Updates Galore! The Not-So-Long Period... February 2008 Edition

Yeesh... I really hate leaving HardDoor so fallow for nearly a month (one post & an update). There were a few things I had wanted to do, such as the "Decade's Best" boxing list and a Black History Month-related post, but that'll have to wait until a later time, as I hit a busy patch during the end of the month and parts before.

:boxing: Least Expectations?:: Pavlik vs Taylor II

Five months. It has only been that scant amount of time since the cataclysmic battle of the undefeated middleweights commenced. Kelly Pavlik, nearly losing his head (and the fight) in the second round, surged back and defeated the champion, Jermain Taylor with a crushing seventh round KO. As HBO's god slumped to the ground in the corner, many whispered hushed sentiments about whether it was the end of the era of him. A good deal of the scribes would tell you that his unpolished style and bad fighting habits were his undoing and that the gangly warrior from the old mining town had more than a passing chance of winning, though high prophet Jim Lampley and company would lead you to believe otherwise. Alas, we gather in the old square den once again to see if the new king of the middleweights can dispatch of the former once more...lest he rises from his ashes and lays claim to what used to be....

:anime & boxing: Ashita no/Tomorrow's/Champion Joe Finally Enters North America!

After a a bit of an "unofficial" first post, here we are with the first real "official" anime and boxing combo topic! And it's on a title that I had long wished to have covered for the first one. It's a tad late (this was announced yesterday), but it is welcomed news, nonetheless...

:boxing: The Bout That Happened Too Late:: Jones vs. Trinidad

Roy Jones, Jr. is one of the most gifted fighters in history, a multi-weight-class champion (from middleweight to heavyweight) with great God-given talent. Felix Trinidad is one of the most storied and feared middleweight champions in history, possessing both power and a brutal fighting style. Now, the two icons will meet, at light heavyweight, in what one could describe as a "dream match" on Saturday in the vaunted Madison Square Garden in New York City.

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: Overview & Honorable Mentions

To 2008 Edition-->

The twenty best anime of the decade, as they stand as of December 31, 2007:

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: Insight

I tried to remain as fair and impartial as possible in formulating a list of the best twenty anime in the seven years that have passed thus far, which wasn't quite an easy feat given the field. Nos. 2 through 5 were all strong contenders for No. 1, constantly being switched out of the spot during the formulation period. It wasn't until towards the very end that I remembered Spirited Away. Though the others were all more than worthy, it seemed perfectly well that the movie was most deserving at the top, given its praise, awards, and production values. After some thinking and multiple considerations, forming the list started to feel more natural once I gathered twenty titles together. I had a good idea then of which would occupy Nos. 20 through No. 16, which, more coincidentally than intentionally, contained shows that had a greater amount of praise on one side than the other (i.e. more attention from critics than from fans, vise versa). No. 15 to No. 11 featured (once again, more coincidentally than intentionally) shows that have experienced a mixture of both, as well as good deal of success, though they had not had the sort of impact, including in terms of success and praise, as those in the Top Ten. I suppose that FLCL could be an exception to the rule, but ultimately, there were other shows that there better than it in the grander scheme. The aforementioned Nos. 10 through No. 1 turned out to be the most popular shows in respect to the thoughts of critics and fans. As critical response holds a greater weight than that of the latter, there are some titles that were supported, in part, by this over some of the more fan-intensive ones (Eureka Seven over Gurren-Lagann, Millennium Actress' placement on the list comes to mind). Of course, it is overall merits that hold the greatest share in the decision, so the picks were not solely limited to being some popularity contest.

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: #5 to #1

And now, finally, the Top 5, with #5 to #1--the best anime of the decade...so far...

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: #10 to #6

Reaching into the Top 10, here is #10 to #6...

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: #15 to #11

And now, #15 to #11...

:anime: Decade's Best…So Far (2007 Edition) :: Anime (Top 20) ::: Introduction and #20 to #16

Many a debate has swirled around whether this decade has been a "golden age" for anime or whether it has been not. While that sort of label is not the topic of interest here, what is is what are the top twenty anime of decade--so far. This list of will be updated accordingly after the end of each year until a final master list is achieved at the end of the decade. The anime in contention (shows, movies, OVA, etc.) are judged primarily on its own merits and critical opinion, with slight attention being paid to popularity (this isn't exactly "Decade's Most Popular") and a dash of my own personal discretion (the list is unbiased overall, outside of the accompanying "Personal Opinion" with each entry). Only anime that have either begun showing since January 1, 2000, have been shown in their entirety from that date to December 31, 2007 (2009 in the end), or have aired a vast majority of its episodes (i.e. long-running shows of 75 eps. or more) in that given period of time are eligible. Five will be revealed until the number one anime of the decade--so far--is revealed.

And so, we start, from #20 to #16...