The 15 Best Anime For Beginners | ScreenRant

Despite the fact that anime is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, it can be incredibly difficult for potential fans of the genre to actually start watching. This is largely due to the fact that the most popular anime tend to be incredibly long, with some even being made up of over a thousand episodes.

RELATED:My Hero Academia: 5 Reasons Why The League Of Villains Is The Best Villain Group (& 5 Why It’s The Legion Of Doom)

Consequently, a good started anime should be relatively short (at least at the time of writing), allowing for potential fans to easily catch up with the plot without the daunting and fatiguing task of watching over a thousand episodes. This article will list 10 of the best anime for beginners.

Update June 3rd, 2020 by Louis Kemner: The world of manga and anime is bigger and better than ever, and over the course of the 2010s, the Western world has fully embraced this particular form of entertainment and all its quirks. With anime in the mainstream, more pop culture fans than ever are looking for entry-level series that are short, high quality, and easy to follow. With that in mind, let's list 15 more beginner-friendly animated series.

15 The Ancient Magus' Bride

This animated series takes place in a magical version of modern England, where Celtic and Scandanavian monsters and fairies live unseen in the wilds, far beyond human civilization. It's almost like a fairy tale out there.

Viewers can easily relate to the familiar critters of this series, from a church grim to dragons and the famed Titania and Oberon. That and the fascinating skull-headed Elias can make for a compelling watch, all in 24 episodes.

14 Cells At Work!

A few works of fiction have portrayed the inner workings of the human body in this fashion, and Cells at Work! does it in true anime style. The human body is a vast city of apartments, furnaces, and aqueducts, and hardworking cells keep it all running.

RELATED: 10 Must-Read Manga If You Love Black Butler

The animation is gorgeous, the cells are well-explained (this is an educational show), and the humor is spot-on. There are action scenes too, when white blood cells and killer T cells do battle with bacteria and viruses (and even cancer cells). This show is 12 episodes long, with a second season on the horizon.

13 Dr. Stone

Here is another educational animated series. Dr. Stone's first season is 24 episodes, and there is bound to be another season. The plot: a mysterious energy wave turned all people to stone, and 3,700 years later, the brilliant teenager Senku Ishigami awakens from his stony silence.

He's in a new Stone Age, and with the power of science and faith in the human race, he's going to rebuild everything, one rediscovered invention at a time. He's the kind of guy who can make functioning light bulbs in a 200,000 BC-style setting.

12 Plastic Memories

Fans of sci-fi and heartbreak alike may enjoy this series, which has elements of Blade Runner and The Fault in Our Stars (quite the combo). In this world, realistic androids are a reality, but they have limited life spans and must be manually retired (sometimes against their will).

Male lead Tsukasa Mizugaki is a newly hired robot retirer, and his companion is Isla, a robot who is on the verge of being retired herself. Tsukasa comes to love Isla with his very human heart... just in time for it to get broken.

11 Little Witch Academia

This anime may have been a significant influence on the later series My Hero Academia. In both series, a non-magical child is inspired by his/her hero, then enrolls at a magic school to emulate that hero.

RELATED: 10 Best Vampire Anime For Your WatchList

In this case, the heroine is Akko, who is dying to become a witch to help people and make them happy. Her magic powers are minimal, but she's trying, and she makes many lovely friends at witch school.

10 Parasyte The Maxim

Parasytethe Maxim may be one of the most underrated anime of the past decade. Based on a classic manga series from the 90s, Parasyte tells the story of a young man named Shinichi who wakes up to find that his right hand has been eaten and replaced with an alien parasite.

The alien, eventually called Migi, is part of an invading force that has been taking over various humans. Migi, however, was unable to take over Shinichi's brain and eventually forms a close bond with his host.

9 Yuri On Ice

Anime Yuri on Ice is one of the few examples of LGBT+ love stories in anime. The series follows the titular Yuri, a Japanese figure skater who is considering quitting the sport, eventually catches the eye of Victor Nikiforov, one of the world's most renowned figure skaters.

Victor becomes Yuri's coach as Yuri rediscovers his love for the sport and a charming love story begins to develop between the two characters.

8 Cowboy Bebop

Anime Cowboy Bebop is one of the most iconic and important anime of all time. Taking inspiration from western imagery and stories, Cowboy Bebop is essentially a Wild West story that is set in space and brings together a group of mismatched characters on adventures across space.

RELATED: 10 Hidden Details Everyone Missed In Cowboy Bebop

The series only lasted for one season and a movie but has remained popular in the years since its release. If you're thinking of starting to watch anime, this would be a fantastic jumping on point.

7 One Punch Man

Anime One Punch Man started as web manga that eventually took over the world after it was the subject of a massively successful anime adaptation, with the property even spawning its own video game. The series follows Saitama, a man who has trained his body to such an extent that he is able to defeat enemies with one punch.

The series is a satire of the hero and anime fighting genre and it truly is fantastic with its material. The series is also relatively short which makes it an easy series to catch up on.

6 Re: Zero Starting Life On Another World

Despite only receiving one season, at the time of writing, Re: Zero Starting Life on Another World is one of the most popular anime of the past few years, with the characters of Rem and Ram being particularly widespread across the anime merchandise.

The series follows Subaru, a young man who ends up being transported from the modern world into a fantasy world. In this world, Subaru learns that if he is killed, he resets to a 'checkpoint'; allowing him to alter his actions and try again.

5 Attack On Titan

Anime Attack On Titan is one of the most popular due to its incredible first season, with many referring to it as the Game of Thrones of anime due to its intense and graphic plot. The series is set in an apocalyptic future in which humanity hides behind a walled city in order to keep out the Titans, who are these giant creatures that feed on humans.

RELATED: Attack On Titan Season 1: 5 Best & 5 Worst Episodes

The series has some of the most compelling mysteries and intense anime action scenes of the past few years, meaning that it is certain to hook any new anime fans.

4 Death Note

As is the case with several anime titles on this list, Death Note is an iconic and highly influential series that is perfect for beginners due it compelling and closed story. Death Note follows Yagami Light, a high school student who discovers a Death Note at this school. This book gives Yagami the power to kill anyone whose name he writes in the book, with Yagami using his power to enact vigilante justice.

Yagami's actions eventually bring him into conflict with an eccentric detective known as L, leading to a compelling game of cat and mouse between the two characters.

3 Erased

In a similar vein to Parasyte, Erased is one of the most underrated anime of the past decade. The 12 episode series is a dark and intense story that follows a 27-year-old man called Satoru Fujinuma, who possesses the ability to 'rewind' to avoid a tragedy. However, after a murder in his present brings back forgotten memories of his childhood, Satoru rewinds to his childhood past.

The series is as intense as it is heartwarming, with Satoru having to use his knowledge of the future in order to solve the murder in the future and catch the killer.

2 My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is quickly becoming one of the most popular anime of the century. The series is set in a world in which superpowers, or quirks as the anime refers to them, are held by around 80% of the population, which eventually leads to a hero/ villain society.

The series follows a young man named Izuku Midoriya who is given the quirk of the legendary hero All Might and joins the most prestigious hero school in Japan, UA.

1 Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

In a similar vein to Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood is one of the most iconic and influential anime of the past few decades. The series follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse as they try to heal the damage inflicted on them both during an ill-fated ritual.

The series has some of the most intense action, compelling characters, and heartbreaking episodes in anime history, making it a perfect contender for someone's 'first anime'.

NEXT: 10 Classic Toonami Anime You Can Stream On Hulu Right Now

source https://screenrant.com/best-anime-for-beginners/

15 Disney Villains Reimagined As Heroes (Fan Art) | ScreenRant

Disney villains. They have no choice but to be what they are. They were written that way. But even villains want happy endings; in fact, most of the time, it's the reason for their actions. But instead of being noble and using honest means, they resort to cruel trickery and magic. Because why should someone else be happy while they suffer?

RELATED:The Official List Of Every Evil Disney Villain, Ranked

This list is a compilation of artists who have decided to show some compassion and have animated a different life for these wronged friends. A life where they are the heroes.

Updated June 3rd, 2020 by Meg Pelliccio: Whenever fans watch a film or read a story with a strong villain in it, they often can't help but ask the question at what point in that person's life did they become destined to be "the bad guy". Were they born that way, or did something happen to them that made them hate the world or the hero so much? If something about their past had been different, could they have been one of the good guys?

Disney is no stranger to gifting viewers with detailed, multi-layered villains, and if anything, it makes us wonder all the more how these characters became so jaded. Fortunately, with such a massive fan base there are talented artists on hand who have taken it upon themselves to re-envision some of the Disney villains as good guys.

15 Scar: Better Brother

Via: Diego32Tiger

Scar is one of the most iconic villains of the Disney universe, someone that fans love to hate and one of the villains who received one of the best songs in their film. We know that Scar longs to be king, so much so that he is willing to kill his brother and nephew for it. But what if once he had killed Mufasa he then realized his mistake?

The idea of instantly regretting his misdeed is a sad thought. If The Lion King had followed this route, to repent for his sins, Scar could have gone on to be a better uncle and helped Simba to become the king the pride needed.

14 Dr. Facilier: The Shadow Man Can

Via DrZime

Voodoo isn't necessarily bad magic, there are good practitioners of voodoo too, and what if Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog had been one of those? He could have used his talents and "friends on the other side" to help people rather than hurt them for this own gain.

This fan art image shows how he could have helped others, cleverly playing on his title of "The Shadow Man" and portraying him re-attaching Peter Pan's shadow to his soles. Both the shadow of Dr. Facilier and Peter Pan are shown to be self-aware in their respective films, so it's nice to see the shadows having their own interaction in this artwork too.

13 Frollo: The Father He Could Have Been

Via KelpGull

In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frollo is forced to raise Quasimodo as his own after the archdeacon infers he needs to repent for killing Quasimodo's mother. The original book by Victor Hugo actually tells it a little differently, with Frollo choosing to take the baby in. What if Disney had made Frollo more of a sympathetic character? Or what if he had been a better father to Quasimodo?

RELATED:The 10 Best Disney Villain Songs

After all, Quasimodo was obedient and loyal to Frollo despite Frollo being mean to him, until he met Esmerelda of course. Imagine what kind of relationship he and Frollo could have had if Frollo had reciprocated that love and respect?

12 Turbo: Lessons on the Track

Via Turbotastique

Wreck-it Ralph presented viewers with some rather deep themes in its film, questioning the concept of what makes people the "bad guy," judging others on their looks or status, breaking boundaries, and building bridges. One of the saddest things about the film is actually how similar Turbo and Vanellope are, both showing two very different roads that their character type could have taken.

Vanellope was so desperate to race that she practiced and fought hard to prove herself, only resorting to breaking and entering because she was not allowed in otherwise. Turbo, on the other hand, wanted to race so badly he lied to and manipulated everyone around him, eventually claiming something as his own when it wasn't. But imagine if the two characters had been able to share this bond, Turbo could have been the racing mentor that Vanellope always wanted.

11 Hans: The Happy Ending

When viewers first watched Frozen, it seemed like Hans and Anna were a match made in heaven. Spoiler alert: they weren't. But what if things had been different? What if, even though Hans began his little love affair as a ruse for his own selfish reasons, he eventually went on to realize that he was onto a good thing? What if he had actually fallen for Anna while deploying his deception?

Of course, it wouldn't be a happy ending for Kristoff, but it's kind of nice to imagine these two members of royalty actually getting together and joining two kingdoms.

10 Hades: Working Hero

Via: Ponce Industries 

Hades is shown in this fan art as loving. He's sassy, of course, but he's not the evil people claim he is. Hades is portrayed as someone who doesn't care so much about the family drama or want to be involved up top in Olympus.

He's perfectly happy doing his job and having a blast doing it. Hades gets the bad wrap because it's easy to put the blame on the guy who has to shepherd the dead.

9 Randall: Heroic In Redemption

Via: Yula568

Sometimes the most heroic thing a person can do is to admit they made a mistake. Heroes don't have to be all pomp and glory, capes, and big death-defying stunts. Anyone can be a hero. But Monsters, Inc. gave Randall the villainous role.

RELATED: Monsters Inc's 5 Funniest (And 5 Most Emotional) Moments

But Monsters University (2013) takes the audience way back to when Randall was just a nerd and roommates with Mike. Showing he's not randomly angry and competitive. He got lost, ignored, and mixed in with the wrong people. But this fan art gives him redemption.

8 Gaston: House Hero

Via: Coffee Vulture

Big, burly Gaston has turned around. He's no longer the man who grunts at women who read because they'll start getting ideas. Instead, he's the man who believes women can do what men can. He believes in the equality of men and women.

This fan art makes him a house hero, incorporating his song lyrics onto his apron. Gaston cleans, cooks, and reads with a smile on his face and no complaints.

7 Scar: Long Live The King

Via: Nighteba

There are a lot of fan art reimaginings that involve Scar being remorseful for what he has done to Mufasa, standing over his brother's body in tears. But this fan art gives a bit more spice to the original story, reimaging Mufasa as the villain. Now Scar is the one holding on for dear life.

RELATED: The Lion King: 15 Things You Never Knew About Scar

His fate is resting in the claws of his brother. No one likes to think of Mufasa being the big bad, his laugh and love for Simba are legendary. Why couldn't Scar and Mufasa just get along? That's another reimagining for sure.

6 Ursula: Loving Aunt

Via: Ravietta

In this fan art, Ursula has been reimagined as a loving aunt. The Deviant Artist used the scrapped Disney idea that Triton and Ursula were siblings as inspiration. It would have been nice to see Ursula with her power and strength being used for good.

To see her loving and soft side make an appearance. Many fans think she had it in her, using the proof that Ursula could have given Ariel any type of legs but kept her bargain pure and worthy.

5 Maleficent: Hero Who Loves Black

Via: Caskippe

Maleficent is the villain in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. She is fiery, clad in black and petty to the next level. This fan art shows Maleficent in a softer light, no longer as angular and sharp. She has big eyes and is wearing Aurora's blue dress but wondering if it comes in black. Just because she's a hero, it doesn't mean black is off the table. Style is her thing, after all.

4 The Evil Queen: Drop The "E" Word

Via: Precia-T

Who said two people can't both be beautiful? That magic mirror had it all wrong and is obviously the real villain. In this fan art, The Evil Queen, now just The Queen, and Snow White, are taking a leisurely stroll.

Things seem to be going well since the Queen still has her crown and there are no apples in sight. An evil step-mom? More like a loving and healthy mother-daughter relationship.

3 Mayor Bellwether: A Mother Is A Hero Like No Other

Via: Must Love Frogs

Mayor Bellwether is a mother in this Deviant Artist's fan art. Being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. To care for the life of another and make sure that they grow up happy and safe. Moms and dads are often compared to superheroes because they have to be in so many places at once.

RELATED: 10 Hidden Details in Zootopia You Probably Missed

Homework, cleaning, traveling, working, cooking. Bellwether is shown here advising her lamb not to eat the blue ones. In the movie Zootopia, the blue ones are also referred to as the Night Howlers and harm anyone who goes near them.

2 Step Family: Kind And Beautiful

Via: M-Mannering

This Deviant Artist has reimagined Cinderella's step-family to be kind and beautiful. There's no need for antagonists in the story when they could have been Cinderella's best friends and help her get everything she wanted.

If they were good people, they would have let her go to the ball; there just wouldn't have been any drama concerning the circumstances in which she went. No clock striking midnight or Fairy Godmother. No birds attacking or heels cut and bleeding.

1 Cruella: Animal Lover

Via: Precia-T

Cruella is rethinking her puppy coat in this fan art piece. She's having a lovely time playing with the Dalmations. She doesn't seem to have any devilish instinct or a skinning knife around. She's made her peace with Pongo and Perdita.

A true animal lover. And even though she lives for and worships furs, she might just be living for the faux fur life instead. After all, the environment needs protection.

Next: 10 Hilarious Disney Fan-Art Photos That Would Make Even Maleficent Laugh

source https://screenrant.com/disney-villains-reimagined-heroes-fan-art/

Star Wars Backs Up John Boyega’s Black Lives Matter Protest

Star Warsshares its support for actor John Boyega, following his speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in London. Boyega is well-known in theStar Wars world for his role as Finn, a former Stormtrooper turned hero. He starred in all three films of the sequel trilogy, ending with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. Though Finn is a fairly new character considering the length of the Skywalker saga, he's a favorite of many, especially for his relationship with Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron. Boyega isn't confirmed to appear in any more Star Wars films at this time, but it could certainly happen in the future.

Boyega made headlines on Wednesday for his participation in the protest. He gave an impressive speech about the death of George Floyd, also naming some of the countless other black people who were unjustly killed in recent years. At one point, Boyega made a reference to his work, saying "Look, I don't know if I'm gonna have a career after this, but f*** that." Almost immediately after his speech made its way online, several high-profile directors reassured Boyega they would be honored to work with him, including Jordan Peele, Cathy Yan, and Phil Lord.

Related: Rise of Skywalker's Finn Reveal Changes How The Force Works

Now, Boyega's Star Wars family has his back as well. Lucasfilm tweeted out a statement of support from the official Star Wars Twitter account, saying in part, "Lucasfilm stands with John Boyega and his message that, 'Now is the time. Black lives have always mattered. Black lives have always been important. Black lives have always meant something.'" The company ended the statement calling Boyega "our hero," and also included a link to his full speech. Boyega's Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill also voiced his admiration for the actor's activism, tweeting, "Never been more proud of you, John. Love, dad." Lastly, J.J. Abrams, who directed Boyega in both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker chimed in, revealing his "deep respect and love" for Boyega.

The show of support from Lucasfilm shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, considering parent company Disney just announced a $5 million pledge to the NAACP and other social justice organizations. Additionally, both Star Wars and Marvel Studios tweeted out their support of the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this week. However, it's wonderful to see the company, Hamill, and Abrams so enthusiastic in their support of Boyega. Though likely not the most important thing on his mind right now, the actor must be happy to know his Star Wars family is behind him.

A number of other Hollywood stars have already joined the Black Lives Matter protests in different parts of the country and world, and it seems likely more will take to the streets in the coming days. During such a pivotal time in our nation's history, it's nice to see prominent figures in the industry use their voices for good. Hopefully, others will follow Boyega - and Star Wars' - lead.

More: Finn Destroyed The First Order & The Empire In Rise Of Skywalker

Source: Star Wars, Mark Hamill, J.J. Abrams

source https://screenrant.com/star-wars-john-boyega-black-lives-matter-response/

Lady Bird

It strikes me as a funny coincidence that, after just having seen and reviewed LBJ, I should be watching and writing about…

source https://filmthreat.com/reviews/lady-bird/

First Blush

Pride month always brings in the most exciting films into the Film Threat office. They’re unlike the usual movies we get throughout […]

source https://filmthreat.com/reviews/first-blush/

90 Day Fiance: Kenneth is The Star The LGBTQ Community Wanted

90 Day Fiancé'sKenneth is the star the LGBTQ community wanted. Fans were introduced to the newest reality star and instantly fell in love with Kenneth.

Season 2 of90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way is coming and it's set to feature the franchise's first gay couple. The network just announced their new line up and fans cannot get enough. The 90 Day Fiancé franchise is one of the most popular cable network reality television shows on the air right now. Fans love watching the couples figure out their relationships in the short, 90-day time span given by the government. Many of the couples crash and burn with only a few succeeding in their quest for love. Fans have watched American’s be catfished, stood up and lied to, but it all makes for great TV.

Related: 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way Season 2: All about the Franchise's First Gay Couple

Last week, TLC released the premiere episode early. Fans instantly fell in love with Kenneth. He openly shared his story that from a young age he knew he was different. When he moved to Florida and stepped into his first gay night club, he knew he was home. Viewers were surprised to hear that the newest reality star had three children. He explained that back in the 1980s IVF was only allowed if you were married. Kindly, his good friend offered to marry him so he could have three children, twin daughters, and a son. He came across as a doting parent. He introduced them all to the cameras. Fans could see he radiated positivity.

Kenneth revealed he sold his house and moved into an apartment he shared with one of his daughters. He will be using the money from the sale of the house to help support himself, Armando, and his young daughter. Armando has had to also move from his hometown two hours away and will be looking for a job. Kenneth made it quite clear that he had no problem supporting his new family while Armando, who is the Mexican native, gets back on his feet. This struck a chord with viewers. They felt the American was nothing but genuine in his proclamation.

The LGBTQ community is hoping that Kenneth and Armando are a better representation of them since many feel that the first bi-sexual couple, Stephanie Matto and Erika Ownes, were such an anticlimax. Matto was repeatedly called out for her lying. Sleuths found out she had come out on her YouTube channel three years ago. Many did not believe she was even into Owens.

Next: 90 Day Fiancé: Big Ed Confronts Rose on Alleged Relationship With a Woman

90 Day Fiancé The Other Way airs Monday on TLC.

source https://screenrant.com/90-day-fiance-kenneth-lgbtq-first-gay-couple/

How Kylie Jenner Feels About Drake Referring to Her as a ‘Side Piece’

In Drake and Future’s unreleased song, Drake refers to Kylie Jenner as a "side piece." Kylie is often scrutinized in the media for her appearance and dating history, but such a harsh lyric could obviously tug at her heart strings.

The unreleased song was exposed in May when the track was playing on an Instagram Live video. The exact lyrics were "Yeah, I’m a hater to society/Real s**t, Kylie Jenner that’s a side piece/Yeah I got 20 motherf**kin’ Kylies. Kylie’s reaction has been tame so far and she claims not to care. Drake and Kylie have been seeing each other on occasion which makes Kylie’s response all the more interesting.

Related: Forbes' Proof That Kylie Jenner Not a Billionaire

According to Us Weekly, Drake immediately responded to the leaked track. The track was from the Drake/Future era. He claimed that the song was recorded several years ago and was played on the live video in error. The Grammy winner also said that the song was scrapped all those years ago and he'd hate to harm friendships he has with others. Of course, the friendship Drake is referring to is with Kylie.

Drake and Kylie linked in October 2019 after Kylie’s break up with Travis Scott, with whom Kylie shares a child with, Stormi. At first, it was assumed that Kylie and Drake were simply friends, but it appears that their relationship is more romantic in nature. In fact, they were at Drake’s Halloween party together and were seen being affectionate with one another. Drake also showed up to Kendall Jenner’s birthday party which was a surprise. The two celebs have been seeing each other occasionally because they live close to each other and Kylie is technically single. It’s evident that Drake has a thing for Kylie, and apparently always has, but their fling was deemedto be "nothing serious." 

Drake and Kylie have clearly been flirtatious and romantic with one another ever since Kylie's break up with Travis. As you can imagine, Kylie likely feels hurt by the fact that Drake once thought of and referred to her as a replaceable side piece. No one wants to feel that way, especially when it comes from someone that you might want to become involved with. It’ll be interesting to see what impact Drake’s leaked song has on their budding relationship.

Next: Drake Just Called KUWTK's Kylie Jenner His 'Side Piece' in New Song

Source: US Weekly

source https://screenrant.com/keeping-up-with-kardashians-kylie-drake-side-piece/