Borrowing her moniker from a Japanese horror-gore flick about a schoolgirl with a machine gun for an arm, Machine Girl is a self-proclaimed “producer from the inner circles of hell.” A member of London’s Dred Collective (and purportedly raised by wolves according to her Facebook page), she mixes a hyped-up blend of footwork, jungle and rave with bubbly anime samples and film quips to create some of the most high velocity dance music we’ve heard in a while. To brush up your anime game, we got her to assemble us a list of her top 10 series, from Miyazaki classics to even more cyborg machine madness.
10. Kill la Kill
I’m on the last like three or four episodes of this show, but I sped through most of it in a day. It’s the most bonkers/stylized shit I’ve seen in a LONG ass time and every character is classic. Lady Satsuki needs her own show ASAP.
9. Cybercity Oedo 808
Weird cyberpunk OVA from the 80’s that’s only three episodes long but REALLY badass and super on point. I love the grittiness of the world and the three main characters are all really great and provide some choice outfits for going to a rave or some shit.
8. Perfect Blue
The first movie I saw by Satoshi Kon and a really fucked up movie that’s essentially Black Swan with a J Pop singer. I LERV his art style.
7. Bubblegum Crisis (Original and 2040)
Ever since I was a kid I was obsessed with trying to watch Bubblegum Crisis because the Night Sabers’ outfits are soooo dope. I finally watched both of the series more recently and I’m a big fan. I’ve been watching BGC again recently to get in the zone for my new music and the aesthetic I’m trying to adopt.
6. My Neighbor Totoro
First anime I ever watched because my older sister had it on VHS and we watched that shit RELIGIOUSLY. It’s so good and honestly… I could substitute this movie for any Miyazaki film because all his films are just so beautiful it’s like choosing a favorite child.
5. Neon Genesis Evangelion
GET IN THE FUCKING ROBOT!
4. Akira
Seen this shit WAY too many times but always been a huge influence on me. I have to say though, the reason it’s not number one is because the manga is just SO MUCH BETTER, it’s like I can’t believe all the shit they cut from it just to make it fit into a feature length movie. CHIYOKO IS THE BEST CHARACTER.
3. Paprika
My favorite Satoshi Kon movie and another one that got fucking ripped off by Hollywood. Inception took this story and sucked all the color and fun out of it, it’s ridiculous. Music in the movie is top notch too.
2. Cowboy Bebop
My favorite anime series easily. I think it’s just so perfect in tone—it’s really funny and lighthearted sometimes but there’s always this weird sadness even in the fun episodes that makes it stand out. Plus, Ed.
1. Ghost in the Shell
The movie specifically. There’s really nothing else like it, even though it’s been ripped off by everything since it came out. It’s not even the awesome cyberpunk story that really does it for me, it’s the atmosphere and the music and the dryness of it. The whole thing is like a hazy dream and it’s a feeling I definitely try to recreate in my music. I sampled part of the soundtrack in my song “Ghost Machine”. Expect more Ghost in the Shell samples in the future.
