By Crystal Leon, Staff Writer
ANIME: Overwhelmed with options? Here are some great animes to get you started.
Anime has recently begun to get a lot of attention. Though a lot of people want to begin watching, many don’t know where to start. There are many genres to watch from fantasy fiction to intense action and horror. Depending on what you like here are several shows from different genres.
- Naruto
The classic anime Naruto, which revolves around its titular character Naruto Uzumaki, is a perfect anime for those who enjoy adventure, fantasy, and martial arts. All Naruto wants throughout the show is acceptance from his hometown, the Hidden Leaf Village. His ultimate goal is to become the “Hokage,” which is a village leader. The main series, Naruto, is 220 episodes long, followed by Naruto Shippuden which is 500 episodes long. You can watch Naruto on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu.
2. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan will enthrall fans who like intense action and dark fantasy. In the show, humanity must fight against Titans, gigantic human eating monsters that range from 5-120 meters tall. Unable to defeat them all with sheer force, these humans have been forced to hide behind three tall walls that protect them from the Titans. These walls being humanities only escape from the flesh-eating titans, they are willing to sacrifice anything to keep them intact. Attack on Titan has 3 seasons with a total of 59 episodes and an upcoming season airing in December. You can watch Attack on Titan on Netflix (season 1 only), Hulu, and Crunchyroll. Warning: This show is extremely graphic.
3. Death Note
The thriller anime Death Note follows its morally-grey protagonist Light Yagami and his notebook that allows him to kill anyone however he wants, whenever he wants. The Death Note has many rules that are emplaced by the notebooks Shinigami(God of Death). Once the death note is touched by someone they can see the Shinigami, who will explain rules to them and tell them what the Death note is. The Death Note can kill anyone in any way if the user writes the first and last name of a person on its pages. One rule is “This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person’s face in their mind while writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.” Death Note has 37 episodes and can be watched on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.
4. Haikyu!
The beloved sports anime Haikyu!! revolves around Shoyo Hinata, who wants to become a great volleyball player despite being short. When Shoyo Hinata becomes a first-year at Karasuno High, he soon finds out his rival from middle school, Tobio Kageyama, is on the same team as him. Haikyu!! is 80 episodes long, including the two new episodes that just came out for season 5. You can find it on Crunchyroll, Netflix (season 1-2), and Hulu (seasons 1-2).
5. Your Lie in April
If you like romance and want to be moved, Your Lie in April is for you. This show follows pianist Kousei Arima, who is struggling with the death of his mother. Due to his grief, he is unable to play the piano until a violinist comes along and helps him overcome his trauma. Your Lie in April is 22 episodes long and can be watched on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.
All of these shows have great plots and intriguing character development that make them exceptionally entertaining to watch in your spare time. Remember, this list is by no means all-inclusive. With hundreds of shows on the internet, you’ll certainly find something that piques your interest. Other notable shows not listed here include One Piece, Seven Deadly Sins, Hunter X Hunter, Banana Fish, My Hero Academia, Pokemon, and Castlevania. There is plenty on the table, so why not give anime a try?