7 anime for people who don’t watch anime (but want to)

Let’s face it, anime is hot right now.  

Adidas just released its “Dragonball” collaboration, and trendy stores like Forever 21 are slapping characters on their apparel for clout.

But there are still a ton of people who have never seen it before, so this carefully curated list is perfect for those who haven’t had any desire to watch anime or for people who don’t know where to start.  These aren’t ranked in an order, instead, individuals should pick what sounds best.

Parasyte: The Maxim

   Genre: Horror/Action

Parasyte has a darker atmosphere and theme than most of the other anime on this list. It is about a 17-year-old high school student (Shinichi Izumi), who is forced to cooperate with a shape-shifting alien parasite (Migi) in order to survive.  They gradually form a unique bond caused by their need to coexist. Parasyte has themes about what defines humanity, serious character development and some unique fight scenes.  The soundtrack almost sounds like dubstep, but it strangely fits the show and grows on you.

My Hero Academia

   Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

This show is basically about a kid who goes to a high school for superheroes.  In this anime, 80 percent of the world’s population have a unique power called a Quirk. Izuku Midoriya has always dreamed of becoming the No. 1 superhero, like his idol All Might, but is one of the few people on the planet to be born without a Quirk. “My Hero Academia” is kind of like that old Disney movie, “Sky High,” but is actually good. If you like Harry Potter, you will probably like MHA.

Attack On Titan

 Genre: Post-Apocalyptic/dark fantasy/action

Attack On Titan is about a world where all of humanity was forced to flee within a giant circular wall to hide from human-eating giants, called Titans.  The main character is Eren Jaeger, a passionate headstrong young man with a hatred for Titans. Attack on Titan is one of those shows where it is better not to know too much about anything going into it. It has a lot of twists and can be very dramatic. This is a very intense series.

One Punch Man

   Genre: Comedy/Action

One Punch Man is a jewel of a show that manages to balance comedy and action perfectly. With a funny and unique animation style that draws on inspiration from the original webcomic, One Punch Man is a very fun anime to watch.

The problem with most comedic anime is that Japanese humor doesn’t always make sense to Americans, but One Punch Man has a much more universal sense of humor. The plot of One Punch Man follows an extremely overpowered superhero named Saitama, who grows bored due to his overwhelming strength (and therefore can’t find a challenge).

Erased

   Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Drama

Erased is one of those shows that can hook you from the very first episode.  The premise of the show is that a young man is sent back in time to when he was an elementary school student to solve the kidnapping and murder of one of his classmates. This show is extremely smart with a lot mystery and tense scenes.  If you want an anime that doesn’t deal with a lot of crazy supernatural or science fiction elements, Erased is a great show.

Trigun

   Genre: Action/Western

Trigun is like an anime version of a Spaghetti Western.  Vash the Stampede is a notorious outlaw worth “60 billion double dollars.”  But despite his reputation as “the human typhoon” he is an extremely kind but goofy man who promotes peace and love.  He somehow always manages to get into trouble and ends up being responsible for destroying whole towns. The anime also follows two insurance company agents, Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson, who attempt to follow Vash to stop his destruction of insured properties.

Cowboy Bebop

   Genre: Science Fiction/Action

This show is a must-watch for all who call themselves fans of anime.  It’s one of the most iconic anime to ever exist, and is viewed by some as the best anime of all time.  Cowboy Bebop follows a small crew of bounty hunters traveling through the galaxy attempting to make enough money to scrape by. The show’s soundtrack is focused on jazz and makes for a lovely contrast with the futuristic setting. Pretty much anyone can enjoy this anime.

by Jackson Pate