The Anime Rest Stop

In a year that had some of the most amazing production values and enthralling storytelling, our recommendations for 2016 range from dazzling to downright daring with this top list of titles. Check them out, folks!  

Superheroes: An Elaboration and Recommendation

Superheroes. Beings with powerful abilities who dedicate themselves to saving the world from disaster. People who obtain a specific moment of clarity where maybe these powers should be used beyond their own personal gain- perhaps, they should use this unique gift to change the world for the better. What you read is the basic concept of the superhero. Particularly, in anime, the idea tends to be flipped around, however, at the end of the day, the greater good is being fought for, even if the hero has a silly reason for taking up the job.

I’m pretty sure I don’t need to bring up the infamous One Punch Man, who is a hero for fun, but I just did, so there. Love it- hate it, it’s definitely an interesting twist in the genre, despite the familiar ground it’s on. He’s an overpowered hero looking for a good fight. You could argue Goku is similar, the only difference being he actually gets what he craves. Powerful enemies seem to take a number and form a line at Son Goku’s doorstep, while poor Saitama’s potential bad-asses are easily toppled by a single blow.

 Recently, there has been a lot of hype in the superhero department, as far as anime shows. One could possibly blame the hype train pulling out of Marvel’s station with their blockbuster smashes in which half or more of the closing credits consisted of special effects staff. Not to say superheroes in anime haven’t existed before this boom. In fact, they’ve been around in anime for a very long time. If you really think about it, the Shonen genre is a goldmine for superhero characters. Just not in the traditional “cape and tights/secret identity” sense.

The main character in Fist of the North Star, Kenshiro, can be considered a superhero. So can Dragon Ball’s Goku. Sure, essentially these are officially Shonen fighting shows, but the way the characters conduct themselves are considered heroic and the things they are able to do are definitely in the realm of superpowers. In their respective shows, their abilities are chalked up as results of rigorous training. However, it is training only a handful of people have access to and even fewer are able to master. This ultimately leaves these two examples as the only hope to defeat evil in their respective worlds.

However, let’s talk about shows directly tackling the superhero genre. These are currently my favorite three at the moment:

 I recommend watching this if you enjoy shows like Naruto. It has the charming concepts of “Zero to Hero”, “Hot Blooded Rivalries” and “Strength of Bonds” which make for a good emotional joyride in any Shonen title. Also, the first season is complete and it has already been greenlit for a second. If you have Hulu, Crunchyroll, or any other awesome (and hopefully legal) anime streaming options, you should definitely give this one a look. Sorry, I had to throw in this recommendation. I honestly think this show has good pacing and a great plot. I’d elaborate more, but I’ll save it for a review. Just go watch!

   So if you’ve haven’t seen it yet, you’ve probably heard about it thousands of times by now. I’m pretty sure most people think “How can a show about a dude who can win with one hit be a…well, hit?”  I think the main draw is the action rather than story. The animation gets pretty intense, leaving no shortage of impressive visuals. This show is actually mainly about the struggles of being too powerful, rather than not being strong enough. Usually, in this genre, the struggle is mainly reserved for villains. Think of Younger Tuguro from Yu Yu Hakusho, or the vicious Yujiro Hanma from Baki the Grappler. Bad guys who are used to smacking around the best of the best, yearning for someone they can go all out against who won’t be instantly turned into a fine paste. So really, the suspense lies in finally seeing Saitama face his equal in combat. If you love visually extreme fight scenes, this show is for you. Also, the opening theme is amazing and Jonathan Young does an awesome English cover for it.

   My final recommendation for superheroes is this oldie, but goodie. If you’re into sci-fi action then this is it. Birdy Cephon Altera is a Galactic Federation agent who, while chasing a criminal who fled to Earth, accidentally mortally wounds an innocent bystander. However, she uses some of her advanced alien tech to save him. The catch? They both have to share her body while his is being restored. This pretty much turns into body switching whenever duty calls. Hey and if you want, you can think of it as a crazy twist on the secret identity angle! Am I right? Right?? No? Okay. If you can’t catch this on a streaming service, the complete DVD collection is pretty cheap, if you can find it.

If you’re short on time and need some old school, feel good superhero action, I strongly recommend checking out these titles. You won’t regret it.

Bleach, the supernatural sensation that ripped through the pages of Shonen Jump in 2001, is ending its 15-year manga run with some of its fanfare, but not all of it.   Tite Kubo and Shonen Jump have agreed that it’s time for our hero Ichigo Kurosaki, his family, friends, allies, and the residents of both Karakura Town and Soul Society to drop the curtain for good and bid farewell to an action-packed 15 years.  Although Bleach managed to garner a strong following over the last decade, the cancellation of its anime adaptation in 2012 and the passage of time coupled with various new titles that emerged in the Shonen genre (Attack on Titan, The Seven Deadly Sins, Assassination Classroom, Blue Exorcist, etc.) have hindered its momentum for a while now.  However, it seems with the announcement of its impending finale, columnists, critics, and fans past and present have started reflecting on the series, its history, setbacks, and its sudden ending.  With manga publishers such as Kodansha restructuring their business strategies for more global appeal and the changing market dynamic focused more on an array of tastes as opposed to just the typical by-the-numbers shonen fighting series, it was only a matter of time before Shueisha, publishing company of Shonen Jump, decided it was time for Bleach to join Naruto and so many other series in the annals of history and make room for the next aspiring group of creators.

                  Bleach is being celebrated for its achievements in many circles but for different reasons.  Some are rejoicing over Bleach’s ending while others are elated that the series is being put out of its misery after years of debatable storylines and plot twists coupled with less fanfare (or hype as the kids call it these days).   Bleach’s final episode aired on Toonami in 2014 to the shock of many only for its manga sales to continue a downhill trend that was prevalent since the anime’s cancellation in Japan.  Bleach had gone from number one across the board to now honorable mentions over the years, losing its top rank to not only fellow Shonen Jump titles, but new titles that emerged over the years from rival publishers.   As of this writing, Bleach’s rank bottomed the top five while One Piece, Fairy Tale, Chihayafuru, and numerous others of the late 00s and 2010s traded the top four spots.  Soon after, Bleach, even to this day, finds itself in the top 20 of titles as opposed to the top ten.  It’s also ironic that of the big three of Shonen Jump, Bleach is the youngest (debuting in 2001) and seemed to lose steam as it was making its climb.  Some feel Bleach’s stunning aesthetic took precedence at times over the plot and the direction with its adolescent characters with a slightly more mature ambiance made it difficult for Bleach to keep its base compared to the youthful glee of Naruto and One Piece.  It’s a controversial point, but some fans also feel Bleach lost its charm upon the climax of the Fake Karakura Town Arc and the beginning of The Fullbringer Arc.

                  However, despite all of its obstacles, Bleach is by no means a failure.  In fact, it was one of the three successful flagship titles (alongside Naruto and One Piece) that made Shonen Jump a manga powerhouse throughout the 2000s.  In addition to that,  their respective anime adaptations all became major gateways titles for a new generation of fans, aired on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim/Toonami block over the years,  and helped the American anime industry (Region 1 Market) weather the tumultuous bust of the mid-2000s to much better times seen today.  As a huge shonen series, Bleach managed to have a fairly successful run of merchandise that included a variety of video games with popular musical artist tie-ins, rock musicals, figures, plush dolls, and numerous soft goods that filled the shelves of Hot Topic and online retailers. Furthermore, it helped the notoriety of many musical acts who performed songs for Bleach in some form or fashion such as Orange Range, Uverworld, High & Mighty Color, Home Made Kazoku, Younha, Yui, and many others.  On the American side of the spectrum, it gave great opportunities to many within the dubbing industry, most notably Johnny Young Bosch (Ichigo Kurosaki) and Michelle Ruff (Rukia Kikuchi).  Both talents had been doing anime voice work for a bit leading up to Bleach, with Johnny becoming a hit as Vash the Stampede in Trigun among other roles and Michelle playing numerous characters in different series that showcased her range, including the iconic femme fatal Fujiko Mine in the Lupin the 3rd: Part II series, which aired on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim in 2003.  Their respective voice acting careers were elevated to a new plateau, making them as well as other memorable members of the cast, beloved by fans and their peers.

                  As I write this article, I owe Bleach a debt of gratitude.  I met some of the very best people in the otaku scene through Bleach and cosplay, including my best friend of well over ten years.  Together, we established this group and now have this very website.   Viz Media’s own Charlene Ingram has credited Bleach with her appreciation of anime and its fandom, noting an emotional tie to the series and its characters, particularly Orihime Inoue.  In an age where D.Gray-Man is returning and Gintama’s ability to bounce back from cancellation, one would think Bleach is overdue for a proper anime sendoff.   Bleach arguably wasn’t the strongest of the now legendary Holy Trinity of Shonen Jump in terms of endurance or overall sales, but it certainly accomplished worthwhile things during its time and, even in reaching its final pages with an anime return as a vague possibility, has people—even its most fearsome detractors-- talking about it.   An Epilogue or spin-off material similar to Boruto is also a possibility, but the future is uncertain and all we can do now is wait and see.  For all the ups and downs, spills and thrills over the last 15 years, all we can say is thank you for the memories, Bleach.

Bleach

Hello, everyone!  If you’re going to Otakon, you should come to the Otakon Matsuri that takes place the Thursday before Otakon.   Come to our table where will be running raffles on some amazing prizes.  We’ll also be hosting a gaming table set with some fan favorite fighting games just for you!  Otakon Matsuri is free to the general public, so come out!  If you’re a gamer in the area, come by, bring your controllers or fight sticks, and see us out in the sun! Please reblog your friends and loved ones about this great event next week!  The games that will be featured at our Otakon Matsuri table will include the following: 

To celebrate the launch of our website and mascot, we’re kicking things off with the Name Anime Rest Stop’s Mascot Contest (‪#‎NameARSMascot‬). The winner of the chosen name will receive a $100.00 gift certificate to The Right Stuf.

How to enter: Simply fill out the entry form on The Anime Rest Stop’s website including your name, email, and up to three (max) name choices. The names must be completely original, so be creative as possible. The contest will begin on July 8th and run through August 11th. The winner will be contacted via email on September 30th 2016.

We look forward to bringing a lot of awesomeness your way over the next couple months, so make sure you check out our page regularly! ‪#‎anime‬‪#‎contest‬

To celebrate the launch of our website and mascot, we’re kicking things off with the Name Anime Rest Stop’s Mascot Contest (‪#‎NameARSMascot‬). The winner of the chosen name will receive a $100.00 gift certificate to The Right Stuf.

How to enter: Simply fill out the entry form on The Anime Rest Stop’s website including your name, email, and up to three (max) name choices. The names must be completely original, so be creative as possible. The contest will begin on July 8th and run through August 11th. The winner will be contacted via email on September 30th 2016.

We look forward to bringing a lot of awesomeness your way over the next couple months, so make sure you check out our page regularly! ‪#‎anime‬‪#‎contest‬

http://www.theanimereststop.com/namearsmascot-contest/

We are hitting Katsucon dead center with three of our extraordinary panels for your “edutainment” pleasure!  Check out our schedule here, our social media hubs, and on Katscuon’s website!   See you soon, folks! Our Katsucon 2016 schedule: The History of Fandom - Friday 2016.02.12 @ 1345 EST (1:45pm) in Live 6

Mechapocalypse - Friday 2016.02.12 @ 1115EST (11:15pm) in Live 2