Episodic anime suggestions
Posted: 09 Jun 2021, 01:53
I love a good serial as much as the next person. However, sometimes trying to keep up with Dragonball, Attack on Titan, and One Piece, just to name a few, can be so tiring. Sometimes it's nice to find an anime that you can just jump right into and not worry about following hours and hours, or years, of a plot. What are some good episodic anime that you enjoy? Here are some of mine.
Ranma 1/2: With my avatar, it's no surprise I would recommend this series. The first season is the most serial of the season. Later seasons have some episodes that are two to three to four parters, but for the most part, the series is standalone. The first episode I ever saw of Ranma 1/2 was the one in which Ukyo was introduced. The narrator giving a brief synopsis of Ranma's predicament, making it was so easy to jump into the episode and to understand what was going on. Also, the characters remain fairly consistent throughout the series, with very little development. The strength of Ranma 1/2 is its humor and awkward situations, from a boy that transforms into a girl, to a deadbeat dad who turns into a panda, and characters that turn into other animals, it's full of ludicrous scenarios. For someone who just wants to jump into a series and have a good laugh, Ranma 1/2 is a great option, as it's hilarious; especially the first four seasons and the OAV series.
Space Dandy: Speaking of comedy, Space Dandy is a blast. I almost see it like the Futurama of anime, though that's not the most accurate description as the series is very much its own thing. Aside from the last two episodes which connect, the rest of the series can be watched in any order, jumping in whenever the viewer wants. Dandy and the crew may even die in one episode, only to return another episode, something the last episode explains as to how and why. It's a great series that parodies science fiction, makes fun of musicals, mocks fan service, and skewers pop culture. It's just a joy. And it's beautifully animated.
Lupin III: One of the longest-running anime series, it's about a thief (a descendent of the literary French Lupin by Mauric Leblanc) and his comrades and the heists they pull in their pursuit of treasures. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the series. But some of the movies and OAVs such as The Castle Of Cagliostro, The Fuma Conspiracy, Dead or Alive, and Tokyo Crises are a lot of fun, constituting the perfect popcorn flicks.
Patlabor TV series: I haven't seen the OAV series, but the original TV series, at least the episodes I watched, were stand alones, from what I remember. It's been a long time since I've watched them, so if I'm wrong on this, please correct me. Unlike the others I've listed, which are comedies, Patlabor is more of a subdued slice of life science fiction series about law enforcement using mechas in a futuristic Tokyo.
What are some stand-alone anime series that you like?
Ranma 1/2: With my avatar, it's no surprise I would recommend this series. The first season is the most serial of the season. Later seasons have some episodes that are two to three to four parters, but for the most part, the series is standalone. The first episode I ever saw of Ranma 1/2 was the one in which Ukyo was introduced. The narrator giving a brief synopsis of Ranma's predicament, making it was so easy to jump into the episode and to understand what was going on. Also, the characters remain fairly consistent throughout the series, with very little development. The strength of Ranma 1/2 is its humor and awkward situations, from a boy that transforms into a girl, to a deadbeat dad who turns into a panda, and characters that turn into other animals, it's full of ludicrous scenarios. For someone who just wants to jump into a series and have a good laugh, Ranma 1/2 is a great option, as it's hilarious; especially the first four seasons and the OAV series.
Space Dandy: Speaking of comedy, Space Dandy is a blast. I almost see it like the Futurama of anime, though that's not the most accurate description as the series is very much its own thing. Aside from the last two episodes which connect, the rest of the series can be watched in any order, jumping in whenever the viewer wants. Dandy and the crew may even die in one episode, only to return another episode, something the last episode explains as to how and why. It's a great series that parodies science fiction, makes fun of musicals, mocks fan service, and skewers pop culture. It's just a joy. And it's beautifully animated.
Lupin III: One of the longest-running anime series, it's about a thief (a descendent of the literary French Lupin by Mauric Leblanc) and his comrades and the heists they pull in their pursuit of treasures. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the series. But some of the movies and OAVs such as The Castle Of Cagliostro, The Fuma Conspiracy, Dead or Alive, and Tokyo Crises are a lot of fun, constituting the perfect popcorn flicks.
Patlabor TV series: I haven't seen the OAV series, but the original TV series, at least the episodes I watched, were stand alones, from what I remember. It's been a long time since I've watched them, so if I'm wrong on this, please correct me. Unlike the others I've listed, which are comedies, Patlabor is more of a subdued slice of life science fiction series about law enforcement using mechas in a futuristic Tokyo.
What are some stand-alone anime series that you like?