Thread of media finished in 2020

1) Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights In The Sky Are Stars

Absolutely fucking fantastic, most of it's just a standard recap, but the entire climax is just the studio flexing and it's worth watching for that alone.

They also show Nia's nipples which is funny.

2) FLCL

Really liked this for the most part, and Haruko is absolutely fantastic, but nothing really stood out to me and I just didn't get much out of it on a personal level. Can definitely see myself liking it more with a rewatch though, and I'm glad I watched it.

3) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Nothing special, but it didn't really need to be, and it's a pretty consistently good time with a cute romance. Really dug the last third especially, and Makoto carries the entire feature singlehandedly.

It made me smile a lot and that rules.

4) Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Definitely the film from the original trilogy that I'm the least fond of, but the actual completely bizarre performances make it a lot of fun, and the climax is genuinely great, with some great acting from Hamill.

Stan Sheev

5) Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (replay)

Enjoyed this one a lot more on a second playthrough, especially the ending and its message. I still have my issues and think it has some big pacing issues, but the game's strengths easily outweigh its weaknesses for me.

6) Billy Bat

The start was a little rough but it was well worth pushing past it, this is one of the most bizarre but emotional stories I've ever experienced, and it sticks the landing almost effortlessly.

7) MUSHI-SHI

Not usually a fan of episodic anime, but this one hooked me from the start and I honestly can't say I dislike even one episode. The writing is great, Ginko is a lovely protagonist, and the production itself is fantastic, with some great direction and sound design.

8) Nightcrawler

Honestly didn't expect much going into this, but Gyllenhaal's performance instantly hooked me, and the film is a complete descent into insanity that had me engaged from beginning to end. Real glad I gave it a shot.

9) The Dark Crystal

Started a tad slow, but I enjoyed my time with this a lot. The characters are fun, the puppets are fucking amazing, and it's just a really solid experience all around. Can definitely see myself rewatching it down the line and enjoying it even more.

10) Sonic the Hedgehog (1993 comic miniseries)

Fun start to the comic, even if it's pretty short and most of the designs aren't very good at this point.

11) K-ON!

Honestly, out of the few SoL shows that I've bothered to watch, this is one of 2 that really managed to hook me. The cast carries this show on their shoulders, and all of em are lovable and have great dynamics with the others.

Glad I saw this at this point in my life.

12) Serial Experiments Lain

I'm not sure how to phrase my thoughts on this, but probably the closest I can get is that there is a deep fundamental part of me that refuses to accept this came out over 20 years ago.

13) Zero Time Dilemma (replay)

Fuck you

14) Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Chaos;Head meets Weekly Shonen Jump, kamikino

14.5) Grilled chicken ramen (Wagamama menu)

Kaiji of anime food

15) Carnival Phantasm

Pure goated and swag Nasu Simpsons

16) Bakemonogatari (Light Novel)

Nothing but kino, Nisio Isin's prose is just as lively, infuriatingly self-indulgent and pace breaking as his dialogue, and I love it so much. Plus I actually think Araragi is more well developed here, with some neat monologues cut from the anime

17) Blade Runner 2049

Incredibly well shot with some fantastic performances, I was really invested in the plot this time around, and K was a really compelling protagonist and I adored the twist towards the end of the film. Thoroughly enjoyed it, my expectations were blown away.

18) Nier Gestalt

This is one of the most mundane to play games I've ever gone through, and I probably would have dropped it if not for the absolutely fucking stunning cast, performances, story and score. Honestly cannot recommend it enough, I'm still crying

19) Feline Fun by Mytyl

Based

20) Kizumonogatari (light novel)

Feel like absolute shite.

21) Kizumonogatari Trilogy (rewatch)

Still cool movies but I feel like the length and choices in stuff that got cut lessens the impact of a lot of it, especially in regards to Araragi's character and how he suffers through the whole plot. The final speech is still perfect though

22) Tsukihime Plus Disc

Pure kamige

God I love Type-Moon

23) Nisemonogatari (anime)

Worst season of the show by far but the dialogue is some of the best series wide and I have a soft spot for Tsukihi Phoenix

Also Kaiki and Senjougahara have some great stuff in this, and Ononoki/Kagenui getting introduced is neat

24) Nekomonogatari Black (Anime)

Forgot how good this arc is, it definitely marks a turning point in Monogatari's tone towards darker stories, and both Hanekawa and Araragi get some really interesting development. Also makes Bake and Hanekawa's character there a lot more tragic

25) The Irishman

The final 30 minutes of this are the most hollow and slowly crushing thing I've ever seen in my life holy fuck

26) Hanamonogatari (anime rewatch)

Lovely little ending to Kanbaru's arc, and one of the best arcts at conveying Monogatari's overarching message of facing reality and being an active force in your life rather than rotting away in apathy.

27) Dorohedoro

Unfortunately has a bit of a slump in quality during the second third, but the rest of the manga is fantastic, with some of the most distinct style and writing I've seen in anything. Definitely worth giving a shot for that alone, it's a real fun ride

March top 3 since I see people doing this

1) Nier Gestalt
2) Blade Runner 2049
3) The Irishman

28) Monogatari Series Second Season (rewatch)

Kaiki my MC

29) Tsukimonogatari (rewatch)

Liked this a lot more on rewatch, it does a fantastic job setting up a grimmer atmosphere for the climax of the series and shifts the focus to Araragi pretty well

Also has Koyasu so it can't be bad

30) Love Live! School Idol Project

Cute show, although I think the first season is kind of dull until the final few episodes. Second season is a lot better though and the film is so incredibly stupid it became immensely entertaining. Fun time!

31) Koyomimonogatari (rewatch)

Fun show with a lot of comfy SoL and a really good ending. Definitely nice having some downtime for the characters to just bounce off of each other, it's a really fun time

32) Bakemonogatari (second rewatch)

Bruh

33) Tales of Berseria

No words

34) 101 Dalmatians

Funny movie would be better if Cruella was an anime girl with big milky

35) There Will Be Blood

What the fuck

36) Friday the 13th

Based? Based on what?

37) Friday the 13th Part 2

Kino

38) Friday the 13th Part 3

Racism but epic

39) Friday the 13th The Final Chapter

Finally, racism is over. But at what cost...?

40) Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning

Jason died but racism lives on

41) Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Jason continues his quest against racism, the laws of mortality cannot hold him back

42) Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

Psychic powers. An immortal killer. Tense action. Suspenseful atmosphere. An amazing final fight that puts Naruto to shame.

43) Owarimonogatari (rewatch)

Two seasons that are just pure catharsis, there's so much payoff here and every arc is absolutely fantastic, I fucking love it so much

44) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Much like the previous movies but with the overtones of Heaven's Feel and a powerful message about not watching 8 Friday the 13th movies

45) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday

Fuck you

46) Kizumonogatari Trilogy (second rewatch)

Bruh

47) Zoku Owarimonogatari (rewatch)

What the fuck do I do with my life now

48) Yakuza 3

Easily my favourite in the series since 0, it's got some really good character writing although the actual plotting and some of the new Tojo characters admittedly feel pretty rushed. Has some high highs though and explores Kiryu as a character pretty well

49) The Sword in the Stone

Fun movie but it'a carried hard by Merlin, when he's not on-screen it's nowhere near as entertaining

Alos isn't that visually interesting but it's not bland enough to be a major issue or anything

50) Jason X

No words. So impactful. I truly do believe that here film as a medium has peaked, and I'm so excited to see Jason's ventures into other mediums (games, novels, manga, etc.) and become the multimedia franchise giant it deserves to be

51) Lady Bird

Fuck

52) Alice in Wonderland

Cool movie with some really imaginative visuals and sequences, the pacing is consistently brisk and it never stays too long on any one scene. Very fun time

53) Hercules

Fun movie with a great cast and some surprisingly funny dialogue. Great pacing too, it goes by in a flash. Probably my favourite one in the Disney catalogue so far

April top 3

1) Tales of Berseria
2) There Will Be Blood
3) Lady Bird

54) Nisemonogatari (light novel)

Better than the anime if only for not having to sit through its incessant visual sexualisation but it's still Nise so like

55) Mobile Suit Gundam

Despite a bit of a lull in the middle with a lot of episodes that feel like filler, this is a really fun show with some great character work with Amuro and Char. The last 10 episodes are really engaging & the climax is superb. Great start to the franchise.

56) Nisemonogatari (second rewatch)

Bruh

57) Medaka Box

Nisio Isin made a manga and it's a 10/10 I have nothing else to say here

58) Air

59) Nekomonogatari Kuro (second rewatch)

GOD FUCK WHY ISN'T BLACK HANEKAWA REAL GOD FUCKING DAMN IT I NEED THIS PLEASE I JUST NEED TO LICK HER HOT SWEATY TOES I'LL DO ANYTHING JUST MAKE HER REAL.PLEASE

60) Tarzan

Fun enough movie, it kept me fairly engaged but not much beyond that unfortunately

61) Flappy Bird

Not good

62) Shadow of the Colossus (replay of the PS4 remake)

63) It's aight and the Genie is a really fun character but I really did not care about anything that happened in this honestly

64) Tokyo Ghoul

Perfect manga

65) The Master of Disguise

this movie feels like a fake comedy flick in a psychological drama about a depressed failed comedian in a scene where he smashes in his television with a chair

66) Donnie Darko

This happened to my buddy Eric

67) Kangaroo Jack

He is so much like me it's insane