Post-Halloween Spookies
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Halloween Isn't Over Yet!
Even though Halloween is done and Christmas music is slowly taking over the radio airwaves (wait, don't we have a couple more weeks before December 2019 kicks in?), the staff at Japan Deluxe Tours is keeping the spirit of the fall holidays alive before we take a few days off to enjoy Turkey day.
Splitting our list into the Spooky/Creepy, the light-hearted fun, and laugh out loud horror/comedy, here are five series worth checking out to keep the goosebumps on your arms and the chills down your neck. Not too many spoilers here, so hopefully you can find the perfect anime to keep you in the right mood over the coming Veteran's Day 3-Day Weekend holiday break. All of these anime's can be found on either Netflix or via Crunchyroll.
For the Spooky-Lovers: Devilman Crybaby, Shiki, & The Garden of Sinners
Kicking things off with our recommendations, our travel agents Yoshihiro and Taro both had a few recommendations for anime's that are spooky, horror-inducing, or just put some chill's down our spine. We tied on three, after including a recent favorite in the mix with a couple of cult-classics.
1) Devilman Crybaby - An updated retelling of the Original Devilman Manga, crybaby is filled with art and themes meant to give you chills and question what makes someone a devil or human. Is it the skin we wear or the way we act? Devilman Crybaby pays homage to the original anime while retaining the darker, adult themes loved in the original works. This Netflix favorite helped propel anime into the forefront of international appeal, showcasing Go Nagai's unique approach to the horror genre.
2) Shiki - Based on Ryu Fujisaki's manga of the same name, Shiki follows the Torishiki Family and Hospital dean Toshio Ozaki as bizarre death's begin to hit the rural town. Chills are bound to ensue as this horror vampire anime plays with heavy themes related to death and the human body.
3) The Garden of the Sinners - For those familiar with Devilman Crybaby or Shiki looking for a different spin and a female lead, the Garden of the Sinners is a cult-classic worth watching. Set in the same popular Nasu-verse
of the hit Fate/Stay series, horror-thriller fans looking for a supernatural twist are sure to have fun and goosebumps alike.
Image courtesy of Netflix.
Keep it Light: Little Witch Academia
If you like goblins and ghouls without the gore or the gruesome deaths, perhaps the friendly witches of Little Witch Academia
are more your speed. Following the adventures of ever optimistic Akko, Little Witch Academia is a fun cross between Hogwarts meets My Hero Academia in all the best ways.
Set in a world where magic exists, but isn't nearly as powerful as we'd expect, Akko is a young witch-in-training in love with all things magic. Blending the right levels of humor with some typical shonen/shojo tropes, Little Witch Academia is going to be a top ten family favorite for the travel specialists of Japan Deluxe Tours for years to come.
Photo from Netflix
Laugh Out Loud: Gintama
Unlike our agents Taro and Yoshihiro, not all of the travel specialists at Japan Deluxe Tours are as adamant horror fans. However, that hasn't stopped our agent Misaki from enjoying some great horror-spoof anime episodes. While Osomatsu-san's Saw Parody will continue to be legendary for this reporter, if you're a fan of popular anime and Japanese culture, the horror episodes of Gintama are the way to go.
For a standalone episode of fun, check out Gintama Episode: 282 (A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes Over and Over/Fenikkusu wa Nando mo Yomigaeru). Based around Hasegawa-san and the Yorozuya Crew, this episode pokes fun at popular horror-tropes and iconic horror-film villains.
If you've watched other anime before (especially Kuroko no Basuke or Doraemon), then the Patriot Reunion Arc featured in Gintama Episodes 271~272 is A MUST. Parodying elements from horror movies and the popular Japanese sports anime Kuroko no Basuke, Gintoki and the rest of the Joi Patriots are haunted by the spirit of Kurokono Tasuke (named after the iconic Kuroko no Basuke anime and featuring the same voice actor for Kuroko Testuya). Heavy laughter is bound to ensue, especially when Gintoki breaks down and starts singing the theme song from Doraemon.
We hope you enjoy these recommendations by the Japan specialists here at Japan Deluxe Tours. If you're over the Halloween spookiness and looking to get your Winter Holidays going, forget the anime and book a Winter Discovery tour with us this December or next January to see snow monkey during the gorgeous holiday season.
Photo from Crunchyroll