The Real Reasons Behind The Success Of My Hero Academia

While everyone else in the AniTube community is busy bickering and arguing about whether or not My Hero Academia is a great shounen that is either the second coming of Hunter x Hunter or the outright plagiarism of Boruto's Dad, I thought I would approach this series from a lens that is a lot closer to home for me.

While I may have grown up with anime like Pokemon, Dragonball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh and other childhood classics, it was only in my teenage years that I would really get into anime. As such, most of my childhood years until that point were actually made up of collecting superhero comic books and watching their respective animated adaptations which were massive hits in both the 90s and early 2000s. To this very day, I still think I tend know more about how the Western comic book industry works and the lore of the companies respective universes more than I do about anime, gaming, and many other hobbies of mine with music being the only obvious exception.

So, after hours of research and reflecting on my own time as a former comic book fan, I decided to make this short video of my own list of theories as to why My Hero Academia has become one of the most popular shounen to date since the end of the Big Three and other long running shounen franchises.


1. Timing

I'm sure you're all familiar with the old saying that timing is everything right? Well, in the case of My Hero Academia, that saying couldn't be any more true. The manga only started publication in July of 2014 and it's popularity skyrocketed with it's subsequent anime adaptation that began airing in August of 2016. As you can already tell, all of this was already happening well over half a decade into the current superhero boom in the West thanks to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and, of course, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy.

I get the strange feeling that My Hero Academia might not be anywhere near as popular or successful as it is now if it had come out before the age of the MCU or shortly after during it's twilight moments. I say this based on the fact that, even though it is pretty strong as a shounen anime, it still tends to be compared to Naruto a lot and, considering the size and dedication of the Naruto fan base, and, of course, the fact that it has to compete with the likes of the highly regarded Hunter x Hunter, it might have been dismissed as just another battle shounen series trying to imitate what has already come before.

This would be unfortunate if that were the case since it has clearly proven itself in many departments that, despite it's similarities and expected tropes of shounen stories, it is more than worthy and deserving of it's fame and impact not only in anime, but, for the superhero genre as a whole.


2. Release Schedule

Unlike the majority of long running shounens which tend to have sub par animation (with the exception of important episodes), filler episodes, filler arcs, and other tedious things that we have come to expect from these anime adaptations, My Hero Academia, on the other hand, likes to do things a little differently. Firstly, instead of airing episodes continuously once a week which results in filler arcs, Studio Bones decided to air a certain number of of episodes at a time. This serves two purposes.

One reason is that it gives the manga a chance to catch up and provide more material for the animation team to produce in time for the airing of the next season. The second reason is because it allows the team at Studio Bones to produce an adaptation that is of the highest quality in terms of animation and directing.

As much as I hate to say this, one of the main reasons most fans of Western forms of entertainment cannot get into anime is because the art styles of a lot of shows are extremely over simplified in their animated form mainly due to budgeting and the fact that they have to put out an episode before the allocated time slot on local Japanese television. Shows like Naruto in particular are no stranger to this. Sure, there are some exceptions here and there, but, for the most part, this is the kind of thing I tend to hear among my comic book loving friends and it's not hard to understand why they feel this way. I mean, even the worst art in an average comic can often be more detailed than an average anime adaptation of a long running manga (unless it's Jojo's, Dragon Ball, and a handful of others).


3. Continuity Without The Clutter

One of the greatest things about not just My Hero Academia, but, about anime in general is that most shows have only one universe and one continuity (with a few exceptions like the Fate and Gundam franchises). While American superhero comics do share one universe on a technical level, the various timelines tend to become extremely cluttered over time due to several factors. Though the main reason this happens is because American comic books employ many writers each with their own writing styles and interpretations of the characters, lore, and timelines of the various universes created by each company. Even with interlinking events that send ripple effects across said universes, a book written by someone like Jeph Loeb is not the same as a book written by somebody like Ron Marz.

Also, taking the writers out of the equation and solely focusing on the characters, a Batman book is a lot different in tone to say a Superman book or a Green Lantern book. By having too many writers work on one universe, you wind up with many timeline and continuity errors which every so many years needs to be corrected with some kind of apocalyptic event to kill off several characters or worlds like DC's Crisis events or Marvel's Secret Wars events among others.
This often makes it difficult for people to get into comic books considering their decades and history of lore and while the cartoon adaptations I mentioned earlier in the video definitely do a fantastic job at giving newcomers a basic summary of the most important events and characters in said universes, a newcomer will still have to dive through piles of books to get even a basic understanding of the lore of each individual universe and character.
This would require the newcomer to read tens of, or possibly, hundreds of solo books of each hero that makes up a giant super team in order to even relate to the characters on some level at all since most team based books expect you to just know everything from the start (unless it's something like X-Men or Fantastic Four in which case you can just jump in as these books were team based stories from the beginning).

My Hero Academia has all the characters, both established and new, upcoming ones gathered into one book and one show and it doesn't require any kind of research and homework to jump in and enjoy it. Plus the fact that most manga are written and illustrated by the same author during the course of their publication, which means that you will usually have writing that is a lot tighter and more consistent than their Western counterparts. Also, since the art never actually changes, this means that you will never be forced to skip a chapter of the manga unlike comic books where fans can skip a run on a book if they aren't a fan of the artist working on their favourite book/s and then just look up a summary online or read a massive encyclopedia that drops every five years or so.


4. Power Scales

Now, power scaling is nothing new to the world of shounen anime. I mean, it's practically one of the core elements of these stories. However, while power scaling does exist somewhere within the realm of superhero comics, they are pretty much irrelevant at this stage of the game.
This is mostly due to the fact that any character in these universes is subject to either having their powers amped up to ridiculous levels for the sake of the plot or having them dumbed down if they happen to break the suspension of disbelief as time passes and the industry gets older. Another thing that tends to determine this factor is a character's popularity, which is pretty strange when you consider that's not how any kind of literary writing works.
Anyways, it would appear that the more popular a character or set of characters becomes during a particular era of comic book history, the more powerful they become and the less popular they are the more watered down their powers become.

In My Hero Academia, this isn't the case at all. Instead, everybody's quirks are pretty much set and established in terms of power. Though, it's not just raw power that determines a quirk in MHA's universe. You could be born with a pretty much objectively useless quirk, but, it's how one trains and how one makes use of it that can make it a valuable asset in certain situations. Also, unlike it's Western counterparts where there is no set number one strongest hero and number one strongest villain in order to size and scale who would actually win a battle and determine what level of danger they pose to the characters, My Hero Academia actually makes use of a number one strongest hero in the form of All Might just so that you, the viewer, can determine whether a villain is fighting with their quirks or their minds in order to bring All Might, his allies, and his students down.

Let's use a character like Batman for example. In his own books, Batman's ability to win over his enemies usually feels right and makes him look even more badass than what he already is. This is because, even though he does have some variety of superpowered villains, his rogues gallery doesn't really consist of god level powered beings which, realistically speaking, he shouldn't win against no matter how much he plans or what kind of tech he has at his disposal. Instead, the villains from his rogues gallery who do have some kind of genetic or mystical advantage over him, tend to pose about as much of a threat as monster does to a warrior or adventurer in a high fantasy story which makes it plausible, most of the time, as to why a person with no powers like Batman could win in a fight against them. It's also because these kinds of battles fit the overall tone and themes of Batman's books.
However, the 'because I'm Batman' meme tends to take hold whenever he teams up with either individual members or the entire Justice League. In order to not make Batman feel like a third wheel or useless extra baggage that needs constant protection all the time, Batman's ability to fight other DC villains, who technically far outclass him and most of his own rogues gallery in both mental and physical prowess, gets amped up to such ridiculous levels that he is even able to beat characters that give the likes of Superman a run for their money. Not only that, but, this kind of writing often allows for some of the biggest ass pulls I have ever witnessed in the history of fiction. Like the time he killed Darkseid and became a literal fucking deity!  That's like, Kirito levels of bullshittery. Is bullshittery even a word? Who cares? Fuck it.
Basically, the main reason Batman can beat anybody is because of his sheer amount of popularity and reliability as a human character. That's it.

In My Hero Academia, we do not see any such thing. At least, not from what I've seen. All Might may be the most powerful character in the entire story (at least before he lost his powers that is), but, what he had in strength, other heroes and villains had to make up for with brains and ingenuity by finding new ways to use and implement their quirks. Either that or if they have a natural talent for something else that doesn't even require a quirk at all, like being good at strategy, emotional manipulation, having good intuition, being able to naturally predict movements in a fight, or something to that degree, it can all be used to make what could be technically weaker powers more useful and stronger when applied correctly. Sure, All For One might be able to go toe to toe with All Might in a physical fight to a certain point, but, he prefers to break All Might on a psychological and spiritual level more since he knows he can only last so long against him with his own powers if he faces him head on with sheer brute force.
Tactics like this also pretty much apply to just about any character who isn't All Might or somebody who is closer to his level of power and skill.


5. Art

Okay, so, this one I wasn't able to confirm 100%, but, I'm going to do my best to explain why I believe Kohei Horikoshi's art attracts so many comic book fans to the manga and the anime.

Judging from the man's line work, his choice of colour palette and colouring style on the individual manga volumes, and the extremely exaggerated angles and anatomy of his characters, I would say that aside from the artists who created shounen manga he admired growing up, Joe Madureira, one of the West's most renowned and respected comic book artists definitely had an impact on his work.

Almost everything from the way he structures his panels, the flow of them, and his use of very dramatic poses, bold, thick line work and harsh shading all screams Joe Madureira in both style and flair. Each page of the manga is packed with as much energy and adrenaline as it's animated counterpart and draws your eyes in from the very first page.

Of course Madureira isn't the only possible influence as there are many others that can be seen. So far, the only one he has really confirmed as a major influence on his work is the art of Mike Mignola, the creator of Hellboy and who kids from my generation might recognize for the art style of the Disney film Atlantis.

Then of course, some people theorize John Byrne's art on Superman could be another key influence, especially for the design of All Might albeit mixed with some elements of Goku so naturally Akira Toriyama's work on Dragon Ball would be thrown in with this as well.
There are many possibilities and we can only wait until Horikoshi reveals and confirms more in interviews. However, I'd like to believe that I've read enough comic books to know certain styles and influences when I see them.


6. Writing

The final reason behind My Hero Academia's success is it's writing. Everything from it's characters, themes, world building, and tone brings about all the best elements that we love not only from Western superhero comic books, but, from shounen anime in general. It manages to be lighthearted and serious enough to make it fun. Plus it actually has heroes doing the things superheroes should be doing in the genre.

That is unlike modern day Marvel and DC who have pretty much turned once iconic characters and their books into slice of life 'comedies' that spew forth shitty extremist political propaganda that nobody wants to see or hear about in fiction that is supposed to be teaching us good values that just about every human being on the planet can at least agree with on some level for the past seven or so years. But, there are plenty of YouTube channels who discuss this particular can of worms in more detail for you to check out, so, I'm just gonna leave things at that concerning that issue.

The characters, while still standard shounen tropes on the surface, are taken and often subverted to your expectations to keep the story more or less unpredictable and even if you can somehow predict what is going to happen, it still manages to keep your attention and allow you to experience all the other awesome things that build up to that point.
The characters are mostly all likeable because, despite their extraordinary powers and abilities, they are still human and are very relatable in a variety of ways. Not only that, but, any flaws they may posses are immediately recognizable and they often get a chance of redemption and growth as they develop over the course of the story.

Speaking of development, most battle shounen stories tend to only have the main protagonist experience any kind of growth both in terms of their abilities and personality. However, as the tournament arc of this series showed, Kohei Horikoshi allowed most of the cast a chance to develop further and he continues to do with each subsequent arc that has followed. Each arc is short sweet and to the point, just like it's fight scenes which are very creative and don't last any longer than they need to instead of drawing them out for as long as possible or inserting unnecessary side quests.

As for the actual world, while it a somewhat pseudo realistic interpretation and outlook of what a world where everyone is super would be like, it is still one that feels believable, alive, and unique from both a shounen anime perspective and a superhero comic perspective. The world kind of feels like if you took Naruto and combined it with the gripping and compelling themes, storytelling, and and great character writing of the original 80s and 90s run of the X-Men comic books and the timeless aspects of Spider-Man's story that teach people about the importance of accountability, responsibility, and self-improvement. Which is something that is sorely needed more than ever in today's society.


This, ladies and gentlemen, are my theories as to why My Hero Academia is as successful as it is.

Why Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode Is Awesome

Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode is, without a shred of doubt in my mind, one of the best anime I have ever seen. So much so that it managed to bump Black Lagoon, a show that I love dearly, out of my top 10 anime of all time list.
If you know me personally or have been following my channel since the very beginning, you will know that I've never been a huge fan of anime that have art styles and character designs that lack not only detail, but, actual solid forms.
I guess one could say that the only reason I've been able to watch and even enjoy anime that go for this kind of visual approach would have to be thanks to series like Konosuba or Serial Experiments Lain because of how well these shows capitalize on the advantages of having a style like this from it's directing, animation, atmosphere, and storytelling.

However, it's not just about the visuals. There was something about this show that, after viewing it, left me scratching my head while trying to rattle my brain, doing my best to determine why I enjoyed this series as much as I did and why I want more people to watch it.
I mean, this series, despite having very favourable reviews and ratings on multiple websites from a variety of critics and even having a profound impact on the works of certain Hollywood directors, doesn't seem to be talked about or even discussed much, if even at all anymore.
Once I completed this series, I came to the conclusion, after much thinking and rewatching most scenes, that this series is all about having fun and enjoying yourself through it's, for lack of a better description, cartoonish visuals, while having a strong, gripping story that keeps you hooked on each episode and invested in both the characters and the plot which I shall explain how and why in just a little bit.

What prompted me to watch this amazing series was the original four episode 1996 OVA series which was produced by Studio Madhouse and directed by the legendary Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who is most known for being the creator and director of Ninja Scroll and his directorial work on Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and the short segment, Program, from The Animatrix.
The OVA, while charming, entertaining, and visually spectacular, left much to be desired in terms of plot thanks to only having four episodes and being based on a Masami Yuuki's brief original run of the story which ran during the 1980s. It's limited number of episodes, sadly, also didn't allow a lot of time necessary for world building and character development either.

Decode, on the other hand, is loosely based on Yuuki's 2003 manga reboot titled Tetsuwan Birdy: Evolution which ran for several years before concluding in 2012 and is actually known for being slightly more bloody and violent than either of it's anime adaptations.

Anyways, Decode definitely delivered, in most aspects, on many of the things that weren't present and sorely needed in the original story, however, there were some minor areas where it still felt incomplete which I shall address later on in this video.

So, what was it about Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode exactly that made me come to the conclusion that I have? Why was I having fun while watching it? Why did it seem to keep my attention and encompass not only the things I look for in an anime as a whole, but, within the many genres that make up the show? Why, despite it's simplified visuals, was it able to captivate me and leave me spellbound by what I was witnessing on screen? How did all these things result in a story that was able to visually, aesthetically, and narratively keep a consistent tone throughout it's entire run and keep me genuinely entertained?

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Why Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode Is Awesome (and why you should watch it).


1. Tone & Aesthetic Through Plot

The plot for Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode follows the adventures of the interplanetary Space Federation Police Officer, Birdy Cephon Altera, who has been living undercover on Earth for the past six months as popular model and idol singer, Shion Arita. Her mission is to track, pursue, and capture a pair of criminals who have stolen and made off with a highly dangerous weapon from her home planet of which they intend to use on the unsuspecting population of Earth for their own research and experimentation. She is also tasked with retrieving this weapon and ensuring it is returned safely to her superiors within the Federation before such an event can occur.
During an intense battle with one of the suspects, she accidentally injures a young high school student by the name of Tsutomu Senkawa, who was used as a human shield by the suspect so he could make his escape. Senkawa's injury is, unfortunately, a fatal one and he finds himself on the verge of death. However, Birdy saves him by transferring his consciousness into her own body until such a time that her superiors can have his body healed and restored.
Now Senkawa is forced to balance his school life and both the lives of Birdy and her alter ego while helping her to stop a massive plot that could result in the end of all life on Earth as we know it.

The synopsis alone should give you an idea of the genres of fiction that make up the show's identity. The main genres being sci fi, action, gender bender, and comedy while genres like that of romance and even superheroes play a significant, yet, subtle role within the show's atmospheric framework.
As I mentioned in my introduction, the things that really make this series work from a plot perspective is it's ability to keep a consistent tone throughout all the episodes while providing a fun, lighthearted, and hopeful experience to it.

The plot does this by letting the sci fi and action elements serve as an anchor for the comedy which, as you can tell from the synopsis, is mostly based on the idea that our two main leads, who are both of the opposite gender, have to share a body for a certain period of time.
Most anime that are of the gender bender type, especially those where the characters are of opposite genders, tend to fall into the typical fan service and ecchi type of stories that tend to rely on many cliched jokes and over the top acting.
However, Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode takes a more unique approach in letting the comedy manifest itself in a more organic and natural form through elements of dialogue and very specific plot situations.

In terms of  the dialogue, I am referring mainly to the constant back and forth quips and conversations between Tsutomu and Birdy within their shared consciousness. While there is most certainly a lot of comedy in the more usual dialogues and interactions with the rest of the cast and the chemistry at play between them, these inner conversations are definitely where the spoken comedy really shines. Depending on the situation, you will either see either Tsutomu or Birdy give each other a hard time about their individual bad habits like Tsutomu's constant awkward behaviour or Birdy's insane appetite for food and taking long baths. Other examples include when either of them screw something up in an interaction with another character, or simply the hilarity of Tsutomu's friends thinking that he is now a crazy person for talking to himself in public.

As for the situation comedy elements, I'm afraid I cannot really address them without heading into some spoilers for one of the episodes in the second season. So, either click off the video now and watch the series before watching this video, or, if you're like me and spoilers don't affect your enjoyment of a series, then by all means, continue watching.

The second season is basically one that deals with the aftermath of the events that took place at the end of the first season and shifts the focus more onto Birdy and her past while Tsutomu and his friends take the backseat for most of this story arc.
In the fifth episode of this season, after Birdy is lured into a trap and sustains a life threatening injury, Tsutomu basically wakes up the next day after having a strange dream that appears to be a mix of his and Birdy's memories only to discover that he is now trapped in Birdy's body and is unable to change back into his one.
The worst part is that Birdy doesn't seem to present in their shared mind at all which provokes fears that mind fusion has already begun and that Birdy's personality could be completely overwritten and lost forever.
So, until Birdy's superiors can figure out how to solve the problem, Tsutomu is forced to ditch school and spend the day as Shion Arita handling all of Birdy's modelling gigs and other public appearances.

What makes the comedy in this episode great is seeing how Tsutomu's more awkward personality conflicts with the more confident public image of Shion Arita and how his lack of experience with girls causes him to not have the faintest clue or idea on how to act, behave, or dress like a girl without lapsing into his typical male characteristics by accident thus causing Birdy's alter ego to potentially lose her job or have Birdy's true identity revealed by journalists like Keisuke Muroto.

It is this episode specifically that reflects what I was talking about when it comes to Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode's ability to keep a consistent tone. While the first portion of the episode, especially the fight between Birdy and the villains, is rather serious, the second portion of the episode still manages to carry that same sense of urgency and danger into the predicament that Tsutomu finds himself in. With the comedy now feeling like a natural reaction to what is currently happening at this point in time with the story, it gives the viewer time to breathe and let the laughter reassure you that things will turn out alright in the end regardless of what happens in between now and the end of the episode. It also helps to prepare the viewer for what is a nail biting, adrenaline fueled, and emotional two part follow up before things get better. It is this writing formula that allows Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode to tell a serious story, but, one that is hopeful as opposed to being dark and brooding.

However, it's not just the plot that creates this kind of atmosphere throughout the story which leads me to talk about the characters of Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode.


2. Tone & Aesthetic Through Characters

The cast of Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode are some of the most fun, lovable, and memorable ones that I have experienced in a while. Admittedly, there are some characters, especially on the villains side, who could have used a bit more screen time in order to flesh out their personalities and motivations more, but, for the most part, the series does a decent job at making you invested in their relationships and the general chemistry between them.
The characters who really make the series shine is, of course, you guessed it, our two main protagonists, Tstutomu and Birdy.

Tsutomu and Birdy are almost the complete opposite of one another not only in the physical sense of them both being of the opposite gender, but, mostly in terms of their personalities and how they tackle and approach the situations they find themselves in.

Tsutomu is just an ordinary high school kid with a small group of trusted friends and the same worries and troubles as any kid his age. He prefers his own company most of the time and is very shy and awkward most of the time.  However, he isn't a total pushover and he will act should the situation call for it though, unlike Birdy, he tends to handle things in a more calm and rational manner than on impulse. He does have his sometimes temporary lapses to react on impulse, but, that sort of thing usually only happens in really desperate and dangerous circumstances.
Tsutomu is also shown to initially be more concerned with just living a normal high school life instead of pursuing romantic relationships with the girls around him until he develops feelings and a romantic chemistry with one of his classmates.

Birdy, on the other hand, is a confident, outgoing, playful, and upbeat individual who mainly uses this side of her persona to mask the fact that she is damaged in may ways emotionally due the horrible things she experienced as a young child. These things namely being in the middle of a terrorist attack that resulted in her almost dying and also being discriminated against by other alien races because she is an Altan, a human-like species of alien.
This often causes her to act on a strong emotional instinct and  this can sometimes prevent her from viewing the consequences of her actions within the context of the bigger picture.
However, at the same time, Birdy is also shown to have a lot of empathy and sympathy for others and she always does her best to be kind and care for those who she meets and helps out.
This really adds a lot of interesting layers and a depth to Birdy's character that you just don't find within series of this kind and it really keeps you emotionally invested in her and what she does.
That being said, what I love about the series handling of Tsutomu and Birdy's relationship is how they have it evolve and mature over the course of both seasons.

The first season begins with the two of them having to simply tolerate each other for the time being, to the two of them eventually becoming the best of friends by the end of the season. The first season does this by making Birdy experience daily human life on a more ordinary level in contrast to her life as a supermodel and combat officer by having her experience everything Tsutomu experiences with his friends, classmates, and even his blossoming relationship with Nakasugi. This allows Birdy to learn more about Tsutomu and understand who he is as a person.
Then, about just over halfway into the series, when it is revealed who is the host of the Ryunka is and Tsutomu discovers the identity of the host, it's up to Birdy to take initiative and try to prevent him from doing something brash that could potentially put all life on the entire planet at risk.

What makes this moment of conflict between the two friends so interesting and emotional is the fact that, despite what they say to one another, they both know in their hearts that the other really does understand what they are going through completely since they have been bonded together for so long in both a physical and spiritual sense.

We then come to the second season which basically deals with the aftermath of the events that took place at the end of the first season and deals with Birdy having to hunt down and arrest wanted fugitives from the Federation who broke out of custody and our now living as refugees on Earth. However, someone is killing the suspects one by one and it turns out that the killer might have something to do with Birdy's childhood. When both Birdy and Tsutomu eventually deduce who the killer is, Birdy enters an emotional state where she simply cannot bring herself to arrest her dearest friend and, just like with the first season where Birdy had to persuade Tsutomu to do the right thing, Tsutomu does the exact same thing for his partner that she did for him.
This is an extremely touching moment and the fact that we've seen this same kind of situation play out before, albeit from a somewhat altered perspective, makes you realize just how much Tsutomu has grown as a character and signifies the shift in their relationship from being one of friendship to being one almost akin to that of family.

By having Birdy and Tsutomu deal with someone they love dearly from either their present lives or from their past and experience almost similar situations makes for great character development and really adds a lot of depth and dimension to not only to the characters themselves, but, to the overall narrative of the plot. This allows for plenty of interesting plot twists and moments where we learn how almost every event that has happened in the past is somehow linked to what is happening in the present time in which the story takes place.

We now move on to the next aspect of Decode which is the art and animation.


3. Art, Animation, & Camerawork

Like I mentioned earlier in the video, Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode is a show that takes a very minimalist approach with it's visuals. Especially when it comes to the character designs. As I have also previously stated, I am not normally a fan of these kinds of visuals as I prefer the art of any anime that I watch to at least have a certain level of detail and form whether we are talking about backgrounds, character models, vehicles, etc.

However, the way in which the team behind Decode decided to handle this series and make it one hell of a viewing experience is nothing short of incredible.
Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode was directed by Kazuki Akane who is most known for his work as the director of The Vision Of Escaflowne and Noein. For those of you who are familiar with Akane's work, you will know that he is a man who puts a lot of thought and effort into each of his projects regardless of the kind of successes or failures they endure.

Let's first talk about Akane's directing skills. Akane is known for depicting scenes that are able to convey very specific moods to them. His greatest strength, however, is his ability to create a sense of epicness and raw emotion in his action scenes that flow naturally and are easy to follow. The action scenes for Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode are no different. Each of these scenes are extremely kinetic and fluid in their motion and this is where Akane and his team of storyboard artists ranging from legendary names like Shinichiro Watanabe to the late Umanousuke Iida, it is no wonder that the series turned out to be the smash hit that it was and still is. This series had such an impact, that the final battle between Birdy and Nataru in the last episode of the second season, actually inspired the fight choreography and camerawork used by Zack Snyder for the battle between Superman and Zodd in Man Of Steel.
There is also the scene where Birdy rescues two kids from a group of thugs that looks as though it inspired the way Jay Oliva, director of the animated adaptation of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, chose to depict the iconic scene of Batman rescuing a baby and it's mother from members of The Mutants gang. Also, there is the matter of how Joss Wheadon's The Avengers seems to have used the news and commentary scenes after the events of the Ryunka's destruction almost shot for shot, but, that's at least from what we can assume anyways.

However, it's not just the action scenes. Even the seemingly more mundane scenes are handled with care and succeed in creating specific atmospheres within the context of a situation. Akane likes to use a lot of close up shots wherever it is appropriate so that the viewer can see the expressions on the character's faces whether they are reacting to dialogue, surroundings, etc.

This is where having minimalist character designs works best. Akane takes advantage of the flexibility these designs provide by using many elements of twisting, distortion, elongation, and more rag doll like movements to rev up the emotional weight of each scene while creating interesting and visually engaging battle scenes, hilarious comedic reactions, and moments of heartfelt drama.
While personally I do wish they had used more detailed designs like the original OVA had, for this kind of adaptation and the fact that it's an A-1 Pictures production, it just suits this style more.
Another thing I would like to briefly talk about is the colour palette. The colour palette for Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode is one that, while typical for an A-1 Pictures production, actually helps to create that fun and light hearted tone and aesthetic that I was talking about earlier in the video.
There is mostly a strong emphasis on using various shades and hues related to the colours that make up Birdy's look which is mostly white, blue, pink, and orange. However, the show does allow for other colours to have a place in it although it is mostly used to reflect the mood of a scene or a particular setting or location within the story.

The series will usually keep the palette bright and vibrant throughout most of the story to reflect the fun and hopeful tone of the story, however, it does make use of more strict and even more dull and muted colours in more serious scenes in order create a feeling of danger and tension which gives the viewer an idea of what is at stake. This happens particularly at the endings of both seasons.
At the end of the first season, as Birdy and Tsutomu try to stop the rampage and destruction being caused by the Ryunka, the episode uses darker shades of blue and cold lighting which gives the viewer the sense that if Birdy fails in her mission, this day will be the twilight moments for the Earth as it all comes to an end.
Then, at the end of the second season, when Birdy battles her childhood friend, Nataru, the colour palette goes dull, grey, and muted giving a cold atmosphere that reflects Birdy's sadness in having to battle the person she cares for the most and loves more than anything.

Now, as great as visuals are at telling stories, anime is, at the end of the day, an audiovisual medium of entertainment and what would this video be if I didn't mention the music of this amazing series.


4. Music & Sound

The score for Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode was composed by Yugo Kanno, who is best known for his work for his work on the current anime adaptation of legendary manga series, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the recent Batman: Ninja movie, Aijin, Blame, and Psycho Pass.
Kanno's music is mostly known for being able to paint an epic orchestral soundscape while incorporating a lot of electronic elements into his work, and, the music for Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode is no different. However, unlike most of his other works which tend to keep a sombre vibe to them, his work on Decode is almost the same as his work on JoJo's, where the instruments and the way in which he chooses to compose and arrange the music is meant to add an element of cool, but, fun aesthetic to it.
One just has to listen to the main theme for Birdy to get an idea of what I mean. That's not to say that there aren't any sombre tracks on the soundtrack. In fact Kanno utilizes his music to great effect by using it in a similar way to how DC used score in their renowned animated universe with shows like Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and Superman: The Animated Series.
In the shows I just mentioned, DC would usually have little to no music play during dialogue scenes. When it came to action scenes, they would use the hero's triumphant theme whenever they arrived on the scene to save the day and more serious sounding music if the adversary the hero was facing was not your average street thug.

With Decode, during scenes of dialogue, we tend to hear music that is upbeat, catchy, and carries the vibe of the modern hustle and bustle of city and suburban life. Then, during scenes of action in which Birdy is more powerful than the enemy or enemies she is up against, we hear her theme song play which is triumphant in nature and gives the viewer the sense that the hero always wins in the end. Finally, in action scenes where the stakes are higher and Birdy's foe is as powerful if not more powerful than she is, the music becomes darker and more sombre in tone which makes the viewer feel concerned and worried about what the final result of the battle will be.
This mixed with all the superhero genre plot and trope elements of Tetsuwan Birdy's story give it that comic book vibe and actually help to sell the show to newcomers of anime looking to explore the medium more while remaining in familiar territory.
Yugo Kanno was definitely the man for the job and those of you who are familiar with his work can agree with me that the man certainly knows how to make every show he has worked on feel grand and cinematic scale with a touch of coolness and style to them.

Before I conclude this video, I think it's only fair to bring up some of the minor gripes that I have with the show. The first thing is the villains. Sure, while they are cool, interesting and pose a threat to our lead characters, some of them just feel flat.
This is most likely due to the fact that they don't get a lot of screen time in order for us to learn about them and their motives. Especially the supposed big villain of the story, Christina Revi. The series unfortunately, like with the OVA, completely under utilizes her as a character and she ends up not feeling like a genuine threat at all. Shyamalan didn't really have much personality or motivation other than he had an extreme case of an insane god complex, but, he was an okay villain albeit a bit generic.
The villains from the second season, on the other hand, feel a lot more fleshed out and certainly have a lot more depth and personality to them. Also the fact that they are all linked to events that happened in Birdy's past in some way only makes out for better plot twists and more reason to invest yourself in them as characters.

There is also the matter of Nakasugi's relationship with Tsutomu in the first season. They never really explain what their relationship was like prior to her accident and her sudden attraction to Tsutomu. Where they childhood friends? Was she just a classmate who Tsutomu had a crush on and was lucky enough to find out that she had feelings for him too? Did she only have feelings for him as a result of the Ryunka's effects on her body while she was it's host? We'll never actually know. It's probably explained in the manga somewhere, but, at the time of this recording, I'm only ten chapters in and most of the manga hasn't been translated into English yet, so, yeah. There's that.
Also, while I'm okay with the minimalist character designs since they were used to great effect, I do feel that the show could have gone with more detailed models like the OVA had. I plan on making a video sometime in the future covering the OVA more in depth, but, what I can say for now is that the OVA was certainly impressive and had a lot of the same heart and spirit behind it as this adaptation did and it had it was able to deliver on impressive and well animated action scenes and character expressions.

Other than those few gripes, I believe it's safe to say that A-1 Pictures did an incredible job in handling this series and it's definitely become an instant favourite of mine and I would definitely rewatch it as many times as I possibly can.

In the end, Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode is, simply put, a show that has all the fun storytelling elements from the glory days of comic book superheroes (before they went all went to hell as of five to six years ago) while combining it with all the best anime has to offer from it's brilliant visuals, memorable characters, intriguing plot, and hilarious comedy. It is able to be mature and lighthearted at the same time thanks to it's brilliant writing and visual ability to create such a well balanced atmosphere that not many shows can get right. This is a show that I would highly recommend to newcomers of anime, especially if they are fans of superheroes, sci fi, and action.
Accompanied by an amazing score and a team of the most talented individuals that the industry has to offer, it's no wonder that it is one of the most revered and respected works to have come out of anime. That and  it's ability to blend so many genres together while creating it's own unique identity is something to truly be admired.

That ladies and gentlemen, is why Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode Is Awesome and why you should watch it.

The Excellent Use Of Score In Berserk (1997)

The use of sound in anime is something that is not often touched upon in many anime reviews or analysis videos. Whether we are talking about the foley used to make the world sound believable, certain noise elements that are often used as cues to indicate that something important has happened in the context of the story or the character's development, or the music that helps set the tone and aesthetic of a show all these elements are extremely important in bringing what would otherwise be just plain moving pictures to life.

The most neglected aspect of sound in anime is often the use of audio cues. While your typical audio cues generally revolve around the use of sounds like the hand of a clock ticking, a sudden static distortion in a character's voice when they speak, or the sound of crickets in the fields at night, there are often times where the score serves as an audio cue as well, though it's rarely done throughout the entirety of a series or even something with a shorter run time like a movie.

And a prime example of a series that uses this kind of sound cue to it's full advantage and potential is none other than the 1997 anime adaptation of Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy manga, Berserk.
The score for Berserk was written and composed by experimental/new age/psychedelic musician, Susumu Hirasawa, who is also known for his work on the movies Paprika, Millennium Actress, and tv series Paranoia Agent which were all directed by the late Satoshi Kon. If you've seen any of Satoshi Kon's projects, heard the soundtracks, and have never seen the 1997 Berserk adaptation, you might be thinking that Hirasawa's music sounds like a rather odd choice for a dark fantasy series, but, this is why it works.
Hirasawa's style is something that can easily be associated with artists such as Vangelis or Enya, who both use a lot of electronic elements to their music which retains a traditional or classical feel in it's songwriting while still sounding modern and contemporary. So, while his work in Kon's projects might be a lot closer to his usual music, it is when he is composes music for the Berserk franchise that the man really flexes his darker and more atmospheric side.
This side of his music works extremely well in Berserk since, despite it's very limited animation, the visuals already provide an extremely strong archaic aesthetic. This can be clearly seen in the beautiful background art that is worthy of Tolkien's approval and the very pulpy Conan The Barbarian styled colour palette. And Hirasawa's music really adds a very surreal element to this world, especially when it occurs as a sound cue in the series most important and beautifully shot moments.

Let's start off with the most well known and popular track from the score which is Gatts Theme. Most of the time, this track is used to indicate important developments in Gatts' personality or his overall journey. There are two great scenes in this show that really showcase this. The first scene is when Gatts challenges Griffith to a duel when they first meet and the time Griffith challenges Gatts to the same duel again when Gatts decides to leave the Band Of The Hawk.

Before his encounter with Griffith and the Band Of The Hawk, Gatts lived an extremely harsh life. After being born from his mother's corpse, Gatts was raised by a band of mercenaries led by a man named Gambino. Gatts was treated rather harshly and was even abused. After an incident which left Gambino crippled and unable to fight, Gambino tried to murder Gatts and blamed him for the death of his lover who adopted Gatts as her son. Gatts accidentally kills Gambino in self-defense and is forced to flee. After several years of fighting for himself and drifting between mercenary groups, Gatts finally encounters Griffith and his band of mercenaries. Now, it is important to keep Gatts past in your mind as this scene plays out. For I'm sure you can figure out by now that for basically his entire life up until this very moment, Gatts has never really felt as though he has belonged anywhere and that nobody but himself cared about his existence. However, it is the moment that Griffith utters these words, that Hirasawa's score perfectly conveys Gatts feelings.

As you can see, Gatts clearly feels something akin to happiness and possibly even a sense of worthiness, but, it is also followed with conflicting emotions as a result of the trauma he experienced as a child and his distrust of people in general. The music not only adds to the serene beauty of the scenery, but, it gives the moment an emotional weight that subconsciously not only indicates a development in Gatts' character, but, allows you to put yourself in Gatts' shoes and experience everything he is feeling in that moment as the two men get ready to cross swords in a duel that will decide their fates.
And, as we follow all the ups and downs of Gatts' time with the Band Of The Hawk, the bonds that he manages to form, and how he has managed to open up a lot more to those he cares about, we eventually get to the scene that triggers the events that lead to the much darker portion of the story, and that is when Gatts decides to leave Griffith and the Hawks to find his own path. Gatts need to take this journey is indicated several episodes earlier when Gatts returns from assassinating one of Griffith's political enemies and when he goes to report that the deed is done, he overhears Griffith's conversation with Princess Charlotte where Griffith tells Charlotte what he needs to see in a man that will truly make him his friend and his equal.

The scene where the two men commence the duel begins with a silent and tense build up with nothing but dialogue and foley being used to convey the atmosphere and the current relationship between the two men. We have many beautiful shots that symbolize the beginning of Gatts new journey ahead of him and the beginning of a new arc for the Hawks albeit a dark one. Then after the duel is finished, the song plays again.

As you can see, the scene carries an even bigger emotional weight now. Gatts Theme is already a very beautiful yet melancholic song that is meant to evoke a variety of conflicting emotions such as sadness and joy, calm and chaos all into one haunting melody. And, as Gatts walks away without so much as saying good bye, without even looking back when Casca cries out after him, we can feel the sadness, confusion, and pain from Casca, the shock and disbelief from the other members of the Hawks and the disbelief and defeat from Griffith. At the same time, while we are sad that Gatts has left, subconsciously, we feel kind of glad for him that he wants to take this new journey to find out why he continues to fight and what his own goals and ambitions are in life so that when he returns, he can hopefully be on equal footing with Griffith and proven himself worthy to be called his friend even though we the audience know this doesn't happen.
There are plenty of other great examples as well like the use of the tracks Earth which is generally used when it involves the overall progression of the Hawks or Behilit which is often used during scenes that contain more intense dialogue or build tension before or during important action scenes. But, if I went into every single one of these, then, knowing the limited attention span of the internet, nobody would watch my videos.

In the end, Berserk is one of those series that is often looked to by many directors who are known for using music as a sound cue to indicate important elements in the story whether it's in terms of the plot or the characters themselves. Also, the music serves as an example to any new and upcoming composers just how important a piece of music is when conveying the emotion and atmosphere in a scene and in helping to leave a long lasting impression on everyone who sees it. And while not every single show uses music in this way and not every single genre of show needs to, it is definitely something that needs to be payed closer attention. Because, regardless of whether an anime is an adaptation of existing source material or is an entirely original project, it is, at the end of the day, an audiovisual medium of art which requires every element to work together to bring about the best experience for us viewers.

How Cowboy Bebop Rekindled My Love For Anime

Anime has always been something that keeps me interested in art. From it's animation, art style, storytelling, character writing, music, and experimentation, I would always find something in the shows I watched fascinating and would often try to incorporate a lot of it's aesthetics into my own artwork. However, at some point in time once I graduated from high school, something changed and at the time I couldn't really explain why, but, I no longer found any kind of joy from the medium of animation that I had loved for most of my life.

It was around early 2015 where I just got this feeling that I was done with anime. For various reasons. If it wasn't the fact that so many shows were starting to be released that it was getting harder to keep up every season, or the fact that the bad side of the community was starting to garner a lot of negative attention on the internet and in the media, then it was most likely the simple truth that I was simply starting to get annoyed with seeing plenty of shows that all had the same cookie cutter characters, art styles, premises, settings, and writing.

Now keep in mind that I am not bashing modern anime here since my high school years mostly revolved around seasonal viewing, but, after experiencing too much of the same thing, I thought it was time to leave anime behind and for about an entire year, right up until early 2016, I exclusively invested my time in movies, video games, live action and Western animated tv series, and most of all, music.

So, it was only after talking with my buddy and fellow YouTuber, Claudio Oyarzo, that I jumped right back into anime and started to truly appreciate the medium and it was all because he recommended that I watch a series which, unfortunately, I was denied the privelage of watching back when I was six years old due to it's violence and mature themes of  existentialism, existential ennui, and loneliness which I wouldn't have understood at that age. The series I am referring to, is none other than the critically acclaimed, Cowboy Bebop.
Cowboy Bebop, for those of you who don't know, is a series that was created and directed by the legendary Shinichiro Watanabe which takes place in the year 2071 where most of humanity now live in cities located on the various planets and moons that inhabit our solar system. This was a result of a stargate accident that blew up a portion of the moon thus rendering the Earth near uninhabitable thanks to constant meteor showers. The story follows a rag tag crew of bounty hunters and their dog who traverse the solar system catching criminals and outlaws for a living each with their own unique pasts and personalities. The show is widely known for it's ability to blend a variety of film and television genres such as noir, sci fi, spaghetti western, and others when it comes to storytelling and has become the blueprint for every space western show that has followed since it first aired on Adult Swim in the West.

So, before I watched this series, I wasn't exactly a fan of 'old' anime. The only anime that came out before the year 2000 that I had ever watched was Neon Genesis Evangelion and even though it is one of my favourite shows of all time, the bad quality of the files that were given to me back then didn't really help in prompting me to watch more older shows, because I'm sure a lot of us younger anime fans have all had a phase when we start getting into anime where if the art and animation isn't the same as what's airing now or fairly recently, we wouldn't actually bother checking it out. Also throw in the fact that old anime has unfortunately garnered this negative reputation of being too weird, abstract, esoteric, or even disturbing and you'll find that merely showing a clip out of context is enough to put most modern anime fans off from watching older shows.
However, from the moment I qued the first episode up for streaming on my computer, I was completely astonished, captivated, and entranced at not only how well the visuals of this show hold up by even today's standards, but, by how maturely the shows plot and character writing was handled which just seemed to reignite that sense of excitement I used to get when watching anime and reminded me of the feelings of wonder and amazement I had experienced when watching shows such as Steins; Gate, Evangelion, Fate/Zero, FMA: Brotherhood, and various other favourites of mine.
Now, when I say I was surprised at how maturely the show was handled, I mean that it was one of those few shows that I had watched, in quite some time, that not only didn't involve some kind of school setting with generic characters, art, plots, and settings, but, was the only show I had watched at the time where the characters were already developed from the start of the show and focused on them trying to escape or forget about their pasts, only for it to catch up to them in some shape or form. That and the fact that I had now been out of school for almost two years meant that me dealing with the responsibilities of being an adult is vastly different to having to only worry about things like a cool self-image and homework. It just made the characters all the more relatable and added to my attachment with the members of the Bebop crew.

This would all be reflected in the characters' different and individual archetypes.
We have Jet, a typical noir hero and a former detective for the ISSP who quit the force after being set up and not wanting to be part of a corrupt system any longer.
Spike, a standard crime drama hero who was once a dangerous hitman for a notorious crime syndicate and is now dealing with past decisions and relationships that still haunt him.
Faye, the dangerous femme fatale, also a common character archetype in most action stories, who has a knack for getting into trouble. She feels out of place and out of time thanks to being cryogenically frozen after an accident left her in a critical condition only to be reawakened years later with no memory of her past and being in a mountain of debt.
Finally we have Ed aka Radical Edward, a standard computer geek character, who likes to act eccentrically and loses herself in the world of cyberspace to forget the fact that she has been left abandoned for most of her life and has wandered from place to place looking for a sense of belonging.
All these characters are your typical protagonists from different genres of movies and tv shows, but, what makes them stand out and feel special is the fact that they have all been placed in the same setting and react differently when presented with a specific situation which really makes the chemistry between them feel all the more special and adds a unique quality to their believeability.
Watching these characters go about their daily routine with Spike and Jet slowly becoming attached to Faye, Ed, and Ein really took me back to when I first watched Steins; Gate and the scenes where Okabe and his friends are just hanging out in the tiny apartment he rented as a lab where they would continue with their daily business, buffoonery and research. Just seeing the characters hang out together and do the activities that they do regularly on a daily basis in between all the adventures always makes me feel like I'm hanging out with these characters as though they were my real life friends and learning more about them through their habits and dialogue. Even though Cowboy Bebop doesn't have the same kind of plot or writing structure as Steins; Gate, the episodic nature of the show only made it feel all the more real for me so that whenever those moments would be interrupted with the episodes that dealt with the characters' pasts, I would get worried that even if they do survive the ordeal, something about their usual adventures would be missing something. Like a puzzle that is missing it's most important piece.
So, whenever I revisit the opening scene in the first episode of Spike and Jet arguing about the lack of beef in their bell peppers and beef. Or those scenes in most episodes where the crew of the Bebop gather to watch a wacky tv show hosted by two presenters announcing the bounties for the day in the lounge area of the ship, it always puts a smile on my face and gives me a warm feeling in my heart. It was these kinds of scene that left me having this deeper appreciation for not only the shows that lack over the top action and drama, but, the more casual scenes in any form of storytelling media which truly flesh out the characters and really helped me in paying closer attention to dialogue in anime more than what I used to.

The main cast of the Bebop crew, according to an interview Watanabe did back in 2003 with the Los Angeles Times, were all meant to either reflect an aspect of his personality or be the complete opposite of himself. They were also designed and written with the intent of paying  homage to the artists or characters that they take influence from and some characters, such as Ed, were based on people who worked on the show which, in this case, was none other than series score composer Yoko Kanno. Watanabe is also a huge movie buff and the way he was able incorporate his inspirations which come from completely different artistic mediums to anime is something that after viewing the show helped me to not only understand why Cowboy Bebop is still viewed and celebrated 20 years after it's original airing, but, made me start to pay more attention to why other shows that are considered classics in the anime community were still popular long after their release and, most importantly, helped me to determine my taste in anime genres.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons I dropped anime in 2015 was the fact that there were just too many shows airing each season to keep up and I had no time to sit and watch all of them only to either be disappointed or get bored with seeing the same thing.
So, when I realized that Cowboy Bebop was actually the first show I had seen in quite some time that didn't involve teenage high school protagonists or adult characters who followed the sometimes exaggerated and sometime edgy personality tropes of your standard anime, I was immediately reminded of when I watched Ergo Proxy. A show where the characters were written to have real life behavioural traits and habits.

So, all the while I sat watching and absorbing what Cowboy Bebop had to offer, I actually thought to myself 'How could I have forgotten that storytelling in anime could have this ability to make me forget the fact that I was watching an anime?' I don't know how I could have forgotten that good writing in an animated medium such as anime could do that with it's suspension of disbelief, but, it had honestly been quite some time since I saw an anime that was able to convince me that it wasn't anime, that I started to feel confident again when it came to recommending anime to my friends.
The voice acting for this show was something I especially loved since it brought me back to the amazing talent that made my experience with shows such as Death Note and Black Lagoon so memorable and enjoyable. Of course I am referring to the dubs for these shows, but, since Cowboy Bebop is often hailed as the anime with one of the greatest dubs of all time, I can honestly say that when watching the show. I found that a pretty hard claim to argue against.
Like with Black Lagoon and Death Note, I found that each voice actor managed to add a real sense of depth a believeability to their specific character roles and the real highlight had to be Steve Blum as Spike Spiegel.
Blum's deep and buttery voice literally makes Spike's already bad ass persona all the more awesome and is just perfect for this type of character. His performance in this show is definitely one of his best and he really managed to add so many layers to Spike's personality with only subtle, yet, noteable changes to his voice without making his character come off as goofy or out of sorts.
The rest of the cast, especially Melissa Fahn as Ed, were just as great and it was always gratifying to hear how much fun they seemed to be having with their roles.

Before I get on to the next point, I would like to briefly say that whenever the action scenes started taking place, I felt a sense of familiarity about them. It was only much later that I would discover the YouTube channel, The Canipa Effect, who you should totally check out by the way, where I discovered who the man behind the animation of these fight scenes was and that man is none other than the legendary and prolific Yutaka Nakamura. While I still have a lot to learn and research about most animators in the industry, it was after watching Canipa's video that I recognized most of his work in other shows that I had seen prior to Bebop and this prompted me to be a lot more invested in following the people who bring these shows to life as much as I would follow my favourite Western comic book artists and writers back when I was really into Marvel and DC. So, while I won't be breaking down the animation in this particular segment, I will be leaving a link to Canipa's video in the description box below if you are interested in learning more about Nakamura. However, I would like to end this little segment that the fact that most of the animation in Bebop looks as good if not better than most digitally animated shows today in my opinion was not only something that really surprised me, but, really peaked my interest in checking out more anime from the 90s and even the 80s.

Now, what would a video about Cowboy Bebop be without a quick talk about the score. I know there might be some folks in the anime community will think that Kanno is very much overrated at this point in time, but, after hearing her work in the show and on a near daily basis as background music whenever I am working on a project, I could see why so many critics and fans cite this score as the one that not only solidified her as a legendary composer, but, showcased just how flexible she was when it came to her musical range and skill. One just needs to listen to her work on Macross Plus, The Vision Of Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, and Ghost In The Shell: SAC to see that not only can she compose memorable songs in each genre and style, but, how she is able to somehow make each piece of music she writes convey a certain mood, tone, emotion, and aesthetic.
Now, when I started watching this show, my dad had recently purchased a bunch of Jimmy Smith CDs at a second hand record store, and would play one album every night for at least two whole weeks and for those of you who are unaware, Jimmy Smith was a prolific American jazz musician whose albums would often appear on the Billboard music charts. So, you can almost say that after hearing Kanno's work, it got me a lot more interested in jazz music and I was able to notice a lot more of the unique elements that she brought to the genre and to the blues as well.
According to Kanno, the music was actually the first aspect of the show to be worked on during the show's development and even though she has stated that she was surprised with the way her music was used in certain scenes and would rather have seen them used in other ways, she also stated that she felt that none of them were used 'inappropriately'. All I can say is that despite her statements, I personally believe she still managed to produce a truly epic and emotional masterpiece of composition as do many other fans of this series.

When the final moments of the last episode came to a close and the words 'You're Gonna Carry That Weight' came up, I sat back in my chair for a good ten to fifteen minutes afterwards feeling as though I had just bid farewell to good friends and had come to the end of an exciting journey. One with many ups and downs and one that had me reflecting on my own past and the decisions I had made that had brought me to where I was at that moment. I remember sitting there, saying to myself 'Man, it's been a long time since anime last made me feel this way.' I then recall feeling pumped up and excited to watch anime again. So, low and behold, a day or so after finishing the show, I started binging anime as I used to once again and now that I have dedicated most of my time to talking about anime on the channel, I now always get excited at the prospect that if a show really manages to impress me, I always look forward to having another project to work on. That, my friends, is how Cowboy Bebop rekindled my love for anime.