Anime, in the plainest sense of the word, refers to the style of Japanese animation. More likely than not you’ve seen or at least heard of some; Studio Ghibli movies like "My Neighbor Totoro" or "Spirited Away", "Pokemon", and "Yu-Gi-Oh" are all examples. Anime isn’t a genre in of itself, nor is it the childish cartoons people often think of when they hear “animation”, it’s just another creative engine for telling a story. Anime ranges vastly from cutesy slice-of-life stories to tearjerking dramas to ridiculous comedies to intense horror. Here, we’ll explore some great anime from all kinds of genres that are perfect for those who don’t know much about anime or Japanese culture at all. All of these listed are available on Hulu for free, and I’ll note the ones that are also available on Netflix.
Best Starter Anime: "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood"
"Fullmetal Alchemist" (or FMA) is the story of two alchemist brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the Philosopher's Stone in order to restore their bodies back to normal after a misguided attempt to bring their mother back to life. During their travels, they begin to realize that something sinister is happening in their home country. Though the premise is fairly bizarre, FMA is a truly beautiful story that has something for everyone; adventure, action, drama, comedy, and even a little bit of romance. It's a favorite of many (including myself) and is perfect for someone who has never seen anime before because, besides being a really well-told and amazing story, it requires no knowledge of Japanese culture or anime tropes at all. A true must-see.
(Available on Netflix.)
"Attack on Titan" (Dark Fantasy/Action)
In this dystopian world, humans live in cities surrounded by huge walls to protect them from titans, giant humanoids that have killed and eaten most of humanity. The story follows Eren Yaeger and his friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, who join the military to fight the titans after their hometown is invaded and Eren's mother is eaten. This series gets very dark very quickly. There is gratuitous amounts of violence and blood and death, so if that isn't your thing, keep that in mind. This one is very popular because of its engaging story, and again, because it doesn't require much knowledge of Japanese culture. It's worth checking out if only for the impressive animation and art.
(Available on Netflix.)
"Inuyasha" (Historical Drama/Romance/Fantasy/Adventure)
This series follows Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Tokyo who one day falls down a well in her family shrine, traveling 500 years into the past, and encounters the half-demon Inuyasha. Through a series of events, Kagome accidentally shatters the Shikon Jewel, scattering the pieces all across Japan. Kagome and Inuyasha must team up to collect all the shards before the powerful demon Naraku can. Along the way, they gain allies and friends, including Shippou, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara (pictured above). Although it has many dark and violent moments, "Inuyasha" is generally fairly lighthearted in tone, and its episodic nature makes the story easy to follow. It is a very long show by anime standards at about eight seasons, which proves that it did very well both in the US and in Japan.
(First two seasons available on Netflix.)
"Lupin the Third" (Crime/Action/Adventure)
A true classic, "Lupin III" follows the adventures of the grandson of the great French thief Arsene Lupin, who is aptly named Lupin III. He is arguably the greatest thief in the world, and aided by parters Jigen and Goemon, as well as friend/lover/enemy femme fatale Fujiko Mine, has all sorts of escapades stealing treasure and escaping from the hapless Detective Zenigata, whose life goal is to catch him. Lupin is a gentleman thief, and a kind of Robin Hood in that he steals from the rich (and usually evil) and gives to...well, himself. More often than not, he either loses the treasure or gives it to someone more deserving than himself. He sometimes acts as a kind of private investigator on the wrong side of the law. All in all, while their morals are questionable, Lupin and his gang aren't bad guys. This series is one of the longest running in Japan, with five series and nearly 30 movies.The first series is a lot darker in tone, but works itself out by the end. While you can jump in anywhere, as the series is entirely episodic, I recommend starting with the classic movie "Castle of Cagliostro", by the great Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli.
"Eden of the East" (Mystery/Science Fiction)
"Eden of the East" is the story of a girl named Saki, who on a trip to the US encounters a man, entirely naked with only a gun and a mysterious phone, who has lost all his memories. Calling himself Akira, the two head back to Japan to find out who he is, why he has lost all his memories, and why his phone has 8.2 billion yen on it as well as a concierge named Juiz who can make anything happen. The series is short, beautifully animated, with a really engaging and interesting storyline. There is little violence, only occasional nudity, and is a really beautiful story about what it means to make the world a better place.
"Fruits Basket" (Romance/Comedy/Fantasy)
"Fruits Basket" is the story of Tohru Honda, an orphaned girl who meets the 12 members of the Sohma family and finds out that each of them is possessed by the animals of the Zodiac. They are cursed to turn into their animal forms when they are weak, stressed, or, bizarrely, hugged by a member of the opposite sex. The series is very entertaining despite this strange premise, and as Tohru finds out, the curse is a lot deeper and darker than expected. It is at its core a love story, and is one of the classic and arguably most well-known romantic comedies of anime.
"Death Note" (Suspense/Horror/Drama)
"Death Note" tells the story of Light Yagami, an extremely intelligent high schooler who one day discovers a notebook from a Shinigami (literally "god of death") named Ryuk which grants its user the power to kill anyone by writing their name in it. Light subsequently decides to create and rule "a world cleansed of evil" by killing all criminals. His identity is kept secret, and he is known to the public only as "Kira", derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the word "killer". The series follows his power-driven "cleansings",as well as the attempts of a detective known as L to stop him. This story is very psychologically driven and explores what happens when a genius uses his intelligence the wrong way.
(Available on Netflix.)
"Noragami" (Fantasy/Comedy/Action)
"Noragami" (literally "Stray God") follows Yato, a minor deity without even a shrine to his name. His goal is to become a known god, and goes on various missions (read: errands) for humans, only charging them five yen. One day, a girl named Hiyori Iki, who inexplicably can see him, pushes him out of the way of an oncoming truck. Her soul subsequently becomes frequently detached from her body. He agrees to help her return to normal, and over the course of the series, the two become friends. Other characters include Yukine, a wandering spirit who becomes Yato's weapon, Kofuku, the goddess of poverty who is Yato's friend, and Bishamonten, a war goddess with a vendetta against Yato. Like FMA, this series has a little bit of everything. It is at times a hilarious comedy, other times an intense drama, and (in my opinion at least) the tentative romance between Yato and Hiyori is adorable. It's also fairly short at only two seasons, and while Japanese mythology is referenced a lot, it's pretty well explained within the frame of the series.
"Black Butler" (Fantasy/Drama/Action)
Set in Victorian England, "Black Butler" is about a young orphaned aristocrat named Ciel Phantomhive, who is tasked with solving crimes in London's underground. Ciel has formed a contract with a demon named Sebastian Michaelis in order to find and seek revenge against those who killed his parents and tortured him. Sebastian takes on the disguise of Ciel's butler, albeit an overly capable one who can kill enemies with elegantly thrown forks and knives. Perfect for anyone who likes Victorian England, handsome demon butlers, murder, and intrigue.
(Available on Netflix.)
"Code Geass" (Drama/Action/Science Fiction)
Set in a dystopian alternate timeline, Japan, as well as most of the world, has been conquered by the Holy Britannian Empire. Lelouch, a student in Japan, gets caught up in a terrorist attack and obtains a power known as Geass, which allows him to command anyone to do anything he wants. He subsequently decides to use his power to destroy the Britannian Empire and create a better world for his little sister, Nunnally. Lelouch becomes Zero, a masked vigilante and leader of a group called the Black Knights, who gain popularity amongst the native Japanese who have been forced to live in squalor. The series is dark, and it oftentimes seems that Lelouch is up against an undefeatable enemy. Action-packed and dramatic, it is a must-see for anyone who likes dystopian settings, rebellion, and giant fighting robots.
"Sailor Moon" (Romance/Fantasy)
Serena (Usagi in Japanese) is a middle school girl who's clumsy, underachieving, and kind of a crybaby. One day, she meets a talking cat named Luna who tells her she's destined to defend the world from a dark kingdom. She gets magical powers, and along with a team of other Sailor Soldiers, searches for a lost princess and a Silver Crystal. You're probably heard of this series before, as it was one of the first anime to become popular here in the US. It is, however, a little dated: the English version was altered to make some feminine and gay male characters female, and a lesbian relationship is entirely erased. Nonetheless, Sailor Moon is very formulaic, easy to follow, and is generally a fun story about girl power.
"Another" (Horror/Mystery)
In 1972, a popular student of class 3-3 named Misaki died suddenly partway through the school year. Grieving the sudden loss, teachers and students acted as though Misaki was still alive, leading to a presence in the graduation photo and strange curse being placed upon the class. In 1998, a student named Koichi Maebara transfers into class 3-3, and meets a girl named Mei Misaki whose presence everyone ignores for an unknown reason. Soon, the curse comes into affect, and students and their relatives begin to die in mysterious accidents. Koichi, Mei, and a few other students investigate the curse to find a way to stop it before it kills them. Beautifully animated and genuinely creepy, "Another" keeps you guessing until the very end. While there is gore and death, there are no jumpscares, making it perfect for tentative and genuine lovers of horror alike.
"xxxHolic" (Supernatural)
Kimihiro Watanuki is a high school boy who is regularly disturbed by his ability to see spirits. One day, he stumbles across a wish-granting shop owned by the witch Yuko, and asks her to remove his ability to see them. She grants his wish on the condition that he come and work part time at the shop. The series follows various customers the shop receives and how Yuko deals with their wishes. This series requires a little more knowledge of Japanese mythology, or at least the ability to google the occasional spirit the series deals with. The animation is admittedly a little wonky, the style including ridiculously long limbs, but the series is a genuinely interesting and a fun watch for anyone interested in ghosts and spirits without being too creepy.
"Ouran High School Host Club" (Romantic Comedy)
This one is last because, while it's hilarious, the premise is kind of shocking to some US viewers. This may require more of an open mind, but once you get past the weird setting, it truly is a very enjoyable watch. Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student at Ouran Academy, a prestigious institution for the sons and daughters of the richest families in Japan. Looking for a quiet place to study, she stumbles across the Third Music Room, which holds the Ouran Host Club. A host club is essentially a place where handsome men entertain women- entertain genuinely meaning entertain here, this isn't a brothel. The men (all high schoolers) of the club mistake her for a boy, and when she accidentally breaks an expensive vase, they enlist her to become a member to pay off her debt. While her gender is cleared up with the members of the club by the end of the first episode, she and the host club keep her gender a secret from the rest of the school.
Ouran is a twist on a genre of shoujou, in which there are often many handsome men for one girl to chose from. While there are handsome men and one girl in this anime, Haruhi would like nothing more than for them to leave her alone. Haruhi's relationships with the hosts and the situations that the over-eager president Tamaki Suoh (he's the guy with the rose) gets them into are what make this anime so enjoyable. While strange, it's really hilarious and heartwarming.
Ouran was actually my first anime, and so holds a special place in my heart. Hopefully whichever one you pick to watch will become special to you, too.
(Available on Netflix.)
