I have compiled some posts from the over 400+ that I have written since that fateful day in early November 2008 that have been considered favorites. The first set are those that I felt were either the most fun to write about or that the episode or topic itself was interesting enough to warrant a mention. A word of warning, over the years my writing has hopefully improved, but in general the early posts suffer from being gigantic walls of text. First up is the set of posts that I remember fondly.
| Post Name/Link | Why I Liked it. |
|---|---|
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 82 | I’ll try to be as spoiler-free as possible about this, but I switched to writing this almost as I watched it scene-by-scene for this post. I think there are three defining episodes of Legend of the Galactic Heroes in the final 30. This was the first of those. |
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 98 | This was the 2nd of those defining episodes. For all the fans that his eccentricities and trademark voice, this is probably Norio Wakamoto’s, and the character he plays in the series, finest hour. |
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 110 | The final of the three that I believe are defining episodes of the series. It serves as a brilliant reminder that as much as history or technology may change, the human story will continue to go on as long as people continue to live. |
| Giant Killing 12: Smash-and-Grab | Giant Killing was probably the series this blog was made for. This episode contained one of my favorite scenes to write about. An unbeaten Nagoya side pushed for a goal against ETU and their attack was stopped by the young fullback Kiyokawa. By the time the next move ended, there was no doubt as to Tatsumi’s managerial talents as well as redemption for Tsubaki, who had finally adapted to playing at this level. |
| Nisemonogatari 08 – A Morality Play | At what point does fan service cross over from potentially having meaning to just mere wish fulfillment? The tooth brushing scene has been dissected and dismissed in every way possible. My struggle to make sense of Nisemonogatari as social commentary was stretched to the absolute maximum here. |
| Pointless Debate #1: The Girls of True Tears | Editorial blogging isn’t something I do normally, simply because there just isn’t the daily narrative that I attach to many other things happening in my mind when watching anime. The Pointless Debate project has been on-and-off over the 2 years that it has run. The very first post captures what the spirit of it is all about, arguing the merits of a position even though it has no impact on what anyone else thinks. |
| I Remember Lo..er Mecha | 2011 saw the first annual SaiMecha competition, to try to raise awareness of mechanical design throughout the history of mecha anime. My attempts to enter Western mecha were thwarted, but undeterred I entered several in this post. Unfortunately, mecha fans and I seem to exist in entirely different universes. |
| Pointless Debate #21: The Suggestion Box | This was a post where I was able to have some fun answering various questions from readers and non-readers. Totally non-serious in my responses. It also allowed me to hypothesize on what it would be like to blog on a cold, wet night at the Britannia… |
| 12 Days “…on a cold, wet night in Stoke” | Finally, this went back to the original purpose of the blog, when I was trying to write on whatever I felt like. Actually the third post that no longer exists on this blog was actually about Stoke. It had come full circle at that point. |
These were suggested by readers or at least those willing to respond to me through various channels. There are also a couple where I try to figure out why they are so popular to begin with despite minimal comments on them.
| Post Name/Link | Why They Liked (or Hated) It. |
|---|---|
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 26 | Suggested by ghostlightning and ottocycle: This episode provided the first genuine shock to the audience. One character’s tragic end would echo all the way to the end of this series, as one always wondered how things would be different if they were still alive. |
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 23 | Suggested by ghostlightning: The fundamental question posed by this episode is “How many people must be sacrificed for the greater good?” The effects of this episode reappeared in episode 89, and ultimately determined the future of the Galactic Empire. |
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episode 33 | Suggested by ghostlightning:This was an episode that where the main cast to that point had little impact, but once again had a larger impact on the story at large. The fractures that would split wide open on the Imperial side in the end were beginning to split open. The Alliance proved it had capable people outside Yang, while Merkatz continued to be a thorn in the Empire’s side post-nobility. |
| Blogging Legend of the Galactic Heroes Episodes 51 & 52 | Suggested by ghostlightning: These are the Battle of Vermillion episodes which are more notable for events off the battlefield than on it. There is a marriage proposal, Yang forced to be on the offensive, betrayal by a democratically elected government and the question of “what if Yang had ignored that order?” It doesn’t provide a satisfactory end, and that is exactly the point of these 2 episodes. |
| The Feel Good Harem of the Year, and When They Were Called Onzes | The most popular post in the history of this blog. Maybe it’s the title of the post with it’s Code Geass reference, or that it’s so well written. Nah, it’s the Saori from Ladies versus Butlers contriving to sit on Akiharu’s face. |
| To Aru Majutsu no Index II – Episode 10 | This was a post I created for an application to write for a team blog…I still haven’t written for a team blog. |
If there is anything else you think I have forgotten, please feel free to leave a comment on the post itself or here.
