We all know COVID has been rough on everyone around the globe this past year. Those of us in lockdown are feeling the effects of cabin fever having been stuck at home to keep others safe, and while I’m a homebody at heart, I did hit a point where I ran out of shows I wanted to binge every single day of the week. Luckily, my best friend and fellow anime lover and I managed to find some great animes that definitely made for some healing Zoom party sessions to watch animes together. Here are a couple animes that I know will touch your heart, make you feel the happy feels to help you cope with COVID Cabin sadness
- Boku No Hero Academia (My Hero Academy)
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If you have any exposure to Japanese culture and entertainment at all, you will probably have heard about this amazing anime at least once. Set in a world where people are born with Quirks (superpowers), kids with unique quirks are sent to an academy where they are taught how to be a hero. However, Midoriya Izuku doesn’t have one. He is born without a quirk while all of his classmates and friends all enjoy their quick lives, but he idolizes famous hero All-Might and still hopes to be like him and protect people. So when one fateful encounter between him and All-Might has him sent to the academy of heroes, the story truly begins. Full of fun-loving characters, comedy, and a great plot line, this anime is global phenomenon and a great beginner anime.
- Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars)
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If you’re a foodie like me, look no further with this amazing and visually stunning anime about just that: food. This anime tells the story of Yukihira Soma, a great chef working at his family diner along with his dad who is a world renowned chef Yukihira Joichiro. When his dad decides to go off and serve food around the world leaving the diner closed and Soma clueless as to what to do, his dad sends him off to Totsuki Culinary Academy where the world’s greatest chefs have attended to gain the skills needed to become world famous. The story follows him as he learns new techniques and battles in Food Wars in order to gain recognition and make his way to becoming the best chef. Fair warning: this anime includes some ecchi visuals (a little nudity) nothing that needs any censoring. But aside from that, you fall in love with great characters, amazing animated food porn, and some great knowledge about food that you never would have heard of before watching this amazing show.
- Fruits Basket (2019)
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If you need show that will truly warm your heart, this is the one for you. When Honda Tohru’s mom dies, she is taken in by her grandfather but is unable to live with him for a time due to home renovation. Being a full time student with a part time job and a heart of gold that does not want to burden her extended family and friends, she decides to live in a tent. That is until she is meets Soma Yuuki and is invited to live with him and members of the Soma family. However, the Soma family members harbor a great secret. When hugged by the opposite sex, they temporarily transform into an animal from the zodiac. This anime full of characters that anyone can relate to and a heartwarming story of struggles and life lessons, it’s a great one to watch if you’re in need of a good cry or something cute to keep your spirits up.
- Fairy Tail
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This last recommendation is for those who truly need a show to binge. While the previous ones I recommended are a couple seasons long, this anime is nine seasons long with approximately a grand total of 329 full episodes, 3 movies, and 9 OVA’s (original video animations that are not canon to the plot). I am proud to say that I watched every single piece of content this show had to offer and don’t regret it for a second. This follows the story of a medieval world of wizards with special powers and guilds. You first meet Lucy Heartfilia, aspiring journalist and celestial wizard who on her journey meets Natsu Dragneel and his cat companion Happy. With his fiery powers and carefree personality, he encourages Lucy to join the guild Fairy Tail and together they go on a variety of adventures, encountering multiple fierce foes in the process. This show is full of laughs, heartfelt moments, and moments of adrenaline pumping action and drama to last you forever. With so many episodes and extra content, you’ll have enough content to get you through the time it takes for COVID to dissipate and for a vaccine to be announced. Highly recommend.
With cases rising across the nation, it’s safe to say that another lockdown mandate is approaching for good reason. I encourage you all to stay home as much as possible even if for some of you, it can be emotionally taxing and frustrating being cooped up at home. Hopefully this list gives you some reprieve from the emotions that come with the COVID crisis and allow you to enjoy some fun entertainment to pass the time. Happy Watching!