Holiday Binge Watching Lists Part 2
For this one we're going to recommend shows not only to binge but also because they have holiday episodes in them, of course someone who isn't an anime watcher may not think it but there are quite the amount of shows with episodes you can incorporate in your holiday couch watching. Some of these are New Year holidays as well!
Chrono Crusade - This one is adorable really as everyone experiences there first holiday in some form and some way but how many miss there entire childhood before experiencing one. Well one of the characters in the series Azamaria had, until she was taken in by the order and taught what the holiday means. Which means we get to see her experience Christmas shopping, the exchange, and the time shared with the new family she gained. It's also a chance to see Chrono and Rosette exchange presents, reflecting on the good and the bad just before things take a drastic turn. If that's not enough for you this series has a limited edition cover to it's box set which is Christmas theme. How much more holiday can you get then that?
Toradora- Another pivotal anime for Christmas is Toradora. The show is fantastic and normally will rip your heart out, throw it in a blender and set it to devastate (that's from a cartoon) but this is a bug turning point in the series. The show is about two unlikely outsiders who are in love with each others friends, both feared in school, one through temper, the other by appearance, they become friends and since they are neighbors Ryuji Takasu the male, who almost seems to have OCD, cleans Taiga Aisaka's home, invites her for dinners while they both try to get hooked up with the one they like. However they hold a strong bond and whose connected to who becomes clearer in these set of episodes.
It starts simple enough with Ryuji trying to invite Taiga's best friend Minori Kushieda to the Christmas party in school, though she seems reluctant and Taiga herself distancing herself from him so he can get this chance. When he realizes this means she'll be all alone he comes to her house dressed as a giant Santa teddy bear. It warms the heart, that's when she urges him to go back to the party after feeling better and everything takes it's big twist, all things are clear and the heart is somehow pulsing on the floor. Just the right show to binge watch and just the right show to watch around this time of year.
Spiral- Some might be scratching their heads with this one, some might not even know what this series is, so first I'll explain the synopsis of the anime. Spiral
follows Ayumu Narumi a prodigy who finds himself wrapped up in the mystery of the Blade Children, mysterious individuals that are claimed to be cursed, it’s also the same mysery that his brother said he was seeking to investigate and had disappeared since. Being framed for attempted murder at school, he solves it as the spiral of destiny begins to unfold, his partner in this mystery is the energetic Hiyono Iwasaki, reporter for the school newspaper who has some surprising talents that could aid the solemn Ayumu.
The teen detective lives with his sister in law who is a detective on the police force who begins to suspect that he’s involved in the same mystery that had swallowed up his brother. When the Blade Children begin to appear his life is soon in danger and somehow he’ll have to fight through the shadow of his brother, someone who was gifted at everything from the piano to mysteries and praised for it in order to understand what exactly these Blade Children are involved in. The holiday comes in when it starts humorous enough, Hiyono is interested in getting a present and drags Ayumu along with her, he tries to help her get a stuffed animal in a claw game and nearly has it a dozen times but super hyper behavior shows through as she smacks the machine and keeps causing the animal to drop.
Later it takes a serious but well done turn as Ayumu exchanges gifts with Madoka who is intoxicated, his gift is a CD of classical music done by one of the Blade Children, awkward yes. He leaves to get something at the grocery store and briefly has a stare down with that very same person and returns to hear Madoka in tears from the loneliness and grief of her missing husband/his brothers. The song playing was one of his brother Kiyotaka’s favorite songs. The show is very good and explores above everything hope that lies in the darkness of destiny and fate, it’s important to understand that more so than the Blade Children which incorporate this theme as well. Of course the underated manga gives all these answers and all going well beyond the show but check out the anime first, a perfect moody choice for the holiday.
School Idol Project Love Live - This one kind of wraps in New Years more than anything. Soon to be one of our focuses on Take A Pick Tuesday it's an idol show about a group of students that form a school idol group to at first save their school and then to compete in the Love Live competition while deepening their bonds as friends and becoming understood, some for the first time. For this holiday episode which is towards the end of the second season, they all gather after some sad realized twists preparing their selves for their upcoming performance. Making their wishes at the temple all nine meet in separate groups of each other, seemingly fated to be together no matter what which is an important underling factor.
While making their wishes though you come to find that many of the people that went to the temple had wished for their success at Love Live, it adds to what they're supposed to mean as a group and as friends. All these moments and more make Love Live something you can keep watching even beyond Christmas into the New Year.
My Love Story- In a lot of ways this anime details the important occasions that would come for a couple in a relationship, though of course it's really what it could mean for two people to date. The anime distances itself from others by it's main protagonist being a big muscular man who most woman would seem afraid of and his small caring girlfriend. Takao has a very caring nature however and is also very honorable so the two have difficulties in taking any sort of steps that may be in a relationship without outside help.
In the Christmas episode the focus steers away from them for a while and focuses on another possible couple they're hoping to match make. It's also the first time the series shows that not every two individuals are meant to be together and not every relationship works out the same as another. The two being their friends. Especially with his friends' thoughtless remarks and actions making her friend uncertain and even angry, in the midst of karaoke with the rest of their friends. What it culminates to I'll leave to your imagination but of course there's the rest of the aspects of Christmas that may make the series just as important. Especially when it climaxes to Takao's friend trying to reach the top of the Christmas Tree. That's all I'm gonna say, go watch it!
Fruits Basket - The major shojo giant Fruits Basket is a familiar title for many who watch anime. It also has a fantastic New Years holiday tribute which of course in the show would allow character introductions in the future and repercussions for the main characters in the series. Fruit Basket follows Tohru Honda who is found by the Prince of the school Yuki Sohma, apparently unknown to her closest friends she'd been living in the forest. This is following the death of her mother and seeing the ordeals she's been going through she's invite to stay with him and his Uncle Shigure.
It's then that she stumbles upon the the Sohma secret, a curse where when hug by the opposite sex some of the members of the family turn into the 12 animals of the zodiac including the cat. The cat being Kyo, a temper filled boy determined to defeat his rival Yuki, soon he too stays in the house. Promising to keep their secret, her kindness and understanding begins to change their life, as does their understanding of her pain and the weight she places on her shoulders begins to change hers. For the New Year's episode it is required that all of the Sohma family gather at the estate, a special banquet is held for the zodiac animals, which would mean leaving Tohru alone for the evening. Already reluctant Yuki and Kyo realize that Tohru would be forced to spend the first New Years without her mother alone. Running back to the house they spend it with her on the roof knowing that the only thing they really wanted to do for New Year's Eve was spend it with her.
School Rumble- Another episode where it actually plays into the series is School Rumble. This show takes the wacky Love Triangle and turns it into A Love Octagon. The show has delinquent outsider but truly misunderstood Harima who is in love with air headed energetic Tenma, whose actually in love with Karasuma who seems to only be in loved with curry but who can really tell what's going on in his head. It features a growing cast of who likes who and all the ways they clash though not necessarily in fighting, it's sort of there but really in all manners of hijinks that have honest moments with the characters as well.
Poor Harima can't seem to catch a break and while I won't give away what led to this episode, I will say that Harima had turned to manga for reasons involving Tenma, in this episode he's struggling to finish the final chapter of his manga manuscript. This involves confliction to show it to Tenma or give it to a publisher, the use of a giant curry dish that was meant to be a present and a whole lot og grief for Harima all while he's dressed as Santa Claus. It's really funny but heartbreaking in a way. The series is fantastic, so why not give it a try.
I know I know what about Sword Art Online and Love Hina which has an entire Christmas special. Yes there are plenty of series with memorable episodes, which would be great to watch just as it is the rest of the shows, many will be incorporated when we cover more New Years episodes so stay tuned.
A Podcast Companion
*Need more otaku time, well for more ideas why not hop on to the newly minted podcast Rats On A Plague Ship. A podcast that speaks on all matters of geekdom with yours truly and my fellow co-host Sal Almaraz. The true cure to when the hours feel like they drag!
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