Favorite Anime Vol.1!
Hello everyone! I’ve talked about many manga series that I enjoy on the blog, but not too much about anime. So I decided to share some of my favorite Anime shows with you all. This list is by no means all my favorites, but stick around for more show recommendations. Enjoy these picks!
Synopsis: Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Tokyo who is transported to the Sengoku period of Japan after falling into a well in her family shrine, where she meets the half-demon dog Inuyasha. When a monster from that era tries to take the magical Shikon Jewel embodied in Kagome, she inadvertently shatters the Jewel into many pieces that are dispersed across Japan. Inuyasha and Kagome start traveling to recover it before the powerful demon Naraku finds all the shards. Inuyasha and Kagome gain several allies during their journey, including Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kirara.
This title is pretty much canon in anyone’s anime/manga list. I watched it back its run on Toonami in middle school around the time I was really getting into anime. So this show is a special one and it holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I liked that the show is part adventure, time travel, and romance. I think it’s a show where there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Most of all I love the characters and their development over the course of the story. I like how there is sometimes a clash of the modern day vs the past and it definitely adds to the story. This anime is a bit long but worth the watch!
Synopsis: The series follows the adventures of the titular protagonist whose civilian name is Usagi Tsukino, a middle school student who is given the power to become the Pretty Warrior. Joined by other Sailor Soldiers, she defends Earth against an assortment of evil villains.
I watched this show as a young child before I even knew what anime was. It was one of the first magical girl anime that I watched and it probably explains why I latched on to other shows such as The Powerpuff Girls. It’s a lot of fun, and always a joy to watch even as an adult. Also, who wouldn’t want to have the fashion of a Sailor Scout?! I’ve never completed the entire series, but I have found this is a show I can watch out of sequence and still be caught up on the story.
Synopsis: It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who searches for recognition from his peers and the village and also dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. The story is in two parts, the first set in Naruto’s pre-teen years, and the second in his teens.
Naruto is an extremely long series, that I never have finished. Naruto though annoying at times is full of heart and readers get to see him and his friends grow over the story arc as strives to fill his dreams. It also made me cry many times because I kept getting too attached to certain beloved characters. I like the fact that the story is set around ninja villages and that there were so many incredible battles. When this show aired on Toonami my friends and I was almost like a mini-Sasuke fan club, lol.
Synopsis: Also known as Detective Conan this is also an ongoing Japanese detective manga series. The story follows an amateur detective who was transformed into a child while investigating a mysterious organization, and solves a multitude of cases while impersonating his friend’s father and other characters.
Nothing too complicated with this series, just mix a Sherlock mystery with a child detective and you get an entertaining show. If you love mysteries then you’ll surely enjoy this series. Part of the fun is not only seeing if Jimmy, the main character will catch the villains who poisoned him, but also solving the variety of cases in each volume. I love mystery shows and this one gives me vibes similar to Murder, She Wrote. Some cases are harder to solve than others, but that’s the challenge of the mystery!
Synopsis: Azumanga Daioh chronicles the everyday life in an unnamed Japanese high school of six girls and two of their teachers. The story covers three years of tests, talking between classes, culture festivals, and athletic events at school, as well as time spent traveling to and from school.
This is one of my favorite series ever! I’ve read the manga and watched the anime (which I highly recommend). It’s very comedic and all of the main cast’s vibrant personalities and the situations they get into on a daily basis is what makes it so entertaining! I also find that this show is relatable since it focuses on a coming-of-age theme, navigating through school life, and friendship. I admire the girl’s tight-knit friendship in this series. There were times I could see myself as they journey through life. Most importantly this show is silly and doesn’t take itself too seriously. My favorite character is the spacey, but loveable Osaka.
Synopsis: Mugen is a fierce animal-like warrior with a unique fighting style. Jin has a more traditional style and the two samurai warriors are far from friends, yet their separate paths seem to cross anyway. Mugen is wandering aimlessly through the city when he stumbles upon a teahouse where he meets Jin and Fuu. Fuu convinces them both to come with her in search of a mysterious samurai that smells like sunflowers.
Hip-Hop? Check. Fight Scenes? Check. A rat-tag trio on a journey that seems to lead almost nowhere? Check. This series has all of the above. I loved the mash-up of hip-hop music as the soundtrack provided some hype for the battle scenes in this show. It’s so good and very entertaining to watch. I like how Mugen, Fuu, and Jin grow to know each other and how their journey ultimately changes them. I always recommend this show to people who love action-packed anime.
Synopsis: The world of Fullmetal Alchemist is styled after the European Industrial Revolution. Set in a fictional universe in which alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques, the story follows two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the philosopher’s stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using alchemy.
My top favorite anime manga/anime series of all time (if you ask me) is Fullmetal Alchemist. It’s an incredible tale of two brothers on an epic quest and it’s got such complex storylines and characters. The writing for this story is so good and readers are hooked within the first episode, we not only get to see all of the adventures and battles that the brothers go on but also how they grow in their skills and character. This show has romance, action, family, suspense, and more!
Synopsis: The world of Earth-land is home to numerous guilds where wizards apply their magic for paid job requests. Natsu Dragneel, a dragon slayer wizard from the Fairy Tail guild, explores the Kingdom of Fiore in search of his missing adoptive father, the dragon Igneel. During his journey, he befriends a young celestial wizard named Lucy Heartfilia and invites her to join Fairy Tail. Lucy forms a team with Natsu and his cat-like Exceed partner, Happy, which is joined by other guild members. The team embark on numerous missions together, which include subduing criminals, illegal dark guilds, and ancient Etherious demons created by Zeref, a wizard cursed with immortality and deadly power.
I love fantasy shows so I was immediately enamored with Fairy Tail from the beginning. Yes, it’s incredibly long and has many seasons, but from what I’ve seen so far it’s still kept my attention. Each new story arc brings the introduction of a new guild, quest, or personal journey for one of the Fairy Tail guild members. I like that there are mystical creatures and a variety of magic skills each person can wield. No two wizards are the same! I think like Naruto, this show has a lot of heart, comedy, and great themes of self-discovery.
What are some of your favorite anime? Let me know in the comments.
I consider myself fairly new to mangas, but Fullmetal is my fav as well (although it was the only one I’d tried for a long time, lol). I just like all the relationships in it.
There are a lot of anime similar to Fullmetal that I think you would enjoy in terms of the fantasy aspects. I’m an OG anime watcher, lol so if you want I’m happy to share some recs.