{"id":1114127,"date":"2026-01-30T01:57:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T01:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/?p=514961"},"modified":"2026-01-30T01:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T01:57:24","slug":"the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon\/","title":{"rendered":"The best anime to get to know Polygon"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon.jpg\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Polygon covers anime pretty consistently all year round, from our running list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/what-to-watch\/24074811\/best-anime-2024\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/what-to-watch\/24074811\/best-anime-2024\">the best shows of the year<\/a> to the minutiae of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/anime\/460535\/best-anime-openings-2024-credits-intros\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/anime\/460535\/best-anime-openings-2024-credits-intros\">year\u2019s best anime openings<\/a>. The reason is simple: We love the medium, and we earnestly want to share that love with our readers while putting a spotlight on our favorite creators and their work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">With that in mind, we\u2019ve put together a list of the best shows to get to know our respective anime tastes and where to watch. These aren\u2019t necessarily our \u201cfavorite\u201d anime per se, but rather the ones that have particularly moved us, inspired us, and exemplify the very best of what we look for in the medium and what it can offer. Feel free to chime in on the comments and share the anime that mean the most to you!<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: J.C.Staff\/Nozomi Entertainment\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Magical girl romance<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 39<strong><br \/>Where to stream:<\/strong> N\/A<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Long before I ever knew I was queer, the surreal toxic yuri masterpiece\u00a0<em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em>\u00a0just\u00a0<em>happened<\/em>\u00a0to be my favorite anime. I just thought it was neat!<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">I was introduced to\u00a0<em>Utena<\/em>\u00a0in college, when a show about youth anxieties blown out to operatic proportions would naturally hit hard. But what really seared it into my mind was the series\u2019 use of symbolism instead of direct visuals \u2014 its demand that I pay attention and infer rather than simply listen and watch. That, and how it was my first experience being a part of a group of anime fans, scheduling our\u00a0<em>Utena\u00a0<\/em>watch nights around one person\u2019s precious DVD set, shrieking over plot twists together. <em>\u2014Susana Polo<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Assassination Classroom<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Lerche\/Crunchyroll\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Sci-fi action<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 48<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Crunchyroll, Hulu<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><em>Assassination Classroom <\/em>was recommended by my friend and colleague Julia Lee, and it is now a piece of media that is very, very dear to me. It is the first anime series I watched from start to finish, it\u2019s the first that I got physical merch for (a Koro-sensei plush figure, naturally), and it hits all the notes I want from ridiculous fiction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">The show follows a superpowered yellow octopus man who destroys most of the moon and threatens to destroy the Earth next. But he makes an offer: Let him teach a class of junior high rejects in the ways of the world (and of murder), and if they can assassinate him before the year is up, the Earth won\u2019t be destroyed after all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">It\u2019s an outrageously silly setup that naturally lends itself to hijinks (I\u2019m a big fan of those, personally), but <em>Assassination Classroom <\/em>has more layers than you could anticipate, and they all line up with my personal interests. Packed with action? Check. Even more heart? Check. Bizarre humor? Absolutely. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/what-to-watch\/23298251\/best-baseball-movies-tv-episodes-to-watch-streaming\">Baseball episode<\/a>? You know it. \u2014<em>Pete Volk<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Cyberpunk procedural<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 52<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/watch.sling.com\/dashboard\/home\/1\/franchise\/bb7b4255b90bdf7ba67b78701260c1df\/browse\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/watch.sling.com\/dashboard\/home\/1\/franchise\/bb7b4255b90bdf7ba67b78701260c1df\/browse\">Sling TV<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">When I think about anime that\u2019ve had a profound impact on me, I think of <em>Ghost in the Shell<\/em>. I\u2019m literally looking up at <a href=\"https:\/\/krismiklos.com\/#\/ghost-in-the-shell\/\">a framed poster of Mamoru Oshii\u2019s 1995 feature film<\/a> above my desk while typing this. Both that film and Masamune Shirow\u2019s original manga have had a profound impact on my life, introducing me to the genre of cyberpunk and all the exciting stories it encompasses. But when I think of my personal favorite iteration of Ghost in the Shell, my immediate next thought is of <em>Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex<\/em> without hesitation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Set in a continuity separate from either Oshii\u2019s film or Shirow\u2019s manga, <em>Stand Alone Complex<\/em> was a sci-fi police procedural whose \u201cstand-alone\u201d episodes, more than decade after having first seen them on television, stand out as some of my favorite episodes of anime, full stop. I can\u2019t think of many other shows, much less animated ones, that pay homage to Jean-Luc Godard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ghostintheshell.fandom.com\/wiki\/A_Modest_Rebellion\"><em>Breathless<\/em><\/a>, Kathryn Bigelow\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ghostintheshell.fandom.com\/wiki\/A_Perfect_Day_for_a_Jungle_Cruise\"><em>Strange Days<\/em><\/a>, and Martin Scorsese\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ghostintheshell.fandom.com\/wiki\/Well-Fed_Me\"><em>Taxi Driver<\/em><\/a>, all while exploring a larger mystery inspired by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Glico_Morinaga_case\">one of the most notorious cold cases<\/a> in Japanese history. For all these reasons and more, it\u2019s an anime I frequently find myself returning to. <em>\u2014Toussaint Egan<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Akira<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-4.jpg\" alt=\"A black haired anime boy screaming as their arm is transformed into a blob of flesh and metal in Akira.\" title=\"A black haired anime boy screaming as their arm is transformed into a blob of flesh and metal in Akira.\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Crunchyroll\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Sci-fi<strong><br \/>Run time: <\/strong>2h 4m<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Crunchyroll<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><em>Akira<\/em>&nbsp;was my first theatrical anime experience, and the anime movie I\u2019ve&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.avclub.com\/akira-1798197120\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">written about most often<\/a>, and the only movie I have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Akira-Movie-Poster-24-x36\/dp\/B004BJ9FS4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a poster for on my walls<\/a>. But none of those are the real reason it&#8217;s the get-to-know-me anime.&nbsp;<em>Akira<\/em>&nbsp;pretty much defines my taste in cinema: It\u2019s a ridiculously ambitious project, beautifully animated and visually lush, and unquestionably the project of an idiosyncratic creator with a strong vision, trying to do too many things at once. It\u2019s a philosophical treatise about humanity, disguised as a thrillingly grim, dark, grimdark science fiction movie. It\u2019s easy to watch \u2014 the action is stellar and exciting \u2014 but it invites a lot of discussion, research, and thought if you really want to pin down what it\u2019s saying.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/AKIRAOriginalSoundtrack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Also, it has a killer soundtrack<\/a>, used perfectly. All of these things are core to what really excites and engages me in film and in animation. It&#8217;s essentially the Ultimate Tasha Movie. <em>\u2014Tasha Robinson<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">JoJo\u2019s Bizarre Adventure<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: David Production\/Viz Media\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Supernatural adventure<br \/><strong>Episode count:<\/strong> 152<br \/><strong>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix, Crunchyroll<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">I was hooked on\u00a0<em>JoJo\u2019s Bizarre Adventure<\/em>\u00a0immediately \u2014 it\u2019s a tribute to masculine power, high fashion, and being absolutely high on your own bullshit.\u00a0<em>JoJo<\/em>\u2019s plot is very difficult to explain, since there\u2019s a whole rotating array of JoJos, each descended from the Joestar family. Each JoJo is faced with impossible odds, and each one is both hugely resilient and capable of great heroism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">It\u2019s easy to imagine a compromised version of\u00a0<em>JoJo<\/em>, where Hirohiko Araki trimmed out some of the ridiculous plot elements like vampirism, corrupted stone masks, long monologues explaining each battle sequence, and the nefarious Dio. Instead, every story puts the pedal to the metal, pushing into new ridiculous realms and dizzying stakes. It\u2019s a great reminder to never be timid or restrain yourself when it comes to fiction, and it\u2019s a lesson I try to apply to my own creative projects. <em>\u2014Cass Marshall<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Aggretsuko<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Fanworks\/Netflix\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Comedy<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 51<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Have you ever had a moment at work, or picked up a phone call from a parent, and been overwhelmed by an all-consuming fury that could lead you to self-immolate in animated flames? Well, I have, and that&#8217;s why I think\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2018\/5\/8\/17321016\/aggretsuko-netflix-sanrio-anime\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2018\/5\/8\/17321016\/aggretsuko-netflix-sanrio-anime\">Aggretsuko<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>would be the perfect show to get to know me.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><em>Aggretsuko\u00a0<\/em>follows the story of Retsuko, the Sanrio character that looks like an anthropomorphized red panda. She is also a young woman who is learning to navigate her professional and personal life. As a 20- or 30-something, she has to deal with nagging parents, inconsiderate bosses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/23609184\/aggretsuko-season-5-review-haida-netflix\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/23609184\/aggretsuko-season-5-review-haida-netflix\">ratty love interests<\/a>. She tries her best to be agreeable and put on a good face and just take each challenge as it comes, but that only goes so far. To release her pent-up anger, she sings screamo metal alone in a personal karaoke room. Retsuko allows herself to fully, completely rage, and, well, I&#8217;d like to think that I can, too. <em>\u2014Ana Diaz<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Neon Genesis Evangelion<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Gainax\/Netflix\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Apocalyptic action<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 26<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">For some people, their first anime was\u00a0<em>Naruto<\/em>, or\u00a0<em>Ranma \u00bd<\/em>, or Dragon Ball, but mine\u2026 mine was getting thrown off the deep end into\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2019\/6\/19\/18683634\/neon-genesis-evangelion-hideaki-anno-depression-shinji-anime-characters-movies\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2019\/6\/19\/18683634\/neon-genesis-evangelion-hideaki-anno-depression-shinji-anime-characters-movies\">Neon Genesis Evangelion<\/a><\/em>. And no, not\u00a0<em>Evangelion<\/em>\u00a0the TV series \u2014 my first experience with watching the 60-minute clip show\/series summary\u00a0<em>Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death<\/em>\u00a0on my friend\u2019s PC monitor while he filled in the missing plot points and emotional beats, circa 1998.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">The fact that I continued to watch and enjoy both&nbsp;<em>Evangelion<\/em>&nbsp;and other anime after that baffling afternoon says more about me than any other experience I\u2019ve had with the medium. <em>\u2014SP<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">The Monogatari series<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Paranormal mystery<strong><br \/>Episode count: <\/strong>100<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Crunchyroll, Prime Video<\/p>\n<p>I first watched\u00a0<em>Bakemonogatari<\/em>\u00a0after watching an AMV for it set to Katy Perry\u2019s \u201cE.T.\u201d over 10 years ago (lol). The animation in the video was just so next-level that I knew I had to watch the show. I\u2019ve kept up with the series since, and Shaft (the animation studio) never disappoints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">The fight scenes are gorgeous, the soundtrack is great, and the characters are compelling. While some parts of the series are unsavory to say the least, it still remains my favorite of all time. Each arc is so exciting to watch, and whenever there\u2019s a twist, it takes me by surprise every time. I\u2019ll never forget the feeling of shock and dread that poured over me during the\u00a0Sodachi Lost\u00a0arc of\u00a0<em>Owarimonogatari.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Admittedly, I was worried that listing this anime would get me labeled as a weird gooner, and I just decided that I don\u2019t care. It\u2019s that good! <em>\u2014Julia Lee<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Wakakozake<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-9.jpg\" alt=\"Wakako, a blonde anime girl, looks upon plates of yakitori with a goofy, wide-eyed expression on her face\" title=\"Wakako, a blonde anime girl, looks upon plates of yakitori with a goofy, wide-eyed expression on her face\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Office DCI\/Crunchyroll\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Slice-of-life food<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 12<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Crunchyroll<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">I\u2019ve watched and loved a variety of food-centric anime \u2014&nbsp;<em>Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Delicious in Dungeon<\/em>&nbsp;\u2014 but 2015\u2019s&nbsp;<em>Wakakozake<\/em>&nbsp;is a particularly special one to me. Its bite-sized (ha) two-minute episodes about a 20-something office lady going out in search of good food and a good drink speak to me more and more the older I get.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Wakako often goes out alone after a long day at work and finds joy in the little things: a bite of salted salmon skin, the first sip of a cold beer. She loves when her drink perfectly complements her meal. And most importantly to me, she\u2019s happy, and unafraid, to be by herself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">This isn\u2019t a slice-of-life series with a strong narrative thrust centered on character relationships. It\u2019s about one woman and her relationship to herself and the things she enjoys. There\u2019s a quiet lesson in that, and it\u2019s one I will keep returning to, even 10 years on, until I\u2019ve really learned it. \u2014<em>Kallie Plagge<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Delicious in Dungeon<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Fantasy comedy<strong><br \/>Episode count:<\/strong> 24<strong><br \/>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/24025746\/delicious-in-dungeon-netflix-finally-some-good-food\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/24025746\/delicious-in-dungeon-netflix-finally-some-good-food\">Delicious in Dungeon<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;has its fair share of fantasy adventure: fighting beasts, dark magic rituals, and creeping past deadly traps. The heart of the show lies in the moments between battle, when the team bonds over a hearty dish cooked up from whatever creature they last defeated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">There are two wolves inside of me, and both of them can be found in&nbsp;<em>Delicious in Dungeon<\/em>. Laios, the dutiful older brother, has an impulsive streak and hyperfixation on monsters. Marcille is much more cautious, and fairly squeamish about all of these new dishes she samples. I\u2019m intrigued by the larger meta-mysteries of the setting and the quest to save Falin, but I\u2019m at my happiest watching Laios and Marcille bounce off the other party members. Sometimes, the conversation around a hot meal can be the most relatable part of a show. <em>\u2014CM<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Carole &amp; Tuesday<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-11.jpg\" alt=\"Two girls running side by side and smiling in Carole and Tuesday.\" title=\"Two girls running side by side and smiling in Carole and Tuesday.\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"Image: Bones\/Netflix\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Sci-fi musical<br \/><strong>Episode count:<\/strong> 24<br \/><strong>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n<p>I love animation as a medium because it allows for fantastical stories that can\u2019t possibly be done in live action.<br \/>But at the same time, it was slice-of-life stories that made me fall in love with anime. I love using animation to elevate what we might take for granted,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/articles\/why-power-lines-anime-electrical-infrastructure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">be it power lines<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/animation-cartoons\/2020\/5\/28\/21273717\/take-me-home-country-roads-song-movies-studio-ghibli-whisper-of-the-heart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Denver\u2019s \u201cTake Me Home, Country Roads,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0or rain on a sidewalk. So, it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2019\/7\/8\/20686021\/carole-and-tuesday-netflix-release-date-shinichiro-watanabe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Carole &amp; Tuesday<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>that really exemplifies my taste in anime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">From Shinichir\u014d Watanabe, creator of\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/22723178\/cowboy-bebop-anime-best-episodes-to-watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cowboy Bebop<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em>Samurai Champloo<\/em>,\u00a0<em>Carole &amp; Tuesday\u00a0<\/em>is about two lonely girls creating music together and forging a deep and powerful friendship. It also takes place on Mars, in a futuristic society rife with capitalist oppression. But there\u2019s still touchpoints like cafes and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JVU2rodJoVI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">laundromats<\/a>, even amid the high-tech mansions and decadent reality TV show performances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><em>Carole &amp; Tuesday<\/em>&nbsp;tackles what it means to be an artist and how art can be a powerful tool in the face of oppression. But most importantly, it focuses on the friendship between Carole and Tuesday and the small moments that shape them. <em>\u2014Petrana Radulovic<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-none\">Dorohedoro<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" data-caption=\"\" data-portal-copyright=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Dark fantasy<br \/><strong>Episode count:<\/strong> 12<br \/><strong>Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">Before\u00a0<em>Dorohedoro<\/em>, a grungy fantasy hangout action comedy with Clive Barker vibes that\u2019s as difficult to describe as it is easy to recommend, it had been years since I\u2019d followed a currently airing anime series. I mean, not since I was catching 4Kids-bowdlerized\u00a0<em>Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>\u00a0episodes on Saturday mornings. <em>Years<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-none\">What was it about this show where all the characters wear elaborate masks, struggle to make it through their shitty day jobs in a highly stratified society, and navigate a world filled with harmful miasma that hit home when it premiered in 2020? We may never know. But it\u2019s become my number one like-minded-weirdo detector: If I find out you like it, we are instant friends. <em>\u2014SP<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/anime\/514961\/polygon-staff-favorite-anime-best-watch-streaming\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Polygon covers anime pretty consistently all year round, from our running list of the best shows of the year to the minutiae of the year\u2019s best anime openings. The reason is simple: We love the medium, and we earnestly want to share that love with our readers while putting a spotlight on our favorite creators and their work. With that in mind, we\u2019ve put together a list of the best shows to get to know our respective anime tastes and where to watch. These aren\u2019t necessarily our \u201cfavorite\u201d anime per se, but rather the ones that have particularly moved us, inspired us, and exemplify the very best of what we look for in the medium and what it can offer. Feel free to chime in&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"excerpt-more\"><a class=\"blog-excerpt button\" href=\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/the-best-anime-to-get-to-know-polygon\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1114128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1114127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-polygon"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The best anime to get to know Polygon | Arcader News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Polygon covers anime pretty consistently all year round, from our running list of the best shows of the year to the minutiae of the year\u2019s best anime\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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