Anime has quickly become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, making many people curious about the best anime for beginners. The anime has a long and rich history, many anime series are popular and have a long history, for example One Piece, with more than 1,000 episodes at the moment. This list is statistically designed to introduce anime suitable for newcomers to the anime world. The anime on this list range from action, romance, drama to comedy.
1 Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Like Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is also considered one of the most classic and influential anime series of all time. The film follows brothers Edward and Alphonse as they try to heal the trauma caused during a dark ritual. Whether it's extremely intense action, well-timed funny scenes, compelling characters, or heartbreaking moments, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood deserves the list of the best movies. With an ambitious story and brilliantly told through 64 episodes, the series is a perfect choice for anime beginners.
English: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Premiere: 2009
Genre: Animation, Action
Character Name: Edward, Alphonse
Runtime: 64 episodes
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Director: Yasuhiro Irie
Written by: Hiroo Maruyama
Studio: Bones
2 Your Lie In April (2014-2015)
Your Lie In April . Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Your Lie In April
Sometimes, the best starter anime are the ones that explore an unexpected side of the industry. Your Lie In April focuses on Kousei Arima's struggle as a classical musician and former piano genius, in returning to playing music after meeting a splendid violinist. The captivating and tearful story of this film can touch anyone's heart. With memorable characters and a great soundtrack, Your Lie in April is one of the most beautifully made and completely watchable anime series with only 22 episodes. As distressing as it may be, Your Lie in April is still a suitable anime for beginners looking for something that is not too optimistic.
English: Your Lie In April
Premiere: 2014
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Character Name: Kousei Arima, Kaori
Runtime: 22 episodes
Author: Naoshi Arakawa
Director: Kyohei Ishiguro
Takao Yoshioka
Studio: Fuji Television
3 Death Note (2006-2007)
Death Note. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Death Note
Death Note is a classic and hugely influential series, perfect for beginners to watch anime thanks to its relentlessly captivating story. Death Note follows Light Yagami, a bright high school student who discovers a "Death Note" at school. This notebook gives Light the power to kill anyone he writes his name on in the book, power that he soon begins to use to do justice on his own. Light's dream is to build a new world with his powers that eventually brings him into confrontation with an odd detective known as L, resulting in a tense game between the two characters. Although a bit over-the-top and magnificent at times, Death Note is in the ranks of the best thrillers in all fields and therefore a great anime to start exploring the world of anime.
English: Death Note
Premiere: 2006
Genre: Animation, Crime
Character Name: Light, L
Duration: 37 episodes
Author: Tsugumi Ōba
Director: Tetsuro Araki
Toshiki Inoue
Studio: Madhouse
4 One-Punch Man (2015-)
One-Punch Man. Image source: pinterest
Trailer One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man started as a webcomic, then became a manga and finally an anime that conquered the globe. The film follows Saitama, a man who trains his body to the point where he can defeat any enemy with a single punch. What's the only problem? Life is no longer challenging, and Saitama is always fed up with it. As a satire on the superhero and action genres, One-Punch Man is not only ingenious but also incredibly funny. With only two short seasons (and One-Punch Man season 3 coming soon), this is an accessible series for newcomers to the anime world.
English: One-Punch Man
Premiere: 2015
Genre: Animation, Action
Character Name: Saitama, Sonic, Bang
Duration: 24 episodes
Author: ONE
Director: Shingo Natsume
Scenario: Matsui Chinatsu
Studio: Madhouse
5 Attack on Titan (2013-2023)
Attack On Titan. Image source: pinterest
Trailer Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime in the world, especially thanks to its impressive first season, many have called it the "Game of Thrones of anime" because of its tense and bloody plot. Set in the future of destruction, when humans must hide in the city surrounded by walls to avoid the terrible Giants, Attack on Titan is famous for its darkness. With intriguing mysteries and intense action scenes, there are no better movies than Attack on Titan to appeal to both old and new fans of anime.
English: Attack On Titan
Premiere: 2013
Genre: Animation, Action
Character names: Eren, Levi, Mikasa
Duration: 88 episodes
Author: Ishayama Hajime
Director: Tetsurō Araki
Hiroshi Seko
Studio: Wit Studio
6 Erased (2016)
Erased. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Erased
Erased was one of the most underrated anime series of the 2010s. With 12 episodes, the series is a dark and tense story that follows Satoru Fujinuma, a 27-year-old man who has the ability to "go back" in time to avoid a tragedy. However, after a murder brings back forgotten memories of his childhood, Satoru returns to his past as a child. The series is tense and touching, as Satoru must use his knowledge of the future to solve both future murders and save her little friend before the killer approaches her. For lovers of mysterious stories, Erased can be a great option for beginners to the anime world.
English: Erased
Premiere: 2016
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Character names: Satoru, Kayo, Yashiro
Duration: 12 episodes
Author: Kei Sanbe
Director: Tomohiko Itō
Written by: Kenta Suzuki
Studio: A-1 Pictures
7 My Hero Academia (2016-)
My Hero Academia. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is fast becoming one of the most popular anime series of the 21st century. Set in a world where superpowers, known as Quirks, are possessed by about 80% of the population, the series overflows. Full of incredible action and unforgettable moments. Born without Quirk, the boy Izuku Midoriya still aspires to be a superhero, just like his idol All Might. After meeting All Might and getting a chance to inherit his powerful Quirk, Midoriya set out to conquer his dreams at a prestigious high school for superheroes. The world in the series is fascinating and complex, and the series certainly has no shortage of likable characters. It's a longer series with six seasons (and a seventh season of My Hero Academia is on the way), but it's an interesting series that can surprise newcomers to the anime world by quickly drawing immerse them in the story.
English: My Hero Academia
Premiere: 2016
Genre: Animation, Action
Character Name: Midoriya, All Might
Duration: 138 Episodes
Author: Horikoshi Kōhei
Directed by: Nagasaki Kenji
Kuroda Yōsuke
Studio: Bones
8 Re:Zero (2016-)
Re:Zero, Starting Life In Another World. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Re:Zero, Starting Life In Another World
Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World, after two seasons, is still one of the most popular anime today, and the Rem and Ram couple have become widespread icons in anime media and merchandise.
The film follows Subaru, who is transported from modern normal life into a colorful magical world (anime genre known as "isekai," or "another world"). Instead of possessing supernatural powers to help him on his journey, Subaru soon realizes his special ability to return to a previous point in time after death is a gift as well as a curse. Although Re:Zero cleverly uses elements of anime, even newcomers to the anime world can find plenty of fun to explore here.
English: Re:Zero, Starting Life In Another World
Premiere: 2016
Genre: Animation, Drama
Character Name: Subaru, Rem
Duration: 50 episodes
Author: Nagatsuki Tappei
Directed by: Watanabe Masaharu
Tanaka Sho
Studio: White Fox
9 Steins;Gate (2011)
Steins; Gate. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Steins;Gate
Based on a visual novel, Steins; Gate brings an ambitious time travel story that revolves around mad scientist Okabe Rintarou and his serendipitous discovery of a microwave oven that can be used to send messages into the past. Despite only having a single season, the series succeeded in putting together a memorable story in that short time. Despite its uniqueness, Steins; Gate is one of the most developed and consistent versions of all literature, and that means it's a great anime series for beginners.
English: Steins; Gate
Premiere: 2011
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Character Name: Rintarou Okabe
Duration: 24 episodes
Author: Yomi Sarachi
Director: Hiroshi Hamasaki
Jukki Hanada
Studio: White Fox
10 Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999)
Cowboy Bebop. Image source: Pinterest
Trailer Cowboy Bebop
The original Cowboy Bebop is one of the most iconic and important anime in history. Inspired by Western imagery and stories, Cowboy Bebop is essentially a story about the Wild West in the future and takes a group of mismatched characters to space adventures. Cowboy Bebop lasted only 26 episodes and one series, but has remained a huge hit in the years since its debut. The series is known for its intricate characters, compelling storylines, and especially legendary music, including one of the greatest theme songs of all time. If you're looking to start watching anime, Cowboy Bebop is still a great starting point.
English: Cowboy Bebop
Premiere: 1998
Genre: Animation, Action
Character Name: Spike, Jet, Vicious
English: Cowboy Bebop
Premiere: 1998
Genre: Animation, Action
Character Name: Spike, Jet, Vicious
Duration: 26 episodes
Author: Hajime Yatate
Directed by: Shinichiro Watanabe
Keiko Nobumoto
Studio: Sunrise
