One Piece may be defined as an anime, but anime is NOT defined as One Piece. Or Naruto. Not even Lucky Star or K-On!.

Let's break the stereotype here. Anime was originally intended for kids in Japan, but the industry has since then expanded its audience. It's not just about Doraemon anymore. And note that there are anime that kids might not be able to comprehend.

At the same time, it's not just pirates, ninjas, mythical creatures, transforming sailors, or cutesy costumes.

Often, anime gets associated with otakus, weeaboos, nerds, cosplayers, or people who are seen as stuck in their childhood. But admitting to watching and/or enjoying anime doesn't mean you automatically fall into those stereotypes, or that you're all about childish fantasies. Getting your drama fix through anime doesn't mean you're a nerd.

Most anime are manga-based, but not all of them are created equal. There are some gems in the anime world that I think would be worth a try watching. Some can deliver just as much, if not more, satisfaction to your drama feels.  Some anime are up there on the drama level. Just to let you know.

If you're at a loss on deciding which drama to watch or book to read next, why not consider anime? It's not fair to snub it off when some of the best manga-based dramas and movies, like Hana Yori Dango, have anime versions. Two ways of telling the same story. They're not unlike dramas. You just see animated hair and big eyes instead of your favorite actors.

And when we watch dramas, don't we live in a fantasy world as well? What's the difference, whether you're watching computer animation or real people?

If you're testing the waters on some anime and don't want to dive headfirst into ninjas and pirates, here are some of my recommendations to watch:

1. Hyouka

Hyouka easily tops my list as one of my favorite anime to watch. I did, in fact, name my blog after one of the main characters' famous line. I discovered this while searching for a video of Arashi's Love So Sweet on Youtube. A video came up with screenshots of this anime with Love So Sweet as the BGM. I'm glad I stumbled into that video! It has been deleted, though, and I forgot who uploaded it, so I can't give credit :(

This is based off a novel by Yonezawa Honobu, of the Classic Literature Club series. The story revolves around Oreki Hotaro, a boy who lives by his own standard of "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to, I'll do it quickly". He is urged by his sister to join her former school club, the Classic Literature club, to keep it from dissolving. He is joined by Chitanda Eru (Watashi kininarimasu!), Fukube Satoshi, and Ibara Mayaka. Together, they solve different mysteries in their school. Hotaro eventually finds himself immersed in school activities.

There are hints of romance in this anime, given that it's a shounen (geared towards boys) anime. It has some mystery aspect to it, and it's a really enjoyable watch. I recommended it to one of my friends and she might just have liked it more than I did. I also especially liked the closing song of season 2. Quite catchy.


The series is only 22 episodes long, and I really wish they'd make more! If you like your detective shows and high school life, this is a must-watch.

2. NaNa

The two Nana

From manga artist Yazawa Ai, NaNa is one of her more famous works. It is about two girls, both named Nana. Osaki Nana is a member of punk rock band named Black Stones (BLAST for short), on her way to Tokyo to pursue her own rock career. She's very independent and ambitious. Komatsu Nana, on the other hand, is your very girly girl who often falls in love at first sight, yet often gets her heart broken. She has a habit of depending on others, but is very caring. She is on her way to Tokyo to join her hometown friends and boyfriend. The two Nana with opposing personalities meet by chance on a train to Tokyo, and the two embark on a journey of fame, romance, and relationships.

I want to note that this anime has one of the best music and opening and ending credits. After getting caught up on this 47-episode anime, I immediately downloaded the soundtrack NANA Best. Featuring Anna Tsuchiya as Osaki Nana and Olivia Lufkin as Reira.

This is not an anime to pass. Seriously, if you love your dramas, do yourself a favor and watch this. But let me warn you, if you're one of those people that have withdrawals when a series ends... *evil laugh*... Just watch the damn series. And may I also note that watching the live action movie will not replace watching the series. Both movies don't do the series justice.

And damn that Takumi, that sexy sleazebag.

3. Paradise Kiss

Parakisu :*

Another one from Yazawa Ai, Paradise Kiss focuses more on fashion. The characters are very vibrant and have very interesting personalities, especially Joji. This is one of the first non-fantasy anime I've watched, I think right after watching Densha Otoko. There's only 12 episodes like a standard Japanese drama, but it's so easy to get lost in Yazawa's works. Just like in NaNa, it's hard not to fall in love with her characters, especially the male ones. Her endings always leave you hanging, and it's hard not to beg for more.

The story mainly focuses on Hayasaka Yukari, dubbed as "Caroline", who is bored with her school-driven life. She gets scouted by some students in a fashion school and her life gets tangled with the people in the Atelier. It is noted that the series is after Yazawa's Gokinjo Monogatari, which I haven't watched. The story is standalone, though, and you don't need to watch Gokinjo to understand the story.

There was also a live action movie made about this, but I have yet to see it for myself. So many drama, so little time.

4. Kimi ni Todoke

This is a popular one, although I didn't watch this until last year on Crunchyroll. From Shiina Karuho's manga, Kimi ni Todoke is a light-hearted anime about romance and high school life. The story revolves around Kuronuma Sunako, jokingly referred to as Sadako by her classmates, due to her resemblance to the ghost from the infamous The Ring horror movies. She is very sweet, timid, and always has the best interests of everyone at heart, but is always misunderstood because of her appearance. She becomes friends with Kazehaya Shota, a popular boy that everyone likes. With Kazehaya's help, she comes out of her shell and makes friends with a lot more people. She then idolizes him and can't be grateful enough for all the opportunities. Before they realize it, they start to fall in love with each other, amidst all the obstacles high school love throws their way.

This anime just makes you want to scream JUST GET TOGETHER, DAMMIT! There are so many missed connections, it's a little frustrating. But I love this anime nonetheless. The story is just adorable, Chris even watched it twice, and he fangirled more than I did.

I watched the live action movie, and it was alright. If you're a Miura fan, by all means, go wild.

5. Say I Love You (Suki-tte Ii Na Yo)


I'll be honest, this wasn't one of my favorites, mainly because I wasn't a big fan of the opening song. I know that's a case of don't judge a show by its soundtrack. BUT this is actually an okay anime. It's another one of those weird girl + popular boy stories. If you dig those, this anime is for you. I really can't say much coz... it really is just a weird girl + popular boy kind of story.

Tachibana Mei is very antisocial and doesn't have friends because she believes people will eventually betray each other. Kurosawa Yamato is a very popular boy in school and becomes interested her after she accidentally hit him with a roundhouse kick that was intended for his perverted friend. Yamato eventually draws her out of her shell and she eventually makes friends and build relationships.

It's only about 12 episodes, so it's like a drama standard. I didn't grow very attached to it, but it helped pass the time.

6. Silver Spoon (Gin no Saji)


This one I'm really fond of. I was in my random media mood and decided to watch this just because, while I was browsing through Crunchyroll. This attracted me because it featured farms and organic food, and I have this secret desire to have my own farm and live in the countryside one day. Random true story.

In this delightful slice of life drama, Hachiken Yuugo is a city boy who enrolls in an agricultural high school in the countryside. He is smart in academics, but this was due to his father's strict upbringing of him to study. Thinking agricultural school would be a breeze, the daily challenges of life in a farm prove him wrong. He eventually starts to adjust to a different life even though he was thrown into the deep end. His compassionate and empathetic nature paved the way of making friends for him, but it also made him realize the difficulties and consequences of the agriculture business.

This has two seasons, totaling 22 episodes. The animals featured are very cute, especially Vice President! Warning though, this anime may make you gain weight, because they eat delicious food often. Damn that pizza episode.

I mentioned before that there is a live action of this! I still have yet to download it. It stars the very pretty Alice Hirose as Mikagi Aki :D

7. My Little Monster (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun)


In this anime, a very smart girl named Shizuku, was forced to deliver class material to Haru, the boy who sits next to her in class. Shizuku is all about school and studies, often cold and indifferent to relationships to other people. Haru has always been viewed as a "monster" because of his lack of social skills in his childhood, but is actually kind and gentle and just wants to make friends. He just has a weird way of doing it.

The day Shizuku shows up at Haru's doorstep, Haru immediately dubs their meeting as a start of their new friendship. Not long after that, he spontaneously tells Shizuku that he likes her. What used to be all books and exams for Shizuku is now a world of tangled emotions with Haru. Despite herself, she is drawn to his innocence and falls for him eventually, but she wants to be certain of Haru's feelings first.

It's hard not to like Haru. He's very cute and innocent, it's almost childish. He has a pet rooster and cabbage. Yes, cabbage. Their personalities are on opposite ends of the scale, yet they're perfect for each other.




See? Not all anime is about magical fantasies. There are some great stories in the form of anime, too, so don't scoff them off! I think anime could well be added as a whole different genre of dramas. You have your J-dramas, K-dramas, C-dramas... Why not anime dramas? What matters is the story, yes? Yes.

If you have watched any anime along the likes of these, I would love to know them! And if you've watched any of them, I want to know what you think :)