10 Great Anime For People Who Hate Anime

This number one entry is an underrated gem deserving of far more attention than it gets.

Given consists of twelve episodes and one hour-long movie. The story follows Mafuyu, an anxious high school student attempting to break out of his shell. He eventually meets fellow classmate Ritsuka and is invited to join his band.

There is much more to Given than that synopsis includes. But, to talk any further about the plot would be to dip into spoiler territory, and to spoil anything about this series would be a disservice. For some further information though, the anime does deal with mature themes such as depression, abuse, and even suicide. So, viewer discretion is advised.

While the description may sound like something more for suited live action than animation, this couldn't be any further from the truth. The aesthetics that can only come with anime, such as the lighting and intimate use of cinematography, lend weight to an already heavy story about love, loss, and finding peace in between. Given isn't just the best anime for people who hate anime, but one that confidently puts on display everything great that the medium can be. As an additional plus, it even has some major LGBTQ+ representation.

This one is definitely worth giving a try. Pun very much intended.