At first I want to point out that I don’t really watch anime anymore, and that has probably two reasons.
- I feel that I have already watched all the best ones which have something important to teach me or are unique enough to entertain me.
- I’m old and aware enough that I don’t want to spend my life on entertainment.
This also includes TV shows, movies and other forms of entertainment. I don’t see them as bad and I don’t judge people who invest a lot of time in this, but I have personally wasted so much of my life on computer games and different kinds of media, so I have quite a strong resolve to avoid these distractions as much as possible. And that makes a lot of sense if you have a powerful mission and you really love making progress in your “real life.”
But when it comes to anime, I honestly don’t regret any of it. I needed it as a teenager and it has served me for a long time, so I take the best out of all past experiences and make new decisions based on my current needs.
Summary of All the Benefits of Anime
- It convinced me to never give up and believe in myself no matter what.
- Filled me with inspiration and courage to dream big.
- Taught me a lot about Japanese culture and language, so now I can even sing at least 10 Japanese songs which I have also performed publicly in Estonia.
- Gave me many powerful opening songs and soundtracks which lift my spirits and give me motivation to work out whenever I listen to them.
- Inspired me to find a violin teacher and start learning one of the most challenging instruments.
I might describe some of the points in more detail in upcoming posts, but what makes Japanese anime unique for me is the depth of characters and unlimited fantasy.
I’ve learned many life lessons from anime because it often consists of serious and important topics that are usually hidden in the western type of cartoons. The characters are multidimensional, and it is not always clear who is the hero and who is the villain. Even if it is, you can still sympathise with the so-called bad guys.
I also like the richness of different anime worlds. It has really expanded my imagination and helped me to keep that joyful and fantasying inner child active. Anime has had a strong influence on my capability to be bold in life.
Oh, and anime has the power to make everything seem awesome! That’s why they are really motivating, be it sports, music or writing comics.
List of Anime I’ve Watched and Remember:
- Naruto (incl. Shippuden)
- Great Teacher Onizuka
- Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (Rumbling Hearts)
- Bleach
- Death Note
- Full Metal Alchemist (incl. Brotherhood)
- Code Geass
- Sword Art Online
- One Piece
- Hunter x Hunter
- Hajime no Ippo
- Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
- Steins Gate
- Monster
- One Punch Man
- Boku no Hero Academia
- Bakuman
- No Game no Life
- Boku dake ga Inai Machi (Erased)
- Kuroko no Basket
- Attack on Titan
- Mob Psycho 100
- Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World
- Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
- Getbackers
- Nodame Cantabile
- Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April)
- La Cordo Primo Passo
- Log Horizon
- Highschool of the Dead
- From the New World
- Welcome to the N.H.K
- Kimo no Na wa
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (American)
- The Legend of Korra (American)
- Spirited Away
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Remake Our Life
I’m sure this is a small list compared to a hardcore anime fan, but even my list involves investing a huge amount of time. Now when most of my anime needs are satisfied, the only anime series I currently watch from time to time is Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World and Attack on Titan. I like to finish the good ones, but exercise caution when starting any new ones due to the reasons mentioned in the beginning.
If I had to recommend any of these, I would choose Spirited Away (movie), Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist, Avatar, Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, Hajime no Ippo, Monster, Bakuman, Attack on Titan, and La Cordo Primo Passo. Of course it would depend on the person’s interests and tastes. Because I’m all about spending time wisely, I’m careful when I recommend a long series, but if you really want to watch something, these are my top picks.
