Anime Freak! Magazine

There has been many Top " 10 " lists and Top " 50 " lists; and yes, we are guilty for this list, but it is not what it seems. Many lists just ' list ' titles, like a Billboard chart, but we're giving you our recommendations.
This feature is going to be a five part series, spanning five issues. We're going to give you our opinion and recommendations for each movie and series that is available in America, each 10 coming from one of us writers. So there's not going to be any rankings, just what comes to our mind for a pick. So if you see Lain at 50 and Trigun at 20, don't be mad.

	1) Cowboy Bebop currently released by Bandai Ent America, runing on affiliate Cartoon Network Stations. Available on DVD/Boxset and VHS Spike Spiegel is your average bounty hunter, with bad luck. Along with his partner, Jet Black, the two travel the solar system catching bounties and cashing them in for some pretty nice dough. Though, with the arrival of three unexpected characters: Faye Valentine, the sexy ex-bounty head; Ein, the data dog; and Ed, the unstable child genius who is mistaken as a boy; the two men now have to deal with chaos insured by these three. As this crew travels the galaxy, they are taken on a trip that will affect them all as they confront (and discover) their troubled pasts. Set with an excellent score by Kanno Yoko and the Seatbelts, Cowboy Bebop is one of the most popular Animes of all time. 16+ Contains: Violence, Sexual and Suggestive dialogue, brief nudity
	2) Brother currently released by Sony Picture Classics. Available on DVD Exiled from his yakuza, Yamamoto heads over to America to stay with his younger half brother Ken. When Ken ass was kicked by a Mexican drug dealer, Yamamoto takes it to his own hands to reclaim the streets of LA. Even if that means taking down every mafia organization in LA. A story about brotherhood and friendship. With a music score from Joe Haishii, humor, and some cool as camera angles. Brother is probably a kick ass movie about what two races can do against racism and hate. R Contains: Graphic Violence, Brief Nudity, Suggestive and Sexual Dialogue
	3) Rush Hour currently released by New Line Cinema. Available on DVD and VHS James Carter was a loud-mouth-wise-cracking detective for the LAPD. The one thing that he hated was being teamed up with a partner. But now that a Chinese Diplomat's daughter has been kidnapped, the Consul summons his most trusted inspector, Inspector Lee from the Hong Kong Police Force. Now that James has been teamed up with Lee too keep him ' away ' from the investigation, the two actually sort out their differences and make way to actually save the girl before the kidnappers kill her. With some funny jokes and a kick ass fight scenes, Rush Hour is one of the funniest East meets West movies out there!! 13+ Contains: Violence, Suggestive Dialogue
	4) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon currently released by Sony Picture Classics. Available on dubbed VHS and bi-lingual DVD Li Mu Bai is a legendary warrior of the school of Wudon. When he gives away his most treasured sword to the governor, a chaos breaks loose as a ninja steals the sword. But who is this ninja? Why dose this person want the sword? Well, all spectulation is at a young princess who all but what a princess should be. Proper, respectful, and nice. When the Jade Fox returns for revenge, a Princess is caught in the middle of a battle between love, hate, and good. An excellent score by Yo Yo Ma, this movie is for those who are in to old Chinese tales, with a romance twist. 16+ Contains: Brief Sexuality, Violence
	5) Ninja Scroll currently released by Manga Corp Ent. Available on VHS and DVD Jubei Kibagami is a traveling ninja who works only for gold of his associates. He is approached with an offer from a traveling monk who forced him to work for him by poisoning him. Now, his only way to save his life is to work for this monk and work with a feisty ninja girl who continues to rant about how she is supposed to pay him back for him saving her life. A story with many devious freaky characters, fan-service, and a underlining love story; Ninja Scroll is probably one of the best series' ever created. 18+ Contains: Sexual Content, Brief Nudity, Graphic Violence, Suggestive Dialogue, Sexual Jokes
	6) Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OVA/Tenchi Muyo! TV currently released by Pioneer Ent. America. Available on DVD/Boxsets and VHS Tenchi Masaki was a quite, normal, average high school boy until something happens. He meets the demon/space pirate Ryoko that tries to make his life a not pleasant one. As the series' progresses, Tenchi is caught in-between a love battle between Ryoko and the Jurian Princess First Princess Ayeka and the secrets that are revelied about his grandfather and his true ancestry. A series' filled with laughs, cries, and anger. 13+ Contains: Brief Nudity, Violence, Suggestive Dialogue
	7) Neon Genesis Evangelion TV (Shinseiki Evangelion TV) currently released by ADVision. Available on DVD/Boxset and VHS Shinji Ikari is an a very insecure and a sheltered boy. When summoned by his father, after nearly 10 years of his father abandoning him, his outlooks on the world are not that great. When his father tells him he must pilot the mecha suit ' EVANGELION ', Shinji's courage is put to the test, as well as his self-esteem. Depression circles this boy's teenage life as he grows up in the world that has be destroyed by the Second Impact of the year 2000. One of the most controversial (and popular) series in Japanese Animation history, Shinseiki Evangelion tells the story about the relationship of the human connection with God, their peers, and their own selves. 13+ Contains: Brief Nudity, Violence, Suggestive Dialogue
	8) Macross Plus currently released by Manga Corps Ent. Available on DVD and VHS Taking place 80 years after the original Macross Saga (or Robotech in North America), there is a big difference, and we can see that. Isamu Dyson is a hothead, hot tempered, playboy, military officer who is a top gun in his military base in space. When breaking procedures for the very last time, his commanding officer transfers him to a training facility so he can be a test pilot for this new jet plane. Upon reaching the base and being ' back home ', he is now contending against his friend/rival Guld Bowman who is another test pilot that is the pilot of a plane that uses telekinesis for its control instead on manual control. The series then takes a jump into a strange triangular relationship between Isamu, Guld, and Myung (a manager for the popular AI singing sensation Sharon Apple). Macross Plus takes the original Macross concept into a new light as the series takes the concept of pop music and mechas but, but adds the quarrels of distraught pasts and painful deceptions. Created by the ' Dream Team ' aka The Escaflowne/Bebop Team. Music by the glorious Kanno Yoko. +16 Contains: Violence, Suggestive Dialogue
	9) Blue Seed TV currently released by ADVision. Available on DVD and VHS Based upon the hit shoujo manga by Yozo Takada, Blue Seed is about Momiji Fujimiya, a 15 year old high school girl, who was taken from her secure home, and to the the bustling chaotic world of Tokyo. Momiji main purpose though is to be a sacrifice against the Aragami. A bunch of plant demons set on destroying the human race. Though, she wiggles her way into become a member of the TAC (a secret organization funded by the government on handling freaky events). The series evolves from a comedy, to a love story, and then finally a battle for the lives of the human race. With music sung by the Takada Band and Momiji's Seiyuu Hayashibara Megumi (also the voices for Faye Valentine and Ayanami Rei). 13+ Contains: Violence, Suggestive Dialogue, Sexual Humor
	10) Blue Submarine no. 6 currently released by Bandai Ent. America. Available on DVD and VHS/Movie VHS The world is a ocean utopia, and the creatures of the sea are now claiming the world as their own as they wage a war against the humans. Their objective, wipe out the entire human race. Why? These sea creatures are only following the orders of their ' father ', Dr. Zoryndyke. Well, the Earth has been losing this war with almost all major cities destroyed by a tide. Well, the only hope for the world is the most advance submarine in the International Blue fleet, the Japanese Blue Submarine no. 6. Mayumi Kino is sent back to the destroyed, but populated, Tokyo Bay to retrieve the expert submariner Tetsu Hayami. Though, he rejects, by a twist of fate he ends up on Blue Sub 6, and all fate of the world lies on his shoulders. For he and Katsuma (his friend) were the only two that made it the south pole... the very hide out of Dr. Zoryndyke and his creatures. A story with mixed emotions, how even two races of living things can come together try to make some sort of peace. 16+ Contains: Violence, Suggestive Dialogue, Mild Sexual content

Well, that concludes this edition of Best 50! ^_^ Stay tuned for the next issue that will feature the next 10! ^^ There are many selections here for those who want to check out! You might actually like these, or you might actually might run screaming and flame us. But whatever you do, check out something new ^^. Check out the many worlds of the Japanese Animation Universe. But until then,

Ja ne, Minna-san!

-Mayuka

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