Best Moments in Anime

My Best Anime Moments

As many of you will know, there are a lot of anime shows and films out there and choosing great moments from a plethora of these Japanese animations can be tough, even near impossible to make a list of; considering everyone has their personal favourites and distinct likenesses that. To simply narrow ten moments is frankly impossible and it would be criminal from myself, who's watched and studied anime, to not mention at least a good number of moments that are either thrilling or emotional to comprehend. Whether it's two characters facing-off against each other or two star-strucked lovers saying their goodbyes to one another, there are a lot of impactful and memorable occasions that can be seen in anime and have actually inspired other forms of media to galvanise audiences. As is the norm of these lists that I do, SPOILERS AHEAD! But never the less, lets start the list shall we?! 😀 

Butterfree leaves Ash - Pokémon: Indigo League

To start the list, I think it's only natural that we begin with a moment that for me, personifies the inherent admiration for Pokémon and why so many people, both children and adult alike, bond with these fantastical creatures. The sequence I'm of course remarking is the moment in the first series of Pokémon where Ash inevitably releases his beloved and first caught creature of Butterfree for his own benefit; a staple context point for the main character that he would repeat with the likes of Charizard, Pigeot and many more. While many will adhere towards the moment in the First Movie when Ash turns to stone, it's rather emotional watching Butterfree leave once again since it brings about a natural tear-jerking moment that makes sense for the master and Pokémon. It highlights the moments they had together in juxtaposition with Butterfree flying away and Ash dipping his head in sorrow...

Deku vs Todoroki! - My Hero Academia

In being one of my favourite anime series in recent years, how could I not mention one of the more impactful action series in My Hero Academia's entirety - Deku's tournament fight between Todoroki. One of the many aspects as to why Deku's bout between Todoroki's battle is so invigorating, even compared to many preceding and infamous battle scenes in anime history, is due to the build-up of the aforesaid fight and the actions/emotions that take place during the encounter. Both Deku and Todoroki respectively have something they want to prove within this fight and bring forth their internal struggles upon each other; subsequently displaying a visually and emotional confrontation of two imperative characters that is truly unforgettable.  

Light's Confession - Death Note

For those who are familiar with Tetsurō Araki's Death Note, did anyone really expect a truly happy ending for our main anti-hero protagonist in the form of Light Yagami? With the amount of close-calls that Light has had in maliciously culling criminals and murderers with his all omnipotent Death Note and nearly getting caught by the enigmatic L, it was written on the walls the inevitability of Light's true identity and the dark deeds that he's been casting onto those unworthy. While the production value of the show somewhat faltered after the death of L, Death Note saved its most precious and imperative moment up-to the last episodes when Light manically reveals his true identity to his Special Task Force colleagues and the new detective of Near. It's a moment that is acutely eclipsed by Brad Swaile's English voice-acting and is subsequently followed-up by an ending that is not for the feint-hearted...

Spike vs Vicious..."Bang!" - Cowboy Bebop

From one memorable ending to the next, Cowboy Bebop's conclusion similarly displays a bittersweet finale that seems only fitting and natural for the acclaimed gritty space-opera. Following the death of his beloved Julia, Spike has no other choice but to seek out and face his old friend/nemesis, Vicious, in an attempt to get revenge; despite the likes of Jet and Faye telling him to leave the past behind. What follows is a highly intense montage action-scene where Spike, on his own, takes on the entire crime syndicate and inevitably faces Vicious in a short yet satisfying face-off that doesn't disappoint in showcasing the severity of their actions; whether it's Spike using his gun or Vicious using his sword. As much as it's expected near the last episodes of Cowboy Bebop that we would see a sour outcome for all the major characters, for a newcomer, it's even more surprising how series director Watanabe opts for an ambiguous conclusion that stands to test the contemporary times of anime...

The end of Zero - Code Geass

Not every entry I'm going to mention won't revolve around an ending, but it can't be helped to acknowledge the resolution of one of anime's most disparaging series in the form of Code Geass. Whereas others - those consistently watch anime on a daily basis - will seek their dystopian enjoyment in the forms of either Pyscho-Pass or Neon Genesis Evangelion, a remaining few will find to appreciate Code Geass'  adventure of Lelouch Lamperouge becoming the ruler of the world as an off-the-cuff fun watch. Though it tends to go a bit overboard with its emotionalism, Code Geass temptingly questions the social-political constructs of today and embeds this within a dystopian outlook that is filled complex characters. Much of this is emphasised within the ending, when Lelouch inevitably becomes the ruler of the world; making him the ultimate enemy but seeking an outcome that would mean his wish would come true...

Kamina's death..."Later buddy" - Gurren Laggan

There are only a select few death scenes in anime that have left their mark and have impacted certain characters action going forward and one of the best examples of this seen is within Gurren Laggan and Kamina's ultimate demise. One of the main reasons why this specific death of a charismatic character is as impactful as it should be is because of its un-expectancy. What preceding before Kamina's death was an optimistic and light-hearted series that, more or less, followed a contextual route whereby you'd expect the central characters of Simon, Yoko and Kamina to 'win-the-day' in defeating the Spiral King and living on the surface of Earth. Yet, it's through this sombre demise of character that majorly subverts our own viewing experience and provides a sequence that is poignant and distinctive.

Ichigo vs Byakuya - Bleach

While it's fair to state that Noriyuki Abe's Bleach didn't fully capitalise on its well-rounded and engrossing first season, considering how the many story-lines after the Soul Society arc didn't create any solid intrigue or connections to the central plot, it non-the-less upholded standout moments within its first sixty episodes that is always worth revisiting. One of the more imperative sequences that had a natural inevitability to it is the fateful clash between Ichigo and Byakuya since their 'rivalry' was rather established earlier in the series and how both of them share a close bond between the character of Rukia; a soul-reaper who's been captured by the Soul Society hence Ichigo's rescue and encounter with Byakuya. It's a clash that reveals plenty of the respective characters internal struggles and establishes Ichigo's strength as a soul reaper. It's a fight that doesn't feel out of place in relation to the central struggle of the story arc and never once gets old on repeated viewings...

Ed discovers Shou Tucker's horror! - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Out of the many anime moments that I mention in this list, not only is this particular sequence from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood a hard selection considering the many different and amazing scenes in this series, but it's a difficult one to mention considering how deftly disturbing this particular moment is. For all of FMA's buoyantly charged moments between ever-likeable characters, it's an anime that doesn't hold back in visually exclaiming dark motifs; contextual themes that delve into the icky intricacies of brotherhood, corruption and experimental science. While I could have mentioned the bad-ass scene with Mustang burning Lust, one of the Homonculus, or the moment where Edward Elric finally finds his brothers' body in the portal of truth, I feel that the moment in which the Elric Brothers discover the horror of Shou Tucker, in which he transmutes his daughter with his dog to create a chimera, is most pertinent; considering how well it links to the shows darker themes. It's a scene that plays-out like a horror film and establishes a harsh reality for the protagonists. As much as I could describe what happens, it's better if you take a look yourselves...

Armoured and Colossal Titan revealed - Attack on Titan

Similar to the previously discussed anime sequence, although there are many standout moments within Attack On Titan that could have easily been mentioned right here, right now, I think the most impactful moment for those viewers who haven't read the manga is the moment where the Armoured and Colossal Titan's are revealed to Eren and the Scout Regiment. As it the nature with every episode of this series, surprises and hidden secrets tend to crop-up with any real anticipation and this aforesaid sequence provides key information in the most dramatic and explosive fashion. It's a scene that nicely builds-up the uneasy tension; provided by the crescendo of the non-diegetic soundtrack and line of dialogue that's mentioned by the character of Reiner. 

Final confrontation - Samurai Champloo

Shinchirō Watanabe, the director of Samurai Champloo, has produced a number of brilliant works, and as an auteur that purposefully exploits one of anime's most inherent qualities, his stylistic choices display characters and premises in rather relatable and/or complex fashions. While there are more equally suited scenes to select from Samurai Champloo as the most imperative, in relation to Watanabe's distinct nature of moulding different genre's together, I wanted to select a scene that has oddly remained in my head from the time I've watched this very series. That scene is the final confrontation between Jin and Kariya; two highly-skilled samurai warriors that respectively uphold the values of bushido. As much as the crux of the context solely relies on the trio of Mugen, Fuu and Jin, it's this confrontation that sticks in my mind; from the way the music melancholically builds the duel and the sword-play that's vividly animated...

Kougami vs Makashima - Psycho-Pass

As much as I was expecting the worse to come from Pyscho-Pass; being that it's a show that loosely borrows motifs from the acclaimed Ghost in the Shell and showcases something different in relation to mental states of criminals in a dystopian setting, it's an anime series that genuinely surprised me how consistent and intriguing the story was; how the likes of Kougami and Akane try and hunt down an old fashioned ideologically and philosophical murderer in the form of Makashima. Although random excerpts from Gulliver's Travel's and other books of similar ilk can be seen to be over-pretentious at times, with it trying hard to be too philosophical for its own good, it's a detective series that keeps you guessing when every episode ends and all of this leads to the inevitable showdown between Kougami and Makashima; two archaic minds that are at odds with one another...

Kenshin's goodbye - Rurouni Kenshin

Similar to my viewing experience watching Psycho-Pass, I never thought that Rurouni Kenshin would be as enjoyable and marginally complex as it is. While the first multiple episodes predictably follow an anime formula of establishing the protagonists through throw-away episodes, where you know Kenshin and his crew find a way to win whatever endeavours they're in, these contextual negligence soon fade and bring-about an arc whereby consequences are boldly met without any comical intuition. That is all brought about from Kenshin's fight with Saitō and the aftermath with Kenshin saying his bittersweet and heartfelt farewell to Kaoru; how they subtly open-up their feelings for one another. In tangent with the 'Intermazzo' music playing in the background, this specific sequence is without doubt one of the saddest farewell's in anime...

Gohan Vs. Cell - Dragon Ball Z

Possibly the best and most iconic moment on this list? Perhaps...Whereas others, who've come to have known and reflect upon Dragon Ball Z from the back of their heads, will pick other equally impactful moments as their favourite, such as Vegeta's Pride moment or Goku turning Super Saiyan for the first time against Frieza, it can't be underestimated how impactful, for me anyway, it was to see Gohan reaching greater heights to everyone's surprise. Of course, it's deftly built-up from the way Goku laud's Gohan's strength. Yet, it's the animation which, in a way, subverts our expectations of Goku saving the day. Oddly echoing Tetsuo's transformation in Akira, Gohan belches and screams like no one has done so before and it rightly gave me goosebumps when I first watched that moment early on a Saturday morning. It's a moment which made me realise why Gohan is my favourite Dragon Ball Z character, as he doesn't want to be his father and become a great fighter, he wants to be a protector and look after those he's close with...

Saitama's routine - One Punch Man

In saving the best moment till last...😏😂 is a rather humorous scene from the adored One Punch Man where our main protagonist, in the form of Saitama, reveals to his friends and foe's his 'true' secret in how he became so strong that he can end a fight...In one punch! If there's one aspect to take away from watching the entirety of this show, is how it rather sarcastically 'digs' at the expulsion of super-heroism that we see throughout T.V. and film and how it cheekily mocks at superhero conventions whilst displaying a story its own. This scene where Saitama reveals his training routine is a perfect example of this as it rather jibes at origins of superheroes with a serious and deadpan attitude. It's rather distinctive in the way that it consistently does this throughout its 12 episode length and is something that hopefully remains come the next season in 2019...

As much as I think that I've forgotten a few other anime moments that are blatantly obvious to add in this list, I think it's time to wrap this special Blog Post up! As always everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading this Blog Post and if you think there should have been another anime sequence that could have made my list, you're more than welcome to mention down in the comments section. For next week, as I'm finally feeling the grove to start writing consistently again, I will try to bring a you a Film Review for the first time in a long while. Thank you once again for reading my Blog Post and I shall see you all soon!! Adieu!! 😎👋

My Top 10 Best Anime Shows - https://rabbittevision.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-top-10-best-anime-shows.html