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!









A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff
Japan has omurice chocolate, and the weirdest thing isn’t how it tastes
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Downloads of 39-year-old Guns N’ Roses song increase 12,166 percent thanks to Gundam
Naruto jerseys coming to Major Leage Baseball theme nights, Hello Kitty to take over a field
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Hunter x Hunter teams up with Shimamura clothing chain for clothing and more treasures galore
New Family Mart cinema opens inside Japanese airport
Roland, king of Japan’s host club scene, shows us his self-isolation routine【Video】
Blowfish-shaped fugu bento appears to celebrate Japan’s Blowfish Day [Taste test]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Three beautiful places to see Japan’s plum blossoms after starting your day in downtown Tokyo
Cherry blossom forecasts map shows Japan’s OTHER sakura season is starting right now
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
Family Mart releases huge range of cute sweets for Cat Day in Japan
Japan’s first all-matcha ramen restaurant is now open in Kyoto【Photos】
7-Eleven Japan sells freshly baked pizzas…but are they any good?
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away
Yokai are descending upon Tokyo this spring in the latest immersive art experience
Japan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon
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
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Hunter x Hunter teams up with Shimamura clothing chain for clothing and more treasures galore
New Family Mart cinema opens inside Japanese airport
Roland, king of Japan’s host club scene, shows us his self-isolation routine【Video】
Blowfish-shaped fugu bento appears to celebrate Japan’s Blowfish Day [Taste test]
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Studio Ghibli releases new plush characters that turn into eco-friendly reusable shopping bags
Discount super market’s super cheap bento wows us with its looks, confuses us with its taste
Have a cool summer, say Totoro and No Face with Ghibli towel-type pillowcases【Photos】
Japan manners debate: Is it OK to put a Mister Donut donut back on the shelf after taking it?
Studio Ghibli stamps lift your spirits with motivational phrases from Totoro