That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a fantasy isekai anime about Satoru Mikami, a 27-year-old man going about his monotonous corporate life when he is suddenly stabbed by a random assailant. Only he doesn’t really die. In a classic fantasy realm filled with goblins, orcs, dragons, and other monsters, he is reincarnated as a cute-looking blue slime possessing great abilities, including being able to replicate things he consumes and later transform into a human. The anime follows the slime, renamed Rinmaru Tempest, on his many journeys and quests.

As one of the best isekai anime out there that other anime try to emulate, Reincarnated as a Slime provides endless entertainment and comedy. If you grew up with games like Dungeons and Dragons, we believe you’ll find the classic fantasy setting nostalgic. While some audience members might criticize the protagonist for being too overpowered, we recommend the anime for its fun and casual vibe.

If you are already into anime, you may be familiar with Fruits Basket, a classic slice-of-life shoujo anime that originally aired in 2001. Fruits Basket (2019) is a remake of that anime, but it is actually superior as it is more faithful to the manga and has an actual ending. In this anime, Tooru Honda is stuck living alone in a tent after her mother died in a car accident and her grandfather decided to remodel his house. By accident, she is found by the Souma family. After understanding her situation, they agree to accept her into their household, but comedy and drama ensues when she discovers they turn into zodiac animals then hugged by a member of the opposite sex!

Living with Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure Souma, Tooru finds herself growing closer to them and treating them like family, though there is the possibility of romance! If you like the found family theme or heartwarming anime, you are sure to like Fruits Basket (2019).

Natsume's Book of Friends is a popular supernatural slice of life anime centered around Takashi Natsume, a boy who can see and is perpetually stalked by youkai due to a mysterious book he has inherited from his grandmother, Reiko. The book, called “The Book of Friends,” contains the names of spirits Reiko has brought under her control. After coming to understand the situation of the book, Natsume begins kind-heartedly giving the spirits their names back to set them free. He is joined by a cat-like youkai named Madara. The adorable round calico cat protects Natsume from aggressive spirits but also seems suspiciously interested in the book itself.

Each episode contains a little story featuring a youkai, offering a great opportunity to introduce the audience to Japanese folklore amd mythology. While many of the stories are episodic, they still manage to be connected to the greater narrative. Many of the stories are emotional, including one in which Natsume meets a spirit who disappears after the last elderly lady who worshipped the spirit passes on. If you love heartwarming supernatural stories and aren’t afraid to cry a little, Natsume’s Book of Friends is the perfect fit for you!

If you’re into cute romantic slice-of-life anime, Horimiya just might be the perfect fit for you. Kyouko Hori is a beautiful yet smart popular girl at school, though housework often stops her from spending too much free time socializing. Izumi Miyamura is a quiet and distant classmate. When they meet, despite their personalities being wildly different, they surprisingly get along and quickly become friends, coming out of their shells.

While some might criticize the anime for relying too much on classic romance tropes, others love the genuine relationships and realistic characters. It’s a polished anime with breath-taking visuals, bright colors, good character art, and voice actors that fit the part. If you’re in the mood for an anime rom-con, check Horimiya out!

Adapted from a visual novel, Steins;Gate is a suspenseful sci-fi drama anime about a group of researchers who invent something called a “Phone Microwave.” At first, the strange invention seems to do little, but they quickly discover that the device can actually send emails to the past, altering the timeline of history.

Steins;Gate is a fantastic show featuring recognizable characters, good animation quality, and a fairly complex plot that will hook you after just a couple episodes. Many people laud the plot for being unique, having a good pace, and a satisfying ending. If you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller anime that’ll ask you to think, look no further than Steins;Gate.

One day, while leaving a convenience store, Subaru Natsuki is suddenly transported to a fantasy world and is attacked by thugs. He is saved by Satella, who is looking for an insignia. As thanks for saving him, Subaru offers to help her find it, but after they track it down, they are killed. Then Subaru regains consciousness on that same day in the fantasy world, faced by the thugs and Satella all over again.

Fans of the series enjoy the unique twist from the standard fantasy world of most isekai genre and the anime’s ability to combine the darker and more psychological aspects with the upbeat tone. Indeed, Subaru being able to return to a point in time and relive his life in order to change things after he dies is an amazing ability. If you’re looking to get into isekai anime, Re:Zero is a great choice!

A highly popular action anime, Demon Slayer features a young man named Tanjirou Kamado, who lives a happy peaceful life in his remote mountain home surrounded by family. This reality is cut short as one day he comes home to find his family slaughtered by a demon. The only survivor is his sister, Nezuko, who has been turned into a demon herself. Unlike other demons though, Nezuko still retains a small shred of her humanity and is able to protect and fight alongside Tanjirou as he sets out to become a demon slayer and avenge his family.

With gorgeous animation and horrifying yet often realistic and humanized villains, Demon Slayer has been well-received by the audience. Additionally, the anime does a good job immersing you into a historical Japanese setting. If you are into demon fighting and beautiful fight scenes, check out Demon Slayer!

Haikyu!! is an action-packed sports anime starring Shouyou Hinata, who forms a volleyball club in middle school after watching a volleyball star named Little Giant. But during the volleyball club’s first tournament, they’re defeated by Tobio Kageyama from a rival team, causing Shouyou to become determined to someday defeat Tobio. After starting high school, Shouyou naturally decides to join the volleyball team only to find that Tobio, his rival, has become his teammate!

Both boys struggle with becoming the best athletes they can be. Shouyou is considered short compared to the other players, despite his jumping ability, and Tobio has his own weaknesses. They must set aside their original rivalry to become effective teammates as working together is the only path to making their team the most successful volleyball team in Japan. Fans praise both the exhilarating sports scene as well as the relationships that develop between the characters. The anime highlights how each boy fell in love with volleyball, something that will be relatable to any sports fan for sure! We definitely recommend putting Haikyu!! on your list.

In the fantasy action anime Attack on Titan, people live in a city ringed by high walls to keep out Titans, terrifying man-eating monsters that look like naked deformed humans themselves. On the day the Titans breach one of the walls, Eren Yager’s family is torn apart and his mother is killed and eaten. He escapes with only his adopted sister, Mikasa Ackerman, and his childhood friend, Armin Arlert. The three enlist in the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that seeks to defeat the titans and reclaim the section of the city that has been overrun by those monsters.

Filled with fast-paced scenes of humans attacking titans and titans attacking humans along with some mystery regarding the nature of the titans and plot twist after plot twist in later seasons, Attack on Titan is an especially exciting show, although it can be a little too bloody for some people. We recommend you check out this stunning anime as fast as possible.

One of the most popular shounen anime, My Hero Academia is exactly as the title suggests: an action-oriented anime centered on a high school that produces heroes. In a world where most people are born with a Quirk (a sort of superpower), Izuku Midoriya was born powerless, but since childhood, he has dreamed of becoming a hero and following in the footsteps of his personal hero, All Might, the "Number One Hero" of Japan. After a fateful encounter with All Might, he discovers that All Might’s superpower is actually transferrable. After seeing how selfless and brave Izuku is, All Might decides to choose Izuku as his successor and allows him to inherit his Quirk. Finally, Izuku is able to take the first step of becoming a proper hero: attending UA, the premier hero academy!

On top of being an extremely entertaining watch due to its bright colors, great animations, and comedic value, My Hero Academia excels at highlighting each character and their motivations for becoming a hero, humanizing each of them. It sticks with the inspiring theme that one must strive to be better. While having been born powerful, Izuku is able to become an inspirational hero through his sheer dedication to his dream. Plus, the battle scenes with all the superpowers are just a delight to watch. We highly recommend anyone who likes shounen anime to check out My Hero Academia.