Tea Shop BeLoved

One thing that has always bugged me about fandom has been listing “favorites.” We all do it–it’s convenient, it’s gets one’s point across, and as humans we have this need to rate things as better or worse than something else. I think was bugs me the most is when people rant off long lists of reaching 20 or 30. The way I see it, “favorites” really should be a short list. An all-time favorite series should be one of the best-of-the-best for that individual. Granted, by sheer numbers alone, if someone has seen 500 different series, he or she should have more all-time favorites than someone who has only watched 100 series. However, I really believe that for something to be promoted not only to favorite status, but to “all-time” favorite status, there has to be some personal criteria.There are A LOT of series that I like, but are most of them really “favorites?” I wouldn’t go that far. When I really think about it, there are only a handful of series that not only get me REALLY excited, but more importantly, they get me really excited ANYTIME I watch them. It’s honestly like watching the scene, the episode, or the series for the first time. When it starts, I cannot help but watch it in it’s entirety. So when you think of it that way, you realize that a lot of the anime you watch wouldn’t even be considered a favorite. Favorites really should be limited to a handful, but I believe that for most people, there are only a handful that TRULY bring forth certain emotions, feelings, and thoughts every time something is seen in one form or another.

It’s also true that people can have certain favorites based on animation style, story, characters, music, scenes, etc, but for me if something loses it’s charm after the first watch is it really worthy to be named among other all-time favorites? I also try to exclude I’ve had watched recently because recency effects would most likely cloud my perspectives. The first time I ever watched Elfen Lied, I was utterly obsessed with it to the point that I was considering it top 5. Yet after just a month, I rarely thought about it. On the other hand, I watched To Heart back in 2001, but anytime I watch an episode of that I’m glued to it like no other. After watching a series that I really enjoyed I purposely wait 6 months before really considering it an all-time favorite (Maison Ikkoku is actually in that holding period right now because I finished watching and reading that about 6 weeks ago.).

It’s not necessarily nostalgia for me. It’s the excitement I experience when watching a certain show over again. It’s like I’m in awe of it even though I know exactly what is happing and what will happen. It’s not reminiscing, it’s like it never got old in the first place.

This tacky parody of Catch You Catch Me makes me laugh the same way it did the first time I saw it 7 or 8 years ago. Some jokes never get old. I randomly rediscovered this video while searching out the old “Cardcaptors” OP that the WB threw together when they first attempted to air Card Captor Sakura here in the US. I’m sure most people have seen this video by now, but it doesn’t get old for me.

I consider Card Captor Sakura timeless, and have long considered it my favorite series. It might be Catch You Catch Me or it might be GUMI, but watching these dudes recreate that first OP sequence also seems classic as well. The video brings back memories of Card Captor Sakura and brings back a lot of the enjoyment that I experienced, not only the first time I watched the series, but every time I’ve watched since. It’s a rush that only a handful of series give me, hence why I consider Card Captor Sakura an all-time favorite. Watching joke videos from another series just doesn’t give me the same excited feeling that only a handful of shows give me. And for me, it’s that rush that makes me separate the very good from the truly memorable.

What series do I consider my all-time favorites? Card Captor Sakura, To Heart, Nadesico, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha, Honey & Clover, Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou, Rurouni Kenshin, Aria, Sailor Moon, Angelic Layer, and Manabi Straight. There are also a few other series that I consider amazing as well, but just haven’t cracked the top yet for one reason or another: Azumanga Daioh, Full Metal Panic, Kaleido Star (because I still need to watch season 2…), Stellvia, Maison Ikkoku (currently in a holding period), and Da Capo.

So what exactly makes a series a “favorite” for you? We all have different favorite series, but why is it an all-time favorite?