Anime of the decade:
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
This series impressed me more than the first series, Stand Alone Complex. The creators had a better idea of what to do with the series, now that they had a full season under their belt to work with. There was no great need to dwell needlessly on neat techno things, so 2nd GIG was my favorite of the two seasons.
Ergo Proxy
Let's face it; it was somewhat of a mess and disjointed. If you're going to present philosophy in anime, it's better to let the story itself do that naturally—i.e. don't throw a ton of obvious philosophy on the viewer. Nevertheless, the philosophical issues that were raised in my head (for the most part, they were never an explicit part of the anime) were enough to capture my attention. It arrived at the right time in my life; if I had seen it another year, it might not have grabbed me at all.
Read or Die (OVA)
Thus began my infatuation with Yomiko Readman. It's a simple story that doesn't pretend to be anything more than that. Yet, that's why I was hooked, and still am. If the book-enthusiast Readman were real, I'd most likely propose to her.
FLCL
Bursting into 2000, was the unimaginably odd, yet compelling, FLCL (Fooly Cooly). A coming of age story wrapped in an onionskin(s) of what's-going-on, this had to be the first truly bizarre anime that I've first seen. Few compare, especially since this had a story to go with the cuckoo-clock anime. Garish primary color schemes were no longer the sole property of '70s wallpaper.
Older anime I've first seen in the decade:
Neon Genesis Evangelion
I first saw this series in 2002, quickly followed by both films, Death & Rebirth and The End of Evangelion. I recently did a picture of Asuka for one of those challenges, so I had to browse through an episode or two to find the designs I wanted. It had been years since I've last watched this, but when I saw it again that same feeling reappeared, undiluted by time. In fact, it seemed stronger.
Cowboy Bebop
I think I first saw this in 2003? That sounds right, considering at that time it was at its height of popularity. What was not to like about this? Cool is as cool does. Even The Fonz would approve of it.
Films of the decade:
Lost in Translation
Possibly, my favorite film? I'm not sure, but it's close. It's refreshing to see someone make a film that speaks so much while literally saying so little. Those small wordless moments stick out the most, for me. Soundtrack's not bad, too! The Jesus and Mary Chain is the sound of longing and moving on.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
I watched this; and then watched it again. Was it wrong for me to laugh out loud when the Bride slices one Crazy 88 in half? It was so over-the-top, I had a big grin on my face when I first saw this.
A Beautiful Mind
A film loosely based on the life of mathematician John Nash. Even if it's not entirely faithful to his actual life, it's still a favorite of mine. I love those mathematical "insight" parts. They grasp that sudden feeling of "getting something", quite well. (Extremely random side note: anyone remember the episode of South Park, with that show "Fightin' Around the World with Russell Crow"?)
Film(s) first seen in the decade:
Audition
Released in 1999, but 2000 in other countries, this film really really disturbed me like no other horror film. I don't watch horror that much anymore, but this intrigued me enough to watch it. I still have a hard time watching this; it gets so brutal and downright disturbing after its fairly straightforward and slow opening half. John Landis himself had a hard time watching this! Still, this is how you do horror that's a cut above the usual flick.
Books released in this decade:
Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness by Daniel Dennett
Most likely one of the clearest philosophy of mind books I've ever read, apart from John Searle's work. And, he's quite the amusing guy: "Suppressing my gag reflex and my giggle reflex, here she is: Swamp Mary." Agree or disagree with his claims, it would be foolish of me to ignore his work.
New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind by Noam Chomsky
My favorite and most influential contemporary philosopher/academic. This is someone who got me interested in the study of language. It's safe to say that he's probably the opposite of Dennett, on major aspects of mind.
Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel by Rebecca Goldstein
An intellectual biography about the greatest logician of this century. I've now reached a point in my logic where I can find faults with this book (e.g. why call predicate logic "limpid logic"? We're not children!), but it left a strong and lasting enough impression on me to pursue logic even further than before. Godel is my logical hero, even if he was a strange man.
Books first read in this decade:
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future by Friedrich Nietzsche
I have the Penguin 2003 reissue, but that doesn't really count. This is the book that changed everything for me. Just taking those first steps in trying to go beyond it all isn't easy. Nietzsche's work isn't exactly the mean, grouchy stuff that the average person would think it is. Shrill at times, yes, but never shallow and vacuous. Like I said: life changing.
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein
Unusually strict and precise, but yet, something else escapes or is beyond the precision presented in this book. Mr. Wittgenstein himself was aware of that, and then moved on to other works. Here's another man who influenced my thoughts on language.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn
Who would have thought that a history of science could be so interesting? Well, a philosophical look sure helped Kuhn make his case. If you've heard the term "paradigm shift", then you're already aware of his influence.
The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
One of the best intros to modern analytic philosophy. It doesn't burden you with tons of obscure terminology, yet it gets its message across clearly. When I return to it, it always gets "smarter" with each read. Every aspiring philosopher should own this book.
TV
The Sopranos
This is cheating a bit, since it started in 1999, but it continued on well up to 2007. My favorite series by far.
The Office
One of the few shows that made me genuinely laugh time and again. Need I say more? Nah.
The Daily Show: With Jon Stewart
Again, the show started in 1996, with Stewart joining in 1999 to the present. Fake news being more influential than "real" news? I loved it the second I first watched it. Sorry Colbert, but Stewart is still tops in my book.
Music of the decade:
"Baby Cruising Love" by Perfume
A single of theirs. This is how you do a perfect pop song. It's simply the three of them singing over a simple piano line, with a dance-beat. Perfect pop single.
"Joy" by YUKI
Another perfect pop-song. How do the Japanese do it!? When I first heard this, I played it over and over.
Tyrannosaurus Hives by The Hives
Playing breakneck punk, The Hives hooked me with their hooks. Nothing really complicated about their sound, so that was a plus for me. "Walk Idiot Walk" has one of the best guitar riffs ever created in the decade of 2000-2009. I know, do you?
Riot City Blues by Primal Scream
The Scottish rock 'n' rollers returned to their more basic sound with this release, while still broadening it. "Country Girl" makes me want to dance, if I could.
Talk Amongst the Trees by Eluvium
"Taken" has to be my favorite song by Matthew Cooper, the man behind Eluvium. It's like staring into eternity—wanting to go, with a heavy heart.
The Crusade by Trivium
The very first song "Ignition" will bang your head for you if you don't. Sometimes, I just love good ol' speed metal.
Music first heard in the decade:
"Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op 15" by Johannes Brahms
So artful and well-crafted, my fingers hurt just listening to this piece. How the hell does anyone even manage to finish playing this piece? Amazing.
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols
If it weren't for Oasis, I wouldn't even have listened to these guys. When I did listen to this album, I could hear where Noel Gallagher had been influenced in his own songs. "God Save The Queen" sure is fun to play on guitar!
Internet:
100thingsilearned.com
I don't really care about other internet sites (apart from Chapters-Indigo, my favorite bookstore), even the overexposed YouTube. However, I approve of this site. I'm allowed to be the natural jerk that I am!
theOtaku.com
Last but not least, this site. I joined with my original name back in 2003, deleted it and started over in 2006. If I'm not here, I'm nowhere, really. The ups and downs were fun and frustrating. For all that, I've stayed here, and probably will for some time (even if I'm now a failure of an otaku). Most importantly, I've met some fine people here! Without all of you—yes, all of you—this site would have been merely a passing memory for me. Let's see who else is in with me for the long run, eh?
And that's it. As you can see, I watched very little TV and read lots of books (that section alone could have taken up the entire post). Now that I've taken up most your valuable time, go have fun with the remains of the decade. Happy New Years, all of you!
