Not your average 5 anime list

Hello all, and thanks for reading. Have you been searching for a new anime but can't seem to find one? How about every time you ask someone for a new anime to watch and they give you the same generic answer? Well I'm here to try and help you break from the shonen mold and find something new and exciting to watch. Now these are just some of my favorite anime, not in any order.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Jojo's is a juggernaut of a show in the East, spanning over two decades at this point. It follows the Joestar bloodline from generation to generation. Each Joestar feels new and fresh, mixed in with lots of pop culture references and oddly specific off the wall facts makes for a battle anime that doesn't feel like a battle anime.

Why Jojo's? Because the writer Hirohiko Araki, found an elegant solution to the mundane power up mold that shonen continues to follow. When I say the power up mold, I mean generally each arc of an anime ends with some kind of character progression, maybe they got a new power, or they became stronger or faster, etc. Araki has negated this effect with creative genius. No fight will ever feel one sided no matter how ridiculous.

Now Jojo's does have pacing problems for about the first 10 episodes. But if you've watched Bleach, Naruto, or Dragon Ball Z I would prefer you keep your complaints to yourself. There is no filler arcs. Araki just needed a few issues to find his stride in this masterpiece.

Berserk

Probably the most compelling story in a manga/anime I've ever experienced. Berserk follows the story of Guts, the baby who was found under his dead mother and raised by mercenaries. From an early age Guts would fight grown men in a life or death battle, but fate always has a seemingly different plan for guts. He is forced to join The Band of The Hawk, another mercenary group after losing in a duel to the leader the hawk of light, Griffith.

Why Berserk? Have you ever watched a couple seasons of an anime and never once felt moved? Are you tired of characters feeling bland and generic? Fear not, Berserk will blow mind. Berserk's story it dark, extremely, like you need night vision goggles to make it through this one, but how this story will move you in ways you didn't think an anime could. You can feel the desperation in every character wanting to achieve their dreams so badly that the world really feels believable and tangible.

I would recommend the manga vs the anime though. Just so we're clear. The manga can never be adapted into an anime properly I feel. Unlike jojo's which I feel can flow better as an anime given their action scenes, Berserk can feel clunky to watch between it's awkward 2d to 3d design. Watch the golden age movies 1 through 3, then go back and read the manga. I promise you, you won't regret it.

My Hero Academia

MHA is a newer anime, only into it's 2nd season but is making large waves. The story follows Midoriya, a boy who lives in a world populated by people with special powers known as quirks. Midoriya's dream is to one day become a hero like All Might, the strongest hero and the symbol of peace. But Midoriya soon learns he's born with no quirk at all.

Why MHA? Other than being my favorite anime of the season, with some of my favorite opening songs ever. Do you love western comic book heroes? Have you ever wanted to see what a Japanese Superman would be like? Do you love shows with massive rosters of compelling supporting cast members? Then step on up and Smash your way into MHA. MHA's world grounds itself and humanizes the main character to you, a quirkless individual. It's a show about grit and determination through your own resolve, not a typical 'with the power of my friends I can do anything' anime.

Seven Deadly Sins

Seven Deadly Sins is a fantasy anime, taking place years after the Seven Deadly Sins tried to stage a coup against the King. The sins vanished after that day, going into hiding for what had happened. The story follows Elizabeth, the daughter of the King. The King is now Ill and she believes that the Holy Knights, the Kings army, are up to something sinister. She sets out from the castle to seek out the Seven Deadly Sins, the only ones with the power to take on the army of the Holy Knights.

Why Seven Deadly Sins? Do you love having a powerful main character who's a womanizing powerhouse? Or amazing character conflicts that will tear you between which character you want to truly win? Then please feast your eyes on the Seven Deadly Sins, it's a netflix original and well worth your time to watch.

One Punch Man

One Punch Man follows Saitama, who after defeating a half man half crab monster trains for 3 years, becoming so strong he can practically one shot anything. Saitama however has lost his love for fighting though, it's no challenge for him if he can end any fight with one punch. He feels disconnected with everyone and disinterested in everything.

Why OPM? Other than watching saitama crush classic anime archetypes and stereotypes with overwhelming power? Then I'd say you need to jump on this one. It's created by ONE, who's original manga, for lack of a better term was rough. Extremely rough. The fact that we got the beautiful animation from Madhouse Production from the source material is insane, but fortunate. ONE's work was picked up solely because the story, trust me the visuals are tough to see. But that's how strong this character is.

I thank you for reading. Join me in the comments for some anime talk. I love discussing anime.