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Discover 7 must-watch anime for fans, showcasing unforgettable stories, stunning visuals, and powerful themes.
Over its long course of existence, anime has offered a plethora of great stories in multiple genres. Many of these have captivated large audiences, while few remain under the radar.
To help anime fans fill their watch list of potential shows, we have created a list of 7 anime that everyone should watch at least once. All of the anime mentioned are completed and can be enjoyed in their entirety by viewers.
1) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Having been the placeholder for the highest-rated anime for a long time, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a near-perfect series that deserves to be watched by everyone. The anime has 64 episodes in total while containing a blend of action, philosophy, and heartwarming relationships.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is about two young boys named Edward and Alphonse Elric who lost their body parts after conducting forbidden alchemy experiments. To restore it back, they set out on an adventure to find the Philosopher’s Stone—a gem that allowed defiance of the law of Equivalent Exchange. However, they soon get roped into a government conspiracy and nefarious plot that could change the fabric of their world.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a crisp anime that covers a lot of ground. It features themes of sacrifice, revenge, and resilience while displaying them through its memorable cast. This makes it a timeless story that would appeal to newcomers and veteran anime watchers.
2) Fruits Basket (2019)
Fruits Basket is a Shojo anime that can both warm your heart and break it at the same time. Similar to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, this is also a remake that significantly improved upon its predecessor. The anime has 63 engrossing episodes in total.
It followed the story of Chinese zodiacs who lived as humans in society. However, with physical contact from the other gender, they would swiftly transform into their zodiac animal. Tohru Honda was a sweet and innocent young girl who entered the lives of a few of these zodiacs and became part of their family. However, she soon found that all of them were tied down by an invisible bond to their God. This bond led to a lot of loss and tragedy in their lives. Being a kind girl, Tohru was resolved to help them move on while nursing their emotional wounds.
Fruits Basket is a great romantic story that features multiple well-developed couples. At the same time, it is also able to transcend the traditional Shojo love story by telling a complex tale of trauma, acceptance, and forgiveness. The anime tugs at the heartstrings of viewers and is an enriching experience that all fans need to watch.
3) The Fate Series
The Fate Series is a collection of anime – including Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, and Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel. Made by Studio Ufotable, it shatters the standards of good animation and delivers multiple edge-of-the-seat moments.
The series revolved around the Holy Grail War, an event where legendary historical figures were summoned by humans and fought in a free-for-all battle royale. The winner would be given the Holy Grail, which could fulfill any wish of theirs.
While the plot might seem simplistic, that is the main charm of the Fate Series. It relies more on its all-star characters and stunning visuals to continuously engage with the fans. The anime also had its fair share of plot twists and discussions regarding morality to captivate the viewer on another level past its exhilarating action.
4) Ping Pong the Animation
When we think of amazing sports anime, Ping Pong the Animation is one series that is often left out of discussions due to its niche nature. Nevertheless, it is a flawless story that dives deep into the human psyche within just 11 episodes.
Ping Pong the Animation followed two friends known as Smile and Peco who were monstrous table tennis players. Peco was an overconfident kid who often skipped practice while Smile was emotionless and found no joy in playing the sport. As they joined tournaments, they played with other strong players and faced sobering reality. While struggling to find their place in the world, their struggles through Ping Pong reflected their battles with themselves.
Ping Pong the Animation is primarily a layered tale of character development and emotional depth, and then a sports anime. The animation style is unlike anything you have ever seen before while the series is inspiring, unconventional, and will stick with you for a long time.
5) Steins;Gate
If you are a fan of science fiction anime, there is a good chance you’ve heard of the masterful Steins;Gate. The series has a gripping plot, relatable protagonist and immerses you with its 24 episodes.
Steins;Gate revolves around Rintarou Okabe, an eccentric scientist who unwittingly invented a time machine. Discovering the ability to send messages to the past, Rintarou and his friends altered the timeline while putting everything they loved in danger. To prevent catastrophe, they set out on a scientific journey of a lifetime.
Steins;Gate features mind-boggling twists, intense suspense as well as a healthy dose of comedy to balance it out. The series skillfully builds tensions while dealing with the ethics of time travel and its psychological strain on the protagonist. Due to this, Steins;Gate is a must-watch for anime fans.
6) Parasyte: The Maxim
There is an abundance of “creature-controlling-human” stories nowadays, but the progenitor of them all was the manga Parasyte. Its anime adaptation, Parasyte: The Maxim, is a modern retelling of the story over 24 episodes. It manages to completely terrify audiences while making them think deeply about its philosophical concepts.
Parasyte: The Maxim is set in a world where parasitic aliens infiltrated Earth and began taking control of humans. Shinichi was a young boy whose body was partially taken over by a parasite, but he managed to retain his consciousness. Due to the failed takeover, the parasite now resided in his right hand. Forced into co-existence, he used the parasite’s powers to fight against the other aliens in society. While Shinichi initially believed the alien species to be monsters, he came to realize that there wasn’t much that separated humans from them.
Through these questions of the superior species and the right to survive, Parasyte: The Maxim often makes viewers question their own beliefs. Along with its thought-provoking plot, the anime also features plenty of horrifying scenes and gore to fascinate and disgust you.
7) Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies is a once-in-a-lifetime movie that will emotionally scar viewers permanently. While Studio Ghibli is mostly known for its heartwarming kids movies, this Takahata film completely changes that perception.
Set during World War 2, Grave of the Fireflies followed two young siblings who were orphaned and homeless. Having nothing but each other, they lived a satisfactory life. However, the horrors of war soon brought disease, hunger, and loss. With no one to depend on and the cruelty of adults who turned a blind eye to their struggles, the siblings gradually fall into the inevitably tragic fate of war.
Grave of the Fireflies is a hauntingly realistic movie not for the faint of heart. It pulls no punches while showing the struggles of its main characters and is a heart-wrenching tale of tragedy.
Conclusion
Fans might have anticipated classics like One Piece or Hunter x Hunter to feature on this list, and they certainly deserve recognition. However, we aimed for a well-rounded selection that represents various genres. Factors such as length, availability, and the status of the anime were also taken into account before finalizing the choices.
The above 7 anime are unmissable stories covering several genres and themes. They highlight the excellent animation, character-writing, and plots that come from this medium and deserve to be watched by everyone at least once.
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