Reboots have become a popular trend in modern anime. Many beloved classics have received a fresh coat of paint, introducing their stories to a new generation of fans.
A prime example is the 2019 Fruit Basket reboot, which has rekindled fans’ love for the series and made it more popular than ever. With its success, now is the right time for several other shjo series to introduce themselves to modern fans.
Shjo has been in decline for some time, but several series within the genre deserve the reboot treatment. From old-school classics that deserve more attention to series with a bad anime adaptation, plenty of shjo titles are perfect for reboots and can help jumpstart the fading genre.
1. NANA Is A Shojo Classic That Deserves A Re-Telling
Of all the shojo classics, few are as cute as Nana. This incredible series follows the story of two protagonists, Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki, who form an unlikely friendship like no other. It’s a beautiful story that isn’t afraid to take the audience to very dark and vulnerable places with these girls, creating a unique shojo experience that fans still haven’t forgotten. While the anime is a hit with all shjo fans, many are still disappointed that it is not a completely faithful adaptation.
Much of the story in the manga is missed, especially as the series progresses. Many also believe that the art and animation do not do justice to the series, as it often looks cheap or of low quality. A reboot that fixed these problems and gave fans the full manga story would be a wonderful addition to the genre.
2. Gravitation’s Manga Gives More Depth To Shuichi And Yuki’s Relationship
Gravitation BL is one of the founders of the series, and it was many fans’ first exposure to LGBTQ+ representation in anime. Unsurprisingly, the series has gone awry, and the lead couple has a toxic and borderline abusive relationship that is glorified or written off as humor most of the time.
However, the manga treats Shuichi and Yuki’s relationship very differently. While it still has a lot of toxicity seen in the anime, the manga has really made them work through their traumas and slowly become a healthy couple. It would be nice to see the return of this series with a more faithful adaptation that gives the much needed depth to these two.
3. There’s Loads Of Room To Reinvent The Basic Princess Sara
As one of the important members of the World Masterpiece Theatre, rebooting Princess Sarah comes with dangers. It would seem really pointless to remake it without making changes, whereas altering too much could destroy what makes it special. Studios dealing with this must assess the original strengths of the unique, making anime digestible for modern audiences.
Anime must find an approach to shorten its run-time, while reinforcing the allure of its slice-of-life components. The melodrama is powerful, although the small light moments should shine brightly. If done properly, it can reintroduce ordinary stories to modern audiences.
4. Sweet Sweet Is Heat, Emotional, And Surprisingly Daring
As far as basic shojo anime go, Candy Candy has it all. Present-day features include a primal character to a cheerful orphan, a prized childhood memory, several iconic male characters who serve as companions and acts of love, rivalries with jealous women, and World War I.
It systematically builds its world and characters but doesn’t hesitate to engage them in difficult situations. A reboot with multiple seasons could take trendy audiences to the heights of shojo of the 70s. It is enjoyable and rewarding. With trendy visuals and sensibility, the reboot gets an opportunity to flourish.
5. Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club takes on the main cast with incredibly stereotypical character archetypes and slowly develops them throughout the show. It also tackles a range of topics about gender and presentation as Haruhi is forced to become the “boy” of the host club after breaking an eight million yen vase.
The show came out in 2006 and its popularity is still so strong that it is even getting a new adaptation in the form of live-action musical.
also read: Top 10 Anime With Immortal Main Character
