Gone are the days when anime used to have a niche following. People who often viewed anime as kids’ material have begun to vanish as anime is exploding in popularity all over the globe. The anime community is filled with not just the general audience but also popular celebrities, content creators, athletes, etc, who have expressed their love for this medium. Whether your friend urged you to start an anime or you are curious about what the hype around anime is, our curated list has got your back. Keep reading to discover the 10 best starter anime across various genres that are perfect to kick off your anime journey on the right foot.
10. Solo Leveling – Enter the World of Manhwa
- Release Year: 2024 – Ongoing
- Studios: A-1 Pictures
- Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Episodes: 25
You may be wondering what a manhwa is after seeing the title here. To make things simple, in South Korea, comics are referred to as Manhwa. Solo Leveling is the anime adaptation based on the identically titled manhwa. Solo Leveling follows the life of Sung Jinwoo, the weakest hunter in history. On the verge of his death, he awakens a mysterious system that lets him level up like in video games. With his newfound powers, can he rise to the strongest hunter title and save humanity?
Discover it yourself by streaming Solo Leveling, which was officially revealed to be the most-watched anime in Crunchyroll’s history recently. Solo Leveling is the ultimate power fantasy anime, a trope you will find in a lot of anime, but this anime sits at the top. With its incredibly animated action sequences, Solo Leveling won the anime of the year award and is one of the best action anime ever made. If you are craving some Korean action to begin with, don’t hesitate to pick Solo Leveling as your first anime to watch.
9. Horimiya – Beginner-Friendly Romance Anime
- Release Years: 2021-2023
- Studios: CloverWorks
- Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance
- Episodes: 26
If you would like to indulge yourself in a heartwarming romance drama as your very first anime, Horimiya is the ideal pick for you. This anime is about how Kyouko Hori and Izumi Miyamura fall for each other despite their contrasting personalities. Set in a familiar high-school setting like other rom-coms, this anime wins your hearts with a heartfelt drama featuring endearing characters.
Horimiya was released at the right time when the romance animes got stuck in a loop of clichéd romantic dramas, and it became one of the best in the genre. Don’t get confused by the older adaptation of Horimiya by Hood Entertainment, as it’s an average adaptation. I suggest you watch both Horimiya and Hormiya: Piece to get the best experience out of the Horimiya series.
8. Grand Blue – Absolute Comedy Gold
- Release Year: 2018
- Studios: Liber
- Genre: Animation, Drama, Comedy
- Episodes: 12
If you are not are not looking for a serious anime, then a perfect comedy anime will bring the joy you seek in anime. Let me introduce you to Grand Blue, which is hailed as absolute comedy gold by the anime community. Set in the coastal town of Izu, this starter anime follows Iori’s fun-filled adventures with his new university friends in the sunny seaside town.
Whenever I feel down, switching to a comedy anime always brightens up my mood so quickly. Watching a comedy anime is similar to the experience of watching sitcoms. Thus, Grand Blue anime offers unfiltered fun from start to finish. After a long gap, this anime is returning this July with a brand new season. So, make sure to start binge-watching the Grand Blue as soon as you can to keep experiencing comedy at its absolute best.
7. Jujutsu Kaisen – Brace Yourself for Non-Stop Action
- Release Years: 2020 – Ongoing
- Studios: MAPPA
- Genre: Animation, Action, Supernatural
- Episodes: 48 episodes and a movie
Even before you stumbled upon the term anime, you must have heard about Jujutsu Kaisen. Shortly known as JJK, Gege Akutami’s magnum opus swiftly became the most popular anime, beating juggernaut titles such as One Piece, Naruto, AOT, etc, and received the Guinness World Record. There is no doubt that it is the most in-demand anime on the planet among the Gen-Z audience.
If you are wondering what this anime is about, it follows the life of Itadori Yuji, who gets enrolled in a sorcerer school after he accidentally eats a cursed finger. One of the main reasons for Jujutsu Kaisen’s sky-high popularity is MAPPA’s exceptional anime quality. Gege Akutami’s fantastic fights in the manga were elevated to exhilarating battles that one could ever find in an anime. Thus, kick off your journey with JJK if action is your sole preference.
6. Steins; Gate – Buckle Up to Time Travel
- Release Year: 2011
- Studios: White Fox
- Genre: Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi
- Episodes: 24
Mind-bending time travel stories aren’t just a Hollywood specialty, as there are many brilliant anime that rival Hollywood’s best. Among them, Steins; Gate still stands tall to this date as the best time travel anime. Not just that, Steins; Gate is one of the best anime among many other things that the anime community often recommends to newcomers to the world of anime.
Steins; Gate chronicles the lives of Rintarou Okabe and his friends, who find themselves in a race against time when a shadowy organization named SERN threatens to get their time machine and rewrite history. With smart characters and a compelling narrative, this anime gets everything about time travel right. It is the third-highest animated show of all time and is easily a must-watch beginner-friendly anime for you if sci-fi is your jam.
5. Haikyuu!! – Embrace the Passion of Sports
- Release Years: 2014-2020
- Studios: Production I.G.
- Genre: Animation, Teen Drama, Sports, Comedy
- Episodes: 87 episodes and two movies
Everyone has some love for their favorite sport deep down. Even if you are not a fan of volleyball or don’t know much about the game, don’t worry, as Haikyuu is one of the best sports anime out there, which embodies the true passion and spirit of the game. Haikyuu is about the tale of Shoyo Hinata, an aspiring kid with big volleyball dreams despite his short height.
He unexpectedly crosses paths with his rival, Tobio Kageyama, in his new school. Now, they have to team up to lead Karasuno High to greatness. Don’t consider Haikyuu to be a regular sports drama. It has well-written, emotionally resonating characters, makes every match thrilling for those who are unfamiliar, and everything together is served well with top-tier animation by Production I.G. Haikyuu is one of my favorite anime of all time and I assure you, it will be the same for you if you can give it a chance.
4. Attack on Titan – Proof That Anime Isn’t for Kids
- Release Years: 2013-2023
- Studios: Wit and MAPPA
- Genre: Animation, Drama, Action, Suspense
- Episodes: 98
You have probably heard people endlessly talking about Attack on Titan, whether in your friend group or online. Attack on Titan, also known as AOT, became a global sensation shortly after its release back in 2013. Without spoiling anything, here is the plot of AOT: The existence of Titans (giant humanoids) pushes humanity to the brink of extinction. After his hometown gets annihilated by the Titans, the MC Eren Yeager fiercely vows to wipe out these monsters from the face of Earth.
Sure sounds like a regular post-apocalyptic monster show, right? That’s where we are proven wrong! Each season of AOT evolves into a complex storyline exploring mature themes that no other shonen anime dares to do. With an intriguing storyline and exceptional characters backed by stunning animation quality from WIT Studio and MAPPA, Attack on Titan is easily a must-watch and one of the best starter anime to commence your anime journey.
3. Demon Slayer – Witness Peak Animation
- Release Years: 2019 – Ongoing
- Studios: Ufotable
- Genre: Animation, Action, Supernatural
- Episodes: 63 episodes and 3 movies
If you are drawn to anime for its visual quality and want to see how far it can go, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is the no-brainer pick. After Tanjiro Kamado’s family is slaughtered by demons, he embarks on a revenge journey by becoming a Demon Slayer. While Demon Slayer is known for its cliched story, it wouldn’t impact your experience as it’s going to be your very first anime.
The key reason behind Demon Slayer’s phenomenal success across the globe is Ufotable’s unmatched animation quality. Demon Slayer anime redefined the limits of what’s possible in animation. It boasts a memorable set of characters and extraordinary battle sequences that leave an indelible mark on your hearts. Rest assured, Demon Slayer is the ideal beginner anime if the visuals are your main preference. The final trilogy of movies is coming out soon, so it is the right time to catch up.
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – A Complete Experience
- Release Years: 2009-2010
- Studios: Bones
- Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Episodes: 64
If you are looking for an anime that has everything the medium has to offer, we have the perfect recommendation for you: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. FMAB is the tale of the Elric brothers Edward and Alphonse, who set out in search of the Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies to their original form.
FMAB is one of the classic anime titles that came out in 2009. Since its debut, this anime reigned at the top as the highest-rated anime of all time in MAL until Frieren anime pushed it down a year back. The anime is still hailed as an all-time great anime for the complete package experience it offers, including compelling protagonists, a well-rounded story, and many more wrapped up and presented with excellent animation quality.
No matter what anime you start with, you will come across FMAB naturally, as it falls under the must-watch category. So, why not begin your anime journey with one of the greatest anime ever?
1. Death Note – The Ultimate Starter Anime
- Release Years: 2006-2007
- Studios: Madhouse
- Genre: Animation, Psychological, Suspense, Mystery
- Episodes: 37
When it comes to introducing someone to anime, Death Note has been the classic starting choice for years. Death Note follows the life story of Light Yagami, who finds a supernatural book that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. With just 37 episodes, it is a perfect limited series for anyone to begin with.
Death Note takes the typical cat-and-mouse plot to the next level with well-written, morally complex characters. It’s a well-crafted anime, in-and-out, and you will be hooked throughout the anime right from the very start. It is the first anime I began my journey with, and it still remains the definitive gateway for all newcomers to date.
And that’s a wrap for our handpicked list of beginner animes from most of the popular genres. If you are an action fan or a romance fan, we hope we assisted in you picking up the right anime to begin your beautiful journey. That said, let us know which was your first anime in the comments below.
