There’s no doubting the fact that Anime is one of the best artforms out there. Combining great storytelling with stellar animation and music, a good anime series can take you on an unforgettable journey. If you’re just starting to feel your interest in anime spike, you’re probably wondering what is the best anime to watch.
With so many series across multiple genres, it’s really hard to identify a single title when talking about the best anime to watch. Like TV shows, anime shows are available in horror, comedy, romance, mystery, drama, and a host of other genres.
This is why, to help you find the best anime to watch, we’ve decided to create a series that talks about all the shows you can’t miss. In this first part, let’s take a look at some of the basic ones that can help you decide whether you even like anime or not!
1. Death Note
Calling Death Note a fantastic anime series is almost like a cliché now. But the fact is that this series is one of the best anime to watch, especially if you like dramatic stories. Death Note follows the story of Light Yagami, a regular high school student who stumbles across a notebook left by a bored Shinigami.
Light soon discovers that when you write someone’s name in the Death Note, they die. You can also specify their time and location of death. This takes him down a journey of questioning good and evil, what it means to be saving people, and the sacrifices you must make to reach your goals.
2. Attack on Titan (also called Shingeki no Kyojin)
If you like shows and movies that function as a critique of society, particularly of class warfare, then this show is definitely for you. The premise of the show is based in a world where humans cower before Titans. Titans are giant humanoids who kill and eat humans (though their motivations are never disclosed).
The show follows Eren Jaeger, whose sole mission in life is to get rid of all the Titans on earth, before they target his village and kill his family. So far, there are only three seasons of this anime. Fans are waiting for Attack on Titan season 4 to release soon – it’s slated to be the last season and will bring all the storylines to a close.
Watch it before season 4 releases so that you can also be a part of the buzz around it!
3. Naruto Shippuden
Even if you’re not an anime fan, you’ve probably heard of Naruto Shippuden. This is because the show is one of the largest anime franchises, and is definitely one of the best anime to watch. Naruto follows the story of a young guy called Naruto Uzumaki. His mission is to become the best ninja, and the series follows this journey towards the same.
One of the reasons why Naruto is the best anime to watch is because it combines humour with serious storylines. As a result, it’s got a bit of something for everyone out there. The rich characters, compelling antagonists, intriguing world and gripping stories have made this series one you should certainly watch!
If you want a slightly lighter version of the same, try Naruto. This series follows the same protagonist when he was a child. It has a larger emphasis on humour along with touching moments.
4. Bleach
If you like supernatural storylines, and were a fan of the movie Sixth Sense, then you should watch Bleach. Bleach one of the best anime to watch as it explores larger themes like good and evil, what it means to be human, and what it means to be a ghost. This series revolves around Kurosaki Ichigo, who ends up possessing the powers of a Soul Reaper. He must now train as one and hunt down hollows (who harm humans).
If you’re looking for a super long show, then Bleach is definitely the right one for you. It has a staggering 366 episodes, and is one of the long anime out there!
5. Code Gaess
If you love shows that offer political commentary, then Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch is perfect for you. It’s set in an alternate world where Britain has taken over Japan. It follows the story of the heir to the Britannian Empire, Lelouch Lamperouge. His sole aim is to take down the ruler of the empire, his father, after his mother was murdered brutally.
Code Gaess follows the revolution led by the Japanese citizens against the Empire. Its beautifully animated (can’t expect anything less from Clamp), and is one of the most popular anime series across the world. In fact, if you’re wondering what is the best anime to watch, this is a great one to start with!
That ends our ‘best anime to watch: part 1′ list. Make sure you explore all of these so that you can see for yourself how rich and wonderful the world of anime really is.