It’s a great time to be an anime fan these days, and there are some classics that you can go back and check them out completely for free right now. Anime has grown in popularity a great deal in the last decade, and it has resulted in a much wider range of access to shows than ever before. This not only includes many new anime releases that come out every few months, but also many of the classic shows that all anime fans need to see at least once. Now there are several of these classics that are available totally for free.
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Thanks to how widespread and popular anime releases have gotten these days, even the much older shows are in demand from those jumping into the world of anime. Thankfully, there are seven classic anime that you can go and stream right now with platforms such as Tubi and Pluto TV completely for free. These are classic shows any fan should any to their catalog, and would make for a perfect fit for the schedule. Read on for our picks.
7). Death Note (Tubi, Pluto)
Death Note is kind of just one of those shows that all anime fans are recommended at some point. It’s no mystery as to why as it’s a self-contained story within 26 episodes, and thus you can get through it all in a single weekend and feel complete. It’s a story with an anti-hero as its protagonist that starts out with a goal to cleanse the world, and ultimately commits tons of evil deeds in order to get there. A crime thriller where the villain is trying to escape the suspicions of the hero, and the role of who’s who switches back and forth at every opportunity. It’s a great watch, and definitely one you need to watch for free.
6). Samurai Troopers (Tubi, Pluto)
Samurai Troopers has made a massive comeback after 40 years with the premiere of a new sequel anime, and it has revealed just how closely it’s following the events of the original. This means there is a better opportunity than ever to go back and check out the original series. Ronin Warriors (as it was released in English territories) was an action packed series with colorful heroes fighting back against demons, and it was always ahead of the curve in terms of what it had on offer.
That’s even truer now that the sequel seems perfectly fitting into the modern times, and now you can look back and see how well the old one holds up too. Especially with a lot of episodes on offer.
5). Transformers Armada (Tubi, Pluto)
Transformers has a rather unique connection to anime is that’s how it ultimately became an animated series in the first place, but Transformers Armada was the first one to make it to the United States as a truly “anime” version of Hasbro’s action franchise. It was the first co-production between Hasbro and Takara Tomy, and introduced an entire new canon for the series.
That makes it the perfect first Transformers series that fans can jump into without needing to have previous knowledge, and more importantly, it looked fantastic. It had fully animated transformation sequences, and a sprawling story between the Autobots and Decepticons that Transformers fans now full well to this day.
4). Sailor Moon (Tubi, Pluto)
Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon is another one of those franchises that anime fans are likely going to recommend first. It’s no secret as to why as it has a massive appeal across many ages and demographics. The series follows a group of young superheroes who get magical abilities, and their transformations allow them to armor up against the forces of evil.
It’s such a fun series for fans of all kinds, and it’s a perfect kind of classic anime that you can watch before work or school like fans used to do back in the day. It’s definitely a great series you’ll always want to have playing in the background in some fashion. It always has something going on.
3). Yu-Gi-Oh! (Tubi, Pluto)
Yu-Gi-Oh! is a different kind of classic altogether. There are many variations of the series as multiple seasons in its future had been made available to watch for free, but you have to make sure to watch the original before all else. It’s not because it has a strong adherence to continuity in between all of the sequels or anything like that, but it’s because it’s the strongest one.
This is also one of those franchises that’s also supported by a 24/7 channel with Pluto TV, and that’s incredibly fitting. It’s another series that you can watch a few episodes of at pretty much anytime, and be met with some kind of fun duel to watch.
2). Inuyasha (Tubi, Pluto)
Inuyasha is yet another de-facto anime series that you’ve likely seen millennials praise over and over as a classic, and it’s with good reason. Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most notable creators of all time, and it’s thanks to series like this one that the creator has made their stamp. It’s another show that goes across multiple audiences with not only great action, but a fantastical Isekai story where a young girl is accidentally transported to a new world set in the feudal era.
Inuyasha has a ton of awesome fights and moments, and it’s got those kinds of theme songs that really hit when you suddenly wake up at three in the morning and see your TV is still on. It’s also got a ton of movies available to watch for free across Tubi as well, so there’s plenty to enjoy if you like this one.
1). Naruto (Tubi, Pluto)
Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto the big millennial anime hit that has likely been recommended to you at some point. Much like how Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen outline the current generation of anime fans, Naruto absolutely dominated the anime world in the 2000s. It was the hugest action franchise by far with a ton of cool characters, moments, and fights long before it ended the first half of its run. That’s unfortunately the catch with this, however.
You can find Naruto on both Pluto TV and Tubi, but it’s only the first generation of the series. The original anime only had four seasons before it got even more series with a time skip in the sequel, Naruto: Shippuden, so you might not be able to finish the entire story for free. But as a classic that you can catch up on, there’s really no better example. Some of its earliest episodes are hailed as classics for a reason, so make sure to look it up.
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