5 classic series that are guaranteed to turn you into an anime fan

There are many streaming platforms, each with their own shows to watch. Whether it’s an HBO subscription or maybe a Netflix subscription, every site seems to have something new. But today I’m not going to talk about new live-action movies or television. No, I’m going to talk about anime, one of my favorite genres.

There are so many different types of anime that it can be difficult to know where to start. Do you want something light? Something extremely dark and serious? How about a comedy? Well, look no further because here are five classic anime that you can check out that will most definitely make you a fan.

For the light-hearted: Pokémon

Pika-pika!

Yes, you better believe I’m gonna put Pokémon here.

Listen, believe what you want, but deep down, Pokémon is an animated series. Yes, it was a collectible card game and then a video game franchise, but when was the first episode of Pokémon air and then come to the Western world? It was over. The world fell in love with Pikachu, the first three starters, and many other Pokémon. Now it’s time for you to do it.

If you do not know the principle of Pokemonthe main series follows Ash, a ten-year-old who sets out to become a Pokémon champion and catch every Pokémon in existence (hence “I have to catch them all!”). Along the way, he makes friends, faces challenges, and learns lessons, all with his best Pokémon, Pikachu.

There’s a reason why I consider this a safe choice: because it’s truly a completely wholesome anime that doesn’t have any intense dark episodes or moments that might turn you away from it.

Pokémon

Release date

1997 – 2023

Network

TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC

Directors

Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makoto Sokuza, Bjarne Heuser, Naoki Murata, Kenichi Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano

For fans of slow dramas: Violet Evergarden

You’re going to cry

Credit: Kyoto Animation

Violet Evergarden doesn’t seem like an anime that would captivate you at first, but damn, this series changed me.

Integrations

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Ports

HDMI, Optical, Ethernet

The anime follows the story of the main character, Violet, a former child soldier raised as a weapon. But when she’s no longer a soldier, she tries to understand what love and the human experience really is by working at a postal company and writing heartfelt letters that teach her about life.

I know. This premise, in itself, is heartbreaking. But watching Violet’s slow progression over the course of a few seasons makes it even better, and it’s one of those shows that sticks with you for hours after you’ve finished it.

Violet Evergarden

Release date

2018 – 2018

Directors

Taichi Ishidate, Haruka Fujita

Writers

Reiko Yoshida, Tatsuhiko Urahata, Taaki Suzuki

For the long haul: One Piece

Prepare to Lock Down

Credit: Toei Animation

Hey, I never said every anime here would be super short.

Look, this might be crazy, but if you’re looking for an anime to stick with and commit to, then I have to suggest One piece.

If you haven’t heard of it One pieceall you need to know is this: it mainly follows Monkey D. Luffy, gifted with the power of rubber limbs, makes it his goal to assemble his own pirate crew to search for the “One Piece”, a legendary treasure that, if found, will make that person the Pirate King.

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The anime, based on the manga of the same name, has been around for almost as long as I’ve been alive. So yes, there are many, many episodes. 1000+, to be exact.

But to be honest, One piece is one of those shows where you can kind of put it on in the background while you do things like cook or clean (as long as you have the voice acting) and still capture everything that’s going on. It’s also a series that you can easily sit down and binge for hours.

Either way, you’ll fall in love with Luffy, who he is as a person, and the friends he makes along the way with his fellow Straw Hat Pirates.

One piece

Release date

October 20, 1999

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou

For superhero lovers: Sailor Moon

Powers unlike anything else

Credit: Toei Animation

If you’re like me and rewatch all the Marvel movies before Avengers: Apocalypseso maybe you are looking for a superhero anime. Sailor Moon is the best to recommend.

Based on the manga of the same name, Sailor Moon follows a teenage girl who discovers she is destined to become a Sailor Moon, a powerful being capable of protecting the world from evil forces. With the help of new friends, new powers and more, they battle dark villains to keep civilians safe.

With five seasons, I’d say it’s also a great choice for those who want something light. But since it focuses on powers, I’d say you have to have at least some interest in superheroes to enjoy it. Either way, you’ll love Usagi (the main teenager) and what she does. It’s healthy, teaches great lessons, and is a fun time for everyone.

Sailor Moon

Release date

1992 – 1997

Network

asahi tv

Directors

Takao Yoshizawa, Harume Kosaka, Kazuhisa Takenouchi

For someone who wants something dark: Attack on Titan

You will never be the same again

Credit: Wit Studio

I want to recommend Attack on Titan for someone who has never watched anime, it’s like recommending Break the bad to someone who has never seen drama. Once you look at the peak, you can’t really go back.

But hey, here we go.

Attack on Titan is a dark anime set in a world where humanity’s sole survivors live behind three enormous stone walls, while the outside world is invaded by giant humanoid Titans. The Scout Regiment, a branch of the military, is the only group tasked with traveling outside the walls to defeat Titans and explore the open world.

We primarily follow the series through protagonist Eren Yeager and his quest to kill all the Titans. But things get very dark very quickly. I will say that if you want dark, this series is it. But trust me, you will NEVER be the same afterwards. You will NEVER know what is happening. And you WANT to watch this again and again for plot clues. You have been warned.

Oh, and maybe keep the kids away.

There really are so many great anime series, but these are just a few of my favorites. And I highly suggest watching literally any of them – you won’t regret it. And many of them are available online, whether through Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime channels, etc.

• 

  Subscription with advertisements

  No, everything is ad-free

  Concurrent streams

  1, 4 or 6

  Live TV

  No

  Price

  From $8/month

  With the largest library of anime in the world, Crunchyroll is the obvious choice for fans of Japanese animation, as well as other areas of Japanese and Asian pop culture to match.

  
  

• 

  Subscription with advertisements

  Yes, via Prime membership or $9/month

  Concurrent streams

  3

  Live TV

  No

  Price

  Included with Amazon Prime membership ($15/month or $139/year) or $9/month alone

  Prime Video has a large volume of content to watch. Amazon’s other perks are also a bonus.