When first getting into anime, asking a veteran fan what to watch next is a dangerous game. If you’re lucky, they will consider your personal tastes and weigh them against what you’ve already watched. However, it’s more likely that you’ll get a list of niche titles that only appeal to seasoned otaku.
Film and television actor Jim Belushi learned this the hard way when he tasked Twitter with providing guidance after watching Makoto Shinkai’s 2016 award-winning film Your Name.
Any anime fans out there? I always loved Studio Ghibli after I worked with them – however I don’t know much else.
— Jim Belushi (@JimBelushi) December 28, 2020
But, I just saw “Your Name” and it blew me away. What is out there? C’mon, some of you guys have to be nerds. Fess up!
Most people are offering sensible answers like Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Akira, and A Silent Voice. Others are more daring and telling Belushi to watch Kill la Kill, Goblin Slayer, Rise of the Shield Hero, and Inuyasha.
Apocalypse Zero, Ninja, Scroll, Violence Jack, and Boku no Pico came up as joke answers. At least, I hope they’re jokes.
The most left-field suggestion was Please Twins!, a spin-off to the mostly forgotten Please Teacher!.
Fans weren’t the only ones playing along. Several anime companies threw their hats in the ring with titles from their respective catalogs. Funimation advocated for Death Parade and Toradora!. Right Stuf Anime pushed for Irresponsible Captain Tyler and Aria. Crunchyroll campaigned for Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!.
Belushi has yet to respond to any of these recommendations, but I imagine it’s because he’s too busy marathoning fansubs of Pretty Cure.
[Source: Jim Belushi’s Twitter]
