Anime, once a niche, specialty indulgence, has rapidly become mainstream. Millennials were raised watching Naruto on Adult Swim and Gen Z has fully dived into Netflix’s and Crunchyroll’s easy streaming access to classics such as One Piece, Attack on Titan, and Demon Slayer. Celebrities like Michael B. Jordan, John Boyega, Jamie Lee Curtis, Megan Thee Stallion, and others have publicly embraced their love of anime leading to a new wave of curious fans. Like approaching a long running soap opera or a lengthy book series, newbies may not know how to connect with the growing popularity of anime. However, the journey will be worth it if you follow the right path. A good anime is the perfect balance of edgy and entertaining, clever and emotional, creative and engaging, quirky, funny, yet incredibly relatable in both profound and minor themes.
Many of the popular anime shows are based on manga (Japanese comics) which are serialized in weekly or monthly publications. Most of the most popular anime are shonen, meaning they are primarily or originally targeted at teen boys. This doesn’t define the viewership but it is a helpful context for understanding some of the questionable content that’s included in otherwise great storytelling. The “Big Three” anime are generally considered to be Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. Each of the long-running series clocks in around or beyond a thousand episodes (including time skips and sequels). However, there are hundreds of other excellent and/or very popular anime out there including Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia, and Demon Slayer, as well as classics like Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, and others. Anime is elusive for some because of its quirkiness. The character design differs from series to series, with artistically realistic characters to fantastically strange but the thing that makes anime accessible is the diversity of stories. From sports to cooking, fantasy to mysteries, romance to horror, there is an anime for every personal taste, you just have to find the right one. For viewers who are not quite ready to swim through a thousand unpredictable episodes of One Piece, here are a few suggestions of compact, accessible anime that are easy to jump into.
Spy x Family – Superspy Twilight (Loid Forger) creates a fake family to infiltrate an elite private school to track an elusive political figure. He adopts secretly telepathic Anya from a rundown orphanage and later enters into a marriage of convenience with gentle city clerk Yor, who needs a fake marriage to help with her own job security. Despite her genuinely sweet persona, Yor is a clandestine assassin. Neither Yor not Loid know the other’s true identity but Anya does. Anya keeps her telepathy to herself, afraid that her new parents will abandon her if they find out. However, she uses her skill to secretly help her parents without their knowledge. The show has a family friendly vibe although people do get shot and stabbed onscreen. In true anime fashion it’s relatable and quirky, charming and edgy. Some of the later episodes are a bit slow but overall, the first season is entertaining as we watch these three orphans create a family and navigate intrigue and adventure while still struggling with the slice-of-life reality they have created for themselves.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead – A zombie adventure with a twist. Anyone who has had to endure a soul-sucking job will relate to overworked, entry-level office worker Akira’s exhaustion, misery, and disillusionment as he works around the clock with no time for himself. All of that changes when a zombie apocalypse breaks out. Instead of being horrified, Akira is relieved that he no longer has to go to work. He creates a bucket list of things he has always wanted to do and navigates the zombie overrun cityscape to try things he’s never had time to do. Each day he encounters friends, allies, and of course zombies as he builds a cohort of fellow survivors. The zombies are grotesques but the blood splatter is brightly multicolor so it’s more palatable for the squeamish. It’s weird to have a comedy version of The Walking Dead but the delivery is hilarious and relatable. The show is a grim mix of character study, societal commentary, and laugh out loud humor.
My Happy Marriage – For romance fans, My Happy Marriage is a fairy tale remix with fantasy elements and all of the best romance tropes including: grumpy-sunshine, forced marriage, knight in shining armor, and Cinderella. Kind-hearted Miyo is abused by her step-mother and half sister and ignored by her scheming father. In a world where elite families are blessed with magical powers, Miyo seems to have none. She is reduced to being a servant in her own home after the death of her mother. When her father sells her off to a cruel military leader, she accepts her fate only to discover that her betrothed is different from his reputation. The show is filled with adventures, friendship, and romance and season one is a satisfying complete story that will leave traditional romance fans happy.
The Promised Neverland (Season One) – Don’t be fooled by the adorable children in the anime graphics. Promised Neverland presents cuteness with a violent twist. Grade school aged Emma, Norman, and Ray live happily in a home for children with their kind caregiver, “Mom,” until they discover the real reason they are so well fed and cared for. Season one is a twisty adventure in survival that draws you in from the first stunning episode.
Fruits Basket (2019 version) – The ultimate anime soap opera. Sweet, optimistic high schooler Tohru’s life is changed when she moves in with the cursed Sohma family of shape shifters who uncontrollably change into animals of the zodiac. The large ensemble cast includes cynical author Shigure (the dog), the older cousin to short-tempered Kyo (the cat) and the designated family prince Yuki (the rat). Tohru is homeless and mourning the loss of her mother, Kyo is scarred by his own mother’s suicide, and Yuki’s smug charm masks his own childhood trauma. The Sohma clan is controlled by the cruel, narcissistic Akito who torments the family. Fruits Basket is filled with romance, tragedy, plot twists, attempted murder, everyday high school life, random comedy, and lots of adventure. If you can get past the quirky shape-shifting, the addictive plot will be appealing to fans of complex, family dramas.
Attack on Titan – Humanity has been overrun by horrifying titans: giant, murderous humanoids. To survive, humans live in walled communities to keep the titans out. But when the great wall is breached, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin join the Survey Corps to help track and defeat the monsters. The very violent series is a good fit for fans of grim, intense, political/military stories. The first episode is jaw-dropping and the series only gets more intense as the violent encounters lead to unexpected twists, betrayals, and political and social commentary amidst the carnage.
Other new shows that work great with non-anime fans are Apothecary Diaries (cynical, witty, mystery series set in the ancient world), Wind Breaker (a fight gang adventure with an endearing twist), and Kaiju No. 8. (an ordinary guy becomes a monster fighter and a monster). With so many great anime, from classics to newcomers, there is a good fit for a range of tastes. If you want a quick intro to anime storytelling before you dive into a lengthy series, the above suggestions will hopefully be a good start.
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POSTED BY: Ann Michelle Harris – Multitasking, fiction writing Trekkie currently dreaming of her next beach vacation.
Fruits Basket (2019 version) – The ultimate anime soap opera. Sweet, optimistic high schooler Tohru’s life is changed when she moves in with the cursed Sohma family of shape shifters who uncontrollably change into animals of the zodiac. The large ensemble cast includes cynical author Shigure (the dog), the older cousin to short-tempered Kyo (the cat) and the designated family prince Yuki (the rat). Tohru is homeless and mourning the loss of her mother, Kyo is scarred by his own mother’s suicide, and Yuki’s smug charm masks his own childhood trauma. The Sohma clan is controlled by the cruel, narcissistic Akito who torments the family. Fruits Basket is filled with romance, tragedy, plot twists, attempted murder, everyday high school life, random comedy, and lots of adventure. If you can get past the quirky shape-shifting, the addictive plot will be appealing to fans of complex, family dramas.
Attack on Titan – Humanity has been overrun by horrifying titans: giant, murderous humanoids. To survive, humans live in walled communities to keep the titans out. But when the great wall is breached, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin join the Survey Corps to help track and defeat the monsters. The very violent series is a good fit for fans of grim, intense, political/military stories. The first episode is jaw-dropping and the series only gets more intense as the violent encounters lead to unexpected twists, betrayals, and political and social commentary amidst the carnage.
Other new shows that work great with non-anime fans are Apothecary Diaries (cynical, witty, mystery series set in the ancient world), Wind Breaker (a fight gang adventure with an endearing twist), and Kaiju No. 8. (an ordinary guy becomes a monster fighter and a monster). With so many great anime, from classics to newcomers, there is a good fit for a range of tastes. If you want a quick intro to anime storytelling before you dive into a lengthy series, the above suggestions will hopefully be a good start.
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POSTED BY: Ann Michelle Harris – Multitasking, fiction writing Trekkie currently dreaming of her next beach vacation.
