#that and tos unironically undefeated

[reachexceedinggrasp]

Not the same themes anon but i was so interested in your response and would LOVE to know what you find the best examples/executions of those themes! Thank you!

Ever After is one of my all-time favourite pieces of vindication porn. Right up there with the Henriad. Wonder and empathy are also major themes and it remains undefeated as the best fairy tale adaptation of its kind ever. A rare and stunning romanticism.

Speaking of which. The Hollow Crown BBC adaptation of the Henraid (Henry IV parts 1&2 and Henry V). It's not the best version as an adaptation of the text but it has the best character work for Hal and amazing thematic consistency, and the acting is absolutely godtier ridiculous it's so good. Hiddles looks extremely hot throughout also.

Les Misérables. The whole book is entirely about compassion and it’s very, very beautiful. You'll laugh, you'll cry, it'll change your life. Unironically. lmao

Quo Vadis. forgiveness, redemption, compassion

Crime and Punishment. hope, redemption

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Terry Gilliam 1988 fantasy/adventure film. THE TRIUMPH OF IDEALISM OVER CYNICS I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW HEALING IT IS TO WATCH. Jonathan Pryce’s spiritual villain is basically Chris Terrio and it is cathartic to see imagination and sentiment conquer him. wonder, romanticism, indefatigable optimism

The original Final Fantasy VII (you can play it on the switch, you can run an emulator, you can acquire the original PC version, or the PS1 disc will work on PS2 or PS3, make sure to use a guide so you don’t miss any of the optional story because there is some very important flashbacks and whole major characters you can completely bypass without realising) compassion, healing, romanticism, hope. Not sure how old I was when I first played it, but pretty little and I think cleris was my first ship ever. I will still cry every time I listen to Aeris' theme.

(FFIX is into those areas as well, though less so than VII.)

Series 9 of New Who is the most uncompromising and demanding statement about compassion in mainstream media for decades, though you really need the anniversary special and series 8 for context (and series 8 requires a little forbearance before it makes its point). Classic Who is also HUGE on this, but that is a massive can of worms. Big on wonder and hope as well.

The anime Twelve Kingdoms. This is a criminally underrated masterpiece with my other all-time favourite female character (near-tied with Clarice Starling). It’s a sprawling high fantasy epic, but it’s intensely character-driven and Youko’s arc is just… just the best. Compassion, wonder, vindication.

The manga Rurouni Kenshin, it’s the post-redemption living and struggle for atonement you never get to see. Also: happy ending!!

The anime Trigun runs on hope (Vash is the poster child for radical idealism), Fruits Basket (romanticism and compassion, monster romance narrative my beloved~~), the kdrama Money Flower (it is darker than a lot of things recced here but it is ultimately about vindication and hope and it is SO GOOD)

Star Trek, particularly TNG and TOS.

Some movies: The Fall (2006), Metropolis, The Fisher King, The Spirits Within, You Can’t Take it With You, Mirrormask, Benny and Joon, California Solo, Don Juan de Marco (WONDER! and romanticism!! I am jdskjfdlsk about this film because it just speaks to me on a deep spiritual level), Labyrinth, Legend (the director's cut- the theatrical cut really butchered it), Hellboy, I Am Dragon, Jane Eyre (1943), Howl's Moving Castle

With the essential caveat that you must stop watching halfway through episode 11, the kdrama Robber is a full-on, balls out redemption romance which is not kidding about making its protagonist a very grounded and realistic asshole who genuinely needs redemption, and it doesn’t apologise for its optimism about human nature and the power of love at all. The female lead’s story centres on her recovery from trauma and there is a lot of forgiveness and a lot of humanising of characters who would be flat villains in most shows.

#recs #I could and should have done a better job on this for you anon #but it's already been in my drafts for too long