Shonen Jump Weekly turns 50 this year, and anime producer Shueisha surely knows how to celebrate the anniversary in a way that will most thrill the fans.
The company has created a new YouTube account where it is releasing highly popular anime titles, such as Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, Naruto, One Piece, and Slam Dunk, starting August 10, 2018.
Fans will be able to watch complete episodes of their favorite anime for free until March 31, 2019. More than 80 titles will be released over 6 months and made available to viewers in Japan only. Below are some of the officially announced titles.
Bleach
Saint Seiya: Knights of Zodiac
Dr. Slump
Kinnikuman
Fist of the North Star
Dragon Ball series
Ninku
Kochikame
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Bakuman
Recommended Series by JAPAN Forward
We understand how difficult it is to watch an anime title for the first time without any background information on the story line. We've made it easier for you with our list below!
1. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story
Himura Kenshin is a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration who, at the turning point of the war, simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era. There, he befriends a female Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler and a doctor, all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.
2. Naruto
Naruto closely follows the life of a boy who is feared and detested by the villagers of the hidden leaf village of Konoha. The distrust of the boy has little to do with the boy himself, but it’s what’s inside him that causes anxiety. Long before Naruto came to be, a Kyuubi (demon fox) with great fury and power waged war, taking many lives. A long battle ensued, until a man known as the Fourth Hokage, Yondaime - the strongest ninja in Konoha - fiercely fought the Kyuubi. The fight was soon won by Yondaime as he sealed the evil demon in a human body. Thus, the boy Naruto was born. As Naruto grows he decides to become the strongest ninja in Konoha in an effort to show everyone that he is not as they perceive him to be, but is a human being worthy of love and admiration. But the road to becoming Hokage, the title for the strongest ninja in Konoha, is a long and arduous one. It is a path filled with betrayal, pain, and loss. Yet, with hard work, Naruto may achieve Hokage.
3. Bleach
15-year-old Kurosaki Ichigo is not your everyday high school student. He has, from as far back as he can remember, always had the ability to see ghosts and spirits. A fateful day arrives as Ichigo encounters the shinigami Kuchiki Rukia, who saves him and his family from a Hollow at the cost of injuring herself. During this encounter, with Rukia unable to defeat the Hollow, she transfers her shinigami powers into Ichigo. In the aftermath, unable to continue with her job, Rukia allows Ichigo to take on the role of a shinigami in her place, as together they defeat the Hollows plaguing Ichigo's town.
4. Hikaru no Go
12 year old Shindo Hikaru is just your average 6th grader. One day, while searching through his grandfather's attic, he comes across an old Go board. Upon touching the Go board, Hikaru is possessed by the spirit of Fujiwara no Sai, and thereafter continues to be haunted by him. Sai was once a great Go player who committed suicide but continued to stay in the world as a spirit, desiring only to play Go once again. Finally bending to Sai's pleas, Hikaru allows Sai to play Go through himself, unknowingly attempting the first game with the young prodigy, Toya Akira. Time has finally started moving, as Sai's quest for the perfect game, "The Hand of God", is set underway.
5. Slam Dunk
Sakuragi Hanamichi is a junior high school punk, used to getting into fights and being rejected by girls. But, upon entering high school, he meets the girl of his dreams - Haruko Akagi. He will do anything in order to win her heart, including joining the school basketball team, led by Haruko’s brother, that is aiming to conquer the nation The problem is that Sakuragi has never played basketball before and a freshman sensation is stealing the spotlight - and Haruko's affection - from him.
Synopsis from anilinks
