Anime Gems That Shine Brighter with Every Rewatch

By KC Mendoza

Two anime that get better after rewatching are Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.

The Gundam series is known for its intense and adrenaline-pumping mecha fight scenes, but its story is also rich with political themes and intricate power dynamics.

As such, watching them again made me understand and appreciate the series' deeper themes better.

Upon rewatching, I was able to follow the political drama and each character's motivations more closely.

It also allowed me to appreciate the series' other core themes, such as the complexities of war, the ethics of genetic engineering, and how powerful figures manipulate public opinion to suit their interests.

I came to appreciate these underlying themes the second time around, proving that Gundam is not just an anime about giant robots—it is also a profound exploration of political power, human nature, and societal issues.

By Tarun Mazumdar

The rewatch potential of Attack on Titan is massive. From the complex plot to its elaborate worldbuilding, Attack on Titan has plenty to offer each time I return to watch the episodes.

When I started watching Attack on Titan, I did not see the politics in it, maybe because I, myself, was politically unaware.

However, after several rewatches in the last couple of years, I could begin to understand the politics of Attack on Titan, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world.

Attack on Titan may not be considered a political series, as the early seasons hardly have any such messaging, but after rewatching it, I could connect the dots and see the overall picture with the power of hindsight.

By Cathlyn Melo

I think I've watched Haikyuu three to five times already and I'm still planning to go back to it now that I watched the recently released Dumpster Battle movie.

While I now know the outcomes of the matches in the series, it doesn't diminish the emotional impact on me.

Instead, it even makes me more excited because I'm looking forward to seeing the characters do this amazing thing, and so on.

I also began to appreciate the supporting characters more and their role in the narrative.

Not to mention learning and understanding more about the details of the sport thanks to the insights of the characters and the strategies they use in the game.

By Nicolo Manaloto

While I don’t often rewatch anime, I have gone back to certain episodes or scenes in some anime, primarily those that have some unique time-related twists.

For instance, The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a series that I enjoyed enough that I rewatched certain scenes. This show is particularly good to rewatch, as there’s a lot to watch out for when you already know the story.

The same can be said for Steins;Gate, a modern anime classic that I went back and watched a couple of episodes of to get a better sense of what happened.

Finally, there’s Baccano. Even though it doesn’t feature a time-traveling premise, the fact that the anime adaptation features non-linear storytelling makes it worth going back to get a full grasp of its different timelines.

By Will Taylor

I’m not a huge fan of re-watches. I (maybe mistakenly) believe that the first watch is the most important, and with so much new stuff being released, I don’t usually have the time to go back.

However, the few series I have fully re-watched often fall into two categories: beautiful, comforting shows and mysteries that were too complex for my brain the first time around.

In terms of comfort shows, my favorite re-watches are soft romantic comedies.

Honey and Clover is a series I’ve seen two or three times at this point, while Princess Jellyfish is probably my favorite romantic comedy of all time.

At the other end of the scale, my favorite mystery re-watch is definitely The Perfect Insider.

Its 11-episode story is arrogantly smart but also hugely entertaining, so every few years when I forget how they solved it I feel compelled to watch again.