Why the fuck are you watching cartoons in Chinese?
This is probably one of the first thoughts of people who don’t like Anime ... and most have never REAALLY given it a chance if we being honest.
So today I will be attempting to convince you to watch these Chinese cartoons (they are Japanese you racist fucks) and give you three good beginner Anime that are not too long and enjoyable.
First of all forget the notion that all cartoons are like the cartoons we grew up on. This ain’t no Phineas and Ferb ladies and gentlemen. Most Anime exhibit a much more coherent storyline with character development that even Hollywood sometimes fails to surpass. They have the ability to make one fall in love with characters that you forget they're cartoons. The dialogue here is usually more thought out. Villainous monologues are not always your “I wanna rule the world” speeches. If you YouTube the “pain monologue” from Naruto you will see that the timing of the delivery and the tone is paid attention to (the Japanese versions, but for the bigger shows the English version also has great voice acting these days). Cinematically, Anime is 1000000 times better than the stuff we get on TV. Scenes are crafted with the purpose of eliciting certain feelings from you. They can be visually satisfying. Thought goes into a lot of the scenes, more thought than some series if had to say.
Last and definitely not least is the plots. I've watched some of the best series and movies from the west and really, some of them pale in comparison to the best Anime. Their ability to tell a coherent story without rushing any of the characters, without glossing over the small details in the characters development, and the surrounding characters is crazy. It’s really like any other series you would enjoy.
Also the variety. There is everything. From action, to clever detective ones, to high school dramas about love struggles, to horrors to thrillers. Really there is something for everyone, just with better character development. Struss god.
So if that didn't convince you... I will give you three Anime. To be honest these aren't even the best anime's out there. These, I think, are great intros into Anime as they are a great look at what Anime embodies without it being too foreign to the palate. I think with these, after five episodes you will be addicted or your money back (I'm joking about the money).
1. Attack on Titan: okay this is a bit bizarre at first but the complete dire situation humans are facing here will have your heart rushing. Humans are nearly extinct with all those left living in walled living areas (they are packed like sardines really) with the poor living on the outer walls and the rich on the inner walls. And what’s killing humans? TITANS (giant humanoid creatures). But the problem is they don't know where they came from and what they are trying to achieve. And the more you watch, the more you realise that it’s all not as straightforward as you first thought and that the real enemy might not be the huge monsters eating your friends. If you enjoy Game of Thrones you will love this and if you're a fan of thrillers and being scared by things you know will never get you... this is the one for you. It has three seasons with the first season being 25 episodes, second season being 12 and the third currently ongoing and said to be 25. Five episodes I tell you. Just five and you're hooked.
2. Cowboy Bebop: This is an older anime so you'll see the visuals are a bit older looking but its fine. The storyline and characters more than make up for it. It follows a space crew led by Spike on their bounty hunting adventure. Sounds simple right? Nope. Not at all. The more you watch the further into the rabbit hole you go as you see their past, see them develop and most important watch some really dope fight scenes. This one is grounded in reality with no super powers or anything. The visuals are spectacular really. With some iconic scenes that have been stolen in western movies. The main character is a cool, arrogant (rightfully so) bounty hunter with a messed up past. It’s basically a cool space Western for hipsters. Go watch.
3. One Punch Man: Okay now let’s get absurd. You've seen pictures of this guy everywhere and there’s a reason. If you love superheroes (and with Marvel we all do) this is the show for you. It’s about a guy who got so strong that he can take anyone out in one punch. It sounds stupid but it is infinitely clever. It’s a satirical look at heroes like Goku and other guys who fight to get stronger. This guy has done that and we look at his everyday life from trying to go buy stuff at the superstore to being depressed about the fact that every fight he is in ends so quickly. With one season that was twelve episodes long... you will laugh your balls/boobs off in this satirical look at all the superheroes out there.