My love of anime and need to express it to others knows no bounds. Most recently, it’s turned into a Facebook group for anime fans at my church (and as an Asian-American congregation consisting mostly of college students, we have no shortage of them). With summer fast approaching, and with most students having abundant time on their hands, I thought it would be a great idea to give these students a short list of series they might want to watch over the break, the idea being that since many are fans mostly of the popular series (ex. Naruto, Dragon Ball Super, Fairy Tail, Ghibli films), this would be a way to introduce them deeper into the fandom by exposing them to series and movies that are a little lesser known, significant in the world of anime, and really good.
In other words, I want more Honey and Clover and less Ao Haru Ride. More JoJo and less Bleach. More Paprika and less Spirited Away.
Those who finish this short list would have leveled up, and might be a little further down that horrible path toward being an otaku. They will have earned their “otaku card.”
What recommendations would you give me to pass on to this group?
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featured image illustrated by Manmi | reprinted with permission