I wrote a little about what my year held in a recent retrospective post, which might go some way to explaining why the list of media I consumed this year is pretty sparse. The things I enjoyed posts are usually a little heavier on the gaming side – but the kind of video games I enjoy can be so time consuming! As such, they are largely absent from this year’s list.
Last year, you may have noticed, I skipped writing any kind of retrospective. Fresh off the plane to Tokyo in April 2023, I spent the remainder of my year settling into my new life here, building (healthy?) routines, making friends, etc. It was only later in the year I bought a monitor to actually support my media habits. Besides that, I had finally made it to Japan! Except work and sleep, I spent almost every minute outside of my apartment.
Sorry, I guess?
For me, it has mostly been a year of sequels and ongoing series. Typically when I write this kind of post, I like to share something new. It gives people who are unfamiliar with a given series the opportunity to start without playing catch up. I appreciate that Time is a precious commodity, so for the most part I’ll save existing franchises until the end of this post.
With one exception…
One Piece (manga)
Unbelievably, this manga was first published 27 years ago. It’s still going strong today.
It’s difficult to talk about a series which has run for so long in the context of the last 12 months – more so without spoilers, but without too much detail, this year the story has explored two significant locations, and revealed major lore relating to series’ shadowy antagonists.
From my point of view, it’s difficult to know what to expect next. I’ve been reading the manga weekly for almost 20 years, and try to take it as it comes rather than speculate. Whilst I’m certain Oda has a plan, right now I feel like I have more questions than ever.
This year one piece has been very present in my life, in part because it’s one of the most popular franchises in Japan. The characters are very present in everyday life here – from official merchandise, to licensed partnerships. Having also spent some time in Kumamoto, home prefecture of creator, author and artist Oda Ichiro, I was able to enjoy the unique influence the series has in that specific part of Japan.
Following the 2016 earthquakes in Kumamoto, Oda donated statues to various locations within the pre-fecture as part of the Kumamoto Revival Project. There are 10 in total, capturing the likeness and personality of each of the Strawhat crew. This year I’ve been fortunate enough to visit 8 of them whilst exploring Kumamoto.
Additionally, Kumamoto was recently host to the One Piece Emotion Exhibition (which was previously in Tokyo). I visited briefly, and whilst the exhibits mostly celebrated scene from the animated series, it was deeply moving, and I felt a great sense of nostalgia.
New for 2024
Delicious in dungeon (Dungeon Meshi)
A Studio Trigger anime fantasy series following a band of adventurers who, after losing their supplies (and a teammate) to a ravenous dragon, embark on a quest to revive their fallen companion while surviving on the monsters they slay.
Adapting the popular manga by Ryoko Kui, it combines comedic storytelling with inventive cooking segments, as the party discovers unique ways to turn dungeon-dwelling creatures into gourmet meals. Equally comedic and heartfelt, the show celebrates camaraderie and the spirit of adventure.
Having completed the first season, I think the show is one of the better examples of world building that I’ve experienced in a while, establishing the delicate ecosystem of the dungeon with practical survival skills.
DanDaDan
A wildly energetic blend of comedy, horror, and friendship, following two high schoolers with polar-opposite beliefs. Momo is convinced ghosts are real, whilst Okarun swears by the existence of aliens.
Adapted from Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga series by Science SARU (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Ride Your Wave), chaos ensues when both otherworldly forces prove genuine, throwing the pair into battles with spirits, monsters and extraterrestrials.
Beneath the action and power levelling associated with shonen series, DanDaDan delivers a heartfelt tale of two unlikely companions forging a deep bond.
The animation on this one is really beautiful, and the voice acting goes hard. I can’t wait for more!
Look Back
A short film that follows two young artists – one full of confidence, the other shy and introspective. Their shared passion for drawing sparks an unlikely friendship. As they collaborate and grow over time, the story examines the profound impact of creativity and the lingering weight of tragedy. Combining both hope and heartbreak, Look Back offers a contemplative look at how art can both connect us and help us move forward, even when confronted with life’s darkest moments.
I enjoyed the manga one-shot, so I was happy when I heard it would be adapted. The outcome was a beautiful but grim story, which those familiar with Tatsuki Fujimoto’s other works (Chainsaw Man, Fire Punch) have likely come to expect.
The Substance
A surreal blend of body horror and psychological drama, The Substance follows an aging starlet whose life unravels after encountering a mysterious medical procedure with life changing consequences.
Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley deliver an incredible, emotional performance, even though neither played especially likeable characters. I was invested in the films hyper-exaggerated art direction, which featuring a lot of symmetry, saturation, and liminal spaces, which along with grotesque sound effects, culminate in an uncomfortable but compelling experience.
Shōgun
A sweeping retelling of James Clavell’s classic, Shōgun recounts the story of English pilot John Blackthorne as he becomes embroiled in the political upheavals of 17th-century Japan. Navigating the alien Japanese culture and constantly shifting alliances, his presence sparks change that affects the entire nation. With beautiful scenery and courtly intrigue, the series captures the clash of East and West through his extraordinary journey.
This story follows a Brit lost in the foreign land of Japan, so I’d be lying if I said it was entirely un-relatable. I do very much enjoy the balancing of Blackthorn’s own goals and values as he accepts new perspectives, and whilst there is loss and heartbreak in this series, there is also a lot of beauty and growth.
Fallout
Drawing from the iconic video game franchise, the TV series plunges viewers into a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by nuclear war. As survivors scrape by amid mutated wildlife and the remnants of old-world technology, rival factions clash over precious resources and ideologies. Gritty visuals and moral quandaries animate this exploration of humanity’s resilience, and its capacity for destruction, in a barren new frontier.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Reimagining the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, the live-action follows Aang, a free-spirited boy destined to master the four elements and restore peace to a war-torn world. Together with new friends, Aang battles daunting foes and confronts his own self-doubt.
Heartfelt storytelling and martial arts set pieces, make this adaptation a treat for fans of the original series, and as a nice bonus, season 2 was confirmed as in-production towards the end of 2024.
Sequels and ongoing
Gaming
I spent a little time with the Elden Ring DLC, The Shadow of the Erdtree, continuing FromSoftware’s dark fantasy saga in the Lands Between. I enjoyed Elden Ring immensely when it was released (back in February 2022), and I was grateful to return to the glorious and unsettling land of the demigods.
TV
Studio Fortiche’s masterpiece, Arcane, concluded with season two, featuring some of the most spectacular animation ever produced – albeit, the most expensive. Though at some point in the future, we’ll see 3 new series, relating to different regions within the League of Legends universe.
“Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia are getting shows and are [the] next steps in this cinematic universe,”
Christian Linke – Co-creator and showrunner via Necrit94, Twitch
Ahead of that, the studio have already produced a short film for this 2025’s Season 1 (below).
I really can’t wait to see what Fortiche works on next, and I’ll be watching them closely.
With the release of season four, Slow Horses seems to be Apple TVs workhorse (no pun intended). This season continued the dark comedic action in both the UK and France, and added Hugo Weaving to the mix in his capacity as a duplicitous CIA agent. As with previous seasons, both the acting and writing really held my attention.
The first half of Squid Game season two was released in December. Whilst I think I watch it mostly out of morbid curiosity, I am invested in how the overarching situation might resolve itself – if at all. As with the first season, the show features an assortment of colourful characters – some good, some bad – and I too have my favourites.
Silo has just wrapped up season 2 – possibly to make space for the second season of Severance, which started this week. Whilst the pacing of this season has at times felt a little dragged out, the subterfuge and mystery surrounding the titular Silo and its inhabitants compelled me to watch every episode on release. There’s every possibility I’ll read books ahead of season 3’s release.
Film
I caught Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Tokyo Mission in Ginza on its opening night. Yes I probably was the biggest kid in attendance, and no, I don’t care.
I’m grateful that more than 23 years after its Dreamcast debut, I could see the plot of Sonic Adventure 2 play out on the big screen. Back then I couldn’t have possibly imagined that comic genius Jim Carey would play the part of Eggman. It was fun, and I’m hoping we’ll see a fourth film in the series (which if you watched the post-credits sequence…).
Deadpool & Wolverine on the other hand, was certainly not for kids (but still fun). It was an interesting experience, watching with subtitles – it was clearly challenging dialogue to translate for a Japanese audience, but native speakers at my screening seemed to enjoy it too! Thoroughly enjoyable, odd couple adventure, this film is plenty silly and delivers heavy nostalgia for comic book fans.