On my review index page I have a very short list at the top of series I recommend that I think nearly anyone would like. That last limitation is a severe one; it's the reason that Noir and Banner of the Stars aren't part of that list. They're outstanding, but they're definitely not for everyone.

For a long time now the list was: Haibane Renmei, Kaleido Star, Card Captor Sakura, Someday's Dreamers, Angelic Layer. I just changed it, though.

Kaleido Star hasn't aged well for me. I wasn't as experienced with the form when I first watched it, and now looking back on it I can see just how manipulative it was. Partly that's because Kalos is a despicable bastard, deep down. I think one time J referred to his management style as "Throw them to the sharks and see if they make it to shore", and that's about right. And there's another character who really has to be considered a sociopath considering what he eventually does. Looking back on it now, I doubt I'll ever watch it again. I may not even bother picking up the second season. (My understanding is that two new characters are added, and both of them are warped too.)

Card Captor Sakura is an outstanding series, but it's also out of print now. Geneon's license expired, and all the closeouts are done, and there's really no point in short-listing a series that cannot be purchased.

So both of those have dropped off the list. In exchange I added Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, which is one of the very best series I've seen, and I also added Petite Princess Yucie.

That latter is better than it might seem if you look at the character art. It's true that in many parts it's unrelentingly cute -- though not as bad as Sugar in that regard -- but the main characters are surprisingly complex and interesting, and the back story and series plotline are well conceived. By the time I got to the end of the series I cared about the main characters a lot, and as a result the ending affected me quite strongly.

So now the list is: Haibane Renmei, Shingu, Angelic Layer, Someday's Dreamers, Petite Princess Yucie.

UPDATE: Bob (of the Corner Store) writes:

We still have about 90 of the uncut Card Captor Sakura DVD bundles left in our warehouse. My goal earlier this year was buy enough of these to have these in stock for the remainder of 2007 so everyone who wanted to see it would still have an opportunity.

That's good to know. I do still recommend it strongly. But unless someone else relicenses it, this is the last chance to get it.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in Site Stuff at 08:51 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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