There are so many exciting anime series to discover that it can sometimes be overwhelming to be a fan. Hundreds of new anime come out each year, some of which embrace established archetypes or attempt to update them in modern ways. However, anime remains such an evergreen form of entertainment because there are so many diverse genres that can only be found in this medium, but this doesn’t always mean they’re good.
Anime is full of stories that necessitate repeated rewatches and there is no shortage of guilty pleasures that are full of empty, but entertaining, elements. It’s always fun to check out what the new anime season has to offer, but it’s harder to do that when these older, bad shows are so easy to return to again and again.
10/10 Dragon Ball GT’s Atypical Choices Make It Stand Out From Its Franchise
It’s been more than two decades since Dragon Ball GT‘s conclusion but it remains a controversial chapter in the franchise. Dragon Ball GT attempts to rekindle the original series’ magic with an emphasis on light-hearted adventure over ruthless action.
This unpopular decision pushed Dragon Ball GT to pivot back to combat, but for many, it was too late. Dragon Ball GT is the franchise’s shortest series and it’s no longer considered to be canon after Dragon Ball Super‘s contrary events. Dragon Ball GT still has a distinct personality, however, and takes some ambitious risks that have largely been lost in modern Dragon Ball.
9/10 Tenchi Muyo Is Easy, Breezy Harem Hijinks
There’s a dedicated fandom that surrounds romance anime and the harem subgenre that exposes a clueless male to the endless amorous attention of a group of diverse women. Many series and continuities make up the larger Tenchi universe, which typically recycle similar ideas as Tenchi is pushed to tackle life and seize the day.
Most of the stereotypes that people criticize harem anime for are abundant in Tenchi Muyo. However, there’s such a cozy and comfortable energy to its emotional mayhem that it routinely brings audiences back for more.
8/10 Bleach’s Promise Shines Through Its Mismanaged Anime
Tite Kubo’s Bleach produced more than 350 episodes. For years, the dangerous adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki were one of the most popular shonen series. However, Bleach is one of the biggest offenders of extraneous filler, which eventually derails the anime’s story to such an extent that it never fully recovers.
Bleach burns out and these amazing soul reaper shenanigans are done a serious disservice. Nevertheless, Bleach is pure 2000s nostalgia and the anime’s long-awaited return with the Thousand-Year Blood War makes it the perfect time to rewatch.
7/10 Mobile Fighter G Gundam Turns The Mecha Series Into A Tournament Shonen
Mobile Suit Gundam has endured for more than 40 years. Mobile Fighter G Gundam is a self-contained series that’s such a change of pace from any other Gundam show, and it draws inspiration from battle shonen series that are heavy in tournament combat. G Gundam presents a story where each country sends one Gundam to represent their nation in battle.
Many of these mobile suits feel more like broad and offensive stereotypes than powerful Gundam, but the playful tone and kid-friendly attitude help elevate the series to oddly entertaining heights. It’s definitely a guilty pleasure Gundam series that’s hard to take seriously but is still a lot of fun.
6/10 Yu-Gi-Oh! Is A Silly Spectacle That Still Breaks Through To Its Audience
The Yu-Gi-Oh! card-based dueling shonen series has endured for several decades and it’s one of the few competitive card games that’s still able to hold its own against Pokémon‘s Trading Card Game. There’s quite a rich lore between the various Yu-Gi-Oh! series, some of which push their characters to surprisingly dark places.
Yu-Gi-Oh! is viewed by many as the silly spectacle that its 4Kids dub portrays it to be. Yu-Gi-Oh! is far from high art, but it still has a bite that makes it worthy of a rewatch.
5/10 A Great Wrestling Series Hides Underneath Ultimate Muscle’s Broad Packaging
The Kinnikuman wrestling anime was rebranded in America as Ultimate Muscle. The anime’s English dub from 4Kids makes some regrettable changes that belittle the original series’ integrity in exchange for easy, crude jokes that skew towards a younger audience.
There’s a consistent reliability to Ultimate Muscle, but it’s hard to not get slightly embarrassed due to how the dub has colored people’s opinions on the series. Ultimate Muscle willingly lets sillier impulses get the better of it, but there’s still a strong wrestling anime that emphasizes the importance of teamwork and friendship underneath it all.
4/10 Ranma ½ Eases Audiences Into A Lovable World And A Meandering Story
Rumiko Takahashi is a prolific mangaka who’s responsible for acclaimed series like InuYasha, Urusei Yatsura, and ’80s and ’90s action staple, Ranma ½. A lot of the ideas in Ranma feel dated when viewed under a modern lens.
However, Renma’s central characters, their transformative plight, and the clever comedy all make the shonen series a very easy watch. That being said, repetitive storytelling and a lack of increasing stakes hurts Ranma ½ in the long run and makes it easier to view it as a missed opportunity than an evergreen hit.
3/10 Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo Is Nonsensical But Funny
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo seamlessly toes the line between adventurous shonen mischief and ridiculous gag series nonsense. Bobobo-bo is an absurd parody of the shonen genre where the titular character fights evil with his ultra-powerful nose hairs to prevent total mass-follicle destruction.
The Bobobo universe thrives through a fighting style known as “hajike” that’s supposed to confuse the opponent into submission. The jokes in Bobobo are relentless and it’s practically impossible to not laugh at least once during an episode, but its silliness holds it back from being considered a classic.
2/10 Keijo!!!!!! Is Fun Nonsense
It frequently feels like there’s an anime out there for every sport imaginable, including several imaginary sports that only reflect the medium’s wild nature. Some sports anime aren’t afraid to gratuitously feature the female form, but Keijo!!!!!! is an extra special brand of oddness.
The titular sport in Keijo!!!!!! stretches the limits of what qualifies as a competitive pastime as women must use their hips and backsides to knock each other off of floating platforms. Keijo!!!!!! doesn’t strive for layered storytelling, but it still finds success as fun nonsense that the audience can shut their brain off and enjoy.
1/10 Fruits Basket’s Tired Tropes Are Saved By Undeniable Chemistry
Fruits Basket is one of the most popular shojo anime and its manga has finally been done justice through 2019’s reboot, which covers the full breadth of the story, unlike the original 26-episode attempt. Fruits Basket is sometimes viewed as low-hanging fruit that’s happy to coast off of stereotypes.
Despite the contrived nature of some of the series’ stereotypes, the emotions of the characters ring true. This is enough to make Fruits Basket easy to revisit and is still likely to make the viewer cry each time they get through it.