Yup, that's where we are this week a "Top 5" list. I had an idea for something on Sandman by Neil Gaiman, but I haven't had a chance to actually read it, so that will wait. In the meantime, I was thinking about some emotional scenes in anime and decided to rank some of my favorites.
5. Death of Kamina - Gurren Lagann
Kamina was the heart of the series Gurren Lagann, at least early on when he was alive. He had confidence that defied logic with the eternal cheer of "If you can't believe in yourself, believe in the me that believes in you!" He clearly never knew what he was doing, every other character knew that, and yet, in the most obvious series of deus ex machina, his senseless plans always managed to work and he never let on that it was pure dumb luck. That's why it hit us so hard when his luck ran out and he got killed in battle, of all people, it shouldn't have been him, and yet even in death he went out in style.
4. The Card Game - Summer Wars
There are so many anime where the world comes together to support the hero, but I just don't know if any made so much of so little as Summer Wars. When an artificial intelligence known as Love Machine hacks the accounts of the most intricate computer network on Earth, one user named Natsuki has to stop it by wagering against the accounts in a game of koi-koi. She gets on a hot streak until she slips up and loses almost everything and can't make a wager big enough to finish playing. Then, after a drmatic pause as we watch her number blink, it goes up one and a tiny avatar says "you can use my account" which leads to every user giving their account to Natsuki in a show of support that is so dramatic that the spirits of the network alter her avatar into a virtual goddess. Natsuki is moved to tears by the show of support and I was too.
3. The Price of Human Transmutation - Full Metal Alchemist
Many people say the most emotional scene in the series is Nina becoming a chimera, but in my opinion this is a trick because what is worst about it is the reflection of what happened to Alphonse. Nina's situation is so short the impact is hard, but we get numb to Alphonse because it goes over the entire series and we always have hope that he can be returned to normal and he is whereas Nina dies without any chance of being saved. Still, I never really got over the fact that Alphonse is a little boy trapped in a big suit of armor, that was some creepy stuff right there. The hardest moment was when it all first happened and Alphonse takes Edward next door to get treatment and cries for help, not for himself, but for his brother. So much happened to Alphonse, he lost his mother, he tried to bring her back, he lost his own body and found himself a hollow piece of metal, but somehow, even though it was Ed's idea, his first thought is that his brother has lost two limbs and is bleeding out and he must save him. He doesn't hesitate in fear, he saves his brother, because their bond of love is that deep that they go through their entire journey trying to save the other, each knowing in his heart he will sacrifice himself for the other if it comes down to it.
2. The Last Cup of Coffee - Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul presents as a horror series about monsters that eat human flesh, but it is actually much sadder because it's about monsters that have to eat human flesh and don't want to but still have to. The tragedy is highlighted by the main character Kaneki who has this thrust upon him by a surgical procedure after living a normal life and having to leave his best friend Hide. The central tragedy of the story is that ghouls cannot let the people they love know the truth, and Kaneki lives in fear of Hide finding out. Then, in the final episodes, Hide meets him in a raid on the coffee shop where the ghouls find refuge, and in the middle of a battle that they are on opposite sides of, Kaneki is horrified to face his friend, but Hide just pours coffee for each of them and simply says "It's okay, I know, I've always known." It hits hard because he's so calm, he's not threatening at all, he just wants to share one last cup of coffee with his friend.
1. Caged Bird - Naruto
I've already stated this in an earlier blog post, but this is my favorite part of Naruto and if I could make one live action movie of Naruto, it would be all about this. Anime is full of heroes fighting fate, it goes back to the story of the Monkey King hundreds of years ago, Naruto seems to tackle this trope constantly, but when Neji's story of the cursed mark of the caged bird is punctuated by him watching a bird fly free, the proctor's words became burned in my mind "Even a caged bird will pick its lock, never giving up its dream to fly free once again." The slow music in the background sets the mood too, making this the scene that always lifts me up when I feel down.
Agree or disagree with my list? Feel free to say so in the comments section.
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