It has been argued that learning Japanese via anime is impossible, or at the very least ill-advised. I won't bore you with the arguments for and against (Google "learn Japanese anime" for a taster), but perhaps even the most ardent naysayer could agree that exposure to natural conversational flow can't be a bad thing for your Nihongo level.

And if it's anime you crave, streaming sites such as Netflix offer an ever-expanding smorgasbord of morsels to suit every appetite and palette. For those short on time, picking a series and snacking on an episode regularly may be your best bet, but where to start? After all, at time of publication Netflix was offering upward 300 anime series on its Japan service.

Here are a few possibilities for starters, selected based on factors such as style, skill level and subtitle availability.