Top 5 Anime Episodes: #5

I can't help but notice that people seem to have somehow gotten the impression that I hate everything. Ha ha, I know, right? Now, far be it from me to speculate how such disheartening and blatantly ridiculous rumors got their start, but I do know one thing: the jokes about it are starting to get groan-worthy and need to be put to a halt for the good of all. Oh, certainly, I tend to pay attention to the shortcomings of even stuff I like, and I don't give out perfect ratings lightly, but the truth is that my high standards are precisely what gives me a keen appreciation for genuine quality. I am perfectly willing to give praise where praise is due, and there are anime that make me geek out with adoration. Clearly, I didn't gush enough in my review of Spice and Wolf...

So, because this blog could use some content – and because I'm an enormous narcissist – I'm going to count down my the five anime episodes I like the most in pictures, one post at a time.

My original idea was to do in-depth analyses of each of them – I would certainly have a lot to say, especially about #1 – but then I realized that this would involve far too many spoilers. I would prefer to keep things accessible for those who haven't seen the series in question. So, I'll instead settle for saying only a few words and a putting together (low-resolution) collages of screenshots from the episodes which will hopefully pique your interest about what's going.

There will still be some implicit spoilers involved, but nothing that would really impair the viewing experience for anyone, I should think.

First up is the number five spot:

Eureka Seven episode 48: “Ballet Mechanique”.

“"Ballet Mechanique" ¹ takes place smack in the middle of the climax, but as always, Eureka Seven puts characterization ahead of everything. Even though the episode goes through some pretty intense and momentous story beats, it also tells a very personal, very affecting tale that puts the focus on one of my favorite supporting characters: the troubled anti-villain Anemone. The end result is one of the sweetest and most romantic moments in an anime already known for consistently being heartwarming as hell. It's all incredibly sappy – no two ways about it – and yet Eureka Seven makes it work so well. On top of that, the episode includes one of the series' best mecha battles, and one of its hardest-hitting cliffhangers.

1 - Here is the song the episode was named after, in case you're interested.