The best time of the year is coming and Muslims everywhere are gearing up to top up on those Halal points! Ramadan is right around the corner which means good food, good vibes, and spiritual fulfillment galore. But what about us Muslim anime enthusiasts who need their fix, even during the Holy month? Well, that can be a hard issue to tackle, considering how much anime out there is less than PG at any given moment.
But what if I tell you there are some halal anime that Muslims can watch without much of an issue, even during Ramadan? Especially when those long fasting days feel like time is going by too slowly and so, we need a distraction. That’s where a good anime that doesn’t hinder our fast comes along! Personally, I think if an anime doesn’t have any Ecchi or Hentai notes to it, you’re good to go. Surprisingly, there are several shows you can indulge in without feeling guilty or breaking your fast.
I know, color me surprised too. But as a Muslim fan who enjoys following Ramadan as best as I can, I am grateful that there are some anime series out there that can be certified halal and not make me feel conscious about breaking my fast. Whether it’s romance or action, there’s something out there for every sort of anime lover, even for Muslim fans like us! Let’s be honest here: I need anime like I need Rooh Afza during Iftaar like it’s just non-negotiable.
So, what do we do in that case? Well, upon hours and hours of researching and watching countless anime, I think I just might have the comprehensive list for every Muslim weeb out there trying to keep it halal during this upcoming Ramadan season! And hey, even if you aren’t Muslim, maybe you just want to keep things PG for the time being. In either case, here are my Top 10 halal anime to watch for Muslim fans. Let’s get right into it.
Rankings:
- Attack On Titan
- Fate/Zero
- Erased
- Hunter X Hunter
- Violet Evergarden
- Ouran High School Host Club
- Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Demon Slayer
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Mushishi
Attack On Titan
The only reason Attack On Titan is so low on the list is because of the gore it shows. Which, like, I’m not sure where that would rank on the halal to haram scale. Nevertheless, this is an anime that requires no introductions.
The world has collapsed under the fear of rampant Titans, beast-like creatures that target humans, forcing humanity behind a walled city that protects them against these monsters. The other line of defense is the Survey Corps which one Eren Jaeger dreams of joining, after losing his mother to the Titans. But on the very first day, a Colossal Titan breaches the first wall, and all Hell is let loose. And so, we see Eren, Mikasa Ackerman, and Levi Ackerman, the leader, in action and how they become Humanity’s last hope.
Action-packed, blood-pumping, and aggressive, this is one of the few mainstream anime where a romance subplot doesn’t take center stage. If you can stomach all the carnage, go right ahead!
Fate/Zero
Ironically, this is probably the only Fate adaptation that can make it onto this list because, well. Have you seen the rest of the offerings?
Fate/Zero is the prequel series to Fate/Stay Night and chronicles the Fourth Holy Grail War. The main protagonist is Kiritsugu Emiya, a hired Assassin who takes part in the war on behalf of the Einzbern Family. He also happens to be the foster father of Shirou Emiya, the main character of Fate/Stay Night. And so, seven mages battle it out, through summoned great Heroes of the past and no holds barred. But if your opponent figures out your Hero’s real identity, that could seal your fate. Could Kiritsugu win with Saber by his side?
Again, I am surprised by how little fanservice Fate/Zero has, for the franchise it is from. Written by Gen Urobuchi aka the Urobutcher, this adaptation has you hooked to the point you don’t even feel you’re fasting!
Erased
If you want an anime that isn’t heavy on the bloodshed and action forward but still filled with mystery and thrills? Well, Erased just might fill the bill.
Satoru Fujinuma is a manga artist who gets caught in a life-threatening accident. But instead of dying, he finds himself mere moments in the past, preventing the accident from ever happening. All thanks to an ability known only as ‘Revival’. But it is when his mother is killed in his home that he sees the true extent of Revival, as he travels back 18 years and finds himself in his hometown of Chiba. Now, not only can Satoru save his mother, but he even gets a chance to untangle a web of murders that took place around the same time, involving his old classmates.
I wouldn’t call it slow-paced, but it does feel like you get the time to unravel the plot alongside Satoru. Haunting, eerie but oddly heartfelt, Erased is an understated anime that chills you down to the bone.
Hunter X Hunter
Do I even have to say anything about this one? Like, for most anime fans, Hunter X Hunter is a no-brainer recommendation. And the best part, it manages to stay PG!
Gon Freecs has lived his whole life on Whale Island, thinking he was all alone in the world, with both his parents dying when he was very young. So, when he meets Kite, he learns that not only is his father alive but is an infamous Hunter named Ging Freecs. Hunters like him go around the world catching magical beasts and hunting treasures, which inspires Gon to finally leave his tiny home to become a Hunter himself. The journey finds him meeting new people, gaining the license he needs, and uncovering the truth of so many things he didn’t realize.
Hunter X Hunter is surprisingly mature for a Shonen of its time, especially when the protagonist is barely in elementary school himself. But the world-building is super immersive, and the plot keeps you engaged.
Violet Evergarden
Ramadan is a month full of thanks, so it’s natural that I feel grateful to Kyoto Animation for adapting this lovely anime.
Violet Evergarden tells the tale of a child soldier who was injured during a war but lived to the tale. All her life, she had merely been a weapon to be utilized but now, in a peaceful world, she has to find her place again. And so, she starts working as Auto Memory Doll, a scribe that helps pen down her clients’ words when they can’t do it themselves. In the process of transcribing others’ emotions, she starts awakening her own complicated feelings about her past, her present, and one Major Gilbert, MIA (Missing In Action).
Violet Evergarden is magical in how it weaves these stories of love and the many, many different forms it takes. One thing is for sure, you will be going over and giving your mom and dad a hug after this!
Ouran High School Host Club
While I am aware no one is ‘Kiss Kiss Falling In Love’ during the Holy Month, this is one of the few romance anime that focuses more on friendship than anything else.
Imagine being Haruhi Fujioka, just a regular girl minding her business in a school for rich brats, aka the Ouran Academy. When suddenly, she finds herself 8 million yen in debt because what? She broke a vase in some posh club room. And the club happens to be a Host club for the elite femmes studying there, made up of 6 of the strangest boys she’s ever met. And so, the calculating one tells her that the only way to pay back her debt is to become a host alongside them. Like, what do Haruhi do then?
Ouran High School Host Club is pure fun, filled with adorable antics and clever humor that still holds up. The romance ends up taking a backseat because the dynamic of the entire group is just so much more engaging!
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
I mean, come on. It’s Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. How better to appreciate those you care about than watching the show that taught most weebs about the importance of family?
Alphonse and Edward Eric were abandoned by their alchemist father, Hohenheim, but their mother, Trisha, never let them feel like they were missing anything. So, when Trisha died, they tried using Alchemy to bring her back. Except the entire ritual backfired, badly. Human Transmutation is strictly taboo for a reason, and Alphonse ends up losing his body in the process. To save him, Edward sacrifices his arm and puts Alphonse’s soul into a suit of armor.
After Winry Rockbell helps him through prosthetics, the two brothers become State Alchemists and try to regain their full bodies by pursuing the Philosopher’s Stone. But doing so uncovers a statewide government conspiracy that, oddly enough, ends up going back to their father.
The world-building here alone warrants applause.
But the best part is that nothing feels like it’s wasted or exaggerated for the shock factor. Each scene is deeply emotional, and the characters are multi-faceted. Plus, no fanservice!
Demon Slayer
Again, I am seriously loving the trend of Shonen that focuses solely on the protagonist’s journey instead of trying to shoehorn a romance. (Or worse, a harem.) And Demon Slayer hit all the checkmarks.
After seeing his family slaughtered by demons, Tanjiro Kamado is distraught and spiraling. But he sees that one person ended up surviving the massacre, his sister Nezuko. But this comes at a cost because Nezuko has become a demon herself. But she shows human emotion, which means not all hope is lost. Determined to help the only family he has left, and to get revenge for his loved ones, Tanjiro sets out to become a Demon Slayer. However, entering Demon Slayer Corps isn’t a task for the faint-hearted, but eventually, we see him make it through.
The familial love between Nezuko and Tanjiro, alongside the perseverance of the two through a tragedy so terrible, is what makes the heart of this show. Like, it makes you consider how far most of us would go to protect the ones we love. Also, fighting your demons is a good metaphor for Ramadan, no?
….I’ll see myself out.
Jujutsu Kaisen
For all its edge and coolness, I’m still surprised how Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the few mainstream Shonen that doesn’t end up pandering to the male gaze. And yet, you can’t look away from it.
Jujutsu Kaisen revolves around Yuji Itadori, a regular kid who gets thrust into the world of the supernatural thanks to an incident at his old high school.
He ends up accidentally eating a talisman, making him the new host of Ryomen Sukuna, known as the King Of Curses. And so, Gojo Satoru, a high-ranking Sorcerer, takes him to Jujutsu High to both protect him and keep an eye out. It’s here that Yuji ends up being on a team with Megumi Fushigoro and Nobara Kugisaki, working on his skills as a Sorcerer.
And so, Yuji is caught in the war between Cursed Spirits and Sorcerers, all while dealing with the demon inside of him.
Listen, maybe there is something to be said about how Cursed Spirits could be Djinns but, hey. Jujutsu Kaisen is extremely entertaining, with an amazing plot and strong characters, both female and male. It gets a pass, ok?
Mushishi
I feel like Mushishi works for Muslim fans especially well because it’s essentially a cottage-core dream come true. No bloodshed, no excessive pandering, nothing. It’s just very calming.
Taking place in an imaginary time between the Edo and Meiji periods, Mushishi follows Ginko, a man who is capable of seeing these creatures known as Mushi.
Mushi is some of the oldest living lifeforms, even more, primitive than things like fungi and bacteria. But because of their supernatural nature, they do end up causing some issues. As a self-proclaimed Mushi Master, Ginko uses his ability to both study the ethereal creatures and lure them away from villages where they might be the root of a problem or two.
The show is more of an anthology than it is episodic, with no overarching plot. Much like Ginko himself, it’s laid back and uses the scenarios as a catalyst rather than trying to paint a cohesive narrative. But because of its pacing and light-hearted storytelling, it is the perfect watch to unwind with after a long day of spiritual healing.
So, will you be taking a look at some of these Muslim-friendly shows this Ramadan? Or do you have your own list you’ll be working through? Let us know in the comments!
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