This list includes a combination of critically-acclaimed anime, well-known classics and more recent favourites. All of these titles are available in most international regions, although there may be some not available in particular locations. The anime stars Kou, a young boy who can’t sleep and instead roams the streets at night. One night, he meets Nazuna, a mysterious girl who offers to help him with his sleeping problems. However, it turns out that Nazuna is a vampire! What’s more, Kou isn’t alarmed and actually asks Nazuna to help turn him into a vampire, something that can only happen if he falls in love with her. The show has a lot of credibility, being adapted from a renowned slice-of-life mangaka and produced by an A-list staff. For fans of fun teen romance anime, this story has all the ingredients needed to be superb! Land of the Lustrous takes place in a world where humanity has been split into parts. Crystalised beings known as Gems work together to protect themselves from invading Lunarians who seek them for their jewels. Phos is one of the youngest and weakest gems, making her useless in battle despite her determination to fight. One day, she comes across Cinnabar, an outcast Gem due to the poison leaking from her body, and works to find a place for both of them in the world. Land of the Lustrous has some incredible visuals and exquisite fighting scenes thanks to the style of animation. The story is also deceptively dark, offering something special for fantasy adventure fans. The series follows Chihaya Ayase, a high school girl who becomes enamoured with karuta, a classical Japanese card game involving poetry. With the help of a veteran player and a few other newcomers, she sets up a karuta club to become the top-ranked player in Japan. If you’re not sure about the game at the centre of the story, don’t worry. Chihayafuru does a good job of explaining the game and before you know it you’ll be following along with all the drama that unfolds around the club. This isekai anime sees brother-and-sister gaming shut-ins transported to the magical world of Disboard where all disputes, from simple bets to geopolitics, are settled through games. In this world, the human race is on the lowest rung, comfortably beaten in most games by various magical races. However, when our isekai heroes arrive and offer their skills to the human kingdom, their fate starts to turn. No Game No Life ticks lots of boxes – bright visuals, an isekai story with an OP lead and plenty of fanservice elements. While the story itself isn’t finished due to no second season, it’s still a hugely popular title well worth experiencing. The story follows the adventures and missions of Night Raid, a group of assassins working for the revolutionary army as they try to overthrow the kingdom’s greedy rulers. Tatsumi is a country boy who, after being saved by Night Raid, decides to join their forces. One of the key plus points for Akame Ga Kill is that it marries a classic fantasy colour palette and character design with a dark and gritty storyline. There is plenty of drama and death in this series which will keep you watching until the end. The story follows two very different young women arriving in Tokyo with love on their minds. Nana Komatsu is a cheery but gullible girl moving to Tokyo to find her boyfriend and live the dream city life, while streetwise Nana Osaki moves to Tokyo to pursue her music career after her ex-boyfriend and bandmate makes it big with another group. A twist of fate sees the two Nanas renting the same apartment in Tokyo and starting a friendship that could last a lifetime. Despite being a shojo anime, Nana has something for everyone. From interesting romance, fun comedy and a bubbling music scene, it’s an excellent series to discover. The story revolves around Cocona, an ordinary schoolgirl whose life is turned upside down by Papika, a mysterious girl who invites her to discover Pure Illusion, a rule-bending alternate dimension. While initially hesitant, Cocona eventually decides to partner with Papika as the two work for a mysterious organisation, unravelling the secrets of this new world. The plot of Flip Flappers is okay, but the real attraction is the visual aesthetics. With a warm colour palette and almost rubber hose animation styles, each episode and world is a delight for the eyes. The story takes place in a culinary school where ‘Shokugeki’, intense culinary battles (the term literally translates as food war), are used to settle disputes and establish rankings. While many of the school’s students come from esteemed backgrounds, Souma is the working son of a popular local chef. Staying true to his father’s unorthodox teachings, he must learn to navigate the various challenges posed by the school’s eccentric teachers and fiercely competitive students. Food Wars remains a hugely popular title, delivering drama not unlike an action anime despite its subject matter. It is also very funny, with most people knowing the series for its ‘foodgasm’ culinary descriptions. Hachiman is a nihilistic high school boy who believes stories about the joys of youth are nothing but lies. As punishment for his openly-negative beliefs, his teacher forces him to join the Volunteer Service Club and assist other people with their problems. The only other member of the Volunteer Service club is Yukino, a similarly cold high-school girl who tends to look down on others. The two of them apply logic to help people solve their problems and, ultimately, learn more about what being a teenager really means. The story revolves around the Abyss, a gaping chasm filled with ancient relics and creatures that stretches into the depths of the Earth. Riko, the daughter of a famous explorer who went missing, believes that her mother is waiting for her at the bottom of the Abyss. With the support of Reg, a robot with the body of a young boy, the two young divers set out on a perilous and unforgiving journey where new mysteries are discovered at every turn. Made in Abyss Season 2 is airing this summer, following on from the Made in Abyss movies, so there’s plenty of this world for you to discover. The series is a notoriously difficult watch in places, but if you can stomach unsettling moments, it’s a world full of intrigue and beauty. Kokoro follows the lives of five very different high-school students who, after forming a club together, start randomly switching bodies for a short period of time. This unpredictable phenomenon causes untold problems for the students, from comedic twists at school to their darkest, deepest secrets being revealed. Thanks to the body-switching nature of the story, there are untold twists and turns in Kokoro Connect. However, the story is also just a very good teen romance, with good characters and some excellently-written scenes. Vinland Saga is rooted in history, taking place around 1000 AD during the Danish occupation of England when Vikings ruled the seas. The story starts by following a young Thorfinn, son of a warrior who joins a group of mercenaries responsible with the hope of one day enacting his revenge. However, Vinland Saga grows into a story about two people’s claims to the British throne. For fans of historical anime, there are few that are as rich in detail as Vinland Saga. A love letter to the time period, the story feels incredibly grounded while still delivering a hugely engaging storyline.
