Anime series I never expected to like #1

I have been watching anime before I knew what anime was. As a child, I remember waking up early to watch Cardcaptor Sakura or sleeping late to watch Hell Girl. Only later in life was I introduced to this term 'anime' that basically gave a name to my favourite thing to watch. The one thing that hasn't changed as I transitioned through life is watching anime. True I have some periods where I haven't been keeping up with the anime community but I was still watching really old anime. Anime is a constant in my life to this day. I can't say much about the future but for now, yes I am an anime fan.

However, I am not extremely up-to-date with the anime community. I miss a lot of newly-released anime and would only watch them two months, three months or even a year after it was released. Some I only know from other people's recommendations while others I've been planning to watch but haven't had the chance to. Either way, I have lots to catch up with up to this date.

This post is (hopefully) one of the many things I would like to write about the anime series I've heard of or read the synopsis somewhere and never expect to like. Like any other person, I have my own preferences and there are things that just don't capture my fancy. I am planning to list out the anime series that I would have never thought I'd like. Because after a while of watching anything actually, I find that some things are not what they seem. You know, 'don't judge a book by its cover'.

For this post, I will be listing out the series that I have watched in 2018 (not according to when it was released) and found out that despite the impression I get from the first trailer/episode, I find really enjoyable. 

1. Idolish7 (アイドリッシュセブン) 

To be extremely honest, I wouldn't have expected to like this series. I'm not a big fan of shoujo series just because I've consumed a LOT of shoujo during my childhood. I'm not even joking. I'm not saying I hate shoujo now (although yes, I had gone through that phase of hating it for no reason but left that phase sooner than expected) but after a while, the story line seems so similar that I confuse one anime series to another. Again, I'm not saying all shoujo is predictable. But most shoujo series feels predictable. Especially the ones I know of. (Which gives me the idea that I should expand my library or look for better recommendations.)

Back to idolish7, it is a shoujo. It is very much shoujo despite the minimal romance going on. The plot is interesting although if I'm going to be picky, there are some plot holes that just makes me cringe. But I digress. The story is just fun for me to watch. 

Started airing in January 2018 and ended in May 2018, the plot is, at its core, about Nanase Riku (七瀬陸), who wants to be an idol to talk to his older twin, Kuujou Ten (九条天). Along with him, there are about 6 other guys who are pursuing the same career path for their own personal reasons. So the series revolves around the characters learning about the entertainment industry, the social aspect of being an idol and the conflicts that exists in that very competitive industry.

The story itself is quite simple with twists here and there but nothing too extraordinary. It's lighthearted most of the time. Other times, not so much. The thing that brought me in the most is the music. This anime is adapted from a mobile rhythm game of the same name (which I also play).

Maybe it says something about my music taste but the songs in the anime are fun to listen to. Within the series, there are two idol groups (four if we're following the game) which are Idolish7 and Trigger. Idolish7 have songs that are bubbly and a lot more upbeat whereas Trigger have a lot more darker sounding (I don't know music, I'm sorry! >_<) music. My favourite songs from the anime are 'Heavenly Visitor' which is the ending sequence by Trigger and MEMORiES MELODiES by Idolish7.

I'm not a fan of idol anime. In fact, Idolish7 is the first anime that I've watched to the end. I've tried watching the 'Love Live!' anime but couldn't get into it. I wanted to try watching Uta no Prince-Sama and B-project but the first episode was enough for me to stop. It's not the series. It's me. Maybe I'll try again some other time but for now, Idolish7 is my first idol anime.


2. Made in Abyss

This anime started airing 7 July 2017 and ended in 29 September 2017

My initial reaction to 'Made in Abyss' is that it's a cutesy, happy-go-lucky kind of anime. The character design gave me the impression that this would be a heart-warming, bubbly kind of story so I watched this with the idea of it being that. To an extent, it was adorable but as the story progresses, it's not all cute. It was beautiful at times, scary at others and dark at certain parts. It was not what I would've expected from it. The environment in the anime is breath-taking and downright gorgeous. Especially the abyss. For something so terrifying, it was incredibly beautiful. Reminds me of poems that talk of things of beauty being deadly. Or something like that.

I actually heard of this anime on Youtube and when I read the synopsis, it didn't strike me as something I would watch in one sitting. It felt like an anime series that I would watch once every few weeks instead of watching it continuously. I was dead wrong.

The story follows Rika, a young girl who has a passion for adventure and a desire to explore 'The Abyss'. 'The Abyss' is basically a place within a big hole in the town. There is a curse that falls upon the people who ends up in the abyss and the deeper you are, the closer you are to insanity or death. (So yes, it is definitely very different from what I thought it was.)

Rika wants to enter the abyss mainly because she believes that her mother is still alive in 'The Abyss' but also to explore the mystery the place is. Either way, she wants to go down there. She actually gets the chance to when she meets this boy called Reg that comes from 'The Abyss'. So, along with helping Riko, Reg also wishes to know who he is. The official synopsis can be read on Myanimelist but roughly, that's the synopsis.

Even from the first episode, there was something about the anime that intrigued me. It felt like a cute story but also not. As I entered episode 3 or 4 if I'm not mistaken, I was hooked and just had to watch till the end. I finished it in like a week or so. I was hooked, okay. Sincerely, Made in Abyss snuck up on me with its beauty but also with its dark undertones.

3. Boku no hero academia

I was late to this particular train, not going to lie. People had been talking about it for like a whole year and I only started watching it this year (2018). The main reason being I just didn't have the interest in it. It sounded like Naruto, Bleach or even Fairytail. Sure it had a different plot altogether but people with powers, fighting against the forces of evil. I immediately lumped it with the mainstream shonen series.

I can't actually remember my exact reasoning but one of the reasons was the idea that it would be the same. And even when I watched it, it sort of had the same feeling with the other shounen series. But I found it enjoyable. It's not a masterpiece or anything but it caught my interest. Seriously, it just became something I watch when I have dinner. I did get obsessed at some point (looking at how much merch I've bought of it) but it's not my favourite anime of 2018. I still liked it. Surprise!

I think everyone already knows this series but basically, the story is about Midoriya Izuku who is quirkless in a world where almost everyone has quirks. He wants to become a hero and when he meets All Might, the hero he looks up to, the Symbol of Peace, he gets that chance to be a hero. So the anime is basically about Izuku's journey in becoming the best hero.
To be honest, there's nothing I want to really say about this series other than I never expected to like it but I did. It's just something enjoyable.

I'll just slowly update this list as the year goes. But now, it's finals week so I'll just post 3 of the long list.