An Action-Anime Beginner's Guide

You may have watched a few minutes of it on Adult Swim. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of Toonami after school. Or maybe even your friends watch it. Either way, you've been exposed to it, and now you are intrigued. So what exactly is this phenomenon, and where can one get more? Look no further.

Common Traits

There are many different kinds of anime out there, just as there are several genres of movies and TV shows. However, action anime is a very special sub-genre, and probably the most popular. There are a few key things that they all share in common and help make them as virally addictive as they are:

Limitless growth potential of its main characters - Goku, Naruto, Ichigo... they all share one thing in common. They started out as characters with amazing potential, but with little to no talent at the beginning of a series. Throughout the course of the show, they will undergo extensive training and impossible battles that will cause them to surpass anyone else they come across.

Trademark attacks that are announced during battle - It sounds cheesy, but this is really an important feature in anime. Otherwise, how would you remember a move your favorite character does if they don't announce when they are about to do it? Besides, any DBZ fan will tell you that any chant of "Kamehameha" within an earshot will cause a sudden upsurge of excitement.

Foes become friends, and vice-versa - Nothing is more dramatic in a show then constantly shifting alliances. Vegeta, Sasuke, Hiei, and Renji have all opposed the main character at some point in the show, and it is almost always a climactic duel.

Characters can annihilate entire civilizations in mere seconds - Need I say more?

Main characters often receive grand entrances into fights at the expense of their comrades - A fun game to play during an anime series is to count how many times the supporting characters suffered an ass beating before someone else had to step in to finish the fight. Some may feel sorry for poor old Krillin, but it's worth it for a dramatic entrance or two...

Video game style tournaments - Video games based on anime are usually pretty bad, so why not put this one on one style of fighting right into the show? It's a great way to learn about minor characters and their abilities.

Getting pissed off will give you unheard of levels of strength - It doesn't matter how much blood you lost during the fight or how many kunai knives you get nailed with; if someone disses your mama during combat, you will come back and win.

Best of the Best

There have been a lot of great action anime titles throughout the years, but these are the ones you should definitely check out:

Dragonball Z - This series practically invented the action anime genre. It was also the first anime series I had ever watched, and although the plotlines are predictable and often overused, I enjoy it anyway. Highly recommended if only for the over-the-top battles.

Naruto - Often referred to as the new DBZ, only using ninjutsu instead of martial arts. If you watch the two and compare, you will definitely see the similarities. Still, it's a great series despite the often disruptive flashbacks and filler. Believe it!

Bleach - Tells a tale of Soul Reapers, whose duties consist of leading good souls to the afterlife, and purging those that that are led astray and become Hollows. It takes a little while for the series to pick up, but once it does, you can't stop watching!

Yu Yu Hakusho - Another series that deals heavily with the afterlife, only it involves demons and tournaments. I mean, c'mon... watching a show where God is a toddler, you can't go wrong.

Inuyasha - Although the conclusion leaves something to be desired, every episode does a good job of wrapping up quality action, emotional drama, and perverted monks into a neat little package. You can jump in at any point in the series and have a pretty solid idea of what's going on.

Worth Mentioning

Here's a few other series and movies that I found were great action titles (though they don't necessarily share some of the traits listed above):

Full Metal Alchemist
Rurouni Kenshin
One Piece
Spriggan
Trigun
Outlaw Star
Samurai Champloo