Why Do People Watch Anime?
To understand why people watch anime, Japanese cartoons, it would be best to understand some of the best anime available. Here we will look at some of the best anime available and why it is so good, so you can see why people watch it.
Number 16 Sword Art Online
Starting off this list, the classic Sword Art Online, which has been on everyone’s to-watch list ever since that first aired in the summer of 2012. You need to watch it to basically be better than anyone who enjoys it, because you shouldn’t. The easiest way to make friends and get popular in anime circles is to talk about how bad Sword Art Online was, even if you didn’t think it was as bad as everyone says. Become the life of the party by saying that the first half was so much better than a second half and you’re guaranteed to be one of the cool kids.
Mumber 15 I Ghibli films
Everyone loves Ghibli films. Even people who hate anime loves Ghibli films; you need to love Ghibli too. Everyone knows Miyazaki hates anime and wanted 50 more Hiroshimas, so maybe it doesn’t even count as anime. Just make sure you watch all the ones you need to watch. This is talking about Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, literally any other Ghibli film to make it seem like you’re not uncultured.
Number 14 A non Ghibli Film that is not Akira or Ghost
To general public, there are other anime films that exist: ‘there’s that film by that guy who made the Digimon films, that guy who died too early and that guy who makes everything look really pretty, whatever their names are, probably important’.
Number 13 An Old Anime
Let’s get this straight, old anime sucks and everyone knows it. It’s a universally proven fact that anything made before the age of digital animation looks ugly and isn’t worth your time. The further back you go, the worse it gets. But you’re always against that one fan, who’s about your dad’s age, reminiscing about that time he watched Macross or some nineties stuff that literally no one has ever heard of. His 50th generation, first recording whatever. You always need to be able to say something like, ‘Astroboy was my favorite anime growing up too,’ then he’ll probably leave you alone
Number 12 Shirobako
This one is more for the critics, or the ones who want to be more knowledgeable about the industry as a whole. You could do your own research on the inner workings of the anime industry, to be well-informed and everything. Or, just watch Shirobako and you now have a PhD in anime production. Your opinion will now be infinitely more well-informed than anyone else who hasn’t seen it. Bonus points if you also read Bakuman and have become an expert in the manga artist too.
Number 11 The Nostalgic Shows You Watched as a Kid
Were you a nineties kid who grew up with Pokemon a Dragonball Z? Does old-school Toonami bring nothing but happy memories to you? Maybe you came a bit later, when Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece we’re getting popular? Either way, these are the shows that will always be close to you, no matter what anyone else says. You don’t even know if they were as great as you remember, but that’s ok. You were a dumb, naive kid back then and you had bad taste, but at least you can reflect on it now that you’re older and wiser.
Number 10 Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Now this one is actually a trick one, because no one actually needs to watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes. They just need to say they want to watch it. See, once you watch the Legend of the Galactic Heroes there is no going back. As an anime fan, every anime you watch from then on will be utter trash compared to it, and you will quite literally stand above everyone who has not seen Legend of the Galactic Heroes. So, if you’re not yet prepared to ascend to the next plane, just plan to watch one day.
Number 9 An Anime Where You Argue Over the Best Girl
You’re not a true anime fan unless you’ve argued over which girl in a particular series is indeed best girl. Forget politics, forget religion, you have not seen conflict until you see a group of nerds argue over which fictional 2D character is the most hypothetically appealing, in a made-up cast of anime. Blood is shed, friendships are lost, and this is the place where you find your true brothers in arms. The one irrefutable fact that you must take, is that anyone who does not agree is wrong.
Number 8 That One Hot Anime that Everyone is Watching
Every season there is one thing that everyone is talking about. Because, apparently no one is watching anything else this season. It doesn’t matter if you are watching something else, you won’t find anyone else to talk to about it anyway. You might as well get on the hypetrain and see what all the fuss is about. Just be prepared for the storm that comes after it ends. You’ve got to either love it or think it’s awful, because another opinion doesn’t count.
Number 7 Avatar the Last Airbender
One of the greatest animates ever to exist, that everyone remembers growing up with on TV. Wait, this isn’t actually an anime? That can’t be right. It looks like an anime, feels like an anime, and sounds like an anime. So who cares 
where is made right? God forbid we classify this as a cartoon. Does this look like family guy? No.
Number 6 Boku No Pico, and Cory in the House
It’d be remiss to not include the universally agreed masterpieces that are Boku No Pico, and Cory in the House. These two classics have weaved their way into anime culture, revolutionising the way we see modern anime, cementing themselves.
Number 5 Gundam
It is inevitable you will one day run into a Gundam fan, so it’s important that you can hold a respectful conversation with them. But becoming a proper, Gundam fan and watching all the Gundams will take you about 50 billion hours, 3 sittings of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and a game of DOTA 2, so what you really need to do is watch a Gundam show; any Gundam show. Doesn’t matter which one, they’re all basically the same show anyway. You have giant robots, the important thing is you now have a favorite Gundam. When a Gundam fan asks you which one is your favourite, you can always answer the correct answer.
Number 4 Cowboy Bebop
Ever since it first aired on Adult Swim, this show has become an instant classic for Western anime fans. Is it a must watch because of its memorable characters, excellent soundtrack, or is definitively cool? No! It’s a must watch so that next time you meet a sub elitist who claims all dubs are bad, it’s the one show you can win with, because it’s universally irrefutable
Number 3 Episode 3 of Madoka Magica
You’d guess something big is supposed to happen this episode, everyone keeps talking about it. It’s not a proper anime unless it’s set in high school, if it’s not then you know the characters are high school age. By becoming an anime fan, you’re basically attending Japanese high school yourself. You’ll be an expert in attending opening ceremonies, organising school festivals, and sitting in the backseat of a classroom by the window. Don’t forget, this also means that you’ve seen a lot of slice-of-life anime. Slice of life is a completely unique genre, that only exists in anime. It means no one actually knows what you properly means, so if it’s set in high school it probably has some slice-of-life elements in it and everyone loves that.
Number 2 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Definitely one of the most influential animes ever come. Every fan knows that one day they must eventually watch Neon Genesis Evangelion in order to have an opinion. Neon Genesis Evangelion; whether you love it hate it, don’t skip the ending or understand every intricate detail. You can write a 50 page thesis deconstructing it, even if all you really care about is his best girl, between masquerade. it is imperative that you have an opinion on it because it will be the topic of discussion for approximately the next seven trillion years.
Number 1 Your Favorite Anime That didn’t Make this List
this is a list of every anime that every fan needs to watch, and the fact that your personal favorite anime didn’t make this list is an absolute travesty. It doesn’t matter that everyone might not have seen the anime yet, or they don’t think it’s as great as you do. It’s impossible to make a list that matches everyone’s taste. Your anime should have been here.