We be bloggin'

Hey everyone! Welcome to another day of Weebsmas! If you’re joining us for the first time this year, we’ve decided to dedicate part of Weebsmas to preparation/appreciation for our end of the year Anime Awards! So for now, let us look back on some of our favorite Shonen Anime.

Naruto

We couldn’t possibly have a Shonen anime recommendation list without saying Naruto. It’s a classic of classics, even if you don’t want it to be. This quintessential shounen anime dominated the 2000s with hundreds of chapters and episodes (including copious fillers). Ninja headbands stocked Hot Topics everywhere. And admittedly, the story is good. It’s a classic underdog story (with a bonus cursed fox spirit). There’s a lot of side character and plots that are sure to resonate with you, even if Naruto’s himself doesn’t. Also as a closing note–sexy-no-jutsu.

Bleach

It’s funny to think of the beginning of this story since so much has happened, since it’s been on live televison. But this is one of the big three from the 2000s. It’s about a teenage boy who finds himself walking the line between life and death as he navigates the politics in the world in-between. Other high schoolers join him circumstantially and together they become a ragtag team of living shinigami in-training. Fighting possessions and hauntings as they put restless spirits to sleep.  

Saiyuki

A Monkey god, a Priest, a warrior and a cursed person meet at a bar… LOL Not really but honestly, it’s a funny story and one of my favorite renditions of the Hero’s Journey to the West! It was very popular in it’s time and has a secret cult following. I love watching the brotherhood that the characters share along their travels and how they show support of one another is inspiring. 

Rurouni Kenshin

I can’t express the love I have for this anime. It’s a basic premise of the epilogue to the legendary swordsman Hitokiri Battousai, a bloodthirsty teenage prodigy now retired. He finds himself back in the game with a new purpose to save lives rather than take them. He meets unlikely friends along the way and grows a new life for himself while battling the demons of his past. A truly inspiring tale, with a liiiiiiiittle bit of actual history.

Tokyo Revengers

Another one of the ‘newer’ shounen anime out there. This starts with an isekai premise–Takemichi gets pushed onto train tracks and wakes up in his past. What kickstarts this all is the death of his middle school girlfriend. ANYWAY, when Takemichi goes into the past, he’s useless. Er–I mean, he goes back to become a part of the Tokyo Manji Gang where he meets Mikey and Draken, becomes friends with them and more. Through becoming a part of the gang, he aims to save the past and in turn, save his girlfriend in the future. There’s a lot of good fights in this anime, LOTS of good characters and stories, and even if Takemichi is constantly crying, it’s an anime worth watching.

Keeping it short but sweet! See you in the next Shonen Recommendation list!