Today marks the tenth anniversary of Wit Studio, the anime production company who, with Attack on Titan, quickly established itself as a powerhouse in the anime industry. However, Wit’s great body of work extends beyond the walls of its anime adaptation of AoT. Wit’s also the driving force behind superb anime adaptations of lesser-known manga, alongside the studio’s unique anime-original series. If you were wanting to dive into Wit Studio’s catalogue of anime to celebrate the occasion, realistically you wouldn’t have enough time considering the studio has put out an impressive 68 shows within the decade of its existence. But fear not, I’ve cut down Wit Studio’s catalogue into a shortlist of ten anime you should watch.
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is arguably the anime that made Wit Studio a household name for anime fans, and for good reason. Unless you managed to duck nine years’ worth of online chatter from the anime community that would put Game of Thrones’ fandom to shame, chances are Attack on Titan has permeated into your circles in some shape or form, whether it be through cosplays, YouTube comedy skits, or by virtue of its banger opening theme song.
While the anime’s final season is being handled by the equally busy and god-like studio, MAPPA, it’s important to remember where Eren Yeager’s tumultuous journey of militant espionage, gore-filled battles against towering titans, and wonderfully animated 3D manoeuvre gear sakuga scenes (particularly in season 3) started. You can check out Attack on Titan on Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll.
After the Rain
Not all anime involve bombastic fight scenes and high-octane action. Sometimes love takes centre stage, just like it does in Wit Studio’s slice-of-life anime, After the Rain. After severely injuring her foot, former high school track star Akira Tachibana works part-time at a cafe. It’s there that she unexpectedly begins to fall for her kind, and noticeably older, manager, Masami Kondou. As the two grow closer, Akira finds the resolve to confess her feelings to Masami. If you want to know how that plays out, you can catch After The Rain on Amazon Prime Video.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
The Ancient Magus Bride is a slice-of-life fantasy anime that follows Chise Hatori, an orphaned high school girl who (bear with me here) auctions herself off to a place to stay in London. The person who ends up providing her lodging is a seven-foot-tall bloke with an animal skull for a head, named Elias Ainsworth. Turns out Elias is also a magus, basically an all-powerful sorcerer, whose goal is to free Chise from her life of abuse and neglect and take her on as his apprentice and bride. You can watch The Ancient Magus’ Bride on Crunchyroll.
Bubble
In this post-apocalyptic anime film, a cosmic explosion renders the city of Tokyo inhospitable thanks to gravity-defying bubbles. But in this chaos, Hibiki, a free running prodigy, participates in a series of Mirror’s Edge-esque parkour tournaments. After being rescued by a mysterious girl named Uta, Hibiki and his saviour form a close bond and uncover the mystery behind their bubble-infested world. You can watch Bubble on Netflix.
Great Pretender
Great Pretender is a mystery series that follows Makoto Edamura, a young pickpocket who suddenly finds himself among a troupe of international con men. Throughout the show, Edamura and company pull off increasingly elaborate and difficult heists around the globe. Great Pretender is a highly-stylised heist anime with the frenetic energy of the classic Lupin The Third and a cast of characters as cool as the Ocean’s films, while also featuring the unique story of how Makoto grows into his own in the crime-filled world he inhabits. It’s also got a kick-arse outro. You can watch Great Pretender on Netflix.
Ranking of Kings
The anime featuring the best boy of the year should need no introduction, but for those not familiar with Ranking of Kings, here’s the lowdown. Ranking of Kings follows Boji, a young deaf and mute princeling, who is usurped from the throne by his able-bodied older brother. But Boji doesn’t let this setback deter him. During his journey, the “useless prince” befriends many of his detractors while conquering his own fears in pursuit of becoming the greatest king in all the land. You can watch Ranking of Kings on Crunchyroll.
Vampire in the Garden
In Vampire in the Garden, humanity finds itself on the losing side of its war against vampires. Entrapped in this unending war are a young girl named Momo and a forlorn vampire queen named Fine who dream of a world without senseless bloodshed. After a chance encounter, the two embark on a perilous journey in search of a paradise where vampires and humans can coexist. You can watch Vampire in the Garden on Netflix.
Vinland Saga
Arguably my favourite series at the moment, Vinland Saga is a historical action and drama seinen anime that follows a young viking mercenary named Thorfinn. While battling in the war between the English and the Danes, Thorfinn battles to avenge his father, and to find the land of peace his father once coveted, called Vinland. If you’re a fan of The Northman, chances are you’ll like Vinland Saga. Don’t sleep on Thorfinn. You can check out Vinland Saga on Amazon Prime.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song is a sci-fi anime that takes place in the not-too-distant future of 2060, where humanity has replaced its working class with humanoid AI. The anime follows Vivy, a blue-haired idol AI whose goal is to reach people’s hearts with her voice. Unfortunately, her dream takes a back seat after an AI from 100 years in the future enlists her help to prevent a war between humanity and a slew of rogue AI. You can check out Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song on Funimation.
Spy x Family
Last, but certainly not least, we come to the action comedy series Spy x Family. If found families who kick arse are your thing, Spy x Family is your jam. Spy x Family follows Loid, a super spy tasked with preventing conflicts between nations from breaking out into an all-out war. In order to prevent this cataclysmic event, Loid must infiltrate a prestigious school and curry favour with a politician’s son. To do so, Loid assembles a fake family, who unbeknownst to him each have secrets of their own. Chief among them, his wife leads a double life as a deadly assassin, and his daughter has the ability to read minds.
While this show is the newest of Wit Studio’s lineup, it’s experienced a meteoric rise in popularity in the short amount of time it’s aired. Spy x Family was the top-selling manga in Japan in April, the top-rated anime on My Anime List, and the top streamed show on Japanese Netflix, beating out Stranger Things season 4 all while only having eight episodes out as of the time of publication. You can check out Spy x Family on Crunchyroll.
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