Awesome Anime I Have Recently Watched
I don't have any plans to seriously make this book any more anime focused than it already is but in 2018 I have watched so many good animes that I do mot want to forget them, late 2018 to be specific.
Genres will vary. Like, always expect variety from this Gemini. We hate routine XD. If you are looking for anime with LGBTQA+ or queer characters, this list has them!
Banana Fish
This one is first because I can't recomment it enough. Yes, the name sounded really weird for me, but I decided to give it a try because of the two cute boys in the picture, Ash Lynx and Okumura Eiji.
This anime is set in America. And oh boy it does it's job well. I'm a fan of good animes set in other countries like Monster (which I recommend for its psychological thriller and not beautiful characters).
I have seen reviews that the setting is realistic and it captures the atmosphere of the city very well, good old New York and California. Also this place called Cape Cod. It has street gangs, guns, drugs, and realistic fight scenes. But beware, it has some mature themes like child trafficking and cough sexual abuse. I personally learned real life problems that are actually happening, so I took the information gratefully, and painfully of course.
The anime has a lot of diversity as well. Chinese, Japanese, Afro American, and white people.
If you are a masochist who likes to get invested on a character and cry with them as they suffer, this anime is for you as well. It's one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. The ending song is the final stab to each heartwrenching episode and the OP hypes you up for the pain to come.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Ah, Utena. I saw this anime in a list of top 30 anime for it's metaphors and depth. And it delivered. That and much more.
The plot itself is very simple at first. Firstly, I feel the need to say this is one of the oldest, but it's message reverberates even today. The story is about Tenjou Utena, a girl who lost her parents and was comforted by a prince. Inspired by him, she decides to become one. Tomboyish, noble, and great at sports, she chose to go Ohtori Academy where she believed she could find that prince, the ring he left with her with the promise it will lead to him one day.
There, the student council is fighting between each other for a girl, Himemiya Anthy, the Rose Bride, who is said to have the power to revolutionize the world. They fight in duels. With real swords. Utena decides to save the Rose Bride from those bullies, her first "owner" physically abusing her. Anthy is the definition of feminine, submissive, physically weak, obedient and quiet.
At first, the plot seemed repetitive and boring. But I trusted. I trusted it will deliver. And it did. God, it did. The following arcs were filled with layers of meaning and mystery. And when the truth was revealed, it was beautifully tragic.
If you are looking for deep anime, trope subvertions, and a different look at the concept of prince, I believe you will like this anime. In essence, this is a coming of age story. I don't think I have seen much of those, but this is already one of my favorites.
This anime is hella absurd at times, and it looks like it has quite a few episodes with filler. But nope, this anime is as layered as an onion, and it has some well-grounded thesis about gender and fairytales.
Psst, the movie finally makes Utena and Anthy canon.
Hunter x Hunter
It's as good as the sources say. A must watch for any shounen fan. Just go and watch it XD.
It's from the same creator of Yu Yu Hakushou :3.
Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san
So much meme potential. This fifteen minute anime is hilarious.
This one had quite an unusual beginning before getting an anime. The author was an amateur creator drawing about his life as an employee in a bookstore. This is one of those
For privacy purposes, the faces of the employees are instead different. The main character is a skeleton, and there is one with a bunny head, an armor cusk, and other funny stuff.
And it's also self-aware which I always appreciate in an anime. Honda-san, the MC, is a massive introvert so I am sure many can relate. He works in the American comics section so there's quite a few foreigners with their broken Japanese and Honda's terrible Engrish that makes me laugh so hard XD. Plus, there's mentions of a lot of series of allll types of genres. An quite a few were BL! There's also a respectful representation of LGBTQA+ customers! Super thankful!
This is a comedy anime you can totally watch in your spare time. None of the episodes are connected and they are usually between eleven to fifteen minutes each, twelve in total. And the meme potential.
Rascal Doesn't Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
Bored or tired of harem anime? Well, this is so not one of those! If you like the Monogatari series, this similar in the sense the MC gets a girlfriend real fast and he is involved is supernatural/pseudo-sci-fi stuff that affects girls he knows. Puberty Syndrome which is caused by high levels of stress in teenagers.
However, Sakuta isn't like Araragi; he's quite the opposite to be honest. He has few friends, he's quite submissive and quite, and his ways of doing things are not what you expect from your typical harem MC. He slaps people with the truth! Oh, and he's not as much of a pervert, but he's a bit of a masochist. Nothing extreme. He's a very chill person.
The first arc consist of the MC, Azuzagawa Sakuta, finding a popular teenage actress, Sakuragima Mai, wearing a bunny suit in a public library. Soon, he finds out the general populace is beginning to not be aware her existence. This is related to "kuuki wo yomu" or "reading the air" which is quite prominent in Japanese society and a crucial social skill. Sakuragime begins to fear no one will remember, and Sakuta, who becomes the last one whom remembers her, will eventually forget her.
Each case of Puberty Syndrome is related to each girl's personal issues. Puberty Syndrome being the manifestation of dealing with those issues (in an unhealthy way) is a way to explain it.
Being a teenager is tough. Not that it wasn't obvious before.
That Time I Reincarnated As A Slime
Honestly, it took me a while to take up this anime because of its cringy title, but after being recommended by a couple of friends and I think an anituber, I began to watch it.
And it was good. So good. Perhaps the best isekai anime I have watched. Maybe even better than Re:Zero. This anime (so not going to type its name again) is more focused on adventure, fights, and world exploration. And it handles an OP MC well. And it subverts tropes. Kind goblins, not-swearing-vengance-after-you-killed-my-father wolf (who is fluffy af) and romantic interest who--Ok I will not spoil that XD.
Each race is unique and distinct. And it has some hilarious characters. The anime is chill when it has to and packed with action when the time comes. The MC is just a fourty year-old dude who got reincarnated as a slime after all!
Ok, that still sounds weird. But the slime is cute.
So I recommend this if you are looking for some good isekai or fantasy anime. As I said, it's pretty unique and funny.
Aoi Hana
The trope subversion is real in this anime. One of the first shoujo ai (girl's love) I watched during that season. But it's not a Fall 2018 anime, that's the next anime on this list ;D.
I love anime that subverts expectations if I hadn't mentioned ot enough yet. And this anime does it right in the first episode. From the characters to the plot, it is hard to predict what they will do as you begin to know them.
There is the quiet girl, the cheerful one, the rich girl, and the tomboyish one (who is really cool). The main couple as shown in the OP are the first two, childhood friends who reunited after years.
I have seen this anime being recommended in a few lists, and I wished I had watched it earlier. It's pure, and adorable. And as a romance, it's different--not because it's between two girls of course. You know from the first episode. The main couple doesn't get together, not even have romantic feelings from each other, from the start but it slowly builds up as episodes--and drama--passes.
Bloom Into You
THE YURI GEM OF 2018! I began the manga months before the anime was relased and it's so beautiful and sad. The main character, Koito Yuu, is in the aromantic spectrum. I was so happy. This anime is also a big recommendation for yuri fans. The characters are well-written.
The main theme may be about falling in love, but it is taken in an interesting twist. Yuu feels empty because she grew up with reading shoujo manga and wa
Anima Yell
My Neighbor Is A Vampire
Wandering Son
A Place Further Than The Universe
Hibike Euphonium Season 1
Unlike the other anime, this was a rewatch. Why do you ask? Well, if you didn't notice by the amount of shoujo ai anime in this list, this is one of those.
Yeah, I wish -_-. Honestly, I do. But it's bait. Reina likes someone else! ToT.
I wanted to watch this as reference for Miyuki and Yuu's relationship in EAL. I don't want to spoil because I haven't carved the details yet, but it is similar to Reina and Kumiko, like Nanami and Yuu (Yuu~ X3). Maybe not the bait part XD.
Hibike is about a concert band, and both Yuu ans Miyuki are musicians. The anime has some wonderful performances, and some of the most human characters I have ever seen. Thank you, KyoAni!
The main character, Oumae Kumiko, is an unusual girl. Cute on the outside with a terrible inside, she's my spirit anime. No, she's me XD. Always staring at people's problems from the outside, not wanting to get involved; keeping a distance to not get hurt. Music, interpersonal relationships, and personal issues are a big focus in this anime. Slice of life at its finest.
It has a wild cast of characters, music band members, all with distinct personalities.
Aggretsuko
Last updated: 1 week, 2 days ago
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