In my last post, I talked about some of my favorite movies of last year. Since I had over a hundred movies to draw from, I had to make that its own post. Here, I am going to be talking about everything else. From books, videos games, television shows, etc. Now just because I don’t talk about something here, doesn’t mean I didn’t love it. These are just the stories that stuck with me the most after all is said and done.
Gunbuster (1988, Anime OVA)
This 6 episode television show took me by surprise. This is an early work by Hideaki Anno, the man who would later be responsible for Neon Genesis Evangelion. Compared to that existential nightmare, Gunbuster is surprisingly upbeat. It has an 80’s pop vibe combined with an otaku sensibility. I am not usually one for the cutesier side of anime but the heroine, Noriko, is strong and charming in a way that I can’t help find but endearing. The story isn’t always cheery. There is a lot of heavier themes but it never overshadows the optimism of the human spirit. Oh, and it does help that the Gunbuster is one badass mech.
Nathan for You (2013-2017, TV)
In many ways, Nathan for You is one of the best reality comedy shows ever to exist. Unlike the Eric Andre Show, Jack Ass, and other real-world prank comedies, Nathan for You is presented with a straight face from start to finish. Our host, Nathan Fielder, is a Canadian whose work visa misgenders him. He is both genuine and sociopathic, charming yet utterly unsettling. The schemes he comes up with to “help struggling businesses” is a constant tight rope act of believability and absurdity. In fact, the most absurd moments don’t even come from Nathan Fielder himself but the strange cast of normal people he ropes into his schemes. It is a strange anthology that portrays the true absurdity that is the human experience and I can’t help but laugh along.
Bojack Horseman (2014-2020, TV)
This is my second time watching Bojack Horseman since the season finale was released in 2020. This time, I binged the show at my own pace rather than wait every season. One way that I judge the long-term merit of narratives is how they hold up in subsequent experiences. Bojack Horseman is even better the second time around. All of the foreshadowing, imagery, symbolism, and in-jokes hit different as a familiar viewer. The added sense of dramatic irony enhances the show. Just like the first time around, the art style is still fantastic and the soundtrack is still great. The jokes still land incredibly well and the recurring jokes keep snowballing into a domino effect of hilarity. However, it is still the characters and the drama that keep me engaged. I can still relate to the struggles of their trials and condemn them for their faults. As a human that first saw Bojack when he was 21, the human element hits different at the age of 26. If there is one thing about the show that I truly appreciate is that it is relentless in giving its characters an uncompromising version of the human experience.
Homestuck (2009-2016, Web Comic)
Homestuck is everything that a story should be: funny, sad, strange, and beautiful. It is strange to see this story’s fanbase from a distance since I was never really involved in the fandom. For those who were there for the near cult-like experience that was Andrew Hussie’s Interactive Hypertext Web Comic, it was a following of incredible highs and serious lows. The lows are…seriously bad. Because of this, many fans see Homestuck as a tainted work, viewing it with a certain disdain. Luckily for me, I don’t really follow the fandom (or any fandom for that matter). I don’t give a shit about the fans, the author, the video games, the developers, the Epilogue, or the sequel. All of those things can go fuck themselves. All I care about is Homestuck and I legitimately consider it one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever made. This is not because it is perfect. With a story this big and scope this large, it is impossible to get everything “right”. Even then, Homestuck does get it right because as a meta-narrative, it works as an embodiment of everything that a story can be. This is not only true in the technical presentation but also in its themes, narrative, tone, and even objective quality. Very few things can claim that. I started reading Homestuck around March of 2020 and finished it about a year later. It was one of the most memorable narrative experiences of my entire life. I’m glad that I was never a part of the fandom. All I know is that I am definitely a fan.
The Stormlight Archives Books 1 & 2 (2010, 2014, Book Series)
High-Fantasy has never been my genre fiction of choice. I have always preferred the opposite end of that fantastical spectrum: Science Fiction. Yet, it is hard to deny how impressive Brandon Sanderson is as a storyteller. His ability to juggle the plot threads of at least 4 characters is impressive enough but the way he weaves these seemingly separate stories reminds me of a swirling vortex, a perfect storm. The magic is intriguing. The politics are thrilling. The fight scenes are invigorating. With over 1000 pages per book, Sanderson packs so much content into these novels that I truly feel that I am exploring the world that he has crafted. The characters, while somewhat traditional, are all compelling in their own way and I am genuinely excited as I pick up the interluding novella so I can prepare for the behemoth that is the third book.
Pachinko (2017, Novel)
Pachinko is the only book I read last year that I legitimately binged. For 2 days straight, I did nothing but devour this historical epic about three generations of a Korean family and their immigration into Japan. Zainichi Koreans have an interesting place within Korean culture. They live in a world that often does not want them there. Yet, returning to the supposed motherland is often physically or spiritually impossible. Therefore, they live in a strange interstice where they don’t really belong anywhere. As a first-generation Korean American, this is something I relate to on a very deep level. Regardless of my own personal connection, this is an epic in every sense of the word. Every character within this family is rich with detail, with deep-rooted psychologies, struggles, and triumphs. Watching them survive through several generations of hardships reminded me of my own family. Like most immigrant families, the generational and cultural gaps between parents and children can create huge disparities in understanding. I feel like if nothing else, this book has given me a look in help me see through the fog.
The Arrival (2006, Graphic Novel)
The Arrival is more than a graphic novel. It is an experience. There is almost no(if not, any), dialogue. It is all told through a gorgeous surreal art style dripping in sepia tones like nostalgic honey. It is a fantastical retelling of the immigrant experience, reminiscent of the Ellis Island immigration in the early 1900s’. It is a world both strange and familiar. The lack of dialogue is not a weakness but a strength. It reminds me of a silent film or something out of Disney’s Fantasia. Even though there were only pictures, a sweeping orchestral soundtrack overtook my ears and my heart as I explored the stories of immigrants and their various struggles that made them search for new homes. Like Pachinko, this story resonates with me as a first-generation American of immigrant parents. The Arrival is beautiful from start to finish, not just a story but a true experience. I recommend reading this one with Chopan playing in the background.
Omori (2020, Video Game)
Classic JRPG’s are my favorite video game genre. My favorite game of all time is Chrono Trigger. As someone who is primarily interested in the story and the way that gameplay contextualizes and enhances the narrative experience: Omori is something special. It deals with a lot of heavier issues such as depression and mental health through a cast of fully realized characters, each with their own traits, strengths, and flaws. The story gripped me so much that I couldn’t stop playing until I made it to the end. I had to see how it all played out. I am not going to spoil the story for you because I think Omori is best going in blind. I had no idea what this game was until I saw it recommended to me on Steam and I bought it out of pure curiosity. What I will say is that the pixel art is gorgeous. The soundtrack is excellent. For those who enjoy the likes of Earthbound, I think you will like this one a lot. Be warned: Those trigger warnings at the beginning of the game are no joke. If you can get through it, however, Omori is one of the best games I have played in a long time.
Disco Elysium (2019, Video Game)
Disco Elysium is probably one of the best-written games in the past several years. The gameplay reinforces that as it plays like a classic top-down computer RPG. You play the role of a detective who has lost his memory. You go through this town in the middle of political unrest as you try to figure out not only who you are but the truth behind a murder you are tasked with solving. Disco Elysium is one of the few games that actively interrogate your personal beliefs and does it very well. I was playing this game during a dark time in my life as I was slowly trying to figure out what kind of person I wanted to be. As I made my choices (choices that were probably influenced by my own personal life situation), the game kept hitting me with tough decisions, shocking consequences, and mind-bending monologues. The best part is that the game actively changes depending on the decisions that you make and I know that my one playthrough was not enough. I am trying to find time to go through it again sometime this year. I know if not soon then this is a game that I will be returning to several times during the course of my life.
The rest of my list in its entirety:
Television 📺
1. Mindhunters [Season 1] (2017)
2. Mindhunters [Season 2] (2019)
3. Megalobox [Season 1] (2018)
4. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency [Season 1] (2016)
5. Gunbuster (1988)
6. Pacific Rim: The Black [Season 1] (2021)
7. Nathan for You [Season 1-4] (2013)
8. Wallace and Gromit [Ep 1-4]
9. Regular Show (2009-2017)
10. Invincible [Season 1] (2021)
11. FLCL (2000)
12. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
13. Squid Game (2021)
14. Jojos Bizarre Adventure (Part 5)
15. Bojack Horseman
Online 🌐
1. Homestuck (2007)
Books 📚
1. Neverwhere (1996)
2. The Subtle Knife (1997)
3. A Greater Monster (2013)
4. The Amber Spyglass (2000)
5. A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
6. The Stand: Complete and Uncut (1990)
7. Paper Towns (2008)
8. The Westing Game (1978)
9. Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)
10. The Way of Kings (2010)
11. The Tsar of Love and Techno (2015)
12. Beyond Good and Evil (1886)
13. Good Omens (1990)
14. Super Gods (2011)
15. Pachinko (2017)
16. Words of Radiance (2014)
17. Lisey’s Story (2006)
18. Winter in Sokcho (2020)
Graphic Novels
1. The Arrival (2006)
2. The Incal (1981)
Video Games
1. Before Your Eyes (2021)
2. Omori (2020)
3. Disco Elysium (2019)
4. What Became of Edith Finch (2017)
Danger Wonka 