Bingeable Anime on Hulu| 2022
I recently subscribed to Hulu without ads and I was surprised by the amount of anime they have to choose from! I am unashamed to say that I had a days long binge session watching anime upon anime. While most of these are older, there are some new ones on this list as well. I will warn you, I am partial to Shojo anime (so this review will definitely be shojo heavy).
Kimi Ni Todoke -From Me to You-
My Thoughts
I tried this one since the art style seemed so different. This is one of the most frustrating animes I have watched in terms of the couple getting together. But I will say this anime perfectly captures that adolescent phase of discovering what liking someone really means and the feeling of wanting to be accepted and have friends. I am not ashamed to say I shed some tears because I can remember that awkward and awakening part of growing up so vividly. This is an anime that is definitely true to the Shojo genre and left me wondering what Amazake tastes like!
Summary
Sawako Kuronuma is your typical 15-year-old high school student except for the fact she is feared and avoided by most of her classmates. Her eerie looks remind her classmates of Sadako, the titular character of the ring, and they avoid her because of it! Although she looks scary, she is quite sweet and her dearest wish is to make friends. When Kazehaya, one of the most popular boys at the school, begins to talk to her-her whole world slowly begins to change as others start to get to know and accept Sawako too! Did Kazehaya help her out of the kindness of his heart or is it something more?
ItaKiss -Itazura na Kiss-
My Thoughts
This guy character was not my favorite and I definitely had to push through because he was such an asshole. This anime did the rare thing of following the characters from high school through to college and beyond. More adult themes are found here and I appreciated the originality of the artwork in this series too. I think Hulu should classify this as Josei rather than Shojo.
Summary
Kotoko Aihara finally gathers the courage to give a confession letter professing her feelings to her high school’s number one handsome genius Naoki. Unfortunately, he flat out rejects her, leaving Kotoko devastated. To add further insult to her situation, her recently completed family home is leveled by an unexpected earthquake! Homeless, her father has them move in with a close friend of his who ends up being none other than the dad of Naoki. Will Naoki come to love her, or is his rejection permanent?
Fruits Basket
My Thoughts
So given the name of this series, I was not immediately drawn in but I remember it was popular at one point. The name is definitely not a great indicator of what his show is about. There is a sense of mystery throughout that kept me hooked to the end. The romance between characters blossoms in some surprising ways which I found refreshing. There were definitely more adult themes here so I feel like it should be considered as a Josei anime.
Summary
We meet Tohru Honda who has recently lost her mother and is living in a tent because that is all she can afford. After an unfortunate landslide ruins her living arrangements, she meets the Sohma family who offer to take her into their family home. But upon her first day there she discovers a surprising secret, their family houses the spirits of the animals of the zodiac inside of them! Whenever they are touched by the opposite sex, they turn into their respective animal! Needless to say, hijinks ensue and Honda begins to realize there seems to be further secrets in this family that leave a thick miasma in the air around them.
Ongoing
Yona of the Dawn
My Thoughts
The art style and vivid colors used in this anime immediately drew my eye. The action is great and the lore within the story unique. While Yona starts off weak, her trials seem to be strengthening her. With a bevy of handsome men finding their eyes admiring our heroine, I sense a harem emerging! *wink* *wink* I think this anime should also be recategorized as Josei as well due to some bloody action and more adult jokes.
Summary
Yona is a beautiful princess and heir to the throne of the kingdom of Kouka. All seems well in her world until she witnesses her life-long crush Soo-won murder her father King Il! Now Soo-won has assumed the throne while a bounty is placed on Yona’s head. Will she get her revenge and can she let go of the love she harbored for Soo-won because of what he has done?
Yashahime : Princess Half-Demon
My Thoughts
The sequel to Inuyasha? If you’ve read any of my previous posts, then you know i was hooked at just that premise! It started a little slow but as the show has gone on it has become more fleshed out and shares some of the dynamism that made Inuyasha so great. The characters are multi-dimensional and there isn’t a true sense of full good or bad but people’s motivations. So far I am addicted.
Summary
In feudal Japan, half-demon twin sisters Towa and Setsuna are separated by a forest fire. While looking for her younger sister, Towa is sent to modern day Japan by a mysterious tunnel. Now it’s ten years later and the tunnel has reopened. The sisters are able to reunite but Setsuna doesn’t remember her! The twins are joined by Moroha, the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome, on an adventure to understand their tragic past.
The Case Study of Vanitas
My Thoughts
The artwork and action is beautiful in this series! I was drawn into checking this one out by one of the titular characters being a person of color, (hello cosplay possibilities!). The story is an original one through the lore created but has familiar themes of vampirism and steampunk. Definitely more adult tones and jokes pervade the show. There are more questions than answers so far and I am looking to solve the mystery of Vanitas along with the protagonist!
Summary
An upbeat and trusting vampire befriends a human doctor who has inherited the famed book and name of Vanitas, the blue moon vampire of legend. They join forces to pursue a mysterious force who remains hidden in shadows.
©JustTalkingShep 2022
Just Talking Shep 