The Rest of the Best - A Popularity Contest 50th Anniversary! Week Sixteen - Video Games of the 21st Century!

[Johnny Unusual]

Fantasy Novels!

Host: @Lokii

Participants: @Daikaiju @Grignr @Falselogic @Octopus Prime @Kirin @Nodal @Solitayre TK Flash @Johnny Unusual @MrChris @masterthes @Healy @Patrick @Jeanie @Reinforcements @Yimothy @Rascally Badger @Adam @Gerad @Taeryn @Cyrael

The List

Spoiler: The List!

50. Mort

49. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There[

48. Sabriel

47. The Ruby Knight

46. The Dragon Reborn

45. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

44. Alloy of Law

43. Anansi Boys

42. Dracula

41. Bone

40. The Curse of Chalion

39. The Last Argument of Kings

38. The Shadow of the Torturer

37. The Golem and the Jinni

36. The Magicians

35. A Wrinkle in Time

34. The Graveyard Book

33, Taran Wanderer

32. Stardust

31. A Clash of Kings

30. Hogfather

29. Guards! Guards!

28. Reaper Man

27. The Black Cauldron

26. The Night Circus

25. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

24. The Once and Future King

23. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

22. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

21. Redwall

20. Mistborn: The Final Empire

19. Bridge of Birds

18. The Gunslinger

17. A Storm of Swords

16. The Last Unicorn

15. Small Gods

14. Neverwhere

13. Northern Lights/The Golden Compass

12. American Gods

11. Watership Down

10. The Princess Bride

9. Good Omens

8. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell

7. A Wizard of Earthsea

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - tie

6. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - tie

5. The Lies of Locke Lamora

4. The Name of the Wind

3. A Game of Thrones

2. The Lord of the Rings

1. The Hobbit

Man, it’s been so long. I remember the MomLogic element but that element implanted a false memory that it’s a FalseLogic list. It’s a great list and I’m a little sad we haven’t had more literature lists. But it would also be a reminder that I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like to. Even comics: I have a huge pile because I’m often really busy but I feel the need for comic acquisition endorphins by buying a couple new trades every three weeks. But we have this, comics and that’s kinda it. I would love one for sci-fi novels or humour books or authors. Ooo, or literary characters (I wouldn’t put comic characters on there just because that would get its own list.


As always, Lokii is passionate about what he posts about but even more than that, he created a cool breakdown after the fact. On subgenres…

Decades

and Types

Portal Quest? The fuck is that? And where’s my isekai?!

The MomLogic, for those who forget, was when the covers of each book were presented to FalseLogic’s mom for review. With gems such as…

So, this is the first Game of Thrones book? (yes) That throne looks uncomfortable. What is it made out of thorns? (Swords its made of swords) Why would anyone even want that think? (Small price to pay to be King?) Not after thirty years or so (I don’t think anyone actually makes it that far.) Oh, that’s right because none of the characters can keep their swords in their sheaths. (laughs)

Is that what they’re called? Anti-heroes? Seems to me to defeat the purpose of telling a story. World has enough anti-heroes. We need them in our fiction too?

Why do all these fantasy books have birds on them? Birds aren’t magical. You and [falsebro] had a bird (No, mom falsebro had a bird that I was forced to share a room with) Then you know they are filthy, annoying animals! If that’s magic you can keep it!

You know no one but God knows when the end of the world is Jonathon. (I know Mom) Have you been reading the Book of Mormon liked I asked you?

This is also where JBear unveiled his love for Bertolli.

@Lokii

^this is a good post but I'm judging you based on your shit olive oil

C’mon Lokii, don’t condiment-shame.

BTW, please take part in my current list! The theme is duos! It will rule!

Top 50 Duos Nomination Thread - Voting Twice

One is the loneliest number... but with two, you'll never be alone. Hey ya'll! It's me, Johnny Unusual and today we are going to celebrate things that come in twos, whether they be attractive opposites or in sync (not to be confused with N SYNC, who are, in fact, not a duo). Now we've done...

talking-time.net

I'm also doing a Thunderdome for musical numbers! I would also like participation in this!

Numbersdome nomination thread: And a one and a two and a three and a four

I did villain songs a little while back but now we are going to get a bit less specific; Musical Numbers! Via Wikipedia, a number “refers to an individual song, dance, or instrumental piece which is part of a larger work of musical theatre, opera, or oratorio. It can also refer either to an...

talking-time.net

 

[Issun]

I've actually been reading some of the series from this list! It's been some good times.

 

[Falselogic]

Oh wow. That was a long time ago. It was certainly fun to get my mom's responses to some of these. She certainly went places I wouldn't have thought about.

 

[RT-55J]

Considering the outsized influence that David Eddings' work had on my adolescence, I still think it's very funny that the second book in his second fantasy universe is the only one to have made the list. I'm not necessarily saying more of his stuff should have been on the list, but just that it feels like a very random pick to me considering the size of his body of work.

 

[Issun]

Considering the outsized influence that David Eddings' work had on my adolescence, I still think it's very funny that the second book in his second fantasy universe is the only one to have made the list. I'm not necessarily saying more of his stuff should have been on the list, but just that it feels like a very random pick to me considering the size of his body of work.

Same here.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

My list with commentary from the time.

Spoiler: My list

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens



-I read the actual book a while back and was surprised how much fun it is. It is also quite funny.

3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

6. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

7. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

8. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

9. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

10. Dirk Gently’s Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams



- I think of both of these as fantasy, among other genres. The first has a ghost subplot that gets real important and the other has Thor and Loki.

11. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

12. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

13. Matilda by Roald Dahl

14. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker



- This is the only Clive Barker book I've ever read. I picked it up by chance because I heard good things about the author and was surprised to find it was a YA book. It's actually very similar to Coraline in terms of plot (kid whisked away to a fantasy world that seems fun but turns out to be quite sinister). If you liked that, check it out.

15. The Dead Zone by Stephen King



- I'm sure a lot of you might think this is sci-fi, which I get, but I feel it leans more toward fantasy in it's portrayal of psychic powers. I also never thought of it as horror. A thriller, yes, but not horror.

16. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum



- Did this one make it? I can't remember. Anyway, read this in Japan. EXTREMELY simple prose, which is appropriate for a kid's book. The whole thing is very simple, but it is fun. The Tin Man's origin story, which I don't think it discussed in any of the movies or even the anime, is wonderfully nuts. He was once a woodsman cursed by a witch (I think it's the Witch of the West but I'm not 100% sure) so that when he tries to cut down trues, he cuts off a limb. So he gets a tin prothesis for each one. And, eventually (in the words of Bizarro Sparks from Sealab 2021), he "cuts his whole body off". He also ends up losing the woman he loves, which I believe part of the reason he wants a heart.



17. Sandman: The Dream Hunter by Neil Gaiman

- I believe this is the only prose Sandman story. It has art by Yoshitaka Amano (the Final Fantasy guy) and tells a neat story of love and revenge in Japan).



18. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet



- I'm embarrassed to say this is one of the ones I got SO close to finishing, but never did. And I tried twice. Enjoyed what I read though but not Gaiman's best and presumably not Pratchet's best either. Still, a fun romp.



19. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling



- This is the only one I read. I enjoyed it well enough but not being familiar with the franchise, I was sort of hoping for more of a Roald Dahl feel (the Dursleys bring that element in, but nobody likes the Dursleys)



20. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami



- This one disappointed me. I like a lot of stuff in it, but I felt the conclusion was a letdown. I don't necessarily mind having a book end anti-climactically but I don't think that's what he was going for. There was a big climax, but I don't feel it paid off for me.



21. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR

Tolkien

It's the only one I read, but it was a challenge, let me tell you.

22. The Secret World of Og by Pierre Burton



- I barely remember this book, except that I loved it and read it out loud to a friend during car rides while we were being babysat by the same person. It's a kids book about a secret underground city of goblins who act strangely. It climaxes in the prevention of an execution and then the kids discover that all the goblins are childlike and are essentially all playing pretend all the time.



23. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis



24. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl



- I'd argue that this is Roald Dahl's most fucked up book. They go to a hotel on the moon where people are stalked and eaten by a weird monster. This upset me as a kid, much more than the jerky child torture in the first book.



25. Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang by Mordecai Richler



- I vaguely remember this. The only one on the list which is literally a fantasy (it was a dream all along).

Wow, I like Stardust but I’m kind of surprised it was my number one. As you can see, I am just aching for a complete list, including things I barely remember or was only OK with. I guess I’d put Guards Guards and Bridge of Birds on my list now but really, I’ve very few fantasy novels since then and while I liked them, I don’t think they’d be high on my list.

Stand by A Christmas Carol. The prose is actually pretty darn witty for the first chapter or so. Lots of children’s books on my list, too. Need to get out there and seek more literature. I feel like I’ve read another Haruki Murakami book, too, but I don’t remember which one. I think it was another “two narratives at the same time” book. Norwegian Wood maybe? There’s magical realism in it but I don’t remember the details.

 

[Lokii]

This list was such a blast to run! And working with FL and his mom was great. Would do again in a heartbeat.

But what is really surprising how impactful Jbear's knife photo was. That little goof is the source of 8 years now of new friendship, projects, elaborate lore and framed posters. It's hard to understate what an impact its had.

 

[Daikaiju]

This list was such a blast to run! And working with FL and his mom was great. Would do again in a heartbeat.

But what is really surprising how impactful Jbear's knife photo was. That little goof is the source of 8 years now of new friendship, projects, elaborate lore and framed posters. It's hard to understate what an impact its had.

Enjoy life, Enjoy Bertolli

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Norse Mythology

By Neil Gaiman

OK, technically not a novel but a series of stories retelling the famous tales of Norse myth from the early days till the end of days. We get tales of Thor testing his strength against a giant and being found wanting (or is he), Loki getting into one scrape after another thanks to his tricks and games and various other stories.

While I know Gaiman for his witty turns of phrase, I wasn’t prepared for how much of a comedy this was. I suppose I should have because in his work on Sandman we have Loki sharing a number of tales of their misadventures. Really, a lot of these stories are less about the darker elements and often more about the silly farces Thor and Loki get up to, Thor being a brute ready to smack his brother and Loki who seems to like causing trouble for the sake of it but then having to use his wits to get out of it. If anything, it makes the tragic finale of Ragnarok all the more powerful by the end of the book.

Neil Gaiman took a lot of places on the list but there’s good reason; his books are a mix of fun beach reads for literature/mythology nerds but also clever and exciting. It actually makes me a bit bummed that Norse Mythology came out in 2017 and we haven’t seen another novel from him since.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Week 8

Snacks!

Host: @Mogri

Participants: @Patrick @JBear @Kirin @Gerad @Johnny Unusual @RT-55J @Torzelbaum @Taeryn @Daikaiju @rkdn42

Spoiler: The List!

51. Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream Chips

50. Tim Tams

49. Snickers

48. Pears

47. Peanuts

46. Bugles

45. Pickles

44. Twix

43. Skittles

42. Starburst

41. Barbecue-Flavoured Potato Chips

40. Samosas

39. Carrots

38. Shortbread

37. Sour Cream and Onion Chips

36. Pringles

35. Combos

34. Cherries

33. Timbits

32. Corn Dogs

31. French Fries

30. Tortilla Chips

29. Pocky

28. Cheeseballs

27. Cashews

26. Corn Chips

25. Sour Patch Kids

24. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

23. Grapes

22. Soft Pretzels

21. Chocolate

20. Yogurt

19. Gummis

18. Hummus

17. Pizza

16. Cheese Crackers

15. Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

14. Cheese and Crackers

13. Pretzels

12. Ice Cream

11. Oreos

10. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

9. M&Ms

8. Apples

7. Cheetoes

6. Nachos

5. Cheese

4. Nacho Cheese Doritos

3. Potato Chips

2. Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Popcorn

Ah, our first and (so far) only consumables-related list. I do hope we get more of these because I love food and I can think of a ton of lists to do; breakfast foods, meats and proteins, beverages, desserts, lunch foods, pizza toppings. Fruits and veggies would be good too but they made such a strong showing in the plants list, it might be a while before I do this one.

As understandable, there is a lot of junk food on the list but there is a nice showing for fruit (less so for veggies, though pickles placed). Mogri was the host of this one and did a good job with this one. I don’t have too much to say on the topic itself but you might know I have a thread where I try different junk food each week (or the occasional non-unhealthy things from the junk food shop like seasonings and hot sauces). So it is a topic that means a lot.

It was a different time then when JBear was having fun with photography.

“Chips Ahoy are like the Captain Crunch of cookies.

Shit is basically razorblades covered in sugar and chocolate.”

And boy are we ever going to get more of that in the months to come.

So what did your list look like, if you submitted or what would you have added? Any interesting omissions? How has snacking evolved since 2016?

 

[Issun]

This was not the first contest I submitted to, but it was the first one I posted in. I also ate my way through this list about... 6 years ago now, I think? It was a delicious adventure!

 

[Torzelbaum]

Here's what I had on my list. I don't think my list would have changed between now and then. (I am old and very set in my ways.)

1. Planter's cheese balls*
2. Whatchamacallit - without caramel!
3. nacho cheese Doritos
4. Reese's peanut butter cups
5. Keebler fudge stripes
6. salted peanuts
7. Club crackers
8. Slim Jims
9. sour cream and onion Lays
10. Kit Kat
11. shortbread cookies
12. buttered popcorn
13. cheddar and sour cream Ruffles
14. Nestle Crunch bar
15. Lance breadsticks
16. crunchy Cheetos
17. peanut butter Twix
18. Frito's corn chips
19. Thin Mints
20. regular Pringles
21. Do-si-dos
22. cheddar cheese cracker Combos
23. peanut butter and crackers
24. barbecue potato chips
25. summer sausage

*The real version not the fraud that they recently introduced.

I have a thread where I try different junk food each week (or the occasional non-unhealthy things from the junk food shop like seasonings and hot sauces)

This one:

Johnny Unusual Ate This - A near-weekly series of terrible mistakes

We got a new candy shop in my new town. If there's one thing I love, it's food adventuring so for until I run out of new candy and junk food to try there, I'm going to make weekly excursions for my "cheat day" (every 8th day) where I just eat like a goddamned garbage can to find strange new...

talking-time.net

 

[Daikaiju]

This is one of the handful lists I placed well. No changes to my list.

 

[Kirin]

My list had a decent number of hits, but also random things I was eating at the time, like my #1 chocolate-covered raspberries which is pretty specific. These days I'm eating more chocolate-covered walnuts, on the theory walnuts have some good nutrients. In the realm of things with *no* useful nutrients, my #4 Milky Way Midnight is still a fave. Others on my list that I'm mildly surprised didn't place included brownies and tater tots.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Spoiler: List!

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies

2. Doritos (if you need a flavour… uh, Nacho Cheese)

3. Apples

4. Gummi Colas

5. Cheezies (they are like Cheetoes, except they are better… for the first few)

6. Jell-O (any flavour. But if it helps to pick a favourite, lime)

7. Cheetos (Crunchy)

8. Crispy Crunch (is this one of those Canadian ones? They are great)

9. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

10. Potato Chips (regular)

11. Cherries (when I learned that they don't all taste like maraschino, I realized cherries were great).

12. Wine Gums

13. Croissants

14. Rice Krispie Squares

15. Grapes

16. Mr. Big

17. Timbits (assorted)

18. Smarties (Canadian. They are like more svelte M & Ms)

19. Big Turk

20. Oreos

21. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

22. Gummi Worms

23. Dried Apricots

24. Cashews

25. Strawberry Yogurt

I think this time I’d leave cashews, gummi worms and wine gums off my list. Still like them but I think in their place I could find some other things that work better. Maybe more fruits like oranges (particularly little ones like Mandarins and Clementines), bananas and mango. I stand by Cheezies but I get why others don’t. They are heavier and oilier, which becomes more obvious the more you have. That said, get a SMALL bag of Cheezies and you are sitting pretty. Cookies still top out just because as soon as I have one, I literally cannot stop eating them.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Chocolate covered potato chips​

Oh, these are a treat. I always associated them with Atlantic Canada and specifically PEI but the origins are in fact North Dakota. There they were called “chippers” but over time, they’ve been available elsewhere.

I’m as sick as anyone of people jamming two junk foods together and hoping for magic but this actually works. Using the more structurally firm “ripple chips”, they are more suited to hold chocolate and the sweet and salty tastes go well together, making them an addictive little treat.

 

[WildcatJF]

JBear's photos were a big inspiration for me to go so ham on my lists, haha.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Week 9!

Japanese Role Playing Games!​

Host: Double Dracula

Participants: @Yimothy @breakman @rknd42 @Daikaiju @Lokii i @Issun @Torzelbaum @Johnny Unusual @WildcatJF @Font Sizes @Kishi @Kzinssie TK Flash @Rascally Badger @Rivers @RT-55J @Cyrael @Red Hedgehog @Mr. Sensible @Moon Orbit @Mogri @JBear @Kirin @Patrick @Raven @Juca @Mommi @Destil @FelixSH @Thraeg @Falselogic @ASandoval @Ted @NavelsAreNeat @ThornGhost @Sanagi @dosboot @Isieri

Spoiler: List!

50. Breath of Fire IV

49. Xenoblade Chronicles

48 . Tales of Symphonia

47. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

46. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

45. Terranigma

44. Vagrant Story

43. Suikoden III

42. Seiken Densetsu 3

41. Valkyria Chronicles

40. Phantasy Star IV

39. Valkyrie Profile

38. Dragon Quest III

37. Etrian Odyssey

36. Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer

35. Suikoden

34. Dragon Quest IX

33. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

32. Secret of Mana

31. Dragon Quest VIII

30. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

29. Final Fantasy VIII

28. Lunar: Silver Star Story (Complete)

27. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

26. Etrian Odyssey IV

25. Chrono Cross

24. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

23. Skies of Arcadia

22. Final Fantasy IX

21. Mother 3

20. Final Fantasy X

19. Xenogears

18. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

17. Final Fantasy

16. Final Fantasy Tactics

15. Dragon Quest IV

14. Undertale

13. Suikoden II

12. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals

11: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

10. Final Fantasy V

9. Dragon Quest V

8. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

7. Final Fantasy XII

6. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3

5. Final Fantasy VII

4. Final Fantasy IV

3. EarthBound

2. Final Fantasy VI

1. Chrono Trigger

Woo, this is the biggest list so far and if I had to guess we’d never have a list with so many participants again! Art from our own Lokii, too! Look, I only dented a bit of the 86-page epic that was the list. I had started to assume it’s one of those lists where there was a big break but nope, the list was completed within two months, which is nowhere near the limit between starting and finishing a list.

Some good Loki art!

I feel like the role out isn’t too surprising but 86 tells me there were a lot of talk about it. I actually lost my list to this one due to my computer a-ploding so I can’t tell you much except my #1 was definitely Final Fantasy VI and also I probably put the fun and goofy Okage: Shadow King on there, a game with a lighthearted feel and some really cool character designs.

 

[Issun]

Yeah, there were a total of 68 lists and Chrono Trigger hit #1 with 1069 points, and that was using the old system of 25 points for people's top entry. Definitely never going to see anything like that again.

And then a year later it came out that this list's co-host was incredibly toxic and was rightfully banned in the great culling of 2017.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Here is my list from that Top 50. I'm not sure if I would swap out any of the games but I might change the ordering of some of my choices.

1. Chrono Trigger
2. Final Fantasy 6 (Final Fantasy 3 SNES)
3. Lufia 2
4. Breath of Fire 1
5. Final Fantasy 4 (Final Fantasy 2 SNES)
6. Dragon Quest 3 (Dragon Warrior 3 NES)
7. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
8. Lufia 1
9. Final Fantasy 5 (PS1 or GBA remakes)
10. Breath of Fire 2
11. Final Fantasy 1
12. Final Fantasy 9
13. Dragon Quest 4 (Dragon Warrior 4 NES)
14. Breath of Fire 4
15. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
16. Final Fantasy 7
17. Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete
18. Dragon Quest 2 (Dragon Warrior 2 NES)
19. Final Fantasy 8
20. Dragon Quest 1 (Dragon Warrior 1 NES)
21. Chrono Cross
22. Super Mario RPG
23. Final Fantasy 2 (PS1 or GBA remakes)
24. Breath of Fire 3
25. 7th Saga

 

[Johnny Unusual]

And then a year later it came out that this list's co-host was incredibly toxic and was rightfully banned in the great culling of 2017.

Yeah, I didn't know the details but I know they were banned and I didn't want to broach it without knowing the details.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Mother

Earthbound was a game a lot of people told me to play but I never played it originally. It finally showed up on NESflix so what did I immediately jump into when I got COVID and had a few days to kill? That’s right, Mother. Or, if you will, Earthbound: Origins.

See, I’ve played very few JRPGs since we made the list. It’s a genre I’ve loved but there are just TOO MANY GAMES (EGM) and the ones I have been playing I’m slow to finish (been playing FTL for about half a year. But I sat down with Mother and while I’ve been told it’s just a dry run for the superior Earthbound (Mother 2), it’s still a really good game. It’s minimalist and the story isn’t complex, there’s a weird sense that it’s child-friendly yet with something darker lurking under the surface, a la Adventure Time. It didn’t take me too long to beat but I’m glad I played it. Its style is so beautifully simple and wacked out and it was fun to play a nice old school RPG again. I wasn’t quite ready to cry but the ending does have a sweetness that I feel goes well with it’s weird melancholic fairytale style.

 

[FelixSH]

I don't have any of the lists from the old forum, but I would bet that neither FF II nor III were on there. Which is absurd, especially FF III is one of my favourite JRPGs. Wonderful game, and I only recently talked about what I love about it so much. Amazing artstyle, great atmosphere, offers some really neat world building, I enjoy this more restrictive job system...

But mainly it's just a joy to explore the world, open it up more and more, and find these places with its own stories, a bit like in the DQ games. And then you meet and defeat beautiful horrors like my beloved Hein.

FF XIII-2 and Lightning Returns should also be on there. The whole trilogy is so great.

Not sure if I played any other JRPG since than, that I hadn't before and should get onto this list.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Top 50 Cartoons

Host: @Octopus Prime

Participants: @Daikaiju @madhair60 @Raven @q 3 @ASandoval @Red Hedgehog @Adam @BEAT @Juca @DemoWeasel @Little Sampson @Cyrael @Kirin @masterthes @Johnny Unusual @ajr82 @JBear @Patrick @Adrenaline @Lokii

Spoiler: List!

50. Paranoia Agent

50. FLCL

49. Bojack Horseman

48. Talespin

48. Spider-Man: The Animated Series

45. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

45. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

44. Sealab 2021

44. Pinky and The Brain

44. Home Movies

41. King of the Hill

41. Invader Zim

39. Rick and Morty

37. Neon Genesis Evangelion

37. Dexters Labratory

36. The Real Ghostbusters

35. Daria

34. Over the Garden Wall

33. Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers

32. American Dad

31. Clone High

30. Superman: The Animated Series

29. Bobs Burgers

28. Sailor Moon

27. Rockos Modern Life

26. Samurai Jack

25. The Tick

24. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law

23. The Powerpuff Girls

22. Gargoyles

21. South Park

20. Tiny Toon Adventures

19. Darkwing Duck

18. The Critic

17. Archer

16. Ren & Stimpy

15. Homestar Runner

14. Avatar: Legend of Korra

13. Justice League

12. Animaniacs

11. Adventure Time

10. Gravity Falls

9. Duck Tales

8. Avatar: The Last Airbender

7. Cowboy Bebop

6. Looney Tunes

5. The Venture Brothers

4. Steven Universe

3. Futurama

2. The Simpsons

1. Batman: The Animated Series

Another Octo-list, another gem. Octo knows what he loves and he loves cartoons. Seeing as I’m working on my own list right now an school and a thunderdome, I’ll mostly keep this brief because I don’t actually have a ton to say, except I suspect that this would look very different today. I feel like there are a couple picks that people are kind of over now, either for larger societal reasons or because the creators/co-creators suck. Overall, solid list. Very curious as to what people’s lists would look like now. What are some other great cartoons that you have seen since then?

 

[Issun]

I was also a participant. It's the one list I somehow failed to post and/or preserve. Homestar Runner was my #1.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

My list:

1. Looney Tunes
2. The Simpsons
3. Adventure Time
4. Batman: The Animated Series
5. Steven Universe
6. Futurama
7. Justice League Unlimited
8. The Venture Brothers
9. Gravity Falls
10. Hajime no Ippo
11. Samurai Jack
12. The Powerpuff Girls
13. Cowboy Bebop
14. Ducktales
15. Monster
16. Archer
17. Homestar Runner
18. Pinky and the Brain
19. The Tick
20. Bob's Burgers
21. Gargoyles
22. South Park
23. Ren & Stimpy
24. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (all incarnations)
25. Clone High


I think this is a mostly good list but one I would change a bit. Batman, Justice League and Futurama would drop some. South Park and Ren & Stimpy would fall off hard. Ducktales would fall off. In fact, I think this list would look really really different. Simpsons might rise to number one but it’s a close one for sure. I feel like different anime might swap with Monster and Hajime no Ippo. Not certain which ones though. I’ll tell you one that I think would make it later. Bojack Horseman would probably make it in.

 

[Kirin]

I don't know that my cartoon list would change a whole lot, I haven't been watching a ton lately. I had a low hit rate on this one, mostly due to classic anime, most of which I have enough nostalgia for to keep on. Though I did catch up on a few popular things that I hadn't seen yet back then, like Bojack, Archer, Venture Brothers, and, though I cringe a little to say it, Rick and Morty. Yeah, half the fanbase and half the original creative team are horribly toxic, but there is some interesting stuff in there under the caustic surface level. Oh wait though, I did think of one much more wholesome show that would get added to my list - Owl House for sure.

Speaking of things I've barely touched in the past decade compared to the couple decades prior, my JPG list would probably barely change at all. FFXV would definitely get added, had fun with that one, but I'm not sure I've gotten around to anything else that would make it on.

 

[Daikaiju]

I definitely would have to add Owl House and Amphibia high up on a revised list. The GF alums did some damn good work.

 

[Issun]

I have seen Gravity Falls in its entirety since this list happened, and I would have had it high enough on my list that it might have been bumped up a spot or two on the main list.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

OddTaxi​

OddTaxi is set in a Tokyo populated by animals. Animals called people. These people are trying to get through their lives in a world where technology can bring us closer together but also enable our worst instinct. One man thinks he can get more social media likes as a vigilante. Another is going mad due to his addiction to a mobile gacha game. A comedy duo tries to get their act noticed, though one might be more invested (and successful) than the other.Two criminals compete for a favoured position within an organization. Another is looking for love in dating apps, filling his profile with lies. Somewhere, a music idol is missing. And a taxi driver is listening to all of these stories.



Despite his stoic and seemingly taciturn nature, Odokawa is a great conversationalist. In fact, as a cab driver, he likes to listen and talk and though he isn’t afraid to say his mind, he knows the right way to approach conversations. He also has an amazing gift for recognizing people even if he’s only seen them once. Initially, these stories happen around Odokawa’s but soon gets involved in a complex web that he wanted no part of. And Odokawa’s quirks gain the attention of his doctor, who thinks there is more to his patient than meets the eye.



I feel like it’s really hard to oversell Odd Taxi. Not because it is the greatest series ever or anything but because it is a series that could easily sound gimmicky or facile in approaching how the Internet and media sneak into our lives. I think it all works because it starts with such a chill, tone that you don’t notice that the series is slowly ratcheting up the tension until it’s exciting climax. Even better, it manages to become a really hopeful and loving story about the human condition, accepting flaws rather than getting misanthropic but still managing to have a real gut punch of an ending that doesn’t negate anything that came before and just makes sense. It’s only 13 episodes, so it’s not a big commitment so I really recommend checking out a truly unique, witty and exciting series.