Japan · South Korea · Wired
The 12 Best Anime to Watch if You Think You Hate Anime
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source + 4 references discovered via search. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
Despite its ferocious popularity, people still tend to swear off anime entirely.
Key facts
- Adapted from a South Korean web novel and webtoon by the Japanese animation studio A-1 Pictures, Solo Leveling follows Sung Jinwoo, an E-rank hunter regarded as the weakest of his profession
- Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 fantasy follows Kiki, a 13-year-old witch who leaves home as part of her training and settles in a seaside city with her talking cat, Jiji
- Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 masterpiece remains one of the strongest arguments for animation as serious cinema
- This 2006 film is one of the softest possible landings into anime, with a concept that is simple to follow
Summary
But Japan has been producing some of the most emotionally resonant and visually audacious storytelling in contemporary media for half a century, and a great deal of it looks nothing at all like the stereotype it holds. So here’s a case for the uninitiated. Note that many of these picks are available in both the original Japanese audio with subtitles or as “dubs” with dialog dubbed by English voice actors. If you want something fast, slick and unapologetically addictive, start here.