Considering that I had an uneventful summer doing nothing but working and writing, I definitely needed to cure my boredom by trying out new anime. And yes, I am including new episodes of anime that I have been watching already, and you One Piece fans will know why!
One Piece
Since I’ve just mentioned One Piece, let’s start with it! One Piece is an anime that I have been watching for nearly five years now. It is one of the most, if not the most, popular manga series in the world, and the anime is just as good. I consider this to be my favourite anime by far. One Piece tells the story of a goofy, adventure-loving boy named Monkey D. Luffy who’s ultimate dream and goal is to become the King of the Pirates. You might be wondering, if I have been watching it for this long, why add it to the list of NEW anime that I’ve watched over the summer? Because quite recently, the anime practically destroyed the internet when Luffy reached a ridiculous power-up commonly known as Gear Five. The purpose of the power-up is to make everyone smile and laugh because of how ridiculous it is, and I think it did just that! It is SO ridiculous that it was even portrayed in a Loony Tunes style of animation! And considering it was depicted in a different animation style, it worked! It was definitely an episode that every One Piece fan, including myself, was looking forward to all summer. In my opinion, it was well worth the wait!
My Happy Marriage
This is a new romance anime that can be found on Netflix. It’s about a young girl named Miyo Saimori who was horribly mistreated and abused by her father, stepmother, and stepsister. She was eventually sent off to marry an army commander named Kiyoka Kudo who was rumoured to be cold and heartless (but is actually an adorable cinnamon roll). I’m not gonna lie, I’m not really into the romance genre, but I’m always willing to try it out if it looks promising. I’m very glad that I gave this romance anime a shot because it is deeply emotional (which I’m always looking for) and the relationship between Miyo and Kiyoka develops really nicely. Miyo is a sweet girl who lacks confidence in herself due to her upbringing, and Kiyoka gives her that confidence. There is a fantasy aspect to this anime, as the characters have supernatural abilities which kind of threw me off. As I kept watching, I realized that it fits! Overall, I love this anime and would recommend it to anybody who watches romance.
Banana Fish
I watched this anime for the first time a few months back, and whoa, did it send me to darker places. It was not at all what I expected and I was overall happy with what it turned out to be! Don’t let the title of this anime fool you – it may sound weird and maybe even comedic, but trust me, it is FAR from it. Banana Fish tells the story of Ash Lynx, a 17-year-old gang leader in New York investigating a drug called Banana Fish. I will say, if you have not watched this anime or read the manga yet, please proceed with caution as it does deal with heavy themes of sexual violence on top of drug and substance abuse. I won’t delve into the details, but this is the type of story that stays with you for a long time by the time you finish it. It leaves you stunned, silent, and in disbelief. It’s the type that I both recommend and don’t recommend watching because of how angsty it gets! If you’re into that, give Banana Fish a go! But also don’t. But do. But don’t.
Sword Gai
I haven’t finished this one as I haven’t really found it to be that binge-worthy. This one’s about a legendary cursed sword that can come to life. When someone wields it, they become possessed with dangerous and murderous impulses. The story follows a boy named Gai who was born clutching one such sword and is raised as an apprentice by a blacksmith. I think it’s an interesting and really cool idea for an anime, and the plot is great. However, I wasn’t very big on the pacing, and one character named Sayaka kind of ruins it for me since she’s really annoying. The storyline is good but can be pretty gory. Recommended if you’re into that!