Introduction:
Hey, today I have decided to write an archived resource of all anime genres and sub-genre as well as a list of popular series for each of these. This thread will compile a full archive over time of anime genre covering from Action through to romance and will be accompanied by a description on the mechanics of that genre. Over time I aim for this thread to be a significant resource for people new to anime, looking to experience new series to be able to use this thread to find new series and get information about what they are watching so they will be able to more accurately choose a series that appeals to them and will hopefully gain a better opinion of anime by watching series they like in the early stage of their… “otakuism”.
THIS GUIDE WILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY *fingers crossed no word limit*
Table of Contents:
- Action
- Adventure
- Comedy
- Drama
- Slice of Life
- Erotic / Ecchi
- Magical Girl
- Horror
- Psychological
- Romance
- Shonen
- Mecha
- Harem
- Hentai
- Seinen
- School Life
Action
Action anime usually include male main characters and have a fast paced story with many battles, deaths, injury and other things commonly found in action movies. Most great action anime back these elements up with a solid storyline and likeable characters. Action anime are considered to be much like adventure and shounen anime but instead have a more compelling, fast paced and shorter story and usually have a maximum of 24 episodes with most series having 12 episodes.
Suggestions:
Cowboy Bebop
Secondary Genre: Comedy, Drama
Description: Spike Spiegel, a bounty Hunter with a dark past, lives on bounty to bounty, barely making it each time, or not making it at all. His partners Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed and Ein the dog all help him in his adventures from planet to planet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4zcaRssOSk
Black Lagoon
Description: Okajima Rokuro is a Japanese businessman…in a town full of Japanese businessmen. His normal day consists of social drinking with clients and being kicked around by his bosses. He finally gets a break though, as he’s sent by his company to the tropical seas of Eastern China to deliver a disc…only his boat gets hijacked by a band of mercenaries that were hired to steal it. “Rock” (as he is newly dubbed by his captors) catches the interest of the only female merc “Revy” as she thinks he’s worth a ransom, taking him hostage. However, the disc turns out to be more trouble than its worth, and complicates things both for Rock, and the mercenaries known as Black Lagoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsL9vhMfyrs
Gantz
Secondary Genre: Horror
Description: Kei Kurono is a typical high school student in a selfish world, not caring about anyone other than himself. However when, by chance, he was forced to help out his childhood friend, Katou Masaru, rescue a drunkard who fell into subway tracks, both he and Katou were killed... Or not. After being run over by the train, they were suddenly teleported to an enclosed apartment with others who recently died. And now their lives are controlled by a mysterious black ball inside the apartment called GANTZ, and they are forced to participate in a "game" of unprecedented danger and horror.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omkvD2kq1uc
Adventure:
Adventure anime is typically applied to anime in which a group of people and/or a single protagonist are placed in a series of events or one lengthy event which places their lives or the lives of someone they care about in danger. The protagonist/s will usually have to use his wits, allies, skills etc to navigate through these trials and eventually reach the goal they were after. Adventure anime usually have around 24 episodes and get stretch across multiple seasons. Unlike shounen anime, adventure anime do not focus as much on hidden powers that the protagonist may have.
Suggestions:
TRIGUN
Secondary Genre: Comedy, Action
Description: Vash the Stampede is a gunman on the run with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head which has made it difficult for him to go anywhere without being chased and shot at. Every town he ever visits ends up being destroyed because of his pursuers, but miraculously no one ever gets killed. Meryl and Milly are two insurance agents that have been sent to find Vash the Stampede and keep him under surveillance so no more damage is caused. Meryl, who leads the pair, refuses to believe that the man they have met can possibly be the legendary gunman. This spikey haired, gangly, young man is extremely friendly, a pacifist, hates blood and suicide, absolutely loves donuts, and is a dork and a crybaby (far from a notorious outlaw). But there is more to Vash and his past than meets the eye.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSX58TglZRs
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Description: In a far away future, mankind lives underground in huge caves, unknowing of a world above with a sky and stars.
In the small village of Jiha, Simon, a shy boy who works as a digger discovers a strange glowing object during excavation. The enterprising Kamina, a young man with a pair of rakish sunglasses and the passion of a firey sun, befriends Simon and forms a small band of brothers, the Gurren Brigade, to escape the village and break through the ceiling of the cave to reach the surface, which few believe exist.
The village elder won't hear of such foolishness and punishes the Brigade. However, when disaster strikes from the world above and the entire village is in jeopardy, it's up to Simon, Kamina, a girl with a big gun named Yoko, and the small yet sturdy robot, Lagann, to save the day.
The new friends journey to the world above and find that the surface is a harsh battlefield, and it's up to them to fight back against the rampaging Beastmen to turn the tide in the humans' favor! Pierce the heavens, Gurren Lagann!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryzkqL9NaAA
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Description: In this world there exist alchemists, people who study and perform the art of alchemical transmutation - to manipulate objects and transform one object into another. They are bounded by the basic law of alchemy: in order to gain something you have to sacrifice something of the same value.
The main character is the famous alchemist Edward Elric - also known as the Fullmetal Alchemist - who almost lost his little brother, Alphonse, in an alchemical accident. Edward managed to attach his brother's soul to a large suit of armor. While he did manage to save his brother's life, he paid the terrible price of his limbs.
To get back what they've lost, the brothers embark on a journey to find the Philosopher's Stone that is said to amplify the powers of an alchemist enormously.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a re-telling of the story from the manga point of view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn1cDfaMoLg
Comedy:
In comedy anime the writers and animators will seek to amuse the audience with what is usually an exaggerated comedy based on broadly humorous or highly unlikely situations. Comedy anime usually involves unlikely situations and can range from light to black humour which tends to lean towards subjects that one may not find funny in reality. Comedy anime usually sit at around 12 episode series and can reach usually to a maximum of 24 episodes. It is rare to see a pure comedy series stretch over multiple seasons but it happens every now and then.
Suggestions:
Gintama
Secondary Genre: Adventure
Description: Twenty years ago Edo-period Japan suffered a great cultural shock—the aliens called Amanto invaded the earth, overpowered the nation's government, and outlawed the carrying of swords by the once proud samurai. Moreover, the aliens took the people's jobs and are currently running Japan as a sweatshop using the natives as laborers. In this strange new era are Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric samurai whose personal trademarks are his naturally permed silver hair, his love of anything sweet, and his addiction to Shonen Jump; Shinpachi Shimura, the teenaged heir of the Kakido-Ryu style; and Kagura, an incredibly strong alien girl from the powerful Yato clan. The trio are self-employed in an odd jobs shop called Yoruzuya Gin-chan, which offers to do almost anything for a price, from finding lost kittens to saving the world. Unfortunately, the jobs rarely go as planned, or pay enough to cover the pain and suffering the employees encounter—never mind their rent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqmnoLKWPk
Cromartie High School
Description: Folks, meet Takashi Kamiyama. Enrolled at Cromartie High, where everybody is a delinquent, Kamiyama is apparently the only non-delinquent in the school. Logically, therefore, he must be the toughest in his class - by the rather twisted logic that only a really tough rabbit would lie down with lions. Thus begins a story that parodies every cliché of tough-guy anime that you've ever heard of, and some you haven't. Oh, and Freddie Mercury is in it, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS_bEEW0PsE
Drama
Drama anime usually involve a protagonist or a group of select people and follows through a certain part of their lives. The protagonist is usually trying to achieve something in his life or he is unable to work out what he needs and what he wants. Drama anime usually have a very deep plot and character development is excellent. Majority of the time when watching a good drama anime you will be able to see as each character changes and grows because of the situations around then. Drama anime has produced some of the most influential series and has the ability to pull the heart strings of people who rarely get emotional.
Suggestions:
CLANNAD
Description: Tomoya Okazaki is a third year high school student resentful of his life. His mother passed away from a car accident when he was younger, causing his father to resort to alcohol and gambling. This results in fights between the two until Tomoya's shoulder is injured in a fight. Since then, Tomoya has had distant relationships with his father, causing him to become a delinquent over time. While on a walk to school, he meets a strange girl named Nagisa Furukawa who is a year older, but is repeating due to illness. Due to this, she is often alone as most of her friends have moved on. The two begin hanging out and slowly, as time goes by, Tomoya finds his life shifting in a new direction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odGSQebH7tU
CLANNAD: After Story
Description: A sequel to the recently wrapped anime based on the Key Clannad franchise. After Story is a path that opens in the original visual novel after all the other paths have been opened.
Life continues on for Tomoya. A few months have passed since he confessed his love to Nagisa. Now entering the second semester, he continues to meet a variety of different people, expanding his own world in the process. As well, Tomoya and Nagisa's relationship begins to enter a level of intimacy unlike before. Through his relationship with Nagisa, and his various encounters, Tomoya begins to understand the meaning and importance of family. Unfortunately, as Tomoya and Nagisa begin their own family together, they are faced with many hardships and challenges along the way.
The sequel to the first anime, Clannad. After confessing his love for Nagisa Furukawa, life for Tomoya goes on. As he continues to meet and help more people with their own family problems, Tomoya's relationship with Nagisa grows to a greater level than ever before. Through his various encounters and the start of his new family with Nagisa, Tomoya will finally begin to understand the value of the most precious thing that we have in this world; the value of having a family.
Slice of Life
Slice of Life anime usually tie in as a sub-genre of either comedy and/or drama genres. Slice of life is basically its namesake as in it is a “slice of life” the series usually follows a section of a characters life and the trials/events they encounter during that time. Slice of life rarely involves supernatural themes but like every rule there are exceptions. Alice of life anime usually have 12 or 24 episodes but rarely continue on for more than one season unless they get popular. Slice of life anime are excellent as sub-genre of both comedy and drama because they are usually fairly easy and enjoyable to watch.
Suggestions:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Description: On the first day of high school a beautiful girl named Haruhi Suzumiya introduces herself as having "no interest in ordinary humans". She asks for any aliens, time travelers, sliders or espers to join her. Watching her weird behaviour is Kyon who sits in front of Haruhi and is the only person who talks to her. When Kyon comments about Haruhi's joining every club in school and then quitting he unwittingly gives Haruhi an idea to start her own after school club. Thereafter Kyon and several others find themselves dragged, literally, into the Save our world by Overloading it with fun Suzumiya Haruhi's Brigade (the S.O.S. Brigade for short).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ycQHuaSOtFk
Lucky Star
Secondary Genre: Comedy
Description: Portrays the lives of several school girls attending a Japanese high school with a very loose humor tone. The main heroine is Konata Izumi, an athletic and intelligent girl who, despite these attributes, is not in a sports club, and her grades remain low. Her laziness at school is due to her love for anime and video games, and she is not interested in much else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8bSIgE8epA
Erotic / Ecchi
Ecchi or erotic anime is used to describe anime that focuses on sexually stimulating content and is predominantly aimed at a male audience but also aims towards a female audience but with fewer amounts. Ecchi is usually full of content such as conversations with sexual references or misunderstandings about sexuality in dialogue for example double meanings. In the ecchi genre prepared to see a lot of underwear cosplay, fetish clothing, nudity, ripped apart, wet, malfunctioned clothing. Ecchi is heavy on fanservice but is great to watch as a series that doesn’t make you think.
Suggestions:
Kiss X Sis
Secondary Genre: Romance, Comedy
Description: Keita has two older step-sisters, Ako and Riko, but since they aren't related by blood, they love him in a lustful way. After a mishap at school, Ako and Riko finally confess their love to him. Keita dislikes the thought of seeing them other than brother and sister, but as he tries to enter the same school as his sisters, he slowly becomes attracted to them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nW7u9UiQs-A
Nyan Koi
Description: Junpei Kōsaka is a second-year high school student who despises cats and has an allergy to them. It just so happens that his high school crush is Kaede Mizuno, a girl who adores cats. One day, while walking home from school, Junpei kicks an empty can and unfortunately beans the local neko-jizō-sama (guardian deity of cats). He finds he can now understand what cats are saying, including his family's own ill-tempered cat, Nyamusasu. However, if he does not grant 100 wishes from cats, he will turn into cat himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSTXHYcVVZg
Horror
The horror genre of anime is quite different from films. It’s hard to find a physically scary anime but instead of spooky monsters anime defines itself extremely well by focusing on creating a creepy feeling which usually has a lot to do with characters mental stability and extreme amounts of violence and gore. The chances of finding an anime that won’t let you sleep at night are low but a few series take psycho to a new level.
Suggestions:
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Secondary Genre: Psychological
Description: On one hot summer day in 1983, a transfer student named Maebara Keiichi comes to a peaceful rural village in Hinamizawa. There, he befriends his classmates Rena, Mion, Rika, and Satoko. Accepted as a full-fledged member of the "club," Keiichi and the gang plays all sorts of activities ranging from card and board games to hide-and-seek. But just as Keiichi was beginning to be assimilated in simple rural life, he stumbles upon the dark history of Hinamizawa. As Keiichi dives deeper into the mystery, he finds that his new found friends may not be all what they claim to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stadVmfN5rw
Psychological
Psychological anime series have produced some of the most popular anime of all time. They focus on making the audience think and try to work out what the characters are plotting. Usually these anime will incorporate a lot of mystery into the plot and characters. Others blend it as a sub-genre of horror. Both ways work well and have produced amazing series. Psychological series usually stretch for 24 episodes because they usually have a lot to explain at the end.
Suggestions:
DeathNote
Description: Yagami Light is an ace student with great prospects, who's bored out of his mind. One day he finds the "Death Note": a notebook from the realm of the Death Gods, with the power to kill people in any way he desires. With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create his perfect world, without crime or criminals. However, when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorites send the legendary detective L to track down the killer, and a battle of wits, deception and logic ensues...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszDiH8_7Dg
Shonen
Shonen is the word used to describe anime that specifically appeals to young boys. The magazine Shonen Jump for example is packed full of manga like Dragonball, Naruto, and Kenshin. The shows are often action oriented only and use romance only as a comedic tool or for mild crossover appeal. These were the first major entries in the US market and therefore still colour the perspective of many US viewers as the prototypical anime. There are the occasional Shonen romances though, usually taking the guys perspective and making light of the process, but they're rarer than the butt whooping in the former shows listed. Shonens can range anywhere from 24 episodes to over 500 episodes.
Suggestions:
Rurouni Kenshin
Description: Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration, who in the turning point of the war simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era, where he befriends a female Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler and a doctor all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.
Bleach
Description: Kurosaki Ichigo is a 15 year old boy that has an ability to see ghosts/spirits. Because of his ability, he is able to meet a female death god (a.k.a Shinigami) named Kuchiki Rukia. To save his family and friends from unwanted soul-eating spirits (Hollows), Rukia transfers her Shinigami powers to Ichigo. As Rukia takes on a human shell, together they solve mysteries involving spirits and hollows until from the spirit world comes 2 other shinigamis explaining that it is illegal to transfer Shinigami powers to humans and Rukia exceeded the time limit to stay in the human world. After they sentence her death for breaking the laws, Ichigo snaps and swears to everyone he will retrieve Rukia by breaking into the spirit world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTEl39VGy1k (because fuck a real trailer)