Anime and Japanese culture is a big part of my life. I've been watching animes ever since I was, like, 10 (that was the time when I real...
Anime and Japanese culture is a big part of my life. I've been watching animes ever since I was, like, 10 (that was the time when I realised what Anime really meant, because I didn't know Pokemon was an anime back when I was 3!), and let me tell you, watching anime in my country is a hell of a hard thing to do.
I decided to make this list in hopes that I would help you, dear (Otaku) Reader, find new anime to watch, in case you haven't already watched the ones I'm going to mention (which is, practically, impossible) or maybe it was curiosity that drove you here, in which case I'm going to fulfill it and tell you exactly what were the 10 anime that changed my life, for better.
10. Honey and Clover
The anime follows the story of five students at an art college in Tokyo, their love triangles, unrequinted love, graduating from college, finding jobs and building a future for themselves. They all become tangled with each other when Hagumi Hanamoto ("Hagu"), the daughter of a cousin of Shuji Hanamoto's, an art professor from the college that everyone attends, comes to live with him and attend the college.
What I loved about this anime and what really stuck with me was the way the characters were designed, following tropes that are popular in the manga world and making them fit in the story.
This story is more mature than your average anime, and this is visible in the character's mentality and in their relationships. Mind you, I watched this anime for the first time when I was 12 or 13, and it really had an impact on me. Rewatching it, I realised that what attracted me so much was the fact that they seemed so human to me: their fears and their happy moments, I shared with them. I was so much a part of the story as they were because I am human too and I will get to face the same challenges as they did in the series at the right time. It had more of an educational purpose for me, as a pre-teen, seeing how "young adults" deal with life was fascinating, and as I get closer and closer to their age, I can relate more and more.
9. Kaleido Star
Kaleido Star is one of the most underrated animes that I have ever watched. It tells the story of Sora Naegino, a Japanese girl with a talent for acrobatics that comes to the United States in order to audition for the Kaleido Stage, a famous circus that fascinated her since childhood. In order to get in this circus she gets on a hard path, having to deal with rivalry, love, dreams and the hardships of life as a sportsperson.
What I loved about this anime was its message: believe in your dreams and work hard to achieve them. As a child, this anime meant a lot for me because it gave me the power to go forward and pursue my dreams and, to be honest, I liked the character design and the idea of the anime too. I mean, it's quite uncommon to encounter an anime about life in a circus. It was very interesting to see how this life, an entertainer's life, truly is like and to have an insight in the backstage of a circus since we all used to be absolutely fascinated by them when we were little.
8. Fullmetal Alchemist
Jumping from Kaleido Star to this anime, well, there's one hell of a popularity gap between them. And here I'm talking about Fullmetal Alchemist's huge fanbase and its history. For the sake of those of you who haven't taken an interest in this series (yet), I shall tell you what it is about.
The story takes place in an alternative Edwardian-Era, in the country of Amestris, where Alchemy and Alchemists are legit things and they can bring people back from the dead using a sort-of spell called Transmutation for which they must sacrifice a part of their bodies.
Edward and Alphonse Elric engage themselves in the mysteries of Alchemy after their mother dies of the plague, in order to be able to resurrect her, but something goes wrong with the Transmutation Circle, and Alphonse's whole body is taken together with Edward's left leg. Edward sacrifices his right arm to recover Alphonse's soul and seal it in a steel armor (see picture above, that's the younger brother, there's literally a child trapped in there with a child voice!). They engage in several adventures, such as searching for the Philosopher's Stone, while Edward becomes a State Alchemist.
What I loved about this anime was the bond between the brothers and the complexity of the plot. In my case, I wouldn't know what this kind of bond means, since I'm an only child, but just watching it on screen made me want to have siblings. Edward's love for Al is beautiful and the way they interact and protect each other is heartwarming. Plus, every single episode kept me on my toes for the next one, since the plot is so, so interesting. After all, this anime is a must-watch for a reason!
7. Naruto
Mind you, I watched almost all of these animes when I was around the ages 11-14, so that's why this top is filled with cringy things that remind you of the dark times of the internet (remember
Caramelldansen?).
Also, if anyone says that they have never watched a single episode of Naruto or that they didn't like it, they're lying! Quick relationship advice: never date anyone who says they hate Naruto.
This, just like number 8, is a very popular anime, but I will summarize the plot just because.
The story takes place in an alternate universe, in the Konoha village, where, 11 years before Naruto's timeline, a nine-tailed fox attacked the village and its people, but it was sealed by the leader, named Hokage in the body of a boy. Duh, of course it was Naruto. He grows up as an orphan, and attends a school for ninjas, just like every other kid his age, and dreams of becoming Hokage himself. When he graduates school, he gets teamed up with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, and has Kakashi Hatake as his teacher. Together, they engage in many adventures, and deal with hard moments, Naruto learning step by step how to control the beast within himself.
What I loved about this anime was how easy it was to find a character that was suited for you. For instance, my favorite character is Sakura. For those who don't know her, this is her.
It was so easy to get caught up in the mood of the series and I loved the variety in story arcs and characters. Again, the relationships between the protagonists were interesting to watch and got me really into the series itself. There was a time when I watched this anime just for the sake of my favorite couple, hoping that they would, eventually, get together. This leads me to another reason why this anime meant so much to me: you could take it any way you wanted. You could think of it as a drama, sci-fi, shojo, but no matter how you looked at it, it was beautiful. Beauty in variety, that's what this series is all about.
6. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Ladies and gentlemen, the series that gave birth to my ultimate waifu! For those of you who don't know what a waifu is, it is your ultimate favorite female character, AKA your princess, baby girl, queen, etc.
Here you have her in all of her glory: SUZUMIYA HARUHI!!!
This anime is about her and about how she is this lunatic, eccentric and beautiful teenage girl who isn't interested in humans, but in aliens, time travellers and espers, and forms a club about supernatural events, dragging Kyon, his classmate, into it and bullying him through the entire series.
What I loved about this anime: HARUHI! I know that people consider her annoying and big-mouthed, but I liked her so much because she has this sweet side of hers that she only showed Kyon in a certain episode *wink wink* and she's just an incredible female character with a powerful personality. She is, basically, God, because everything she wishes for comes true, and isn't it interesting, the concept of a God that is both a girl, and also a lunatic?
5.Pokémon
Ah, time for childhood memories! This anime means just so much for me because it's been there for me from the very beginning, but just let me get you filled in on all the details.
Ash Ketchum lives in a world where there are no animals, but creatures with special abilities, called Pokemon. In this world, every kid who turns 11 is given a Pokemon, and Ash happens to be too late to receive his starter Pokemon on his 11th anniversary, so he gets stuck with something called Pikachu, AKA the mascot of the anime world for people who have never actually watched anime. Even our parents know who Pikachu is! He is, like, Japan's mascot! Well, Pikachu doesn't like Ash in the beginning, but as the story goes on, the two get to become the best of friends, and enjoy beautiful moments like the one in the gif above. The creepy side of this anime is that Ash never really ages, but just keeps on travelling with his friends through every region of this weird world, but no one could care less, as long as it's still popular for the kids, I guess it works!
What I loved about this anime was how much it helped children develop their creativity and imagination and to have powerful friendships. I remember how much this series has helped me make friends! Even now, it helped me have something to talk about with the boy I liked, and it was the thing that brought us closer until we became boyfriend and girlfriend. So yes, it holds a very special place in my heart!
4. Nodame Cantabile
This is one of the most beautiful love stories ever. It made me cry so many times I lost count. Just. Ugh.
It follows the story of Noda Megumi, a piano student at a conservatoire in Tokyo who is very talented, but plays haphazardly until she meets Shinichi Chiaki, a brilliant piano and violin student who dreams of becoming a conductor and working with the biggest orchestras in Europe. Nodame, as she likes to be called, is quirky, happy-go-lucky, childish and very, very, disorganized. She falls in love with Chiaki at first sight, and tries to make him fall in love with her too by crashing at his place every so often and following him everywhere. Chiaki, on the other hand, doesn't think much of her, beside the fact that she's talented, and somehow takes a liking in her without realising, while trying to shape her potential and fight for his own dream.
What I liked about this anime was how much love can be an art in itself, whether it be music or painting or anything, love truly is art. In their case, love was music and while playing, they found themselves and they found each other. I also liked how each of them fought on his/her own to achieve their dreams, but they never forgot each other. Furthermore, the way their relationship advanced, even if it was REAAAAAALLY slow, it was beautiful and it showed me that people fall in love in many different ways.
3. Nana
Nana tells the story of two girls who share the same name, Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu. One is a rockstar wannabe, while the other is an ordinary girl, trying to figure out life on her own. When Nana Komatsu moves to Tokyo, she happens to share an appartment with Nana Osaki, and they instantly bond. The story is beautiful and heartbreaking, following love triangles and struggles that young adults face in society. Also, it is an insight upon the music industry and the life of idols and their struggles.
What I liked about this anime was how much of an eye-opener it is. Evey bad thing that happens, it just punches you in the face and leaves you empty inside. That's how beautiful the story is. It makes you give 100% of yourself and I surely gave 100%. I identified so much with Nana Komatsu that, at some point, seeing her suffer gave me so much anxiety that I dropped the rewatch of this series.
2 & 1. Sailor Moon
This anime gets the first TWO places because that's how relevant it is! It changed me as a person and, mind you, I didn't see it when I was a kid, I saw it this year for the first time and it was...mindblowing.
Usagi Tsukino is a 14-years old girl in middle school when she bumps into a talking cat who gives her a magical brooch that turns her into Sailor Moon. Turns out she wasn't the only one, and there are a bunch other Sailor Senshis out there. Basically, they team up and do awesome stuff, but that's not the point...
Why I liked this anime is because of everything that it means: it means gender equality, it means that girls can fight just like men do, it means a turning point in the anime industry, it means relationships between people of the same gender, it means that children get to speak their minds too, it means that being who you are is okay, it means that everyone is important and that nobody is left out in this life, everybody has an important role'it means that being kind, forgiving and generous is important. It means that being loyal to your friends is crucial. It means everything that is right and beautiful in this world and I love it to bits. I'm not gonna talk about the reboot, Sailor Moon Crystal, in this post, because it isn't relevant, I'm talking about the original series and the manga.
If you haven't seen this anime, do it now, no matter if you're a girl or a boy. It will change you.
Well, that was my Top 10 Anime That Changed my Life. I wanna see your top 10s in comments and I hope that you enjoyed reading this way-too-long article.
