Between the increase in people watching Mukbangs on Youtube, and K-pop artists like BLACKPINK and BTS taking over the Western market, Asian culture and entertainment have become more popular over the years. One form that I enjoy Japanese TV shows and movies is called anime.
Often following the life of a teenager with crazy powers or even the wild adventures of a 12-year-old boy, anime has become increasingly popular over the past few years, and here are some reasons why you should get hooked on it too.
1.The Plotlines/Storyline
Anime tends to follow a flow of events and, more times than none will teach you something by the end of watching it. Shounen anime, for example, tends to focus on the life of a young boy under the age of 15 and tends to focus more on fighting, adventure, and action. In contrast, romance anime could remind you of a rom-com with a little more focus on the romantic gestures and small things that make your heart flutter. Both genres will take you through a whirlwind of emotions, plenty of 2D crushes, and most of all, they are so well written. Whatever you think will happen is nine times out of ten, very far away from what happens. Anime of all genres can take you on twists and turns, full of valuable life lessons, sadness, anger, and even make you laugh in between all the action or romance.
2. THE MEN/2D-Crushes
If the in-depth storyline and action sequences aren’t enough, maybe simping for a 2D character could get you into anime. More times than none, the animators of these shows make either the main character, sub-character, or anyone else beautiful for no apparent reason. Among some of the top contenders for most attractive men in anime include the likes of Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan, Eren Jaeger also from Attack on Titan, Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen, and many others. If men aren’t your thing, look no further to Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan, Reju Vinsmoke from the classic anime, One Piece, and Hibana from Fire Force. With a wide variety of anime shows out there, there is bound to be a 2D character that just might make you start a new show.
3. The various options to watch the anime
While many die-hard anime fans will tell you to watch it with subtitles, dubbed anime is still just as good if you’d rather listen to it in your native language. If you’re watching in Japanese, you’ll soon begin to recognize the voices of very popular anime voice actors like Hiroshi Kamiya (AOT, One Piece), Mamoru Miyano (Death Note, Ouran High School Host Club), and Rie Kugimiya (Fullmetal Alchemist, Toradora!). Anime voice actors tend to adapt to the characters’ fiery personalities while delving into the dramatic nature of playing an anime character. Other notable voice actors in other languages include English voice actor Chermai Leigh (Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online) and more in Spanish, French, and other languages.
4. A GOOD theme song
While not the most essential aspect, a good theme song or opening can make you take a second look at a show. If the opening is well done and you can jam out while listening, sometimes that can be enough to start a show. Personally, the opening to AOT and HunterxHunter tops the list for me in anime I have watched. Still, over the years, people have loved the theme songs for Ouran High School Host Club, Naruto, and more recently, Jujutsu Kaisen as well.
5. More cultural perspectives
Watching Japanese anime can teach you a lot about various aspects of Japanese culture and open your eyes to more cultural perspectives. Frequently these anime aren’t necessarily set in a Japanese City or are even adapted from other cultures. Through watching these shows, you can often learn more about Japanese culture, food, and customs. The show Food Wars is about teenagers competing in cooking competitions. Still, it also highlights the pressures of Asian schooling and teaches the viewer more about cooking and the ins and outs of successfully making a dish. While showing you many characters from another country, anime teaches valuable cultural and life lessons you won’t forget.
Whether it’s today, next week, or next year, pick an anime that seems interesting to you and see how you like it.