Viz has uploaded hundreds of episodes to YouTube for free viewing. The catch is, of course, that these episodes are only available in the U.S. due to licensing restrictions. While that is a bummer for the rest of the world, American audiences get to enjoy seasons of classic anime without much standing in the way. If you’ve never heard of these anime or you’re just looking for a new watch, let me introduce you to the lineup.
We’ve got the classic isekai shojo action/romance InuYasha. Kagome, a reincarnation of an ancient priestess, gets transported into uber-supernatural feudal Japan where she teams up with the half-demon InuYasha. The entire series, and the movies, are available. Likewise, Sailor Moon — the magical girl blueprint — also has all episodes available.
I feel like everyone knows Naruto, but just in case you’ve missed it, this anime follows a young ninja who sets out to be the leader of his village. High-stakes teenage antics and absurdity abound. Seasons 1-8 are available. There’s also Death Note, a more contemporary anime about a young man — Light Yagami — who finds a book that kills people. It’s a cat-and-mouse thriller, and one of the weirdest, best anti-hero shows out there. Whether or not Light is just a straight-up villain is up for debate. This is a shorter one, with only 37 episodes, and all of them are available.
There’s also seasons 1-3 of Hunter x Hunter and 1-2 of Mr. Osomatsu. View the whole playlist of available anime on the Viz YouTube channel, and clear your weekend. You’re going to need it if you’re going to join the Shesshoumaru fan club (I’m the president, we’re always recruiting.)