Something happened in 2007 that cemented that year in pop culture history across multiple entertainment mediums, be it cinema, music, video games, or anime. Maybe the stars aligned, maybe the air got polluted in the right way, maybe it was just a cosmic coincidence, but a lot of really good things were released in 2007. And if we're talking about anime, some of them are still worth watching today: they were released in the 16:9 aspect ratio, have high-quality animation, and the topics they cover are relatable even now.
After some mysterious events anomaly zones, called Gates, appear in different parts of the world. With them the stars in the sky change: now they represent not actual cosmic bodies but contactors — humans that gained supernatural abilities. They are called contractors because they have to pay the price for using their newly found powers, and sometimes the prices are quite bizarre — but so are the abilities. This series has a very interesting lore, and the seemingly episodic nature allows it to showcase a lot of different characters and highlight different problems that are still relevant today. And the fighting scenes are still very cool.
One of Studio Gainax's most notable works, Gurren Lagann is known not for the story itself, which mostly follows general shounen tropes and suffers from predictability, but for its presentation. The worldbuilding is cohesive and thought-through in some parts, while in others it lacks substance, but it doesn't make the show any less epic, visceral, and at times even nonsensical, but that is exactly what keeps you engaged in it. The animation quality, the craziness bring the ultimate excitement, showing that this work is pure, distilled entertainment.
Clare from Claymore tops the various lists of the most badass female protagonists, and for a reason: she is that cool. She's an artificial being, a hybrid between a human and a demon-like youma, whose purpose is to save people from these demons. And the story follows the adventures of Clare as she travels on her quest to slay youma. A rare shounen series with a female protagonist, it shows very believable character development, and the fantasy world painted in the show is vivid and interesting. The fight scenes are still breathtaking and detailed, grounded in gritty realism as much as possible in this world.
It's 1930s in the US, specifically in Chicago, mixing historical setting and gangsters with mystery, supernatural themes and comedy (there's an immortality elixir involved in the plot alongside heists and general illegal activities). Baccano!! decided to unravel the story in a non-linear way, despite the plot itself being quite straightforward but no less entertaining. The cast of characters is vast, and all of them have individual stories that finally combine into a larger plot, though that may feel a bit jumbled by the non-sequential storytelling. If you're not scared of jumping right into the middle of the story and then exploring it in various directions, then Baccano!! won't disappoint you.
Afro Samurai
The 2000s in the US brought to us an animation project by Samuel L. Jackson, who also voiced the main character. At this time, anime was gaining more popularity in the States, and hip-hop culture was on the rise, again, so why not mix both? We already had some great results back In Japan — Samurai Champloo became an all-time classic, especially in the States. So Samuel L. Jackson together with Takashi Okazaki and Studio Gonzo created a tastefully gorey story that had a soundtrack from RZA and Wu-Tang Clan.
If you saw that teaser that Netflix posted for their Devil May Cry anime adaptation, then we need to inform you that it's not the first time this game series has been animated. In 2007, a short 13-episode season was released, one that followed an original plot instead of relying on one from the games. In fact, this entire anime was part of a promotion campaign for the upcoming release of Devil May Cry 4, filling in the gaps between the first two games plot-wise. It feels like a slice-of-life action in terms of the story, but the art style is extremely captivating and fighting scenes are just as visceral as in the games.
One of the most notable and popular works from KyoAni, Clannad is a rollercoaster of emotions that introduces the studio's signature moe style. It can make even the most cold-hearted people weep, but despite that, this story about a naive girl with health problems, a stoic boy who begrudgingly befriends her, and people who gather around them can be described with the word "charming". There is something in the way characters appreciate mundane things and get excited by them that makes you look around and take whatever happens into closer consideration, and maybe, just maybe, find something special — or someone.
ef: A Tale Of Memories
Another somber story, ef: A Tale Of Memories follows several romantic plot lines, but the main focus is not on romance, but on dreams and wishes. The unique style of studio SHAFT fits the premise of this show wonderfully, one that is all about fleeting moments and memories, about struggles and fulfillments, about pains and sorrows, about painful choices. At first glance it seems like a harem show, but don't be fooled: the stories of the characters, even those that initially seem irrelevant, are carefully explored.
Even on a big TV.
Something happened in 2007 that cemented that year in pop culture history across multiple entertainment mediums, be it cinema, music, video games, or anime. Maybe the stars aligned, maybe the air got polluted in the right way, maybe it was just a cosmic coincidence, but a lot of really good things were released in 2007. And if we're talking about anime, some of them are still worth watching today: they were released in the 16:9 aspect ratio, have high-quality animation, and the topics they cover are relatable even now.
After some mysterious events anomaly zones, called Gates, appear in different parts of the world. With them the stars in the sky change: now they represent not actual cosmic bodies but contactors — humans that gained supernatural abilities. They are called contractors because they have to pay the price for using their newly found powers, and sometimes the prices are quite bizarre — but so are the abilities. This series has a very interesting lore, and the seemingly episodic nature allows it to showcase a lot of different characters and highlight different problems that are still relevant today. And the fighting scenes are still very cool.
One of Studio Gainax's most notable works, Gurren Lagann is known not for the story itself, which mostly follows general shounen tropes and suffers from predictability, but for its presentation. The worldbuilding is cohesive and thought-through in some parts, while in others it lacks substance, but it doesn't make the show any less epic, visceral, and at times even nonsensical, but that is exactly what keeps you engaged in it. The animation quality, the craziness bring the ultimate excitement, showing that this work is pure, distilled entertainment.
Clare from Claymore tops the various lists of the most badass female protagonists, and for a reason: she is that cool. She's an artificial being, a hybrid between a human and a demon-like youma, whose purpose is to save people from these demons. And the story follows the adventures of Clare as she travels on her quest to slay youma. A rare shounen series with a female protagonist, it shows very believable character development, and the fantasy world painted in the show is vivid and interesting. The fight scenes are still breathtaking and detailed, grounded in gritty realism as much as possible in this world.
It's 1930s in the US, specifically in Chicago, mixing historical setting and gangsters with mystery, supernatural themes and comedy (there's an immortality elixir involved in the plot alongside heists and general illegal activities). Baccano!! decided to unravel the story in a non-linear way, despite the plot itself being quite straightforward but no less entertaining. The cast of characters is vast, and all of them have individual stories that finally combine into a larger plot, though that may feel a bit jumbled by the non-sequential storytelling. If you're not scared of jumping right into the middle of the story and then exploring it in various directions, then Baccano!! won't disappoint you.
Afro Samurai
The 2000s in the US brought to us an animation project by Samuel L. Jackson, who also voiced the main character. At this time, anime was gaining more popularity in the States, and hip-hop culture was on the rise, again, so why not mix both? We already had some great results back In Japan — Samurai Champloo became an all-time classic, especially in the States. So Samuel L. Jackson together with Takashi Okazaki and Studio Gonzo created a tastefully gorey story that had a soundtrack from RZA and Wu-Tang Clan.
If you saw that teaser that Netflix posted for their Devil May Cry anime adaptation, then we need to inform you that it's not the first time this game series has been animated. In 2007, a short 13-episode season was released, one that followed an original plot instead of relying on one from the games. In fact, this entire anime was part of a promotion campaign for the upcoming release of Devil May Cry 4, filling in the gaps between the first two games plot-wise. It feels like a slice-of-life action in terms of the story, but the art style is extremely captivating and fighting scenes are just as visceral as in the games.
One of the most notable and popular works from KyoAni, Clannad is a rollercoaster of emotions that introduces the studio's signature moe style. It can make even the most cold-hearted people weep, but despite that, this story about a naive girl with health problems, a stoic boy who begrudgingly befriends her, and people who gather around them can be described with the word "charming". There is something in the way characters appreciate mundane things and get excited by them that makes you look around and take whatever happens into closer consideration, and maybe, just maybe, find something special — or someone.
ef: A Tale Of Memories
Another somber story, ef: A Tale Of Memories follows several romantic plot lines, but the main focus is not on romance, but on dreams and wishes. The unique style of studio SHAFT fits the premise of this show wonderfully, one that is all about fleeting moments and memories, about struggles and fulfillments, about pains and sorrows, about painful choices. At first glance it seems like a harem show, but don't be fooled: the stories of the characters, even those that initially seem irrelevant, are carefully explored.
