@Shinmaru:

It just occurred to me that it kind of sounds like a knockoff Disney flick from the early '80s: Iggy Goes Bananas: Down Under!

@:

Enjoy your New Years as well, my fellow artist/friend!

You know, I think we need fireworks or some sort of explosive in our gifts selection for New Years. Does cake explode?

@:

When I think of it, it's almost hard to believe that it's been that long ago when I first watched something. For me, time sure flew fast this decade.

Well, we can hope for a better decade ahead of us, because, really, this past one wasn't exactly the best decade ever. It wasn't all bad, sure, but it was lacking in places. Anyways, here's to the new decade!

One more thing: 2009 was the year I got the nickname "Plural", and you became "Wesley". Ah, good times.

@bellpickle:

I made the mistake of eating chili dogs when first watching it. Never again.

@Shinmaru:

That always bothered me about Ergo Proxy, the feeling of being explicitly overburdened with abstruse philosophy. Some episodes just fell apart because of it. Still, the one you refer to is a fine example of getting it right. If they had done more episodes like that, I think it could have been a greater series.

@TimeChaser:

I think I could also add Akira to the list, but I'm not entirely sure if I saw this at the tail end of 1999 or early 2000.

I'm also wondering if for the ones that were released in this decade (2000-up) I should have added Spirited Away. That's my favorite of Miyazaki's films. Consider this an honorary mention!

Interestingly, I saw the ending of Audition with one of my younger cousins. When I told her I was surprised she managed to sit through the whole thing, she replied, "I haven't seen worse." :P

I didn't pay homage to FLCL, but I figured someone else should. Along with Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, that OVA really reignited my love of anime. (I didn't count Cowboy Bebop as a 2000s anime, but it's so connected with this decade that I really don't have a problem with those who do.)

Your problem with Ergo Proxy is the same I have, although I guess it affected my enjoyment to a far greater extent, haha. I still do like it overall, especially for episodes like ep13 (the one where Iggy goes berserk and dies) when the philosophy meshes perfectly with the story. One of my big pet peeves is when writing lets good ideas become too big and overcome the execution of the work. It's fine to have big ideas and challenge people, but making a show of it at the expense of the story is something that always bothered me.

I'm a big fan of Lost in Translation, too, and that Jesus and Mary Chain at the end of the movie -- "Just Like Honey" -- is, I think, a perfect pop song.

If I were to include things I first saw in this decade that are older, I would have added You're Under Arrest!, cuz it was such a fun series to watch.