Something moving

[SeijiSensei]

Kourin has a larger role in the second season. As you might expect from watching the first season, her romance with Eigetsu blossoms.

Kourin is actually one of my favorite characters in Saiunkoku Monogatari after Shurrei. I have to admit having a yen for Kochou-neesan as well. Shurrei remains among my top-five female characters of all time. Kuwashima's sparkling performance in the role has a lot to do with that. Wait until you get to hear her speech in episode eight of season two.

[jesh462]

You were right. She really does have an excellent voice actor behind her. She's a hell of a character, but I won't sell all her friends short. For 78 episodes, this anime isn't long enough. I think of the main characters as friends that I know I'll go back to visit later.

[thundrakkon]

I'm glad you like Saiunkoku so much. Yeah, it is one great and nostalgic series. I've lost track of what else I've recommended for you, so I'll have to reread this thread someday.

Originally Posted by jesh462

I was going to try to find a link to the particular piece I love on youtube, but after searching for more than an hour, I give up. It shows up multiple times throughout the episodes, but you can find it in episode 27 about 6 minutes in, although it's not set as prominently as other times.

I don't think that particular piece ever made it into the soundtracks, but go ahead and PM me. I'll try to help you find it.

[deadlights911]

Try Beck: Mongolian Chop Shop. It's about a rock band and it's actually really good. It didn't make me cry, but some scenes are very moving

[jesh462]

Funny thing about BECK.. I didn't feel much as I was watching this show, but I actually started dreaming about it. By the time I was finished watching it, I felt that I knew the characters quite well. While I didn't really like most of the songs that BECK played, I appreciated the relationships between the band members and I did like the last song that Koyuki wrote. I also loved the duets with Koyuki and Maho. They were both quite lovely and memorable. It's too early to tell if BECK is a favorite of mine, but I did really like it.

Sola captured my attention from the first frame. Even before there was any real conflict in the show, the beautiful painted art style and lovely dialog had me smiling. While this was not a show with a happily-ever-after, and while I REALLY wanted things to work out somehow, it was still beautiful and I'll never forget it. This may be a favorite of mine as well, I'll have to wait and see.

I don't know what it is about Flag, but shows like this just don't do anything for me. I think it has partly to do with me being active duty military. Something just turns me off to shows like this or even movies that follow in the same genre. I don't like people's guesses on what being in the military is like. There is no possible way of knowing unless you do it yourself. The characters in Flag did nothing for me, I didn't care about them, and the camera effets on all the frames got old fast. I stopped after episode 4.

I watched the first 2 seasons of Black Lagoon. THIS show, on the other hand, completely did it for me. I was glued to the screen. I have never seen subject matter like this in anime, or thought about the implications of illicit activities on the people who are caught up in them. While I don't pretend that watching Black Lagoon is as good as an organized crime mastermind's biography, I definitely got a lot out of this show. I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, everything. Of course Revy was wonderful. This is definitely on my favorites.

Gunbuster in some ways reminded me of Uchuu no Stellvia. At first they were almost completely alike, but I quickly realized that Gunbuster definitely took a more mature look at the problems of space exploration. I appeciated the thoughtfulness towards issues with age and loss. I also really loved the boobs, not gonna lie. Why did this trend in anime stop????

Hourou Musuko took me by surprise. With the animation style and the age of the main characters, I falsely assumed that I'd be watching something that was supposed to be tragic that I just couldn't care about, or something fluffy that I wouldn't care about. Of course, I was wrong with both guesses. While this is rather personal, and while I definitely don't have anything to complain about with my physique or looks, I've often felt like Nitori and Takatsuki. I have often wished that I was born a girl. I'm very glad that the creators of this show didn't take the common Japanese stance that this is something that's just a phase and can be grown out of. (like gay or lesbian relationships are commonly portrayed) It really isn't. Although in general I find it harder to relate to children in anime, this is one of those shows that is an exception. I like how the characters are young, but still can make thier own decisions and take charge of their own lives. Too often children in anime are powerless. I think that is the main reason I was able to enjoy Dennou Coil. The characters, while young, have thier own motives, their own thoughts, their own dreams. They aren't along for the ride. They will do what they can for their own reasons. They're still shown as real people, which feels very different to me than anime like Bokurano. There wasn't a riveting plot in Hourou Musuko, just an honest look into issues with how society perceives gender. This won't be a favorite of mine, but I'm glad I watched it.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Jesh, has anyone already recommend Zetsuen no Tempest and Shin Sekai Yori to you? Those two are good shows. Zetsuen is an action fantasy with slow build up but very engaging story with Shakespearean element thrown in. Shin Sekai is a sci-fi series that breaks the norm and thought-provoking (though the story is pretty grim). I definitely recommend these two just to broaden your horizon .

[jesh462]

Nope, you're the first, Obelisk! I'll make sure I get to them once I get back home. I don't have internet access out here, I'm replying to this thread with my phone.

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

I'm glad you like Saiunkoku so much. Yeah, it is one great and nostalgic series. I've lost track of what else I've recommended for you, so I'll have to reread this thread someday.



I don't think that particular piece ever made it into the soundtracks, but go ahead and PM me. I'll try to help you find it.

I've kept my first post updated with each suggestion, which coincidentally covers every anime I've ever seen.
It should be pretty easy to just read that one post.

[jesh462]

I'm not sure how I feel about Fantastic Children. I don't like the character designs as a whole, they remind me of cyborg 009 or something. I loved the backgrounds though, they feel so old school. CG was hardly noticeable and that's a huge plus for me. I almost dropped this show after the first few episodes, but a small sense of curiosity kept me watching the next one. When the true origin of the children was revealed, I had to completely revise my opinions.
Suddenly the scope was so huge and epic. Then the ending came. It wasn't really what I wanted. If I was any one of the children, I wouldn't be able to stay here. I will definitely remember this show, even if I didn't like everything about it.

Kaiba left me with mixed feelings. After Kaiba left Chroniko's body I identified a little less with what was being shown to me. I felt that the show seemed to become about something else after that point. Instead of focusing on the power of memories and what they mean to us, instead of bringing issues to light, it was more about weird animaton. Each episode tried to be more of a spectacle than the last. I enjoyed quite a lot of Kaiba. Some of it I really could have just skipped over and not missed much.

The best part of Futukoi Alternative was without a doubt Sara and Soujyu. I felt it almost didn't matter at all what happened in Futukoi as long as I could keep watching Sara and Soujyu being the most adorable and sexy little things I've ever seen. The plot was outlandish and there were touching moments, but really all I remember from this show is the best twins ever. Oh and Rentarou's crowning moment of homosexuality when he turned them both down.. twice.
Anyways I absolutely loved Sara and Soujyu and will definitely watch this again just for those two. It also makes me curious about the non-alternative version of the show.

I've read a manga before with a lot of similarities to Koi Kaze. What I loved about this show was the ending. I'm glad, again, that the show has a more accepting attitude of the sibling's feelings. I loved the voice actor that they chose for Nanoka. She sounds super cute. I also liked how they touched on the subject that true love is very hard to find. If you do find that special someone who makes you feel funny and you can never get off your mind, you should never let them go, no matter who they are. I agree 1000% with that. While Koi Kaze was cute and there were touching moments, this is probably a show that I'll remember only vaguely years from now. There wasn't enough to stand out about it besides the brother and sister pairing.

In Kurenai, unlike other shows they've seen, the person taking care of the child was involved in shady business and it was a lot more violent than I expected. I am not sure how I feel about that. I guess it added a little twist, but I think there should have been more focus on his fighting and odd jobs, to make more of an impact. Either that, or a lot less focus on it to develop other aspects of the show. Murasaki was pretty cute, though. I enjoyed Shinkurou and Murasaki's times together, and it was a bit interesting seeing what kind of character they made Shinkurou.

Kurokami I will definintely remember. I grew very attached to Kuro.

Spoiler:

I wish that, even if it was unreasonable, she could have stayed with Keita instead of marrying that dumb slut Akane. Ok ok, so Akane wasn't that bad.. but still. I feel so bad for Kuro, staying all alone.

That's pretty much the only thing I didn't like about this show. Some of the fighting as a little predictable, but a lot of it wasn't. That, combined with so many different character's stories, puts it head and shoulders above what I expected. I really enjoyed Kurokami.

Even though REC was so short, from the first episode, Aka's character really stood out. She doesn't fit into any stereotype. She's just a stranger than normal girl who is determined to achieve her goals. Ten short episodes flew by watching her on screen. I don't think I'll forget her soon. Have I mentioned that I f***ing love redheads??! On a less positive note, Matsumaru is quite cookie-cutter and forgettable, but I've noticed many anime seem to do this on purpose for that whole fantasy role play thing, so the viewer can pretend they're the male lead. Whatever.

I've thought for a while what I want to say about Romeo x Juliet. At first I felt that the show was almost a straight translation from the play into anime format. As I kept going through the show, things got more and more different. I became caught up in a whirl of emotion, and before I knew it, suddenly it was over. I knew that before I wrote anything about it, I'd have to collect my thoughts, so I've waited a while to write this post.
I feel that the makers of Romeo X Juliet did an absolutely fantastic job. While staying true to the spirit of Shakespeare's work, they definitely made it their own. The viewer is aware that this will be a tragedy, there's a caution label on the first episode. Despite that, there is a very real sense of hope portrayed as the Romeo and Juliet from hundreds of years ago are turned into real, living, breathing characters that soar through the skies of Neo Verona. I couldn't help but imagine that maybe this time, just maybe, fate would change and they'd find a happier ending. The blend of love, hope, tragedy and conflict reminds me a lot of Princess Tutu, though the two ended up very different. It's just as the show states, Romeo and Juliet have taught the world what love is. Hopefully their tale will reach a new generation through this show.
Also, DID I MENTION I F***ING LOVE REDHEADS?!??!

[theflyingturkey]

Something moving?
Try Kotoura-san! It's lovely.

[TinyRedLeaf]

It's not anime, nor is it even produced in Japan. Strictly speaking, it doesn't qualify to be in this thread. But if you are looking for something moving and own a PlayStation 3 console, you might want to give Journey a try. It's available from the PlayStation Network and wouldn't take more than two or three hours to complete.

Why? Because when was the last time any anime, movie or game inspired such a letter from a fan?

Your game practically changed my life... It was the most fun I had with him since he had been diagnosed... My father passed in the spring of 2012, only a few months after his diagnosis.

Weeks after his death, I could finally return myself to playing video games. I tried to play Journey, and I could barely get past the title screen without breaking down into tears. In my dad's and in my own experience with Journey, it was about him, and his journey to the ultimate end, and I believe we encountered your game at the most perfect time.

I want to thank you for the game that changed my life, the game whose beauty brings tears to my eyes. Journey is quite possibly the best game I have ever played. I continue to play it, always remembering what joy it brought, and the joy it continues to bring.

I am Sophia, I am 15, and your game changed my life for the better.

[White Manju Bun]

I 2nd Shinsekai Yori!

[jesh462]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
Oh wow! I got a moderator to reply to my thread! I feel so lucky!
Shin Sekai Yori and Steins Gate I think are at the top of my list for after I get back home.
Unfortunately, I don't have a PS3. I know quite a bit about Journey though, because I've watched quite a few Extra Credits episodes that referenced and talked about it. Great show.
If someday I pick up a ps3 for 50 bucks or less, I'll give it a shot.

School Rumble was maybe as much fun to watch as G.T.O. Maybe it's the length of a show that does it for me? I feel like I'm more attached to Ichijo, Akira, Sarah, Tenma, Kenji, Mikoto, and especially Eri and Yakumo, than the cast of GTO.
My main complaint about School Rumble is just how there isn't any closure. While I had a lot of fun, I do want to know how things end up for them. I really did enjoy School Rumble but because of this, it isn't a favorite of mine.



Hmmmmm School Days..
I've heard a bit about this show before, so I think I started viewing it differently than I would have otherwise.

Spoiler:

At first, I really felt that Sekai was the better girl, and that Makoto was a fool to not notice her. Then Kotonoha warmed up to Makoto and I just felt terrible for her. Every girl deserves someone who will adore them, but she's looking for it in the wrong place. It's pitiful.

I wonder, is this the way that other people feel when they see this? I wondered the same thing watching School Rumble. Does everyone sympathize with Eri and Yakumo? They just felt so real and human compared to Tenma's vapid playfulness, yet she was always the center of attention.
School Days made me question myself: Is Makoto just stupid? Or is he actually innately cruel, evil and incapable of sincerity, "via ex animo", from the heart, as the anime hints? Evil may seem overboard, but really, what's not evil about it? Makoto is happy as long as he is getting what he wants, and doesn't think of others unless he's forced to. Someone's feelings are not something he wants to inconvenience himself with unless it's necessary for his pleasure. Is the average person so different? How many people don't care what goes on next door, or in their city or state or country unless it impacts their daily routine of media consumption? How many people don't actually care about even their best friend? How many times have friends pretended to listen and used them for personal gain when it was convenient? How many people actually do stand up and try to make even the smallest difference for something they believe in? Is this just a national phenomenon? Is it just the United States that's full of these shitty people? Is Japan any different, with manga and anime glorifying morality at most every turn? I want to believe that can make a difference, but a part of me doubts it.
I guess that I've been thinking along this train of thought for a while, watching the anime that everyone has recommended to me. I just never felt that it was very appropriate to write something like this for what I thought of a specific show. School Days really seemed to bring all these thoughts to the forefront of my mind.
I've been writing this as I go through the show, and now I've finished. A lot happened near the end, and needless to say it surprised me.

Spoiler:

From what I gather, the creators of School Days intended Sekai as a symbol, the lure of worldly pleasures. I guess that's why everyone had the names they did. Yes, Makoto made mistakes. He let Sekai get to him and it all went downhill from there. Before the end, he realized, quite on accident, what he'd done. He realized what was really important. It was too late. His mistakes caught up to him. I couldn't cry for him when he died.

I did cry for Kotohona at the end. It's so incredibly despairing that our world can be so cruel and wrong. It's equally as saddening that I personally can't claim to be above all this. I think I have personally made just about every mistake in this anime. In the end, Kotonoha stays in my mind. If someone were to meet their soul-mate and be a perfect person, they probably would have acted exactly like her. Her determination, her unwavering loyalty, her face that she presents to the world despite her terrible personal circumstances are all noteworthy. I ask myself if it would have been as easy to admire her if they hadn't made her character so curvy. Maybe yes, maybe no. I wish that somehow I could do something for women like this. There are so many broken hearts out there.
Anyways, I did enjoy School Days quite a bit. This is a favorite just because of the sheer thought that went into it. It really impressed me. I'd love to hear what you all think about it and some of the questions I've asked here, if you have half a mind to share.

[jesh462]

Shinsekai Yori was the first show I've seen that was actually suspenseful for me. Countless times I actually was on the edge of my seat, where I'd never felt that way in another show. That was the second thing that struck me as special about the show. The first was the art direction. It felt obvious to me that the creators of Shinsekai Yori put an intense amount of imagination and effort into creating this post apocalyptic world.
I appreciated the effort and the story that it told. However, to the question found at the end, I'm going to reply with a resounding "no". That, combined with the overall dark mood found throughout, probably keeps this off my favorites. We'll see.

[SeijiSensei]

I've got a couple more suggestions for you if you're interested, jesh.

In light of our earlier conversation about mature sexuality in anime, I think you'll like the four stories told so far in the episodic NHK anthology Otona Joshi no Anime Time ("Anime Time for Women"). All of them feature female protagonists between 25 and 40 and are adapted from well-known stories by female Japanese authors. After you have watched them, read this. I concur with a number of her observations about the series.

My other recommendation was made in passing before, but I want to reiterate it here. You should watch the "Bakeneko" ("Goblin Cat") arc of Ayakashi Samurai Horror Tales and then its sequel Mononoke. I suggest you watch them in the order they were telecast starting with "Bakeneko."

TL;DR…

YouTube

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[jesh462]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply SeijiSensei. I will get to them.

My computer has been broken and it still isn't really fixed, but I've kidnapped a laptop and am holding it hostage in return for more anime.
I didn't realize it had almost been a year since I'd updated this thread. Well, all I've had a chance to complete is something I found online randomly, not even a suggestion. I feel a little bad about that.
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo. While not explicitly about art like Honey and Clover, it definitely made me think about art in a way that Honey and Clover never did. Many shows I've watched have given me new appreciation for things that I took for granted. I think that thanks to this show, I've begun to appreciate the effort that goes into anime and video games and other forms of art a lot more. I have never created something with others like in Sakurasou, but it sure does seem amazing..
Maybe a bit like a relationship with a devastatingly attractive psychopath? Nothing else in the world quite like it, but you would have to be more than a little crazy to become involved. (in a very admirable way)
The characters are what struck me the most about this show. It made me not want the show to end so that I could just keep staying in Sakurasou with them. There is love, disappointment, despair, joy and happiness, contentment, so many emotions all portrayed in such a relatable way. No conflict that ever comes into this show would ever end the world or destroy someone's life, but neither are most of the conflicts that face each of us day to day.
I loved it.
It was also a little strange that the two "side couples" ended up kissing and sealing the deal, while Kanda didn't. Season 2????

I also want to add that I watched the first ten episodes of Space Battleship Yamato 2199 and absolutely loved it. It's just on my computer that's down right now.. the same thing goes for Kotoura-san. I think I got to around 10 and had to stop. I definitely appreciate these suggestions, and even though I haven't seen how it all ends up, I really enjoyed my time with them.

[TheSix]

Ten months and still strong. Confirmed most successful recommendation thread on the site?

Anyway, some things to look at:

Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross Plus and Macross Frontier. The Macross franchise is probably my favourite in Anime history, and these three pieces are much of the reason for that. SDF has some great thematic concepts (using a romantic triangle as symbolic of the conflicts of battle, presented alongside the actual battles within the series: "love is war", literally) and fine Characters (although it's rather old, so perhaps visually it's a step down from what you've previously seen); Plus (the film, at least: I never saw the OVAs) moves the series to different ground, taking a larger science - fiction bent, and taking the series' themes of war and revolving them more around personal wars, wars with yourself and close friends; these themes are handled very well, as are the relationships between the Characters they are represented by and accompanied by excellent action scenes and a great soundtrack. Frontier is potentially my favourite Anime of all time: It takes simple ideas and executes them to a very high standard, and develops SDF's themes in very fine ways (quite cleverly, it serves as a sequel to a series about conflict by looking at how conflict influences future generations: Most of the central Characters are afflicted by some form of event related to their past and/or childhood, sometimes involving the events of previous installments in the franchise or it's mythology, and a lot of the series revolves around them overcoming these). It's plot can be somewhat predictable at times (and this predictability could often have been easily avoided, to the point I'm sometimes convinced it's intentional), but it progresses ridiculously smoothly, and it's Characters are people I consider realistic and rather well - rounded. You can watch these series in any order, but I would recommend you watch SDF before Frontier for thematic context (Plus doesn't focus as much on building SDF's themes as Frontier, and to be honest is pretty dissimilar to the two overall, so it doesn't really require any prior viewing of the franchise to get the full amount of enjoyment from it). Also concerning SDF and Frontier, my recommendations for them refer to the series rather than the films: SDF's simply attempts to place too much in too little time, while Frontier's has less of the series' great Character focus and has what I consider some questionable plot alterations.

Kino's Journey: Focuses on a traveller and her talking motorcycle as they roam through the world the series takes place in, each part of that world representing an often brutal human problem. It's understated tone is excellent, and I consider Kino and Hermes one of the best duos in Anime. However, it is a rather episodic series, despite the continuous development of Kino's Character, and can be rather dark (although almost all of the stories have a small amount of brightness in them), so I'm not entirely sure it's for you. Still, you asked for things that are moving, and this certainly moved me, so I thought I'd place it here.

Shakugan no Shana: Hugely marmite, but you've enjoyed some other series that I consider so previously (F/SN, Angel Beats), so I decided to mention it anyway. I consider it the definition of simple done well: It has pretty standard plot elements, but the execution of them is very strong. I also think of Shana herself as one of the strongest Tsunderes in Anime, although that opinion isn't a popular one, and while the rest of the cast are adequately effective I don't think they're as well - done. Still, I think of it as overall enjoyable (The only absolute major flaw I would say it contains would be it not exploring the more interesting parts of it's world enough), and it does have some similarities to F/SN, so I allowed it a mention.

[Dawnstorm]

Hm:

2013 had a number of good shows (that may not have been mentioned yet; I only skimmed the thread):

Uchouten Kazoku: A surface-whimsical story about a family of tanuki, this is about laughing in the face of tragedy and moving on. One of the best things about the show's emotional impact is the pitch-perfect pacing: it knows how to use contrast, when to be silly, and to let a scene linger to let things sink in, but they never pound a point home with the sledgehammer. It's a show about tanuki, and the motto "what is fun is good," even though the show makes it very clear that not everything is fun and that fun can have non-fun consequences. Highly recommended for great characters.

Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge: Nobody else is going to recommend this, so I will. It's the marriage of a love story and a survival-game plot (like Btoom! or Fate/Zero, from your list), and the two strands are linked together by a parade of sexual fetishes (which might turn you off). The main couple have, I think, outstanding chemistry (and there's a strange sense of both naivety and jadedness to both of them). The core theme seems to be to bundle your darker emotions (such as anger or vanity) into fethishes so they don't accumulate and possess you. The show's biggest pro is, I think, the art direction and music. It's not quite on the level of Nazo no Kanojo X, but it's almost there. With this show, you'll almost certainly know whether you'll like it after only one episode, and you'll likely not change your mind.

White Album 2: A straightforward love triangle exectued with an unprecedent attention to detail and emotional veracity. You'll feel these characters, and how they're stuck in a situation and make things worse for each other, because they try not to hurt each other. If you want to do love triangles, this is how you do it. (Aside: Many people hate the first White Album [which comes in two seasons], but I'd recommend this as well. The reason I mention this here, though, is so that you don't confuse the second season of that show, with White Album 2. Totally unrelated show, except that they share the setting - no recommended order of watching . The only things the shows have in common are specific songs.)

[SuitUp]

Something moving? I would recomend "Asatte no Houkou", it's a 12 episode anime, that follows the story of a little girl and a 20-something woman, who magically become an adult and a child, respectively... It's really good, the caracters grow on you and develop acordingly.

[jesh462]

TheSix: I have been wanting to watch Macross for a very long time, I've just had no clue where to start and it kept getting pushed onto the back burner. I'll watch Macross after Otona Joshi no Anime Time and Stein's Gate, which comes after the two shows I'm currently going through. (Battleship Yamato 2199 and Kotoura-san)
It'll be fairly soon though, as I'm alone in the house for two weeks, and there's only so much cleaning I can do before everything is spotless.

I've heard a few recommendations for Kino's Journey before too, so I'll definitely look into it.
P.S. Hugely marmite? What?? xD

Dawnstorm your selections sound really intriguing and I can't wait to get to them. I have no aversions to things like you've described. I like to think of myself as an extremely open minded person.
We'll see JUST how much anime I can cram into two weeks.

Suit Up, that sounds wonderful. I'll definitely check it out.


In case you guys haven't noticed, I do try very hard to get to everything suggested, but I put a slight bias towards shows I've heard a bit about, or a slight bias towards whatever I'm in the mood for. For example, after watching Berserk, I wasn't really in the mood to watch anything else serious. So dark..
Also since a lot of people suggest, I go for one show from each person until I've watched enough to double back and hit more suggestions.
I do value each and every one of your opinions and I super-appreciate you taking a bit of your time to let me know what you think I would enjoy.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by jesh462

I just finished Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. I'm glad that this suggestion was posted. Even though it's completely different than any shows I've really seen before, I loved it!

TTGL didn't do it for me, but the current effort by the same team, director Imaishi Hiroyuki and scriptwriter Nakashima Kazuki, Kill la Kill, has me enthralled. If you have a spare twenty minutes right now, I suggest clicking this link: http://www.crunchyroll.com/kill-la-k...thistle-644301

BTW, Crunchyroll is offering 14-day free trials that remove the commercial advertising.

Nakashima wrote another of my favorite shows, Oh! Edo Rocket, which he adapted from his original stage play. It's set in 1843 Edo during the Tenpou Reforms which banned, among other things, public entertainments. The male protagonist is a young fireworks maker who can no longer pursue his craft because of the Reforms, so he is forced to sneak out at night to fire off the occasional rocket. Coming home from one of these adventures, he encounters a lovely young woman who asks him to build her a rocket that can reach the moon.

I reread most of this thread and was surprised to discover I hadn't recommended Bartender. It's a series of vignettes set in a Ginza bar about a master bartender who can magically identify the proper alcoholic concoction to soothe a customer's weary soul.