2014 has been a year full of new and interesting anime releases. Some have been breathtaking in their scope and execution, others have been thought-provoking in their understated, minimalist approach. Others still have been terrible, but we'll ignore them and stay with the positive vibes.

The Wind Rises

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Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

Barakamon

Each of the six anime you'll read about below have been selected for special mention for a variety of reasons; from historical significance to visual artistry and from hilarity to originality.Of course, there were many examples that we would love to have included but couldn't. At some point you have to draw a line between the very good and the very best…If The Wind Rises really is Hayao Miyazaki's last film then the world of culture and entertainment has lost a special talent from its roster. While this is certainly not his best work, it is arguably his most personal and, as such, shows a master director and creator at ease with himself and his place in history.This is a film without ego or pretention, one that delivers its message of love and understanding in a way that seems to care little for whether or not the audience accepts the ideas on show in a way the creator clearly does. As such, this feels like the film Miyazaki always wanted to make - but only on his retirement does he feel safe enough to do so.The plot is a heavily fictionalised presentation of the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Japanese 'Zero' fighter plane used in WWII. Such a focus has come under scrutiny and attack from various parties who claim Miyazaki is romanticising the life and work of a man who was knowingly responsible for the eventual death of thousands.Such an understanding fails to grasp the point of the film, which revolves around the power of imagination and passion to make one’s dreams become real. Horikoshi is obsessed with flight and airplanes, he spends nearly every second of his waking and sleeping life thinking about them and fantasising about how to improve and better them.It's Horikoshi's dedication and love for his obsession that drives him to make good on his dream of being an airplane engineer. Miyazaki's films have long been concerned with romanticising flight and air travel (Porco Rosso, Ponyo, Nausicaa, Kiki's Delivery Service), so it should come as no surprise to see him present Hirokoshi as a central figure.While this might not be the great man's best work - Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro , Princess Mononoke and Laputa: Castle in the Sky all being superior - it remains the best work of anime released this year in the West (The Wind Rises hit Japanese theatres in 2013).Trying to compare a standalone film with anime series' of either few or many episodes is no easy task, of course. However, for quality of execution, impact of script, historical significance, depth of character and charm of visuals, The Wind Rises stands above everything else this year.If this was a competition judged only on sense of style and visual extravagance, Jojo would win without so much as anyone else getting a look in. The dress code alone puts most other anime to aesthetic shame, each and every cast member kitted out in the kind of threads that make the fashion world stop and stare in dumbfounded awe.This is not a one-dimensional offering, though. While the design steals the show, the ridiculously exaggerated story of an all-powerful threat seeking to take control of the world is representative of anime at its wacky best.To get the most out of Stardust Crusaders you'll need to have consumed the story arcs leading up to its opening act, but there are worse pieces of homework imaginable. While the narrative presented here works largely in isolation, a deeper knowledge of past events adds greatly to the context of the characters and events.A word of warning: pace yourself. Not only is Stardust Crusaders an exhausting series to watch on a binge, but you'll kick yourself for finishing it too quickly and leaving nothing for tomorrow.In a way similar to The Wind Rises, Barakamon is about what happens when extreme passion, dedication and obsession for a singular idea takes over your life. The message here is very different to Miyazaki's work, however, this essentially being a warning to not let any one thing consume you as you risk losing out on everything else life has to offer.The plot follows a young calligrapher, Handa, who has difficulty accepting that any opinion or vision other than his has any value. This outlook on life sees him attack an art critic who doesn't much like his latest work, resulting in Handa's father banishing him from his Tokyo home and sending him to live on a small rustic island until he has learned how to behave properly.Here he slowly learns that by broadening his focus to allow him to understand and absorb the world around him his art will improve and become more meaningful, both to Handa and his audience. He also learns the value of appreciating and accepting a range of opinions.Handa is frequently pestered by Naru, a young girl with incredible energy and lust for life. It's through her that Handa learns some of his most valuable lessons, the two combining for an odd couple double act that is in itself enough reason to watch.