When Youtuber Andrew Rea of “Binging with Babish” asked for anime recommendations, I took the time to whip up a list of shows that potentially will work for anyone who isn’t too ingrained into the Japanese culture. Cause, let’s face it, a story like Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! or Neon Genesis Evageleon would outright make some people just feel awkward or confused if they watch it.
While anime is simply an artstyle, the writing and tone stemming from Japanese culture help sets it apart from how stories in the United States are told.
Some animes and mangas are closer to these American storytelling, albeit with some creative liberties that truly stand out.
While this is mainly a repost of the aforementioned Reddit post, since then, the list kinda grew a tiny bit as I watch a bit more shows.
- Cowboy Bebop – A sci-fi space western with a jazz theme. Some episodes are dark, some are over-the-top hilarious. It oozes all style and flair, with a ton of substance and love. I considered this to be the show that got me into anime. Intro
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Two brothers are cursed after a magical spell to resurrect their deceased mom has gone horribly wrong. It has a mix of light-hearted humor to darker and more violent moments. Intro
Fullmetal Alchemist is a different show, as it was made while the manga was still being written. Much like Game of Thrones, the show’s writers came up with their own interpretation as the source material couldn’t keep up. FMA:B is a direct adaptation and faster-paced too, but the precursor show can still be enjoyed on its own merit due to its slower pacing.
- One Punch Man – A satirical superhero show based on the popular webcomic and its manga adaptation. It stars an overly powerful “hero for fun” (according to him) who, as the title suggests, is so powerful, can kill things in just a single punch. Intro
- Little Witch Academia (Netflix exclusive) – A love letter to Western mythology and its respective pop-culture, the show stars a nearly-magicless girl who aspires to be like her childhood icon, a famous Witch entertainer. At the time of this writing, this show is my personal favorite yet. Intro
- Trigun – A man with the highest bounty on his head is wanted for mass murder. With inspiration from westerns and a mix of sci-fi, this comedic and dark tale of the legendary gunslinger Vash the Stampede makes this show a legend. Intro
- Case Closed – No mystery is too small for this detective kid, who is actually a brilliant teenager until a toxin deaged him. Working under another identity with his unassuming friend and her P.I. dad, they solve cases ranging from murders, kidnappings, lost cats, attempted assassinations, bomb threats, etc. Intro
- Samurai Champloo – A rulish swordsman, a stoic ronin, and a girl who wants to avenge her father’s death, this Edo-era show blends stylish hip-hop with the aesthetic of Japan in its economic growth. This is directed by the same person who did Cowboy Bebop. Intro
- Space Dandy – An overtly wacky space opera with a homage to early sci-fi shows. This anime follows “the dandiest guy in space” who has to hunt down and register new aliens. What follows is a strange adventure where almost no episodes are alike from one another until the end. Also directed by the Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo fellow. Intro
- Great Pretender – Mirroring the Ocean’s Eleven films, an international team of con artists and thieves target criminals in several different heists.
and for movies:
- Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven’s Door – It’s recommended you watch the show first before delving into this. The movie is like a filler episode but with a larger budget and running time. Intro sequence
- Your Name – One of the best anime movies in recent memory, this body swapping romance tale is set between two type of worlds: The countryside and city life. Intro
- A Silent Voice – Also one of the best recent anime movies (tho it’s an adaptation from a manga) for its visuals and story. You’ve most likely seen stories where the victim/protagonist is bullied by Bully McKenzie. This story took the risky approach of focusing primarily on the bully in a realistic take on his mental health years after the incident. Trailer
- Any Studio Ghibli movie – Artistically pleasing and thought-provoking, every film from the legendary anime studio is a stellar hit.
Compared to one another though, there are three that stand out from one another: Princess Mononoke (mystical and fantastical during the ancient Japanese period), Spirited Away (a modern-day girl is whisked away to the spirit world), and Grave of the Fireflies (a Japanese brother and sister attempt to survive near the end of WW2).
Haven’t seen Attack on Titan (a city has to defend themselves from gigantic human-eating humanoids) and Sword Art Online (the players are trapped in a Virtual Reality game and need to find a way out) yet, but I also heard those shows are good.
You can find most of these shows on Netflix and/or Crunchyroll.
I don’t consume a ton of anime on a daily basis, but for casual viewers like me, I really enjoyed these shows when I first saw some of it on Adult Swim.
Ross Siev's blog 