By Sean Aitchison & Dan Mairoana
Have you ever had a watch list full of new shows to check out? Have you ever completely ignored said watch list in order to rewatch an anime you’ve already seen at least three times?
Hey, we get it—sometimes the allure of a show with a fantastical world you already love is more appealing than the risk of starting a new series!
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No judgment here. Rewatching your favorite supernatural anime is a great way to find new things to love, share the series with someone who hasn’t seen it, or catch things you missed in previous watch-throughs! It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
So, let’s talk about five of the most rewatchable anime from Funimation’s supernatural library.
The Irregular at Magic High School
Starting off, we have The Irregular at Magic High School, a supernatural fantasy/magic series about Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba, siblings attending National Magic University Affiliated First High School in an alternate history world where magic exists and is perfected and used through technology. The main conflict and the source of the show’s title comes from Tatsuya’s lack of magical skill which makes him an irregular at Magic High School, while his sister is considered a magical prodigy.
The Irregular at Magic High School succeeds in expanding upon the traditional concepts of magic and the supernatural, changing the usual relationship humans have with magic in fantasy stories to make for a wholly unique series.
The first season only has 26 episodes, which makes The Irregular at Magic High School easily bingeable, and thus, perfect for a rewatch. Plus, you can roll right into Season 2! So, whether you’re looking to catch things you missed, or you just wanna enjoy the stellar experience of the ultimate high school magic fantasy, this is one supernatural anime you just can’t miss.
Watch The Irregular at Magic High School on Funimation!
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Next up on our list is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
The anime centers around Kyon, a bored high schooler who seemingly has no interest in the supernatural. He then meets the titular Haruhi Suzumiya, who, unbeknownst to her, is actually a reality-warping deity who has manifested Espers, Aliens, and Time Travelers into the world, all of which appear in the form of her many classmates. You know, the exact grouping of beings Kyon doesn’t exactly want to involve himself with.
Yeah, it’s a pretty wild trip, one made even more interesting by the fact that Haruhi can’t find out about her powers without risking the stability of the universe, thus Kyon must keep secret the supernatural identities of his and Haruhi’s classmates.
This odd, surreal, supernatural series unfolds over the course of 28 episodes and goes in all kinds of mind-bending directions. There’s literally an arc during the series where the characters are stuck in a time loop and the same series of events repeat over and over with slight changes.
Haruhi’s short episode count and compelling narrative (plus the hilarity of Kyon being dragged along for the ride) easily make it one of the best supernatural anime to rewatch over and over again! And if you want more, there’s a movie and some spin-off series!
Watch The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya on Funimation!
Blue Exorcist
Blue Exorcist revolves around Rin Okumura, a teenager who learns he is the son of Satan. After learning of his origins, Rin enrolls in True Cross Academy to become an exorcist to gain the strength to fight against his dark origins. All while having to combat the issue that his friends and classmates are learning of his origins who in their own way have had horrific encounters with evil demons and, in some cases, Satan himself.
What will make you come back again and again to Blue Exorcist is the drama and powerful storytelling that unfolds in the series.
If there is one thing I know I could vouch for it’s that Blue Exorcist knows how to twist the supernatural and paranormal into a great narrative, which is a solid reason alone to check this series out. Add to this the stellar Kyoto Saga adaptation and Blue Exorcist is the perfect addition to your supernatural anime rewatch list.
Watch Blue Exorcist on Funimation!
Yu Yu Hakusho
Next up is a classic shounen series that most of us grew up watching after school or late at night, Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent teenager who saves a child’s life and in turn sacrifices his own, becomes a ghost and is later returned to life so long as he fulfills his duties as a Spirit Detective, solving supernatural mysteries and balancing the human and spiritual planes.
The series was based off of Yoshihiro Togashi’s love for the supernatural, and Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the greatest examples of the supernatural being depicted through the medium of anime.
Now I know what you’re thinking—shounen anime tend to be very long, and thus not usually the prime candidates for yearly rewatches. But Yu Yu Hakusho is different, coming in at… just… about over a hundred episodes. Sure, it’s not a miniseries by any means, but it’s far more manageable than most shounen, and because of that Yu Yu Hakusho makes for one of the most rewatchable supernatural anime to stand the test of time.
Watch Yu Yu Hakusho on Funimation!
Fire Force
Last and certainly not least, we have the most recent title in this lineup, Fire Force. Another shounen with a supernatural twist, Fire Force follows Shinra Kusakabe, a pyrokinetic who joins the Special Fire Force to fight Infernals—people who turn into fire monsters through a process known as spontaneous human combustion.
Fire Force is a combination of over-the-top battles and keen storytelling, but all wrapped up inside of a mysterious and fiery supernatural framework. Which makes for a hell of a ride with lots of twists, turns, and beautiful animation from david production.
Plus, Fire Force is also very intuitively creative… the show itself figures out how to utilize the supernatural abilities of the heroes and villains to the fullest of their extent. This alone makes for some of the coolest sequences present in the anime.
Also… I know, sometimes it’s difficult to consider a still-running anime as rewatchable, but Fire Force has so many layers going on that it’s actually good to rewatch. You’ll be able to catch more of the subtle information through the various conversations between characters, and maybe discover hidden twists and dramatic irony along the way.
Watch Fire Force on Funimation!
BONUS: Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World
We also have a bonus, brand-new series that fits the supernatural bill, Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World from SILVER LINK., the studio that brought you BOFURI and Wise Man’s Grandchild.
It’s sci-fi versus fantasy in Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World, as the magic kingdom sorceress and scientific knight face off in an epic duel of the supernatural. The twist? These two fated enemies are also hopelessly in love with each other, and you won’t want to miss this high-stakes supernatural fantasy.
Watch Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World on Funimation!
