Welcome to the Fantasy Zone
This Zone is dedicated to the lesser known elements of anime hosted by the cast of Victory Script.
What weapon is the best?
Who will win in this Death Battle?
Is this costume practical?
You name it, it's all covered here in the Fantasy Zone!
No I am not kidding, Lupin the 3rd is the greatest anime of all time.
Some context is needed.
Lupin the 3rd was written by the late manga writer Monkey Punch way back in 1967 and to this day still exists as one of the longest franchises in Japan with the anime alone surpassing 50 years of service, only Sazae-San and Astro Boy can claim longer innings, but while Astro Boy has a very stop start history and Sazae-San's history is a post war manga and an anime that never ends, Lupin the 3rd has been consistent in every generation of anime from pre otaku era of the 70s, up to modern day with no sign of running out of steam but there is more than just longevity, it's got itself a unique legacy with two very well known people in the industry, Hayao Miyazaki and ShinichirÅ Watanabe.
Miyazaki needs no introduction, the Lupin film Castle of Cagliostro was the first film he worked on as a director which jump started his career proper.
Watanabe directed Cowboy Bebop often called the best anime of all time and cites Lupin the 3rd as his biggest inspiration.
That's already a big boast and we haven't got to the actual anime yet.
Lupin is an anti hero with a goofy front but extremely clever skills always keeping you on your toes.
Jigen is the straight shooter who goes along with anything but isn't afraid to shoot to kill.
Goemon is the noble samurai who maybe takes that honor a bit too seriously but is very capable of some super human feats.
Zenigata is a bumbling interpol detective but is actually very capable outside of going after Lupin.
Fujiko is not only the first waifu and sex symbol of anime but has infinite lore.
There are very few episodes that doesn't have you compelled to find out what happens next.
It might be formulaic but there is enough in universe too keep going, even others in it's genre like Detective Conan and Cat's Eye have crossed with the phantom thief.
Ontop of everything, Lupin also manages to age well, keeping a fresh animation style, working in CGI and even live action.
The only thing he couldn't do, was convince the estate of the Arsene Lupin author to use the name Lupin but that's a story for another time.
Take this with a pinch of salt though.
I don't begrudge MAL or IGN for constantly showering praise on Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, it's still a great anime. Cowboy Bebop set such a high standard that still resonates today, even all the shonen, the stylish look of Jojo, the decades of experience Sazae-San has, the impressive legacy the Pokemon anime has and even my own favourite anime Black Lagoon all are just as capable of being the best and there's no stopping them from achieving that because what's really important is what you consider the best.
Take all that subjective thought out, and you can see it better when you take everything into consideration even then, you will probably disagree and l accept that.
Time to look at the trash taste of IGN, if it's anything like MAL's taste, expect some rough takes.
Before we go into IGN's Top 25, let's look at the ones they missed off.
Ranma 1/2
Already they've annoyed me by leaving this one off, Ranma is in my top ten for a good reason, it defines the mantra of anything goes storytelling and that anime never feels restricted.
Kill La Kill
I'm on the fence with this one, well made but not top 25 worthy.
Sailor Moon
They pretty much snubbed all of Shojo by leaving this one off.
Utena
Same with Utena really, gave Shojo a real bad snub.
Chihayafuru
Shouldn't even be considered for a list.
Steins Gate
In the grey area of being good but not great.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Too new to be considered for a top anime list.
Well let's dissect this so called list.
25. Haikyuu
It's a good series but so is a number of other sports anime, consistent quality but hardly spectacular.
24. Trigun
I agree, gripping narrative and a light hearted lead character done right.
23. Dragonballz
I wouldn't bet against it, it's got wrestling publicity, it's dumb fun.
22. My Hero Academia
While I appreciate the effort in world building, the characters aren't really the best.
21. Made in Abyss
Not for the faint of heart and can easily back up that statement, you'll remember how cruel this series can be.
20. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
There's no other series like it, it cannot be imitated.
19. Naruto Shippuden
Overlooks the original series, remember what got Naruto there to begin with.
18. Death Note
Epic thriller for an anime only worth watching once.
17. Attack on Titan
This series is the master of self promotion, you will not forget this series.
16. Ouran High School Host Club
Of all the shojo anime, you choose this one, don't get me wrong it's good but REALLY?!
15. Devilman Crybaby
No. Devilman is iconic but it really has a terrible history.
14. Demon Slayer
It's so professionally made, it's the truest definition of effort.
13. Code Geass
Gundam style story, Clamp style art, surprisingly good combo.
12. Samurai Champloo
Still haven't seen it yet, I hope to put that right one day.
11. Baccano
Durarara was better.
10. FLCL
Pretty unique coming of age story but I don't always remember it.
9. Yu Yu Hakusho
I find that Yu Yu Hakusho is the default high standard for shonen anime.
8. Evangelion
I get why it's here and I don't doubt it's impact, very divisive still.
7. Hunter x Hunter
It's still the default high standard for shonen anime but Yoshihiro Togashi hasn't improved and my god this series has the worst history of manga releases with only Clamp being even worse.
6. Mob Psycho 100
Way too new to be this high on the list.
5. Hajime no Ippo
If I had to pick a sports anime, I would pick this as well.
4. Monster
Not seen it but won't argue it's quality, the story telling is up there with some of the best thrillers in fiction.
3. One Piece
I wouldn't bet against it, even when it's going through a rough patch it comes back to surprise you.
2. Cowboy Bebop
The default best anime for a long time, I agree to an extent but having seen what live action did to it is making me doubt.
1. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
It's a very well made anime but there is one fatal flaw that will forever stop this anime getting the number 1. IT'S A BLOODY REMAKE!!!! There was still a series before it and Brotherhood wouldn't exist without it.
Overall
It's hit and miss, calling it best anime of all time list doesn't include some argubly more influential anime such as Pokemon, Astroboy and Gundam. The actual best anime ever created isn't even mentioned, it's not Black Lagoon, it's my number 1 best anime but that's subjective, there is actually a best anime of all time without a doubt, that will be tomorrows post.
With Ash becoming Champion last month along with a new game, let's see how previous champions rank.
Blue - Iconic rival but rather unimpressive Champion, he'd almost be considered a villain.
Trace - Doesn't really strike me as the Champion type and he's much nicer as a rival than Blue.
Lance - As Champions have evolved Lance is looking less impressive by the day and he knows it.
Red - His presence as the ultimate Champion gave Gold and Silver it's title as best Pokemon game.
Steven - I find him more charismatic than Lance and gave Steel types some weight.
Wallace - I consider him a strange choice considering there is still a water gym as the last gym making him the easiest to defeat.
Cynthia - Outright iconic Champion and would argue the strongest trainer in Pokemon history.
Alder - The Pokemon equivalent of Jiraiya, but past his best and lost to N quite easily.
Iris - Same as Wallace, but worse as I consider Drayden a bigger challenge.
Diantha - Certainly has a presence but doesn't exactly do much in her game.
Kukui - Alola doesn't have a Champion so I'm using Kukui instead, goofy but has a proven track record for being a tough fight.
Leon - He's grown on me in recent years and feels like the definition of just being a formidable opponent who enjoys what he does.
Mustard - Clearly hasn't lost his edge and is nice to see a former Champion look like an old master.
Peony - I question his credentials as champion mostly because he's too goofy.
Nemona - It's easy to forget that Nemona is indeed a champion but I'm left wondering what her real team is as opposed to the one she trains alongside you.
Geeta - She's less champion and more boss of a corporation, not helping is that she's the easiest champion to defeat as she fails to take advantage of any of her Pokemon's abilities.
Blue - 6.7/10
Trace - 6.3/10
Lance - 6.4/10
Red - 9.8/10
Steven - 8.5/10
Wallace - 7.0/10
Cynthia - 10/10
Alder - 4.7/10
Iris - 5.9/10
Diantha - 6.9/10
Kukui - 8.0/10
Leon - 8.8/10
Mustard - 8.1/10
Peony - 5.5/10
Nemona - 7.5/10
Geeta - 5.0/10
Yep, the one series that produces it's fair share of sexy characters is Pokemon, because it's a game first, every big name trainer has to give off an aura of being a boss, as a result it creates some really sexy characters. This top ten will go by generation from Kanto to Paldea plus spinoffs, each entry will have it's selected entry plus two honourable mentions. You'll also find that this applies to all genders.
Spinoff Games
I found that Pokemon games started getting more mature around the time of the Gamecube and early DS era with Colosseum and Ranger; from Colosseum we have Wes who is what happens if Kai Hiwatari was a Pokemon Trainer and from Ranger we have Solana with an entire running joke of her clothes being too small for her voluptuous figure but I'm giving this one to Pokemon Go Instinct leader Spark, he got a lot of shit for not being an ambiguous gender like his contemporaries but more than makes up by having a very attractive personality, put it like this, in a bar scenario, Blanche would resent you for taking you out, Candela would get you drunk and leave you with the bill, Spark would buy you a drink, ask you how you are and help get you home while covering the bill for a taxi, failing that, he'll carry you home, that's how much of a bro Spark is and why I joined Team Instinct.
Kanto
We've seen Red grow up into a strong silent type man yet he still gives off the aura of being the GOAT trainer, you have to admire him for that; being the first game can lead to alot of obvious picks for what type of Gym Leader to have but I find the mysterious aura of Sabrina the most effective, helps that she makes for such a sexy Queen as an actress. But it has to go to Lorelei, of the Elite Four, she was the only trainer that gave the Elite Four such a powerful aura, she was the one that told Ash with her presence alone, "you are no where near my level"
Johto
I found Johto mostly disappointing but I'm glad that Morty got the best of the redesigns, he actually suited his role as lore keeper as well as Gym Leader, then you have Karen who is the biggest supporter of the casual player with the quote on picking the Pokemon you like over what it does.
But I'm giving this to Jasmine, the steel type gym being a kind hearted girl in a pretty dress, yet still command absolute respect on the battlefield is worthy of taking the Johto crown.
Hoenn
Drake has dandy and experience going for him, he's the Pokemon equivalent of Master Asia, then you have Pike Queen Lucy who is the Pokemon equivalent of Boa Hancock, right down to having an overwhelming crush on someone.
But this is going to Steven Stone, this is what a steel trainer looks like, he'd still be appealing even if he was shipped with Wallace.
Sinnoh
I find with Roark that no one really remembers him for his Gym battle but more for his looks and enthusiasm for the new underground mechanic.
Then you have Lucian who gives off almost the same aura as my pick for sexiest Sinnoh character and overall best trainer in the Pokemon canon, Cynthia. Cynthia commands 100 per cent respect and is the first character you think off for sexy Pokemon Characters.
Unova
We were spoiled for choice here, we start with Lenora who I would say is the original Gym Leading is my second job character, then there's Drayden who is pure MAN, so much so that his beard looks like Dragon teeth
But Elesa was always going to take it, not just for being a fashion model but for calling out the bull shit in her dialogue with Bianca and her dad.
Kalos
Professor Sycamore started the trend of all Pokemon Professors being hot, he's certainly not going to be the last.
Diantha despite not doing much has the same aura as Cynthia.
But I'm giving this one to Malva, she's a reporter, an Elite four member, a Team Flare admin and doesn't give a shit who you are or if you get hurt, no other trainer like her.
Alola
Found this one difficult with the copius amount of kids among the substitute gym leaders so my choices are Kahili, a golfer who uses her Pokemon like a bazooka to play golf and Kukui who revived the notion that the Professor really is a good trainer ontop of always being jacked and topless.
But it goes to Olivia who looks the part but is not afraid to embrace the silliness that goes with the setting.
Galar
Melony who is very motherly and I like the dynamic that she shares with her son, then there's Honey, wife of Mustard who doesn't seem much at first but then she battles you and you realise why Mustard married her.
But it's going to Sonia, she's with you throughout your journey, gives you bedroom eyes while twirling her hair as a habit, you just want her to keep talking.
Paldea
Grusha for a while you couldn't work out what he's like, then you find out and you want him to be your best friend and a whole lot more.
Katy not only gives off dommy mommy energy but is actually the first gym leader to call out the whole Gym leader system for holding her back for so long.
But Rika is the first trainer I've seen who would attract any one, regardless of gender, she's a tomboy with dominant energy keeping the Elite Four in check, is the only person that will stop your Pokemon journey if you fail the interview and is surprisingly charming and sweet.
One of the more fascinating anime cancellations was that of Medabots, it was one of the few franchises that gave Pokemon a run for it's money mostly in Japan especially in the late 90s early 2000s but there are at least five major moments that cost Medabots dearly and all of it can be traced to the abysmal season 3, Medabots Spirits.
1. Beloved characters were removed.
Season 3 removed Henry, Koji, Sumilidon, Karin, Neutranurse, Rokusho, and Mr. Referee.
While Henry's arc was complete he's still one of the strongest rivals for Ikki.
Koji while I wasn't keen on still served a role as another rival.
Sumilidon is my favourite Medabot.
Karin was a fascinating character who really caught people by surprise with how off the wall she could be, she's like Princess Peach as a child.
Neutranurse was a mechanized Nurse Joy.
Rokusho is always the mascot next to Metabee, in fact a high number of games with two versions often had Rokusho as the cover mascot.
Mr Referee is an absolute legend.
What we got was no.2
2. What replaced them was terrible.
Other than Dr Aki's grand daughter, every new character was awful, I remember nothing of the new characters.
3. The upgrades to Metabee made him look like a toy.
My memory is plagued by Metabee being turned into an RC car, to elaborate, Metabee had an upgrade where his limbs had wheels, so he'd go on all fours, he looked like a large RC car making him look like an actual toy, a strange criticism to make about a toy anime but the whole point is to make them seem real, this is the same series that has a subplot about Medabots being murder bots don't forget.
4. 2nd Season felt like a true ending.
There was a sense of finale with season 2s ending, the only thing that really needed to happen was an epilogue to complete every character's story arc much like how Precure does it for their final episodes.
5. The franchise was already dying.
The bigger picture is that Medabots was a zombie franchise, it was existing in stagnation with endless games, two of which released barely months apart, (sound familiar Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?) It didn't help that toy anime were kinda losing their way, it wasn't just Medabots either, you can make convincing arguments for Beyblade, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bakugan and Digimon as well.
To this day, Medabots was an underrated franchise that failed to stay relevant despite the best efforts of it's makers.
It's a warning to all anime who take their audience for granted.
