What Anime are Students here at Redwood Watching?

With the popularity of Anime rising in recent years to over 300 million people worldwide, that begs the question: what are students here at Redwood Watching? How does that love for Anime bring people closer? What are their show recommendations?

By: Jose Oyervidez

A very popular and well known Anime/card game is Pokemon, which is Nathan Chavez’s ’28 favorite Anime. Chavez ’28 said his first anime was Pokémon, saying, ” I was always on Nickelodeon,” which is where he found the show.

Chavez ’28, when asked if he had friends that enjoy some of the same shows, said, “We have similar experiences…kinda the same childhood with all the anime we watch.” From the show, Chavez ’28 said he picked up always staying humble, just like the main character Ash Ketchum does.

Annie Marmolejo ’27 said that currently her favorite anime was “Blue Lock,” a popular soccer anime, and her first anime was “Fairy Tail.” Marmolejo ’27 said, “I value myself as a good person and just treating people how they want to be treated” when asked if there are any values she got from watching anime.

Marmolejos ’27’s final anime recommendation was “Blue Lock…especially if you’re into soccer and anime”

Aleeah Panuco ’27, when asked what her all-time favorite show is, said “Attack on Titan,” which is about humanity trapped inside three giant concentric walls to protect themselves from giant, man-eating humanoid monsters known as titans. Panuco ’27 also said the show that got her into anime was “Soul Eater,” which is a dark fantasy anime about students at a special academy who train to turn living humans into ultimate grim reaper tools.

For those new to anime, Panuco ’27 recommends “Attack on Titan,” saying that anime, “Is something interesting about me, like I can talk and connect to people through it.”

Kara Sanchez ’27 said that her favorite anime was “Mob Psycho 100,” a show that follows an unassuming middle schooler with God-like psychic powers who tries to live a normal life by strictly suppressing his emotions. Sanchez ’27 said that through the common interest of anime, she has made lots of friends and connected with people more because of anime.

“K-On!” was Sanchez’s ’27 first anime, with the premise being four Japanese high school girls join their school’s light music club to prevent it from being disbanded, only to spend most of their time drinking tea, eating cake, and casually hanging out rather than practicing. For recommendations, Sanchez ’27 said, “I would recommend Mob Psycho; it’s a really good show..or I think cause a lot of people like it, Jujutsu Kaisen”

Jakob Salinas ’29’s first show that got him into anime was Jujutsu Kaisen, saying, “I watched it with my sister; it was really good,” which follows the main character Yuji Itadori, an athletic high school student who joins his school’s Occult Research Club, but he stumbles into a whole new world filled with curses and Jujutsu sorcerers.

Salinas ’29, when asked what his favorite anime is, said Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, also saying, “If I could marry it, I would.” Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is an ongoing manga and anime that follows the Joestar family lineage across eras and even universes, as they combat different supernatural forces.

“[Anime] really changed my perspective on life… You learn a lot of things from anime…it’s not weird to watch anime,” Salinas ’29 said.

For recommendations, Salinas ’29 recommended both Jujutsu Kaisen and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

In the words of Salinas ’29, “If you’re not watching anime, you’re missing out”

Tags: anime, Anime reccomendations, arts & entertainment, Jose Oyervidez, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, visalia ca