Relaunching, starting with...

Invincible!!!

Doesn’t seem like anime is really your thing, which is totally fine. I would love your reaction to The Boys or invincible or something like that. Oh also severance

To be honest if you want one that’s fairly short right now you could try Re:zero. Can’t say anything without spoilers but it has incredible world building and it characters. It gets you really emotionally invested and it’s up there with Vinland saga in story telling for me and a lot of people. If you like shows that play with time I think you would enjoy this.

Hey Jon! I think for an anime it should be a movie like grave of fireflies. I agree that a show should be something more appetizing and well known to the general audience

I recommend dororo, it‘s a lot more serious/dark than most anime and I think you‘d like it

I think you'd enjoy Cowboy Bebop since you've said in the past you enjoy episodic shows; it's a lot like a "sunday cartoon", except the music is absolutely phenomenal and it's an anime classic. I also want to throw in Bojack Horseman, it's an incredibly dark and depressing show, but also is (no offense to FMAB) actually hilarious and written by real comedians. The first season isn't the best to be fair, but it gets incredibly good from Season 2 onwards. There's also always an AoT rewatch :) I would love to see you react to it again, knowing what you know about the story makes it a completely different watch the 2nd time around Glad to see you're thinking of coming back, I really missed having these to watch!!

This might be a stupid question but would you consider reading manga at all? I say this because the majority of the more profound stories (mostly Seinen) have botched anime adaptations. Obviously this has pro's and con's, but I think you can enjoy them with their beautiful art at your own pace. Mangas to recommend would be (excluding Vinland Saga because you have watched the anime and it is good, to say the least): - Berserk - Vagabond - Tokyo Ghoul (and its sequel Tokyo Ghoul:re) - Monster (apparently it's fine as an anime too?) - Kingdom - & many more

I think demon slayer would be a really good choice if we’re going the anime route also I think u might enjoy My Hero Academia the first 3 seasons are really good but I’d understand if you didn’t want to watch a longer show too. I think you’d really enjoy Invincible and The Boys and Code Geass is probably in my top 3 along with AOT and Vinland Saga

I'm not sure how you feel about anime movie reactions but they tend to bring in a lot of new subscribers and the views often exceed that of any anime series, there's definitely a few that would assist a relaunch of the channel and that take themselves quite seriously with their themes, I'll name below. [A Silent Voice] The film covers elements of coming of age and psychological drama, dealing with themes of bullying, disability, forgiveness, mental health, suicide, and friendship of opposite sexes. Released in 2016, won numerous accolades and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. A fan favorite. [Grave of the Fireflies] a haunting deeply emotional WWII film by the renowned Studio Ghibli, and told from the perspective of Japanese citizens during the firebombing raids carried out by the Americans. Released in 1988, this is one is alot older but no less relevant amongst the anime community, and many people can only bring themselves to watch this movie one time due to it's heavy storytelling. A few series I could recommend too with less goofy shonen tones are: [Monster] (70ish episodes, less action more storytelling, psychological dark themes) [Cowboy Bebop] (24 eps, great mix of action and storytelling, a classic) [Erased] (12 eps, short psychological thriller) [Parasyte] (24 eps, action packed sci fi thriller)

I would say Frieren, but I'm not sure if you'd enjoy the vibe. Great story and characters, but it's a very subdued show. Not alot of over the top action, but there are cool fights.

haikyuu or hunter x hunter

Have you watched the boys? If not its certainly suited for adults and would be a good non anime show to start with! (Def not something to watch with your kids tho😅) Your wife might like it since it focuses less on action and more so on drama/politics.

Hunter x Hunter is a great option

Hey Jon, would love to see a comeback! I definitely agree if you’re not enjoying something maybe dropping it is the best course of action. Invincible is a great show that only has 3 seasons currently and could scratch an animation itch if you’re looking to watch something animated. Andor is a great show, im not sure if you’re into Star Wars though. Solo Leveling is really popular right now so it could be a good option. I will warn you though, the characters are pretty bland in my opinion. It feels like its main purpose is just badass fights (which it certainly has!) Anyway, good luck on your return to the channel!

I' honestly not sure what to specifically recommmend to you so I'm just gonna list a few out of the 2 Categories you mentioned. For Commercially viable stuff there's usually quite a few routes you can go the still most common one I see is just reacting to one of the big Airing Anime, which there is quite a big pool this Season, especially for a summer season. Some of those would be: -Takopis Original sin(kind of a surprise hit this season, also pretty short at 6 episodes) -Gachiakuta(Pretty much the big Battle Shonen adaptation this season) -Dandadan(Still a big shonen, but with more Mature Themes) -The Summer Hikaru died(A phenomenal Horror/Mystery/romance blend with stunning atmosphere and production) -Lord of the Mysteries(Mystery Anime(donghua technically but whatever) pretty clearly inspired by Bloodborne, Source Material is one of my favorites and the production so far Is fantastic, My personal recommendation to you for the stuff that is airing right now) For Commercially viable stuff that currently isn't airing: -Frieren: Beyond journeys end(Fantasy Anime with a LOT of heart, Breakout Hit, wit S2 already announced) -Solo Leveling(Super Popular show, pretty "Lightweight"(not complicated) and easy to get into) -Demon Slayer(Pretty Cookie cutter shonen, but it does the stuff well that it has to, And it's a Ufotable production, so it's a treat visually. Main draw as a Reactor imo is It's insane popularity) -One Punch man (also tends to do pretty well, but it's a comedy show that doesn't really take itself seriously, also a decent option with season 3 coming out in the future) -Mushoku Tensei (this is mainly here just because it tends to do well, I'd advise against it for you, as one of the main themes of the anime is the main character being a *Serious* Creep) For Shows where I personally think you would greatly enjoy them, Even if they might not have the insane viewership pull other shows have: -Steins; Gate(Probably the best Sci-fi/time travel Anime out there, dont know what else to say w/o spoiling. 24 eps season 1, 1 ep between s1 and 2 and 23 ep Season 2) -Monster(plenty of people have already said quite a bit about it, just listing it here because I think you would very much like the show, keep in mind that the yt viewership for this will be a bit lower than other shows, part because of the age, part because it's not short) -Fate/Zero(Great Adult Cast, probably the best hook to get jon into the Fate Universe, that's why I'm recommending it over UBW to him) -Black Lagoon(A bit older, Adult Cast, and honestly just super fun to watch, but kind of in the same shoes as Monster viewership wise) -Made in Abyss(Quite heavy, don't be fooled by the artstyle, with probably the greatest Soundtrack I've ever heard in an Anime) My personal recommendations out of these to you would be: -Steins; Gate -Fate/ Zero -Frieren: Beyond journeys end -Made in Abyss -Lord of the Mysteries -The summer Hikaru died Turned into quite a Wall of text, but whatever you end up watching, I just hope you will enjoy it!

severance

U should try watch made in abyss,its a fantasy anime that will rip your soul out it is very mature and 18+ audience the writing is on a different planet aswell,monster is another classic but takes time to really cook, Made in abyss is very very special and is my anime of the year its the best anime I've seen in the past year. Love the music content JD waiting for an animals Eminem and JID reaction u are one of fhe goats of content creation and very happy that u are back on the grind keep going mate!!! FYI on made in abyss it has 2 seasons with are 13 first szn and 12 for 2nd season and a 1 hour and 40 minute film after the 1st szn quite short and s3 coming end of 2025.

Ofc a comeback would be great! As far as recommendations go, I would personally love a solo leveling reaction. It has beaten a lot of records on crunchyroll and would definitely bring people in, and I honestly think you would enjoy it. The pacing is fast but it's not necessarily fast-paced and complicated to the point where it's easy to get lost. The power system is entirely based on RPGs so it's easy to get into. Also, there's very little "Loud=funny" comedy that FMA uses. The animation is absolutely phenomenal as well. I think some of the songs are made by the same composer as AOT, but I could be wrong. The music is incredible either way.

Berserk (1997), hunter x hunter, monster, solo leveling

Honestly Naruto always does amazing for content creators and it’s a show with such a deep storyline and not childish. I think this would be one to consider.

Barry is a great watch. It's complete and only 4 seasons 8 episodes a pop.

your vinland saga and attack on titan reactions were peak. Before you started full metal alchemist i warned in a comment that you wouldn't like it but for some reason a lot of people like that show and voted for it. please come back but like you said pick what you watch carefully

Frieren Beyond Journeys End is good, it satisfied my fantasy fix for something like LOTR. I also recommend maybe looking into other genre of anime like mystery (Erased) or horror (Dark Gathering, Parasite: The Maxim). I haven’t seen all of dark gathering and it’s been years since I watched any so idk if it would give you the fizz. To be honest even something live action that is fresh and new might be nice. Secret Level on prime is pretty cool although it’s animated game genres.

Alright, I’m going to be completely honest with you... This comes from someone who has been watching reaction content for over 7–8 years — anime, movies, series — and I’ve seen countless reaction channels rise and fall. I’m sharing some important points... based on my experience as a long-time viewer... that are crucial for a reaction channel to not only grow but also maintain a loyal audience. --- 1. Never — and I mean never — drop a show mid-season. If you're not going to finish it, don’t start it at all. Cutting a show halfway through... especially one requested by your patrons or YouTube subscribers... leads to disappointment, resentment, and disinterest — not just in that reaction but in your entire channel going forward. This is even more relevant when it comes to anime. Anime follows a different storytelling structure than live-action series. The tone can shift drastically and unpredictably... what might initially seem like fanservice or nonsense could completely flip once the true plot or emotional weight kicks in. Since you're still new to anime... it's important to understand that patience often pays off big in this medium. --- 2. Consistency in anime reactions is key. I’m not asking you to drop 10 episodes a week... that’s unrealistic. But putting out at least 3–5 reaction videos per week... ideally from different anime... is essential from a commercial point of view. It keeps your channel alive in the algorithm and shows commitment to your audience. --- 3. When creating polls for anime reaction choices, make sure you’re including content from these five essential categories: Long-running, slow-burn anime... often filler-heavy, but with incredible payoff later. Short/complete anime... typically finished within 12 to 50 episodes. Currently trending/seasonal anime... these attract viewers who want reactions in real-time. Sequels... shows whose earlier seasons you’ve already reacted to, and now new seasons are releasing. Niche or genre-specific anime... such as slice-of-life, seinen (adult/dark) etc...like the one above my comment saying monster anime.. this comes in this adult theme These have a smaller but very dedicated fanbase. Each of these categories draws in different types of viewers. Covering all five keeps your content fresh... and your audience diverse.

Andor. Both seasons. Not only the best Star Wars content ever made, but the best episodic series made in the last 10 years. No need to watch any other Star Wars beforehand (though it would be interesting) because the story is completely self-contained. Only piece of knowledge needed is that it's a prequel taking place before Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope. It's a very mature and gritty Star Wars meant for adult audiences. It has contained but connected arcs and it's themes are just beautiful. If you connect with it the way I do then you'll understand why I say it's the best show in the last ten years. If not you'll still be super entertained and since it's Star Wars there will be an audience for that show.

look back is movie that’s probably in my top 5, not sure if you’ve seen any other anime movies but it’s worth a watch!

Hey Jon, Yes, you should return, but only when you’re ready, of course. I was thinking that you could cover the anime series *Monster*, which was launched in 2004/2005 and has 74 episodes. I know that’s quite a lot, but the storytelling makes it worth it. It’s a psychological thriller that follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a brilliant Japanese neurosurgeon living in Germany. At the height of his career, he makes a moral decision that dramatically alters his life. Years later, a series of mysterious murders begins to surface, each linked to a dark past and a growing web of conspiracies. The story explores themes of identity, morality, and the nature of evil. I know it’s on Netflix, but I’m not sure if it’s available on other platforms as well.

Great to see you here again and feeling better! I would love to see a return and I think others would enjoy it too. For my recommendation I would say to watch Monster. I know many have said it before and considering your age, stage in life and what shows you've enjoyed before I think this is right up your alley! Very slow pace at moments but characters and story is out of this world. Great having you back Jon❤️