An Action-Anime Beginner's Guide

You may have watched a few minutes of it on Adult Swim. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of Toonami after school. Or maybe even your friends watch it. Either way, you've been exposed to it, and now you are intrigued. So what exactly is this phenomenon, and where can one get more? Look no further.

Common Traits

There are many different kinds of anime out there, just as there are several genres of movies and TV shows. However, action anime is a very special sub-genre, and probably the most popular. There are a few key things that they all share in common and help make them as virally addictive as they are:

Limitless growth potential of its main characters - Goku, Naruto, Ichigo... they all share one thing in common. They started out as characters with amazing potential, but with little to no talent at the beginning of a series. Throughout the course of the show, they will undergo extensive training and impossible battles that will cause them to surpass anyone else they come across.

Trademark attacks that are announced during battle - It sounds cheesy, but this is really an important feature in anime. Otherwise, how would you remember a move your favorite character does if they don't announce when they are about to do it? Besides, any DBZ fan will tell you that any chant of "Kamehameha" within an earshot will cause a sudden upsurge of excitement.

Foes become friends, and vice-versa - Nothing is more dramatic in a show then constantly shifting alliances. Vegeta, Sasuke, Hiei, and Renji have all opposed the main character at some point in the show, and it is almost always a climactic duel.

Characters can annihilate entire civilizations in mere seconds - Need I say more?

Main characters often receive grand entrances into fights at the expense of their comrades - A fun game to play during an anime series is to count how many times the supporting characters suffered an ass beating before someone else had to step in to finish the fight. Some may feel sorry for poor old Krillin, but it's worth it for a dramatic entrance or two...