5. Moriarty the Patriot (Kazuya Nomura)
Kazuya Nomura does three things great. First, presenting the members of aristocracy as truly despicable, monsters who care for no one apart from themselves, with the majority of episodes highlighting the fact in the most eloquent fashion, thus giving the title a sociopolitical elements that enriches the narrative significantly. Secondly, he analyzes his characters and particularly his two main opponents to the highest degree, presenting them both as geniuses but also as human beings who have to face everyday problems, with the second aspect being more intense in Sherlock's case. Thirdly, he follows the recipe established by “Death Note” and “Code Geass”, of introducing an ingenious character who becomes immediately likeable through his ingenuity, before highlighting his chaotic good nature and introducing a more than worthy opponent.
4. Beastars (2019) by Shinichi Matsumi
Giving human characteristics to animals is not exactly something that happens for the first time, but it the case of “Beastars”, the amalgam that emerges is quite unique, since the characters combine elements from both animals and humans. In that regard, Legoshi is struggling with both his shy and his carnivore nature, while his encounter with Haru forces him to deal with his sexuality, as it forces him, essentially, to grow up. Louis may revel in the lights of popularity but also seems to carry the burden of the whole world in his shoulders, which constantly threatens to pin him down, both psychologically and physically. The interest that he takes in Legoshi, in an effort to make the wolf acknowledge his true nature and become stronger is one of the most interesting aspects of the narrative, as it also leads to a rather unusual relationship that lingers between friendship and rivalry.
3. ID: Invaded (2020) by Ei Aoki
With a narrative base that mixes sci-fi elements with the concept of the connection between the conscious and the unconscious, inevitably, the main element of “ID: Invaded” is a combination of disorientation and mystery, which actually stretches all the way to the technical department. In that fashion, the first episodes, where we watch Narihisago traversing some kind of spaces comprised of different fragments, disconnected from one another, sets up the tone for the whole series in the most brilliant fashion. Ei Aoki's direction is a major factor, with the way he gradually reveals what exactly is going on, retaining both the mystery and the sense of disorientation almost for the whole duration of the series, as the borders between reality and “wells” are quite thin.
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2. Golden Kamuy Season 3 (Hitoshi Nanba)
The cultural elements are as intense as ever, with the focus this time being on the Karafuto Ainu and their ways, with the level of detail and realism being top-notch, once more. This aspect also extends to the fauna and flora, both through the culinary tendencies of the area but also as it becomes part of the action, since the groups have to face wolverines and Siberian Tigers. Lastly, the implementation of Russian language also works quite well, again highlighting the level of research that has been done in the production.
1. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (Masaaki Yuasa)
Masaaki Yuasa takes the seemingly high-school drama base of the series and transforms it into a title that deals with all aspects of anime, from the moment they are conceived to their implementation, screening and promotion, and everything between. In that style, the title begins with Midori explaining how what we watch on the screen works starting with image boards, the overlay technique, a number of tricks animators use, the history of mecha anime and the reasons for their decline. The whole procedure and particularly the reasons that the Japanese, hand-drawn technique is back-breaking and time consuming is highlighted in the most eloquent matter. As the episodes progress, “Eizouken” also deals with the ways sound and image are combined and complement each other in anime and the importance of the imagination of the artist.
