The list of my favorite anime episodes so far:
As much as I'd have liked to avoid spoilers in these posts, this concerns a series finale and as such has mega-spoilers.
Number 2:
Cowboy Bebop episode 26: “The Real Folk Blues, Part 2”.
Cowboy Bebop takes a fair bit of influence from Hollywood, so it's natural that it's often compared to Hollywood action films – but most Hollywood action films don't have the balls for this kind of ending. The show's melancholy streak culminates with an appropriately tragic note. Almost everything about this finale is perfect: the series is wrapped up neat and tight while still leaving the viewer wanting more. The action sequences, particularly the last one, are absolutely glorious. That bit with Spike dropping a grenade on the floor and then kicking it away? That's awesome. Spike's goodbyes to Jet and Faye are both beautiful in their own ways, encapsulating the complex relationships he has with them. On top of all that, it has one of the best ending songs in all of anime (if not the best).
I dare say that nostalgia plays a role in why this episode is among my favorites, but it's just so unassailable in its cinematic execution. It's emotional, and it stays with you.
Random nitpick: the John Woo homage scene with the doves has always bothered me. The birds seem to wait out most of the loud gunfight and then take off exactly when it's most dramatically convenient. I can't stop thinking of this whenever I watch it.
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