My First Awkward (and hopefully brief) Update

**Originally Posted to MyAnimeList.net on 28/12/15**

Okay, so I suppose it might be time to bite the bullet and try to start posting on MyAnimeList more regularly. I created this account God knows how long ago, moreso as a means of recording the anime I watched, as well as possibly acquiring a deeper or at least more broad understanding of or interest in the world of anime. Like many of the hobbies I have, watching anime can prove to be perilous, in that I’ve found it difficult to remain consistent in starting new shows once I finish one. This is made especially bad by my current school situation (about to do the Irish Leaving Certificate, which is the equivalent of high school graduation).

The issues with getting anime watched aside, I think I’ve made some significant progress this year. During the summer of 2015, I watched Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works which, while not as good as the masterpiece Fate/Zero, I found to be surprisingly enjoyable. Ultiately, I think Unlimited Blade Works has done justice to the characters of Tohsaka Rin, Emiya Shirou, Archer, Saber, Kotomine Kirei, Gilagmesh and others. Such was my enjoyment of the series, in fact, that I finished it in around four days, full of that early summer holidays enthusiasm and a renewed interest in the Nasu-verse (which I feel had only been done justice in Fate/Zero). I may return to write a more full review to flesh out my (very positive) thoughts on the show, but for now I can safely say that Unlimited Blade Works was possibly my most enjoyable show of the year, and hugely satisfying for me as a fan of the Fate series.

Although I planned on watching Cowboy Bebop, Baccano! and a few others at the time, a mad compulsion came over me later in June, and I (alongside my brother) decided to watch the entire 112 episodes of Yuu Yuu Hakusho. Usually, I try to watch shows in Japanese, because I think that, by and large, dubs will naturally lose something in the translation process. However, with the kind of cult that Yuu Yuu Hakusho has rightfully earned over the years, I couldn’t but watch the excellent Funimation dub of the show, and I’d wager that doing so seriously improved the show’s standing in my eyes. The voice cast, from Christopher Sabat, to Chuck Huber, to John Burgmeier, to Cynthia Cranz, I was astounded by the excellent casting and phenomenal performances. Of course, Justin Cook ultimately steals the show as Yusuke, providing the perfect “tough guy” performance to match the classic character. I was hugely satisfied by Yuu Yuu Hakusho, so much so that the intended break I took after the Dark Tournament arc to watch Hibike Euphoniumwas rushed through in just two days so as to return to the series. I’d definitely recommend Yuu Yuu Hakusho to anyone trying to get into anime, or fans who want a lighthearted alternative to the better-known Dragon Ball series.

As I said, I also took the time to watch the short, 13-episode series by KyoAni. To be honest, the one reason I had for watching this is that I myself play the euphonium! As such, I had a big interest in watching the first property I’ve ever seen to focus on the instrument primarily. Although I blew through all 13 episodes in just two days, I can’t but admit that the gorgeous animation and touching, almost fairytale story had a considerable impact on me. The characterisation was unmistakably KyoAni, but it was one of their best works in a few years. The soundtrack was just as rich and beautiful as the almost excessively pretty animation, and the plot, while sometimes ethereal, was emotionally resonant (see what I did there?), leaving me very satisfied, and ready to return to Yuu Yuu Hakusho!

It almost felt as though I overlaboured myself with anime in the first half of the summer break, and the next two shows I ended up watching had to coincide with my keeping up with the premier Japanese wrestling tournament, the G1 Climax. Naturally, I thus took Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion at a much more relaxed pace, but boy was it worth it! Both of these shows are possibly the most influential anime of the 1990s, Bebop having set the standard for dubbing, animation innovation, and a kind of chic sci-fi that made it a hit in the west. Evangelion set a precedent for the mech genre that almost all have adhered to since – an emotionally stunning, breathtaking work of large-scale animation and small-scale self-exploration. Despite the criticism Evangelion may receive (compared to the universally-heralded Bebop), I was absolutely blown away by Hideaki Anno’s striking, personal and above all, triumphant story.

I watched Bebop in English, as it set the standard for dubs to follow, while Evangelion comes beforehand and is limited by what I consider a very (very) lackluster dub. Don’t kill me, but I just do not enjoy Tiffany Grant’s performance as Asuka. I think it’s symptomatic of so much of western cartoon voice acting, whereby every line is an announcement, no more or less important than the last. When compared against the jaw-dropping work by Yuko Miyamura, Megumi Hayashibara and of course Megumi Ogata (whom I consider to have very possibly turned in the single greatest voice performance ever as Shinji Ikari), I just don’t think the English dub by ADV holds up.

Evangelion would ultimately be the last anime I managed to finish in 2015 (and I now realise that this update has turned into something of a “Year in Review!”). I took a holiday with my family shortly afterwards, and returned to school right after that. With the pressure of the leaving cert exams looming, I haven’t been nearly as consistent in watching as I would like, although I have managed to start the Gundam series over Christmas (way better than I ever imagined!).

I have a very bad habit of getting frightened that all the communities I join on the internet will eventually fall apart and the great friends (if you want to call them that) that I make will cease to exist in my life. It’s a bit paranoid and neurotic, no doubt, but with 2016 approaching and many more positive resolutions for me to make, I thought I might post a bit of a blog entry to get my feet wet here on MAL, re-evaluate where I am, and hopefully make some new online friends/acquaintances as I continue my journey in anime. Also, I promise to myself here and now that I will watch Baccano! and Attack on Titan in the new year!

Thanks to anybody who might read this, and please, feel free to comment, disagree, educate me on anything you consider noteworthy (as egotistical as that might sound!).