Hello!
I’m Hannah, your local anime nerd!
I’m also incredibly introverted and one of my favorite ways to pass the time is sitting down for an intense anime binge.
During quarantine, we are all finding a surplus of extra time just waiting to be filled (we all know you aren’t getting extra sleep, don’t lie to yourself) so, I figured I’d give you a few shows to watch!
Here are five anime I’ve deemed binge worthy!
Enjoy!
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K
Genres: Comedy, Supernatural
I laughed my way through this series as Saiki Kusuo denalt with the issues of being an extremely powerful teenage psychic. He’s reluctantly forced into friendships and hilarious situations of all kinds. All Saiki wants is to blend in and be an average kid. His weird powers and even weirder friends make that impossible.
Given
Genres: Romance, Music, LGBTQ+
Given is by far my favorite romance anime I’ve ever seen. The story follows high schoolers Mafuyu Satō and Ritsuka Uenoyama. Mafuyu, who is a vocalist, begs Uenoyama to teach him how to play guitar. Uenoyama is perplexed as to why this is so important for Mafuyu. Mafuyu is introduced to his band where he forms friendships with the other members and something more with his mentor. Mafuyu’s journey is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry. Not only does Given have a beautiful plot, but the music is just as amazing. This is one of the few anime (that I’ve seen) that doesn’t present a gay relationship in a kinky, weird, occasionally unhealthy, way.
Erased
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Science Fiction, Phycological
Each episode of Erased had me on the edge of my seat, it was impossible to put down. Satoru Fujinuma gets thrown into his past (quite literally) to solve the murder of his classmate. His future depends on him finding and stopping the killer. The music, directing, symbolism of colors, and artwork gave the show a sense of urgency and danger. For example, whenever a character is wearing the color red it represents emotional vulnerability or warmth. But whenever red is found in the surroundings it means danger. There were times I cried and times I laughed aloud watching it. Each character, as well as their interactions, is complex and believable. Erased deals with some darker themes like child abuse and murder. This is a very powerful and emotional anime, and you should definitely watch it.
Demon Slayer
Genres: Adventure, Action
Tanjiro Kamido is the kind hearted, empathetic main character of Demon Slayer. When his little sister is turned into a demon, he embarks on a journey to become a demon slayer and discover a way to turn her back. The art style is unique and blends perfectly with the SGI aspects of the anime. Each fight scene is complex and interesting to watch, as well as beautifully animated. Each character is loveable and complex. Some of my favorite moments are the hilarious and heartwarming character interactions. Despite being an action anime, demon slayer conveys strong themes of empathy and kindness. At its core, demon slayer is about the clash of fear and love. Tanjiro’s unbreakable bond with his sister and the love he has for his family and friends pushes him through intense battles against demons fueled by fear and hate. Tanjiro faces everyone, even the demons who have done horrible things, with compassion and kindness. The show makes sure we know that even the demons were once human and stuffered too, without excusing the wrongs they committed.
A Silent Voice
Genres: Romance, Drama
This anime is actually a movie, not a series. Shouko Nishimiya is a young deaf girl who’s bullied as a result of her disability. One of her childhood bullies, Shoya Ishida, realizes how wrong he was and attempts to set things right. He discovers that bullying leaves permanent scars on life. It’s impossible not to watch this movie without crying. A silent voice reveals the effect bullying can have on someone’s life and how severely it can damage their happiness. The animation is breathtakingly beautiful so even if this type story isn’t your thing, just watching is just as entertaining.
Most of these anime can be found on Netflix, Crunchyroll, or Funimation.