In the mid-2000s, the anime landscape was dominated by "Big Three" shonen juggernauts. Yet, hidden among them was a peculiar series from Artland and Studio DEEN: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (often shortened to Reborn! ). It started as a bizarre, violent gag comedy about a pathetic middle schooler before morphing into a hardcore battle shonen. For English-speaking fans, the series remained a frustrating anomaly—licensed but never fully released, dubbed but largely forgotten.

That’s when a mysterious, chubby, baby hitman named Reborn appears, claiming to be Tsuna's new home tutor. Reborn’s mission? To train Tsuna to become the next boss of the Vongola family, Italy's most powerful Mafia syndicate. To motivate him, Reborn uses the "Dying Will Bullet"—a gun that, when fired at a regretful person, kills them only to resurrect them with a final, desperate resolve (manifested as flaming pants and a screaming battle cry).

However, if you’ve never seen Reborn! before, know that Episode 1 is nothing like the rest of the series. The slapstick comedy gives way to dramatic shonen action around Episode 20. The English dub does not follow you on that journey. You’ll get one taste of a charming, incomplete adaptation.