Shopping Guide
There must be so many people worrying about what they should watch next from among the latest anime being broadcast in Japan right now. For example, maybe you decide to give something a go because you like the key visual image or you like the sound of the title - people have so many different ways of choosing what they watch.
However, because you’re taking the time to sit down and watch something, you want to find the program that is right for you. If you’re accustomed to watching a lot of anime, you’ll have your own rules and methods for picking out the series you should watch from amongst the vast numbers of anime out there.
One way, is to choose series which have something in common with the ones you’ve liked before. Then from among the ones you’re thinking of watching, if the story’s setting, world, and the design and personalities of the characters all line up with your own taste then you’re definitely going to enjoy it.
If you’re feeling a little lost about which anime you should watch next, you can check out other fans’ opinions by asking “If I liked ‘this’ will I like ‘that’?”
*This article is based on the Summer 2015 TV anime season shows.
GANGSTA.
GANGSTA is based on manga which has been published in a monthly magazine since March 2011. It’s an anime with a degree of social commentary involving the mafia and police. Not many anime like this one are made and it has a lot of adult fans who appreciate its serious story as well as guys who like the action. However, there’s something a bit weird here because the original manga has quite a lot of female fans too! That’s because the characters are so cool and the staging is so stylish. The stylish staging is something that stands out in the anime version too. How about trying to pay attention to that aspect when you’re watching as well?
If you liked Black Lagoon or Cowboy Bebop, you might also like GANGSTA.
Overlord
Overlord is the story of a protagonist who is trapped inside an online game world and struggles to attain new glory. These days, the number of anime set in the world of online gaming (especially MMORPGs) is growing, and the influence websites where anyone can upload their own self-written novel is also being felt. In Japan, it doesn’t matter if you’re a professional writer or just an amateur, you can launch your story on the web and get reviews from general readers. If your work becomes popular it will be turned into a physical book, and there’s a trend of adapting the most talked-about stories into anime too.
Overlord was originally released on the Internet where it obtained a lot of readers, but the story’s web edition and physical book diverged; the anime adaptation is based on the physical book version.
Among the countless MMORPG-related novels already on sale, this one has a unique characteristic: the protagonist isn’t a nice guy hero and it’s not all about beautiful lady warriors either, it’s about undead monsters. Just like the other anime series based on online games it has a fantasy setting, so if you like fantasy you’re sure to like Overlord.
If you liked Sword Art Online or Log Horizon, you might also like Overlord.
Charlotte
*Charlotte* is an original anime featuring a script and original story by Jun Maeda who also worked on Angel Beats!. Maeda is best known as the original writer of Clannad and Little Busters, both works which have been well received outside of Japan. The projects he’s worked on each share a few common points. First of all, the story is set in a school and the protagonists are students, the story has slightly mysterious fantasy elements, and the interaction between the friends becomes quite moving. There are a lot of fans of this style and more than a few people will definitely check out his next work solely because Maeda has worked on it.
If you liked Angel Beats!, you might also like Charlotte.
Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou
Monster Musume ni Iru Nichijou is based on a one-page manga series posted in online forums by Okayado. Its selling point is the many slightly abnormal girls and the everyday struggles they experience through differing cultures and ways of life. As for genre, it would probably be classified as harem as the protagonist is surrounded by girls. If you like slightly sexy slice of life anime, check this one out.
If you liked Rosario to Vampire, you might also like Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou.
Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri is an adaptation from the fantasy novels self-published by the authors on an online novel posting site. This series has a pretty long history - it was first published online from 2006, became a physical book in 2010, was turned into a manga in 2012 and now in 2015 it’s a TV anime.
Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri’s distinctive quality is the finely detailed depiction of the military by the authors who have real experience in the Japanese Self Defence Force plus the mix of beautiful moe female characters and fantasy elements like dragons and magic. If you want to see an otaku protagonist living in that kind of world, Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri’ is certainly worth a look!
If you liked Outbreak Company, you might also like Gate.
GOD EATER
GOD EATER is the adaptation of the Bandai Namco game released for PlayStation Portable which also introduces additional original characters. The anime adaptation makes use of unique shading and coloring methods the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Even if it looks like the whole thing has been illustrated in 3D CGI at first glance, hand-drawn 2D and 3D CGI have been brought together to create a beautifully unified look. It’s worth taking a look at GOD EATER just to experience this new style of filming.
If you liked Shingeki no Kyojin, you might also like GOD EATER.
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime is a romance based on the manga published in a monthly magazine aimed at women. The protagonist, Shirayuki, is a young woman with courage and energy. The refreshing designs and pleasant tempo of the story make it a relaxing watch for female viewers too. There are so many charming characters in Akagami no Shirayuki-hime, but the number one reason to watch is the exquisite sense of distance between Shirayuki and Zen embedded in each episode.
If you liked Akatsuki no Yona, you might also like Akagami no Shirayuki-hime.
Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai
Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai translated into English means “A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist.” It’s a school comedy based on a light novel. Just like the title suggests, maybe you could start watching it casually as a simple, silly anime, but while you’re watching the characters’ too free expressions as they indulge themselves in this restricted world, you’re sure to surrender to feeling as if the morals and interpretations of our world are being tested.
If you liked Seitokai Yakuindomo, you might also like Shimoneta.
Prison School
Prison School is based on the manga by Akira Hiramoto. The title and design atmosphere makes you think it’s going to be a serious story, but it’s a riotous gag-based comedy. The setting is Hachimitsu Academy. Originally, it was an all girls boarding school, but things change when the school becomes co-ed. There are only five new male students against the 1,000 girls at the school and because they peek into the girls’ baths, the boys are arrested by the Underground Student Council and sent to “prison.”
Fundamentally, the idiot boys carry on doing idiotic things whilst plotting to escape imprisonment, but the attractiveness of the female students and the show’s perversity have the appropriate impact.
If you liked Highschool of the Dead, you might also like Prison School.
Rokka no Yuusha
Rokka no Yuusha is a fantasy themed anime adapted from a light novel. Six Braves are supposed to gather to defeat an evil demon but when a seventh becomes mixed in with them a mystery element of looking for the mole gets added to the story. Fundamentally, it’s a fantasy about fighting demons by wielding swords and using special powers. However, the appeal is not just in following the simple story, but having fun guessing who’s the villain and who are the heroes.
If you liked Nanatsu no Taizai, you might also like Rokka no Yuusha.
Did you find an anime you want to watch next? This list that introduces 10 anime franchises that are attracting a lot of attention outside of Japan was made by consulting MyAnimeList. If you’ve seen a related previous work in any of these franchises, you’ll definitely find something you’ll be interested in. There are plenty of other shows worth watching too aside from the summer 2015 TV anime series we’ve just introduced. Make sure to check out this season’s anime with the MyAnimeList Seasonal Anime list.
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
