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Anime is actually lit: 5 shows for beginners to start peeping
Anime used to be a niche genre, mostly reserved for Japanese audiences, but now its audience has been expanded to North America and anime has never been bigger.
A few years ago, anime was considered a nerdy thing to watch but now it has skyrocketed in popularity due to social media stars, celebrities, and has become a popular form of media to consume amongst the masses.
Artists like Pharrell, Soulja Boy, Big Sean, Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Logic, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Lil Uzi Vert and XXXTentacion have either referenced anime in their lyrics or their album artwork which has increased anime’s exposure to the US market and catapulted anime into the mainstream.
It has become so popular that even some colleges have begun teaching courses in Japanese animation because of its constant appearance in popular culture today.
Here’s five anime series that any beginner can start f*cking with immediately.
Dragon Ball Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yasZEXWUrw8
Although some of us may not realize it, anime has become significantly more accepted into our society than ever before.
Dragon Ball Z is perhaps the most well-known anime series and has made a significant impact in both American and Japanese cultures.
Dragon Ball Z opened the doors to anime for Americans who had only been used to classic cartoons. It had everything young kids would want in a show, from the action packed fighting scenes, epic transformations, and intense rivalries, Dragon Ball Z become a favorite amongst kids everywhere.
The series starred the main character Goku, the last of the Saiyan race from Planet Vegeta, which was destroyed.
Throughout the series he fights a variety of enemies, some of which he befriends and takes on his journey to become the strongest fighter in the world.
Along with the show itself, Dragonball Z has 15 movies (!) in total to add to the massive collection of episodes.
Dragon Ball Z has garnered millions of passionate fans, during the height of Dragon Ball Z in 2001, the Dragon Ball website site had 4.7 million fans daily and 500,000+ registered fans.
Naruto
Naruto is a common anime fan favorite that transitioned to America successfully and has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Along with Dragonball Z it also brought anime into the mainstream.
The show is based around a kid called Naruto, an orphan in his village, but has a unwavering positive attitude that he will one day become the Hokage of his village and usher in an era of peace.
Despite the constant wave of negative energy Naruto encounters from people in his own village, he believes that if he increases his strength immensely and becomes Hokage he will cement the respect and inclusion he was so desperately looking for in younger years.
Naruto garnered a huge and passionate fan base over time because some fans literally grew up with him into adulthood. All and all it is a great series and you can’t help but be enthralled in Naruto’s positive attitude, it’s just so damn contagious.
Boku No Hero Academia
If you are looking into anime with a small amount of episodes just to start you off, then Boku No Hero Academia is the show is perfect for you. Set in a world where superpowers and genetic mutations, called quirks, are common place in society.
In this world, becoming a superhero is an actual career that someone who has a quirk can pursue. The series follows a kid name Izuku Midoriya who has a fierce resolve to become a hero and inspire people but has his dreams shattered when he is told he will never inherit a quirk.
While his classmates are gaining their own quirks he is left isolated from the rest of the world and most importantly his idol, All might, one of the most powerful heroes of their generation. Until a fateful encounter changes everything for Izuku.
This show has an amazing plot with characters that have their individual story lines that are just as interesting. The soundtrack also shines throughout, providing the perfect backdrop for the series.
Boku No Hero Academia has only had a season but has the potential to be so much more and we can wait to see what it has instore for us next season.
One Piece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGKjyePHX6U
If you have have resolve to watch 700+ episodes, then One Piece is definitely for you. The show centers around Luffy, a small child who lives in a nautical world dominated by the navy and pirates. He is completely possessed by one dream, to become the greatest pirate of all time, the Pirate King.
Through his unwavering will and fighting ability Luffy is able to assemble a crew (which is more like a family) together together. Each member of the team has their own individual dream but they have come together to make sure that Luffy will achieve his dream of becoming the Pirate King.
This show has been slowly gaining popularity over the years and has a very passionate fanbase that has allowed them to have such a long run over the past couple of years.
It currently has one of the top viewerships in Japan right now and it is catching on in the United States.
A series of movies and video games have been released been released and have been received well by both audiences in both countries.
Fairy Tail
If you are looking for anime with constant action will that has comedic side stories Fairy Tail is the perfect story for you.
Fairy Tail takes place in world where magic is commonplace and people that can master magic are known as wizards and they band together to form guilds. These guilds provide jobs for wizards the pay for different amounts depending on the difficulty.
The series is centered around a girl, Lucy Heartifilia and how she is trying to join a legendary guild called Fairy Tail. She ends up running into a wizard from the guild, but he turns out be a fraud.
A member of Fairy Tail ends up showing up and rocks him for disrespecting Fairy Tail’s name and ends up destroying half of the city in process.
She finally joins Fairy Tail and meets even crazier and more powerful wizards and the adventures they go are jam-packed with comedy and action.