Almost every anime is set in high school. It's to the point that it seems like Japan thinks that everything passed high school is downhill and that those 3 years (one less than American high schools) are the greatest of your life. There are shows about a high school in the afterlife, ones where the school is entirely centered around fighting tournaments, one about a school to become a train conductor, and, of course, zombies. This doesn't mean that anime in a school setting can't be great. Some of the best animated works ever have been set in high school. However, the medium has so much more to offer. It can be cool, mature, or entertaining without ever taking place at a desk. Here are 5 that shed themselves of the trope.
Cowboy Bebop
Wildly considered to be the greatest anime ever created (that includes this author), Cowboy Bebop defines what anime can and is. Set in the year 2071, the show follows the lives of a bounty hunter crew traveling on the Bebop (their spaceship). Cowboy Bebop explores philosophical concepts including existentialism, existential ennui, and loneliness.
Don't let those serious sounding words scare you away. The show is damn fun with Spike Spiegel being one of the coolest and most intricate characters in anime — in fact, all of the characters are unique and amazingly memorable —, the dialogue is fast and witty, Yoko Kanno's soundtrack is electrifying, nostalgic, and has been deemed one of the greatest anime OSTs to date (seeing a theme yet?). The only people who don't like Cowboy Bebop are the ones who haven't watched Cowboy Bebop.
Watch all 26 episodes here.
A more recent entry, One Punch Man is about a man who can defeat his enemies in one punch — that's it. Wait, don't go away! While it may sound boring on paper — where is the tension if the fights end in one punch? — the show still manages to be epic. The enemies are bombastic and the characters are all unique with special powers that differentiate them not only from each other, but other anime. One Punch Man is also hilarious with the comedic timing of Saitama's (the main character) expressions and punches being perfect, making for fantastic moments.
Watch all 12 episodes here.
Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)
Something a lot lighter, Usagi Drop is an anime based on the manga of the same name where a man named Daikichi goes to his grandfather's funeral who has passed away, leaving his illegitimate child, Rin, an orphan. With nowhere to go for the girl, Daikichi takes her in, learning to become a father and responsible person in the process. It's a wonderfully sweet show that gets more heart-warming with each episode as the relationship between Rin and Daikichi grows.
However, after you finish the show, leave it there. Do not read the manga. Trust me, your heart will be wrenched out of you. The show's innocence becomes shattered and your views of these characters will never be the same. You have been warned.
Watch all 11 episodes here.
Barakamon
Similar to Usagi Drop, Barakamon is a story about finding yourself. A hot-shot — and hot-headed — calligraphy artist is sent to an island far from modern civilization after attacking a critic of his work. There he meets a cast of funny and charming characters who work together to change him for the better. It's a very endearing show that strikes many emotional cords as it goes along and by the end you feel like this village has changed not just the main character, but you as well. Barakamon is simplistic fun, a show for a breezy afternoon or when you feel yourself needing a trip to a far away village.
Watch all 12 episodes here.
Samurai Champloo
Considered the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop, as it was made by the same director, Samurai Champloo continues the tradition of cool, with hip-hop and samurais. You either just rolled your eyes or thought that sounded like the greatest thing ever. While the action and characters are both top-notch, the real star is the sense of nostalgia that pervades through the series. The themes of lose, loneliness, and moving passed past regrets are what push Champloo into the upper-echelon of animated works.
Watch all 26 episodes here.
