Spirited Away

 Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a 10-year-old girl who enters the world of Kami, spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore, while moving to a new neighborhood with her parents. They get lost in a dark forest, and the road seems to end at the entrance to a tunnel. Investigating it, they find it leads to an abandoned amusement park. But at dusk, some of the shops reopen, especially a food shop whose fragrances steam into the cool air. Her parents fall eagerly upon the counter jammed with food, and stuff their mouths. Chihiro is stubborn and says she isn’t hungry. They eat like so much pigs, and they become pigs. After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch, Yubaba, Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba’s bathhouse to find a way to free her family and return to the human world. If you are looking for a short coming of age anime to watch, this one is the one for you.

Boku no Hero Academia

Boku no Hero Academia is a Shonen style anime series with a multitude of characters and an immersive plot. In this anime, some people have a special ability called a quirk which determines the powers of the person. The main character, Deku, inherited his quirk from All-Might, the strongest of all in the series. Gaining this quirk unlocked abilities and powers he must train and master to fully take on All-Might’s quirk.  The best quality of this series was the main character’s development throughout the series. Deku went from being a total push-over and weakling to a stellar fighter and a great teammate. The animation style ramped up towards the end of the most recent season 5. If you need an action-filled anime with unique characters you will feel for and a plot that makes sense, then this anime is for you.

Kuroko’s Basketball

Kuroko’s Basketball is a sports anime about basketball. That’s it, but the way the story is delivered makes it so much better. Each main character has their own special “talent” that makes them more powerful on the court. The main character, Tetsuya Kuroko, has Misdirection. He uses his lack of presence to “disappear” and make impossible passes to his teammates. With these abilities, it makes the anime even more interesting to watch than just watching a regular basketball game. You get pulled into the story, the characters, and even the games. It’s hilarious, dramatic, and all-around fantastic! Definitely worth it! 

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

This series was based on a light novel series, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong. So, if you like the romantic-comedy genre, this drama series is for you. Even though it is a romantic comedy, it largely depicts various social situations faced by teens in high school and the psychology driving their interactions. The story follows the life of an antisocial high school student, Hachiman, who has a distorted view of life. One day, as a punishment, he is forced to join a Volunteer Club. Here, he meets the president and only member of the club, another loner who he considers the school’s prettiest and smartest girl. Despite their contrasting personalities and ideals, they must work together to offer help and advice to others as part of their school’s Service Club.