Well, NFL Draft day has come and gone, my friends! The time when over 500 young men hope to be one of 257 names called onto the stage to advance their football journey from the spirited college fields into the oftentimes cold, harsh, hard-hitting world of the NFL! To say it’s a hard knock life is a PRODIGIOUS understatement, as these young men will be bringing with them all their skills and talents in the hopes that some team will see fit to bring them into their flock. One other thing that a lot of players are bringing with them is a love of anime. Over the last few years, more and more fans of the genre have been vocal about what shows they watch and even what shows have inspired them, to the point where the NFL draft makes special graphics for these newly minted otaku ball players and shout out their favorite shows! We’ve come a long way, baby…bout as long as the Cowboys have gone without a Super Bowl ring. But I digress.
Sadly, though, it seems as though a lot of these guys have a diet of strict shounen shows only made in the last ten or so years. In quite a few interviews, you have a lot of players who cite the old standbys as their favorite shows—Dragon Ball Z, Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Pokémon…stuff like that. Just your typical shounen “junk food” shows. That’s not saying that these shows are BAD…or that all shounen is BAD—far from it. Shounen anime can be amazing, and of course, I am not one for judging people on what they watch. You enjoy what you enjoy and have fun with it. However, as with all things, a varied diet is always a good bet. If you limit yourself to the “basics” of anime, you run the risk of missing out on other shows that can entertain and even inspire.
To that end, your Cajun Uncle Josh is going to offer up these young nephews who are gonna be hoping to get a hug from Roger Goodell, a few shows that they might wanna check out in their downtimes between meetings, trainings, and running for dear life from a 300-pound man looking to pound them into dust.
When making my suggestions, I’m gonna give myself several caveats/boundaries:
- None of the old standbys. That is, no Dragon Ball Z, no Bleach, no One Piece, no JJK, no Naruto (Sorry, Jamaal Williams), no Attack on Titan…Nothing against those shows, but it seems like everyone and their grandmother watches them. This is about getting a variety of shows from different genres.
- No Long Runners. The max episode count is 54. The reason is that NFL players have a lot on their plate to keep on their mind—keeping up with the plot of a show that has over a hundred episodes is probably not high on the priority list. Looking at you, One Piece.
- Availability. Since these guys are going to be traveling from city to city with either a laptop or a tablet, the shows I recommend have to be actively streaming on some active platform—specifically, one of the major ones I covered in my Samurai Streaming Survey. Sadly, this cuts some shows that I feel are must-see for any anime fan because they are out of print and not available for legal streaming.
Okay, so all that out of the way, take a knee, guys. Coach Josh got some shows for you to check out:
Assassination Classroom – 47 Episodes (Crunchyroll, Netflix)
One-Sentence Summary: Twenty-eight Underdog students are given the task to kill their alien octopus teacher in order to save the world, but as it turns out, the teacher is really cool and relishes the chase.
Why Watch It? – Assassination Classroom is your classic “Underdog Against the World” narrative that we love both in football and storytelling. And it doesn’t get more underdog than this group of students who are looked down upon by everyone in their school…to the point where they are put in the worst classroom in the worst part of the school, and given this nigh on impossible task of killing an almost indestructible alien. Imagine the Browns trying to beat the Chiefs. However, by working as a team, we see our team get stronger and gain knowledge to fight any foes that come their way, both in their studies and on the battlefield! I think this show would be a prime choice for any player as it’s a story they can closely relate to—overcoming insurmountable odds to accomplish the mission.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead – 12 Episodes (Crunchyroll, Netflix, Disney+)
One-Sentence Summary: A guy working for an abusive company suddenly finds himself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse…and it’s the best thing that could ever happen to him.
Why Watch It? – Zom 100 is a fantasy fulfillment anime of the highest order. Everyone has been at a job they don’t like, or in a place they don’t want to be, where their skills and talents are being used and, in many cases, abused. We all want to just cut loose and go wild with our friends with little to no consequence. This story, though it’s only 12 episodes, gives viewers that satisfaction and then some. Also, our main character Akira is a really likable guy who, after he realizes he is “free” from the day-to-day grind, ends up living life, despite the fact that he also has to fight for his life, avoiding zombies! It’s crazy, it’s fun, it’s thought-provoking, and it’s a perfect show to let your brain decompress after a hard day of hard hits.
Cowboy Bebop – 26 Episodes (Crunchyroll)
One Sentence Summary: A former cop teams up with a former syndicate member to hunt bounties across the solar system in the future.
Why Watch It? – There are few anime in the world that everyone can agree on being one of the greatest of all time, and Cowboy Bebop is one of those shows. Even though this show came out before this current draft class was born, Bebop is a show that is as timeless as it is powerful. It’s a show about running from your past, confronting it when it comes knocking, and finding peace with that past and the ability to move forward. Even after two decades, Bebop remains a must-see for any anime fan, both young and old. Also, while the Live Action version of Bebop is…decent, in my humble opinion, it would be best if you stick with the original series.
Ghost Stories – 20 Episodes (Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video)
One-Sentence Summary: Five Elementary School Kids team up to fight monsters…but the English Dub takes this to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
Why Watch It? – In its original subtitled form, Ghost Stories will never win any awards. It’s your typical Monster-Of-The-Week story with everything solved by the time the credits roll. Heck, this show would probably disappear into the ether right along with shows like I My Me Strawberry Eggs, A Bridge to the Starry Skies, and Midori Days. It’s only because of the English dub…that fall on the ground, devil may care English dub, which takes this show into LEGENDARY status. This is what happens when you let the patients run the insane asylum, and it is glorious! I highly, HIGHLY recommend going in blind when watching this one, especially after a hard day. You will not be disappointed.
Digimon Adventure – 54 Episodes (Disney+)
One-Sentence Summary: Seven young kids go to camp for the summer and wind up living in a digital land where everybody gets their own digital monster, a digital companion, a digital friend.
Why Watch It? – Yes, I am suggesting that guys in their 20’s watch a show about eight floppy-socked, noodle-armed dorks and their digital companions who fight evil monsters while trying to find their way home. If you know me, you already know that this show was going to get a recommendation, regardless. I feel that, even though Digimon was a staple of Saturday Morning Cartoons geared towards a younger demographic, this show still has a surprising amount of maturity and weight to it! The themes of teamwork amidst insurmountable odds with teammates of differing walks of life and personality types should once again ring true with any player on the gridiron. There’s also a 2020 remake of this anime which is GOOD, but as with all things, the original is worlds better.
Trigun – 26 Episodes (Crunchyroll)
One-Sentence Summary: A mysterious gunman who many believe to be a walking, talking, planet-destroying Humanoid Typhoon ends up being one of the biggest pacifist donut-loving dorks you could ever meet who just wants to make the world a better place…and ravage a box of Krispy Kremes.
Why Watch It? – Trigun is one of those legendary shows that, next to Cowboy Bebop, is required viewing for anime fans. Vash has the personality of a lot of football players in the league—goofy, loves snacks, and overall peaceful, but when the moment requires it, he can lock in and neutralize any threat that comes against him. Trigun is a show that has a lot of nuance, but it’s not so complicated that you can’t just relax and enjoy it after a hard day. There’s also a remake that came out last year that follows the same story, just told differently. Feel free to check it out too!
Danganronpa: The Animation – 13 Episodes (Crunchyroll)
One-Sentence Summary: Based on the video game “Trigger Happy Havoc Danganronpa”, several eccentric “Ultimate” students are given the chance to go to a super elite school, but as it turns out, they are caught in a game where they must kill their fellow students (and not get caught) to escape!
Why Watch It? – This show takes your typical “Who Dun It?” murder mystery, adds a liberal sprinkling of courtroom drama, and a big heaping spoonful of insanity that only Japanese Animation can provide. Add several high school students with personalities as big as the Superdome and a “headmaster” that is equal parts Gilbert Godfried and Chucky from the “Child’s Play” franchise. It’s a detective story on anime steroids, and I think most people would find it fascinating to watch, even if they do not know the game it’s based on.
Inuyashiki: Last Hero – 11 Episodes (Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video)
One-Sentence Summary: An Elderly man and a high school student are hit by an alien spacecraft which reforms their bodies into highly tuned and nearly invincible killing machines, with each person choosing to use their new powers in drastically different ways.
Why Watch It? – Inuyashiki is a PRODIGIOUSLY underrated show that not many people know about, but those who do rave about it! It’s a complex yet simple story that anyone can follow—what happens when you are given seemingly unlimited powers of both destruction and healing? Does absolute power corrupt absolutely? Or can it be used for a greater good? And what happens when those two worlds collide? It also contains one of the most unintentionally funny scenes in all of anime. I won’t spoil it, but lemme put it this way–some people take their love of One Piece a little too seriously!
My Love Story!! – 24 Episodes (Crunchyroll)
One-Sentence Summary: A gentle giant falls in love with a cute, petite girl, and shenanigans ensue as they go about their relationship!
Why Watch It? – Okay, I know what you’re thinking. “Cajun Samurai is trippin’. He’s suggesting a sappy RomCom for football players?” to which I say “…we’ve had this discussion before. You can call me Josh! We’re all friends here!” While My Love Story is a far cry from shows like Bleach, Attack on Titan, and Jujitsu Kaisen, I think this show, which shows a healthy, cute romantic relationship, is the perfect thing to put on when you are tired of your standard fighting battle anime. The male lead Takeo would be welcome on any football field, and his best bro Sunakawa has the patience of a Saint, and I ain’t talking about New Orleans either. Considering all the news that we’ve seen come out about certain players and coaches in relationships, an anime showing a joyful, stable relationship could be just what the doctor ordered.
Wolf’s Rain – 26 Episodes (Crunchyroll)
One-Sentence Summary: In a destitute post-apocalyptic world, four wolves with different personalities (that can also take human form when needed) team up to find a Flower Maiden, which will open the doors to Paradise.
Why Watch It? – If there’s ever an anime that can best be compared to being on a Football team, this has to be it. Think about it. Four guys who know NOTHING about each other find a way to form a pack and accomplish their goal of reaching the higher ground. You got all types here. You got the pack leader, the lone wolf (pun intended), the jokester, and the young rookie. Heck, this sums up the O-Line of the Saints if I’m being real, and we KNOW there are some wild wolves on that team. Aside from that, Wolf’s Rain is a really good show along the vein of Cowboy Bebop with some great music, intriguing characters, and a story about survival that teamwork that should echo in the hearts of any ballplayer. Also, bonus points if you recognize the voices of Hige and Toboe!
And that’s my suggestion list! Yes, I know that the list does have quite a few…interesting picks. But as I mentioned earlier, variety is the spice of life, especially in anime life. I think I’ve given the future hard hitters of the NFL something to take a look at when they’re not studying their playbooks. Keep in mind, though, that there are LOADS more anime out there that could tickle your fancy that unfortunately fell outside the rules of this post; shows like One Piece, Dr. Stone, FLCL, Eureka Seven, and Nerima Daikon Brothers, are all WELL worth your time, and if you can find them for a decent price on physical media, I recommend you pick them up immediately! It’s not like you ain’t got the money. We all saw that fat contract you just signed.
So how did I do? Did I give these guys some good suggestions? What anime would you recommend to a newcomer in the NFL? Let us know in the comments and on our social media pages! Let’s get the conversation started!
Alright, breaktime is over! Back to work! 10 Laps around the field, followed by 10 “Hare Hare Yukai” dances! Get to it! *blows whistle*
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