What's on the TV tonight?

ATLA is one of those comfort shows that I can put on at any time and fall right back into it. It's a show that I put on when I'm anxious or stressed. I can often put it on when I'm having trouble sleeping. Aang & the Gaang always bring me back to a happy place. Despite the hardships through the show, and it's sister show, The Legend of Korra, I find comfort in the friendship & comaraderie between the characters. The struggles seem vast, but they always overcome them.

Arcane is one of those shows that has no right being is fantastic as it is. The animation is truly incredible. The source material is (in my opinion!) pretty lacking. I know the lore of League runs deep, but I don't think it's a hot take to say that the lore is an afterthought for LoL. Yet, clearly, it's enough for something like Arcane to sprout forth. Arcane is heartbreaking, because the first season is a train wreck that you can see coming from a mile ahead, but can do nothing to prevent. Seeing Powder break, mentally, was devastating. Seeing Vi say & do things that the viewer can clearly see will further drive in the wedge dividing them is painful to watch. But I couldn't look away. It's a truly beautiful and moving show that I can't wait to see more of. The studio has proven themselves as a top-tier group in my eyes.

Frieren became an instant favorite for me. Similar to ATLA, Frieren is a show where I often find myself laughing & crying, sometimes at the same time. Each episode is small, and is presented as a bite-size piece of a larger adventure, and there's a certain comfort in that. Frieren is an ancient, powerful magician. She's often aloof. But seeing her develop as a person, even with as much experience as she has under her belt, teaches us that we all have room to grow. It is obvious from the first episode that she regrets not taking the time to get to know her original adventuring party. Their lifespans are just a blip on the radar compared to her own. But seeing Himmel come and go, leaving Frieren behind, is a heartbreaking lesson that I took to heart; don't take for granted what you have in the moment. Take the time to tell those around you that you love them, for they will not always be there. And when they're gone, it's too late.

I've watched the first half of Bebop, but have never seen it all the way through. I'd like to fix that. Spike & crew are a fascinating bunch, and the animation is wonderful. It seems like every few episodes, there's a suble shift in animation style; sometimes highlighting classic Westerns, sometimes going for a more Kung Fu approach, or other times leaning in to the sci-fi space opera that is the constant through line.

Wifey and I watched the first few episodes, but we put it on hiatus in favor of other shows. It's probably about time we get back to this one.

This is one of those shows that so many people have seen, and has had a massive impact on so many people, that I feel like I owe it to the show to give it a shot. Some close friends mention Evangelion all the time, and how it was a formative show for them at an early age. I also just read that a new Evangelion series is in the works, written by Yoko Taro of Nier fame. I adore the Nier games, and have been (im)patiently waiting for his next project. If he's helming the next Evangelion project, I have to be there...which means I have to catch up.