely believable as an adolescent in a difficult situation. I have become very attached to the characters, and their actions and reactions to odd situations are really what makes this show great.
In the end, while Mushishi is quite possibly the most excellent series I have ever seen, it doesn't have the same charm to it that Uninhabited Planet Survive gives me. I feel warm and happy inside while watching that series, in a way that Mushishi can't quite match. I enjoy both thoroughly. I just get a better feeling from Uninhabited Planet Survive somehow.
Victor: Uninhabited Planet Survive
And after that, because I felt like doing it, I decided to pick my top five episodes from the winner and describe why I like them. So, here:
Top Five Episodes
Episode 8
The leadership decision is made in this episode. As was clear from the start, it's Luna, but at the start of the episode, Menori was acting as leader. She wasn't doing badly - you have to be harsh when the situation is life-or-death - but her style isn't really suitable for a group of kids.
Three major issues in the group are made apparent in this episode, and it is clear that Menori is ill-equipped to deal with them - whereas Luna has a better chance.
Number one is Howard. Beyond being useless, Howard is a huge detriment to the team. He is constantly ragging on everyone, he whines and complains, and he does things on his own after being told not to. He brings everyone else around him down.
Number two is Sharla. She is not equipped - mentally or physically - for survival on her own, and often has problems with the things they have to do in order to live. She doesn't seem to grasp the situation very well, and will become upset over things which are inevitable and cannot be changed. The fact that the group is against her really only makes her more upset, and feel more distant from everyone else.
Number three is Kaoru, and in many ways, I think he's the worst problem. Yes, he's helpful - he gathers food and makes weapons and is probably the most skilled fighter of them. But he will deliberately go against group decisions, wander off alone and do whatever he wants, and generally weaken any leader's position. The scene where Kaoru leaves the shuttle after Menori tells him not to is the most obvious example. Following this, the others mutiny one by one - not with malicious intent, but still.
I think at that point, Menori realizes that she isn't qualified to be the leader. The scene where she sits and stares out the window gets to me a little. I feel bad for her. The ending scene where Luna is voted in is clearly the final humiliation, and no one else even notices. Except maybe Howard, and who wants someone like him to notice something like that? Obviously she has been rejected, and she is rejected by everyone. Not a single person votes for her. The episode doesn't focus on it, but I still felt sorry for her.
Episode 21
The main reason I like this episode is because it pushes Bell into the spotlight. Up until this episode, Bell is a very passive character. He knows more about survival than any of them, so he is probably the most valuable group member, but he doesn't put himself forward. Most of the time, Bell seems to prefer to go along with the flow - the opinion of others seems very important to him, and he doesn't like antagonizing anyone. But in this episode, Bell actually stands up and goes against the decision of his friends - choosing to do what he knows is right even when the group vote is against him.
Typically, this attitude is dangerous in a group, and I don't think Bell would do this under normal circumstances, but the parallels to the situation with his father probably spurred him on. Besides that, he is aware that it's going to be a life-or-death decision and is obviously more than willing to risk the resentment and scorn of his peers.
At the end of the episode, Bell stares at his dirt-caked hands and thinks back on how his father's hands had looked after he saved his co-workers in the past. That's probably my favorite scene. Out of all of the things Bell has done up until now and the things he will do afterwards, I think this one will stick out in his mind.
Episode 38
This episode is exclusively a Luna episode - no one can argue that, because she's the only character who makes any kind of extended appearance in it. Luna is not my favorite character, but this episode really strikes a chord with me.
Through the whole series, Luna is the leader who encourages and guides the others, who is never afraid to act when she needs to, and who keeps them all together. Theh others all obviously see her as damn near invincible, as evidenced by their fervent belief at the beginning of the episode that she will be fine no matter what, even after being thrown overboard during a storm.
In this episode, we see Luna's strong will to live. She is stranded by herself this time, not as one of a team. She doesn't have Bell's survival skills or Kaoru's agility and innovation. There is no easily accessible food or drinking water. She doesn't really know how to start a fire, and she is absolutely awful at spearing or catching fish. There are times when you really expect her to give up, but she never does, even when her efforts seem pathetic.
I think there are two scenes that really spoke to me in this one. The first is after Luna's flashback to the scene with her father when she was young. She talks about how she had done everything the way she believes her parents would have wanted, and adds, "I want my father and mother to praise my hard work..." Here, Luna is not the ever-cheerful leader. She is a 14-year-old girl who craves gratification that she will never receive but still strives towards.
The second is closer to the end when she is wearily watching the sunrise and finds tears rolling down her cheeks unexpectedly. "Nature is very harsh, very kind... and very beautiful." It's one of those things you really only say when you're at least halfway out of it, but it's a thought that shows her respect for and awe of the environment, which is one of the foundations of Luna's character.
Episode 43
I went through stages with Howard's character - I hated him, I vagely despised him, I held him in contempt, I tolerated him, I liked him... In this episode, I gained a little bit of respect for him. This episode gives Howard his moment of heroism. It's not something he has done before or something you can expect him to do in the future, but he does it here, just once.
There are several poignant scenes in this episode. Firstly, the scene where Sharla shows the rose-shaped stone she found and makes up a story about its possible origins. Frustrated and frightened by their situation - low on food and water, and trapped in a desert without a visible end - Howard angrily belittles her story, grabs the stone, and throws it to the ground in a fit where it shatters. Everyone else understands the purpose of the story: to lighten the heavy mood. Howard only gets more frustrated when this is pointed out, and storms off to sulk. You can feel sorry for him pretty easily - everyone else understands, but he doesn't. Everyone else is able to grasp and accept this, and he isn't. Everyone else can do things, but he can't. Howard is a self-conscious and vain person. He can't stand to think that others think of him badly, because he doesn't want to think of himself badly. But here, it's hard to avoid it.
Second is the scene where Luna confronts Sharla about the way she has neglected to give herself a portion of the water rations. Howard listens in on this, and it obviously pains him to make the unflattering comparison between Sharla's selflessness and his own self-centered attitude. But at the same time, I think he feels helpless because he can't seem to change himself and become someone worthy of admiration the way the others all seem to be.
Last of all is the obvious: the scene where Howard runs back to the sinking ship to rescue Sharla. This is especially heroic because it comes from someone who through the whole series has not had one heroic moment. He has never put himself at risk, even for the sake of one of his friends. He's too cowardly and too self-absorbed. And he doesn't do it again in the remaining episodes. His character hasn't changed, but here he gains himself a little redemption for his actions at the start of the series.
Episode 44
There's a lot of raw emotion in this episode, and it's not difficult to see where it's coming from. For the first time, they have actually lost someone - actually, two people. Everyone is going to deal with this differently, and there is always at least one person who can't handle it. In this case, the person is Shingo. He's the youngest, so it's kind of logical.
With the situation they're in, none of them have time to go through the proper stages of grief. The others are able to manage by concentrating on what they need to do to keep the surviving members alive. Shingo obviously can't - he becomes engulfed in mourning to the point where he nearly loses the will to live himself.
Seeing this, Menori is purposefully harsh on him. The others are either too compassionate or just don't know how to deal with it, but she realizes that Shingo needs something to distract him. Her solution is to make him so angry with her that he is spurred into some sort of action. Shingo doesn't realize this until the end, but Menori cares a great deal about her friends - at least as much as he does - and her seeming callousness is not out of a disrespect for the lives lost but out of the need to preserve the lives that remain. She doesn't want him to be the next to die.
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