My 2024 media recap

I usually put together lists of the things I enjoyed most this year, but I've run out of time. Instead, I'm going to rattle off a few games and books I enjoyed this year. So, in no particular order, here are my favourites from 2024.

Dandadan — Anime (and manga)

It's so fun and faithful to the manga's insane energy. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but the people who like it will really like it. The manga also continued to be one of my favourites this year.

Shūzō Oshimi — Manga artist and author

I binged most of his work this year (Happiness, Blood on the Tracks, Flowers of Evil, and Inside Mari) and really enjoyed it for how far outside of the norm many of his stories got. In particular, I really enjoyed Inside Mari, a book about a lazy, creepy guy who wakes up inside the body of a young woman. It tackled darker, more mature themes, like gender inequality, sexism, and mental health that I wasn't finding in other books.

Still Wakes the Deep — Video game

If the movie The Thing took place on an oil rig in the North Sea rather than a research outpost in the Arctic, it would be this. The writing is excellent, and the sound design is terrific. It's easily the most tense I've felt playing a game in forever.

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 1 — Manga

As the name implies, a girl falls for a mysterious guy working at a music store only to find out that she's a woman. The art of the book is so good, and the subtle hits of green splashed throughout were unique compared to most other manga I read.

Stellar Blade — Video game

Fun combat and an engaging story make for an entertaining experience that stuck with me long after finishing the campaign. Something about it just clicked for me.

Ultimate Spider-Man & Absolute Batman — Comics

I fell out of love with many comics this year, but these two series worked for me. Both books are alternate universe titles and offer writers Jonathan Hickman and Scott Snyder, respectively, the freedom to push boundaries and reimagine stories and characters.

Love Bullet — Manga

Somewhat of a cult favourite, Love Bullet tells the story of cupids, people who died without finding true love, tasked with helping people find their soulmates. It's a fun, albeit sad, twist on the traditional concept with great art. Despite this, it's struggled to find a following, so give it a look and spread the word.

That's all I got, short and sweet.

Hope you had a great year and that 2025 is even better.