I thought I'd start off Meli does with a collection of every
single thing I'm a fangirl over. This is going to be the
inaugural fandom roundup. Hopefully we'll revisit this list around this time next year.
I'll try to keep this brief - I'll add *these* around ones I'm pretty sure are avaliable on netflix. The others, I know you'll find them. The Internet is a BIIIG place.
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MOVIES, ANIME & T.V.
*GLEE*
Ok. I know a lot of people hate on
glee, and honestly, I think they're just butts. Like really, who
can't enjoy a group of diverse teenagers singing to discover
themselves? Really? Then again, I might be biased, because
participating in musicals was one of the highlights of my time in
high school, and I absolutely adore singing.
But really. All the singing is great.
There's humour, there's heartbreak, and there's song and dance. I
don't see a problem anywhere here.
*SUPERNATURAL*
Despite there being quite a few
problems with the show, I can't help but love Supernatural. Sam and
Dean are far too great of characters – with Castiel taking the
cake. It's engaging, it's dark, it's funny. And surprising twists on
folklore, pop culture, and biblical stories really, really draw you
in.
Plus, the fandom is hilarious. All of
the cast are well known to be really engaged with their fandom,
attending conventions, posting internet content, and essentially
being absolute goofs (or in Misha Collins case [Castiel] a
terrifyingly awesome human being). It's well worth getting in to.
*COMMUNITY*
I don't get why community isn't as big
as it should be. The trials and tribulations of a rag-tag group of
people going to community college, it's funny, it's fresh, it's
really smart. The dungeons and dragons episode is pure gold. Brita
is...far too much like me, in far too many ways. Strangely, I'm not
as big of a fan of Abed as most people are.
Ten thumbs up for a show that stands
out among the absolute garbage of primetime comedies nowadays. Give
it a watch, if you're not in to it already (wikipedia says it has a
'cult-like' following. JOIN US!)
This was, like a lot of us around here,
the defining movie of my teenage years. I can quote almost the entire
thing. I fought with my fellow females over which of the plastics I
was (I always got Gretchen, because of my hair...). Many a late
nights were spent giggling over this movie.
If i have a child, I will force them to
watch it with me. If I'm babysitting a preteen, I will make them
watch it with me. If you're one of the few who hasn't seen this
movie, I WILL WATCH IT WITH YOU. For real. I preach the gospel of
Mean Girls, and I am willing to help any soul in need.
*AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER* &
THE LEGEND OF KORRA
These shows. When I was younger I saw
them floating around the TV, but I only got in to them a couple of
years back. And boy, am I glad I did. If you haven't heard of Avatar
the Last Airbender (no, it's not the James Cameron movie, nor is it
the disaster that was the live-action movie. It's waaaay better).
The writers took elements from all
forms of eastern religions and ideas, artforms and cultures and
created a beautiful world that's absolutely captivating and
beautiful. The world itself is inhabited by people, various
hilariously cute animals (SKYBISONS!!!!!) as well as benders; people
who can control a specific element (fire, water, earth or air). The
first series explores the life of the last airbender, a young boy
named Aang, who also happens to be the avatar – the one person in
the world who has the potential to control all four elements.
Together he and his friends must save the world from the corrupt fire
nation while he masters each of the elements.
The legend of Korra is the next
reincarnation of the series. Literally. Korra is the avatar who
follows Aang's legacy, and despite the plot being a bit more
convoluded, it stars a fiery young girl as a heroine, and has some
really, really great characters in the mix. It focuses more on the
spiritual side of bending, as Korra has mastered all the elements
save for airbending – the exact opposite of Aang. Korra is more
mature, grittier, but very emotionally deep and entertaining. Book
three is coming out next year...sometime. Nobody's sure when, as of
yet.
The fandom for these shows is
ENOURMOUS. And it's absolutely great. Watch them both and we can go
crazy together.
ADVENTURE TIME
Ok. So I'm going to be a hipster here,
and say that I actually watched the demo for this thing like...6
years ago, when it first came out. Before Finn was Finn, and he was
Penn instead. Let me tell you, I couldn't have imagined the amazing
show that it turned in to.
This has got to be my top favourite TV
show right now. If you took Sailor Moon and crossed it with Spongebob
Squarepants and a philosophy major on an acid trip, you'd get
Adventure Time. And believe me, it's as great as it sounds. Just
watch it for yourself and see what you're missing.
Along with pretty much everyone in the
world, I ADORE Lumpy Space Princess. I made a Christmas ornament of
her. I am in the process of ordering leggings of her. I can do a bang
on impression of her. She is the embodyiment of my spirit.
But don't get me wrong. There's also
some other really, really great characters and things kicking around,
too. Princess bubblegum and Marceline's quasi-relationships. The
episode where everyone is genderbent. Anti-heroes. Finn's absolutely
perfect fighting words.
The show is...MATHEMATICAL.
*FULL METAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD*
Everyone needs to watch this anime.
Yes, the one that has Brotherhood after it, not the original
(although you could watch the original – but it's a bit
more...convoluded and confusing, in my opinion).
Brotherhood is based off of the manga.
And it's got a lot to say. The story of two brothers in a militant
country where Alchemical magic is common, Full Metal Alchemist is so
many things at once. Part comedy. Part allegory for the horrors of
war and the human condition. Part thrilling mystery. It's satisfying,
deeply, deeply disturbing, engaging and full of awesome, strong,
brilliant characters.
Watch it all in as high quality as you
can. It makes a difference. And then go read the manga. Or read the
manga first (although I watched the anime first, and I wasn't
confused at all). And then sit for a while and contemplate everything
that you just took in. No anime has matched up to Full Metal
Alchemist yet. I'm still looking.
Yes. It's that good.
ALL THE THINGS BY HAYAO MIYAZAKI
WATCH EVERYTHING THIS MAN HAS MADE.
REALLY. YOU HAVE TO.
Yes, I could say I like Studio Ghibli,
but honestly, I've only watched Hayao Miyazaki's movies. (Grave of
the fireflies is a terrifyingly heart-rending catastrophe I don't
want to touch with a 10 foot pole – I don't do sad things).
Miyazaki has this certain flair that
hearkens back to my childhood. Extremely well. I grew up watching My
Neighbor Totoro over and over and over and over. And my family's
taken to getting me the other movies as DvDs for my birthdays. I want
to go to Japan because of his movies (he has a museum made after him
that is apparently pure magic).
Kiki's Delivery service, The Secret
World of Arrietty, Spirited Away and Whisper of the Heart are my
all-time favourites. But all his other movies are brilliant, too.
Give them all a watch. You
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