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anime, power lines

There’s hundreds — if not thousands — of anime that include static shots of power lines with cicada noises. We combed through every single one and ranked just the top ten.

10. One Punch Man

That classic beautiful low angle shot of power lines on a hot summer day. The cluttered crisscross of the lines juxtaposed by the openness of the sky makes this one of the best power line shots ever.

9. Whisper of the Heart

Yoshifumi Kondô’s only feature-length film has one of the best power line shots ever. The nice haze of the sun really sets the mood.

8. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Looming, atmospheric, daunting. A spec of lens flair really puts us in the head of the main character.

7. Nekomonogatari: Shiro

Sparse and backlit. These power lines are a mystery, never actually revealing themselves to us, making us ask more questions when we will ever get answers. 

6. My Roommate is a Cat

This pick will be controversial for sure, but look at how the power-lines draw the eye down the street, leading us on an adventure — telling us that something important is just around that corner. 

5. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun

These power-lines, on this beautiful morning, are almost flirting with us.

4. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Clean, straight, blocky — this shot puts everything in order. All is as it should be. Or is it?

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion

It is a classic shot and what most other power line shots are inspired by and aspire to be. It is almost a god in this shot — inescapable and omnipresent.

2. FLCL

What better metaphor for your teenage years could you ask for than this shot? If you’ve never seen the show, you don’t have to. This explains everything.

1. Serial Experiments Lain

Any anime fan who clicked this link already knew this was going to be number one: the power line shot to end all power line shots. When they say “Every frame is a painting,” they are talking about this shot. Out-of-focus lines in the foreground as if we are wrapped up in them, apart from them, being consumed by them. Yet they lead us to the tower in the background foreshadowing the inevitability of death. Also there are cicada noises.

Check out the newest episode of the Hard Drive podcast where we watch and discuss every episode of 1989’s The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!