Pacific Rim is Out, now what: Anime suggestions for Black Nerds

Pacific Rim is out. While it didn’t really do that well at the block office, those few nerds who saw it were greatest with the best live action anime since…well since ever. So if your anime thirst has not been quenched here is a list of anime every Blerd (black nerd) would love, in no particular order.

10. Full Metal Alchemist/ Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

In order to create something you need something in exchange. This simple concept became the bases of the amazing adventure of two brothers seeking to save their souls and return their lives to the way it was. Touching, heart breaking, funny, and deeply disturbing. The fights are off the chain as well, all revolving around martial arts and the ability to manipulate matter.

9. Dragon Ball Z/GT

You can’t call yourself a nerd if you don’t know about DBZ and GT. Not going into a synopsis of this, but the DB series and its hyper masculinity coincides directly with hip-hops own sensibilities. We minorities love DB.

8. Neon-genesis  Evangelion

This trippy as shit series about children fighting giant Aliens in giant mechs might fly under the radar, but I guarantee every Blerd would love this series. Don’t watch it expecting to have closure at the end. The final moments of the series would have you scratching your head for years to come.

7. The Boondocks

I’m the ballot in the box, the bullet in the gun. Yep the Boondocks, best example of black people in Anime, and also one of the flagships shows that launched the post-blackness debate. The chronicles of the Freeman family say more about blackness, masculinity, and being an American then BET in its entire history.

6. Afro Samurai

Samuel L Jackson, steam punk, samurai, and boobies. What more do you need?

5. Samurai Champloo

Manglobe (possibly one of the best Anime design teams in history)’s take on hip-hop is a fictional period piece following two Samurai’s and their quest to protect this teenage girl. Sometimes looking like a Kwiroswa movie, sometimes like music video, sometimes like a Tarintino, very striking and unique.

4. Ghost in the Shell

In the late 80s early 90s Anime was at its peak. Ghost in the Shell started off as a manga (Japanese comic) and later developed into a movie. Following a female android cop as she takes of cyber criminals in a futuristic japan. Ghost in the Shell is sexy, dark, violent, and insanely satisfying.

3. X/1999

Another 90s manga turned movie; X/1999 is like DBZ on cocaine. Which is saying allot. The plot is hard to summarize but basically the Gods are at war and have come to Tokyo to fight to the death. Each God has different abilities and well you know where this is going. Violent as shit and deeply depressing its still worth a read if you’re a Blerd.

2. Akira

Truly a shame that this isn’t more in our cultural vocabulary. There is something about Anime and teenage kids dealing with tragedy that is so appealing. Basically a biker gang leader’s best friend is captured by the government and given fucked up telepathic powers. The result is an epic showdown in the slums of a post apocalyptic Tokyo.

1.     Cowboy Bebop

Manglobe’s take on Jazz. Cowboy Bebop follows space cowboys as the track down criminals, collect bounties, and try to scrap together enough just to eat. Each cowboy of the space ship Bebop has a dark back-story that once unraveled makes them even more appealing.