Summary
Animehas been present as a part of the North American media landscape for decades, but it’s been part of the mainstream for a much shorter time. People who watched “Japanamation” in the 20th Century were few and far between, and the genre has changed a lot since then, with some fans preferring the subversive side of the medium and checking out when it started to get a wider appeal.
Anime isn’t as experimental as it used to be, and there’s a lot more to choose from in both dubbed and subbed varieties thanks to a much greater demand along with a higher tolerance for adult-oriented stories and material. For those who haven’t watched anime in a while, some titles are better to recover from a long relapse than others, and all of the following choices are from 2020 on will make sure that even the most forgetful viewers are all caught up.
TheEvangelionfranchisestarted with a humble seriesin the 1990s that looked like a basic harem-mecha story on the surface but then got twisted into a bizarre and terrifying dark fantasy. The age of the anti-mecha anime had arrived, where psychological trauma and body horror were the real enemies, and three recent movies have finally brought this franchise saga to its long-awaited conclusion.
Viewers who are familiar with the oldEvangelionwill be impressed with the visuals inEvangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,along with the retelling and conclusion of the larger story. Not much has changedwith the main characters, who are the same as the old series right up until the conclusion, which is more definitive this time around, even if it feels like the typical anime anticlimax. It’s a way to revisit the old mecha stories while getting familiar with the new ones, which include a lot more CGI and less speculative fiction.
Unlike the busier anime that include a lot of bells and whistles in the form of action figures, superheroes, or exotic locations,Onimushareserves its dark fantasy angle for later in the story, only to be revealed at certain times. It’s an adaptation of a video game and part of a larger franchise that includes some of the same characters and settings from medieval Japan.
Mushahi is the main character and the “oni” is a magical gauntlet, guarded by Monks and normally kept in the safety of their monastery. Mushahi asks the Monks to borrow the gauntlet to use its power to fight a demon, but the gauntlet also turns those who use it into demons, putting Mushahi’s spirit to the test along with his physical self.
The meaning of this title is more like “spy meets family,” and it’s a story thatcombines the two concepts. It crosses over into several genres, including comedy, drama, action, and fantasy, so there’s something here for everyone.
The main character inSpy x Familyis a spy known as Twilight who has a deep cover assignment. It requires him to take on the persona of psychiatrist Loid Forger, complete with a fake family to pull together his disguise. The seemingly innocent people he chooses to play his wife and child aren’t who they seem, however, and Twilight eventually discovers that he’s recruited a psychic and a powerful assassin who have their own secrets to hide.
There was a lot of isekai back in the day, with popular shows likeThe Vision of Escaflowneor movies such asSpirited Awaybeing popular examples.Uncle From Another Worldis a new take on an old genre that viewers of classic anime shows and movies will recognize.
This bizarre and often hilarious story begins when protagonist Takafumi Takaoka picks up his uncle from the hospital after being in a coma for 17 years. The thing is, his Uncle claims that he was actually transported to a magical world during that time and proves it by demonstrating his magical powers, which he learned during his time in another world.
Fruits Basketbarely makes the list, as it started in 2019, but since it ended in 2023, an exception can be made. This is a popular series and one of the easier ones to find, so it’s ideal for those who are also navigating the new world of anime streaming services. This story is more drama than comedy but also has some lighter momentsamid the family secretsand social drama.
The show mixes comedy, drama, and ancient mythology in the form of a mysterious family that embodies the different animals and entities of the Chinese Zodiac. In the first episode, the main character, Tohru Honda, has been reduced to living in a tent because of renovations to her grandmother’s house, and sees them change into their animal forms after she’s agreed to live with them.
For a while, it was Vikings everywhere, with the live-action series bearing the same name dominating the trend, but there was also an anime series based on a similar premise that didn’t get the attention it deserved. Viewers who like historical drama or period shows will loveVinland Saga, which follows the story of Scandinavian slaves, farmers, and pirates as they search for a mythical green land beyond the horizon.
The main character is a boy named Thorfinn who trades a happy life at home for a revenge quest, onlyto be abandoned in a foreign landat an early age. He passes through battles, slavery, starvation, and other hardships that were common in this part of the world at the time. Despite his crushed spirit, he never forgets the dream of finding Vinland, which is all that seems to be keeping him alive.
The full Japanese title, which isRyū to Sobakasu no Hime, or literally “The Dragon and the Freckled Princess,” will sound more familiar. This movie is an elaborate adaptation of the old fairy taleBeauty and the Beast, named for its protagonist, and this is one of Studio Chizu’s most beautiful productions.
The writing inBelleuses a lot of clever wordplay to refer back to the fairy tale. The main character calls herself “Bell,” but this is a literal translation of both her Japanese name and the instrument that hangs in a church or by a front door. In the virtual world, however, her avatar is a stunning, freckled princess known to her fans by the French term “Belle.” One of her biggest fans is a strange monster called “The Dragon” or, as another translation would put it, “The Beast.”
