If you’ve ever found yourself cluelessly hanging out with people referring to Manga and Japanese jargon that you don’t understand, then this article is just for you and all the others who haven’t had childhoods as “lit” as their peers expected of them or those who had an inclination towards anime but could never find the perfect series to help them start off their Harem because well, let’s agree to disagree, DBZ, Naruto Shippuden, and One Piece are no longer enough to make you an Otaku (also, filling this one with Japanese lingo to familiarise you with the must-knows of anime argots, giving you all the more reason to read and like).
So to begin with, what you’ll need before you embark upon this one-way journey to selling Doujinshis is determination and copious amounts of caffeine because binge watching is not as easy as pulling all-nighters before exams, is it?
Jokes apart, headphones on, here’s a list of a few legendary animes to give you a purpose in life and keep you happily engrossed.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Often referred to as simply Code Geass, a widely loved anime, it is set in a different timeline. The story focuses on how Lelouch Vi Britannia, the black prince, revolts against the Holy Empire of Britannia and their destructive weapons, the Knightmares, after they conquer Japan or Area 11, as they call it, and deprive it’s citizens of self-governance and rights, exerting control over their lives.
Apart from being driven by vengeance against his father, Lelouch is granted with the power known as Geass or the “Power of Kings”, that allows him to command anyone to do whatever he wants. Packed with action, adventure, and suspense, the series with its exciting storyline is enough to get you hooked on anime.
Death Note
You could be living under a rock and still be familiar with the name of this particular anime series simply because it is that famous. With a rare 9/10 IMDb rating, the show hasn’t failed a single one of its viewers. When the protagonist, Light Yagami, a high school genius, discovers (what most of us are secretly desirous of) a notebook called the “Death Note” that enables it’s users to kill anyone whose face he remembers by simply writing his name down in it, he decides to eliminate criminals and rule as a god in a world where only people that he deems morally fit to exist do. The original owner of the book, Shinigami Ryuk, follows Light amused by his actions as Kira, meaning killer. Only when an equally intelligent detective L decides to interfere and hunt down Kira does light start facing difficulties inviting even more intrigue from viewers of this thriller.
Hellsing Ultimate
Now, now, let’s be serious. This one is not for children or anyone intolerant of explicit, gory action. The story is that of a Vampire organization Hellsing, led by Integra Wingates Hellsing, dedicated to destroying unwanted vampires around England with the help of Alucard, (Dracula spelt backwards), a slave of Hellsing. Although the plot is intellectually weak or in other words, simpler to understand, the anime is power packed with action scenes that’ll put the light-hearted through an ordeal. However, it is the mutilated dead bodies, brutal decapitation, exploding heads, swords and guns and all the impaling of victims that has its fans going crazy over it. So if you are already panting with excitement on reading the previous line, this show will definitely not disappoint you for it covers every imaginable and unimaginable hellish way of dying.
Note: While searching for Hellsing Ultimate, one may come across Hellsing which can be skipped without hesitation.
Steins; Gate
For all the sci-fi lovers out there, this one is a gem.
Rintaro Okabe is like a scientist should be: mad. Along with his friends, he accidentally invents a method of time travel by which he can send messages to the past and hence alter history, mending the present. What starts off as comedy eventually turns into a thriller, when the three take upon themselves to stop the diabolical activities happening in the present by time travelling to the past. With a ravishing climax, the anime leaves its viewers spellbound and gruntled.
Apart from these, if you’re looking for chibis and lolis and romance or high school boys living the high school life and light-hearted comedy, you may want to check out Haikyuu, Sailor Moon, Clannad: After Story, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso or Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou which are some of the finest anime shows in their respective genres.
Concluding, we hope we’ve helped most of you neophytes lost in a labyrinth of anime with J-pop music playing in the background, narrow down your lists and haven’t enraged any anime fan whose favourite did not make it to the list.
Jikai Sayonara made.