So You Hate Anime?

Do you hate anime? If so then it is most likely due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what anime actually is. A hefty deal of people who dislike anime believe it to be this strange cult-like genre of “cartoons” that only the weird kid in their high school watched or something meant strictly for children because it is animation. Well, they’re wrong and you’re wrong too if you think anime isn’t for you. Anime in its simplest form is just another medium through which stories are told. Anime is not a monolith, however. Just as there are different genres of film and television there are different genres of anime. With that being the case there is bound to be an anime that you would enjoy based on the genres of television that you already adore. Here is a list, organized by genre, of anime that I have personally found enjoyable and I truly believe you’ll enjoy too.

Sports

It may be surprising to some that sports centered anime even exist, but there are actually a wide variety when it comes to this genre. You can find anime centered on popular sports like soccer, basketball, or football, and more obscure sports like cycling, swimming, or even ping pong. These shows often take a deep focus on the sport itself, while also giving you character moments that endear you to the players of each team. If you are a fan of sports, and even more so sport shows like Friday Night Lights or All American you will love diving into this genre of anime.

One of my personal favorites is Kuroko’s Basketball. The basic premise of the show is that during middle school there was a team of basketball players so elite that they were dubbed The Generation of Miracles. These kids would put most NBA players to shame. In high school the team separates with each student going to a rivaling school. Now Kuroko, the seemingly weakest player from that team, partners with a new rising star to challenge his former teammates on and off the court. Beyond that premise there are great layers of character and story, but the real draw for basketball fans would be the well animated dynamic basketball games themselves. The players move with a fluidness that directly mirrors the dedication of real life athletes. And that is not all that mirrors the intensity of a real life game. While there are certainly some exaggerated aspects, the games flow naturally and ensure to maintain the fundamental rules of the sport. The show is a great watch, especially for true fans of the sport. It can easily be found on Netflix to watch at your leisure.

Another sports themed anime on Netflix that I believe others will enjoy is Haikyuu!. This one focuses on a sport I never expected myself to actually be interested in, volleyball. The story follows our protagonist Hinata, a short high school boy with a passion for playing volleyball. Despite his small stature he desires to be one of the best in the country, and this dream becomes more of a reality when he joins his school’s team. Much like Kuroko mentioned above some of the best moments of the show come from character interactions both on and off the court, but the action of a game being played is exhilarating to watch. You gain a real understanding of how the sport is played, and the passion of the players. By the end of either of these anime you will find yourself rooting for these fictional teams, as fervently as you do real ones every week.

Heist

You have no doubt heard of the infamous gentleman thief Arsene Lupin, most likely due to the rising popularity of the Netflix original show Lupin. With its rise comes the resurgence of the people’s craving for a good heist. Movies like Ocean’s Eleven, The Italian Job, and more recently Baby Driver once ignited the people’s love of these elaborate long con schemes. If seeing a daring high stakes heist being executed, or a well crafted plan come together is your flavor then I have the perfect anime series for you.

The first of these runs in the same vein as the Netflix Lupin so much so as to share the name. Lupin the Third is a long-running anime series centered around the grandson of Arsene Lupin, who is now the world’s greatest thief and a master of disguise. He and his companions (a roaming samurai, a skilled marksman, and a sultry female thief) go on a series of adventures, while being constantly hunted by law enforcement and other threats. Lupin the Third is such an amazing series that it has been ongoing since the early 1970’s. The most recent additions to the series have been Lupin the Third Part 4 and Lupin the Third Part 5. The former is where I recommend you start for full enjoyment of the show. The older parts are fantastic, but noticeably lower in animation quality, as one would expect of an animation created in the 70’s. Each part of the show can be fully enjoyed as a separate adventure without needing much context from the previous section; the exception being parts 4 and 5. These two sections are highly stylized and highly entertaining. Not only will you love Lupin’s ridiculous schemes, but he and the cast will endear themselves to you through their repeated efforts to keep up with the lovable scoundrel. Lupin along with his gang can be found on Amazon Prime Video.

Another enthralling series that does the heist genre exceptionally well is The Great Pretender. The title alone gives the impression that there are swindlers afoot, and believe me they are. The story begins with a small time Japanese swindler named Makoto Edamura, who unknowingly attempts to con one of the world’s greatest con men. This encounter sets into motion a series of events that take the boy from small time thief, to one of the top players in the game. The plot extends, and contorts in such a way you’ll always be left wondering who is conning who. There are always subtle hints at true intentions, but you’ll often be left amazed at how elaborate these schemes really are. The film Now You See Me comes to mind if a comparison is to be made. The overall style of the show is very bright and colorful, with a wonderful soundtrack, making it a feast for the mind, eyes, and ears. Dismissing this captivating series simply because it's an anime would be a missed opportunity for any true fan of the heist genre. Find it on Netflix, before it’s stolen like the treasure it is.

Historical Fantasy

Did the Game of Thrones final season disappoint you? Did you turn to more fulfilling series like Vikings, The Last Kingdom, or The Witcher? If you still crave that sense of epic adventure, paired with the intensity of medieval warfare then I have the series for you. Vinland Saga is exactly what you’re searching for! It has the action you’re craving, while presenting an equally as interesting story revolving around the Viking culture. Thorfin is the son of the great warrior Thors. The latter has chosen to give up being a warrior, and instead live a peaceful life with his family. Trouble begins when he is found by his old warring companions, and essentially forced back into military service. The story from there onward begins to shift towards the young Thorfin having to deal with the ramifications of that. I truthfully expected this anime to have a very generic plotline with this set up, but I was completely wrong. I won’t give anything away, but there are a multitude of layers to the plot, and most of the main characters. There are intense betrayals, epic battles, and amazing underlying motivations for the characters. By the end of the first season I found myself empathizing with a character who was initially set up to be the main antagonist of the series. Whether it be for the brutal viking battles, the historical context behind them, or for the layered plot this series is a must watch for any fans of the genre. Luckily it can be found easily on Amazon Prime Video.

Crime

You’re no criminal (probably), but you love watching a good series or movie about crime. You consider The Godfather master cinema, and shows like Peaky Blinders are constantly being added to your Netflix queue. If that’s the case then you have to watch 91 Days. Set in the 1920’s era of prohibition, the series follows Angelo Lagusa, a man out for revenge. One of the very opening scenes shows a young Angelo watching as his family is gunned down by the Vanetti crime family. He, as the lone survivor goes into hiding, and swears revenge. Years later he begins his quest for revenge, which intertwines his life further with the Venetti family. This anime features all the well known components of a great crime story: an interesting plot, a show of the inner workings of a mob family, plenty of gunplay action, and those wonderful melodious mobster accents. Just as a mobster family must have multiple fronts, this anime is located on both Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max.

Psychological Thriller

Love a good mental mystery that will keep you guessing on what will happen next? One that leads you to question the morality of the characters, and to a degree your own? If so then there are a multitude of anime out there for you. Some wild beyond belief, and others more mundane. Some do this genre better than others, and one such exceptional choice is the show Death Note. It is a psychological thriller in which a human comes into possession of a notebook that allows them to kill anyone by simply writing their name. This human, Light Yagami then embarks down a dangerous quest to rid the world of crime, inadvertently becoming a criminal himself. While this premise alone is interesting, it is the cat and mouse game between the book owner and the world class detectives that pursue him that truly hooks you into the series. With each episode you are left wondering whose intellect will top the other; will Light be caught, or will his “justice” prevail? This is reminiscent of popular shows like Criminal Minds and NCIS. It is most easily found on Netflix, but make sure not to accidentally click the horrible live action version.

Another anime that presents a similar mental and moral conflict is Psycho-Pass. Set in a world where a governing computer network determines every citizen’s level of criminality, the story follows those tasked with dealing with those deemed criminals by this system. The question of what factors determine if someone is a criminal is a prominent theme throughout the show. This conflict of morality is directly shown in the relationships of the Inspectors and Enforcers. The former are essentially normal law enforcement, while the latter are reformed or potential criminals who are paired with them. This dynamic shows the fragility of the system, as you will often find yourself siding with the Enforcers who are by law criminals. If you are a fan of films like Minority Report then this anime will keep you hooked. It is available on multiple platforms, but the easiest to access is Amazon Prime Video.

Drama

Seeking to be emotionally destroyed? Do you have a tendency to get overly attached to, and overly emotional about fictional characters. If so you’re no different than most anime watchers. The drama section of anime is equally as devastating to the emotions as shows like Grey’s Anatomy. There are a plethora of dramatic anime that will have you weeping like a small child, but I’ll limit the suggestions to the two that caused me to shed the most tears.

The first is the phenomenal anime Violet Evergarden. Every aspect of this anime is breathtaking. The animation, the musical score, the dialogue, and most importantly the emotion. The story centers on a young Violet Evergarden, a former child soldier, now an amputee who is attempting to understand what a normal life is now that the war has ended. She has been given new metallic arms, a new lease on life, but not yet a new purpose to live. In her attempt to find one she becomes a Doll; this is essentially a ghostwriter who scribes letters for others to convey what they can not. This career path leads her to meet a multitude of people from different walks of life, each with their own emotional tale. A great deal of the emotion comes from Violent attempting to understand the complexities of normal human emotion thus forming genuine connections with those she is writing for. The other portion comes from each of the stories of those she encounters. Some are more light hearted and heartwarming, while others are so impactful they’ll leave you bawling. Having it accessible on Netflix makes it easy to pause when the tears won’t stop flowing.

The other anime that left my emotions in shambles is Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Compared to Violet Evergarden this show is a slower emotional burn. The initial premise is that a reclusive teenage boy, Jintan, begins to see visions of his childhood friend, a girl named Menma. The problem is that no one else can see the girl. Her appearance thrusts Jintan into a reunion with his estranged childhood group of friends. The story then follows the group in their attempt to reunite and understand the mystery of Menma. Over the course of the show you begin to learn about each character’s relationship to Menma and to each other. By the time you understand her existence you will have bonded as a member of their group, and shed tears alongside them. This is another great Netflix find, just be sure to have some tissues prepared.

Romance

Who doesn’t love a good romance? I’m actually one of the few people who enjoys sappy rom-coms, but typically don’t enjoy romance centered anime. I personally find the “will they or won’t they'' romance cliche stale, and far too many romance anime hinge on this premise. The few that I do love take romance and add something genuine or at least interesting. One such anime is Rascal Doesn’t Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai. With a title as long and ridiculous as that the anime likely turns away most casual viewers. The title is better understood once you actually dive into the show. Our protagonist Sakuta is an unpopular high school student who suffers from a condition called Adolescence Syndrome. The condition itself is of supernatural cause, but more so deals with a person’s own mental state and how they’re viewed by the world. The condition coincidentally allows him to meet a girl at school who no one else can seem to see. He attempts to solve the mystery of her vanishing existence, which sparks a genuine romance between the two. The romance is not instant, and is not always easy. The first three episodes alone have the emotional impact of a full season of another show. Sakuta’s grand gesture of his affection is something straight out of Say Anything. My favorite aspect of this romance is that it is not always perfect. There is a balance that mirrors many real life relationships. Even as the show shifts focus from the romance elements of it remain strong in the underlying relationships that the characters build with others. If you want to watch this romantic gem then Hulu is your best bet.

One other anime I find has an interesting spin on the general romance formula is Hi-Score Girl. It perfectly blends the concept of love, with an individual’s love for their personal passion. It is set in Japan in the early 1990’s when the concept of video game arcades was still popular. The lazy Haruo Yaguchi is a boy who only cares for video games, fighting games in particular. One day his legendary winning streak is broken by a mysterious player, who turns out to be a reticent girl in his class. He at first wants only to defeat her, but as he grows older begins to develop feelings for the girl. What I enjoy about their budding romance is that due to it beginning as a rivalry the two constantly strive to be better at video games, and as individuals overall. There is something truly endearing about watching this lovable slacker make genuine strides in his education and daily life all for the sake of this girl. There are the inevitable pitfalls of the romance genre: unapproving family members, love triangles, separation, but they are done phenomenally in this anime. You may even find yourself rooting for the rival love interest at times. Those who enjoy genuine and endearing romance movies such as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and The Half Of It will instantly love this show. It is conveniently located on Netflix alongside these movies.

Fantasy

Tolkien fans rejoice, I have found your new obsession! The world of middle earth is sprawling, but so too are the mythical worlds of anime. Now truthfully this is one of the most oversaturated genres of anime. It contains many of the concepts that repel average viewers from anime as a whole. Fortunately Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash has no such trappings. This anime weaves a compelling fantasy adventure set in a familiar, but unforgiving world. A group of children awaken in a world that is not their own, and they must learn to survive within it. There exist the familiar tropes of magic, monsters, and adventure, but displayed in a more realistic fashion. Our group of protagonists are not instantly adept when dropped into this world. They must learn to understand and hone their abilities in a world where the threat of death is very real. This growth is key to the majesty of the show. Alongside their journey of survival we are also witnessing the growth of their personalities. These are not yet epic heroes, only young children attempting to survive. While I know that fans of Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit series will enjoy this show I know it will also be in tune with fans of a darker fantasy like The Witcher and Cursed. This dark element is owed strictly to the plot, as the anime itself is brilliantly colorful. The lush backgrounds seem water painted by hand, which help to enhance the fantasy atmosphere the anime is attempting to convey. You will truly feel as though you are in another world when watching this anime. Fortunately it is available in our world on Hulu.

Casual Viewing

Not in the mood to watch anything specific? If you’re just looking for something quality to watch without much commitment, anime has you covered in that department as well. Yes there are anime that span hundreds of episodes, and multiple seasons, but anime also exists in small easily digestible pockets. One such pocket is Carole and Tuesday. It sees the titular characters striving to make a life as rising musicians: Carole a hardworking, kind hearted, orphan, and Tuesday a well off, sweet but naive, runaway. The two meet after Tuesday leaves home and arrives in the city alone to pursue a music career. From there the story gives a grounded view of two friends who simply want to make music. The show features some sci-fi elements since the story takes place on a futuristic colonized Mars, but those can largely be ignored to enjoy the simple yet heartwarming story of friendship. The show also features an amazing soundtrack with musical performances each episode. The feelings conveyed through the music give the audience a better understanding of who Carole and Tuesday are. Those who remember Glee fondly, and still binge shows such as Gilmore Girls and New Girl are likely to love this show. They may even find themselves switching between all three shows, since Carole and Tuesday is on Netflix alongside these shows.

Another pocketed casual, but quality anime that can be found on Netflix is Aggretsuko. This is one of the most off putting to casual viewers, but the most relatable when it is given a chance. The off putting aspect of the show is that there are no humans. Instead it features adorably animated anthropomorphic animals who behave exactly like average humans. The anime is akin to a normal sitcom like Friends if you ignore that everyone is an animal. Even within the context of the show it's not mentioned much. The main character is Aggretsuko, a 25 year old red panda. She, like most people in their 20’s, is just trying to make it through life peacefully. The show follows her adventures through everyday life. She has a stressful job that she hates, she struggles with love, she has obsessive hobbies, so she’s just essentially all of us just in a cuter animal package. Her one outlet when the stress of her daily life boils over is the fact that she loves to sing metal music. That aspect may also be off putting to casual viewers, but as someone who does not myself generally enjoy metal, I find the segments entertaining. When singing she is usually ranting about what went wrong that day like being tormented by her terrible boss, or having no money; I think we’d all like to scream at the top of our lungs after a stressful day, which makes her wholly relatable. The rest of the animal cast is also fantastic, as they’re all either as relatable as Aggretsuko or so wildly outrageous that you can’t help but to enjoy their presence on screen. Aggretsuko, though animated, stands among the sitcom greats like Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, and How I Met Your Mother.

If until now you haven’t given anime a chance I hope this list has presented something you have at least will consider watching. There is so much range within anime as a whole that it’s a disservice to yourself not to at least attempt to enjoy it. You can watch anime as much or as little as you wish, but I know when you discover an anime you truly find delight in that your perception of the medium will change. There is an anime out there for you, and I hope I’ve helped you find it.