5 Anime So Iconic Even Haters of the Genre Love Them
If you're not really into anime, but don't mind trying out the genre, these would be perfect for you.
Anime is a very wide and rich genre, where you can find all kinds of stories, but it can be a bit too much for an unprepared viewer, who may get turned off by its common tropes.
So, here are five different animated movies and TV series that are perfect for a sort of "gateway" because they are much tamer compared to other works in the genre.
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
This absolute masterpiece was inspired by Blade Runner ( 1982) and then itself served as an inspiration for The Matrix ( 1995), so if you love those two movies, you will almost certainly love this one.
Set in 2029, it tells a classic cyberpunk story about Major Motoko Kusanagi's hunt for an elusive hacker who hacks people's brains.
It also has a pretty decent sequel, GitS 2: Innocence, and an anime series, GitS: Stand Alone Complex, if you want to see more of this world and characters.
Spirited Away (2001)
Hayao Miyazaki has built a reputation as a truly legendary filmmaker over the years, but this film remains one of his best.
Following a girl trapped in a world of Japanese ghosts, it is a bit like the Disney classics, but with a very unique and charming atmosphere.
One-Punch Man (2015-present)
If you can't stand anime tropes like "just one punch and over 9,000 screams" or the use of "hidden mystical fighting techniques," this show might be for you, as it brilliantly satirizes these clichés and many more.
In a world where heroes fight monsters every day, an ordinary man named Saitama gains the ability to defeat anyone with a single punch through pure dedication, leading to some hilarious results. A third season is currently in development.
Akira (1988)
Another cyberpunk classic that arguably opened up anime to Western audiences, the story follows two biker gang members, Kaneda and Tetsuo, who live in a 2019 Neo-Tokyo after the original city was destroyed in a world war.
Eventually, Tetsuo finds himself in the middle of a government conspiracy, leading to an unexpected chain of events and a mind-blowing finale.
Death Note (2006-2007)
Netflix tried to adapt this famous anime series into a live-action show starring American actors, but we suggest you ignore that abomination and watch the original instead.
When brilliant high school student Light Yagami finds a notebook that allows him to kill anyone by simply writing their name, his initially good intentions begin to take a sinister turn.
