What makes something the best?  Is it popularity, profitability, quality, a combination of three?  Something else entirely?  This is one of those vexing subjective questions that can start long and heated debates just about anywhere when people have differing views on just what the best really is.  While some individual discs might be score better in reviews the three above are in competition for what I believe to be the best anime series.  Cowboy Bebop, Fooly Cooly and FullMetal Alchemist, all have strong writing, great animation and awesome music, and perhaps most importantly consistantly high quality writing  There are plenty of shows out there that have stand out episodes or story arcs but very few that manage to be simply great from beginning to end.  

     Each show has a lot make it a contender, and each has its drawbacks that make the debate all that much more interesting.  So let us take a look at the contenders in detail.

Contender #1 Cowboy Bebop.

  This show perhaps more than any pther typifies the growth of anime in the US more than any other, sure Akira was well known but Bebop was the first series to find sucess on tv while being aimed at adults rather than children or tweens.  Possibly the best scripted series ever shown on adult swim it stands out for its writing, pacing and wonderfully constructed plot that allows for every episode help be part of a larger story but still be built around its own unique plot.  No mean feat, this along with music that puts many hollywood movies to shame coupled with nearly flawless animation set in a familiar yet distinctly different world.  The only real downside to Cowboy Bebop is the sparsity of extras and lack of a sound mix higher than dolby 2.0.*

Contender #2 Fooly Cooly.

  Coolest Show Ever.  I don't know what it is but this show is almost without comparison.  It has a plot, but it seems to matter very little.  Moving from parody to humor, to drama and where ever else it feels like going this series does more in six episodes than many do in twenty four or fifty two.  Once more excellent animation and superlative music combine with top notch writing to  create something so much greater than the sum of its parts.  Downsides, none aside form its short length, by episode six you find that it suddenly really is over.

Contender #3 FULLMETAL Alchemist.

  FULLMETAL Alchemist is a show that epitimizes strong writing and character development, and it is a show that is not afraid to take risks like killing off a fan favorite character like Mayes Hughes I still remember seeing that episode for the first time and being shocked and in disbelief, but they had really done it.  With a score that simply leaves one in awe for its musicality and beauty it has most impressive score of any anime ever.  The charcaters are what makes this show, one is able to connect with them on a basic, human level that is very rare in televison or movies.  The story is gripping and exciting, yet able to capture the quiet moments that help gives life to the characters and their world.  FMA's only drawback is that it occassionaly gives in to the needs of its original fifty two week run with a handful of filler episodes that play very well but  leave you wanting to get back to the main plot threads and see them adavnced.

.....And the Winner is 

 FOOLY COOLY

Fooly Cooly wins for simply doing so much in such a short span.  As they say in show business, "always leave them wanting more."  Indeed.  Feel free to agree, disagree, call me an idiot and genrally debate about how wrong or right I am.

* This has been corrected with the Release of the Cowboy Bebop Remix DVDs, which I need to upgrade to, but not having them my judgements are based on what I have actually watched.

Posted by: raging tachikoma at 08:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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