We’re in winter break, and you’re probably wondering what you’re going to do these next few weeks. Maybe get some take-out, read a book or spend some time in the great outdoors. Those are all great and fun things, but if you’re looking for something new to watch, how about you try starting a new anime?
Anime might be scary to get into or be a fan of. There are a lot of shows to choose from and it could be confusing to someone who has never watched a show or a movie of this genre. It has a bad reputation, but anime has influenced people’s lives in really positive ways. Some of the coolest people love anime are Megan Thee Stallion, Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordon, and even Elon Musk, to name a few.
I have put together a list of some animes I have watched during break and quarantine to give you some ideas on where to start. A lot of these are streamed on free and legal anime services as well as services you might already have, like Netflix.
Let us know in the comments or on any of our social media accounts if you gave any of these a try!
1. Cowboy Bebop
Summary: “In the year 2071, the Solar System is linked by a network of hyperspace gateways. Police lose their grasp on crime and a bounty hunting system has been implemented. On an old fishing starship called the “Bebop,” a cool as Zen man of mystery, a macho former hard-boiled cop, a brash and fickle woman with a large debt, a whimsical whiz kid hacker and an unsuspecting Welsh Corgi band together to hunt bounty heads for a meager living. Unfortunately, they are some of the unluckiest people in the star system. These are the stories of the adventurous (and misadventurous) lives of four struggling people and a dog.” (IMBD)
Where to Watch: Funimation
Cowboy Bebop was one of the first “space westerns” and have probably influenced many other shows and movies set in space. This is a great anime to start off with. Being only one season with each episode being around 25 minutes each, you could easily finish this in a few days. The characters are extremely interesting and lovable people, and as said in the summary, unlucky people who found each other and became friends. They’re not your typical crowd, but their relationship with each other makes a lot of sense. This show also taught me a lot of valuable lessons that I still think about to this day. If you like corgis, space and bounty hunting, this is your show.
2. Hunter x Hunter
Summary: “A Hunter is one who travels the world doing all sorts of dangerous tasks. From capturing criminals to searching deep within uncharted lands for any lost treasures. Gon is a young boy whose father disappeared long ago, and he goes on a quest to find him with close friends Killua, Leorio and Kurapika.” (IMDB).
Where to Watch: CrunchyRoll, Netflix, Hulu, Funimation
This anime is arc-heavy, which means there are no real seasons. The creator of the show decided on arcs rather than seasons so they could have more room to work with the different stories being told. The whole show is about Gon finding his father, Ging, but he meets lots of people along the way to find him. He faces plenty of challenges, training periods and roadblocks, but he doesn’t let anything get in his way. This is a longer anime for sure, so it could take you a good chunk of break. Not to worry, it is definitely worth your time. The last arc could sometimes turn people away. But, don’t be afraid! It answers a lot of questions and is worth the long trek to the finish line. This show is probably one of the most heartwarming shows to exist in the anime world. Gon and Killua are two of the best characters I know and will steal your heart from episode one.
3. Attack on Titan
Summary: “It is set in a world where humanity lives within cities surrounded by enormous walls that protect them from gigantic man-eating humanoids referred to as Titans; the story follows Eren Yeager, who vows to retake the world after a Titan brings about the destruction of his home town and the death of his mother.” (Wikipedia).
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Funimation
This anime is not for the faint-hearted, but don’t shy away from it. If you’re a big fan of intense, action-heavy and emotional TV, then you’re going to love this show. The dubbed version of the show is amazing and the voice actors do an amazing job of expressing raw emotion through the characters. The characters in this show are also extremely easy to love, as all of them have such different personalities. They are all also relatable, funny and great people with amazing backstories. The first season is quite slow but once you hit the second season, you’re in for a treat. With this show every season has a different animation studio, which means it basically just gets better every new one. The last season of show is coming out December 7, which means you have some time to catch up!
4. A Silent Voice
Summary: “A Silent Voice” follows the poignant and moving story of Shoya Ishida, a school bully, and Shoko Nishimiya, a young girl with a hearing disability. Their story begins in sixth grade when Shoko transfers to Shoya’s elementary school and quickly finds herself bullied and isolated due to her hearing disability. Years later, the tables turn, and Shoya finds himself the victim. “A Silent Voice” depicts the struggles and challenges of adolescence alongside coming-of-age outside the norm.” (Fandango)
Where to Watch: Netflix
It’s a heartwarming and beautiful film that speaks so many volumes to students our age. This movie shows how powerful forgiveness and friendship is. The friend group is relatable and sweet and the two main characters, Shoko and Shoya, show so much character development throughout the film. This one might be the easiest to start with if you don’t want to dive into a whole show immediately. It is two hours in length and filled with beautiful cinematography!
5. My Hero Academia
Summary: “People are not born equal, a realization that four-year-old Izuku Midoriya faced when bullied by his classmates who had unique special powers. Izuku was one of the rare cases where he was born with absolutely no unique powers. This did not stop Izuku from pursuing his dream, a dream of becoming a great hero like the legendary All Might. To become the great hero he hopelessly wants to become, he will now join the ranks of one of the highest rated “Hero Academies” in the country: U.A. High School.
Where to Watch: Funimation, Hulu
MHA is one of the most popular animes right now. A new season is coming early 2021 so there is time to catch up! Just like Hunter x Hunter, this is another arc-heavy anime to have more time to explain the story. If you are a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then you’ll love the young superhero aspect to this show. It is also heavily inspired by Spiderman, and there are a few scenes here and there where you’ll catch those hidden references! There are also two movies that you could watch that don’t have any spoilers in them if you want to give it a chance before you dive into the whole show.
I could name a few more, but personally, these are the best anime shows and movies to start off with if you’re wanting to get into anime!
Let us know on our social media pages if you’ve watched any of these and tell us what you think.
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