With all that's going on these days, animated shows offer up a certain type of colorful, fantastical solace for all ages. Many of us are isolating on some level or in need of a mental/emotional/spiritual break, and the fantasy worlds of anime, cartoons, and illustrated media of the like, can transport you to completely different universes, even if just for 20 to 30 minute stretches.
Seeing how creators dream and draw up these worlds is pretty incredible, and oftentimes the great outdoors is a huge part of it-so what better way to unwind after the events of late than indulging in sprawling vistas of mountainsides, colorful renderings of campsites and cabins, or tagging along on various adventures with lovable characters?
If you’re just dipping your toes into the world of animated series, understand it is vast. As a casual viewer myself, I am only beginning to wrap my head around different classifications of styles and the history of it all. However, with Netflix’s noticeable increase in animated content (including the beloved, generation-defining Avatar the Last Airbender series), fandom conversations re-ignited by Megan Thee Stallion's public adoration of anime, celebrities continuing to lend their voices to characters and voice-acting's own recent confrontation with whitewashing, "cartoons" appear to be having a sort of renaissance (or at least more viewers). And just in time.
Below are four animated series and one manga for casual to hardcore fans to check out. We kept the selection light, fun, and relaxing, so you can bliss out, then get back to it.
