5 Must Watch Anime

This guest blog was authored by Naima Mortley, a middle school student who spends a lot of time watching anime, reading mangas, and appreciating and creating fan art. Heres what she has to say about her favorite genre.

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Anime or animated entertainment dates back to the start of the 20th century. According to my research via Wikipedia, Japan had a robust tradition of entertaining audiences with their own version of a magical lantern show - utsushi-e. Starting with the fathers of anime in the 1910s, the purpose of anime evolved over time to meet the Japanese information, propaganda, and entertainment needs. By the 1980s Japanese anime had become what we currently know as the internationally recognized genre it is today.  
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I like anime because it lets me envision different experiences and experience the magic of fantasy worlds developed outside the U.S. and western influence. Anime, just like in other shows, gives you a chance to step into other people’s shoes. I also like anime because many studios like Studio Ghibli, put a lot of work and dedication into building their vast worlds and characters. I appreciate how much work is required to transport you to another place.

​I’d like to share 5 of my recommended anime’s streaming now...

Sailor Moon 
This one is a classic… I think my mom watched Sailor Moon when she was my age. Usagi Tsukino aka The Sailor Moon and her friends the sailor scouts strive to defend earth from the Dark Kingdom. If you like magic and fantasy and you’re ok with being transported back to your youth, you should watch Sailor Moon.
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Check out Sailor Moon on Hulu:
​https://www.hulu.com/series/sailor-moon-4e1c9108-f973-48fb-8824-a69280ca0438  
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Naruto
In Naruto you follow Naruto Uzumaki and his friends in Team 7 at the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto has a nine-tailed fox spirit trapped inside his body, but the villagers still ostracize him even though he’s literally saving them with his life. In spite of all of that, Naruto is a cool guy and still wants to lead and protect the village. If you like ninjas and humor you should watch Naruto because the show is the perfect combination of ninja fighting and comedy. 

Check out Naruto on Netflix: 
​https://www.netflix.com/title/70205012
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My Hero Academia (MHA)
My Hero Academia (MHA) follows Izuku Midoriya and his classmates at a prestigious superhero high school. I don’t want to give too much away because this is my FAVORITE SHOW. But if you are a fan of superheroes and super human societies, My Hero Academia is definitely a must watch show.

Check out My Hero Academia MHA on Hulu:
​https://www.hulu.com/series/my-hero-academia-36e318dc-3daf-47fb-8219-9e3cb5cd28f2
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Pokémon
Probably one of the most famous anime series out there but most people don’t even realize Pokémon is actually an anime. This franchise has one of the highest grossing game series, toys, several remakes of the show, spin-offs, playing cards, and so much more. In Pokémon you follow 10 year old Ash Ketchum and his friends as he strives to become the greatest Pokémon master. If you’re like so many people who love cute animals and magic, Pokémon is the show for you.

Check out Pokémon the Series: Indigo League on Netflix: 
https://www.netflix.com/title/70297439 
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Check out Pokémon the Series: XY on Hulu:
https://www.hulu.com/series/pokemon-the-series-xy-01c6f97f-3686-4ce0-b47b-d3dde60c89c2
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Dragon Ball Z (DBZ)
Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) follows Goku and the Z Warriors as they defend earth from evil. In the show, characters use the Dragon Balls as weapons or power ups to equip them for battle. Dragon Ball Z is another anime series that has made its way into pop culture. If you enjoy the classic good versus evil story arc, you should most definitely watch Dragon Ball Z.
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Check out Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) on Hulu:
https://www.hulu.com/series/dragon-ball-2a25f6de-838c-4ede-a865-4e8b02f59745
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Pro-tip: Sub versus Dub - Sub is when you watch the show in Japanese with the English subtitles. Dub is when you watch the show with English voice actors translated from Japanese. Sometimes when you’re watching a mixture of Dub and Sub, the lines will get changed up because, you know, things get lost in translation.
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I recommend checking out mangas (Japanese comics) and the fan art for each of these shows. If you don’t like my selections, you can also find tons of anime on Funimation and Crunchyroll!







Sources: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_anime