Indians fell in love with animes like ‘Beyblade’, ‘Dragon Ball Z’, and ‘Pokemon’ much before they became a buzzword. Cut to the present.
They became a source of entertainment and solace for many of us during Covid-19, as we watched ‘Naruto’, ‘Tokyo Ghoul’, and ‘Death Note’ one after another, on loop.
One of the reasons why animes — hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan — have become so popular among India and around the world is because they are liked by kids and adults alike.
Every anime character has its own character arc, strengths and weakness, and that makes them relatable.
In terms of storyline, they are not just humorous but also tremendously meaningful as they talk about real-life issues like bullying, inferiority complex, war, and death, and they also teach you how to overcome them. In fact, many children are encouraged to watch these shows to learn to navigate friendships, overcome grief, conquer fears and failure, and build empathy.
That’s not all. Unlike TV series, each episode is bite-sized, of not more than 20 minutes.
This makes them thoroughly watchable.
The rise of inexpensive mobile data, memes and reels have also made these animes ubiquitous. OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have also made it easier to stream them.
Animes to watch
Death Note
Naruto
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Dragon Ball Z
Demon Slayer