Summary
Trashy animehas been with the human race practically as long as anime has. The concept of a trashy anime is one that leans hard into common tropes and sensationalism. This sometimes leads it to become controversial, but on the other hand, some trashy anime turn out to be a lot of fun.
It might seem weird to want to highlight trashy anime, but they aren’t without value and are sometimes unironically engaging. It should be noted that showsthat venture into the extreme(Interspecies Reviewers) will not be considered. Also, trashy anime is subjective, so that should also be given some thought. That said,these anime own and embrace their trashinessand turn out to be well worth a watch.
King’s Gamewas a 2017 release about a death game amongst high schoolers. While there have been a fair share ofdeath game anime,including the likes ofFuture DairyandDarwin’s Game,King’s Gamedoesn’t really do a lot right.
It features a confusing plot, contrived situations, and it can be difficult to even care about the characters. That said, for the fans of campy horror,King’s Gamecan be a lot of fun. It’s firmly in the ‘so bad it’s good’ category and is a guaranteed great time for a group of friends who want to watch some peak trash.
Big Orderis set in a world still recovering from a cataclysmic event from 10 years prior, one caused by the wish of the protagonist, Eiji Hoshimiya, who also does not remember what that wish was. Eiji is something called an ‘Order,’ beings with powerful psychic abilities.
Big Orderhas few redeeming qualities; the logic is lacking, and somehow, Eiji has aharem, but this makes it pretty funny. There is an unforgettable scene where Eiji grabs the bunny ears of a female character, and she immediately gets pregnant; right on the spot. Despite its flaws,Big Orderis entertaining, and that’s what everyone wants from their time with anime.
School Days
School Dayshas garnered quite a reputation, most notably because of itsinfamous ending.Makoto Itou wants to start a relationship with Kotonoha Katsura and is helped by his tomboy friend, Sekai Saionji who also finds that she has feelings for him. With a description like that, it seems like a typical high school romance anime. It is anything but.
Makoto is one of the most unlikeable romance protagonists in history. That said,School Daysis unapologetic about what it is—a trashy romance. It’s like watching a train wreck; everyone knows it’s not going to end well, but no one can tear their eyes away.
The Irregular at Magic High Schoolhas a lot of fans, and most of them will admit that this is a trashy power fantasy show that knows what it is. Tatsuya Shiba and his sister, Miyuki, attend a school where magic and technology merge. Tatsuya is considered a ‘weed,’ which is a student only fit for the less prestigious course at the school.
Tatsuya Shiba is a perfect character, in that there is absolutely nothing he doesn’t excel at. While this does not always make for a great story, it does set up exciting fight scenes and a harem, which might also include his own sister. Tatsuya is an OP protagonist, but viewers won’t always mind his antics, and he’s consistently entertaining.
Prison Schoolis an anime about a girls-only school that recently went co-ed, with five boys joining as the first set. When a plan to peep in the girls bathroom goes wrong, they find themselves sent to the school’s notorious prison for a month, and from there, hijinks ensue.
Prison Schooltakes no prisoners (pun certainly intended), and it is unironically funny. It is ecchi done right, and having female characters placed as the dominant aggressors does add to its appeal and novelty. It isn’t a show that one should watch in the sameliving room as their family, but it is certainly an entertaining series.
Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?caused a bit of a stir when it came out, mostly due to the long title. It’s about a mother and son duo who enter into a game, and as it turns out, the mother is incredibly strong.
It can easily be dismissed as isekai trash, but it is not without its charms, and watching the unlikely character of a mother take on extreme challenges like they do not exist makes for a fascinating to watch. Thefan servicenever gets heavy-handed, and while it won’t win any awards, it leans into the common isekai power tropes and is enjoyable enough for it.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongestgets a bad rap due to some of the shoddy animation from the first season and, while it doesn’t have the greatest story, it is mostly harmless. What it does islean into its edginess, especially with the protagonist, Hajime.
He was betrayed by his classmates and left for dead when they were all transported to another world. He’s also overpowered, and he continues to grow stronger throughout the series. His teamwork with his companions is fun to watch, and there isn’t much needless fan service, which keeps things light and enjoyable.
Rent-A-Girlfriendfollows Kazuya Kinoshita, a young man who gets dumped by his girlfriend and, for the sake of his grandmother, decides to make use of the services of a rental girlfriend. However, it turns out that said girlfriend, Ichinose, not only goes to his school, but is also his neighbor.
Kazuya is one of the more lewd protagonists in romance anime, but it turns out that he is trying to be a better person even if he comes across as unlikable. The harem situation in this show, and all the craziness that comes with it, is done on purpose to make the romcom as spicy as possible. That said, it has a lot going for it, including good animation and a colorful cast of characters. With three seasons to date, it is clearly doing something right.
Domestic Girlfriendopens with the protagonist meeting a girl at a mixer and proceeding to sleep with her. He has a crush on his teacher at school, and a fate would have it, his father comes home to inform his son that he has married a woman,that and she and her two daughters will now be living with them— the girl he slept with, Rui, and his teacher crush, Hina.
Domestic Girlfriendsees the protagonist, an aspiring writer, then dating the sisters in turn. There’s a lot of drama, a lot of weirdness, and several suggestive themes. It feels melodramatic, but it also has this remarkable ability to keep the viewer engaged.
