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yato-sensei · 2 years

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Five of the most relatable anime villains

So over the past couple of weeks, we have been flooded with images of cosplayers at Comic Con and various events, where they were not only dressed as their favourite heroes, but as their favourite villains. It started to make us think about why people dress up as these characters and why they resonate with them. Yes, some villains are just evil personified, having no emotion and simply wanting to take over the world. But some villains in anime have a deeply rich backstory and have amazing relatable backstories. They might want to destroy humanity (which we don’t agree too of course) but there is some complexity to them. We might not agree to everything that they do, but we can still relate to how they feel on some level.

Anime offers some of the best-written villains you will ever see in fiction, offering the viewer a more vividly realistic world that is not simply black and white. These memorable characters stick in our heads because they have personalities and characteristics that are simply relatable. Below we have listed a roundup of our favourite villains that have stuck in our head over the years - but of course there are hundreds of amazing villains with extremely interesting motivations and circumstances.

1) Isabella (Mom) from The Promised Neverland.

Despite the final season being terrible thanks to its terrible delivery of the source material, the development of Isabella’s character is quite interesting.

We’ve included her in this list as she has become one of the most controversial and talked about characters in the anime fandom. It might be well over two years now that the show ended, but fans are still debating the true meaning of her actions. But in our opinion, she had a job to do. She couldn’t refuse. If she told the demons no, they would have just killed her straight away and brought in another mom. Isabella did everything in her power to stop the children from escaping and getting killed too early, she didn't refrain from mental and physical punishment either. She 100% believed that there was nothing she could do to change things.

There was so much love at Grace Field House from both the child and mom. You could see that she cared for her children deeply. And while we can’t agree with the physical and mental abuse she caused the children – In order to survive, she had to do things she didn’t want to. She was in a tough situation.

2) Tsukasa Shishio from Dr Stone#

Now this is a character we’ve seen a lot over the last few years at Comic Con. You can instantly relate to this character. Tsukasa has good intentions and at his core, he is a good person. But you can see that his viewpoint of life is vastly different from the main character Senku. While Senku has a deep devotion towards humanities scientific endeavours and achievements, Tsuakasa’s has his sights on a different future. After having to fight people to pay for his sisters’ medical bills, Tsuakasa believes we need a new world without technology, where younger people can start again and have a fresh, fair life.

Yes he goes about it the wrong way, but deep down, Tsuakasa represents the percentage of the world who has lost faith in not only science, but humanity itself. As the divide between the rich and the poor grows larger each day, we are now seeing more and more reports of corruption within society. Do we need a new world order? Do we need to do something drastic to make change? We don’t know.

Either way, Tsuakasa’s character is an interesting one. Yes, his methods might be a bit extreme, but there is something about him that resonates with the fandom.

3) Madara Uchiha – Naruto Shippuden

So Madara Uchiha was the main antagonist of the show until the master plan of Black Zetsu was revealed, whose title was then passed on to Kaguya.

If we end up writing a top ten of the most badass anime characters in the next few months, Madara would feature at the top ten. Early in the series, he was seen as this hyped-up bad guy with no real back story and just generally an evil dude. But the motivation behind this character is revealed later and you can see why he wants to change the war-loving shinobi world from hell to heaven. Yes, his methods are a bit extreme, putting the world into a GenJutsu with the Infinite Tsukuyomi. But each person would then make their dreams a reality. His actions were drastic, but his intentions were stemming from the need for peace, albeit from a bloody and controlling way.

4) Zeref – Fairy Tail

As one of Fairy Tail's main antagonists, Zeref is portrayed at the start of the series as the most powerful and evil mage to ever exist, and a practitioner of dark, forbidden magic. He created numerous demons that killed many innocent people and destroyed many countries. You would believe that he was truly evil.

But Zeref, however, was not evil by choice. When the dragons killed his family, Zeref tried every form of magic to revive his dead brother Natsu. As a result, he was cursed with immortality. Furthermore, anyone who chose to get close to him was killed as part of his curse. Having no chance of death, Zeref and his lover Mavis became Achnologia's tormented playthings. So, Zeref wanted the power of Mavis to kill Achnologia.

Within his darkness there is a deep layer of tragedy and sin, which makes Zeref a character of interest. Even after creating demons, they were not good enough to defeat him. He even managed to resurrect his brother as a demon called E.N.D, but in the end, it was love that killed him.

5. Scar - Fullmetal Alchemist

There is no doubt that Scar remains a sympathetic yet terrifying anime villain, regardless of which version you watch. He is introduced as a cold-hearted killer who has a mission to kill State Alchemists with his powerful right arm.

But as the show progresses, you start to learn about the tragedy of his people. Scar is a survivor of the genocide of his people, the Ishvalans, who whom were exterminated by the Amestrian army (who the State Alchemist work for). You soon work out that Scar is driven by revenge, and while he is not without his own sins, his hatred of State Alchemists is understandable considering everything that has happened.

Rather than letting revenge consume his life, Scar ultimately comes to regret his actions, as he realises hate begets hate and holding onto a grudge serves no purpose. While slaying the Rockbells (war doctors) was clearly unjustified, you can kind of see why he went after the soldiers, especially as one of the people to have died was his brother.

Obviously, murder is wrong, but could you relate if you lost family and friends?

Thanks for reading,

Daydreamer & Moonflower

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yato-sensei · 2 years

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Spotlight: Weathering with You

So let's talk about this gem of a film called Weather with You (also known as Tenki no Ko). I will try to keep it brief and not give too much away as you might be reading this in hope of watching it in the near future.

So what's the story?

The film follows a runaway high school student Hodaka Morishima, who struggles to financially support himself—ending up with a job at a small-time publisher in Tokyo. At the same time, an orphaned girl, Hina Amano strives to find work to sustain herself and her younger brother. While these characters try to secure stability, Tokyo is experiencing torrential rain showers that seem to disrupt the usual pace of everyday life.

Both characters meet by accident when Hodaka attempts to rescue Hina from some shady men and they decide to run away together. As the story plays out, Hodaka discovers that Hina has a strange yet astounding power.

But as we have learnt from many superhero films, power always comes with a hefty price.

Is it worth a watch?

You might be put off watching this film because some people describe it as a ��supernatural romance’, but in my opinion it is more than that. It is beautifully constructed, filled with deep emotions, and incredibly endearing with its humour and heartfelt scenes. The writer-director Makoto Shinkai has crafted a charming, visually impressive animated story that's both magical and thrilling.

Weathering with You is an exploration of friendship, family, and folklore, as well as a slow-burning first love story. There is also an underlying, but not heavy-handed, environmentalist message about how the weather can affect people and even cause disaster. If you are worried that this film is sad, yes there are a few tear-jerking moments, but I would argue that these are more heartfelt than heartbreaking.

In short, should you see this movie? Yes. Stop what you are doing and find this film! I really love this movie. The first time I saw this film was when I had lost my job and I was unsure of my direction. I lost my faith. But this film reminded me that I should never give up. It might sound cheesy, but the film resonated with me and helped me believe in my abilities once again. I helped me realise that I should keep going until I hit my goals.

So if I love this, what else will I like?

Makoto Shinkai also directed Your Name which was a smash hit where a teenage boy and girl embark on a quest to meet each other for the first time after they magically swap bodies. If you love Weather with You, you are sure to love this too.

A film I feel that isn’t talked about as much as the other two, A Silent Voice, which deals with themes such as bullying, disability, forgiveness and mental health. It follows the story with compassion and understanding involves the former bully turned social outcast, who decides to reconnect and befriend the deaf girl he had victimised years prior. If you are after another heartwarming film, this one's for you.

Now if you enjoy the supernatural theme, how about The Girl Who Leapt Through time? If you had the power to change the past, would you? As mentioned before, with power, comes consequences. If the past is changed, it could alter the future. This film is both relaxing and suspenseful when it needs to be, definitely worth putting on after Weather with You.

Thanks,

Daydreamer x

#weatheringwithyou #anime #manga #anime and manga #tenkinoko #fantasy #romance #film #awardwinning #makotoshinkai #japan #reccomend #highly reccomend #would reccomend

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yato-sensei · 2 years

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Top 5 anime for first timers

If you are considering watching anime for the first time and don’t know where to begin, this blog will give you some options to get your teeth into.

Over the past couple of years, anime has become considerably popular outside of Japan and thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, Crunchyroll and Funimation, it has also become easier for people to access and enjoy. The rise of anime is upon us and people are wondering where to get started with it all.

With the increase in popularity, we have also found that some people are hesitant to watch it, thinking it is simply for kids. But let’s get one thing straight, when it comes to anime, age is not a factor. There are many genres of anime and some are marketed at an older audience. Seinen for example is a subset that is generally targeted at a 18–30+ year old male audience. Josei is the same age group, but towards a female audience.

But if you are looking to start your anime adventure, I wouldn’t put an age to anything. Most of us here at Anime Manga UK are in our thirties and we enjoy shonen (which is intended for a slightly younger audience). In our opinion, genre labels don't matter. The only thing that does matter is that you enjoy it.

There is something for everyone if it's a nail biting thriller, a trip to a fantasyland or even a good laugh.

If you are looking for something to watch with breathtaking storylines, vibrant characters, amazing back stories, fantastic action scenes or simply something that will leave you satisfied - then get on the anime bandwagon. Below are five anime that I would recommend for first timers:

1. Death Note

So, the first one on our list is the iconic show Death Note, which is full of twists and turns and is a nice short one with only 37 episodes. It is intelligently written, smartly paced, and consistently engrossing. It follows high schooler Light Yagami who discovers a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. With this new power, Light tries to ‘cleanse the world from evil’, and effectively plays God. But hot on his heels is a fantastic detective named ‘L’. If you are looking for something to binge over the weekend, this is the one to put on.

Watch if you enjoy shows like Dexter, Sherlock and Ash Vs Evil Dead.

Watch if you love suspense, supernatural, and psychological thrillers.

2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

If you are looking for adventure and a taste of Shonen, then Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the perfect mix of action, character development and a little bit of the feels. Only 64 episodes, it pulls you in as you go on an adventure with brothers Edward and Alphonse as they try to find the Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies. However they aren’t the only ones seeking the stone. Just be aware that there are two Fullmetal Alchemist shows; the first is Fullmetal Alchemist released in 2003, the other is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, released in 2009. I would suggest watching Brotherhood as it follows the source material (manga). Sadly the 2003 version isn’t as good.

Watch if you enjoy shows like Shadow and Bone, Merlin or High Dark Materials.

Watch if you love fantasy, adventure, and action.

3. One Punch Man

Now when we first saw the title, we were instantly put off, but this parody show does not follow your usual anime stereotypes. The synopsis of the anime is simple. A superhero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch. It is a hilarious series which is filled with monsters doing stupid things, silly named heroes and full of dialogue that will make you laugh at every corner. If this is your first attempt at the anime genre and love superheroes, I highly recommend watching this show as it is simply brilliant and it might even draw you further into other shows like My Hero Academia or Tiger and Bunny.

Watch if you enjoy shows like The Tick, The Umbrella Academy and The Boys.

Watch if you love comedy, action, and superheroes.

4. Fruits Basket

Originally, we were put off by the romance element in this anime, but we're so glad we gave it a chance in the end! Even if you aren’t into soppy stuff, this is just beautifully written from start to finish and you will end up falling in love with all the characters. It is the perfect mixture of supernatural and fantasy with a dash of mystery, romance and drama added in for good measure. The anime follows a recently orphaned girl, who gets caught up in the drama of a strange family who are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac.

Watch if you enjoy shows like Charmed, A Discovery of Witches and Grimm.

Watch if you love supernatural, romance, and mystery.

5. Naruto

We weren't going to include Naruto as it has over 700+ episodes (if you include its second part Shippuden). But as this was one of the first shows to get us into anime, we thought it should be included. Naruto is a show that has an amazing storyline which is motivating, inspiring and entertaining. It follows the story of a young kid who wants to have recognition from her peers and to follow his dream to become Hokage (leader of the village). The show is full of amazing characters, adventure, bad-ass fight scenes and has something for everyone.

Watch if you enjoy shows like Iron Fist, Wu Assassins and Into The Badlands.

Watch if you love martial arts, adventure, and fantasy.

Thanks,

Daydreamer & Moonflower x

#anime #naruto #one punch man #fruits basket #death note #full metal alchemist #manga and stuff #anime and manga #adventure #kakashi hatake #watchaddict #currently watching #shonen

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