One thing about me, I’m going to watch anime above anything else. Another thing about me, I love sharing the fact that I love anime with just about anyone who will listen. I spent all of my high school years being a closet weeb, so once I got to college, I decided I would just take pride in liking what I like. Now, of course, anime has become a lot more mainstream now than it was when I was growing up, so some people might be curious about how they can get into it themselves. Nobody actually asked, but whether you happen to be looking to get into anime or you’re an avid fan looking for a new series to watch, you’ve come to the right place. As I consider myself somewhat of an anime connoisseur, here are my top five anime recommendations you won’t regret checking out.
1. Hunter X Hunter
I wanted to start this list with somewhat of a classic, and I definitely feel like this is the perfect fit for that. Hunter x Hunter follows the story of Gon Freecss as he tries to become a pro-hunter and find his dad. While taking the hunter exam, he becomes friends with Killua Zoldyck, who vows to help him on his mission. The two of them make many other friends along the way and get into all kinds of adventures. This is such a sweet story of friendship with lovable characters and an amazing plot that will easily become one of your top favorite shows of all time.
2. Fruits Basket
This is probably the sweetest romance anime that has ever existed, in my humble opinion. The leading female, Tohru Honda, is a sweet, compassionate and kind individual, who is always thinking of others before herself. She is living in a tent when she is taken in by the class prince, Yuki Sohma, to live with him, Shigure and Kyo. Tohru ends up learning a deep-rooted secret about the Sohma family and is then thrown into a world of drama. She tries to protect their secrets and stand up for the Sohma family members she holds closest to her heart. There’s a love triangle, secrets and tragedy in this beautiful show. It had me rooting for certain relationships to work out and for other people to respectfully get lost. So, if you’re looking for a show that will have your heart in a chokehold, this is the one.
3. Fairy Tail
This one is definitely a more controversial take in the anime community, but I do not care. I will stand by Fairy Tail until the day I die. This is such a good comfort show, honestly. This anime centers around a powerful magic guild in the heart of Fiore. These wizards use their different magics to take jobs of different rankings, but more importantly, they build bonds of friendship that are stronger than anything else. This anime genuinely restored my faith in humanity. There is friendship, romance, action, humor and obviously, magic! There is literally something in this for everyone of any taste. Also, I am so obsessed with the members of the guild, like Gray, Lucy, Erza, Natsu and others who cannot be mentioned right now (they join the guild later in the series and I don’t want to spoil it)! Basically, just watch it right now. It’s so good!
4. Attack On Titan
Now I was really hesitant about adding this one, simply because it’s so mainstream that it hardly feels like a personal recommendation from myself. But when thinking about it deeper, I truly believe it’s mainstream for a reason because it’s actually that good. This anime is very intense. It’s set in a dystopian world inside the walls that is threatened by human-eating titans, so it’s not for the faint of heart. Though there is a lot of gore, the plot is absolutely amazing! There are so many twists and revelations and deeper secrets with literally every episode. It throws us right into the action from the very beginning, with special titans breaking through Wall Maria and destroying Shiganshina District, Eren and Mikasa’s hometown. I was so hooked on every single episode and the end always had me craving for more. If you’re a fiend for action, now is the perfect time to hop on this anime before the final special finale is released sometime this fall.
5. Hakuoki
This is the perfect watch for people who are into period dramas. It takes place in the Edo period of Japan, as Chizuru Yukimura finds herself in Kyoto in search of her missing father when she is captured by the Shinsengumi. Once they find out her father is also related to the Shinsengumi, they decide to protect her and she is thrown into a world of battle, love and loss. This anime definitely gives all the juicy drama you could want, so give it a watch.
I’ve included a little mix of everything in this list, so you can’t say there’s not something for you in anime. There are also so many other absolutely top-tier anime that I just could not add to this list because it would go on forever. For now, just start with one of these and I promise you won’t be disappointed. If you also want more anime recommendations or there’s one you want me to watch and review, reach out to me on Instagram. Until then, happy watching, you future weebs.
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