Sunday, 11 June 2017

Animes for First Timers

Are you interested in starting to watch the weird and wonderfulness that is anime but don't know when to start? If you said yes, then this is the blog post for you! I have put together my top five anime shows for new comers. When you first start to consider watching anime it can be quite daunting because there is just so many to choose from across so many different genres. My number one tip would be to pick a show that is categorised within your favourite genre, whether that be horror or romance or whatever else takes your fancy. However, even when you do that there are Japanese culture things that might pop up that you don't quite get, you will probably get used to it over a few series or even episodes but for this list I've tried to suggest shows that are quite western, so should be good for people that don't know very much about Japanese culture.
  1. Cowboy Bebob - This one is a space western mixed with film noir. It is set in space, on a spaceship and is quite firefly-esque in design. If you like firefly then you will most likely enjoy this show too. It is funny, with interesting characters, but also has a darker storyline that is weaved throughout the series (this is the noir part of the series). For the most part it is bounty hunters in space having hilarious adventures whilst catching criminals. Great for first timers because it is quite a short series and doesn't have too much Japanese culture incorporated into the show past their food to be honest.
  2. My Hero Academia - This series is relatively new but has already gathered quite the following, although the fanbase isn't very intimidating like some other shows. It follows the genre of superhero/comic book, and is very western in its style because of this genre. It is very funny and the characters have been created so well. Also, if your an animation dork (like me) you will appreciate the phenomenal animation, it's so smooth and colourful and beautiful. It is set in Japan but because it is based around superheroes it doesn't focus very much on regular Japanese life so the different culture won't be hard to understand to someone that doesn't know much about Japan. 
  3. Attack On Titan - Harrowing, teenagers fighting giant human-like creatures that eat people for the fun of eating people. It is definitely in the horror/mystery genre and is so intriguing to watch. the animation style is quite unique and the story is so out there and gripping. Every episode is a cliffhanger that makes you click the next episode before the five second countdown on Netflix finishes (It's also on CrunchyRoll for non-netflix subscribers). Again it is reasonably short coming to around 30 episodes as I write this post as the long awaited season two has finally come out after I think three or four years. This isn't set in Japan as it is a dystopian world where all humans are gathered within gigantic walls in order to prevent Titan attacks so again not much Japanese culture to confuse unknowing viewers. You could watch it dubbed and probably wouldn't realise that it was Japanese until you googled it to be honest. 
  4. Kill La Kill - This is honestly one of the most absurd and hilarious anime shows I have ever
    watched, and probably will ever watch. This show is so unique in its style and narrative. It's quirky, and stands out against all the others in this list. It's so strange and absurd but still strangely believable and able to suck you into its world so easily. The series is about a girl that wants to find her fathers killer by attending a school that wants to take over the world with their super power giving clothing. It's weird and wonderful, it's overt the top and satirical of other things one would find in anime. As much as it's a great first anime its a great one to re-watch once you've seen a few more series as you'll then understand these satirical references. 
  5. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - It's set in another world where alchemy takes place. Alchemy is a kind of science based magic where whatever you make takes from something else. The series is about two brothers who have had to pay their own ultimate prices for their alchemy. They go on adventures and try to find out more about their world and the science of alchemy. This is the longest anime on this list, hence why it is last, at 60 episodes and a film. However, it is very western and the dubbed version is actually really good (so good my friend didn't think it was anime but some old nickelodeon show). Highly recommend to new anime watchers but even someone that is just looking for a new animated show to watch, or even just TV series in general. 

I hope you have found something that tickles your fancy. All of these Anime shows are available on CrunchyRoll and/or Netflix (apart from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood). Thank you for taking your time to read my Anime ramble and I am very happy to have you. Make sure to come back next week as I put up blog posts every Sunday at 7 o'clock UK time. And if you think others should take a read of my ramble why don't you share this with your friends on Facebook or Twitter.

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