Takahashi Nanami is starting off at a new school and trying hard at making friends. At this school, Yano Motoharu is the most popular boy in school. Nanami is not even aware of Motoharu until one day when she calls the name of her friend incorrectly thanks to information Motoharu passed to her intentionally. After this, Nanami declares her anger for Motoharu when in fact, it is the start of a love story? Ah, Bokura ga Ita is a shoujo anime that, for many who have seen it, needs no words. Bokura ga Ita shows the complexities of the human psyche and how it interacts in every relationship regardless of its romantic nature. Nanami and Motoharu have a fragile relationship that has viewers on edge, gripping on for dear life to see what will exactly happen. Love is complex in nature and Bokura ga Ita does not hold back.

Gouda Takeo is not exactly popular with the ladies thanks to his bulky physique and gorilla-like appearance, but his heart is pure. Takeo has not given up on the idea of love even though every girl he likes is turned off by his appearance and more interested in his best friend and bishounen, Sunakawa Makoto. One day, Takeo falls for an adorable girl, Yamato Rinko, whom he saves from a pervert on the train. Believing Rinko to be interested in Makoto like the other women in his life, Takeo makes it his mission to help match Makoto and Rinko together. Ore Monogatari!! is a recent shoujo anime with a great blend of romance and comedy, but mainly comedy. While many may be entranced by the older Kaichou wa Maid-sama, Ore Monogatari!! is an anime that plays with many shoujo tropes with some very unorthodox shoujo characters! There’s a lot of humor, insecurity, and non-standard shoujo scenes that make Ore Monogatari!! a great shoujo anime to watch.

In middle school, Yoshioka Futaba was once the envy of all girls for her beauty and the object of male affection, but none of that mattered because Futaba only had eyes for Tanaka Kou. However, their friendship ended thanks to a misunderstanding and Kou’s disappearance. As a high school student, Futaba has gained attention for her messy appearance and boyish personality. Her life and plans take a turn when the boy who once meant so much reappears bearing the name of Mabuchi Kou. Only, his name is not the only thing to have changed since middle school. Ao Haru Ride takes a rather cliche shoujo plot and weaves into the story many complexities and twists that make the plot enjoyable for even the more discerning tastes. However, what makes Ao Haru Ride truly stand out are the diverse characters that help to make the anime as intricate as it is. As a school life drama and shoujo romance, there is a lot going on beneath the surface that only watching can help reveal.

Takamiya Naho is surprised one day when she receives a letter from her future self. The letter details everything that occurs on that day. Future Naho declares that she has a lot of regrets and wants to correct all of her mistakes, especially when it comes to the new student Kakeru. She reveals to the present day Naho that Kakeru is no longer alive in the future and she wants to do everything in her power to save him. As one of the most anticipated drama/shoujo series of the summer 2016 anime season, Orange has not disappointed! It is a great blend of drama, intrigue, and school life that really captures viewers. What do you do when your personal insecurities and fears get in the way of your desire to change and save a life? There’s a lot of inner turmoil that many viewers can truly relate to, but what do you have to do when you want to change something? Well, watch to see how Naho does it! But, do you think you can keep from crying?

Tsukushi Makino is just trying to power through the rest of her high school life. Unfortunately, she decides to stand up against the Flower Four, also known as the F4, the four boys with the boy's wealth and power at school. The boys declare war on her. Not one to tolerate bullying, Makino is ready to fight, but maybe the boys aren’t all bad. Hana Yori Dango was based on the best-selling shoujo manga of all time. It follows a story rife with complex human emotion, insecurity, and real drama, all of which that has made it such a commercial success that it has spawned several drama adaptations across Asia. The anime itself does a great job following the same course of events in the manga following the course of Makino’s life as she struggles with her emotions and situation. This is a shoujo love story that won’t soon be forgotten.

Yona is a spoiled princess who knows nothing outside her palace walls in the Kingdom of Kouka. Yona’s only concern is marrying her cousin and the love of her life, Su-won. However, one day, Su-won betrays the kingdom and the king is killed in cold blood forcing Yona to flee for her life with her bodyguard and childhood friend, Son Hak. Yona soon learns that maybe life in Kouka is not as peaceful and glorious as she once believed. Now, she will gather the four dragons to help her reclaim her kingdom and help the people of Kouka. Akatsuki no Yona is one of the most exciting shoujo anime in the recent years that has a great amount of adventure, comedy, and heart-wrenching romance. As a reverse harem, there is plenty to imagine, but each character’s relationship is so much deeper than any reverse harem will ever have. Yona’s connection with her friends and the four dragons has many intricacies that only make the plot to the anime so much deeper. Let’s not forget the unrest that is churning within the lands of Kouka.

Yuuki Miaka and Hongo Yui have their lives changed when they visit the National Library and are sucked into the world inside a strange book called “The Universe of the Four Gods.” Miaka turns out to be the priestess of Suzaku who must seek out the celestial warriors to summon Suzaku and bring peace to a kingdom rife with turmoil. However, Yui becomes the priestess of Seiryuu for the enemy nation. Yui is determined to prevent Miaka from winning, but what will become of their friendship? Fushigi Yuugi is one reverse harem shoujo anime that won’t soon be forgotten. With its cast of rather complicated characters, heartbreaking romances, and troubling friendships, Fushigi Yuugi is an anime that won’t soon bore you. At every turn, there is something new that really wrenches you back into the story. Combined with its fair share of action and adventure, this is a shoujo anime that truly belongs on our list.

Kurata Sana is in the sixth grade, but she lives her life in chaos at school because the boys rule the class and create disorder. While the rest of Sana’s life is blissful with her successful mother, her “pimp” Rei, and her popular TV show Kodomo no Omocha, Sana is not content to let Hayama Akito rule the class. Sana decides she’s going to attack back to regain her peaceful school life, but maybe it isn’t that simple. If you haven’t heard of Kodocha, then you are truly missing out. Kodocha may seem like an anime for children but with its complicated plot devices and deep character backgrounds, there is no doubt that this anime is meant for all ages. At first, Kodocha catches you with its fair amount of comedy, but as the story delves deeper, you will be caught off guard by how intricate each character is and what makes them tick. The characters may be just children, but they learn quite quickly that there is no room for being naive in this world.

Komatsu Nana falls in love easily and is constantly being left behind my a number of boyfriends who cannot stand her clingy and bothersome nature. Still, that doesn’t stop Nana from embarking on a journey to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend Endo Shouji, who seems different than the rest. Osaki Nana is starting a journey to Tokyo to pursue a singing career as a punk rock vocalist. Both Nanas happen to board the same train and sit together, setting off a chain of events which will result in a closer friendship than they had ever dreamt. Nana is a shoujo anime that catches many viewers off guard with the presence of drugs, sex, and complex relationships. The characters all have their own inner turmoil that drives a great amount of the plot, especially when it comes to both Nanas. Nana is an anime that seems to take every shoujo cliche and destroy it, disillusioning many shoujo fans who are used to cliche romance and happy endings. Then there is the friendship between both Nanas that shows just how fragile friendships and one’s mental wellbeing can be. Nana is an anime that shows that life can get real.

Tsukino Usagi is weak and a crybaby. She is constantly being berated for her bad test scores and clumsy nature. Usagi seems to be no one significant until one day, she stumbles across a cat named Luna who can talk. Luna bestows upon Usagi the power to become Sailor Moon, a moon warrior who has the power to fight against the forces of darkness and save the world! If you haven’t heard of Sailor Moon, you must be living under a rock because people from all over the world know of the moon warrior that is Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon presents viewers with a character who otherwise has no redeeming qualities, as we can sometimes relate to, and shows that she has the power to change the world. Using the power of friendship, love, and compassion, Usagi works hard to fight off the darkness that lies in many of our hearts. Let’s not forget that Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is rife with many social issues that some countries are just too sensitive to address in a time when everything was a social faux pas. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is a shoujo anime that is meant to make a statement about society, no matter what country you are in, and give viewers the confidence to make a difference. Is there any wonder why this anime has such a cult following?

In an era where pirates make a huge impact on both land and sea, Gol D. Roger was historically the most prominent “Pirate King” to sail the Grand Line in search of One Piece. Upon his capture and death by the World Government, his last words invoked a challenge to the next generation. Among the challengers, Monkey D. Luffy who unlike any typical pirate, quickly distinguished himself with the highest bounty to boot. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew, Nami, Brook, Franky, Robin, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper, with missions of their own, dream of sailing the Grand Line in search of riches, fame and glory. Their adventurous spirits take them on an incredible voyage, with countless twists and turns. Nico Robin, the of the crew, has a style that reflects her surroundings and personality. Overtime, Robin has opened up, personally and with the Straw Hats, branching out into various outfits that don’t neglect her body type and her best features. Unlike her fellow female Straw Hat, Nami, whose choices in outfits are more risqué, Robin is a bit more reserved, with lots of cover-up pieces, button-down shirts, her signature cowgirl hat and orange shades. A lot of the time, most of her color palette remains solid, but she does venture into some subtle patterns every now and then.

Fate/stay night is the sequel to Fate/Zero, which follows Shirou Emiya, an average boy whose world is quickly altered by the supernatural battle of Servants competing for the Holy Grail. This anime is set ten years after the fourth Holy Grail war with the main characters being the offspring of the participants. With some knowledge on how Servant and Master must collaborate to produce the greatest chance of winning the Grail, Shirou is conflicted with the way this process works. The anime highlights Shirou’s struggle to become a noble warrior like his servant needs him to be and like his father was before him, or to set out to win the Holy Grail by what his heart deems to be right. From a legacy of mages, Rin Tohsaka has an exaggerated sense of importance and strength, both at school and in her path to win the Holy Grail with her Servant, Archer. Both Rin and Archer share identical outfits with matching crosses and bold red colors. Even though Rin has compiled several different ensembles throughout the anime, e.g., skirts paired with thigh-high socks, Rin always completes her look with something red.

The anime Nana is the story of two women named Nana, both 20 years old, who move to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. Nana Komatsu, also the narrator of this anime, is an adventurous spirit, who moves to the big city to be closer to her boyfriend, Shoji. Nana Osaki is an aspiring musician in a punk band that is slowly making its way to the top. They coincidentally meet on a train one day, unexpectedly bond, and later; end up as roommates. Nana captures the lives of these two women, joined by their name, as they live out their lives beginning new adventures. Nana Komatsu is a hopeless romantic, whisked away with the thought of true love with Shoji. Nana Komatsu’s character is very sweet and kind and as she develops, she becomes more adaptive and knowledgeable with her environment. The anime spotlights on her style utilizing delicate pastels, light-tone colors and flowing fabrics to symbolize growth and development. Additionally, Nana Komatsu’s attire collectively is very cute and feminine.

The anime follows Light Yagami, who one day stumbles upon a Death Note, a notebook enhanced with magical, yet evil power. The notebook was dropped by a shinigami named Ryuk, a god of death from the nether realm, into the world of the living. The power of the Death Note is invoked once an individual’s name is written down on a page, sentencing them to death. Further, the Death Note can also entail specifics on time, date, and how the individual will meet their demise. As Light is an incredibly intelligent young man, he’s become complacent with his life. By using the Death Note, he has found a spark of excitement, condemning to death people he deems “bad”. Misa Amane’s role in Death Note is pretty significant because of her massive crush and loyalty to Light. Following the theme of the anime, which is pretty dark and mysterious, Misa’s personality contradicts this, as she is sweet, adorable, and very bubbly. Thus, dressing in a gothic lolita style, Misa’s outfits and personality matches this particular setting perfectly. Misa is frequently seen with dark colors, contrasting her super blonde hair, often tied in pigtails. Since she is short, she wears tall heels and platforms paired with short skirts or dresses to give the illusion of long legs. Lastly, she wears herself loud and proud; so don’t forget to work that confidence!

Lovely★Complex is a story about Risa Koizumi, who literally stands above the rest of her classmates, in that she is unusually taller than your average Japanese school girl. At her high school’s opening orientation, she faces an embarrassing situation in front of the whole school. From that moment, she meets Ootani Atsushi, a boy comparably shorter than she is. As Risa and Atsushi catch each other’s attention from the start, they despise one another. However, as time went on, Risa and Atsushi become great friends, building a strong and personal relationship that later grows into something more. Lovely★Complex is an incredibly touching anime, capturing the positive element of opposite attraction and the heart wrenching unpredictability of rejection. Aside from Risa’s school uniform, she has an assortment of outfits to choose from. Risa’s more popular choices include layers, frills and embellishments, and accessories, such as scarves and hats. Risa also chooses colors that pop and normally doesn’t match. It is a style of her own and suits her flawlessly.

Shugo Chara chronicles a fifth grade student named Amu Hinamori. Amu recently transferred to a new school where the other kids already believe she thinks she’s better than them…perhaps too cool for school? Lol. However, this is not the case and Amu is actually really shy. One night, as Amu contemplates how much easier it would be to become the girl everyone thinks she is, she makes a wish to become the “cool and spicy” girl. The next morning, Amu is presented with three eggs representing her special guardians. Through this anime, Amu and her guardians, who possess supernatural powers, protect and help Amu combat her “would be” self and the person she truly is, on top of the complex of other guardians residing at Seiyo Elementary. Amu’s outfits are definitely wearable in real life because they consist of simple and fun pieces that are age appropriate. Amu has a lot of patterns to include plaids, stripes, and tons of accessories. She is regularly seen with thigh-high socks, boots, and/or platform shoes. To compliment what she’s wearing, Amu does her hair in a variety of ways.

In a world filled with magic, Fairy Tail follows a young girl name Lucy Heartfilia. In this magical world, magical guilds are recognized and certain groups have gained admiration and status due to participation in various missions and jobs. Lucy’s magic encompasses the use of keys to summon celestial beings. What is entertaining about her ability is that whoever she summons is often unpredictable in nature; sometimes they’re sassy or are love-lusting over her. Lucy has her heart set on the notorious Fairy Tail guild. She luckily receives her chance when she encounters one of its members, Natsu, and is offered membership. Fairy Tail accounts the journeys of Lucy and her guild-mates on a myriad of adventures. From this point on, Lucy works her hardest to be the best mage in the Fairy Tail guild. Lucy Heartfilia’s range of outfits consists of many short skirts and dresses. She sometimes wears shorts or formal dresses, but a majority of her pieces are meant to maneuver easily in and also show off her form. In addition, Lucy also has her hair pulled from her face, using hair accessories to make her outfits more attractive. Although wearing a bra as a shirt isn’t a common look to play off, Lucy wears lots of cropped tops, which are considerably the new trend these days. Her cropped tops make the belt pouch she holds her keys in more noticeable.

Steins;Gate is an intriguing and intricate anime documenting a group of people who stumble upon a time machine. After tampering with this time machine, these characters must face the consequences and repercussions that follow the disturbance of temporal space. Moreover, these individuals must learn the seriousness of one small detail creating a huge impact in the future. In addition to the amazing artistry, Steins;Gate’s storyline is, to a great degree, very involving, with countless twists and climaxes. Beauty and brains, Kurisu Makise is an intelligent young woman who graduated university at the age of seventeen. She continued her studies on the brain’s memory retention, which received much acclaim in the scientific community. Her style reflects her level of intellect and sophistication; khaki blazer, red tie, collared shirt, dark bottoms, and black dress shoes. Whether gearing up for a job interview or a night out on the town, Kurisu’s style is without difficulty and can be easily reproduced.

Golden Time follows Tada Banri, who suffers from amnesia after an accident on a bridge. While in recovery, Tada decides he wants to attend college and commits to doing so. Once enrolled, Tada meets an array of people, including Linda, a girl he knew before the accident, Mitsuo, a boy he befriends at college orientation, and Kouko, another individual from Tada’s previous “life”, who later grows close to him, as friends and romantically. Golden Time recounts Tada’s experiences with the many people he meets, how his relationships will develop with them, and how he must juggle the resurfacing memories from his past with the life he’s built in the present. Kouko’s closet carries lots of feminine clothing, such as sweater dresses flowy dresses, form-fitting dresses, cut-out/cold shoulders tops, and lastly, lots of heels! Kouko’s fashion sense looks like she just came back from Paris Fashion Week, where she is the first to sample out the latest trends. With the extroverted personality to boot, Kouko works these outfits and makes them even more gorgeous.

Your Lie in April follows the life of Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy and notably known as the “human metronome”. After the death of his mother, who played a significant part in his piano career, Kousei begins to suffer from an ailment, rendering him unable to hear the sound of his music. Because of this condition, Kousei stops playing piano. Two years later, this changes when Kousei meets Kaori Miyazono, who is a lively and effervescent violinist. With Kaori’s help, Kousei rediscovers his true passion for piano playing and the feeling he gets from doing what he loves. The characters are really intense and animated, causing the viewer to want to root for the success of Kousei and Kaori. Kaori’s style is a personal favorite because it is very vibrant and youthful. In Kousei’s life, Kaori becomes this “breath of fresh air”, and we truly believe her personality and style does this as well. As April is one of the months that distinguished the spring season, much of her color scheme consist of pinks, light tan, white and baby blue. Coincidently, April marks the blossoming of sakura, a token Japanese flora, symbolizing spring, rebirth and renewal.

Feng Xiao Xiao is an orphan girl who is just your typical Chinese girl with an upbeat personality and a desire to make those around her happy. That all changes on her 20th birthday when her guardian, Li Chang, reveals to her that she is actually the reincarnation of Nuwa, a legendary Chinese deity who “created man from Earth” and “mended the heavens”. After Li Chang awakens the spirit of Nuwa within her, Xiao Xiao eventually learns to accept her fate: to assemble other deities as part of a team to look for lost souls and restore them back to Heaven. The unique thing about this Chinese anime is the merging of both ancient Chinese history with the present day. The background animation is very much in tune with modern China, such as the doorknobs on the doors or the special “checkbook” Li Chang possesses, yet the subject matter is based on actual deities from Ancient China. The humor is also a blend, as the 4th wall is broken multiple times in conjunction with typical jokes about indecent behavior seen in most Japanese anime. If you’re interested in seeing a humorous Chinese anime that has a modern tone to it, Nuwa Chengchang Riji would be a great one to start with, especially since it’s currently airing.

Jiang Haoyi is a 19 year old high school student who enjoys living a life of peace and solitude and dreams of keeping it that way for as long as possible. That all changes one day when Xia Zi Tong, a girl he’s never met, announces to him in front of his entire class that she is carrying his baby, resulting in many jealous peers threatening to beat him up. As Jiang Haoyi tries to figure out what’s going on, more girls step forward claiming that he is their one true lover, escalating to the point where Jiang Haoyi jumps off the roof of the school in order to escape his pursuers. This only leads to a mysterious girl stopping time and explaining to Jiang Haoyi that because he had eaten a special cake left on the roof the previous day, anyone else who had that cake would now consider him his lover… The Chinese take on the typical harem anime, Cupid’s Chocolates stands out from most in that it certainly keeps a fast pace in order to resolve the story in 15 episodes and develop Jiang Haoyi’s relationships with the 5 other female protagonists. The animation is pretty solid, and there are modern details tying in to Chinese schools today, such as the school’s layout as well as the cell phones and social media used. If harem anime is your focus, Cupid’s Chocolates is certainly worth your time.

12 years ago, a comet was falling towards the planet, bringing an unknown disaster. However, at the same time, a newborn boy by the name of Oriku was born, and was touched by this mysterious entity connected to said comet. In the present day, nobody seems to remember this event. However, the Reiken clan are looking for the most powerful people throughout Kyuushu to become sages, and they are in for a treat when Oriku decides to take their entrance examination. Not even he knows the special powers that he possesses… Sprit Blade Mountain is a classic coming of age story about a young boy who desires to learn martial arts and unique techniques from a beautiful older woman who develops a very close bond with said boy. However, some unique takes on the story include Oriku already being somewhat powerful in his own right at the very beginning in addition to the other characters possessing certain personalities not often seen in anime of this genre. Not to mention the tie-ins to Chinese culture as a whole. If you have a liking for Chinese culture as well as martial arts, then Spirit Blade Mountain may be your best bet.

Zhang Chulan is a normal college student until police inform him that someone has apparently dug up his grandfather’s grave. While walking through the graveyard, Chulan is assaulted by zombies, saved by a mysterious girl wielding a knife, receives some crucial advice from her, and watches her disappear. However, Chulan runs into the same girl once again at his university, leading him down a strange path that will result in encountering “Outsiders”, or people with extraordinary powers, as well as forcing him to truly learn his abilities… The unique aspect of this particular Chinese anime is how family oriented the main cast is, as there are a fair amount of characters related to either Chulan or Houhou. Apart from that, this is a pretty standard anime about random people with powers; nothing too deep or anything involving deep drama. If you’re looking for a standard adventure type of Chinese anime without anything too complex, then Hitorinoshita - The Outcast delivers.

Sword-Worshipping Manor houses the best sword-smiths in the world; unfortunately, the residents are viciously massacred due to suspicions of planning a rebellion against the government. Ngou Kuet, the master of the estate and the only survivor, vows to finish forging the "Kuet" Sword, a task passed down in his family for generations. However, this task has yet to be completed, and Ngou Kuet realizes that only by obtaining the blood of the Fire Kirin can he unleash the power of the sword… Storm Rider serves among the best anime films that China has to offer. With an extensive display of choreography in the fight scenes as well as compelling characters that drive the story forward, Storm Rider serves as a solid film in general. It helps that the main characters, referred to often as Wind and Cloud, relate to normal people in their downtime as opposed to being one dimensional in regards to their fighting. If you want to see the Chinese depiction of an anime action film, Storm Rider serves as the staple.

Xia Ling was a normal art student in her final year at university until a chance encounter results in her crossing dimensions. There she learns about Requiem Street, a dimension where humans and spirits co-exist due to humans not being pure enough to pass on to the spirit world. However, evil spirits are attracted to Requiem Street with the desire of destroying it, and Xia Ling, along with her new companions, soon finds herself in the middle of preventing this catastrophe… Requiem Street does a solid job in terms of breaking the mold from the standard anime story with its beginning. You have a female protagonist whose primary purpose is not to fall in love with the male protagonist, suspense in terms of not knowing who’s going to die next, and an overall creative sense of originality in regards to both the art style used as well as the setting. The show is still ongoing and has only begun rather recently, so if you’re looking for a Chinese anime that’s somewhat different from the typical Japanese anime, then Requiem Street would be the anime to check out.

Youka is a 13-year-old boy who begins to follow in his uncle’s steps of martial arts by studying the art of Zenshinkyou. However, after running away, Youka stumbles on a Forbidden Tomb where he finds a woman named Shouryuujo. Youka is eventually accepted by Shouryuujo to study the art of Koboha under her, thus beginning the adventure… A story full of both martial arts and love, The Legend of Condor Hero is an anime adaptation of the typical Chinese love story seen in Chinese culture. In addition, the anime’s real name is Return of the Condor Heroes (in order to dispel any confusion). It does have its flaws; the anime definitely suffers somewhat from repeated scenes over and over, and the design as well as the soundtrack leave something to be desired. That being said: if you are primarily interested in good storytelling as well as seeing a Chinese anime be more or less faithful to the classic Chinese love story it’s adapted from, then this anime can fulfill those desires.

Yuechu Bai is a poor kid who will try to save money as much as he can given the opportunity. When he learns of his family’s plans for him, Yuechu decides the best course of action to foil their plans is to find a bride. As if right on cue, Susu Tushan falls right through the roof, and it just so happens that she is a fox youkai, or matchmaker, tasked with aiding couples that pledged their love in front of a special tree to fall in love again in their next lives… The brilliant thing this anime achieves is slowly developing the feelings the multiple couples in the story have for each other, resulting in the viewer genuinely understanding and believing their love for each other. Throw in the unique aspect of fox spirit matchmakers carefully developing a couple’s love so that they will do it again in their next lives, and you have yourselves a well-developed romantic anime. If that’s the kind of anime that you’re into, then Fox Spirit Matchmaker will deliver and then some.

The Monkey King: a powerful figure said to be unmatched in combat. Legends say that when he broke some of the rules set by the all-powerful Gods, he was imprisoned in a cage under a mountain by the only powers able to control him. Darkness spreads across China in the absence of the Monkey King until a chance discovery by a young boy unlocks Sun Wukong from his cell… Without a doubt, the Legend of the Monkey King is (arguably) China’s biggest ancient story, as the tale itself was adapted by Akira Toriyama into Dragonball, one of Japan’s most famous manga as well as anime. Therefore the movie about the Monkey King himself is somewhat similar to Goku from Dragonball, as we are introduced to a character who possesses incredible powers yet has the temperament of a child with few things that can keep him in check. However, throughout the movie we eventually see Sun Wukong grow into the hero that China needs, and in the end defeat the evil once and for all. If you’re interested in watching China’s biggest legend adapted to an animated style, this is the move you should begin with.

Set during ancient China’s Qin Dynasty, an assassin’s attempt to save his homeland by killing the Emperor fails. As a result, the Emperor sends his troops to kill the assassin’s eight year old son; however, a swordsman is able to rescue the boy just in time. After their escape from the Emperor’s forces, they embark on a quest to change the empire’s future while meeting both friends and foes along the way. Without a doubt China’s most successful anime to date. Currently in its 5th season and still going strong, China has tapped into their ancient history for stories worthy of adapting, and they’ve done an excellent job in their adaptation as well as their development of their characters. Qin’s Moon also holds strong to its idea of chivalry and executes that idea very well. If you’re looking for a long running Chinese anime series with both humor, action, and well developed characters, then Qin’s Moon will be the top choice every time.