Bakuman Archives | 100 Word Anime

Top 5: Anime by Studio J.C.Staff (updated)

Posted on September 5, 2021September 4, 2021 by Karandi

Another studio list. So far I’ve done fun titles by Bones and favourite works by P.A Works but today I turn my attention to Studio J.C.Staff mostly because while they aren’t my favourite studio and I find their work a bit hit and miss, they’ve produced a fair number of solid titles in my anime collection at this point. That said, other than sequels I haven’t found a lot of shows I love from them in recent years (though watched a number of them).

I’ll even forgive them for season 2 of One Punch Man.

I’m ranking these titles purely on the number of times I’ve rewatched them.

What are your favourite anime from studio J.C.Staff?

Please Note: There may be some spoilers for the anime below.

Honourable mentions this week go to Kaichou wa Maid Sama and Golden Time. I love both of these stories but they just haven’t had the same amount of rewatches as some of the other anime on the list.

Number 5: Bakuman

The story of the two guys who think they are going to become famous mangaka and have an anime is actually really compelling. There are some issues that come up with how females are represented and the like, but mostly this is just a really interesting look at the industry as we follow the two main characters through a fairly gruelling journey.

On paper this story shouldn’t work given how long we spend watching the characters brain storm and work in their studio. It should be boring, and yet it is fascinating and they give the entire thing a very shonen feel without going too far into the crazy and unbelievable. However, more than just being a story of trying to become the best, this is a story about the characters and they really sell the work as you become deeply fixated on whether they succeed or fail and their relationships with the other characters.

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Mondo: The Art of Soundtracks (hardcover)

Number 4: A Certain Scientific Railgun

The whole franchise with A Certain Magical Index seasons 1 and 2 and Railgun 1 and 2, really should hold this place together. I like these stories but they are riddled with problems so I tend to start a season and then get distracted and that stretches the watch time out.

However, once I’m done I always remember the series fondly which is why I’ll rewatch it again in a few months time because I seem to forget about the pacing and character issues. That said, A Certain Scientific Railgun season 1 is my favourite so far and a lot of that comes down to the four main girls who manage to really charm without being overly cute and annoying.

Number 3: Heaven’s Memo Pad

Apparently I’m yet to review this anime so I’ll definitely have to fix that. I love Heaven’s Memo Pad. That isn’t actually saying it is a good anime, but it just hits a certain spot when I’m in the right mood for it. Pretty much you know the feeling you used to get as a teenager where you want to just shut yourself away and right bad poetry for a day or two, that’s the mood you need to be in to truly appreciate Heaven’s Memo Pad.

It is heavy dark melodrama that takes itself very seriously but it manages to bring about some really great character moments and force the audience to confront some fairly heavy issues. It is trying really hard to hit you with feels and when you aren’t in the right mood it just kind of comes off as trying too hard, but when you are in the right frame of mind it is kind of perfect. Be prepared for issues involving suicide, social isolation, betrayal, drug use, gang violence, and so on and so forth as well as an overly cutely designed detective at the centre of the story.

Number 2: Ghost Hunt

I love Ghost Hunt but I will admit the reason it does get rewatched so often is the episodic nature of the story. Each case only covers a handful of episodes so you can just pick a case to watch without watching the entire anime.

Plus, the English dub works really well for most characters (John the apparent Australian priest is another story) so this is an anime I can watch when I’m really tired and don’t want to deal with subs or trying to pick up the Japanese.

Its your basic introduce a mystery, send in the team and investigate, figure out the cause and solve kind of thing but the cases are quite diverse and they usually manage some genuinely tense moments along the way. I also really like the characters in the story, or at least I like watching them given I think most of them would be really annoying in real life.

Number 1: Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon

Anime by Studio J.C.Staff - Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon.

This is definitely a newer title for my collection but it is one I very quickly became addicted to Is It Wrong to Try To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon. As in I watched it through, told my friend they had to watch it, and immediately binged the entire thing again over two or three days. It is a regular title for me to select when I need a pick me up. It is fun, energetic, has some awesome fight sequences, and it is really hard to feel bad about things when watching Bell run about so determined to reach his dreams.

I absolutely love this silly little adventure story and will happily watch it over and over again, and with season two and three out now there’s even more to love. I’m also not even going to touch why the spin-off was an incredible waste of time.

Anyway, that’s my list this week. Feel free to tell me your favourite titles from Studio J.C.Staff in the comments below.

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Karandi James

A Decade of Anime 2010

Posted on January 6, 2020January 9, 2022 by Karandi

A lot has changed for me over the last decade. For one thing, midway through 2016 I started this blog and the amount of anime I watched and discussed exploded. So looking back at the anime and taking a step back from the heat of the moment and snap judgements, I’m now getting the chance to think about the anime I most loved from the last ten years.

The Rules:

No. 1: No sequels of any kind. This kind of knocked Natsume Yuujinchou out of the lists straight away because the first season aired in 2008. That said, Natsume is awesome and is now six seasons in. It was a big part of my last decade of anime and hopefully we’ll get more in the next decade.

No. 2: Only one anime from each season which gave me 4 picks from each year. Let me point out, when we hit 2016 that became a big problem, but I resolved it by cheating and you’ll see how when we get to that post.

No. 3: Other than 2019 anime, no matter how brilliant an anime was if I hadn’t rewatched it since it aired then it didn’t make the list. If I don’t like it enough to watch it more than once then it doesn’t deserve to be on an anime of the decade list.

Otherwise I just decided to have fun and go on a nostalgic trip through the last decade of anime. Incidentally, my to be watched and rewatched anime lists grew massively as I came across titles I remembered wanting to watch and anime that I really meant to get to rewatching and hadn’t. I do love that we have access to so much anime these days.

Katanagatari

I’ve previously gushed over my love of this series in this review but I’m going to gush a little here. Despite it now being ten years old, Katanagatari is an amazing anime and one that is highly underappreciated. The format is a little different with episodes running 40 minutes rather than 20, but the story that unfolds over the 12 episodes is well worth watching. Between the gorgeous and unique art style, the fun characters, and a solid and well structured narrative, Katanagatari is one of those anime that has withstood the decade and remains a solid piece of entertainment. I’d also solidly recommend reading the novels because so far I’ve been having a fantastic time with them.

Definitely a must watch anime. It has adventure, martial arts, love and drama all wrapped up inside a truly beautifully presented package.

Angel Beats

Another anime I know I’ve gushed over on numerous occasions and definitely expressed my love for it in my series review here. Angel Beats is an odd anime that uses the whiplash between ridiculous slap-stick comedic moments, slice of life antics, over-the-top action and high stakes drama to drag the viewer through an emotional roller coaster before ripping your heart out of your chest and stomping on it. And just when you think you won’t get over that it makes you smile and feel all warm and melty inside. Sure, there’s plenty you could say to criticise this story but if it sweeps you away it is one of those moving viewing experiences that is unforgettable and this one gets better and better on multiple watches.

Totally recommend you give this one a try though mileage will vary. Those who don’t like abrupt tonal shifts or ‘whacky’ characters will find this one a bit draining early on and it really is contrived to play on your heart strings, though it is effective if you let it be. I love it and I do believe this anime is one of my most rewatched DVD’s.

Shiki

A slow burning vampire horror story set in rural Japan? Yeah, Shiki was a must watch for me and ended up being the first full anime I ever reviewed on my blog. Needless to say, I love it though with all the anime I’ve watched since starting the blog I will admit some of the shine has come off of it. Still, in terms of horror anime, this is still one of my favourites. For me, the long and slow build up as we wait for the first characters to realise what is happening is the kind of tense viewing I love with horror and once all hell breaks loose it feels worth it. While the ending definitely goes for shock and gore, horror fans will definitely appreciate it. Even a decade later there are few horror anime that can stand up to this one in terms of enjoyment.

Note, this anime is absolutely not for everyone. If you aren’t into horror and you don’t like blood then you are really going to find a lot to dislike in this story. Also those who just want to get to the fighting part of the story will find this one on the slow side because it takes a long time before people accept that they are actually even under attack. That said, there’s a great ensemble cast here and with rewatches you really appreciate all the relationships that exist within the village. Definitely one I’m still in love with ten years on. Plus there’s this creepy scene:

Bakuman

Bakuman isn’t an anime I talk about much on the blog and while characters and ideas from it have ended up on some of my top 5 lists, I’ve yet to write a review of it. Part of the problem is I haven’t watched it since starting my blog though it did meet the requirement of having been watched twice to end up on the list. The thing is, Bakuman is an awesome story of two aspiring manga artists. I feel some of the drama is a little contrived and the whole I won’t speak to you until you succeed gimmick is idiotic, but the core of the story, the creation of a manga and trying to succeed is absolutely solid and entertaining. Despite that, it just isn’t the kind of story I want to watch over and over. Twice was enough. That said, if you have never seen Bakuman, then you are missing out on a very solid anime from 2010.

Now there are entire essays that can be written about the working conditions of manga artists, the gender stereotypes reinforced within this story, and a whole slew of other points, but the bottom line is that it is a fun anime and if you ever wanted to learn the basics of how manga is produced, this anime is definitely going to give you a starting point.

That was 2010. Tomorrow we will check out the year that was 2011. In the meantime, what are your must watch anime from 2010? Be sure to share in the comments.

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Check out my favourite anime from each year over the last decade:

Tuesday’s Top 5: Ordinary Anime Characters Who Inspire

Posted on June 12, 2018March 10, 2019 by Karandi

While many an anime character has inspired me, it is worth noting that a lot of anime characters have super powers, or magic, or destiny, or some other force working for them, which makes their actions a little less applicable to the everyday life that most of us lead. This list is to the heroes (and ordinary people) who have moved me to action or have given me strength when I have needed it. That makes is a fairly personal list so I’d love to know who would end up on your list of inspiring anime characters. While it hurts that I can’t add Maka to the list this time round, the characters below are all exceptional and yet completely human.

Please note, there will be spoilers below.

Honourable Mentions: Akito from Bakuman for standing by his friend from start to finish no matter how rough things got.

Number 5: Nagisa (Assassination Classroom)

One might argue that none of the students in Assassination Classroom are particularly ordinary, but that is their most compelling trait. They are ordinary. They are the ones who are overlooked and cast aside, who have been down so long that they have forgotten that they even have the right to stand up. Watching Nagisa move from someone who accepts this role to someone who has a clear presence about him and is comfortable in his own skin is something that is greatly inspiring. Okay, most of us don’t have a yellow octopus for a teacher who we get to learn to assassinate, but most of the lessons Nagisa takes on board are strictly of the ordinary kind of valuing who you are.

Number 4: Kurumi (Kimi ni Todoke)

Season One of Kimi ni Todoke introduced us to Kurumi and she was a nasty piece of work determined to get Kazehaya to look at her and to get Sawako out of the picture. After being rejected she undergoes an incredible character transformation that reminds us all that just because we don’t get what we want doesn’t mean it is the end of the world. Kurumi becomes a truly great character and by the time the end of season 2 rolls around you really want her to find her own happiness.

Number 3: Kousei (Your Lie in April)

This one might be cheating given the kid is definitely a genius. Yet, much like with Nagisa, the lessons Kousei takes on board during the heart breaking journey that is Your Lie in April are strictly the ordinary everyday ones that we all could learn from. Learning to grieve and mourn, to accept what has happened, to find a purpose, and just to find who you are. These are the things Kousei discovers throughout the course of his journey and they make him incredibly relatable and when he takes the stage in the final episode you cannot help but feel moved by him.

Number 2: Oreki (Hyouka)

While this might seem an odd choice for number 2 on the list, there’s something truly remarkable about how this character lives his life. He has his own ideal of energy conservation and yet at the same time he doesn’t want his ideals to harm the experiences of others. He doesn’t want to let his sister down and later Chitanda and so acts contrary to his own nature on more than one occasion. This is also inspiring because while some people might see that as giving in or compromising, what it really demonstrates is an acceptance of a need for community and that it can’t always be about you. Oreki is inspiring because he finds a balance where he does have moments where he refused to do things or to get involved and other moments where he acts for the benefit of others. While I’m still not sure I like the anime, I quite like Oreki’s character and he reminds me that sometimes it isn’t all about me.

Number 1: Yuri (Yuri on Ice)

Did we really think anyone else was going to take this spot? I almost disqualified him because being a world champion (even if he’s only in the top 6) kind of makes him somewhat extraordinary, but the only superpower he has is persistence and determination and so I let him take the top spot. His journey is fantastic and watching him stand up again and again and try to overcome his weaknesses never ceases to inspire.

And there they all are. Who would you have put on your list?