Some anime are written so well that just watching them once wouldn’t do justice to the show. Even if you know what happens in the plot, watching an anime with a new perspective will make you appreciate it in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Some of these anime leave great subtle hints to big reveals that would only be caught by someone who knows about the reveal. On the other hand, characters that appear to go through rapid development or sudden changes might not seem so abrupt, as the anime brilliantly changes the characters in ways that go unnoticed by first-time viewers.
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Attack On Titan
- Studio: WIT/Mappa.
- Genre: Dark Fantasy, Action, Post-apocalyptic.
Attack on Titan is the best example of an anime that only gets better every time you watch it. It’s about humanity’s survival against giant humanoid creatures called Titans. The way Attack on Titan’s author, Isayama, planned out the narrative from the start allows him to put in early details that you would only catch on your second watch.
Certain characters in the show, their mannerisms, expressions, and even conversations will all seem new to you. You will be surprised by the amount of foreshadowing and hints littered across the various seasons of Attack on Titan.
7
Vinland Saga
- Studio: WIT.
- Genre: Epic, Adventure, Historical.
Vinland Saga is based on the Viking period. Naturally, this anime’s main selling point is the action or brutal fight scenes, at least on the surface. Hidden behind all the blood and epic battles lies a beautiful story that teaches you valuable life lessons.
The characters in Vinland Saga are brilliantly written and go through incredible development. Once you catch up to the anime and finish season 2, you will appreciate season 1 and the start of the journey much more.
6
My Hero Academia
- Studio: Bones.
- Genre: Shonen, Superhero, Action, Fantasy.
My Hero Academia is set in a world where 80 percent of the world has some sort of special superpower called Quirks. These Quirks have allowed people to work as superheroes and fight against villains. While it may seem simple enough, My Hero Academia tackles some dark themes and issues that are otherwise overlooked in some anime.
Watching My Hero Academia from the very start will make you appreciate the things Deku had to go through to get to where he is. You will also notice the subtle character development that’s not very blatant or goes unnoticed.
5
Haikyu!!
- Studio: Production I.G.
- Genre: Comedy, Sports, Slice of Life.
Haikyu is one of the very few sports anime that gets much better on your second watch. It’s about a high-school volleyball club that wants to go to nationals before the third-year students graduate. The characters are all amazing, and the volleyball is accurate to real high-level volleyball.
The second time you watch Haikyu, you will notice Hinata and Kageyama slowly growing on each other and becoming real teammates. It’s hard to completely appreciate the character growth on your first watch because their attitude toward each other generally doesn’t change.
4
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
- Studio: White Fox.
- Genre: Isekai, Dark Fantasy, Adventure.
Re:Zero is one of the best Isekai anime out there, with the main protagonist written in a controversial but genius way. Every time Subaru dies, he spawns back to a certain point in time that is always changing. His goal is to save all his friends, no matter how many times he has to die.
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Subaru changes drastically as he despairs, making some viewers unable to reason with him. You will most likely end up changing your opinion on Subaru once you rewatch Re:Zero. Subaru’s development is certainly not subtle, but it’s so brilliantly done that it can sometimes be hard to understand.
3
Kaguya Sama: Love Is War
- Studio: A-1 Pictures.
- Genre: Funny, Romantic, Melodramatic.
Kaguya Sama is likely the best romance anime out there, with some of the deepest yet funniest characters. While it’s very goofy for the most part, it explores the struggles normal high-school students might go through. All the main characters are explored very well and go through realistic character development.
You will likely notice a difference in demeanor between Kaguya and Shirogane on your second watch. They gradually grow and start to fall deeper in love as the episodes and seasons go on. Watching all of this again will, of course, give you a new perspective but also make the whole show much funnier.
2
Naruto Shippuden
- Studio: Pierrot.
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Martial Arts.
Naruto wants to be Hokage, the leader of his village, in a world of politics, ninjas, and war. Naruto Shippuden might sound like a strange anime to watch again because of its length, but it’s worth it. If you were one of the many who watched Shippuden while it was airing, you likely had to sit through many fillers. Rewatching will allow you to skip fillers and appreciate Naruto Shippuden the way it was intended.
On top of that, you will see characters like Itachi Uchiha in a new light. You will understand the true mindset behind every single step he took before the big reveal. Naruto is great at foreshadowing and dropping terms early on in the series as well.
1
Hunter X Hunter
- Studio: Madhouse.
- Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Martial Arts.
Gon’s goal is to find his father and figure out why he left Gon to become a hunter. While Gon appears like a very innocent and sweet child, you soon realize he has a dark side. While this dark side only becomes obvious by the time the Chimera Ant arc comes around, very small hints are still showcased through Gon’s behavior.
These hints would be nearly impossible to catch the first time you watch the series. It’s fascinating to see Gon slowly making shocking decisions or having no reaction to something a young boy would be traumatized by.
