Oregairu, Steins;Gate, and most of all Shinsekai Yori turned the world upside down for me. Prior to Oregairu, though I would have passionately defended Evangelion (still probably my favorite, and my judgment for the best anime ever written), for the most part I likely would have admitted under duress that anime was a guilty pleasure; suspect at best and a total waste of time at worst, unworthy of serious reflection. In Oregairu, however, I found intense, rapid, and perceptive writing; writing that knew what human interaction was about, and could see the pitfalls for the young and alienated in seeking genuine friendship. In every way it proved better by far than the classic of alienation, Catcher in the Rye. In almost every episode its insight into humanity and human relationships surprised or even stunned me.
Steins;Gate was a break from this, because it was most of all a compelling, thrilling story; good tale-telling at its height. I was reminded of my friend J who just wanted to write something fun to read without trying to include much in the way of moralistic teaching (I still remember the name of his hero, Brick Stormthrower). Best of all (and truly unexpected), it retreated from the love of technology, suggesting that perhaps some possibilities should remain unused. All this, plus a beautifully depicted love story, shaped under taut, urgent writing. I've seldom enjoyed narrative this much, whether it be Melville, Austen, or Wilde.
But it was Shinsekai Yori that blew everything out of the water. My friend D told me his private rating was 15/10, which I thought then was hyperbole. Now I believe it is too low. It was as if Watership Down and The Village met The Republic. I've never seen or read anything that better explored the qualities of a good leader. In Saki, courage, love of the truth, compassion, and understanding all grew together and informed one another. The series showed the formation of her own beautiful character, the way Pan's Labyrinth's climax showed the triumph of the Princess Moanna's conscience. To look beyond the authoritative opinions and ugly, founding lies of the city and remain humane, just, and understanding, even taking responsibility for the city, is a staggering feat; doubly so when the reader or viewer is convinced it's real.
In the end, I suppose it's not surprising that anime has risen to a high art form. After all, so have novels, poetry, film, even television. Why then should it surprise that Japanese cartoons have as well? Despite its many and obvious flaws, what enfleshes family love and reconciliation better than Clannad? Understands the peril and pain of human connection better than Evangelion? Knows more about leadership than Shinsekai Yori? Anime is a very recent form, to be sure, but it has become a way of storytelling, the equal of the poem and the novel in imitating and explaining nature, especially the nature of man. For me it is now a companion for life.
