Hello, and welcome to the family-friendly section of animation! Everyone who enjoys anime is aware of how versatile the medium is, but it also has a reputation for being a little mature. It’s acceptable to see some scantily clad ladies, sloppily edited fan service, and the occasional bloody scene if you’re an adult who doesn’t have an issue with it.
Children are drawn to cartoons with characters who are similar to them in age and who share their interests. You’ll be relieved to learn that there is a vast selection of anime series for kids that are just as enchanted and thrilling as their more adult-targeted different forms but with a much lighter tone!
You might believe that all anime is appropriate for teen viewing. However, there are some really violent and sexually explicit shows available. This collection of over thirty-five excellent anime for teenagers includes programs that are enjoyable and fun without being overly gory.
Any of the anime on this list is a good choice if you have a teenage son or daughter. Don’t worry if you’re a teenager reading this—these aren’t shows that have been diluted for infants or anything; they’re all excellent programs that adults enjoy just as much as teens do.
1. Pokémon (1997-2023)
The Kanto Arc, which adapts the Pokémon Red Version, will be the first arc I discuss in this review. And it was great, to put it simply. In my opinion, the characters in the original Pokémon video games were either monotonous or quite one-dimensional. The main character has absolutely no conversation, the antagonist is isolated scum, and the fitness center leaders are little more than superficial props for you to fight against.
Additionally, the game’s nemesis, Team Rocket, is made up of a bunch of pointless ghouls that are simple to take down. He does the character development associated with coming of age quite effectively. A boy who doesn’t know anything about Pokémon but knows how to handle obligations and complete tasks effectively could sell you his metamorphosis.
He is undoubtedly a sympathetic person that one would have feelings for. He is more than solely the player’s wishful thinking; he is not some lifeless puppet. He comes across as a real guy in the narrative. Blue, the character’s rival, may be thought to fulfill the same definition.
But according to the manga, he gains more personality, much like the main character. While he may occasionally be a jerk, he is very earnest, obedient, and kind. He feels considerably more prominent in the broader narrative because he poses a real threat to the protagonist.
He’s undoubtedly a wonderful love-hate character since you care deeply about how his conflict with the protagonist plays out. Then there is Green, who is essentially a completely original character that was created solely for the manga.
Also Read: Complete List of All Pokémon From Every Types
2. Digimon Adventure (1999)
Tokyo has been experiencing strange happenings, with computer systems going haywire and acting as if they have minds of their own! The start of a wonderful journey that Taichi and his buddies are unlikely to forget occurs when Taichi’s mother and younger sister are captured on a runaway train.
The selected human children and their Digimon partners must defeat a resurrecting evil after being sent to this strange new planet, the “Digital World.” Both the electronic realm and ourselves will be destroyed if they fail. This review won’t be the one I had in mind for this series. I really wanted to enjoy this remake of the first Digimon Adventure, and I really wanted to adore all of the Digimon franchise’s television shows.
True, I was a devoted Pokémon fan when I was a child, and yes, He was one of those gullible dupes who believed Digimon was the inferior cousin of the avalanche that was Pokémon. However, as I’ve aged, my interest in Pokémon has diminished, but my enthusiasm for Digimon has only increased.
In fact, I calculated the first three Digimon series, the film, and the Tri films during the blog’s fifth centennial year. Unfortunately, once the series reaches the midway point—roughly around the battle with Devimon—things start to go south. When you complete an epic adventure and achieve your perspective, the story is over.
When Devimon is ultimately destroyed, it seems as though the series has reached its conclusion because there has been such a drive and buildup toward the battle. Of course, after that, we’ll have to cope with Devimon’s power, but the series’ pace abruptly stops. The series lacks a clearly defined plot that advances, instead veering into further intermittent material while we all tap our fingers in anticipation of the big boss battle.
Also Read: Digimon Adventure Anime: Goddramon and Holydramon Mega Evolution Debut
3. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Although there isn’t much of a plotline in this film—beyond “mild peril”—you may call it an unsettling ghost story since there are no villains, conflicts, or anything frightful. It centers on two sisters who, together with their father, go to shitf in another country to be near their ailing mother, who is being treated at a hospital. They acclimate to their strange surroundings and find a variety of cute forest spirits that are unseen by adults.
The production with a minimal plot could not possibly be a masterpiece, but rather than hurting the film, it helps it. The characters’ likeability is the reason why it doesn’t work. My Neighbor Totoro is a more subdued, poetic film than Miyazaki produced, but it would later come to define him.
Totoro stands for the spirit of gratification. The filmmaker was able to go into his childhood memories and develop the enchanted characters who are still found today. Since this movie has been so closely associated with the business, Totoro has become its official mascot. Totoro and Ghibli have achieved iconic status in their respective industries, much like Mario and Nintendo.
It’s time for the part where Miyazaki and the animation team frustrate you. One of the most gorgeous movies I’ve ever watched, in my opinion. The concepts of astonishment and excitement that the film conveys are captured through the animation. Each shot is handled with precision.
Their way of giving the backgrounds a color appearance and scrutinizing the peculiar Japanese animation heritage of having people with large round eyes and speaking that in size from a dot to a cavern became Miyazaki’s signature. The foundation for modern Japanese animation was laid by Miyazaki and his team.
Also Read: 35 Best Old School Anime From 1999 And Before
4. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki, a half-witch, never backs down from a task. So, when her thirteenth birthday comes around, she’s excited to carry out a witches’ custom and pick a new town to live in for a year. Kiki, who is full of self-assurance, flies to the coastal community of Koriko with the expectation that using her abilities will be simple enough to make the locals happy. It turns out to be more difficult than she anticipated to win the natives’ trust.
Kiki develops new friendships and strengthens her inner strength with the help of her devoted, wisecracking black cat, Jiji, before finally learning that magic can be uncovered in even the most commonplace settings. The little witch Kiki is followed throughout the book. Kiki left her home when she reached legal adulthood in order to follow the witch’s ritual of relocating to a different town for a year.
Kiki was wonderful, flying on her broomstick with delight and a desire for new adventures. Living in this village wasn’t as simple and enjoyable as Kiki had planned and anticipated, though, as the town she picked hadn’t encountered a witch in such a long time. Kiki had to earn the trust of the locals, and she and her black cat, Jiji, had to do it while making friends along the way.
In actuality, the majority of those issues might arise in regular life. Because Kiki went through the same things we all do as children, younger readers can identify with her. Despite being a witch with the ability to fly, I loved how she came across as being just like a regular girl.
Like girls, she was swayed by stunning outfits, expansive malls, and the desire to make a good impression while meeting new people. She wasn’t forced to adhere to the witch tradition, which I also found admirable. She appreciated the tradition, but it was made clear that she was the only one who chose to carry it on.
Also Read: 10 Anime to Watch with Family & Streaming Guide
5. Spirited Away (2001)
In reality, the majority of problems come up frequently in daily life. Younger readers can relate to Kiki because she goes through things that all kids do. She may be a witch with flying abilities, but I loved how she was just another girl. She fell prey to the same distractions that girls do, including gorgeous clothes, expansive malls, and the desire to make a good impression right away.
She wasn’t forced to adhere to the witch tradition, which was another thing. It was made clear that she cherished the tradition but that choosing to continue it was entirely her decision. To Chihiro’s disgust, her parents step outside to examine the statue. They eventually pass through the barrier and arrive at what appears to be an amusement park that failed following Japan’s bubble economy collapse.
When Chihiro’s father detects the aroma of food, they get closer to the source. Even though Chihiro believes they should turn around at this point, they manage to locate the food. Even though Chihiro worries about the consequences of eating arbitrary food in a derelict amusement park, Chihiro’s parents begin to gorge on the food they find while questioning its provenance.
When Chihiro starts to leave, Haku stops her and informs her that she must leave because she is unable to be present. When she returns home, she finds that her parents have changed into pigs and that the playground has changed and is now populated by ghosts and monsters.
Haku assists Chihiro and directs him to the Boiler Man Kamaji. Lin, a bathhouse employee, is persuaded by Kamaji to assist Chihiro in obtaining employment with Yubaba, the bathhouse’s witch owner. Yubaba agrees to provide Chihiro with a job in return for taking her name.
Also Read: 18 Anime Movies Like Spirited Away Worth Watching
6. Doraemon (1979-2005)
Naturally, Jimmy must conceal his true identity from Rachel in order to keep her safe from the group. Moore gains notoriety with time. Jimmy tries to find the company that provided him with the medication in the first place, as each episode follows the individuals as they solve crimes and mysteries. I’d say Detective Conan is pretty good in the first half.
You’ll want to concentrate on criminology because each mystery is distinct and brilliant. You never believe it is truly possible to identify the offender with the number of pieces of evidence provided before Jimmy discloses what really happened in each case. Conan is a very endearing figure. He is consistently portrayed as strong and noble.
Because of the distinctive manner in which the directors molded him, Conan will always hold an important place in your mind and heart. Rachel occasionally gets on my nerves because she just serves to stir up drama in the show. Let’s be honest, too. You got to the wrong spot if you arrived here looking for drama. Turn to your partner and say anything if you desire drama.
Anyway, Detective Moore starts out as a really unpleasant guy but, over the course of the anime, gradually wins your heart. Don’t rely on him to reveal any secrets because he can be frustrating at times. The plot as a whole is very well written. The core plot, however, only appears in a select few episodes.
The main plot of Conan’s quest to discover a cure for his metamorphosis involves his chasing down the black organization, for its members provide you with memories as bad as your life skills. Conan is able to solve puzzles thanks to side stories. In summary, the primary plot is solid, while the minor plots have promising beginnings but eventually degrade, much like the love your lover gives you.
Also Read 13 Anime Like Doraemon That You Can Watch To Get The Same Feel!
7. Dragon Ball GT (1996)
In Dragon Ball GT, Goku, who is now an adult, continued his exploits by kicking the tail of any enemy that got in his way. As he battles a now-elderly Emperor Pilaf in the inaugural episode of Season One, Goku proves to be even stronger than previously. This is because he trained alongside Uub, whom Emperor Pilaf chose to be his successor.
Goku is turned back into a child when the Little Emperor grants a wish with a collection of Black Star Dragon Balls, but he still manages to rapidly take out Pilaf’s thugs. Even though it terrifies his wife and children, Goku doesn’t mind living like a child. He works with a strong lady who turns out to be Goku’s descendant Pan to stop a bank robbery, but it doesn’t seem to affect how he fights or his abilities.
It doesn’t take long for King Kai to warn Goku that the Earth will soon perish without the Black Star Dragon Balls. The bad news is that a spacecraft will be needed to take the objects to look for the Black Star Dragon Balls because they have dispersed over the many worlds surrounding Earth.
They travel into the galaxy with Pan as an illegal immigrant with the help of his old friend, The Trunks, and the spaceship owned by his corporation. The journey takes an unexpected turn when a camera on the ship malfunctions, leaving the passengers imprisoned on a planet ruled with an iron fist by a tyrant by the name of Don Kee.
The three encounter their third companion, an automaton that they come to call Giru, as they decide to defy Don Kee and turn into wanted criminals. Along with looking for the Black Star Dragon Balls, the four work together to assist the locals on each planet they visit.
Also Read: Dragon Ball Z Review: An Emblematic Shonen Series
8. Yu-Gi-Oh! (1999)
I have the chance to evaluate one of my favorite shows from my youth thanks to Netflix’s decision to upload all five seasons of the original anime. Yu-Gi-Oh! DBZ and Pokémon were the major three anime I grew up watching, as I’ve said on numerous occasions.
Therefore, despite their flaws, I maintain them to a high standard because of the lessons I’ve learned from them and how they continue to influence me today. I will make every effort not to allow sentimental recollections from my childhood to taint my assessment of this show because I am well aware that nostalgia can be harmful.
The card game is just one factor that makes Yu-Gi-Oh! one of my favorite series. To be quite honest, it is nearly redundant to describe the plot because the pilot contains a detailed overview of it. Yugi and Joey are playing the game Duel Monsters, in which Yugi explains the game’s fundamental rules.
Although I don’t like the lengthy exposition, I can appreciate it given that this is a children’s television program. However, as I watch it now, it appears that the authors are assuming that children are unable to understand the plot on their own and thus need to hold their hands during and guide them throughout the narrative.
Since they are mostly there for humorous relief, but after recatching, I find that Yugi and the Pharaoh, whom 4K kids dubbed Yami for no apparent reason, are my favorite characters. The show’s core is their relationship, which carries a rather lackluster story.
I think Yu-Gi-Oh! has the best anime endings. The story arc of Yugi and the Pharaoh is concluded with their final combat. By winning a duel with the Pharaoh, Yugi finally learns that he is prepared to be independent. As a result, he becomes the legitimate “king of games,” and Pharaoh perishes at the conclusion of the series.
Also Read 30 Interesting Yu-Gi-Oh! Facts To Know
9. Naruto (2002)
Welcome to the ninja world. A youngster named Naruto Uzumaki, who resides in the Hidden Leaf Village, has a dream of one day becoming a Hokage, the top ninja in the community and the person in charge of it. But because he lacks ninjutsu skills, he three times failed the academy tests.
He is always by himself, and neither children nor teachers really want to interact with him. Naruto is a trickster who commits heinous crimes in the village to gain attention. All of this alters when one of his teachers meets him and shows him respect for a task he must complete on his behalf.
So, there you have it—the basic basis of the Naruto plot. The series spans 72 volumes and 700 chapters, making it lengthy. It follows a standard Shonen formula, with the main character encountering new foes in each arc and growing stronger as a result of having to beat them.
It’s simple to empathize with Naruto and his choices because he’s so young at the beginning of the series. It’s one of the characteristics that initially drew me to it. In addition, the plot makes use of ninjutsu, a supernatural element. Now, some of those of you who haven’t encountered Naruto are perplexed. What supernatural aspect of ninjutsu is there? The series has a time jump. A time skip is what?
The characters feel that there is too much distance between them and their enemy as a result of certain circumstances. Therefore, we have off-screen training, which is combined with visual character alterations and the time ahead by a number of months or years. In the case of Naruto, it moves things along by a total of 2.5 years. Following the time jump, their narratives will be darker, and the tone of the show will generally be much more somber.
Also Read: Naruto Remake: Release Date, Trailer & Where To Watch Episodes
10. One Piece (1999)
One Piece already has a good reputation. It has been serialized for over 15 years with little sign of stopping, embarking on a record set by Guinness World Records for the most copies issued for the same comic book series by a single author. The Japanese anime One Piece is action-packed that draws inspiration from well-known works like Dragon Ball.
However, One Piece has outlasted both its predecessors and its contemporaries by a wide margin. What makes One Piece unique, then? One Piece is a narrative about a search. The story revolves around the escapades of Monkey D. Luffy, a man with “Devil Fruit” powers that turn his body into rubber.
In quest of the rumored “One Piece” riches, he sets out towards the Grand Line, an ocean that circles the globe. Following that, Luffy embarks on an island-hopping expedition that gives him time to assemble a committed crew, participate in pirate fighting, and fend off Marines—agents of the dictatorial World Government trying to put an end to piracy.
Each island in the linked Grand Line is unique from the others in terms of its geology, social structure, and geographic location; some have been occupied by Marines, while others are separate kingdoms, and still others are unexplored wilderness.
The complicated geopolitical situation allows for a range of narrative possibilities. For instance, the brave sailors may storm Marine bases to save their friends, or they might work with neighboring countries to quell unrest. The final result of these narrative arcs is an ever-changing universe that exists independently of our characters.
Also Read: One Piece: World Seeker Review: Repetetive Gameplay With Great Story!
11. Beyblade (2001)
Beyblade is a Japanese television program, and I have had a soft place for Japanese animation since it’s like teen anime. I like watching episodes like “Trigun,” and I would really like to write an article about “Bleach,” but the series is so lengthy that it would take a long time and some patience to finish. A kid-friendly English dub of the anime Beyblade was released.
Tyson (formerly Takao) is a young man who resides in Japan with his grandfather and whose absolute favorite pastime is Beyblade. He excels at his hobbies and has been severely thrashed by Kai, a young man. Tyson eventually decides to compete in the “Beyblade World Championships” alongside Kenny, a Beyblade expert, and his lovely companion Max.
It’s there that he meets Ray, a great player; along with Kai, they become the “Bladebreakers,” a beyblading team that hopes to take home the title as the global champions. ‘Bit-Beasts’ involvement improves the game even more. The user can summon a Bit-Beast, an animal spirit imprisoned inside a Beyblade, to increase their power. Bit-Beasts cannot be purchased by walking into a store; that would be too straightforward.
To use Tyson’s Bit-Beast as an example, the immortality of Dragoon lived in a sword until Tyson needed more power to save his comrade, at the moment it moved into his Beyblade. I had thought that this was how Bit-Beasts were passed down through the family.
Also Read Top 10 Strongest Beyblades that have God Like Powers!
12. Inazuma Eleven (2008)
Endou Mamoru, the Raimon Intermediate School Soccer Club’s squad captain, is the focus of the remainder of the first episode. He tries to get his team together one day shortly after school for training, but the soccer club is hardly able to register the stadium at school with only seven players.
Mamoru storms out to rehearse with elementary school students by the river bank after being completely ignored. This appears to be his usual pattern. They run into difficulty with two hoodlums after an incident. A bystander offers Endou and the kids assistance.
Endou tries to ask him for his name and extends an invitation to practice alongside them, but he is ignored. To Endou’s great surprise, the passerby is welcomed into his class the following day as an entirely new student.
You could feel the same way about this if you thought Shaolin Soccer was excessive. However, Inazuma Eleven has a humorous element, unlike Captain Tsubasa, which makes the exaggerations more entertaining, adorable, and acceptable.
It’s probably comparable to Wild Striker, though less corny. I’ve also watched the football anime Whistle!, and while I enjoyed it, I believe Inazuma Eleven to be much superior.
The first three episodes were fantastic, and I can’t wait for more. In contrast to other football anime, where they tend to focus solely on key players, like the keeper and striker, it’s nice to see each member of the team have a part to play when not on the field.
Even the puns were cleverly timed and funny. There were no Japanese puns included (which is an advantageous thing because only Japanese people would find their respective positions hilarious). With the exception of their obnoxious insistence on stuffing the writing with puns, Yakitate Japan was a wonderful animation.
Also Read: 35 Longest Running Anime Series To Watch Right Now
13. Little Witch Academia (2017)
This anime was the studio’s major 2017 project, and it shows in the huge size of the adventure, animation that pops but also has that recognizable “softness” (as I’ll define it), along with a great depth of detail. The young studio’s vast experience since beginning with Kill la Kill, however, is more significant.
It all seems to come together in an unbearably enjoyable way in Little Witch Academia, which combines a wondrous sense of adventure with a dash of Harry Potter, an acceleration of a sense of, and an abundance of some genuinely engaging characteristic rhythm.
In Little Witch Academia, a Japanese girl named Atsuko “Akko” Kagari pursues her dream of becoming a great witch like her role model, Shiny Chariot. Akko is driven to realize her dreams because she has a strong, irrational positive outlook on magic and how it has inspired her.
Her aspirations come together with the Shiny Rod, a potent magical object she discovers in a mythical forest that was once referred to as Chariot and is believed to house the “powers of the stars” themselves. Akko’s obstinate will and ambition to do all she turns her mind to are matched by her hasty, rash decisions.
But she also has a heart full of affection and friends who encourage her along the way. Two of those friends—Succy Manbavaran and Lotte Jansson—are the first ones Akko contacts on her road trip and subsequently rooms with.
The former is known as the “Mushroom Queen” informally due to her love of fungi and aptitude for concocting potions that are both highly effective and dangerous; despite having a wicked sense of humor and generally being introverted and would rather not be disturbed, what begins as a grudging annoyance develops into a close friendship with both Akko and Lotte.
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14. Sailor Moon (1992)
When Sailor Moon began airing in Canada when I was roughly ten years old, I fell in love with it right away. I loved the dramatic storyline, the huge battles, and the art style! My love of Japanese manga and anime was first sparked by this series, along with Dragon Ball Z, which my friends and I would discuss.
I really hadn’t read the very first manga, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, despite being such a great fan, until Kodansha Comics began publishing it in North America in 2011. Usagi is a 14-year-old girl who enjoys video games and manga but can be a bit of a whiner.
In an early dash to get to school, she steps on a cat by accident, forever altering the course of her life. The cat’s name is Luna, and the Sailor Guardians, a group of warriors, are to be located by Luna, a magical talking cat. Usagi receives a magical brooch from Luna that causes her to change into Sailor Moon, the protector of justice and love, in a sailor uniform!
Usagi must now assemble the remainder of the Sailor Guardians and engage in combat with the Dark Kingdom’s terrible henchmen, who aim to siphon human energy in order to revive their evil ruler, Queen Metalia. But Usagi’s issues don’t even begin there.
The Legendary Silver Crystal, a potent item from the former Moon Kingdom that is reputed to have endless power, is sought by the Dark Kingdom. It must first be located by Usagi and her comrades, along with the monarch of the Moon Kingdom, whose reincarnated Sailor Guardians were created to guard it.
Also Read: How Strong Is Sailor Moon? The Powers & Abilities
15. Astro Boy (1963)
According to Sony, they are investing more than three times as much in Astro Boy: Tetsuwan Atom. Anyone who has watched the first episode can’t possibly disagree with that assertion. The most exquisitely animated object to ever appear on Japanese television is, by far, Astro Boy.
It is not an overstatement to suggest that the animation in the present series approaches that of the majority of high-budget anime movies. Nothing was skimped on, and nobody’s corners were cut. Before they begin speaking, you won’t notice someone moving behind something. There are no still portraits of lips fluttering. Although they insist that CG was used, I am unable to discern any obviousness in any of the show’s frames.
What about the story, though? Does the original vision of Osamu Tezuka? Tezuka was a moralist and a person of high moral principles. His topics were the same, and his comics oozed with subtext and meaning. Tezuka advocated for harmony and non-violent solutions to conflict.
Thankfully, Tezuka’s nonviolent attitude is still very much present in this new Astro Boy series. It’s a good thing that the show’s creators refused to let outsiders decide how little Atom would overcome his weekly challenges because any slight misinterpretation of this individual would have led to a lame Megaman-esque mess of Shonen action garbage. Fortunately, this is not the situation.
Atom is a pacifist who will only engage in combat when it is necessary. He strives to understand his opponent’s pain in order to find peaceful solutions to disputes without using force. His response to the Gloworm’s issue in the first episode is to sacrifice himself and take in the extra energy that is hurting the Gloworm.
The Glow Worm has razed a portion of the city in a fit of wrath, but Astro Boy, ever an empathetic hero, chooses to show compassion and understanding. It’s clear how Tezuka felt about violence, and his characters always chose the honorable path when it came to combat; It’s energizing and inspiring to see that spirit endure in today’s cynical, crime-obsessed media environment.
Also Read: Shining Stars! Sailor Moon Cosmos Anime Films Reveals Sailor Starlights in New Video
16. Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001)
On the Popstar, a town called Pupu Village is home to the Cappy species, an organization of mushroom-like people who are ruled by the alleged King Dedede, an obese penguin, and his snail sidekick, Escargon. They enjoy pulling practical jokes on their citizens by sending down monsters thanks to their supplier, Holy Nightmare.
Despite them, the town is still mostly calm. Two energetic children are among them: Fumu, a smart girl who enjoys reading and reflecting on the world, and Bun, her young, naughty brother who likes getting into trouble with his friends Honey, Iroh, and Hohhe
.To the surprise of the villagers, a little Star Warrior named Kirby crash-lands is recognized as the long-awaited hero who would defend their land, changing the course of their lives forever.
King Dedede and Escargon, who are not pleased with his newfound renown, devise plans to discredit him by utilizing Holy Nightmare to conjure sumo blocks, lethal ice dragons, phony chefs, counterfeit dinosaurs, and cheap imitations of British literature.
Sometimes, their wanderings have unsettling effects on the entire village, prompting Kirby, Fumu, and Bun to look into the situation and make amends. Over the span of 100 episodes, Kirby of The Stars discusses our pink, circular hero along with all of the scenarios he gets put into.
Both commonplace and exceptional, which came to an end in the last confrontation against NME, the leader of Holy Nightmare, whose mission is to conquer happiness compared to everyone’s nightly dreams. Kirby has his very own “Copy Ability” and his dependable Warp Star by his side.
Also Read: 30 Anime Like Parallel World Pharmacy That You Should Watch
17. Powerpuff Girls Z (2006)
With the aid of his son Ken, Professor Utonium is able to keep the strange Chemical X under control. The new and more potent substance is known as Chemical Z. They employ the chemical to clear the environment during a weather emergency, but they unintentionally produce a lot of Z-ray beams.
Which strikes Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru and transforms them into the magical ladies Hyper Blossom, Rolling Bubbles, and Powered Buttercup. Additionally, they struck a neighboring monkey, transforming him into the bad guy Mojo Jojo.
Japan has frequently translated American cartoons into Japanese animation, despite the fact that they don’t do it to us as frequently as we do to them. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the best-known examples, but there are also Transformers, Lilo and Stitch, and even concepts like the supernatural series Supernatural Batman and Iron Man that have been adapted into anime.
One could perhaps argue that Powerpuff Girls is the most obvious choice among the shows to receive the anime treatment. They already have large, anime-like eyes, specialize in taking down gigantic monsters, and are essentially amazing girls without elaborate transformation rituals and trappings.
I didn’t hear many things about this series when it initially debuted. I did hear some things, but they tended to fall under the category of “Why?” However, I didn’t hear a lot of actual opinions. Although I loved the original Powerpuff Girls a lot, I did not have much interest in seeing the anime adaptation.
Also Read: 10 Anime For Kids That You Should Definitely Watch
18. Aikatsu! (2012)
The closest I’ve come to liking idol music is the Love Live franchise, which, like Aikatsu, is produced by Sunrise. While it is the more popular of the two, I have preferred the personalities of the show over the music itself.
The only song that comes to mind as I’m writing this is “Snow Halation,” and I much prefer the activities that both Love Live and Love Live Sunshine feature.
Aikatsu had a lot to convince me of because I haven’t really been serious about seeking out any other popular game in that genre. The storyline in Aikatsu is simple. Ichigo, a student in middle school, shares a home with her parents, works as a baker, and helps her mother with other household duties.
Aoi, their closest friend, and another idol devotee, comes up to her one-day bearing concert tickets for the idol Mizuki. She decides to go and is mesmerized by the main act’s performance. Then Aoi advises Ichigo and her to apply to the Starlight Academy, an institution of higher learning for idols.
Despite a few issues with her application, they both succeeded, and their genuine Aikatsu can now begin. I’m confident that I’ll enjoy the music of Aikatsu because of the appealing tracks Signalize and Calendar Girl.
After seeing Ichigo’s Idol CGI design for the first time, I thought, well, that must not be bad throughout the series,” and even though I was obviously right (it gets better), there was a brief period in which I thought, well, obviously, that can’t be bad throughout the show.”
Also Read: 22 Best Anime to Watch With Friends In 2023 [Updated]
19. Sonic X (2003)
The enormous cast of characters in the Sonic series is one of its most recognizable features; however, in the past few seasons, this ensemble has come under fire from Sonic fans who thought that Sonic, the franchise’s main character, was being overshadowed by the other characters.
As long as the cast is given equal attention and isn’t expanded for the purpose of a filler episode or to be relegated to a supporting role in later episodes, I personally don’t have a problem with having too many characters, even if they are as numerous as the list of Catholic saints mentioned in the Roman Canon. Having said that, how would Sonic X fare in this regard?
The absurdity of the narrative, especially in the first few episodes, was one of the greatest problems I had with this series. Sonic was made to perform human tasks on Earth during this period, such as traveling on a cruise, purchasing, helping out at a home party, playing sports like baseball, or competing against Chris Thorndyke’s haughty speed-racing uncle.
By the way, I have no intention of making either of these up. However, it must be said that the episodes that made up the Sonic Adventure Arc or the Metarex Arc were excellent and possibly the only times Sonic X seemed like, for once, a Sonic anime.
The fight between Super Sonic and Perfect Chaos, the confrontation between Sonic and Shadow in Space Colony Ark, and the scene when Sonic and Shadow effectively avoided Space Colony Ark colliding with Earth are just a few examples of game moments that were masterfully restored for this animation. Extra points go to the latter for incorporating the song “Live and Learn” by Crush 40 from Sonic Adventure 2 in that sequence.
Also Read: Sonic Prime Season 2: When Will it Release?
20. Fairy tale (2009)
Lucy believes she has identified the man using a particular form of magic to seduce all the women. Well, he’s not the guy. However, Lucy does come upon another man along the road. His name is Natsu Dragneel, and he has a large appetite (as many shonen MCs have) and has trouble with moving objects, such as a car or train. Any topic; instead, I mean!
He travels with a small blue cat companion as well. Happy is his name. He enjoys seafood, telling jokes, and occasionally being an honest asshole. Oh, I forgot that Happy is able to fly. Well, flying kitty cat, of course. By the way, when Happy flies Natsu, he doesn’t feel sick.
Avoid asking. Anyway, the man Lucy mistakenly identified as the Salamander was really Natsu. Because he is the aforementioned Salamander and a “Dragon Slayer,” he is able to wield magic that dragons alone are familiar with since they trained and reared their offspring on their own.
His power consists of fire strikes and the ability to consume fire. Any element type can be consumed by Dragon Slayers. Lucy is brought to the guild by Natsu and Happy, and she fits right in with the wacky bunch. And by insane, I mean it. This guild enjoys brawls and generally trashing the area.
But since they are the essentials, let’s go on to the rest. Makarov, the head of the Fairy Tale Guild, will be our first stop. Even though he is a little, elderly guy, he occasionally has as much vitality as the others. However, as their leader, he considers every member of Fairy Tale to be one of his children.
He is not only incredibly strong, but he also has the power to grow into a giant and use highly powerful spells. There are three siblings in the guild: Lisanna, Elfman, and Mira Jane. You can see Lisanna in your memories of Natsu when they were younger, but it’s not until much later that you finally get to know her for who she is.
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21. A Silent Voice (2016)
In elementary school, Shya Ishida bullied Shoko Nishimiya, a deaf girl who had joined his class. Because his friends made him the victim when she left their school a long time later, he was cut off between middle and high school. By returning the notepad he had taken, Shya tries to make amends. He had mastered sign language by this time.
However, Yuzuru, Shko’s sister, posted about it online after diving into the river to save it after it dropped into the water, which resulted in Shya’s expulsion from school. Shya, who has his heart set on atoning for his wrongdoings, brings everyone together once again for a day at the park’s rides and helps Shko get in touch with Sahara.
Miki, however, uncovers Shya’s past, which forces him to be open about how he feels about the entire scenario. When Shko attempts to leap off the windowsill of her rental property because she feels she is directly to blame for what happened to Shya, Shya protects her by also falling from the window and collapsing into a coma.
While Shya reawakens, he seeks out Shko and tells her that the repercussions of his conduct in school are his burden to bear. Throughout this time, Shya and Shko’s mothers reunite. Shya joins his friends at the start of their school’s cultural festival, believing he has at last found consolation and salvation.
This, at least, is a brief overview of Koe no Katachi’s movie interpretation of the same-named manga. After watching the movie, which had a 130-minute runtime and was released in September 2016, I can say that it has an incredibly compelling plot that explores Shya’s journey toward atonement for his sins.
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22. Magic Knight Rayearth (1994)
Magic Knight Rayearth, a 50-episode series, is the story of three high school girls who set out on a mission to rescue a kidnapped princess. On their separate school outings to Tokyo Tower, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are unwittingly drawn together by fate.
They are then magically carried there by a dazzling light to a location known as Cephiro. A senior citizens magician by the name of Clef then informs them that Cephiro is disintegrating into ruin as a result of Princess Emeraude, its Pillar, being abducted by her Priest Zagato.
Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu have been chosen to be Magic Knights since they are the only ones capable of igniting the three Frost Gods to enable to defeat Zagato. Because it combines three genres that don’t go together—primarily Magical Girl and Mecha with a touch of —Magic Knight Rayearth is unusual.
There is a group of attractive girls, each with a palette of colors for easy identification, a fluffy animal who follows them and can guide them and spout magical objects when necessary, and a quest to gather items and defeat the ultimate turn villain. The Knights eventually trade in their human size for mechas, which they deploy in epic battles in the second part of the series.
The first arc of the narrative, which is more formulaic, concentrates on the events leading up to the ultimate confrontation with Zagato. The first section’s ending, which introduces the second arc of the plot and has a surprising surprise, is its most commendable feature.
Here, the narrative largely abandons its Magical Girl and instead focuses entirely on political conflicts and Mecha space combat. The identity of what has been considered the ultimate evil is a mystery, and new foes are presented. Let’s just say that as the narrative develops, things start to become darker and a little bit dismal.
Also Read: 50 Best Anime Where The Characters Are Fairy
23. Chi’s Sweet Home (2008)
So, it portrays a family and their cat, much like the majority of these adorable pet-related anime. Chi was originally a stray, but the Yamada family found her, and after debating whether to keep her or not, they obviously chose the less heartbreaking course of action.
The story is primarily told from Chi’s perspective, in contrast to Poyopoyo’s. She’s still a kitten, so she’s having a hard time figuring out the new environment, in addition to performing all the irritating activities cats do those human beings don’t understand.
The Yamada family is in a terrible situation as the second season begins since they are compelled to keep Chi indoors and hidden, much to her dismay because their apartment doesn’t allow pets. When their combined brain cells finally register that they could merely relocate to a nicer place, they toy with the thought of giving her up for another person who can take care of her better.
Several new characters are introduced to you at this point, including the largest troll bunny (a fact that is true because rabbits are simply angrier cats). Despite the fact that Chi can only speak to the cats verbally, I thought the animal characters were much more engaging than the human characters.
Chi’s cute little escapades are adorable, and since each episode lasts only five minutes, it’s ideal for watching over a lunch break or when you don’t have much free time but need an act that will make your day.
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24. Silver Spoon (2013)
The coming-of-age tale of Yugo Hachiken, a kind kid who admits himself to the agrarian boarding school called Yezo High in order to flee his parents, is told in Silver Spoon. He interacts with a wide variety of people there, and result; he develops as a person.
I have a slight soft spot for masterfully written coming-of-age plots. Hanasaku Iroha is one of my favorite characters from Barakamon, which I greatly appreciate. Characters are usually the reason I watch a show, and I truly love seeing how the main character changes throughout the course of the story.
A fantastic illustration of comprehensive development done correctly is Yugo Hachiken. He is different in his own way and much bolder than I could ever hope to be, but he also has the appropriate personality attributes to make him someone you could relate to and empathize with, as well as someone you may strive to be like.
Hachiken is far from ideal, which is evident at the beginning of the series. His weaknesses are what make him human, and occasionally, those defects turn out not to be problems at all. As the series progresses, more details of Hachiken’s personality and the events that have melded his life up to this point—from his interactions with his parents to his current friendships—are revealed.
It has a huge array of characters joining Hachiken. Unfortunately, it seems that a large portion of the characters were not given the opportunity to be thoroughly investigated. This is more a result of a lack of time management than of poor time management.
These 22 episodes cover a lot of ground; therefore, I wish there had been more in-between episodes to explore the supporting cast members in greater detail. Aikawa’s will to succeed as a veterinarian in spite of having a weak heart caught my attention in particular, and I really wish that she had developed more.
Also Read: 15 Anime Series Suitable for 15 Year Olds to Watch
25. DokiDoki! PreCure (2013)
Glitter Force Doki Doki is the second part of Saban’s Glitter Force series, which is based on Toei’s enduring PreCure franchise. In advance of the recently revealed Glitter Force, I evaluated Doki Doki PreCure at the beginning of this year. I’ll be honest—I’ve never watched the first Glitter Force.
After seeing the trailer, I couldn’t bring myself to watch it because, at the time, I was too fond of smiling. But I made the decision to try watching Glitter Force Doki Doki, and I succeeded. Shiny Force Doki Doki turns out to be some strangely condensed form of the original Doki Doki PreCure rather than an adaptation.
Nineteen episodes of the original series were omitted from GFDD, which is nearly twice as many as were removed from Smile PreCure after the original Glitter Force was created. However, they didn’t simply skip episodes; rather, they took bits and pieces from existing episodes and pieced them together to create new episodes for GFDD. In a way, does it work?
Early on, they divided up episode 2 and combined it with its predecessors and succeeding episodes. Because of this, the plot moved forward a little more quickly and smoothly, but at the end of the first season, around episodes 13 and 14, it began to blend too much.
You can tell they chopped things out since they removed an entire episode when Regina confronts the girls to a duel for the Royal Crystals and awkwardly makes it appear as though Regina simply took them. It didn’t function well. Additionally, they skipped over the Karuta-based episode and referred to it as a “spelling bee,” which is an understandable way to erase practically all of it.
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26. Flying Witch (2016)
I remembered Kiki’s Delivery Service when I first read about this show. A witch who is skilled at flying is featured, and she relocates to a new village for training. The magical world Makoto is a part of is the main focus of Flying Witch, as opposed to Kiki’s Delivery Service, which is a coming plot.
Even the magic in Kiki’s Delivery Service isn’t that strong. Kiki uses “spirit” to fly around, and her mother makes a remedy for rheumatism for a friend of the family. I’m done now. Oh, and Jiji is able to speak, but it seems that only she is able to hear him.
Perhaps her simple name is meant to contrast with how peculiar she is. She may appear sweet and normal, but like most witches, she enjoys strange and unsettling things. For instance, she creates ladyfingers (also known as “Witches’ Pinkies”) in one episode. But they joined fingers, having blood dripping from them.
However, I believe that the thing that makes her a likable character is her peculiarity. It’s enjoyable to see her master magic.
The show features magic and other magical abilities connected with witches because it speaks about witches and paranormal activities in order to bring that one tiny touch of whimsy to the series. But unlike magic in the real world, the magic in the play is very subtly done.
The biggest magic-related result in this series, if any, is a tiny little poof; there are no major spells or effects. This subtly enhances the entire mood of the performance by giving the impression that no matter how real-world occurrences may be, they may however be magical.
Also Read: 15 Anime Series Suitable for 15 Year Olds to Watch
27. Haikyuu!! (2014-2023)
I started getting attached to Hinata nearly right away, and he’s now one of my all-time favorite anime characters. Our adorable little Shoyo is a small ball of kinetic energy with unimaginable speed and unfailing stamina. Imagine Natsu Dragneel from FairyTail with untidy orange hair playing volleyball.
He carelessly skips from one practice to the next, clutching tenaciously to whatever opportunity he gets to step foot on the court. The epitome of sportsmanship is Hinata. He supports his teammates during every game and has a positive attitude toward his senpai, his peers, and even his opponents.
Even while Hinata and Kageyama don’t get along right at first, it soon becomes clear that each one of them has complementary abilities. It takes some time for them to coordinate their abilities, but eventually, they form the unbeatable team behind Karasuno’s famed “God-like quick.”
Although Hinata is short and weak, he can jump higher than many of the team’s taller players, and his speed and agility are comparable to or even better than those associated with his much larger opponent. I particularly enjoyed witnessing Hinata make friends with Kageyama, the person he had vowed to destroy and carve out a position that was his own on the team he had adored since he first watched them.
Kageyama has played volleyball ever since he was in junior high. His natural talent for the sport earned him acclaim from his coach and teammates, but it was Oikawa’s incredible talent that truly motivated Kageyama to put in the effort and advance his technique.
Despite Oikawa’s mistreatment of his talented Kouhai and his unwillingness to instruct Kageyama, a young Tobio continued to look up to him and hone his abilities by imitating Oikawa’s meticulously trained movements.
Also Read 13 Haikyuu!! Facts You Should Know
28. Tamako Market (2013)
More than a year and a half ago, I discussed Tamako Market on this blog. At the time, I commented that the series was slow-moving and was intended to portray the kind of diversified and close-knit community that exists in Usagiyama Shtengai.
Usagiyama responds naturally with worry when Dera shows up because she fears that Tamako might be abducted and made the princess of some far-off nation. Similarly to this, Tamako himself has grown up in this area and is unable to imagine living anywhere else, which causes some internal struggle.
Many eyes were raised when it was revealed that the film would be a love story. When Tamako Market first aired, the southern islanders, Dera and Mechya, were heavily included in the plot. Any indications of passion were merely implied, and Mochizou was never given a chance to truly express his affection to Tamako.
The devastation resulted when the TV series came to an end. Tamako Market was unable to fully examine either story in depth due to its desire to create two stories in a twelve-episode animation. Tamako Love Story seeks to correct this by showing how Tamako, Mochizou, Midori, Kanna, and Shiori must all pursue their own futures as they approach the end of their senior year at high school.
The main problem in the film is Mochizou’s desire to become a filmmaker, which requires him to travel to Tokyo. He struggles to summon the confidence to tell Tamako how he feels because, by doing so, he will be leaving her behind. Flashbacks are used throughout the film to cement the relationships between Mochizou and Tamako.
These flashbacks reveal how the two had been friends since they were young children, supporting one another whenever things were tough.
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29. ReLife (2016)
Arata Kaizaki, 27, works part-time at a grocery store in order to make ends meet but is completely dependent on the money his parents provide him. By cutting him off, his parents put him in danger, which worsens the problem by putting him in a difficult position.
One day, as he is returning home from work, a mysterious guy offers Kaizaki the choice of sticking with his unhappy existence as it is or taking a medication that will turn him back into a senior in high school, with the prospect of obtaining employment following the trial. ReLife is the name of the research.
To be honest, I was fascinated and skeptical when I read this notion. It definitely caught my attention because the plot was unique (at least in comparison to other things I have watched). However, a friend pointed out that it was just another launching point for your typical slice-of-life high school romantic comedy.
Regardless of the fact that slice-of-life rom-coms are my favorite type of anime, I didn’t want ReLife to turn out to be just another one of the bunches. And it wasn’t like the others. On a more personal level, I saw this anime before traveling to Japan and America.
To my surprise, ReLife was really well-liked here, with its DVDs being the most borrowed anime titles. The manga that the anime is based on, It’s Manga, is quite well-liked in this country and can be found in many featured areas of book and manga shops. Another interesting detail is that all 13 of the episodes debuted simultaneously on Crunchyroll, which I had never seen before.
Also Read: ReLIFE Review: Is It the Worth the Watch?
30. How To Keep A Mummy (2018)
How people deal with otherworldly beings is one of How to Keep a Mummy’s main themes. Kashiwagi Sora, the main character, has known about these supernatural entities all of his life; thus, he is quite understanding of them and lends a helping hand when in need.
For example, he accepted the mummy Miira into his family when he realized Miira didn’t want to go back. Even at bedtime, Sora tells Miira stories, just like a mother would. Since they were childhood friends with Sora, his friend Kamiya Tazuki has had knowledge of magical lives.
However, Tazuki was adamant that the little ogre not become his pet since he had been injured by a kind dragon. He eventually overcomes his past trauma and takes in the brash young ogre named Conny.
Motegi Asa, another classmate of Sora’s, has a reptile fear and reacted when a small dragon appeared at her home out of habit. After Sora persuaded her after several failed attempts that the beast she was adopting was not a lizard, she adopted the dragon, Just like any other pet, Isao.
How to Keep a Mummy is a fairly safe program that plays on the cuteness factor while sticking to PG topics like companionship and acceptance of diverse species. If there is one thing I would criticize it for, it would be how the gang tried to enhance the drama by saving Miira from a magical pet kidnapper near the end.
The episode’s laid-back tone was contrasted by what almost felt like an anime-original storyline. Even so, it’s difficult to find an issue with the show’s central conceit, which is the friendship and coexistence of humans and otherworldly pets.
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31. Laid-Back Camp (2018-2022)
The anime series with the same name that Afro wrote and illustrated in 2015 was adapted into the anime Laid-Back Camp. Even now, more than 11 volumes of the manga have been published.
Following the publication of the anime’s first season in 2018, the manga gained enormous success and was adapted into a live-action drama in 2020, the second anime season, a virtual reality game, and even an anime movie that will be released in 2022.
Rin Shima, a high school girl from Japan, frequently travels to campgrounds with views of the majestic Mount Fuji because she enjoys going camping alone. She meets Nadeshiko Kagamihara, who has recently relocated to her village and longs to see Mount Fuji while camping one time.
Nadeshiko quickly develops a passion for camping outdoors and joined the outdoor activities club at her school. As their friendship grows, Rin and Nadeshiko visit several campgrounds across the nation. Rin also discovers the fun of vacationing with others.
In the majority of anime, there is a major objective that each character is striving to achieve or a conflict that needs to be addressed. But there isn’t much of a conflict in Laid-Back Camp, as there is in most slice-of-life anime. Instead of a tale, the occurrences involving the characters are more like a series.
Even though Laid-Back Camp lacks a gripping, moving story since it places a much higher focus on character connection than anything else, it’s a subtle, endearing tale of how an introverted girl named Rin gradually learns to enjoy the pleasures of backpacking with her companions. In the upcoming season, Nadeshiko learns to enjoy the benefits of going camping by herself.
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32. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
The opening of Howl’s Moving Castle is a fantastical realm populated by witches, magic, and kingdoms torn apart by conflict. The spell of an evil witch transforms Sophie, a hatter (Emily Mortimer), into an elderly woman. Christian Bale’s character Howl, is a renowned magician who resides in a massive, moveable castle, and Sophie seeks his assistance.
Sophie finds out that the king persistently asks Howl to join the horrific conflict with the neighboring country. Sophie makes the decision to support Howl in defying the king’s orders. Along the journey, the audience gets to interact with a ton of fascinating, colorful characters.
Since the animation is beautiful in the Studio Ghibli style, I’d like to start by talking about it. Each frame of the animation is a masterful picture with meticulous attention to every last detail. In beautiful shots of verdant vistas and early 20th-century city life, there are many inventive fantasy creatures.
I am aware that the animation process for movies like Howl’s Moving Castle takes a long time, but man, is it remarkable. The narration in Studio Ghibli films adopts a clear style, especially in Howl’s Moving Castle. Regarding the plot, our characters basically sort of follow along, and there is always a chance that the movie will go down a different path.
When our protagonist sets out in order to accomplish something, something happens that causes her goal to shift, and she keeps going against the flow and, as I said, rolls with it. This feature of Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favorites since it adds an element of surprise. When you believe a succession of circumstances is leading in one direction, the movie abruptly changes course and takes a different one.
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33. Cardcaptor Sakura (1998)
Originally, I was going to go there to see what all the fuss was about, but due to recent revelations and events (like the fact that my choice is to stick to the bigger conventions rather than any and all), I’ve opted to skip this one and stay at home this week and go to High Mass.
In all honesty, I’d rather miss a conference than a chance to attend Mass and partake of the Holy Eucharist’s graces (which Hamilton, sadly, does not offer). After taking care of that, I’ll reflect on my introduction to the amazing girl genre, Cardcaptor Sakura.
I’m happy to be able to share with you all about how I found this anime if you’re curious. One of the first things I came across at Anime North 2018 after High Mass, apart from the Protestants’ weekly preaching extravaganza, was Anime North Idol
. While every performance was fantastic and really stood out, one, in particular, stands out in my memory to this day.
The performer was a young woman who was dressed as the title character in her school uniform and sang an amazingly great cover of the opening track to Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc. Never before have I, I believe, been so impressed by a cover performance.
Meet 10-year-old Tomoeda resident Sakura Kinomoto, a student at an elementary school. The 52 Clow Cards were accidentally scattered throughout the city when Sakura came across an unidentified text written by the English wizard Clow Reed while stumbling through her father’s office.
This caused Keroberos, a small lion-like figure, to awaken and assign Sakura the task of finding all 52 Clow Cards. Together with her companion Tomoyo Daidouji and the male hero Syaoran Li, they must race against time to obtain the Clow Cards before disaster hits. Tomoyo is her buddy.
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34. Natsume’s Book Of Friends (2008-2023)
Takashi Natsume, a little child, acquires his grandma Reiko’s Book of Friends in the current narrative. He is frequently pursued by youkai who have their names imprisoned in Reiko’s book and want those back (or, in some circumstances, have visited and gently requested) or by youkai who only desire the Book of Friends as a result of that book.
Natsume makes the decision to take it forward himself to find the owners of each name in the Book of Friends and return them to them. He meets several amazing species and people as a result of this choice, and he learns their tales.
The fact that each chapter of this graphic novel has some sort of sweetness woven into it is what I love about it the most. Some tales, such as those involving Swallow or Tsuyukami, simultaneously made me joyful and sad.
I found myself laughing at certain tales, like the one that involved the youkai trying to flee the exorcist. But each story has a takeaway or a point to pause and consider, which is something I really enjoyed and admired about Yuki Midorikawa’s ability to achieve.
The main characters, Natsume and Nyanko, are enjoyable to read about. Natsume predominantly because I appreciated how commonplace he was in comparison to the bizarre youkai in his immediate surroundings. Only his capacity to perceive monsters prevents him from being entirely normal.
He only lacks an emotional attachment to other people, something he will hopefully develop during the remainder of the book, but otherwise, he is an ordinary boy. A humorous character is Nyanko. He is a youkai that wants the Book of Friends and has a pact with Natsume to aid him in exchange for breaching the seal that has been set on it.
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35. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
There are countless cartoons that appear and disappear, enticing viewers with lousy fart jokes, slapstick, straightforward plots, and simplistic artwork. They catch fire in the air, crash to the earth, and are carried away to that murky cemetery of forgotten memories.
Then again, there are cartoons that rise above the others, demonstrate the force of their form, and go on to become enduringly significant and pleasurable works of popular culture.
But happily, something does occasionally sprout out of the television industry’s ice and bend all the components of a good program into something more than the sum of their parts. Avatar:
The Last Airbender is a cartoon series of such stature that it enters the high echelons right away, joining the select few others that do the same, such as Batman: The Animated Series.
The narrative is mainly generic in the sense that some characters, such as Aang as the upbeat hero, Zuko as the despised Prince, Sokka as an impartial observer of the fantastical world surrounding him, etc., match stereotypes quite well.
The execution of the archetypes, where each character fits the mold naturally based on their circumstances, personalities, and story developments rather than adhering forcibly to present guidelines of how each character type should act, is what elevates the show above cliché.
Particularly startling and satisfying is Zuko’s fantastic character journey, which takes him from his purely teenage wrath based on guilt to his quite diverse emotions that can vary near the end.
