Anime has recently grown in popularity around the world as more anime series and movies with multilingual subtitles and dubbed are distributed around the world through a number of video streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, etc. Huh.
Many international people watch anime just to enjoy entertainment content, to learn Japanese, and for various other reasons.
It’s a little difficult to figure out what to watch for those who haven’t seen anime or just liked certain family anime, including Studio Ghibli, Pokemon, Doraemon, and Sailor Moon, when they’re kids.
1. Spirited Away
Speaking of Spirited Away, this Studio Ghibli film is a beloved gem. Not only is it one of the best anime movies of all time, but for many critics, Hayao Miyazaki’s film is a cinematic masterpiece. Viewers follow the story of a girl named Chihiro, whose parents turn into pigs after stumbling across a theme park. As it turns out, the theme park is actually a bathhouse run by spirits.
In order to convert his parents back to humans, Chihiro is tasked with working for the witch who runs the bathroom.
The world-building here is magical. Spirited Away explores themes of identity, greed, alienation, and loss of the past in its vibrantly packed, quintessential Studio Ghibli animation. This is a modern story.
2. Noragami + Noragami Aragoto
A slightly less mainstream but fantastic anime series follows the adventures of Noragami Yato, a god without a shrine. While he struggles to make a name for himself as a capable god, he meets a middle school student named Iki Hiyori, whom he offers to help him in the form of 5 yen.
The series is yet to release a third season that fans have been eagerly waiting for since 2015. However, the first two seasons of this action-packed and compelling anime are enough to get a new audience interested in Japanese anime. Beginners should check out this fun-filled anime that also has enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat.
3. Fate/Zero
A production from the same studio as the critically acclaimed Demon Slayer, Fate/Zero 7 is the story of the Holy Grail War fought between wizards. The story revolves around seven magicians who must fight to gain the Holy Grail that fulfills any wish. While there are other anime series in the Fate series such as ‘Fate/Stay Night’ and ‘Fate/Apocrypha’, Fate/Zero is where it all begins.
However, the rules of battle are not so simple: each mage must summon a “servant” who is a historical figure everyone from mythical knights to gods has read or heard about for centuries.
The series features superbly filmed battle scenes and great dialogue between wizards and their “servants” as they make their way to battle. This is an excellent watch for a new anime viewer and will definitely leave you wanting more anime.
4. Death Note
One of the most popular and iconic anime series, Death Note, is perfect for first-timers because of its concise and to-the-point story. This is the kind of anime that your friend who never watches anime has seen too! Death Note follows the story of a high school student named Yagami Light, who gains the power to kill anyone by simply writing a name in a book called ‘Death Note’.
Light receives the book as a bored Shinigami (God of Death) decides to throw his Death Note into the human world.
Light’s actions soon caught the attention of a spy named L. L in his case and Shinigami Ryuk on his shoulder; Prakash must ensure that he implements his plans without getting caught.
5. Erased
The 12-episode series is a dark and vigorous narrative that describes a 27-year-old man, Satoru Fujinuma, who has the ability to ‘stir’ himself to escape a tragic event. But Satoru returns to his early childhood after a murder in his present, a memory he had forgotten.
Satorú must use his ability to predict the future to investigate the murder and catch the killer in the years to come.
also read: Top 5 most underrated Hero-students in My Hero Academia, ranked
