10 best anime you should be watching this Christmas
IMDbChristmas 2023 is around the corner, and here we’ve discussed 10 of the best anime you can watch over the holiday season.
The anime industry is massive, and it offers something for everyone. There are anime shows that are better watched alone, and there are the ones best enjoyed with family.
Similarly, there are several anime shows and movies that are a perfect watch for Christmas because of their vibrant and lively themes.
However, when there are a plethora of options, it gets difficult to pinpoint the best ones. Well, we are here to help you out.
10. Buddy Daddies
Buddy Daddies is one such anime series that comes with an incredibly satisfying opening episode. We see Kazuki gate crashing a Christmas party hosted by his target. He is dressed up as Santa, and that’s the day he comes across Miri, the cute little girl who becomes a significant part of his life.
Well, that’s not it; the series also ends with a Christmas episode, where Rei and Kazuki attend the Christmas Party at Miri’s school. Even though Buddy Daddies is not an anime that is precisely Christmas-themed, it has everything that makes it a great option that can be explored this holiday season.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
9. Tokyo Godfathers
IMDbWhen talking about the Christmas-centred anime, nothing matches the vibe of Tokyo Godfathers. The anime film starts on a Christmas night when three people with no fixed abode find an abandoned child on the streets. Along with her, they get a note and key hinting toward the identity of the infant’s parents. The three homeless people decide to look for the ones who left her behind.
Tokyo Godfathers was created by Satoshi Kon, whose works usually involve dark fantasy elements, but he hasn’t included any such aspect in this anime film – in fact, he chose to keep the story of Tokyo Godfathers grounded. However, you still can’t say the story is straightforward as it contains several mind-bending plot twists.
Where to watch: Prime Video
8. Laid Back Camp
IMDbLaid Back Camp is an anime that’s particularly relaxed and warm; what more do we expect from a Christmas anime?
Laid Back Camp revolves around a high-schooler, Rin Shima, who likes camping alone. However, one day, she comes across Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Aoi Inuyama, and Chiaki Ogaki, and together, they decide to travel and explore different spots in Japan.
The first season also features an episode titled Christmas Camp, so if you plan to chill with your friends this Christmas watching an anime, Laid Back Camp is waving at you.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
7. Itsudatte My Santa!
IMDbItsudatte My Santa! is an underrated anime that comes with a Christmas spirit. The anime follows a boy named Santa. His parents named him Santa as he was born on Christmas Eve, and that became a reason for him to hate the festival. One day, a girl named Mai comes into his life with a mission to make him love Christmas.
Itsudatte My Santa! is a 2-episodic OVA that may feel silly to you sometimes, but once you start enjoying the characters’ goofiness, you are all set to go. Moreover, excitingly, the first episode adapts the entire chapter of the manga, and the other one comes with a fresh story and new characters to add to the fun.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
6. Yuri on Ice
IMDbThis is a sports-themed anime that comes with a snowy setting and MAPPA’s animation. Despite not being a holiday series, Yuri on Ice will give you plenty of chilly vibes.
The anime follows a 23-year-old figure skater who decides to keep his career on hold after a devastating defeat in an International Figure Skating competition. However, one day, his talent catches the attention of his idol, who opts to train him and bring his career back on track.
If you are planning to binge-watch Yuri on Ice, grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate for a comfortably warm experience.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
5. Winter Sonata
IMDbThis is one of the most heart-melting romance-filled anime series on the list – because Christmas without a little bit of romance seems incomplete. Besides that, its wintery settings make it worth a watch this holiday season.
Adapted from the K-drama of the same name, Winter Sonata revolves around a girl named Yoo Jin, who marries her childhood friend after losing her love in an accident. However, her life changes when she encounters a boy who looks exactly like her lost love.
Where to watch: Prime Video
4. 5 Centimeters Per Second
IMDbThis is a romance-themed anime film for someone ready to shed some tears this winter season. Even though the story will make you emotional, it’ll also give you many reasons to smile.
5 Centimeters Per Second is a story about two people, Akari and Takaki, who try to maintain their relationship despite being far apart. The narrative sees the protagonists facing several challenges to keep their long-distance friendship alive, no matter how often they see each other.
Where to watch: Prime Video
3. Spirited Away
IMDbSpirited Away revolves around a 10-year-old girl who gets exposed to the world of deities and spirits while she travels with her parents to her new abode. Things go smoothly until her parents are turned into pigs while visiting an isolated amusement park.
The vibrant color palette of Spirited Away gives it a holiday vibe. Interestingly, it is one such anime that has brought immense success to Studio Ghibli’s doorway by becoming a global phenomenon.
Where to watch: Netflix
2. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
IMDbThe Dissapeance of Haruhi Suzumiya adapted the events from the fourth volume of the light novel series. It’s a sci-fi mystery film that has everything to keep you hooked on it with its twists and turns.
Haruhi Suzumiya is the film’s lead lady, who vanishes mysteriously a few days before the SOS Brigade’s Christmas party. Shockingly, her disappearance is only felt by Kyon, the only boy in the school who is interested in her. At the same time, everyone else starts forgetting about her and the group she formed.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
1. Love Hina Christmas Special: Silent Eve
IMDbThe plot of Love Hina revolves around Keitaro Urashima, who promises a girl named Naru that he will enroll in the University of Tokyo with her. After growing up, he forgets her name, so he decides to apply to the university to find the girl. Things never remain straightforward for Keitaro, as whenever his love story seemed to get a happy ending, something strange happened, drifting the love birds apart.
Love Hina Christmas Special: Silent Eve is worth giving a try if you do not want to miss the most heartwarming love confession this Christmas season.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
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