Recently I ran across one of those “greatest” lists. You know the ones: greatest comic book characters, greatest children's literature characters, greatest video games ever made, etc. This one was “the top 25 anime characters of all time” by IGN. I ran into it by accident but before I knew it I was scrolling down, reading every entry in great detail. I was there when things like Toonami first began, and looking through that list I realized that some of my most treasured childhood heroes were on that list. And yes, I mean that. These people weren't just characters to me, they were freakin' heroes. They effected my growth, the way I thought, my views on life, even my very perception of my ideal self and what it means to be the good guy.
This got me thinking. I believe the often underrated power of stories is their ability to influence our lives and shape our views. So, how have stories guided me?
For your enjoyment, I present to you the 11 works of narrative art that shaped my life. Not just caught my imagination or touched my mind, no these are the stories that actively shaped my soul. Without these stories, I would not be the man I am today.
- Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
I hesitated to include this one, but the list didn't seem right without it. I don't remember a dang thing about this show. Except Fireball lost his memory once, and Colt had a coin that had tails on both sides, and I think there was a girl in there somewhere. And yet, some of my earliest childhood memories are of me and my older brothers bouncing on a trampoline playing Star Sheriffs. It was the first TV show I ever saw that gripped me with its story, that rocked me with drama and adventure, and gave me compelling characters I wanted to get to know. To my little boy mind, Colt the slick blue cowboy was perfection, (but of course John would always call Colt, so I had to be stupid Saber Rider.) I can't even imagine what life would have been like without this beginning, and so this piece of TV history will always have a place on my list.
- That One Book.

- Red Dwarf
British humor at it's finest. (sort of.) I loved this show. Even though sometimes it got so dirty that my brothers and I turned it off (little boys either think that stuff's awesome or gross. We were in the later category) we would still be there, week after week, hoping for a great episode. This was my first exposure to British humor, and that taste of Britain has stayed with me my whole life. These weren't heroes to be emulated by any means, but they did more than that: they taught me to laugh. As a boy I never found Looney Tones funny at all. I watched it because it was on, but never because I really enjoyed it. Red Dwarf, however, was the comedy that made me want to be witty, that taught me about humor, turns of phrase, and has fueled my love of British humor ever since. Plus it taught me that sometimes you shouldn't emulate the idiots on TV, and that's an important lesson for anyone to learn.
- Indiana Jones
When I was young I wanted to be an archeologist. In reality I didn't want to be an archeologist, I wanted to be Indiana Jones. I must have seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade a hundred times growing up, and it's still one of my favorite movies. Here was a man who was manly without being vulgar, strong without being dumb, heroic without being crazy, and dramatic without being serious. To me he was the perfect role model for what a hero should be, and my personal definition of manhood was and still is colored by this story. Here was a guy who could destroy tanks, solve puzzles, fix personal problems, speak fluently in Latin, bow before God and shoot Nazis on his way out the door. And the best part is I always believed in him. James Bond is an icon because he makes you want to BE him, but you know people like him don't actually exist. Indiana Jones, on the other hand, seemed to say to me “Look, I'm manly, strong, smart, and fearless, but not because I'm special. I'm just a guy doing his job; every man should be like me.” Every boy needs a hero to emulate, and Indiana Jones made me feel like I could. And that's pretty awesome.
- Final Fantasy 1
Growing up, my brothers and I had a Nintendo and for years I patiently sad and watched my brothers play their favorite games. Years later, when they'd moved up to Super NES games, I still loved those old titles I'd watched them play and I decreed that with my own money (and a little borrowed) I was going to buy my own Nintendo, and my first game would be Final Fantasy 1. That game, more than any other video game I can recall, changed my life. It was the first time I got to plug into a different world, all my own, and explore it my own way. In a way it was the first sandbox game-not at all like the ones we have now, but it felt that way to me. I could name my characters whatever I wanted, go wherever I wanted (if I could beat the wandering monsters of the region) and while there was a main quest to finish and a progression to doing it, when I decided to proceed with that quest was entirely up to me. I was in control, exploring a virtual world at my own discretion. And that twist right before the final battle? No point except to tweak your mind a little? To me, that was the greatest literary twist since learning Samus was a girl. This game turned me on to the power of interactivity, and so will always have a special place in my heart.
- Shadowrun

- Star Wars

This post has gone on long enough, so I'll list the top 4 next time. But what do you think? What are the stories that defined your life? We've all got them, (it's why we still tell Grimm's Fairy Tales to our kids) so what's yours?
Thanks for reading,
Adam
Too much Evangelion on IGN's list. That show started ok but became pretentious crap.
ReplyDeleteIf I were picking anime characters, it would probably be Spike from Bebop as #1 (actually all the main characters from that show go through a lot of growth, probably more than most other anime I've seen).
Also, props for Shadowrun love. That game is awesome. Too bad the Xbox "reboot" was total garbage.
Ah, so now we know who to blame. :P
ReplyDeleteAlso, whoever put that list on IGN together is an idiot. I'd almost say that they stopped watching anime in the early 2000's. Or maybe they just don't have taste. Definitely too much Eva, and Naruto doesn't deserve to be so high on the list.