Update: Given the state of affairs in anime at the moment, I thought I’d top this post as it seems rather… timely. I’ll be posting something new on this subject but I wanted to get the conversation re-started, so start thinking of ideas – and feel free to add to the comments below.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the “Next 10 Years” poll. Unsurprisingly (and somewhat annoyingly) the results were quite close, but it’s clear that the top three choices all have a lot of support.
What I’d like to ask now is for readers – via the comments section – to offer some specific suggestions on what they’d like to see. That is to say, which pre-LiA series or movies they’d like to see covered. Which “Best of” themes they’d like to see addressed. Which manga they’d like to see me pick up. And which industry topics they’d like to see my tackle in-depth. Or indeed any other specific suggestions. I can’t promise action at this point, but these suggestions will be the foundation of what I’m working on next.
And what is that, pray tell? I’m still fine-tuning the details, so stay tuned. In brief I think it’s going to consist of a couple of different new ventures – commissions, reader’s choice campaigns, et al – that will help me deliver what you want to read and hopefully, at the same time, help me get the site to financial sustainability.
As always, my sincere thanks for your readership and participation. Stay frosty!
Enzo
Ryan
February 22, 2020 at 1:01 amOh, what about a post on your favourite manga / best manga?
Collectr
February 22, 2020 at 2:15 am“Which pre-LiA series or movies they’d like to see covered”… In general, not widely-seen or popular series from before 2010; rather, shows that be widely seen but have been largely ignored. I realize that’s tricky if you haven’t seen the show yourself yet. Watching a one- or two-cour series only to find that it’s a dud would be an enormous and unproductive waste of your time. However, you’ve usually been able to suss out whether a show is worthwhile in just a couple of episodes. OVAs and movies are easier, in that regard.
To be specific, I’m a Tezuka Osamu fan(atic). Aside from the “Love Will Save the World” specials, I haven’t seen any detailed analyses of his anime. So “Hidimari no Ki” or the Lion Book OVAs or the Animerama movies or Melmo or… lots to choose from. I share your appreciation for GeGeGe no Kitarou, so a comparison between the current series and samples from one or more of the earlier versions would be fun.
On the manga side, perhaps an analysis of what goes into a great adaptation, like the recent Dororo, versus what goes wrong in a terrible one.
sweejen
February 22, 2020 at 8:49 am“On the manga side, perhaps an analysis of what goes into a great adaptation, like the recent Dororo, versus what goes wrong in a terrible one.” What a good idea–I really want to read a piece like this!
Zol
February 22, 2020 at 10:35 pm“I share your appreciation for GeGeGe no Kitarou, so a comparison between the current series and samples from one or more of the earlier versions would be fun.” Funny, just now as I scrolled down to these comments I was thinking pretty much the same. I didn’t even know the franchise existed before watching a few episodes of the current incarnation and instantly becoming addicted to it. Maybe some kind of a larger special to the phenomenon of GeGeGe no Kitarou would be nice.
Mariesminnow
February 22, 2020 at 3:36 amI would love to see you cover Seirei no Moribito. It’s one of my favorite series and since you’ve said it’s one of yours I think it would be cool to see you go back and do a write-up for each episode. The show is just so deeply underappreciated!
animealex
February 22, 2020 at 4:08 amI would love to see/read your take on Monster. It’s the first anime series I ever watched and was my gateway to this medium. Another series I’d like to see you discuss in depth is Hikaru no Go. It seems to be one of your favorites iirc.
Another thing which would interst me is your take on the various Studios (now and in the past), key personas and how they evolved, their creative highlights or what their downfalls were. I know this sounds rather like a chore, so I would understand if you would rather abstain.
Otcho_Shogun
February 22, 2020 at 5:45 amFor pre-LIA shows it would be amazing to hear your thoughts on great shows, that are not as much talked about today. Many older anime show their age and may have lost some of their initial appeal, but there also many that are still just as watchable as before. Of course I don’t know if you have seen those, but I would love to hear your take on stuff like Fantastic Children, Now and then Here and There or Twelve Kingdoms for example.
It would be a great addition to the usual seasonal coverage, even with the upcoming Spring season looking very promising and potentially great.
sweejen
February 22, 2020 at 8:54 amSamurai Champloo was my better-late-than-never intro to non-Ghibli anime, and I think of it in a very sentimental way. I would be interested to read your (presumably more objective) take on it!
Chuu
February 22, 2020 at 9:10 amWith old anime —the ones that were made with different technology, resolution or means— it may take a push to get into it: why was it so ground-breaking? Why is it unnavoidable? How is it relevant or interesting nowadays? Japan and the rest of the world has changed so much in the last decades. Getting back to oldies and (re)discovering can be very rewarding.
Also: I noticed how you like to mention the work of seiyuus and directors whenever an anime gets out. Features on these people and how series relate would be awesome.
Guardian Enzo
February 22, 2020 at 9:23 amKeep ’em coming, thanks…
Ronbb
February 22, 2020 at 11:59 amI’m very excited for LiA’s next 10 — and I applaud you for engaging the community. Thank you, Enzo.
Here are my thoughts:
For pre-LiA series or movies, I’d suggest any or all of Kon Satoshi movies, any or all of Studio Ghibli movies, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc. I also like series labelled under the World Masterpiece Theatre, but I’m unsure if those are good for blogging.
Aside from that, I actually would love to hear your take on any social or cultural topics, especially the differences between the Japanese and us growing up outside of Japan, or any trends happening in Japan that you observe. Other than that, anything that you shared on your manga list post is also good.
For whatever you decide, I will for sure stick around for the next 10 years. Cheers!
Octa
February 22, 2020 at 5:55 pmAs far as best of lists are concerned I’d be interested in hearing about your favourite josei anime.
elianthos
February 23, 2020 at 1:00 amWelll, seconding what Ronbb wrote and also the Moribito, 12 Kingdoms and Tezuka + World Masterpiece Theatre titles (although the latter might be hard to retrieve sub-wise and quite long to watch for series considerations purposes… as they were much more popular and licensed in Europe – and I guess South America too? – back then vs the USA) .
I’d love for you to one day tackle Rose Of Versailles (anime and manga while roughly having the same main plot points do go at them in different ways and the characters’ dynamic end up being rather differently in some key moments as a result) because my undying love bias notwithstanding for good and bad it was seminal work – animation-tropes&techniques-wise too – and its bloodline still goes strong (and no I don’t really mean Utena with that XDDD)… some aspects of Moribito included :P. And the Japan culture posts of course <3.
Whatever you decide to go for , best of luck and thank you for your dedication so far 🙂
Misa
February 23, 2020 at 1:28 amI would LOVE to see more older anime recommendations. Your ‘2010-2019’ Top 20 list helped me to find a few anime I’ve never seen before to check out. I really, really liked Uchouten Kazoku & I’m currently watching Saraiya Goyou (loving the atmosphere so far), so I would more chances to discover new anime to watch even if they’re older series.
Ronbb
February 24, 2020 at 11:02 amLong time no chat…love reading your comments 🙂
Ronbb
February 27, 2020 at 11:16 amWhoops, sorry….I just realized I hit the wrong reply. That was for elianthos 🙂
Proto
February 23, 2020 at 3:37 amIndeed, having you do reviews of older series would make for interesting articles. I really liked your take on Dennou Coil and there’s several older series I would like to hear your opinion on:
– Zettai Shounen
– Fantastic Children
– Infinite Ryvius
– 12 kingdoms
–
S
– Figure 17
– Seraphim Call
etc. Seeing that this seems to be a fairly popular idea you could start compilling titles 😀
riv
February 23, 2020 at 10:56 amHaving gotten into anime fairly recently, I’ve loved all of your top-5/top-10 lists and reviews of older anime because it’s helped me find a lot of shows I’d never have tried or found otherwise (Hikaru no Go and Rurouni Kenshin, for example). I’d like to see more top-5/top-10 lists grouped around specific themes that go beyond the usual anime categories like shounen or mecha. Top historical anime, top anime that showcase a profession or hobby (thinking of ones like Runway de Waratte or The Great Passage here), top guilty-pleasure anime, etc.
Raikou
February 23, 2020 at 10:01 pmI’ve posted in the next 10-years post, but I would like to point again,
I want to see your insights about your favorite seiyuu/best of the year seiyuu, seiyu in general or notable roles of x seiyuu.
And anime Directors (directing style, notable anime, etc). It would be interesting to see.
gigaknight
February 23, 2020 at 11:15 pmManga you should read and cover in big chunks instead of per chapter – Kingdom. It’s been a great ride.
Anime you should really get back to, or I guess you could go with the manga, is Diamond No Ace. You would really enjoy it now…I know that’s presumptuous but without spoiling anything I think it’s true.
Ideas – I really liked the podcasts you were doing with RC. Maybe there’s more to be explored in that medium…that or youtube.
Thanks for being a great voice over the last decade, always fun to come read your thoughts.
Guardian Enzo
February 23, 2020 at 11:19 pmNever again on Daiya. Not a chance.
I’d like to do more podcasts but the interest over there is not great. And Setsuken and I have talked about cranking up the Notaku thing again, but it’s a challenge with as busy as we both are.
Big chunks of manga is an option. The question is how big, and which manga.
gigaknight
February 24, 2020 at 12:41 amAgree to disagree on Diaya.
Maybe try in depth pieces on things that happen in the anime/manga community in japan like covering the Tezuka Award?
Manga coverage is a good one – Kingdom is one close to me, but I’m sure there are new interesting works out there you can shine a light on.
Any interest in covering some political stuff? I know those are choppy waters but it is 2020 and we’ve got a big one coming. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on debates.
Guardian Enzo
February 24, 2020 at 10:08 amAs tempting as that is, I’m going to resist. There’s too much acrimony, even among those who should be on the theoretical same side.
10 year reader
February 25, 2020 at 12:44 pmHow about some series that you might have a conflicting opinion about relative to the public’s general sentiment? I think hearing specifically why your views contrast could be eye opening for some and refreshing for others who agree with your thoughts. Thanks.
Guardian Enzo
February 25, 2020 at 1:13 pmInteresting… Have any specific ones in mind? It’s somewhat dangerous ground but potentially could be a good discussion.
Tim
February 26, 2020 at 3:36 pmso, maybe a bit too specific and probably overdone, but what if you did a weekly Junji Ito manga piece. My personal favorite is Enigma at Amigara Fault, if you’ve never read it.
Guardian Enzo
February 26, 2020 at 3:44 pmI have not, but I’ll keep it it in mind.
Otcho_Shogun
March 1, 2020 at 11:52 amSomething that would be really interesting would be to review more movies. Both old and new. I would to hear your thoughts on the Made in Abyss movie, for exemple. Or the upcoming Shika no Ou.
Guardian Enzo
March 1, 2020 at 12:02 pmNoted – thanks very much for the input.
I liked it. But damn – it is one dark ride.
Wiiii!!
April 27, 2020 at 1:46 amJust a question: I’m not expecting you to blog every title, but what are your preferences when it comes to manga? And how many do you read?
I don’t mind sharing some suggestions that I hope it is of your interest ;D (For ex.: Yugami-kun or My Home Hero)
Leaving that aside, I concur with most comments.
Guardian Enzo
April 27, 2020 at 9:03 amThere’s a post for that!
https://lostinanime.com/2020/02/enzos-semi-comprehensive-manga-list-february-2020/
Van
April 27, 2020 at 8:24 amLately there has been a lot of isekai series in manga and anime of either transported to another world or reincarnated. What is your opinion from this trending? Do you think its afecting the quality of anime in recent years or its benefical?. I admit i would love your analysis of this isekai trending but if not if you could please answer those question i would be grateful.
Guardian Enzo
April 27, 2020 at 9:05 amI hate it.
Yes, and no.
I could do more but that’s the gist of it. I think LNs in general more and isekai specifically have been bad for anime in numerous ways, but the analysis of that would be way too long for a comment. Maybe that could be one of the long-form pieces I talk about above, though it would be more negative than I prefer.