As an Anime fan, I’m always looking to find shows that I
know people who don’t like or care for Anime can get behind. And that’s a helluva lot of work trust
me. Even if a premise is amazing, you
still need to get them past the “it’s Anime” hurdle. But in truth, you can find some very
relatable, everyday TV show elements in several shows. Like a good CSI or NCIS, there’s a show for
ya. Like a good Game of Thrones or
Sopranos, probably something out there too.
So today we’re looking at 5 personal favs of mine that I think more than
just Otaku can get behind.
#5-Eden of the East
This was the first show I ever covered on this blog way
back when. Now that I look back on it,
Eden definitely has a mystery wrapped in a race against time kind of vibe to it
that I think most TV audiences would enjoy.
The mystery of the endgame keeps viewers coming back. And Takizawa’s quest to reclaim his lost
memory is pretty relatable as well.
Throw in a team to support him, some shady villains, and a “love
interest” (those who remember my reviews know I use that term with Saki very
lightly) and you’ve got a mix of Homeland and the Bourne Identity rolled into
one enjoyable Anime for all package.
#4-Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
With CSI moving into the realm of cyber, aka the only
realm the once mighty franchise has left, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone
Complex has a better chance than ever to hook casual viewers who enjoy a good
cop prodecural. Sure the sight of the
sexy dressed Motoko Kusinagi might be a bit much to get used to…mostly for those
who don’t appreciate a good woman, but the first season offers a good mix of
tales from homicides to espionage to in depth conversations about the blurring
line between man and machine. It’s the
crime drama of the future…well one of them anyway.
#3-Death Note
A killer notebook?
A student who wants to save the world but develops a God Complex? A brilliant but unorthodox detective who has
to stop him? A world held at gunpoint by
an omnipotent savior? Seriously, this is
the kind of drama network shows would die (no pun intended) to get their hands
on and air. It’s the real world with a
hint of otherworldly juju so it doesn’t take a lot to get used to it. Plus watching Light Yagami descend further
into his mad, mad, would be savior state is just so much fun to watch. The finale is well worth the price of
checking this out, even with your grandparents.
#2-Psycho Pass
Remember when I said Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone
Complex was one of the crime dramas of the future? Well Psycho Pass is the other and arguably it’s
probably the more successful of the two.
If GITS is CSI then Psycho Pass definitely has a Criminal Minds vibe to
it and that show is still pretty huge.
Hence many of the cases taken on by Kogami, Akane and their unit don’t seem
so unordinary despite taking place in the far future. You may have to get past the overall level of
gore a Dominator blast can produce but overall, Psycho Pass is one of the most
recent but overall really solid entries in the realm of Anime anyone can enjoy.
#1-Cowboy Bebop
The king of this category. There’s a reason Bebop had a nearly
uninterrupted continuous run on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block for more
than a decade. Cool characters, short
but fun scifi action tales, some of the best music out there that doesn’t even
sound like a typical Anime’s soundtrack.
It’s smart, addicting and worthy of several watches. What more is there to say that I haven’t said
about it at length already? Cowboy Bebop
is hailed as the best for a lot of reasons but chief is that it can bring
together casual viewers and Otaku as one.
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