My Anime/Manga/TV Backlog
Date Published: October 5, 2016
I’ve always kept up with my favorite shows and reading but as of late, I have added a few new ones, after finally dropping the ones that either ceased holding my interest or not as enjoyable for me as they were when it first started. This list is very much anime and manga centric with some western programming mixed in, the list doesn’t follow any specific order unless otherwise specified in the description.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 366 (Finished Anime), Chapter 480 (Starting Manga)
I started watching Bleach on and off when I was still in high school and enjoyed it, considering I’m very much into shōnen anime, but frequent filler episodes as well as the long filler arcs, made me lose interest and so I decided to just wait until I can choose what arcs to watch and what arcs to skip. Once the series finished up around my first year in college, I began watching it again but somehow got distracted and fell off it again. It wasn’t until 2015 that I had decided to finish up the series, and I only followed the canonical plot, which I really enjoyed, a lot of people give Bleach grief for dipping in quality as it went on, claiming it was not being as good as the rest of the shōnen shows that were out during it’s time, and although I agree in a sense, it’s still pretty good if you follow the canon storyline. It’s quite the commitment but Bleach has a pretty decent plot, likeable characters, excellent soundtrack, and the Arrancar arc is a very strong one.
As far as the manga goes, I believe that I will continue with the series, if I see that the anime adaptation will not make a return. I currently don’t have reading Bleach as a priority but, it’s a universe that I’m definitely planning on delving back into in the future.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 24 (Finished Anime), Chapter 76 (Latest Release as of 10/5/2016)
Akame ga Kill! is definitely one of the shows that I had been meaning to watch, but just never got to until a friend’s firm recommendation in late 2014. I personally had mixed feeling about the show, I liked it for what it was but, hated how it was doing it. Avoiding specific spoilers, people die on this show, a lot. However, death wasn’t the problem, it was how it was handled. You got to know these characters, they become more endearing, and they get killed off the moment you started really liking them, and not just once or twice, but every time you become invested in a character, guess what? They die in some gruesome manner and in some cases, die a meaningless death. I really enjoyed the plot, and what it was trying to accomplish but ultimately, 24 episodes for a plot this dark and heavy is simply not enough, so the anime adaptation was forced to spin off to its own ending, and man, I’ve never felt so burnt and just robbed of my time after having finished a show. I really had a bad taste in my mouth and consequently refused to have that be my lasting impression of Akame ga Kill!
Almost as soon as I finished the show, I began reading the manga, and while it starts out the same, and characters still get killed off like flies, the fledged out nature the manga adaptation has, suits the pace of the series much better and fits the overall narrative. There is a certain moment in the plot that really changes things up, not as many comedy relief moments but, more of a centric plot focused theme, which is a testament to valuing the reader’s time unlike what I felt with the conclusion of the show. Akame ga Kill! carries a dark tone and harsh narrative that I learned to appreciate much more by reading it than watching it. It’s beginning to reach what feels to be the final conclusion but, I have kept up with every release of Akame ga Kill! since late 2014 and have very much enjoyed my time spent doing so.
Type: Western TV Action/Drama
Status: Season 6 Episode 1 (Watched 68 episodes, there are 83 episodes of TWD as of 10/5/2016)
I loved the idea of The Walking Dead when it first started in 2010, a realistic zombie apocalypse, a theme that has now become oversaturated in many different movies, shows, and video games but, for the time, The Walking Dead was original and exciting in depicting what the fall of man would look like in this dystopian future. The plot certainly has had its ups and downs throughout the show’s lifespan but, the transition and evolution of its core characters like Carol and Daryl, are really done well.
Acting in The Walking Dead has always rode the line of overdramatic seriousness to the point of heroic corniness but, it’s still well delivered and the cast is full of talented performers. I’ve taken a bit of a break from the show as I’m waiting for the right time to come back to it, I’m only about a season behind so catching up won’t be difficult. As it stands right now, I wouldn’t recommend the series to those who have grown tired of the zombie theme as its been overdone by many others, yet for those who have not been over-exposed, I suggest you start with The Walking Dead as it has been the originator on how to do zombies right.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 13 (Finished Season 1), Chapter 1 (Re-reading Manga)
I had a weird introduction to the Terra Formars series. I originally began reading the manga in early 2014 when my roommate recommended it to me. Giant killer cockroaches on Mars, what can go wrong? I was really enjoying my time reading as the overall plot is very mature and balanced in action and the science behind how and why things are as they are. The main characters are pretty cool and really vary from one another as well but, don’t get used to them, because they just might die some terrible death by the hands of a giant vengeful cockroach. Where things got complicated for me with the series was when the anime adaptation was announced and out, I took a break from reading in order to watch to show, and season 1 was a good adaptation of the manga despite its awful censorship.
Season 1 ends, I really liked it, and it seemed to have done well enough, to have a second season announced and considering where I was on the manga, I decided to just wait for the second season and keep up with the anime instead of the manga. Howbeit, when the second season arrived I forgot about the show and have moved on from the series. I’d like to get back to the manga at some point but, have forgotten my place in the story. Terra Formars now has other spinoffs and one-offs such as Terra Formars Gaiden-Asimov as well as the other Gaiden chapters that I would also like to check out once I’m all caught up with the main series. It’s a commitment, but Terra Formars is definitely something I’m looking forward to going back to once the time feels right.
Type: Western TV Sitcom
Status: Watch whenever I see it’s an episode I haven’t seen yet.
I have to say that at least in my personal opinion, just like the mobile market suffers from “shovelware” as in games and apps that are just absolutely terrible. Present-day Television programing is equally as bad, shows are all copied from one another and there is no real originality anymore. I’ve had enough of awful superhero adaptations and dumb detective crime series. Therefore, leaving out the only real two options be it sports—which I love even though my Detroit teams are terrible, and sitcoms—which have also over-flooded the market with terrible acting and plot.
However, Modern Family has been clever, funny, and non-generic from the start till present. There hasn’t been a sitcom I actually laughed out loud to or enjoyed as much since That 70’s Show and Scrubs ended in the 2006 and 2010 respectively. I don’t watch it religiously but, whenever I look for a good laugh, Modern Family does the trick.
Type: Japanese Anime
Status: Episode 478 (Latest English Subbed Episode as of 10/5/2016)
Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are as shōnen as it gets and that’s definitely my thing when it comes to anime. It’s been roughly 12 years since I started watching Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden and it really has been mine and many others’ soap opera, it refuses to end. I still very much like the series, the action is good, interesting world, cool characters, revolving plot, but, for all that, there is also the part of the series that I’m not as huge on, and that’s the amount of filler the anime has had throughout the years. There are a few arcs or short side stories that are genuinely interesting, but when it comes down to it, when Naruto does filler, its straight up “let me waste your time.”
There have been about 390 canon episodes combined of both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. I would estimate to have watched about 500 episodes of the series. We all know the reason for filler, as the manga needs time to come out in order for there to be more content for the anime. However, I’m of the mind, if the filler is not on equal or similar level as the show, don’t air it. I would much rather there be a hiatus, than sit through fillers. As it stands today, as much as I enjoyed the anime when I was younger, it really comes down to “I stuck with it for so long, I’ve invested in it so many hours of my life, I have to finish it.” I think Naruto series fans out there can agree that the anime overstayed its welcome and had deteriorated throughout the years, but we still love it for what it was and stand by it until the end.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 43 (Finished Anime), Chapter 1 (Starting Manga)
Great Teacher Onizuka or GTO is not something I usually get in to but, I glad I did. I’m not entirely sure how I stumped on to GTO as I began watching it out of the blue, not knowing much about it and it just happen to turn out be really good and I was hooked. The only problem I had with GTO is that it wasn’t longer, I would’ve loved it if it had another season however, even with its ending—an area that many shows get wrong, GTO does it right. The anime had everything I was looking for, awesome characters, comedy, action, interesting changing plot, emotional moments, life lessons, even the fillers are excellent. GTO really packs a punch and is truly one of the best show I’ve seen, which I recommend to anyone interested in just high quality anime.
One of my top priorities is to start reading the GTO manga series but, it’s very intimidating as it’s fairly meaty. Not only is the main series long, there are also GTO – Shonan 14 Days and GTO: Paradise Lost that I would like to read once I am finished with the main series. It might take a while but I’ll definitely make my way through all of Great Teacher Onizuka in due time.
Type: Korean Manhwa Webtoon
Status: Chapter 36 (Latest Release as of 10/5/2016)
My first experience with a Korean version of the Japanese comics I love so much, Greatest Outcast hits hard. Although not as fancy as the highly detailed manga illustrations, there is something special about the webtoon style, especially when the theme depicted is mature and dark. That’s what Greatest Outcast brings to the table. There is definitely some shōnen elements in it, but the gut wrenching moments really get to you. The ability to evoke emotion out of you, whether its care for a certain character or hate for another, is a powerful trait that few mediums can bring out, Greatest Outcast did that for me, although the plot device it used was something I usually make sure to avoid, considering how uncomfortable it is for me to read through. But nevertheless, it did it’s job, and got my riled up enough to want to see the antagonist get caught and hopefully suffer, in an attempt for closure.
The few issues I had with Greatest Outcast were the complete disappearance of a certain character after a significant early event, not tying loose ends or making light of what happened until much later, rendering that character a ghost after it was by far the most endearing of the cast. The other issue I have had with the webtoon, is that it gets a bit lost in translation, nevertheless, if you connect the dots and re-read a couple of lines, it’ll make sense, and you will get back on track. I haven’t made a decision on how I feel about Greatest Outcast as a whole in light of it not being finished. I can only hope there is a payoff or resolution at the end of it all but what I can say for now is; Greatest Outcast should appeal to the shōnen lovers looking for a mature themed read.
Type: Japanese Anime
Status: Episode 324 (758 Subbed Episodes as of 10/5/2016)
I hated on One Piece for so long, and I don’t even remember why. I guess I was just so into my circle of shows, that whenever One Piece was brought up, I thought less of it because I wasn’t watching it. I started watching One Piece about 6 months ago when Naruto: Shippuden decided to take a month off with one of its infamous filler stints, and so, I’ve been hooked by the Strawhat Pirates ever since.
It might look like a typical shōnen show, but One Piece really gets characters and backstories right. Different personalities all on a ship, fun adventures, great action, goofy yet timely comedy, well-staged drama, and just overall a lot of enjoyable moments, this anime might be a long term commitment and quite time consuming but, I’ve enjoyed every episode so far, and can’t wait to get all caught up in order to be a part of the conversation. One Piece is definitely the show I have dedicated the most time to as of the last 6 months and I don’t see that changing in the near future.
Type: Korean Manhwa Webtoon
Status: Chapter 190 (255 chapters released as of 10/5/2016)
It’s really for the same reason that makes Great Teacher Onizuka so great, Girls of the Wild’s stir hilarious comedy, great action, light romance, and some drama, all into one pot and get a fun lighthearted read. The webtoon really is a heroine based action story only disguised as a harem. Yes, there are a few moments that focus on romance, and I’ve never been huge into romantically focused themes, but, if it’s done in moderation and doesn’t take away from the main plot, I don’t mind it as much and Girls of the Wild’s maintains that balance quite well.
The subtle but nice touch to Girls of the Wild’s is how it addresses different themes. There a multiple approaches to scenarios like bullying, family issues, loneliness, making friends, and it all really boils down to a simple lesson of that you shouldn’t mess with peoples emotions and surroundings, it’s not highly emphasized but, those small plot lines are there nonetheless. There are a bunch of characters to keep track of, but once you get used to everyone, Girls of the Wild’s is really an easy read that I would recommend for anyone just wanting to pass the time with a fun little webtoon.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 25 (Finished Season 1), Manga Chapter 85 (Latest released as of 10/5/2016)
Will season 2 every get here? Well I wasn’t the one to wait on it, Attack on Titan was one of the best animes to come out in 2013 and except for a few OVAs, and an awkward live action film, we haven’t seen much of it for nearly 4 years now. Attack on Titan managed to strike the balance of making a dire situation actually scary. The characters don’t have super human strength or laser beams. They are equipped with awesome maneuver gear and a couple of swords, now go fight some giant man eating titans. An awesome premise for a show that also featured great animation, excellent soundtrack, cool characters, it was a surefire hit.
It didn’t take me long to jump ship over to the manga after I finished watching the anime, it was after the first delay announcement of the second season that I decided that this series is too good to wait on a second season for, so I started reading the manga thinking; when season 2 does come out, it’ll just be a bonus. Man, I’m glad I decided to read the manga for a couple of reasons, the first being, it’s superb, it’s really almost everything I want out of a series. The second reason is that, if I had not kept up with Attack on Titan, I’m sure that by the time the second season hit, I would’ve have had to remind myself what happened in the first season after such a long break between seasons. Without having to say much, the hype is real for Attack on Titan, it’s a great anime and a great manga, no matter how you decide to experience it, you’ll be sure to enjoy it.
Type: Japanese Anime/Manga
Status: Episode 12 (Finished Anime), Chapter 1 (Starting Manga)
A shōnen satire, One Punch Man is my favorite anime of the 2015 season and really the only one I ended up sticking with. A superhero that no one acknowledges, happens to be the strongest man alive. A teenage android apprentice that takes everything his casual master says too literally, funny villains, anti-heros, and just overall hilarious writing. One Punch Man is a great way to pass the time as it does anime parody as good and cleverly as I’ve seen it done. Although, even with its intent of making you laugh, OPM is no slouch in the action department as it doesn’t pull punches and has real solid crisp animation. Not a huge commitment either as it’s relatively short with only 12 canon episodes and a few OVA’s, this hilarious parody is definitely worth your while.
As I’m in no rush to dive into the manga with season 2 on the horizon, I’ll make my decision whether I want to start reading One Punch Man after finishing season 2, or if times get slow, and I’m looking to start something new.
Type: Japanese Manga
Status: Chapter 17 (Latest release as of 10/5/2016)
This one is really out of the norm for me, I usually don’t get hooked on the school life/harem type mangas but after reading a couple of chapters, Watari-kun no xx ga Houkai Sunzen has me reading it, and laughing out loud in the process. The manga is very much what you think it is, there are multiple girls vying for one guys’ attention. It’s a harem, but isn’t distasteful or always up-in-your-face with its “ecchiness”, it’s very much toned down compared to other mangas in the same genre. Watari has a bossy sister and no real personality, it’s a classic case of “What do these chicks see in this dude?” Watari is a nice guy but he’s nothing special. However, what I found myself doing more and more, is rooting for the girl the plot really veers you away from, and that’s a bit of a different take that makes me stick around to see what happens in the end of it all.
This manga is no masterpiece, but it’s very much like junk food or a guilty pleasure, it’s a fun little read but it’s definitely not a series I hold my breath for waiting on the chapters releasing.
That’s it for now, those are the shows and literature I’ve been keeping myself occupied with when I’m not working or writing. If you liked any of my takes on these things, make sure to give them a look, they might be something you really end up enjoying.
Recently Dropped
Orange is the New Black – quit after season 3 episode 6.
Fairy Tail (Anime) – quit after episode 5.
Tokyo Ghoul (Manga) – quit after chapter 8.
House of Cards – quit after episode 3.
Arrow – quit after episode 2.
Hall of Fame
Dragon Ball Z – favorite anime.
Code Geass/R2 – favorite anime plot.
That 70’s Show – favorite sitcom.
Breaking Bad – favorite western series.
South Park – favorite western animated series.
MacSplicer 
Leave a Reply