Top Five for Spring 2008

Here’s my top five shows of the Spring 2008 season. There’s a few shows that I haven’t watched and thus don’t make the list (Code Geass Season 2 for one, didn’t watch the first season) but I think it’s a pretty good countdown.

First off is:

5. Library War

In my review I said this was an absurd premised show but after reading this, I got to thinking again. I originally thought it was absurd since the government would never a) arm both sides in the censorship debate and b) allow urban warfare within the country; but, I thought if the use of force is meant to represent the verbal sparring both sides use than it’s not really that absurd. It truly can feel like a war when, for example, a parent wants to have a book removed from the school library and those that support the parent try to pressure the school board and those that are against censorship try to keep the book available in the library. And while I’m almost always against censorship of books, I realize that as a free society the other side is allowed to believe the way they do and really if I tried to stop them from protesting – I’m making a free society less free. Which I think is shown in the show when those of the library force say that they are not the defenders of good and the other side is just following what the law says as well as when the Library Force allows the seizure of some material by the other side.

I don’t mean to change the subject but if you like Library War you’d probably like the book Little Brother, read my review here, or you can just start reading it here. Legally, since Cory put it up in the first place for free – he believes the more people that read it free online, the more people will buy the physical book.

4. Daughter of 20 Faces

I feel bad that I somehow neglected this show on up until now. If you haven’t a chance to catch the show – it’s about a young girl, Chizuko, who is heiress to a large fortune and is being raised by her aunt and uncle. When Chizuko starts to realize that her food tastes slightly off she retreats to her detective novels and realizes that her aunt and uncle are poisoning her. ’20 Faces’, the notorious thief (who never kills anyone and seems to have a bit of Robin Hood in him), has infiltrated Chizuko’s house looking to steal a very large gem and does so after deciding to allow Chizuko to come with him if she wants. She does and works to become a member of ’20 Faces’ large family-like organization.

After 5 episodes we’ve gone through 2 years of time (yeah for realism – no one could become a master thief instantly) and Chizuko, at the age of 13, is already showing the signs of being a serious bad-ass. At the end of episode 5 we might have been introduced to the person that will be Chizuko’s adversary in the future (because what’s Lupin without Detective Zenigata).

3. Kurenai

A great slice-of-(screwed up) life show that also has hints at something darker under the surface (what’s up with Shinkurou’s arm?) that makes me want the show to come out quicker. Muraski, the precocious young woman, is a blast to watch as she learns about common everyday life (remember don’t tap your DS stylus to hardJ). Also if episode 6 was ‘filler’ then we’re in good hands for the rest of the series.

2. Maid Guy

The guilty pleasure of the season is also the best comedy. Kogarashi, sorry, KoGARashi, is like an unstoppable force of nature that is only marginally better to have on your side than against.

If the people that did the first season of Minami-ke remade this – it quite possibly be the funniest show ever.

1. Kaiba

Shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that this show was my pick. Not much more I can add for this show.

Anyone notice I wrote less as I got higher in the countdown? Weird, and I even started writing this from 1 down to 5 so I got more wordsy as I went along. Well what did you think – did I miss any gems? or do you have a better countdown – I’d like to see it.