Which anime changed your life?

In a recent discussion on Reddit, forum users have immersed themselves in a deep debate about the question, "What anime has changed your life or that you would never forget?" This question has generated a flurry of responses and reflections among community members, highlighting the significant impact that anime series can have on the lives of their viewers.

The conversation began when a user posed the question, inviting others to share how certain anime have influenced their lives, whether on a personal, emotional, or intellectual level. The discussion quickly filled with varied testimonials, showing how anime can transcend entertainment to become a source of inspiration, comfort, or even personal transformation.

Participants shared how some anime have helped them overcome personal challenges, better understand their own emotions, or connect with deeper aspects of their identity. In addition, many have reflected on how these anime have offered them new and valuable perspectives on life, friendship, and overcoming obstacles.

"Re:ZERO. It gave me a very good perspective on what it means to be insecure. At the same time, it's the epitome of acknowledging your failures and making progress. Just a very good story about care and love. Both for yourself and for those around you."
"Vinland Saga (S2) showed an inspiring level of overcoming self-loathing and developing self-confidence. All this while representing justice in a very stoic way."
"Sousou no Frieren. Honestly, it offered a great story that easily calms anyone who is dealing with exhausting expectations. It really focuses on the beautiful message of being yourself to be a hero. Trust, genuine kindness and an excellent guide to generate change."
"Haikyuu. It practically gave me a great sense of what it means to desire something. The motivation and passion for sport. While also representing the environment that can lead to that being pushed even further. Teammates, rivalry, competition."
"'Your Lie in April' will always have a place in my heart and it excites me every April."
"Made in Abyss. It's a little hard to get into, but it has a level of heartbreaking tragedy and emotional depth that impacted me on a level that no other anime has achieved, or probably will."
"Naruto practically shaped me from the age of 12 to 18."
"Sousou no Frieren. Learn to appreciate those around you before they leave."
"Ranma 1/2 (1989), my first anime".
"Yu Yu Hakusho is by far my favorite anime and I always recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet."
"Clannad. I fixed my relationship with my estranged parents thanks to episodes 18 and 19 of After Story."
"Aria is possibly the most calming, healing and life-loving program I've ever seen. It's a long, slow story, with beautiful scenery and a pretty funny cast, and almost every episode touches on learning to see the world in a brighter way. It's an absolute pleasure to watch, and if you listen to the lessons they want to teach, it can help you change your life for the better. It's not a cure for depression, but now every time I remind myself to just look for something to smile about, I'm amazed at how easy it is to find."
"A Silent Voice. I still struggle to do it consistently, but that movie made me genuinely reflect on the importance of being kind and how it costs nothing to be kind apart from your patience and understanding."
"Komi Can't Communicate. It's such a silly anime but with great characters and VERY fun. Very sweet and comforting."
"Assassination Classroom, I never had a better teacher than Koro-sensei."
"Food Wars! It will do the trick after watching the marathon for 7 hours straight, it will change the way you see food."
"A Place Further than the Universe for me. It's sweet and touching, but it left me with some deep feelings after I finished it."
"Mushoku Tensei makes me want to try harder, take life more seriously, and just strive to be a better person. I don't care how many people hate it, it's just my comfort series."
"Mushishi has basically been my melatonin for the last year."
"Cowboy Bebop: I first saw it at 17 years old and it's a beautiful adventure that really shaped how I wanted to live my life as a man. Spike and Jet were two very different guys, but also very cool. I wanted to emulate some of his qualities."
"TTGL: Never give up, never give up. Push until you succeed or die trying. It's just motivational. I would love to see a modern remake with current studio standards."
"Most of our discomfort begins when we imagine what life should have been like. Trusting your hopes in something as fragile as your possibilities is the root of all evil." Tatami Galaxy".
"Mob Psycho 100. Many characters are very personal and comforting to me. It also motivated me to write and draw fan arts and fanfics. I've also been quite active on different platforms for this hobby."
"Sword Art Online was the first anime I ever saw and holds a very special place in my heart. It was the gateway to the world of manga and anime, watching it again from time to time is nice."
"If you want a trip down the rabbit hole, go for Neon Genesis Evangelion, original, not the remake. Shinji is not a well-adjusted boy, his father is a monster, and others try to keep Shinji close enough to keep the world in one piece. Other characters also have pretty intense arcs, and the final films only make sense with a lot of guessing work, but boy is it a journey."
"I saw Naruto when I was in a difficult phase of my life, it motivated me and I was able to relate to the protagonist (I was also bullied at school), it gave me confidence to move forward, it's safe to assume that Naruto changed my life."
"I would say for me it was Code Geass, it was the first anime I ever saw and I loved the plot twists and the craziness of it all. It opened my eyes to what anime could be, from a story about a crazy adventure with big-breasted elf girls to overthrowing the government with superpowers from your eyes. I feel like people who don't watch anime are missing out on a different perspective and point of view than what traditional media can offer."
"Planets – It made me question humanity in its entirety and how important it is to strive for greatness (while ignoring many important issues in the process)."
"Ping Pong the Animation – First of all, it portrays the life and struggles of someone who lives and breathes an activity and is getting closer to the top, and all the difficulties that come with it. The show shows very well how things really are, of the 10 or so elite-level ping pong players, only one "triumphs" in the end, but then makes sure to show that all the other ex-high-level players are doing so well. That made me realise that no matter what happens, everything will be fine and we're here just to enjoy the journey, the world won't end if you don't achieve greatness, just do what makes you happy and that alone should be enough to make you happy."
"Gurren Lagann is really the only anime that I could say really motivated me enough to have an impact on my life. I doubt I'll ever forget it, unless I have dementia or something."