Anime, the most popular web culture we can find in today’s era. It actually is an abbreviation of the word animation. In Japan, anime is used to refer to all kinds of animation, but for the rest of the world, it has become synonymous with animation from Japan.
Produced by and for Japan as a local product with a distinct look-and-feel to not just art but storytelling, themes and concepts, it has become an international phenomenon with a huge fan base over the last few decades. A whole generation of viewers in the West has grown up with it and it’s now spreading across the globe, making a huge mark in India.
A videographer by profession but a die hard anime fan at heart, Manas Ambavane loves watching anime because of the varied content it provides. “Unlike other cartoons, anime always had their different concepts. In one series they cover up all the factors like friendship, betrayal, love, vengeance, brotherhood, family and many more. Anime is very vibrant to watch because the level of creativity they put is unimaginable. Plus, all the characters are given fair importance in the series which we don’t see in other cartoons. ”
Anime is much more creative than its other counterparts. It covers even the backstory of a certain character helping the viewers relate with the story. The best part of anime is that one can witness the character grow.
Another anime fan and a student, Kaustubh Dawre thinks that one can relate to anime. “When it comes to movies, most of the time it’s just like you watch a movie and get done with it. But when you have over 500 episodes, you stick to it. There are characters you’ll love, characters you’ll hate. The backstories are mind blowing and the fight scenes are ones to behold.”
Talking to anime fans, we jotted down a few anime series that one must watch and are easily available on various platforms.
Naruto
Naruto is about a mischievous kid who’s struggling with his daily life. Every parent and kids ignores him in the village due to his behavior. His dream is to become a hokage and a great ninja so people could recognise him. In Naruto you one can sense friendship, love, betrayal, action, thriller, suspense, everything. It covers up all the emotions.
Bleach
Bleach is about a guy, Ichigo Kurosaki, who can see ghosts. He accidentally becomes a soul reaper as a hollow attacks him and there he meets an actual soul reaper Rukiya Kuchiki. People who love action and adventure should definitely watch this. The plot is very unique, intriguing and different.
Death Note
A terrifying demon grants an ability to High School Student Light Yagami in Death Note, where he can kill someone just by writing their name in a book. It is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The series centers around Light’s subsequent attempts to use the Death Note to carry out a world-wide massacre of individuals whom he deems morally unworthy of life to change the world into a utopian society without crime, using the alias of a god-like vigilante named “Kira”. It’s a thriller with a major plot twist. Have a detective inside you? Go on a crime solving mission, with this series.
Kiss Him, Not Me
Kiss Him, Not Me, known in Japan as Boys, Please Kiss Him Instead of Me, is a Japanese romantic comedy shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Junko. It was serialised in monthly manga magazine Bessatsu Friend from May 2013 to 2019. The chapters were later released in 14 bound volume by Kodansha under the Kodansha Comics imprint.
Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academia is a joyous witchy adventure that we just had to mention. It’s a delightful anime with great messages beyond the goodness of friendship (like ignoring toxic comments) that you can watch with just about anyone. The concept is similar to Harry Potter but here, almost all of the protagonists are girls. Every frame of animation is lushly gorgeous and the characters are impossibly endearing. Not exactly an intellectual endeavor, but perfect lighthearted entertainment.
Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket, sometimes abbreviated Furuba or Fruba, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya. Fruits Basket tells the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl who, after meeting Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Sohma, learns that twelve members of the Sohma family are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac and are cursed to turn into their animal forms when they are weak, stressed, or when they are embraced by anyone of the opposite sex that is not possessed by a zodiacal spirit.
Castlevania
The series is based on Castlevania: Dracula’s Curse, the third installment of the video game saga. With loads of action, mystery, vampires, and witty one-liners, Castlevania is a must-watch if you’re looking to fill a sci-fi void in your heart.
So, what are you binge watching this weekend? Or should I say today and everyday?!