Disney has recently introduced a new bundle with Hulu on it’s Disney+ app. The beta version came out in December with the full launch expected to be completed by next month.
Although it’s still odd to see stuff from Warner Bros and other studios on a Disney app, as a casual consumer, it does admittedly create a much more interesting experience. One thing specifically that still surprises me is the sheer amount of anime you can now watch on Disney+.
Anime is something that Disney seems to be getting into more now in recent years with projects like Star Wars: Visions. Since the beta came out, I’ve gone through the library and watched quite a bit. Some new and some classics. In fact, I’ve watched so much that I thought I’d just compile a list of what I’ve been watching and why it’s so good.
So if there happen to be any readers out there interested in checking out Disney’s catalog, or getting into anime in general, hopefully this might be helpful to you,
1. Ranma 1/2
Ranma 1/2 is an older anime, but it’s one that I’ve heard of for years and decided to finally check it out. It revolves around a young boy named Ranma who, after falling in a cursed spring, now becomes a woman whenever he’s exposed to cold water and changes back with hot water.
The series is a slapstick comedy with humor often focusing on the character’s relationships, especially between Ranma and his fiancée Akane. It also follows other characters who get cursed by the springs and turn into things ranging from Pandas to Pigs and Cats.
Being an older series there are some things that are outdated. The biggest being characters that act perverted towards women, though the show at least acknowledges that their behavior is clearly wrong. Anime doesn’t always do that. However, despite some elements not aging great, the show’s handling of gender actually is handled with more maturity than you might think.
Akane is very against being put in an arranged marriage and rebels against what many including her family expect a woman to be. Ranma himself experiences some growth after constantly changing his/her gender. Overall Ranma 1/2 makes for a fun and even heartfelt watch.
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Love is War is a show that I think might work better if you go in knowing nothing. So, if you haven’t seen it, I might suggest skipping over this section and checking it out.
Every time I used to see images from this show, it was of the two main characters wielding weapons like guns or swords etc. So, I obviously thought it was something that involved assassins or soldiers.
Instead, the show is actually about two highschoolers who have crushes on each other, but neither want to be the first to admit it. So they’re constantly playing mind games to try and get the other to confess.
That might sound underwhelming compared to what I first thought, but the show is just so funny that I was pleasantly surprised. All the characters are really fun, especially Chika who constantly ruins Kaguya and Miyuki’s plans without realizing it. Despite the over-the-top humor you do genuinely want to see the two get together.
3. YuYu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho is a series I have faint memories of watching as a kid on Adult Swim. But it wasn’t one I kept up with like Dragon Ball (which I also highly recommend). Years later, I decided to finally get into it.
Yusuke Urameshi is a teenage delinquent who dies after saving a young boy from being hit by a car. Surprised by his selfless act, the underworld sends him back as a sprit detective.
Of the shows listed so far, Yu Yu Hakusho is the one I’ve seen the least. I haven’t gotten to the “Dark Tournament” arc, which is praised by fans left and right, but from what I’ve seen so far the show is really enjoyable, I think Yusuke makes for a great protagonist. He’s someone who doesn’t really believe in himself, or that he’s a good person. But deep down you know he is and that he loves those around him. The supporting cast is also really fun, with Kuwabara probably being my favorite.
4. Sailor Moon
Now, it’s important to note that Hulu has both the original Sailor Moon, as well as the reboot titled Crystal. But I’m going to talk specifically about the original.
This is a show that actually has a special place in my heart because it’s one that’s allowed me to bond with my niece. She loves anime and superheroes, so introducing her to this show seemed perfect. Seeing her fall in love with the characters and getting to see girls portrayed as strong heroes was a really great experience.
Usagi Tsukino is a character that can occasionally be annoying, but she’s also very endearing. The chemistry between her and all the other Sailor guardians is the high point of the show, I think. I know that this version places more emphasis on comedy, and also has more filler than Crystal does, but I believe this version still works well on it’s own because of its overall lighter tone. Definitely an anime the entire family, especially children can digest.
What do you think of this list? Are there any anime that you think are great for newcomers to the genre? Sound off below!
