If you didn’t know, I am a huge nerd, and one of my many nerdy passions is anime. The artwork and care that goes into creating these series is astounding and the in depth plot lines leave for an amazing adventure. So this week I have decided to give you my top five (in no particular order) anime. Without further ado, here we go.

"Samurai Champloo" —

This is probably an extremely underrated anime (basically because it isn’t a well known one to the casual viewer). The basic premise is a young girl hires two samurai of very differing personalities to guide her to find “the man who smells of sunflowers.” The show is very action driven with each episode being heavily self-contained with the exception of a few. The main characters all have their own personalities that blend together well to create a dynamic that keeps the show fresh. Another great feature is that the show has a very nice hip hop soundtrack that plays in the background that fits in nicely with the art style. If you enjoy very easy to follow and nice laughs watch this anime.

"Fate/Stay" Series —

This is probably my favorite based solely on plot and action. This entry is broken down into the regular series and a prologue ("Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works" and "Fate/Zero" respectively). The basic plot is that seven mages are in a war (the fifth war to be exact) for the Holy Grail (it grants wishes, enough said). The mages can summon a warrior from time to help them claim the grail. It gets a little more complicated however watch it to find out more. The true calling card of this anime is the artwork. Each frame is a visual masterpiece and is probably among the best I have seen. I suggest you go watch this one, if not for anything else besides the visually stunning artwork.

"Baka and Test" —

The action is a little light in this one, however, the comedy keeps on coming. The basic plot is the main characters attend a school where their grades determine their rank. Better grades, better treatment. The fun of the series comes when the students challenge each other to fights (they have avatars that have stats based on their grades) for better equipment and to see who rules the school. This rumble in the classroom has a lot of comedic bits, whether it be the nerd arguments that turn into full on brawls or the impressive jokes at some characters expense. The real heart comes from the characters, each one is crafted with care and no one of them fits a usual archetype. This one will have you laughing from the first minute to the last.

"Full Metal Alchemist" —

This is a largely popular anime, and well it is interesting to say the very least. The show follows the Elrich brothers who are both gifted alchemists. They are on a journey in order to find a powerful artifact called the Philosophers Stone. They need it so they can repair their bodies because let’s just say they violated some big rules (they tried raising the dead). Their journey takes them far and wide as they discover a country wide conspiracy involving the Philosophers stone and some important people to them. The anime is detailed orientated and one that I am beyond excited to share with you.

"Soul Eater" —

This final entry is probably my favorite. This anime revolves around student teams who slay demons. In the pair, there is the leader (the meister) and the weapon (yes some students turn into actual weapons, it’s a little trippy). The teams go out and collect the souls of demons in order to help the grim reaper (who is the cheerful comic relief of the show) and have the world not fall into darkness and a bunch of other bad stuff. The show has a nice balance of humor and action with a nice touch of weirdness. The show is nice and a good warm up for any anime watchers just starting out.

The anime world lends itself to a lot of great shows, and the best thing you can do is find one you like.