Neil Vaughan

Samurai Champloo is so much more than a stylish and contemporary swordfest. It is also a masterpiece of off-beat comedy and a lesson for most writers in the art of storytelling and character development. Set in an extremely abstract (and almost parallel dimensional) Edo Japan, it is full to the brim with clever quips and fantastical storylines. It boasts, without any question, the most enjoyable and instantly likeable principal characters I have ever seen in anime, all of whom are hilarious in their own way. Ah, just watch it. To say anything else would spoil it for you. Enjoy the ride. And the vibe.

Ergo Proxy is a slow burner and is not for anyone looking for a superficial anime to watch and have fun with. It is slow to start, setting the scene and the atmosphere before episode 5 when the story really starts. DO NOT let this put you off. Ergo Proxy really is a thing of magnificence. The artwork is easily the most beautiful I have ever seen in anime from futuristic but soulless cityscapes to the bleak, dark and unforgiving landscapes of the world outside. The music, the sound effects and the voices of each character each lend something to the overwhelming sense of melancholy that Ergo Proxy's post cataclysmic world displays so wonderfully. Besides this, the plot is complex but not too much so for anyone with intellect who likes to be challenged mentally and philosophically. On a side note Re-I-Mayer is possibly the most captivating anime character I have seen. Beautiful and fiery, she is almost the antithesis of all that Vincent seems to be. Pino is just a playful little gem who somehow seems to offer hope with her exuberance and synthetic positivity. Seriously. Watch it. After four episodes you will be hooked and determined to unravel the mystery of PROXY.

Absolutely brilliant. There will be some criticism about the stereotypical nature of Sam's character and some might be offended at times and say that autism is not a laughing matter. Firstly, Sam's character IS a stereotype. Obviously people with autism do not display all the same characteristics. None of us do. Sam's many stereotypical personality traits are just designed to show us a large number of difficulties that many people on the spectrum face. Be happy. It's raising awareness! Second, while Autism is definitely not a laughing matter, Atypical IS very funny at times. Sam comes out with questions and statements which are direct and often inappropriate and yes, the script is very sharp. But to anyone who suggests the material is not appropriate or is in any way insulting to those with autism, I would suggest that the prejudice lies in their own heads. This is because Atypical presents us with a hugely charming young man with a sense of humour. Honestly, I don't care if a person has autism or not and I'm not interested in why Sam's a funny guy. I just like him and wish I knew him. As his sister's boyfriend Evan quite rightly says in answer to Sam's own observation that he (Sam) is weird: "Dude, we're all weird." We are. And I'm glad. The human race's perfection lies in it's diversity. Life would be pretty dull if we were all the same. So Evan's comment is not meant in a disparaging or patronising way. It's an honest and celebratory comment on the subject of individuality and exactly the kind of equality I want for want for my own boy from society (he has autism). The programme also deals with other issues such as the politically correct jargon that we all have to use nowadays which has reached both ludicrous and tragic levels, and the pressures upon relationships that autism can bring both for a person with ASD and their family. Sometimes it is hard-hitting, with some beautiful camera work to show how difficult anxieties can make life for a person on the spectrum. But it always gives us a proverbial hug afterwards, particularly when displaying his heart-warming relationships with his wonderfully supportive sister and the hilariously funny Zahid. Sorry to ramble on... But Atypical is worth waxing lyrical about.