Anime is not for kids. Why you should definitely watch Attack on Titan and other movies and series from Land of the Rising Sun.

Attack on Titan was the biggest reveal of 2022 for your humble movie editor, beating Fargo, Friends, and Twin Peaks on IMDb’s best TV show list. This is the same anime that, like Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpieces, shouldn’t appeal to even the biggest fans of the genre, who see Japanese animation as “an amateur” for kids, geeks, and fans of Asian culture. The stereotype that manga, light novels, or video game adaptations aren’t for everyone often deters us from watching worthwhile projects, although traces of anime influence can be found even in Hollywood hits. So, for example, the scene where the “dream” is destroyed in Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” is clearly inspired by Satoshi Kon’s “Paprika”, which was released four years before one of the main science fiction films of the decade. And the Wachowski sisters – Lana and Lilly – were heavily inspired by Ghost in the Shell when shooting The Matrix. Pictured from here are the spectacular jumping out of the window, the sections with flying pillars and watermelons, and even the same titles with green symbols flowing on the screen. What can I say, even though it was born thanks to the Disney cartoon classic “The Lion King”, “Emperor of the Jungle” and Kimba from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

As part of popular culture, anime began to cement its position in the 60s, when the same Jungle Emperor, Astro Boy, Speed ​​Racer first appeared on screens. And despite being one of the most sought after genres today, it emerged as an inexpensive animation that could be aired due to its low production costs. It was this that dictated the abundance of characters’ static frames, non-standard angles, bright facial expressions – a style recognized all over the world.

Emotional Morse code also belongs to it, so in the anime embarrassment is shown with red lines on the cheeks, sadness – a river of tears, confusion – a drop of sweat – everything, so that any viewer can easily read what happened. happens on the screen.

For the same purpose, for example, all the heroes of Japanese animation, as it were, are made according to a template – these are typical images with which you can easily recognize yourself.

A serious boom and development in anime occurred in the late 80s and early 90s, when anime first began appearing on big screens in the United States. At the time, no one seemed to doubt that Japanese animation was a serious matter.

When all other cartoons “talk” primarily to children, unparalleled drawing, genre flexibility, versatility – in the abundance of projects released by Japanese studios, science fiction lovers and early fans can find something, while captivating with a large number of adult themes. for those who don’t have stories about growing up and first love.

Moreover, for the most part, one did not mix with the other and coexisted quite harmoniously within the framework of a series. In general, there seemed to be no limits for anime writers in terms of resources: it was both classic manga and European fairy tales, and in 1980, for example, the anime “Twelve Months”, created by Soyuzmultfilm, was born. Japanese animation studio “Toei”.

Nowadays, anime is one of the main animation genres that has only grown its presence in the heights over the past few years. That’s why Netflix remakes “Cowboy Bebop” and “Death Note” with real artists, and “Attack on Titan” rightfully holds the status of one of the best TV shows of the 21st century, leaving even “The Sopranos” a chance and “Game” in the Kinopoisk rating. of Thrones”. If you still doubt that anime is not just a childhood hobby, what should you watch?

Attack on Titan (2013 – …)

For many years, humanity has been fighting the titans, gigantic irrational creatures that eat humans just for fun. After a long struggle, the remnants of humanity erect three walls to guard against danger, but one day, one of them collapses and the titans destroy their homes before the children’s eyes – Eren Yeager and his half-sister Mikasa Ackerman. Thus begins one of the best anime in the world right now, a magnificent example of Japanese animation, a gritty war drama that touches on so many philosophical themes that even Darren Aronofsky would envy. Social inequality, the search for right and wrong, the fragility of human life, references to mythology and even the works of Francisco Goya – believe it’s worth watching.

“Death Note” (2006 – 2007)

It seems that not a single conversation about the anime would be complete without mentioning the Death Note. A cult drama about Light Yagami, a high school student who falls into the hands of Ryuk’s shinigami notebook. Each person recorded in this notebook dies, so the main character decides to fight evil on earth with its help.

“Homeless God” (2014 – 2015)

A little-known God who doesn’t have his own temple decides to help anyone he meets with any desire to at least get some recognition. This is how the adventures of an unlucky god begin in the unpredictable world of people – when he saves a girl from a wealthy family from death.

Evangelion (1995 – 1996)

2015, Tokyo – 3. 15 years ago, the Second Impact occurred, when Antarctica melted, a global catastrophe covered the Earth and most of humanity died. Now the planet is under attack by Angels, mysterious creatures that only the giant robots of the Evangelion series, created with the help of biotechnology, can resist. 14-year-old Shinji Ikari was attacked by an Angel in Tokyo 3 on his way to meet his father, the leader of the powerful organization NERV. With the help of Captain Misato Katsuragi, the man goes to NERV’s underground headquarters and all he wants to say to his father is how much he hates him. However, it turned out that he had to get on the robot right now and fight the Angel.

“Your Name” (2016)

For those who lack romance and drama in their lives. Tokyo boy Taki and country girl Mitsuha discover a strange connection between them. They change bodies in a dream and live each other’s lives. But one day, this talent disappears as suddenly as it seems. Taki decides to find the girl of his dreams at any cost.

“Five Centimeters Per Second” (2007)

Incredibly beautiful anime, worth watching at least for the sake of the picture. These are three stories from Takaka Tohno’s life that began in Japan in the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, most landscapes and everyday scenes were created based on photographs of real places in Japan.

“One Punch Man” (2015 – 2019)

A man named Saitama lives, ironically, in a world similar to ours. At 25, she’s bald and beautiful, and she’s so strong that with one blow she destroys everything that poses a threat to humanity. He seeks himself in this life by handing out handcuffs to monsters and villains at the same time. Ideal for those who have watched The Avengers a million times and want something new.

“Grace of Graceful Dreams” (2013)

A young man named Takao meets a mysterious young woman. Takao’s haphazard and seemingly meaningless meetings in the park, where he skips classes while working on his strange dream of devoting his life to designing and making shoes, are repeated over and over, but only on rainy days. The end of the rainy season is approaching and they have a lot to say to each other.

“Cowboy Bebop” (1998 – 1999)

Ex-cop Jet Black and Spike Spiegel, a man with a dark past, had absolutely no plans to increase the crew, homes and vehicles of the Bebop spaceship. But their nets to catch the high-priced scum of society have brought them Faye Valentine, an attractive gambler with enormous debts, Ed, a missing computer freak, and Ein, possibly the smartest dog in the world. The Bebop crew continues their work – bounty hunting in this composition.

“Mob Psycho 100” (2016 – …)

Shigeo Kageyama, also known as the Mob, is an eighth grader with psychic powers. From an early age he can bend spoons and lift things with his mind, but later begins to avoid using his powers in public. And now all she wants is to be friends with her classmate Tsubomi. He continues his daily life by trying to solve the mystery of his destiny with his psychic guide who has no talent.

“Dorohedoro” (2020)

Humans are not lucky enough to live in a world called The Hole, where magicians from parallel dimensions visit to practice their skills on humanity. One day, a girl named Nikaido finds the victim of these terrible experiments – a man with a crocodile head and amnesia. Nikaido names a new friend Kaiman, and now they catch the magicians and Kaiman bites their heads so he tries to bring back lost memories and his old appearance. Meanwhile, the great sorcerer En, obsessed with mushrooms, decides to track down and kill those who decimate his kind. Breaking the pattern on all fronts.