recommendations
Recommendations from a staff member reveal what they really like to eat behind the scenes.
Every season there’s a wave of new anime shows, many of them based on some other form of media such as a manga or light novel series. Most reasonably popular manga titles seem to make it onto the screen in animated form at some point or other, so it can be galling when your favorite series is passed over by the animation studios time and again in favour of yet more giant robots and impossibly large and buoyant chests.
Read on to see which manga series Japanese readers most want to see animated, and let us know what your own picks would be.
Viewed from afar, Japanese animation may appear to be populated entirely by giant-eyed, squeaky-voice schoolgirls and young men who suffer from frequent nosebleeds. Their plots, too, can seem awfully convoluted at first glance, and so anyone who didn’t grow up with anime or have the chance to catch popular series when they were just getting started may feel completely out of their depth when trying to get into it.
If you’re the kind of person who, like me, despite being into Japan and Asia, never really understood what all the fuss was about anime, or who would like to give this strange medium a chance but doesn’t know where to start, then we have a special treat for you today: no fewer than five anime recommendations from members of our very own writing staff, guaranteed to be easy for even anime-skeptics to get into. Who knows, these might just be the gateway shows you’ve been looking for!









Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower backtracks on its gender-neutral toilets, rejigging them to appease public
The world’s most matcha-intense ice cream experience is waiting for you in Shizuoka
Canned cuteness as Hello Kitty and friends kick off Can Chara capsule toy line【Photos】
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Survey asks Japanese women if they could marry a man who’s rich but ugly
New sushi restaurant hidden inside Tokyo Station is a secret gem
Only 100 Limited Edition Matcha Green Tea Moon Pies On Sale, Cost More Than You Can Imagine
Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Survey asks Japanese women if they could marry a man who’s rich but ugly
New sushi restaurant hidden inside Tokyo Station is a secret gem
Only 100 Limited Edition Matcha Green Tea Moon Pies On Sale, Cost More Than You Can Imagine
Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Otaku quiz: How many guest artists from Tokyo’s awesome Dragon Ball manga cover mural can you name?
Tokyo shop makes ramen for foreigners by adding sugar, something called “Japanese sprit!!”
Tottori’s shrines have some of the most adorable charms you’ve ever seen!
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
This ramen restaurant has no name, is one of the best hidden finds in Japan
Abysmal viewer ratings for Pokémon anime series does not worry its broadcaster the slightest bit
Luxembourg-based hobbyist’s video game dioramas are epic, wonderfully nerdy, and not for sale
Tokyo cafe staffed by robots piloted by paralyzed and otherwise housebound people