Patema Inverted
What if you fell off the face of the earth? No, quite literally went tumbling through the sky never to be seen from again. Now imagine the only thing keeping you from that fate is someone you just met and whose world has the opposite gravitational pull as your own. Such is the fate of Patema and Age, two strangers forced to work together and who will discover it takes more than gravity to pull them apart.
ACCA
ACCA is one of those rare gems of a story that only gets better with a second read through because everything you thought you knew takes on a whole new meaning. It’s a great read with a deceivingly intricate plot involving nationwide conspiracies. It’s got the sophistication of a James Bond film, the cleverness of tracing Moriarty’s whereabouts in Sherlock Holmes stories, and a gentleman’s duel of mannerisms throughout.
Cute High Earth Defense Club
Binan High School’s “Earth Defense Club” was a fake club formed by a group of friends who just wanted an excuse to goof off after school. This all changes when a pink wombat crashes through the ceiling and tells our protagonists that they need to save the world with the power of love. With vibrant transformation sequences and stereotypical magical girl sayings that catch our main characters off guard, it’s an over the top magical girl parody that’s a ride from start to finish.
Guyver
No, this isn’t the live-action movie featuring Mark Hamill. Guyver is one of many adaptations of the manga Bio-Booster Armor Guyver, a series that began its run back in 1985. What makes this particular take special is that it’s currently the closest adaptation to the original manga. Covering volumes 1-10, the plot is centered around Sho Fukamachi, a 17-year-old student who connects with a biological armor that gives him superhuman abilities. Although the lore appears to be ripped right from a classic children’s Sentai show, it’s executed well and with shocking brutality. The tone of the series is much darker than the colorful hero and monster designs would lead one to believe, and the action often reaches into body horror territory. If you are looking for Tokusatsu-inspired action with an edge, Guyver won’t disappoint.
Ping Pong
Hero ja nai, hero ja nai, hero ja nai!
Now that everyone knows Masaaki Yuasa from Devilman Crybaby, it’s time to go back and watch his take on the sports genre. Yeah the realistic character designs can put some people off, but you’re missing out on a great story and Yuasas’s mastery of visuals. This is more than just a show about teens ping-pong; it’s about friendship, regret, ambition, and some much more. The animation is superb, with the use of paneling to make shots look like pages of manga being a standout. The series reminds you why sports are so compelling, and may convince non-sports fans to give them a shot.