Shinichiro Watanabe is known for being extremely creative with music in his anime. Music, in itself, becomes a character of his shows. As explained by the director himself, music comes to him along with the stories of the anime he writes and directs. So when he came up with the storyline of Samurai Champloo, he associated the show's protagonist, Mugen, with hip-hop and perceived him as a rapper samurai.
Viewers can very well notice a reflection of these ideas in the show as well. Mugen's whole demeanor and fight style are far too contemporary in contrast to the show's Edo-period setup. It's these modern and stylistic elements in Watanabe's anime that make them appealing not only to local viewers but to an international audience as well. With that said, along with Samurai Champloo, Hulu has a catalog of epic anime that can be enjoyed by viewers from all over the world.
The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland needs no introduction as according to many, it ranks among the best psychological anime of our time. The show unfolds in the Grace Field House, a place where orphans from all walks of life live together in harmony. Their gated community gives them full freedom to do whatever they like until they get adopted someday.
However, soon, the three oldest siblings of the community start learning about all the suspicious activities that go about behind-the-scenes. As their suspicion turns into reality, they make an attempt to flee before it's too late.
Demon Slayer
Other than its impressive production, Demon Slayer fascinates viewers by capturing the very essence of shounen. It focuses on Tanjirou Kamado, who lives a peaceful life with his family. However, one day, upon returning from one of his travels, he finds his family slaughtered and his sister turned into a demon.
Determined to seek revenge, he joins forces with the Demon Slayer Corps and sets out on a journey to get back at those who killed his family.
Attack On Titan
Considered to be one of the greatest anime from viewers all over the world, Attack on Titan never leaves a dull moment. While its spectacular slambang action scenes are enough to keep most viewers hooked, it also has a surprisingly deep storyline.
The show is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are struggling to survive against vicious humanoid giants called Titans. For years, humans have sustained themselves behind colossal concentric walls that keep them safe from the titans. But it isn't long till the titans will find their way in.
Trigun
Reminiscent of the good old shounen classics of the 90s, Trigun thrives on its perfect characterization. At its fore is Vash the Stampede, a charming outlaw who has a $60,000,000,000 bounty on his head. Rumor has it that he's a merciless villain who just kills people out of sheer joy. However, in reality, he's the complete opposite of what he's believed to be.
In its initial episodes, Trigun uses a blend of comedy and drama to keep viewers compelled. But towards the end, it takes on relatively serious themes and concludes with moralistic lessons that stay with a viewer long after the credits start rolling.
Erased
Although time travel is the central plot device of Erased, it strays away from scientific gobbledygook. Instead, it takes a simple cause-and-effect approach towards its time travel elements and focuses more on its poignant themes surrounding grief and regret.
The show narrates the story of Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old who possesses an uncontrollable ability to travel a few minutes back in time every time something perilous happens around him. But to his surprise, when his mother gets murdered, he goes back 18 years in time to solve the mysterious disappearance of a young girl from his school. Realizing that this journey through time could save many lives, Satoru races against time to change history.
Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom opens as a strangely gimmicky show where a mysterious octopus-faced creature lands in Kunugigaoka Middle School and becomes the class teacher of class 3-E. Knowing that the creature, Koro-sensei, previously slashed the moon down to a permanent crescent, the government feels threatened by his presence. Due to this, they ask the students of class 3-E to assassinate him before he destroys Earth.
Along with being bizarrely imaginative, Assassination Classroom is surprisingly deep. What starts as class 3-E's futile attempts to kill Koro-sensei, later takes a poignant turn where the octopus teacher inspires the students to find their identity.
Parasyte: The Maxim
The concept of body-snatching aliens isn't new in the world of sci-fi. Parasyte sets its foundation in these well-known concepts and brings its own little twists to it. It focuses on Shinichi Izumi, a high schooler, who, like many others, becomes a victim of parasites that burrow into human brains.
However, the parasite that targets him fails to reach his brain and instead, rests in his right arm. As a result, Shinichi and his parasite form a mutual alliance where they co-exist while battling other hostile parasites around them.
One Punch Man
As the title suggests, One Punch Man is about a bald guy who defeats his enemies with a single punch. As dull as that may sound to many, the series literally packs a punch with its hilarious satires and comic timing. Not to mention, it has some epic shounen-esque battle scenes and training sequences complemented by intense background scores. What more can a battle shounen fan ask for?
Samurai Champloo
The term Champloo comes from an Okinawan word "chanpurū" which means "to mix." Coming in tandem with its title, the anime never confines itself to a particular genre. Instead, it uses a mix of historical references, shounen tropes, and hip hop aesthetics to create a multicultural experience for viewers.
Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the anime focuses on three characters—the wayward Mugen, the ronin Jin, and the clumsy but charming Fuu. When fate brings them together, they set out on an epic journey to find a samurai who smells like sunflowers.
Cowboy Bebop
Akin to other creations of Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop is heavily influenced by music; especially Jazz. The show is set in the year 2071 where humans have moved to other planets and moons of the solar system. To ensure peace within the galaxy, the Inter Solar System Police hires outlaw bounty hunters, called "Cowboys."
One of these bounty hunters is the laidback Spike Spiegel, who makes a living collecting bounty with his partner Jet Black. Their crew further expands when they run into femme fatale Faye Valentine, a computer genius named Edward, and genetically advanced Corgi named Ein. The deeper they delve into their space adventures, the more they learn about each other's dark past.