Symbionic Titan 14
I realize this isn't anime, but I feel it's worth commenting on from time to time because Tartakovsky drew some pretty heavy inspirations from anime in this, and because it's just a legitimately good piece of animation. This episode was definitely the best so far, because it centered entirely on Octus/Newton. He's already the best character in the show, but I really appreciate that they took the time in a cartoon that aired on Cartoon Network in an age when its cartoons were dying left and right to really develop the robotic comedy relief character. I think it's a central point of good robot characters to address the issue of "what does it mean to be human?" Asimov did it, and every great robot character in fiction since has had their own take on that issue. With relation to the Full Metal Panic series, since this show does tend to parallel it a fair bit, AL goes through the issue and does not come up with a solid answer until the very end of the series. Here we have Octus really reach his own conclusion on who and what he is at what I suppose is slightly past the mid-point of the series. The scene where the world has stopped and Octus has gone back to the art museum to determine for himself why he cannot tell what the paintings mean and what it is that sets him apart from Lance and Ilana is a really great scene. It's quiet, it's moving, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.
It really sort of amazes me that there was this period where Cartoon Network had these great, character driven shows like Symbionic Titan and Mysteries Incorporated and somehow it managed to strangle and murder both of them before their time. I'm not some nutcase who hates on Adventure Time or Regular Show, but it is sad to see that the network moved away from shows like Titan, Mysteries Inc and their DCAU stuff.
Especially the DCAU stuff. I'm not a big fan of DC, but DC cartoons have always been good stuff. Batman Beyond is still one of my favorite super heroes cartoons and I think I care more for Terry than I ever did Bruce sometimes. But I think Spider-Man best demonstrates the shift from character story-driven to more comedic, episodic cartoons. Like Spectacular Spider-Man is one of the best written super hero cartoons ever, and it was very much so part of an overarching plot, whereas Ultimate Spider-Man was much more of an episodic means for Marvel to promote various Super Heroes it was marketing at the time. And I mean, Ultimate Spider-Man isn't bad for what it is, but I don't think I'd ever put it on Spectacular's level.
