While Millennials grew up fawning over the fantastic trio of Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, and Sailor Moon, Gen Zers couldn’t care less: they have their own icons. We may all share a love for weed, but these two generations are split by decades, and by very different vibes. It’s a well-known fact that each generation vibes with its own zeitgeist, and Centennials are drawing from new wells and going crazy for “other” works, not those we might consider “classics,” but rather, a reinvention of what we collectively call “anime to watch while high.”
It’s been this way since the dawn of time: one generation pulling away from the last. A few years ago, trap artists called indie rockers “old,” even though they were still at the peak of their careers. Later, because life is deeply cyclical, those trap artists ended up retiring, labeled as outdated by Swifties and K-pop fans. Like Grandpa Simpson said: “It’ll happen to you!” So, to start off with some dissenting opinions about what anime to watch while high, here are some recommendations from Juan Ruocco, one of the metaphysical references for internet Millennials.
Ruocco is a writer, podcaster, and prominent Argentine streamer. Seasoned by cable TV, the frenetic energy of early internet forums, and the age of online piracy (long before streaming platforms) he mentions Those Who Hunt Elves, an alternative anime that aired on Locomotion for Latin America and was available on DVD in the US thanks to the ADV Films label. “It’s a full-on psychedelic experience. In this story, a magician’s spirit is trapped inside a tank, and they have to find the spell to undo the whole thing,” he explains. The series has two seasons of 12 episodes each and, according to Ruocco, is “spectacular, highly recommended.”
For something a bit more chill, he mentions Oh! My Goddess, which he describes as “a good, somewhat romantic soap opera about a human food delivery guy and some goddesses.” And finally, he sticks to a classic (also a soap opera, but with a huge dose of science fiction) like The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? “It’s an animated gem. You have giant robots, love, and life lessons. It’s for watching while you’re completely out of it.”
However, Gen Z has its own tastes. Many respect “the greats of Japanese animation,” but prefer other styles, crafting what might become future classics. Like young Millán, one of the hosts of Juju Podcast, a popular show specializing in manga and anime. When he’s high, Millán goes for Space Dandy, by the master Shinichiro Watanabe in collaboration with Shingo Natsume. In short: Watanabe is the author of the canonical Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop, but Space Dandy is one of his lesser-known works. “The standout is the animation. It’s also hilarious, and the writing leans on clichés but pulls them off brilliantly. As for the story, we won’t worry too much about missing any important details because we’re out of our minds, since it’s much more enjoyable stoned.”
He also mentions Ping Pong the Animation, directed by Masaaki Yuasa. “Almost any of Yuasa’s work is perfect to watch while high, but some require a bit of attention to avoid missing important plot points. In Ping Pong, we’ll find dynamism, movement, speed, and completely out-of-place camera angles that will immerse us completely in a unique universe,” Millán points out.
And in that vein of works with a certain degree of organic incomprehensibility (those that, with or without weed, are inherently 420) he adds FLCL, from the legendary production company Gainax and directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, who was in charge of the Evangelion rebuilds. “You won’t really get FLCL‘s story on the first watch; I’d say it’s the kind of show you need to see at least twice. It has everything we need to enjoy a Japanese cartoon while smoking pot: mechs, bizarre enemies, excellent music, a well-developed message, and a very nice ending,” the podcaster concludes.
Miguel, the Chilean podcaster behind 3 Ramen de Luca, is also blown away by FLCL (“a weird, short, and experimental trip”) and adds Paprika (“If you want something chaotic and visually explosive”), a sci-fi film directed by Satoshi Kon, to his list. However, when it comes to pairing anime with weed, he specifically leans towards “the last few episodes of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann,” an anime full of “fights, screams, and flashes everywhere.” And he assures us: “You end up high!”
Likewise, the alternative model Acronica is betting on Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle, an anime that offers a solution to potential dilemmas: any existing tension is resolved with rap battles. “In a futuristic world, the Word Party takes power, a government of women whose first measure is to ban weapons and dictate conflict resolution through rap. Someone threatens to rob you on the street? Rap battle. Are they trying to charge you more for milk than the price marked on the shelf? Rap battle!” Acronica laughs. Her recommendation allows for healthy weed doses and is, in itself, an explosively drug-fueled work.
In keeping with the comedy, surprise, and laughter, Matías Glenadel, a journalist and one of the spokespeople for the Anime Argentina community, a digital forum where Centennials and Millennials coexist, believes that “the best anime to watch while high are those that make you laugh.” Under that premise, he points to Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, an anime with three seasons and a fourth yet to premiere. “It’s an isekai (a subgenre of Japanese fantasy where the protagonist is transported to another world) in which a human child with a truly awful life is sent to Hell. But instead of being the horrible place we all imagine, it turns out to be much better than where he lived. There, he’s adopted by a demon who treats him like his grandson, and he starts attending high school, meeting some really funny characters,” Glenadel explains.
To top it all off, he adds Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan, a 2016 anime with two seasons and a simple plot, without many twists and turns, but “hyper funny, especially if you’re high.” And he warns: “Neither show will give you a bad trip, since they don’t have many tense moments. I recommend Saiki more. It’s a little-known, even underrated, work. But… my God! I’ve never laughed so much with an anime!”
The classics aren’t the dominant force in the Centennials’ tier lists; right now, they’re defining their own. And this will continue until the next generation reaches for other works, even rarer, even newer. In any case, all that’s left is to light up, tune in to some of the recommendations, and let yourself be carried away by the swirling smoke, without overthinking it. Because, after all, age is just a number, and feeling young is a must to know you’re alive.
Cover photo created with Gemini.
