The Japanese people have always been excited for new customs and “exotic” cultures and have long accepted and assimilated the concept of Christmas, even if in Japan it is not considered as an official holiday (so much so that shops and offices remain open).
The Japanese love to walk along the festively lit streets, possibly in the company of their soul mate (in Japan Christmas Eve, like Valentine’s Day, is a holiday dedicated to lovers), maybe after eating fried chicken at the KFC or the “traditional” Christmas Cake whipped with cream.
And if you too, between a traditional dish and a slice of panettone, want to spend a half hour of relaxation based on Christmas souls, here are some small suggestions.
10. The Eccentric Family – (Uchouten Kazoku)
Set in Kyoto, the religious capital of Japan, Uchouten Kazoku is based entirely on Japanese folklore and examines an exceptional family, the Shimogamo. What’s unique about them? But of course, they’re a Yanuki family!
These particular individuals can turn into anything they want, whether it’s a man, a woman, or a tiger. Their task is to protect an ancient sanctuary, but the behavior of the children causes a lot of damage to the family. Another great anime series in various aspects such as for its originality, always interesting and with excellent character designs.
The main character will be the engine of the series, regularly looking for something interesting in order to not make his days boring and repetitive. Have fun following their bizarre adventures in a show that will not disappoint you and will make you passionate!
9. (Penguindrum) – Mawaru Penguindrum
The two Takakura brothers live in constant fear of losing their little sister, Himari, to a terrible illness. One day, their fears take shape and Himari collapses. Considered dead, the two brothers are desperate, however, thanks to a certain “survival strategy”, their destiny seems to take a drastic change of path…
Symbolic and intriguing, the plot of Mawaru Penguindrum conquers from the very first episodes with its fast-paced rhythm and its rich and varied cast of characters and… Penguins!
Penguindrum it’s not an easy anime to understand, mainly because of the strong symbolism and references. Penguindrum has a very delicate love and family story, rooted in desperation and loneliness, interweaving the destiny of all the characters in a single common path.
8. A Lull In The Sea – (Nagi no Asu kara)
In the beginning, humans lived on the seabed; however, some of them migrated to the mainland, and humanity split in two. A long time passed by before the two groups of peoples made peace and, in honor of this event, four students of the people of the ocean are sent to the mainland, so that they can continue their studies.
Set in a fantasy world, Nagi no Asukara tells the story of five boys, four of whom belong to the people of the ocean, whose lives are conditioned by the laws imposed on their “race.” A sentimental story, with complex themes that are handled within the right space, without overdoing or being too superficial.
The seabed is absolutely impressive, and also both the oceanic and winter backgrounds are attractive. Although the central theme is not Christmas itself, the concept of family is taken into consideration several times and, especially at Christmas, where is the most suitable topic.
7. Kids on the Slope – (Sakamichi no Apollon)
Love, friendship and music are the three main elements of this story. Kaoru, a rigid and seemingly inflexible high school student, moves to Nagasaki because of his father’s work. Here, he meets Ritsuko, a sweet girl with who he manages to befriend with, and Sentaro, a troublemaker who everyone considers a bully.
Thanks to them, Kaoru begins a new page in his life: his passion for jazz music! Exciting and well-structured, Sakamichi no Apollon does not betray the expectations given by the great name behind him, Watanabe, which we remember for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.
What is Christmas without music? Let yourself be involved by the pressing rhythm of the jam sessions of the protagonists of this exceptional soul!
6. Steins; Gate 0
The series related to the Steins;Gate 0 franchise have a strong connection with the flow of time. And it could not be otherwise, since they have as their narrative fulcrum the development, by some university students, of a kind of rudimentary time machine.
Steins;Gate 0, midquel of the original series made by White Fox studio directed by Kenichi Kawamura and aired between April and September this year, tells the events of the Beta Universe Line, the one in which Rintaro Okabe managed to save Mayuri Shiina but not his beloved Kurisu Makise.
The brokenhearted Okabe decides to abandon the experiments and the flow of time starts flowing again naturally. The tragic summer ends and Christmas finally arrives: so, to boost the morale of his beloved Okabe. Mayuri decides to organize a Christmas party with Ruka, Faris, Daru, Yuki, Kaede, Katsumi, to which will be added a shy Hayajo and a crazy Professor Leskinen.
During the third episode of the series, entitled The Protocol of the Dual Gospel, the leaden atmosphere of Steins;Gate 0 will seem to relax thanks to Daru’s double senses and the gags of Faris and Rukako. But the emotion is around the corner and the episode ends with a painful awareness by our hero Rintaro. A crucial and beautiful episode.
5. Ping Pong The Animation
Tsukimoto (Smile) and Hoshino (Peco) are childhood friends who have accumulated a passion for table tennis. Because of his arrogance, Peco begins to snub training and enters in a state where he can’t even have fun playing table tennis.
Smile, on the other hand, seeing his friend self-destruct, is completely estranged from his passion and loses interest, limiting his abilities in playing Ping Pong. Everything changes when Wenge, a Chinese boy moves to Japan…
This anime is a true masterpiece of animation. Great psychological pressure will envelop the viewer who will inevitably find himself having empathy for the characters who, with their backgrounds, will know how to move even the hardest hearts. A particular style has been adapted, with very raw scenes that fits perfectly to the dynamic direction of Yuasa who manages to make the most of it.
4. From The New World – (Shinsekai Yori)
The story is set a thousand years in the future. The world society, after having been devastated by a “human apocalypse”, finally begins to recover from the birth of a new type of man who, from birth, possesses psychic powers that are close to the divine power of a God.
Restrained by strict rules and at times cruel, the lives of Saki, Satoru, Maria, Mamoru and Shun continue with the shadow of fear. Caused by the world full of dreadful creatures, such as rat monsters or filthy cats, and both by men themselves who express their fear in the most terrible ways, even going as far as killing innocent children.
A tale not to be missed, dark, sometimes romantic. Even though Christmas has little to do with it, we must not stop at the pure meaning of this holiday. We must reflect, think about what we are, remember what we have done and what we could do. Shinsekai Yori is an excellent anime series and for this purpose, the vision of this anime is almost mandatory.
In the beginning, humans lived on the seabed; however, some of them migrated to the mainland, and humanity split in two. A long time passed by before the two groups of peoples made peace and, in honor of this event, four students of the people of the ocean are sent to the mainland, so that they can continue their studies.
Set in a fantasy world, Nagi no Asukara tells the story of five boys, four of whom belong to the people of the ocean, whose lives are conditioned by the laws imposed on their “race.” A sentimental story, with complex themes that are handled within the right space, without overdoing or being too superficial.
The seabed is absolutely impressive, and also both the oceanic and winter backgrounds are attractive. Although the central theme is not Christmas itself, the concept of family is taken into consideration several times and, especially at Christmas, where is the most suitable topic.
3. Wolf Children – (Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki)
A young mother finds herself having to raise her two children alone. This fact in itself may seem very common, the problem is that the two children are not normal, they are wolf children. The adventures of that small family, forced into exile from the city, will be able to touch the viewer’s soul with its sincerity and thanks to the pure representation of the family. This anime is must for all the anime fans as it is an unique and exciting show.
2. Mushi-Shi – (Mushishi)
Ginko is a mushishi, or more better he is a researcher of supernatural entities called “mushi.” The story revolves around this character and his work, which will lead him to a long journey through Japan in search of these beings, which, in turn, will allow him to meet different people.
The anime is very calm but at the same time is also fascinating. The atmosphere in each frame is a blaze of serenity and calm. However, this aspect does not detract from the quality of the work, which, although it is based on episodic episodes, manages to fascinate the viewer. The atmosphere is worthy to be watched during Christmas.
1.Tokyo Godfathers
On Christmas Eve, three homeless people find an abandoned child in a dumpster in Tokyo. These three wanderers will grab the viewers attention thanks also to their social status: a girl who has escaped from home, a middle-aged man addicted to his vices and a transvestite who, after leaving the place where he works, begins to wander the streets.
After a brief meeting, they decide to take care of the child and return him back to his mother, using the few clues they have. The trip will be a turning point for them, a real face to face with the past will show us how those three travelers will represent a better idea of a family than many others.
The anime deals with important and impactful themes and is perfectly in line with the values that Christmas tries to transmit to us: unconditional love, family and forgiveness.
