Best of the Decade! (2000-2010)

[GlassAdam]

People seem to enjoy the Best of the Year threads, so I've decided to do one more this year while simultaneously upping the stakes like a total badass. Behold: Best of the Decade*!

This thread is similar to the annual thread in that you choose your favorite example of each category of media-- movies, books (or comics/manga), music (song or album or band), game, television show, and anime-- but instead of picking from just one year, you pick from the entire decade*!

Pick one winner for each category, and as always you may post a couple runners-up if you wish. Try to use at least 4 categories, and feel free to go with all six. And remember the main rule: the movie, book, music, game, show, or anime you choose for each category doesn't have to actually be from the last decade, you just have to have seen, read, heard, or played it for the first time during that time period, Jan 1st 2000-Dec 31st 2010. So, for example, I could say that the best movie I saw in the last 10 years was Fight Club, but only if I had never seen Fight Club prior to the 2000-2010 time period. Easy, right?

Also, feel free to discuss and argue about peoples' picks. I'll go first (click on pics for links):

BEST OF THE LAST DECADE (2000-2010)

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g306/glassadam/decademovie.png (http://youtu.be/gbPUiaRnQkU)http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g306/glassadam/decadebook.png (http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781400063833)http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g306/glassadam/decademusic.png (http://www.youtube.com/modestmousevevo)http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g306/glassadam/decadegame.png (http://www.shenmuedojo.net/)

*Yes, I realize that the decade has been done with for over a year, and that this thread actually includes 11 years, but whatever.

[Grand_OoF]

...There is absolutely no way I can narrow down my favorites for an entire decade. I had a hard time doing it for a year.

[GlassAdam]

I dunno, I can't be the only one who has fun ranking things in their head while doing other stuff. Picking favorites is no problem for me. You should give it a shot!

[LeftyCap]

Shenmue? Best game of the decade? That...is...BRILLIANT! It's nice to know another person out there holds Shenmue in such high regard.

[ChukoLiang]

Best Game:

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Yes, 3 is more addictive and has better gameplay, and yes, 2 is more liked among people here because it's not as difficult, but dammit, I prefer Disgaea 1. The story above all else makes it stand apart, but combined with the gameplay (some aspects of which make it preferable to other games in the series in my opinion) it is an excellent and truly amazing entry in the world of gaming.

runners-up: Persona 3: FES, Final Fantasy IX, Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action

Book:

Without Remorse, by Tom Clancy, is a book I waited eight years to read. I started reading Clancy books when I was 10, and around that time I noticed the most torn up book we had (And we had all of them at the time) was Without Remorse. However, I was told I couldn't read it until I was 18. One month after my 18th birthday:

"So, Dad, where's that book?"

SO worth the wait. John Clark > any video game character.

Movies:

The Dark Knight. Period. Enough said. There are no runners-up, there are no second places, it's The Dark Knight and nothing else in my book.

Best Music:

Dwelling of Duels (http://www.dod.bossies.org/).

Now I must say, I DO love The Decemberists, but as far as sheer quality and volume go, DoD takes the cake. Hundreds of awesome songs in all different games.

Runners-up: The Decemberists, Gin Blossoms, Nobuo Uematsu's work

Anime:

Cowboy Bebop. The music and visuals combine to make...you know what, just watch it if you haven't. But I'm sure you most likely have.

runners-up: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

[Umbrae]

Just so you know:

http://www.foxkei.com/imgupload/imgs/bwy1294288514o.jpg

P.S. nobody reads those fine-prints.

[GlassAdam]

Dear Hombre, I guess you must have missed the asterisks pointing to the fine print at the bottom of the original post stating that yes, I know the decade was 2000-2009 etc etc... It's okay, the fine print is, uh, small and easily missable. :)

Now, to business: what were your favorites of the decade (+ bonus year)?

[SmashBro]

Dear Hombre, I guess you must have missed the asterisks pointing to the fine print at the bottom of the original post stating that yes, I know the decade was 2000-2009 etc etc... It's okay, the fine print is, uh, small and easily missable. :)

Now, to business: what were your favorites of the decade (+ bonus year)?

Books: A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Games: Super Smash Bros. Melee by Nintendo
anime: Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli
movie: Gattaca
music: Super Smash Bros. Melee soundtrack/ Super Smash Bros. Brawl soundtrack

[Grand_OoF]

Well GlassAdam…it wasn’t easy. Far from it in fact. But I thought really hard about it and I narrowed down my top picks for this decade (and the last year).
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MOVIE:

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005, Disney/Walden Media)
This may seem like an odd choice to some of you, particularly since Disney not-so-subtly ripped off elements from the LotR movies. But you need to understand a few things. The Chronicles of Narnia…specifically, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was one of my childhood favorites. Unequivocally. I loved that book and anything associated with it, and even as I’ve grown older and my tastes have matured, I STILL love the book, often for even MORE reasons. So seeing it be realized on the big screen was just a treat, especially since it was done so well. The casting, effects and its ability to capture that magic and faith that made me love the books was something of a dream come true I suppose. The other two movies were great in my humble opinion too, but this was the first one and I still feel it’s the best of the series.

RUNNER-UP:

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The Hurt Locker (2008, Summit Entertainment)
Unfortunately, the war with the Middle East has helped define the last decade in terms of foreign affairs and US politics. And there have been a lot of movies reflecting this obvious fact, often being played from one side of the political aisle or the other. OR, they’re just mindless action movies with a relevant setting. The Hurt Locker, on the other hand, didn’t really seem to offer any political opinion except the one you wanted to interpret and it was in general a really exciting film. With a great cast of characters and a more realistic, gritty portrayal of the war and the US armed forces, I couldn’t help but love this movie, and I was so pleased that it knocked Avatar out of the way for several Academy Awards.

Honorable mentions: Batman Begins, Wall-E, Spider-Man, The Incredibles, 3:10 to Yuma (remake), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Toy Story 3, Up, Where the Wild Things Are, Hulk, The Prestige, Inception, The Dark Knight, Gran Torino, The Passion of the Christ, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian/The Voyage of Dawn Treader

MUSIC:

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Rascal Flatts - Bless the Broken Road (2004, Country)
In truth, I’m not the biggest Country fan. I like Country, but believe me I wouldn’t pass any Country trivia contests any time soon. So why like this song? Because for me to REALLY like a song (certainly to call it my favorite for an entire decade), it has to have some sort of significant personal meaning, it has to be special in some way. And although it is now tangled in sad memories and I can never listen to it again (unless you want me to start bawling), there’s some real significance to me for this song now. More so then probably any other song I’ve listened to in the last 10 years. It’s a great song anyway, but it will always be special to me because of memories of someone special who meant the world to me for one wonderful time.

RUNNER-UP:

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The Heavy - How You Like Me Now (2009, Indie Rock/Neo Soul)
The other song with great significance (or at least that comes off the top of my head) is this. Grant you, it’s a great song anyway. In fact, the whole album is. But this song is special to me for a number of reasons. Primarily being that it was something that my brother and I, who were both struggling with some difficult periods in our lives, bonded through and over, on account of its lyrics and our general love for it. And so to me that makes it special.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World soundtrack, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Soundtrack, Switchfoot - Mess of Me, MuteMath - Backfire, Relient K- High of 75, Skillet – Rebirthing, Daft Punk – Da Funk, Metallica – No Leaf Clover, Evanesence – Bring Me To Life, The Beatles – Hey Jude, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald – They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Fanfarlo – Harold T. Wilkins, Owl City – Fireflies, Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow, Staind – Could it Be

BOOKS:

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (1968, Philip K. Dick)
Okay, so it’s KINDA cheating since it is in fact several decades old. But I only read it a few years ago and that counts.

Anyway, I more or less loathed the majority of required reading I had to do throughout college, but this, one, single, solitary book is the LONE exception. I love it to pieces. Love it. I even kept it at the end of the semester (and not because I had to since they wouldn’t take it or offered no money, like I did with some of my text books). Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was asking the philosophical question that Ghost in the Shell and Armitage III and other sci-fis like it have only bothered to present in recent years.

What is it that makes a man a man? What IS human?

And it does so in such brilliant way. The writing is enjoyable and snappy, without getting too bogged down in itself. It doesn’t feel pretentious or anything like that at all. It was a great read and I’d do it again in a heart beat. Unlike that awful film adaptation Blade Runner that I can’t even stay awake through.

RUNNER-UP:

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American Gods (2001, Neil Gaiman)
It was a bit of a toss up between this and Anansi Boys, but I ultimately feel that this was probably one more deserving because it DID get me back into my feverous love of reading that my four years at university nearly killed entirely. I seriously had a difficult time putting this book down. It was just fantastic. I don’t think I need to elaborate any further then that, do I?

Honorable Mentions: The Bible (because I used and gained so much from it in the last six years or so especially), The Shack, Cyrano de Bergerac, Frankenstein, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Anansi Boys, Vampire Hunter D: Vol. 1, Chronicles of Narnia, Grapes of Wrath, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Atlantis Found, Sphere

GAMES:

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Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Nintendo/Sora)
I’ve loved Smash Bros. from the beginning, when it was a budget game that Nintendo and Hal basically did for a laugh. But Melee was by and far a better game then it. And while I’m probably going to incite the debate of some, I would happily argue that Brawl is the best in the series. Period. It has a grander-scope, an improved one player experience, more characters (including Solid Snake and Sonic), better graphics, better music and, like Melee before it, is still played often by my friends and I at parties. It fixed all the annoying glitches that were often exploited in Melee and it added several new interesting mechanics, the biggest being the Final Smash. It was an excellent game and the sort of sequel I’d want. Now if they’d just make a portable one already…

RUNNER-UP:

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Shadow of the Colossus (2005, Sony/Team Ico)
Although I’ve still only played through the game once, I still find myself often coming back to it when someone asks me “I just got a Playstation 2. What games should I get for it?” It’s also one of the few instances I’ll hold up a game and call it art. It’s still beautiful in the traditional terms of art, but it also has a masterful premise in terms of gameplay that is just a blast, not to mention it avoids the pitfalls of other “artsy” games and never came off as pretentious or boring in an effort to prove how artsy it was, which in my opinion some "artsy" games have a bad habit of doing. Shadow of the Colossus was a little weak in the story department I suppose, but that might simply be I never had the pleasure to play Ico and missed some of the parallels. Plus, the story was still good. Just weaker then all the other great elements. It was a tough call but Shadow of the Colossus is an excellent game.

Honorable Mentions: God Hand, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Chrono Trigger (DS), Chrono Cross, The World Ends with You, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Sonic Colors, Epic Mickey, Spider-Man (2000), Super Mario Galaxy, Final Fantasy IX, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, Castle Crashers, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Viewtiful Joe, BioShock, Pokemon Silver, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Sonic Rush, Fallout 3, Klonoa, Kingdom Hearts 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Psychonauts, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Pikmin, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Dark Lord, Eternal Darkness, Drill Dozer, Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure, Okami, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

TV:

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Jericho (2006, CBS)
Let’s not kid ourselves here. Post-apocalyptic visions of the future are a dime a dozen. They’ve been playing that song since at least the thirties, and they’ve been playing the nuclear remake of it since the mid fifties or sixties.

So here’s a few potentially more relevant questions. How would you handle yourself of a nuclear bomb went off in the nearest big city today? What would you do if electricity went out and all your gizmos suddenly died? How would you defend yourself? How would you get food…or better yet, keep it from spoiling?

Jericho was a sadly short lived show which answered such questions that I didn’t even watch until last year. But I love it. LOVE IT. I only wish I could say I actually saw it on TV. Jericho had a fantastic cast of characters you actually cared about and dealt with the realities of a nuclear attack on the United States in a realistic and exciting way. More over, it takes place in small town Kansas, a set that most other TV shows probably wouldn’t bother with. They weren’t affected by the immediate blast, but boy were they saddled with a lot of consequences. A great mix of drama, political intrigue and even a little comedy every now and then, Jericho easily…EASILY…is my favorite TV show of the last decade.

RUNNER-UP:

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Dirty Jobs (2003, Discovery Channel)
In truth, it’s sort of hard to decide between this or Mythbusters. I’ve watched them both for about the same amount of time, I love them both dearly, and Mythbusters has Kari Byron (hot) while Dirty Jobs has Mike Rowe (awesome).

Mike and his show win the day however because, to be honest, the subject matter is more interesting to me. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Mythbusters is awesome. It’s a cool premise and it’s usually a blast to watch. But Dirty Jobs holds more interest to me because here’s a guy who gets down and dirty with average joes and does the sort of jobs I’m happy to admit I’m typically too overqualified to do, but are typically important to keeping our society up and running. Plus, as nice as Jamie and Adam (and Kari) are, Mike is way more entertaining. There’s a reason the guy is now a spokesperson for a number of companies and they aren’t. He just seems like a genuinely great guy.

Honorable Mentions: Mythbusters, Beast Machines, 24, The Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Pushing Daisies, Adventure Time, Batman Beyond, Burn Notice, Monk, Pawn Stars, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, The Venture Bros., King of the Hill, Everyone Loves Raymond, The Walking Dead, Heroes (season 1), South Park, Chowder

ANIME:

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One Piece (1999, Various (currently FUNImation))
Because of all the anime I’ve seen since the start of this decade, there isn’t one I’ve spent as much money on then One Piece. I went out and bought season one TWICE. Once as a bootleg import copy, and then again when FUNI started releasing their version.

I have One Piece posters, figures, wall scrolls, video games and as many of the movies I could get me hands on.

In case it wasn’t obvious, I LOVE this anime. LOVE IT. Even with its occasional stupid fillers or less interesting arcs, it’s still my favorite anime ever and by and far (in my opinion) the best shonen ever made.

But I’ll touch on that more in a second…

RUNNER-UP:

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Monster (2004, Viz Media)
Monster was introduced to me with much trepidation by my anime expert friend around 2006 or so. He’d been bugging me about it for at least a year but I just sort of shrugged it off. Truthfully, I was tired of anime (that wasn’t One Piece or something I had grown up with) at this point. It all just felt the same. And it all felt highly devoid of creativity or substance to me. Plus, I was growing tired of the fan base. I was done with anime. Still am, honestly. But finally, after much prodding, my friend more or less forced me to watch this with him.

…And I was hooked.

It felt so much different then all the anime I had seen up until that point. It was mostly realistic, even in its style (though the characters still had the traditional big eyes). It didn’t take place in the usual spots. It felt different. It was intense and frightening and engaging and smart and I couldn’t help but love it. I’m still eating my friend’s words for doubting him, but that’s a small price to pay. Monster is absolutely a joy and I love it with a passion.

Honorable Mentions: Welcome to the NHK!, Tekkaman Blade, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist, Escaflowne, Vandread, Armitage III, Spirited Away, Lupin III, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, Ponyo, Porco Rosso, Digimon (seasons 1-4), Hellsing, Berserk, Voices of a Distant Star, Ah! My Goddess the movie, Oh! My Goddess (OVA), Cromartie High School, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Heroman, Detroit Metal City, Paranoia Agent

COMICS:

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Sentinel (2003, Marvel/UDON)
I had more or less stopped reading comics. The last time I was actively involved with comics was the Onslaught saga. After that ended…I just stopped reading. Was it lack of interest? My continually growing interest in video games and anime? Just because I was growing up? I don’t know. I still don’t. But I had lost interest in comics and I had no intention of going back. Then, one day, I was out visiting a friend in Massachusetts and we were spending some hard earned cash in a Newbury Comics, presumably on figures or CDs.

On a whim I was in the actual comic book part of the store and I saw the book. It was part of a promotional trick of course. Marvel hoped to reach me with it’s big, colorful anime cover. And it worked like a charm. What was with this boy on the cover? Why did he have a broken Sentinel holding him up? Did he control it? Was he a mutant? I didn’t know, but now my comic book geek and my anime geek collided and they wouldn’t be appeased until I found out the answers. So I bought the first issue and the next two in line (making specific note to get the third issue, as it had the cute girl with the short skirt on it). And that’s how it all started.

Udon’s art was fantastic. It was everything an anime nerd like me could have hoped for. But more then that, I loved the story. It was disconnected from pretty much everything else (save the titular Sentinel) from the Marvel universe. The characters instantly clicked with me, being outcasts of their own and struggling with all the dramas and dangers of public school (something I was more then familiar with). They were likeable and Sean McKeever did a number of things that I personally hadn’t seen a comic do before…At least not Marvel.

I made sure I bought every single issue for the series’ tragically short 12 issue run. And when it’s sequel, 5 issue, limited series was released in 2005 (when I was in college), I tried as hard as I could to grab every issue of that too (I sadly missed one…and I can’t seem to find it anywhere). It reignited my love for comics and for that Sentinel receives the number one spot.

RUNNER-UP:

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Creature Tech (2003, Top Shelf Productions)
I only discovered about a year or so ago what actually happened to Doug TenNaple, the beloved creator of Earthworm Jim and The Neverhood. He does comics now? Huh. This required investigation. I started off with his work Iron West, which involved a con man working his best to fight off a band of robot cowboys (with the assistance of the local sheriff, an Indian chief, the local call girl (and his love interest), Sasquatch and a bunch of robot Indians). I loved every page of it. So I figured I’d keep going. Which is how I stumbled upon Creature Tech.

Religion, it seems, is one of those things that creators tend to shy away from in mainstream comics these days. Don’t want to step on their audience’s toes and what not. OR, when it is a focus, it typically isn’t done in way that is engaging, but usually just as a bullet note, a back drop or a punch-line (please consult Garth Ennis). And as a Christian, that can sometimes make the comic scene…kinda lonely. Then came Creature Tech, which was about a guy working in a secret government agency. The main character wasn’t a Christian from the get-go of our story. In fact, he had denounced his faith and was now a staunch Athiest. But he wasn’t a BAD person nor was he by any means stupid. He just had lost his faith.

The story that followed, aside from being a funny, fun, sci-fi, action romp, also dealt with his own personal convictions and struggles that ultimately lead to a renewal of himself. This was clearly a comic written by a Christian with a Christian message, but it didn’t really beat you over the head with its values and if you had no knowledge of Christianity, chances are it would go right over your head. And I loved that attempt to appeal to both sides. Creature Tech was definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I had read in the last several years.

Honorable Mentions: Sharknife, Atomic Robo, Mouse Guard, Fables, She-Hulks, The Sandman, Spectacular/Amazing Spider-Man, New X-Men (specifically Grant Morrison’s run), Ultimate Spider-Man, Batman Incorporated, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, Will Eisner’s The Spirit, Scud the Disposable Assassin, Street Fighter, Agent X, The Maxx, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, Captain America: The Chosen, Black Cherry, Tommysaurus Rex, Secret Avengers, Bone, Steam Punk

MANGA:

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One Piece (1997, Viz Media)
I.LOVE.ONE PIECE.

No, I don’t think you understand. This thing has managed to hold my attention for nearly 10 years. 10. YEARS. That in and of itself is a worthy feat. I read the manga before I saw the anime, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I willingly went out and bought One Piece DVDs I already owned just so I could continue to support One Piece. I’m even debating going out and buying manga I’ve already read for entirely the same purpose. That’s how much I love it. My personal belief scale goes “God and family in first, friends in second, ONE PIECE IN THIRD”.

Why do I love One Piece so much? It often falls into similar trappings of other shonen manga. It has characters who get increasingly more powerful and fight similarly tougher villains. It has moments of long winded explanations with little action, which means it’ll drag from time to time. So what’s so special about it?

I guess if I HAVE to sum it up…EVERYTHING. The art was and continues to be pretty much like nothing else out there. I know it’s put some people off because “it looks cartoony/weird”, but I say screw those people and their wide eyed, bubble gum anime. I WANT something different. But even beyond the art, One Piece is like no other manga I’ve read. It will literally do 180s from “off the wall, goofiness” to “super intense drama” in 4 seconds flat and it does it without missing a beat. The majority of characters aren’t super tough guys. In fact, with the exception of Zoro, I’d probably say none of them are. They have flaws and weaknesses and dreams and likes and they’re by and far more fleshed out then anything in any manga similar to it…or even other mangas in general. They’re also all entirely likable. I’m still not sure who I would say is my favorite crew member, because I like them all so much. And above anything else, it’s One Piece's attention to minuet details I typically miss that come back many chapters later and play huge roles.

I love One Piece. I don’t think there’s anything left to say.

RUNNER-UP:

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Eyeshield 21 (2005, Viz Media)
Listen, I like football, but I’m not really a huge fan. Stats, the majority of players, internal politics…whatever. I have teams I root for and certain players I like (or don’t like) and that’s it. That and cheer leaders.

But Eyeshield 21 managed to make the rest of the game’s aspects entirely interesting to me. And I think it’s because in a lot of ways, it reminds me of One Piece. It has a core cast, trying to be the best and achieve their dreams, picking up new and colorful allies along the way. I guess lots of shonen follow that map, but Eyeshield has a lot of heart and some surprising depth for a manga about American Football. The art is really good too, even if it does sort of step in line with the “traditional anime style”. It’s just a fun book that I’ve really come to enjoy. Sadly, I can’t seem to freaking find volume 7 anywhere, but I still re-read those first six volumes in the mean time because they’re just fantastic

Honorable Mentions: King of Bandit Jing, Hellsing, Tuxedo Gin, Love Hina, A.I. Love You, Oh! My Goddess, Ragnarok (technically a Manwha, but whatever, work with me here), Cannon God Exaxxion, Shaman King, Chrono Crusade

[GlassAdam]

Jericho was pretty great. I never saw the whole run but watched maybe the first few episodes and wikipedia'd the rest. I'd like to watch the whole series if it ever comes to Netflix Instant.

Never heard of Sentinel before but it sounds great. Especially the Udon artwork. I'll have to consider trying to track it down. Does it come in a trade?

[ChukoLiang]

American Gods is indeed badass. I personally think that Shadow is one of the more detailed and interesting characters I've ever read.

[SmashBro]

GAMES:

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Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Nintendo/Sora)
I’ve loved Smash Bros. from the beginning, when it was a budget game that Nintendo and Hal basically did for a laugh. But Melee was by and far a better game then it. And while I’m probably going to incite the debate of some, I would happily argue that Brawl is the best in the series. Period. It has a grander-scope, an improved one player experience, more characters (including Solid Snake and Sonic), better graphics, better music and, like Melee before it, is still played often by my friends and I at parties. It fixed all the annoying glitches that were often exploited in Melee and it added several new interesting mechanics, the biggest being the Final Smash. It was an excellent game and the sort of sequel I’d want. Now if they’d just make a portable one already…


It's true that Brawl is technically better than Melee in every which possible way, but I played Melee with my friends, while I played Brawl with strangers. By the time Brawl came, my friends had moved on with life. And I disowned them for not playing Brawl with me.

[Grand_OoF]

Jericho was pretty great. I never saw the whole run but watched maybe the first few episodes and wikipedia'd the rest. I'd like to watch the whole series if it ever comes to Netflix Instant.

Never heard of Sentinel before but it sounds great. Especially the Udon artwork. I'll have to consider trying to track it down. Does it come in a trade?

I had the benefit of watching the series on DVD, since my oldest brother got my dad hooked and he immediately went out and grabbed the series. I wouldn't mind if it got onto Netflix Instant Stream either, but if you get the chance I HIGHLY recommend you grab it before that. It was such a great show.

And yes, go read Sentinel. It is great. And yes, it does come in three trade paper backs. I think they're even only about $10.00 each, since they're done in a "manga" like format. I haven't seen them in stores, but I bet you could easily find them online.

As a warning though, the art in Sentinel jumps around a bit. Issues 1 and 2 start out good, but are a little crude. When issue three comes around and for the remainder of the series, the art gets awesome. The next (and so far final) series continues this trend up until about the last issue, when the art style changes drastically. A change I didn't care for. But it was only one issue (as far as I know) so it wasn't a huge deal.

American Gods is indeed badass. I personally think that Shadow is one of the more detailed and interesting characters I've ever read.

Shadow was a great character. He definitely made the events more interesting since I cared about his well-being. But just in premise alone...new Gods created through modern society versus the old Gods, was such a great idea.

I'm assuming you probably already have, but look into his other stuff too. As I said, Anansi Boys was a great read too. It was hillarious.

It's true that Brawl is technically better than Melee in every which possible way, but I played Melee with my friends, while I played Brawl with strangers. By the time Brawl came, my friends had moved on with life. And I disowned them for not playing Brawl with me.

Well, that's a reasonable enough motivation to like Melee more. In fact, if I had only played Brawl by myself or with strangers...I'd probably agree. Smash Bros., as my friend put it, is the kind of game you really need to be in the same room with the person with.

Also, those friends are lame.

[Fedaykin]

Books: A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Games: Super Smash Bros. Melee by Nintendo
anime: Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli
movie: Gattaca
music: Super Smash Bros. Melee soundtrack/ Super Smash Bros. Brawl soundtrack

Dude. We almost coincided with two of the categories :)

My list:


Game:

-Super Smash Bros: Melee

--Runner up: Shadow of the Colossus


Movie:

-2001: A Space Odyssey

--Runner up: Akira


Anime:

-Cowboy Bebop


Book:

-A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

--VERY close Runner Up: The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien


Music:

Hard to choose here, but I'm going with...

-A Saucerful of Secrets by Pink Floyd. Just for 'Set the controls for the heart of the sun' amazing song.


That's my modest list.

[SnakeEyez]

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestVideoGame.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=56P3-TwuRBo)
When the original Super Smash Bros. was released on the N64, it seemed like the best video game idea ever. Twelve of Nintendo's most popular characters duking it out in a star-studded fighting game? Awesome! What more could you ask for? How about a crapload of new characters, new stages, improved controls, better music, better graphics, and new modes of play? Super Smash Bros. Melee promised all of these things, and it delivered in spades. I love Melee and I played it to death for years after it was released. Years, I tell you. It still remains one of the best games in my collection -- even after the release of the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Objectively, Brawl is the better game, but from the standpoint of "Which game has given me more enjoyment?" Melee is the clear winner. No other game from the last 10 years has captured my attention and entertained me more than Super Smash Bros. Melee.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestVideoGame2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=7mUTQKMRLYQ)
Simply put, Persona 4 is a masterpiece. Everything about it is amazing. It tells the story of a small town in Japan plagued by a string of bizarre murders. A group of high school students band together to solve the mystery, and in the process, they uncover a strange and mysterious parallel universe that holds the answers to all their questions. By day, protagonist Seta Souji goes to school, makes new friends, does his homework, and does everything you would expect a normal teenager to do -- but by night, he and his friends turn into crime-fighting, dungeon-crawling detectives battling monsters and uncovering clues that will lead them closer to the truth. It's a dungeon crawler, a dating simulator, and a story-driven mystery game all rolled into one incredible package. Persona 4 is an incredible game from beginning to end.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestBook.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse_five)
God bless you, Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five is a wild roller coaster of a book that is quite unlike anything I've ever read before. It follows the story of mild-mannered Billy Pilgrim, a completely ordinary and unspectacular man who somehow becomes unstuck in time. The story is a jumbled and disjointed mess. We bounce through Billy's entire lifetime from place to place with no real rhyme or reason. By the time, you're done, nothing is resolved, nothing makes sense, and the biggest question on your mind is "What the hell did I just read?" And that's the beauty of it: Slaughterhouse-Five is a mystery. It is everything and nothing. It is important and it is meaningless. Its significance is based entirely on what you want to get out of it. No two people will read this book and regard it in quite the same way. And since it's relatively short (215 pages in fairly large font), you can get through it in a weekend. I've read Slaughterhouse-Five at least half a dozen times over the years, and I pick up on something completely new each time. I love this book.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestBook2.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22)
Catch-22 is a wacky, zany, off-the-wall adventure that straddles the line between sanity and insanity. The story follows Yossarian, a World War II fighter pilot who hates violence and is absolutely desperate to get out of the army before he's killed. His situation coined the "Catch 22" situation that has become ingrained in our culture over the years: The only way for Yossarian to be relieved of his duties in the army is to prove that he's crazy, but if he shows that he's crazy, he's kept in the army because only a sane man would want to get out it. Either way, he loses. The writing style, as one critic put it, is reminiscent of author Joseph Heller standing over the book and shouting the words onto the page. The story shifts from light-hearted silliness to dead serious in the span of a paragraph. It's an amazing literary journey like no other.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestMovie.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=7zgHGXKp56Y)
This one surprised me a little. I'm actually not a big fan of movies in general. I'm just not much of a movie guy, I guess. If you were to ask me to name 10 movies I like, I'd really have to think hard to come up with that many. So when it came time to pick my favorite movie of the decade, I had a tough time picking one. Eventually I asked myself, "What are some movies that you can watch over and over again without getting tired of them?" I pondered and pondered and was left with two prominent choices: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (which I saw for the first time in the 90's, so it's ineligible here) and The Emperor's New Groove. I could never get tired of this movie. It's so funny and so entertaining that it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside even though I've already seen it a dozen times. I love the characters, the animation, the humor, the plot, the setting, the music...pretty much everything. I cannot think of a single thing that I dislike about The Emperor's New Groove.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestMovie2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=CLDSE7RHvno)
Inception is brilliant. That's really the best word I can think of to describe it -- "Brilliant." It is, without question, the most cerebral and thought-provoking movie I have ever seen. It's not a movie that you can just sit back and watch, no no. You have to think about what you're watching. You have to pay attention, pick apart the details, form your own theories, see through the lies, and uncover the truths within. You become a part of the movie. Your involvement is just as important as the involvement of all the characters on the screen. No other movie I've ever seen demands this much from the viewer. It's magnificent.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestTVShow.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=CTxkxG3DF4k)
This category was definitely the easiest to choose. Whose Line Is It Anyway is the funniest show in the history of television -- period. I have never watched any other show that has made me laugh as much as WLIIA. If you're unfamiliar with it, the premise is simple: Drew Carey, Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and a collection of other extremely funny comedians all gather together to play improv games for half an hour. That's all there is to it. The humor is completely unscripted, which makes it all the more entertaining. Every single episode has several moments that are funny enough to make me bust out laughing. I never get tired of browsing YouTube for old WLIIA clips. They are still funny even after all this time.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestTVShow2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=Dd4f7hR3F7s)
First things first: screw the inferior American version. It sucks. I'm talking about the OG Japanese Iron Chef here. This show was an enduring weekend staple during my high school years. The whole family would gather around the TV, flip to Food Network, and watch the latest episode of Iron Chef before we went to bed. Everything about the original Iron Chef was just so dramatic and over-the-top that it was difficult not to love it. Every week, an aspiring chef would step into the vaunted Kitchen Stadium to battle one of the mighty Iron Chefs and prove that their cuisine reigns supreme. Each episode was a fast and furious cooking competition where the challenger and the Iron Chef would have one hour to plan and cook a multi-course meal using a mystery ingredient. The judges would then sample the dishes, score both chefs, and decide upon a winner. They tried (and failed) to recreate the magic with an American version, but Iron Chef Japan will always be the king of the culinary world.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestAnime.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/show/gurrenlagann)
Awesome show. Simply awesome. Every episode puts me on the edge of my seat with its over-the-top mech battles. No other anime has ever made me want to stand up and cheer as frequently as Gurren Lagann. featuring a colorful cast of memorable characters, gorgeous animation, exciting action, a deep and engaging plot, and a metric shit-ton of charm and personality, Gurren Lagann has everything you could ever want from an anime show. It starts off as a simple story of a boy named Simon who wants to grow up and be as incredible as his "big brother" Kamina, and the whole thing just escalates and gets bigger and bigger from there. By the time we reach the final episode, the fate of the entire universe is at stake as the forces of good and evil clash in an intergalactic war over reality itself. Every episode of Gurren Lagann is a rush of adrenaline injected directly into the part of your brain that processes awesomeness.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestAnime2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=XcdIsC9vYr8)
It's easy to glance at Witchblade and dismiss it as a shallow, fanservicey, generic action anime about hot chicks fighting each other in skimpy outfits. You're barely even scratching the surface, though. Look deeper than that and you'll find that Witchblade is a character-driven narrative propelled by an involving and evocative story. A cataclysmic disaster has wiped out a huge portion of Tokyo, leaving protagonist Masane Amaha with a baby clutched in her arms and no memory of her life prior to the event. All she knows is that she has to protect that baby -- her daughter, Rihoko. She later discovers that she is the unwilling wielder of the Witchblade, a legendary weapon bestowed upon only Earth's mightiest warrior. Masane uses the power of the Witchblade to protect Rihoko and drive away the sinister forces that seek to tear them apart. Amidst all the action and the flashiness, Witchblade is an endearing story about a mother who will do anything to protect her daughter. The bond between Masane and Rihoko is deeper than words can describe, and it is truly emotional to see them endure so much just so they can be together. Witchblade is the only anime I have ever watched that has made me cry not once, but twice. It starts off slowly, but once you get to the midway point, Witchblade really becomes something special.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestSong.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=r9PRFHFWiDQ)
The Merciless Savior is a music track from a video game called Legend of Heroes VI. I have no idea what the game is about, nor do I know the context in which this song is used. However, that information is irrelevant. All I know is that The Merciless Savior is an incredible piece of music that commanded my attention the moment I heard it. Even if you aren't a fan of video game music, I urge you to drop whatever you're doing, pause whatever music you're listening to right now, click the picture just above this paragraph, and listen to this incredible piece of music right now. The word "epic" gets thrown around entirely too frequently on the Internet, but that is the best word I can use to describe this track. The Merciless Savior is epic. It is an incredible musical journey that makes you feel like you're listening to a grand adventure right as it unfolds. The chorus from 1:55 to 2:45 is by far my favorite portion of any song ever. I never get tired of listening to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/SnakeEyez8/BestSong2.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/?v=BLymLj6kIXM)
Have you listened to The Merciless Savior yet? If not, stop right here and go do that before you read the rest of this paragraph. I mean it. If you're still reading, I assume that means you've experienced the awesomeness of my favorite piece of music. Idola the Strange Fruits is a close second to The Merciless Savior. It may have a weird title ("Idola the strange Fruits"? What the crap does that mean?), but the song itself is remarkable. It's the music that plays during the final dungeon of Phantasy Star Online, and I think it's just incredible. It flows so well from beginning to end. Those short pauses with nothing but a few piano notes really help to set the pace of the music and prepare you for the next wave of melodic awesomeness. Silly name aside, Idola the Strange Fruits is a fantastic piece of music.

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[UmberHulk]

A decade isnt eleven years long...

Best Game: Halflife 2. Runner up Civ 4.
Best Movie: Fellowship of the Ring and Casino Royale and everything Chris Nolan made. And Jesse James. I kind of blend my favorite movies together and don't really rank them at a certain point. I dunno. But The Assassination of Jesse James is relatively obscure, so I'd just like to say that its awesome and you should watch it.
Best Show: The Shield
Best Anime: Baccano!
Best Book: A Storm of Swords/Goblet of Fire/Gardens of the Moon

[GlassAdam]

A decade isnt eleven years long...



I know buddy, and I mentioned that in a footnote in the original post waaaaaay back when I made it. But thanks for trying.

[UmberHulk]

Edit the post.

Just make it 2001 - 2010, since even though pop culture has 10 being the first year of the decade, there was no year zero so that should be changed.

2000 was a bad year any way.

[GlassAdam]

Edit the post.

Just make it , since even though pop culture has 10 being the first year of the decade, there was no year zero so that should be changed.

2000 was a bad year any way.
So, you want me to edit my original post and change this dead thread's purposely (and cheekily) arbitrary rules just to satisfy you're need to correct people on things they had already mentioned didn't need correcting? Heheh.

[UmberHulk]

So, you want me to edit my original post and change this dead thread's purposely (and cheekily) arbitrary rules just to satisfy you're need to correct people on things they had already mentioned didn't need correcting? Heheh.

Yes.

[SnakeEyez]

And while you're at it, Glass, go make me a sandwich. Ya lousy bum.

Also, I posted my choices at the bottom of page one in case y'all missed them. :neko_030:

[UmberHulk]

And slice the crust.

[Scion_of_Life]

Here are my picks:

Book

Crusader by Sara Douglass
http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172147354l/142884.jpg

It was the end of a six part series and, at the time, one of the few adult oriented series that I was reading. Douglass does a great job making her characters believable despite them being in an entirely fantasy themed world full of magic, swordplay, and monsters.

Runner(s) Up: Eragon by Christopher Paolini, and The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

Movie

Avatar
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51I+SqNVljL.jpg

The depth of this movie really surprised me. The movie had drama, humor, a fantastic setting, and a story that really strikes at the center of the human heart. Though at times, it did feel like an alien version of Cowboys vs. Indians, I can't say that there is anything I didn't like about this movie.

Runner Up: The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers

Up until the release of Avatar, the Lord of the Rings trilogy stood at the peak of my favorite movies. Granted, nothing will ever take their place, but Avatar was better by that much. However, the friendship that tied the fellowship together made no greater impact than in the second movie. That, and the battle for Helm's Deep was totally badass!

Game

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_N0d2Wz619LA/TBh5Ftra6-I/AAAAAAAAAeA/0QpQjYDTakU/s1600/zelda-twilight-princess-box.jpg

I'm not the worlds biggest Zelda fan. In fact, I didn't begin playing Zelda until sometime in high school. I started with Ocarina of Time (N64) and then beat A Link to the Past (SNES/GBA) with a dear friend of mine. What made this Zelda so memorable? Well, it was the best one made in the decade for sure. For me though, it was as if Zelda had finally grown up. Nintendo took something that had been done a dozen times (or so) and made it feel like new. The music, the gameplay, story, and art all made the game a wonderful experience from start to finish.

Runner(s) Up: Chaos Legion (PS2) and Resident Evil 4 (PS2/GCN)

I don't know how many of you played Chaos Legion, but I thought it little more than a hack and slash at first. However, the story soon gripped me and I had to finish. Vengeance, love, and second chances make the game an opera set in Gothic Europe. I recommend it.

Resident Evil 4 was the first RE title I felt like playing since RE3 for the PS1. It brought the series into the modern scene and redefined what a survival/horror game should be. Of course, Leon S. Kennedy is one bad mother ******.

Music (Album)

April Rain by Delain (2009)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_19yyDmCvKg4/TBftIRlkdwI/AAAAAAAAAvw/pSCiLmhMlOU/s400/delain-cvr-0409.jpg

This was a tough choice, as I have other songs that I like better. However, as an album, this is my favorite of the decade. Had this year been allowed, I would have chosen The Unforgiving by Within Temptation (http://www.nuclearblast.de/shop/artikel/bilder/within-temptation-the-unforgiving/176916.jpg?x=1000&y=1000). What makes Delain special (to me) is their ability to blend honest rock with many European elements and still come across with their own sound.

Runner(s) Up:

Through the Eyes by Flaw (2001)
http://img1.ranker.com/list_img/1/136324/full/flaw-albums-discography.jpg?version=1291478216000

Once by Nightwish (2004)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61QNX54X5ML._SL500_AA300_.jpg

It's too bad that Flaw never really had the popularity they deserved. I rather enjoyed them. They were grungy and, though they had a darker feel, had lyrics that I can still empathize with today. Nightwish really defines what Symphonic Rock is supposed to be. Unfortunately, their separation from lead singer Tarja Turunen in 2005 left the band with many pieces to pick up. They have an upcoming album to be released this year. Here's hoping they get it right.

Manga

Chobits (CLAMP, 2002)
http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/chobits_vol_1.jpg

Chobits was the first manga that I read and it has continued to be my favorite, despite reading much more in the ensuing years. The art and story are both great (I enjoy a lot of CLAMP stuff). The struggles that Hideki and Chi go through culminate in one of the greatest moments in manga. Definitely a must read if you haven't already.

Runner(s) Up: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Inuyasha

'Nuf said.

Anime

Gundam Seed
http://www.toysnjoys.com/dvd/gundamseedperfectplusmovies.jpg

Despite the uproar of Gundam fans about this series, I like it. In fact, I name it my favorite anime of the last decade. Kira isn't the hero typically found in a Gundam series, but in many ways, he is the strongest. He leads with his heart and as he does so, brings many former enemies together to help end the war.

Runner(s) Up: Blue Gender, Big O, and Yu Yu Hakusho