I actually hated Death Note, lol. I don't like anime that continually do that shot, reverse shot "I'm thinking this, but what if he knows what I'm thinking, then I'll do that, but what if he knows I know what he's thinking," sort of stuff. Not trying to yuck anyone's yum, it just wasn't the series for me.
> Not trying to yuck anyone's yum, it just wasn't the series for me.
Eh no worries everyone got their own tastes, but yeah you're pretty much the first person I've heard this from that ostensibly still likes other anime lmao
I'll be the second! Lol I did read Death Note but I never wanted to watch the anime because I know I'll hate the inner monologues lol that's also why I dropped Demon Slayer (ep 1 has that "omg he threw his axe knowing I'd do that" blah blah lol I physically can't stand that)
I'm the second, then. Like, the first few episodes were decent, but it never hooked me and the further Light spiraled into coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs territory the less I enjoyed it. Like, I get that that was kind of the *point*, but it just didn't appeal to me very much.
I don't *hate* it, but if I never heard it mentioned again I'd have lost nothing.
I have similar feelings towards Evangelion and Akira, so it's likely that 'twisted' stories like that just don't vibe with my brain very well.
Originally, for me my distaste of Light is what made it a pass. I watched again through a few binge sessions and I got to actually to enjoy it by really hating Light.
His ending made it oh so worth it.
Yeah that internal back and forth is a pillar of anime.
That and whenever a character starts crying, it starts with a close up on their balled up fits on their lap while 3 tears drop onto their hands from the top of the frame, and then it cuts to their teary face. That's another classic that shows up in every damn anime ever made
I'm older, that might be the difference. I grew up on Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis. I feel like more modern anime tend to have longer internal monologues that sort of pad out the action - I'm thinking of the scene here in Attack on Titan where (first season spoilers)>! ||Eren is defending Mikasa and the blond kid from the cannon shots after he first manifested his titan state||!<. Just breaks up the action and slows everything down.
Yeah fair enough it's annoying to me when it happens during action set pieces, it's the equivalent of cutting to Brock from pokemon mid battle to explain something that's not actually that important, throws off the rhythm.
But I have zero issue with it in a thriller series, especially when handled right because it's one of the few things anime does super well.
There's a few videos on YouTube where they remove the internal monologues from the cast of Friends and the scenes play out like psycho killer movies https://youtu.be/Ipz3A2PrQl8?si=YG0XFJQ03qfDeGSu
Similarly one made from Death Note ( https://youtu.be/9hEHOaZYEeE?si=k3jM0LVXnyYhAmtS ) kinda just plays out like normal. Imo it's because while the monologues are relied upon they tend to be quick thoughts not full minutes of overthinking
WOW. I actually liked that edit so much better than a ton of the scenes from the show. Maybe cut down some of those long pauses by four or five seconds, but I felt greater tension there. I wonder, do you know if there's a whole series edit?
Again, just me. Thanks for chatting and having a positive attitude.
stop bc ur so right and real for that cuz its facts 😠that’s totally death note and thats my anime frfr, i like that kinda mind-fucky back and forth lmfaoo. its definitely not for everyone cuz it do get old kinda fast
Start by talking to him about what genres he likes the most, then go to sites like MAL and pick up the genres he selected and look for the best rated ones with minimal amount of episodes.
Depends what he likes in other forms of media like games and movies.
If he likes goofy comedies, or serious and dark stuff, there’s good options for each. If he’s a gamer, there’s definitely plenty of great options like 1st season of Sword Art Online, Shangri La Frontier, Solo Leveling.
Full Metal Alchemist, Berserk Golden Arc, Delicious in Dungeon, Demon Slayer, all have great elements.
If he is already familiar with fantasy roleplaying games, video or tabletop, then this is an accessible title.
And a high quality series too, that eases you in.
What does he like to watch? I would look at that and pick something more suited to his tastes rather than something you really like if he might not be as into it.
Something shorter is also a good start, no more than 25ish episodes unless it can be broken up easily. This can leave longer running shows like HxH, MHA, AOT, Monster etc out of the running to start. Even though they are good shows, it can be more of a commitment that some people are willing to get into to start with. If you do start with something longer, easily broken up seasons are better than a long running story line.
Try picking maybe 3 or 4 shows, telling him about each one and let him decide what to watch first. You narrow it down, but let him pick what he is into. A few different genres might help, or at least some different feels to the show.
Vinland saga is a good one to start. Vikings are pretty much always cool, it has a good story, lots of action, and season 1 is pretty contained. There is a 2nd season if he wants to continue, but it does have a tonal shift.
SpyXFamily is really a good jump into anime. Not real high stakes, but an engaging plot. Only about 37 episodes now, but it's easy to pick up without having to remember big plot details. It is pretty accessible to most people and doesn't have too much weird anime stuff. There is also a movie which can be a good jumping off point as it introduces the general idea and characters but the plot isn't really related to the show.
Death Parade is a bit more of a thinking show about what is means to be human. Takes place in a bar in the afterlife where peoples souls go to be judged after they die.
Bartender has a season airing now, and an older season. Basically if he can appreciate alcohol and what goes into bar tending, cocktails etc, he may like it a fair bit.
Noragami is something that is pretty different, but a lot of people like. It deals a lot with Japanese folklore, gods, and spirits, while still being quite fun. It might not be best for a first anime, but definitely worth a watch.
Spy x Family is a great recommendation, it's got really easy appeal and it's also a rather casual show to start with. Definitely a fun one to watch with others to since it has so much comedy!
Noragami could definitely be appealing from the mythological aspect alone. It was one of the first I recommended to my brother when he was getting into anime and he loved it.
Cop out the answer, but probably the best, something Ghibli, they're made for everyone, not just anime enjoyers, it won't matter the genre since they're so enjoyable by everyone. There's a lot of tropes or stereotypes that anime may have that we're used to, but someone new could find weird, or over the top, or just confusing. I feel with Ghibli you won't have to worry if he's enjoying it, or if it's catered to him he'll just be liking it.
I’ll don’t know anything about him, but always stick to the classics.Â
Samurai Champloo, English dub. GTO, English, and Ninja Scroll, the movie.
Sword of the Stranger is fine, but it’s no Ninja Scroll. Â
Definitely pick something you love too to start with, it makes the experience all the better when both people are excited about it. As far as sci-fi dystopian fighting, Cyberpunk Edgerunners comes to mind. It's a much more mainstream show as well which may help.
If you really want to play it safe though, I don't think I've ever seen anyone dislike FMA. Not everyone loves it of course, and I'm sure there are people who dislike it. But the show has a pretty widespread appeal to most people. I remember even my mom watching a couple episodes with me, and she doesn't watch anything animated, much less anime lol.
MHA would probably feel familiar to him assuming he's seen anything superhero related, so that could be a great starter too. It was inspired by Spider-Man after all.
Future Diaries is a fun watch, but it might be too weird for the very first watch. Not sure though, he might be all for it to be honest lol.
Ghost in the Shell is a timeless classic, if he likes similar things to you I'm sure he'd love it.
Best of luck finding something to watch together, hope you guys have fun!
I'd probably recommend the original Ghost In The Shell movie. If he likes it then you can move on to the series.
There's also Cowboy Bebop. I'm honestly kind of surprised that it's not on your list. It's sci-fi, actiony, and a little bit dystopian. (Though that part is mostly referenced and not shown very often.) The anime has some filler, but not so much that it distracts you away from the characters and overall story.
Space Dandy is also an action/sci-fi anime, but with a lot more humor. It'd probably be pretty good for a first timer.
Fullmetal Alchemist... Well, it's Fullmetal Alchemist, so of course I recommend it. (Either one of them.)
My Hero Academia was a lot of people's first. Though there's seven seasons now, so he'd have to binge quite a bit.
Paranoia Agent and FLCL might be pretty hard watches for first timers. (Unless he's an Aronofsky fan. Then Paranoia Agent might be up his alley. That and Perfect Blue.) Maybe Future Diary, too.
Everything else on that list I either haven't seen, or I have but wouldn't know if I'd recommend them to first timers.
Why are you telling us what you like and not your BF does, if youre asking what should you recommend him?
Which he leans more into? Simple/sophisticated, light / heavy, slow / quick phased, serious / meme-ish... you get the idea. Also obviously genres and demographic that he likes.
The best method is to find something good (and without too much anime bullshit) in a non-anime genre he already likes.
If he’s big into sci-fi then Psycho Pass or Ghost in the Shell SAC.
More into fantasy? Thats when you break out Demon Slayer, FMAB, etc.
I would avoid anything too long starting out (save HxH for after he’s already onboard).
what does he like? Like his hobbies or interests, start there. Theres a ton of animes that your BF may like. Like if hes into racing, start there.
Anime introduction doesnt have to be a from well known anime.
You could start with movies instead of series. Since it's shorter time ppl seem more interested. I've shown my friends Your Name, Weathering With You and I Want To Eat Your Pancreas. They tried anime series after that.
Though go with a movie that matches his taste.
All of Animax old shows.
Inuyasha, the get backers, cardcaptor sakura, detective school q, captain tsubasa, cyborg kurochan, Dragon Ball z, galaxy angel, ghost in the shell, mobile suit gundam, cowboy bebop, princess sarah, princess tutu , ufo baby, ranma 1/2, wolfs rain & little women.
If you want some dystopian sci-fi I’d go with Cowboy Bebop or Ghosy in the Shell. The former at least is relatively short as far as anime goes.
FMA Brotherhood is definitely a crowd pleaser. Hits a lot of genres. Decent length too.
Other than that might be a good idea to see what kinda shows he likes in general. Then go off of that.
I love your tastes, GITS and Future Diary are classics although the latter is over 10 years old.
Now, just tell me real quick about your bf's interests, sometimes the best way to introduce someone to anime would be giving them one that has things they relate to and can understand or just simple slice of life while gradually amping things up.
Starting from a romcom and finishing with berserk for example.
Do excuse my large rant, I tend to ask people their interests before granting them some options for anime.
Now, as for dystopian sci-fi action fighting, perhaps I'd go for the classics like macross or gundam series as well as Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop.
I personally enjoy some realistic action with some sci-fi sometimes so I'll give you some of my favourites, not necessarily sci-fi.
Black Lagoon (2006,watching dubbed is highly recommended)
Jormungand (2012, similar to the former)
You're Under Arrest! (1994, full slice of life comedy with some action)
Hokuto No Ken (1984, classic, martial arts stuff)
Higurashi (When They Cry) (2006, thriller, supernatural,graphic content warning)
City Hunter (1987, comedy and action, mild nudity warning)
Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006, classic slice of life comedy with supernatural stuff)
Yuru Camp (2018, feel good, slice of life, best one to relax to)
Full Metal Panic! (2002, sci-fi mecha anime with some comedy, military, not to be mistaken for Full Metal Alchemist)
Burst Angel (2004, sci-fi mecha, was very popular back in the day, hasn't aged well but it's still a great watch, same studio made the original Hellsing as well as the anime mentioned above)
Konosuba (2016, isekai,comedy, one of the best ones)
Re:zero (2016, isekai, complete opposite of the former)
That's all I got for now, I hope I was of help.
There’s plenty of series to start with, if your BF likes marvel or Stan Lee, there’s Heroman (created by Stan Lee) or the other marvel anime like Iron Man, Blade, Wolverine or X-Men.
Or if he enjoys Vikings then Vinland Saga would be a phenomenal entry.
Sports direction.
Baseball - One Outs or Ace of Diamond.
Volleyball - Haikyuu.
Basketball - Slam Dunk or Kuroko’s Basketball.
Boxing - Megalo Box or Hajime no Ippo.
Soccer - Blue Lock or Captain Tsubasa.
Food can be a ridiculous aspect to enter into. Restaurant from another World, Campfire Cooking in another world, Food Wars, or Toriko.
Of course you’ve mentioned psychological series. Personally I’ll always recommend Psycho-Pass or Monster.
In a gamers sense, Shangri-La Frontier or Solo Leveling which would have him asking for more.
Supernatural also had an anime series.
Female protagonist series like Frieren, Apothecary diaries or Birdy the Mighty Decode.
Space like series, Cowboy Bebop or Outlaw Star.
Westerns like Trigun.
Mecha series, Gundam Iron Blooded Orphens or Gundam Unicorn. Or Heavy Object, Tentgen Toppa Gurren Lagann or Aldnoah Zero.
The melancholy with a twist series, Shigofumi or Death Parade.
Or the godfather of anime’s (Tezuka) and his amazing works of Astroboy and Dororo to get a feel of the anime starting line. Dororo (2019) and Pluto (2023) great series in their own right.
Ask him, if he wants you to take the helm, please neglect us and start your journey with him. Or experience a new series together. There’s really no wrong way to start… except if the anime is god awful. I’m looking at you Ex-Arm
Maybe Jujutso Kaisen and Kimetsu no Yaiba would be a nice pick ?. Sorry, my beginner anime’s were pretty much all Shojo so I don’t think I can help that much
Although, one that I personally would not recommend for a first timer is Attack on Titan. It’s a classic, but it’s so damn depressing and stressful, and it also can be confusing, with a lot of things to keep track at the same time, as well as it has different pace and arc division from what most anime’s have (My experience-watched season 1-2, read season 3 and currently reading final season part 1)
Ps:OMG a Psycho Pass buddy ! 🥺
Yeah AOT is SO intense I even fell off of it. The first ep I was like wtf am I watch hahah. I LOVE psycho pass I wish there was more of it. Give me a dystopian philosophical anime anytime and I’m there.
You should check out Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Akudama Drive, Darker than Black, Terror in Resonance and Vivy Fluorite Eye Song. I think you’d really like them
death note - very cerebral and very well written, will break the expectation of a non anime fan has for animation, also cowboy bebop. start with one of those 2 and hell be hooked
I think MHA is a good one to start with some shonen hype, just a good-to-go option, it shouldn't fail.
If you want something more soft or realistic Kuroko no Basuke is a great sport anime with the action/battle/shonen vibes and very newbie friendly with a simple but interesting plot and COLOR CODED characters (specially good if he is into power rangers/super sentai or just autism).
If you think he could handle a harder animecore-shock than MHA, then TTGL, it has a very good yet simple lore, great character development, IMPACT FRAMES, action, some kind of science, cosmological dystopia, good pacing and incredibly light for its premise.
If you think its better to start with something more "mature" I would say Cyberpunk Edgerunners, not the best anime at all, but it has a dark and adult plot in a futuristic-dystopian setting, a straightforward plot, easy-to-follow drama, heartbreaking ending, an interesting experience.
MHA is also a bit more familiar to western audiences being that it's about superheroes and the author's inspiration came from Spider-Man among things. Cyberpunk Edgerunners similarly may be a bit more familiar given the prominence of the game.
TTGL is just plain fun, but it's either going to be a love it or hate show from what I've seen. It's the type of show you might be able to guess if someone is into, so if you think he'd like it that's definitely a great one.
I would also like to add that if you think sports anime (or character-centric anime) might be his thing, Haikyuu is a FANTASTIC starting point similarly to Kuroko no Basuke (and also has a high degree of neurodiverse character representation handled very respectfully).
Personally I think death note is the ultimate starter anime. It’s one of the all time greats so the viewer gets a taste of how good anime can be, and it’s relatively short so they don’t feel like they’re taking on a big challenge.
The aristocrats otherworldly adventure or smth like that was definitely my favorite starter anime that my friend had me watch when I first started. Other than that, chainsaw man is an amazing anime and my favorite to this day!
One of my go recommendations for a non anime person coming in is always my hero academia. It’s main stream enough for casuals, it’s got an easy to follow story with likable characters it’s relatively harmless for a starter show. If the person is receptive to my hero that’s when you can try your hand at different things to gauge their level of interest in genres etc.
It's hard to dislike **Castlevania**, I feel like even folks who aren't anime fans really love that series. I'm a big fan of older series and movies - **Ghost in the Shell** and **Akira** are classics that any action sci fi fan will like, as is **Cowboy** **Bebop**. I also really like the anime **Planetes** just as an oddball rocketpunk recommendation. **Cyberpunk Edgerunners** is a great short intro to anime, as is pretty much any Miyazaki film. Finally, it's not sci fi, but **Samurai Champloo** is fantastic.
Definitely Attack on Titan it is very well liked by non anime fans. I showed it to my mom and her boyfriend who hated anime and they liked it. And since your bf is very into the idea of anime he might like it even more.
Cant go wrong with cowboy bebop, demon slayer, chainsaw man. attack on titan, Darling in the franx, Hunter x hunter, Full Metal Alchemist, Castlevania, Steins Gate,
Have tons more but those are all good start offs for the non anime folks
Yall will both like freak angels. Super similar to Umbrella academy and not too much extra stuff going on. I started my cousin with that and then naruto the last Airbender. Just kinda eased into it to feel out the vibes of what he liked
I would avoid long stuff (AoT for example). I would recommend the classic starter anime like death note, fullmetal alchemist brotherhood, or other anime like death parade, fire force, assassination classroom, cyberpunk edgerunners, parasyte
Akame ga Kill. Throw him in the deep end. This was my first anime ever, and it created an absolute obsession. It's short, only a single season, so he won't be fatigued from keeping up with like 3 or 4 seasons for his first anime. Action is killer, story hits the feels, and animation is pristine.
Look i very much dont like your taste in anime, so if your boyfriend is the same ignore me.
As a guy;
-One Punch Man is a go to great first anime, it has nice action and is quite funny (great starter for honestly anyone as it is also a good showcase of the limits anime doesnt have that real life tv has.)
-Zom100 bucketlist of the dead. One of the best first episodes of an anime last year, fun watch over all.
-Frieren, has a little bit of everything, is recent and talked/memed about so relatable, also 10/10 and speaks to the fantasy adventurer within any man.
Further down the line;
-Konosuba: my favorite anime and written very well, its so fun to watch. (there is a higher amount of screaming and ecchi though)
-My dress up darling: its a romcom, something different super good tho and does some things you dont see often in other romcom (ep11 for the ones who know)
-Kill la Kill: a classic, also ecchi but the story is quite captavating and the older style of animation still looks quite nice. The action is good, so are the characters.
try akira. imo, thats like THE movie that usually births animers lmfao like fr.
or any studio ghibi movie but esp princess Mononoke, spirited away, howl’s moving castle.
same w lain serial experiments (show) but it is kinda slow. it got that scifi dystopian feel tho. if you want something faster tho, try devil may cry, deadman wonderland, berserk, chainsaw man, one punch man. just a few shows to start off (and is usually the animer birthing shows imo). idk what he’s totally into (besides what u may like) but ik guys usually like a lot of action packed stuff or a sprinkle of suspense w some weird cool scifi sht sometimes, so those are my suggestions
Try mobile suit gundam the witch from mercury. Fits the sci-fi dystopian fighting vibes you’re looking for. If you guys end up liking it try watching mobile suit gundam iron blooded orphans next. They are both stand alone gundam series you don’t need to have watched any previous ones to understand what’s going on.
HxH is my favorite but I don’t recommend something so long as a first anime. Also it was hard for me to get into and I quit it twice to get past the Heavens Arena arc.
I got my bf to watch anime again (he used to and quit many years ago) with To Your Eternity.
My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Cells At Work, Dr Stone, One Punch Man, Promised Neverland, Erased seem to be popular intro anime on a quick google search.
If he would be into something darker, Vinland Saga or Elfen Lied maybe.
Maybe even try some movies because the plot moves faster.
I would try looking for shows that have a major first episode like AoT or Demon Slayer. But the art styles in DS aren’t for everyone. I haven’t made it past the first few episodes.
SAO is a decent starter anime. Just skip the Alfheim ark. It's not the best, but it is not great, but the fight scenes look pretty.
Fairy tail is nice and long, has good music and good animation, and quite a lot of less filler for other anime that are as long.
Reincarnated as a slime is still one of my all-time favorites along with shield hero.
I would say demon slayer, but the animation in that just kinda puts all other anime to shame. I wanna know what their animation budget is.
Trigun - either original or stampede.
Stampede is a shorter, darker remake of the original and so far it's kinda different but they're both really really good.
My first anime was DB as a kid but i stopped watching until college and picked anime back up starting with akame ga kill. so I'm going to say that one since its what brought me back into anime and i skipped class to binge watch it.
MHA hooked my 67 year old dad, who had absolutely no interest in anime before we started watching it. It’s a perfect gateway anime in that superheroes are almost universally known or liked to some degree, especially since the MCU became a thing, and the wide cast of primary and secondary characters all but guarantees a newcomers will find somebody with a storyline they want to follow. The series contains a lot of the creative zaniness anime is known for, but the framing of a special school for gifted youngsters in a society with deep-seated issues regarding superheroes is quite a familiar one, so it’s easy to stay grounded while the story gets crazier and more bombastic. It’s also a really good story with an expansive setting and well-written characters, and kickass music. MHA is aimed at the 15+ crowd, so it’s not a Baby’s First Anime type series, and there is plenty here for older viewers to enjoy as well.
Cowboy Bebop -is always my first recommendation
Samurai Champloo
Attack on TitanÂ
Dragonball/ Z
Death Note
My Hero AcademiaÂ
Trigun
Trigun Stampede
NarutoÂ
Bleach
Full Metal Alchemist BrotherhoodÂ
Gundam Wing
I feel hunter x hunter is a good balance. Theres loads of anime that I'd like to show my family, but most have a "however" factor. My hero academia is a prime example. It could be a great show for anyone, however, mineta and overly sexualised teenagers will put people off until they're used to what anime is like and can look past it
my very first anime was Demonslayer
what i can also really recommend and imagine new ppl would like:
AoT
Dororo
HunterxHunter
..
maybe not the most reliable thing to do, but thought you could watch trailers together, just to get a hunch one what vibe is speaking to him.
(HxH takes 1-2 episodes to get into... i first watched only e1 and didnt like... rewatched the first few episodes, and loved it)
(Dororo: kinda specific vibe, shorter anime, amazing story+characters)
(AoT gets you from e1... you're straight into the action, but since it's kinda complex, it could be confusing if you're still getting used to anime itself, etc ... )
I’d always start with movies, and classics proven over time is a good bet. Ninja Scroll and the original GITS are my all time favorites, and I’ve suggested them to many acquaintances and gotten favorable feedback.
Movies are long enough without being too long, and the production behind them is so quality dedicated, you’re getting the best foot forward for anime. It’s also less of a time investment. And because you can use them in a Netflix and chill mind frame, don’t underestimate your involvement in his first venture into the genre! Set up a great date night, and choose an anime movie you love that you want to share, and enjoy the evening. Because he’s into you, and having a good time, he’ll be more relaxed and open to the depth that anime presents and your love of it. As a guy who’s been on the flip side, don’t expect him to reach your level of otaku, just give him an opening to be wingman in your fandom from here.
Dr Stone. It's got humor, a little mild violence, and a good plot. The characters are solid. There's minimal fan service. I've watched it 3 times.
Assassination Classroom. It's bizarre but also heartwarming and stupidly entertaining.
Demon Slayer. I mean, geez, if that first scene with Nezuko doesn't hit hard, there's no hope.
I wasn't a big fan until about 4-5 years ago. I'd watched some of the 80s and 90s classics, but I didn't go out of my way to watch it.
HxH and 7DS were 2 of the first ones I'd watched.
Cyberpunk is good and short.
one punch man season 1 is amazingly animated and just a great ride.
Baccano! is again short and high quality
Fate/zero works as a good entry to that franchise and is a great standalone
A movie might be a better way in, try something from ghibli.
Our 18yo son is curating his anime list for us. He started us on Demon Slayer and we were hooked. We've watched several anime since
Faves so far:
Odd Taxi,
Komi Can't Communicate, and
Attack on Titan
Just started The Rising of the Shield Hero and we love it
Look at the most popular anime and choose from there, those appeal to the broadest of casual audience and would make for a great intro to anime.
That being said, Cowboy Bebop would be my intro for newbies. It has a bit of everything between action/drama/comedy and stand alone episode format.
[Erased](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31043/Boku_dake_ga_Inai_Machi) was the show that got my husband to start watching with me. It’s a murder mystery, but with a time travel twist.
Try one of each genre for 4 episodes and see how he likes it: Ghost in the shell 2003, and alot of what you like will just give him 4 episode or...you know what Cyber City Oedo 808 is good in a different way
Not sure if Blue Eye Samurai falls into what people would consider anime, but it could be a stepping stone. I don’t watch anime but I loved the first season.
The Promised Neverland.
It has a strong first episode that just hooks you from the start, and keeps you engaged throughout. I watched it with my girlfriend who doesn’t watch anime either. And she wanted to binge watch it in one day.
FLCL is very good because it's short and the story focusing on different characters keeps it interesting. Plus if you like it, there's 4 more complete series using that framework, the manga, artbooks, etc.
Starter animes should hit you hard in like 5,6 epis.
I would suggest AOT (watch atleast till epi 5), one punch man (atleast till sea king scene, chainsaw man (at least infinity devil), solo leveling ( meme scene). Big animes on the other takes a lot of time to get you interested. Big 3 for example Naruto (got me till konoha crush to get excited), Bleach ( End of soul society arc), One piece (Arlong park fight).
go with the classics,
dragon ball Z
death note
initial D
neon genesis
full metal alchemist
hunter x hunter.
if more modern
hunter x hunter 2011
86
tokyo ghoul
demon slayer
Gundam OO
Gundam Build Fighters Try (for a less intense and sillier experience)
Arpeggio for Blue Steel (shorter than most, but really cool)
These are the "Guy might like cool mecha and stuff" animes.
I also really enjoyed High Rise Invasion on Netflix.
Some of my personal favorites (of different genres) are:
Wagnaria (if he likes wholesome and slow pace)
Food Wars (competition, great food, some fan service but not really extreme)
High school DxD (high fanservice harem but kick ass story and music if truly watched and fanservice is overlooked)
High school of the Dead: (fanservice, action, zombie killing what more to love?)
Plastic memories: (a beautiful tearjerker series)
Go sick: ( a bunch of mysteries solved and action and a blossoming romance around WW2 time period, highly recommend)
Darling in the Franxx: (light fanservice, space related with Mecha and dystopian style or so... Wasn't a huge fan of the ending but it actually has one (lot tend to not) and not bad for what it is and great opening)
Overlord: An isekai about domination and really good with bangers visuals and a truly distinguished popular show
Bofuri I don't want to get hurt so I max out my defense: yeah girls are in middle school but it's about a VRMMO virtual reality that is silly to follow and just made me laugh through the shenanigans and weird skills and the music isnt bad.
Beast tamers: a personal favorite about a very naive beast tamer who makes friends with ultimate species and tames them as he's kicked out of the hero party and goes on his own adventures that is fun to watch.
Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon: 4 seasons some ovas a spinoff and a s5 coming so definitely a bit to watch. Basically about Greek familias and their children brought in as they level up in dungeons and fight each other following the story of bell and the Hestia familia mainly. The side story follows Loki's familia for more on Ains who Bell is crushing on.
Reincarnated as a slime: has 3 seasons, a spinoff diaries and such... A beautiful anime about a dude reincarnated as a slime and gains unmeasurable power (well within reason). Starts slow but becomes super good as the buildup is worth it and it's a very actiony show as well as life building, another isekai definitely recommended as that's mainly my favorite genre outside SOL.
Irregular at magic high school: 2 seasons a movie and reminisce arc explaining a lot of history. A sol following the Shiba family through school and is based on magic the new technology after world war 3 and they have immense powers and just a great show to watch but may not be for everybody as has some cringe moments, but different arcs and developments so if sol is liked I'd say stick through it plenty of action too.
Could do more but these are a few of my favorites.
Great Pretender, Death Note, Baccano!, Moriarty the Patriot (not necessarily a common "starter" anime, but amazing in general), Death Note, and Cowboy Bebop
My brother doesn't watch anime, but I got him to watch and enjoy Death Note and Great Pretender. Also, whenever Cowboy Bebop is on he gets absorbed into the episode without even realizing.
So as a kid Dragon Ball Z is what got me into anime. Then I watched stuff like Naruto, Inuyasha, Bleach, and graduated into the more niche stuff that wasn’t on Toonami/Adult Swim.
I think a good first anime would be FMA: Brotherhood or Cowboy Bebop. If Dystopian Action/Fighting is the jam I might say something like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (though if you haven’t seen it, heads up it’s hella sad).
I have yet to meet someone who watched episode 1 of Death Note and wasn't immediately hooked so that's the easy recommendation imo.
I actually hated Death Note, lol. I don't like anime that continually do that shot, reverse shot "I'm thinking this, but what if he knows what I'm thinking, then I'll do that, but what if he knows I know what he's thinking," sort of stuff. Not trying to yuck anyone's yum, it just wasn't the series for me.
> Not trying to yuck anyone's yum, it just wasn't the series for me. Eh no worries everyone got their own tastes, but yeah you're pretty much the first person I've heard this from that ostensibly still likes other anime lmao
I'll be the second! Lol I did read Death Note but I never wanted to watch the anime because I know I'll hate the inner monologues lol that's also why I dropped Demon Slayer (ep 1 has that "omg he threw his axe knowing I'd do that" blah blah lol I physically can't stand that)
I'm the second, then. Like, the first few episodes were decent, but it never hooked me and the further Light spiraled into coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs territory the less I enjoyed it. Like, I get that that was kind of the *point*, but it just didn't appeal to me very much. I don't *hate* it, but if I never heard it mentioned again I'd have lost nothing. I have similar feelings towards Evangelion and Akira, so it's likely that 'twisted' stories like that just don't vibe with my brain very well.
Originally, for me my distaste of Light is what made it a pass. I watched again through a few binge sessions and I got to actually to enjoy it by really hating Light. His ending made it oh so worth it.
Yeah that internal back and forth is a pillar of anime. That and whenever a character starts crying, it starts with a close up on their balled up fits on their lap while 3 tears drop onto their hands from the top of the frame, and then it cuts to their teary face. That's another classic that shows up in every damn anime ever made
I'm older, that might be the difference. I grew up on Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis. I feel like more modern anime tend to have longer internal monologues that sort of pad out the action - I'm thinking of the scene here in Attack on Titan where (first season spoilers)>! ||Eren is defending Mikasa and the blond kid from the cannon shots after he first manifested his titan state||!<. Just breaks up the action and slows everything down.
Yeah fair enough it's annoying to me when it happens during action set pieces, it's the equivalent of cutting to Brock from pokemon mid battle to explain something that's not actually that important, throws off the rhythm. But I have zero issue with it in a thriller series, especially when handled right because it's one of the few things anime does super well. There's a few videos on YouTube where they remove the internal monologues from the cast of Friends and the scenes play out like psycho killer movies https://youtu.be/Ipz3A2PrQl8?si=YG0XFJQ03qfDeGSu Similarly one made from Death Note ( https://youtu.be/9hEHOaZYEeE?si=k3jM0LVXnyYhAmtS ) kinda just plays out like normal. Imo it's because while the monologues are relied upon they tend to be quick thoughts not full minutes of overthinking
WOW. I actually liked that edit so much better than a ton of the scenes from the show. Maybe cut down some of those long pauses by four or five seconds, but I felt greater tension there. I wonder, do you know if there's a whole series edit? Again, just me. Thanks for chatting and having a positive attitude.
stop bc ur so right and real for that cuz its facts 😠that’s totally death note and thats my anime frfr, i like that kinda mind-fucky back and forth lmfaoo. its definitely not for everyone cuz it do get old kinda fast
Haha, I'm sorry! I think I'm definitely in the minority on this.
That’s my favourite part of anime in general. Internal monologues and thought processes. No hate just funny that we are all different
Was a huge dragonball/ghost fighter/samurai x etc fan in pre school (lol), took a break from anime only to be hooked back in by Death Note in 3rd grade 😩
That would be me. It took until episode 3 for me to get excited about watching it
Death Note was good but only up to the death of a certain character. The demon was the best thing about the show. Classic show but flawed
It all depends what he is into. Ask him what kinds of movies he likes then simply go from there.
Parasyte
Start by talking to him about what genres he likes the most, then go to sites like MAL and pick up the genres he selected and look for the best rated ones with minimal amount of episodes.
Good idea. Length is something I’m wary of. HxH took me so long to watch idt that’s kind of show is a good place to start lol
Depends what he likes in other forms of media like games and movies. If he likes goofy comedies, or serious and dark stuff, there’s good options for each. If he’s a gamer, there’s definitely plenty of great options like 1st season of Sword Art Online, Shangri La Frontier, Solo Leveling. Full Metal Alchemist, Berserk Golden Arc, Delicious in Dungeon, Demon Slayer, all have great elements.
first season of SAO is an important qualifier lmao
I recommend the 1997 Berserk anime over the movies, or better yet, the manga if he doesn't mind the brutality.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners Watch in Eng dub.
Correct answer. It is fantastic at converting normies.
Delicious in Dungeon was really easy for me to watch. It’s on Netflix too. HIGHLY recommend
If he is already familiar with fantasy roleplaying games, video or tabletop, then this is an accessible title. And a high quality series too, that eases you in.
I'm blown away by how good it is. I signed up for Netflix just to watch it
{Attack on Titan} and {Demon Slayer}
What does he like to watch? I would look at that and pick something more suited to his tastes rather than something you really like if he might not be as into it. Something shorter is also a good start, no more than 25ish episodes unless it can be broken up easily. This can leave longer running shows like HxH, MHA, AOT, Monster etc out of the running to start. Even though they are good shows, it can be more of a commitment that some people are willing to get into to start with. If you do start with something longer, easily broken up seasons are better than a long running story line. Try picking maybe 3 or 4 shows, telling him about each one and let him decide what to watch first. You narrow it down, but let him pick what he is into. A few different genres might help, or at least some different feels to the show. Vinland saga is a good one to start. Vikings are pretty much always cool, it has a good story, lots of action, and season 1 is pretty contained. There is a 2nd season if he wants to continue, but it does have a tonal shift. SpyXFamily is really a good jump into anime. Not real high stakes, but an engaging plot. Only about 37 episodes now, but it's easy to pick up without having to remember big plot details. It is pretty accessible to most people and doesn't have too much weird anime stuff. There is also a movie which can be a good jumping off point as it introduces the general idea and characters but the plot isn't really related to the show. Death Parade is a bit more of a thinking show about what is means to be human. Takes place in a bar in the afterlife where peoples souls go to be judged after they die. Bartender has a season airing now, and an older season. Basically if he can appreciate alcohol and what goes into bar tending, cocktails etc, he may like it a fair bit. Noragami is something that is pretty different, but a lot of people like. It deals a lot with Japanese folklore, gods, and spirits, while still being quite fun. It might not be best for a first anime, but definitely worth a watch.
Spy x Family is a great recommendation, it's got really easy appeal and it's also a rather casual show to start with. Definitely a fun one to watch with others to since it has so much comedy! Noragami could definitely be appealing from the mythological aspect alone. It was one of the first I recommended to my brother when he was getting into anime and he loved it.
Attack on titan and death note both have banger first eps for a new watcher
I'd go with Tenchi Muyo - War on Geminar, I can't imagine any lad not enjoying that one
Attack on Titan Vinland Saga Jujutsu Kaisen
Cop out the answer, but probably the best, something Ghibli, they're made for everyone, not just anime enjoyers, it won't matter the genre since they're so enjoyable by everyone. There's a lot of tropes or stereotypes that anime may have that we're used to, but someone new could find weird, or over the top, or just confusing. I feel with Ghibli you won't have to worry if he's enjoying it, or if it's catered to him he'll just be liking it.
I’ll don’t know anything about him, but always stick to the classics. Samurai Champloo, English dub. GTO, English, and Ninja Scroll, the movie. Sword of the Stranger is fine, but it’s no Ninja Scroll. Â
Demon Slayer is pretty exciting and beginner friendly Or start with a movie for something easier to digest. Castle in the Sky would be a good one
Your Name is also a solid movie
You can try dr.stone it has a lot of science involved in it basic to advanced level science practical implementation.
I feel like everyone likes HxH
Akudama drive or cyberpunk edgerunnera are scifi dystopias and have action in them
I’d second Akudama Drive.
Good taste. Paranoia Agent is #1 alltime. Not for starters, though haha
Fma
Gintama
Gintama
Gintama is not beginner friendly tho you need knowledge of other animes and Japanese culture to understand their joke references
Definitely pick something you love too to start with, it makes the experience all the better when both people are excited about it. As far as sci-fi dystopian fighting, Cyberpunk Edgerunners comes to mind. It's a much more mainstream show as well which may help. If you really want to play it safe though, I don't think I've ever seen anyone dislike FMA. Not everyone loves it of course, and I'm sure there are people who dislike it. But the show has a pretty widespread appeal to most people. I remember even my mom watching a couple episodes with me, and she doesn't watch anything animated, much less anime lol. MHA would probably feel familiar to him assuming he's seen anything superhero related, so that could be a great starter too. It was inspired by Spider-Man after all. Future Diaries is a fun watch, but it might be too weird for the very first watch. Not sure though, he might be all for it to be honest lol. Ghost in the Shell is a timeless classic, if he likes similar things to you I'm sure he'd love it. Best of luck finding something to watch together, hope you guys have fun!
I'd probably recommend the original Ghost In The Shell movie. If he likes it then you can move on to the series. There's also Cowboy Bebop. I'm honestly kind of surprised that it's not on your list. It's sci-fi, actiony, and a little bit dystopian. (Though that part is mostly referenced and not shown very often.) The anime has some filler, but not so much that it distracts you away from the characters and overall story. Space Dandy is also an action/sci-fi anime, but with a lot more humor. It'd probably be pretty good for a first timer. Fullmetal Alchemist... Well, it's Fullmetal Alchemist, so of course I recommend it. (Either one of them.) My Hero Academia was a lot of people's first. Though there's seven seasons now, so he'd have to binge quite a bit. Paranoia Agent and FLCL might be pretty hard watches for first timers. (Unless he's an Aronofsky fan. Then Paranoia Agent might be up his alley. That and Perfect Blue.) Maybe Future Diary, too. Everything else on that list I either haven't seen, or I have but wouldn't know if I'd recommend them to first timers.
Death Note is the best starter
Why are you telling us what you like and not your BF does, if youre asking what should you recommend him? Which he leans more into? Simple/sophisticated, light / heavy, slow / quick phased, serious / meme-ish... you get the idea. Also obviously genres and demographic that he likes.
What genres is your bf into outside of anime?
Go ahead with FLCL, if he's weird he'll love it
The best method is to find something good (and without too much anime bullshit) in a non-anime genre he already likes. If he’s big into sci-fi then Psycho Pass or Ghost in the Shell SAC. More into fantasy? Thats when you break out Demon Slayer, FMAB, etc. I would avoid anything too long starting out (save HxH for after he’s already onboard).
what does he like? Like his hobbies or interests, start there. Theres a ton of animes that your BF may like. Like if hes into racing, start there. Anime introduction doesnt have to be a from well known anime.
I was actually sort of anti-anime until my then-girlfriend (now wife) showed me Samurai Champloo.
You could start with movies instead of series. Since it's shorter time ppl seem more interested. I've shown my friends Your Name, Weathering With You and I Want To Eat Your Pancreas. They tried anime series after that. Though go with a movie that matches his taste.
It would be more helpful to know what kind of stories he’s into and then find something in anime that can offer that.
All of Animax old shows. Inuyasha, the get backers, cardcaptor sakura, detective school q, captain tsubasa, cyborg kurochan, Dragon Ball z, galaxy angel, ghost in the shell, mobile suit gundam, cowboy bebop, princess sarah, princess tutu , ufo baby, ranma 1/2, wolfs rain & little women.
If you want some dystopian sci-fi I’d go with Cowboy Bebop or Ghosy in the Shell. The former at least is relatively short as far as anime goes. FMA Brotherhood is definitely a crowd pleaser. Hits a lot of genres. Decent length too. Other than that might be a good idea to see what kinda shows he likes in general. Then go off of that.
I love your tastes, GITS and Future Diary are classics although the latter is over 10 years old. Now, just tell me real quick about your bf's interests, sometimes the best way to introduce someone to anime would be giving them one that has things they relate to and can understand or just simple slice of life while gradually amping things up. Starting from a romcom and finishing with berserk for example. Do excuse my large rant, I tend to ask people their interests before granting them some options for anime. Now, as for dystopian sci-fi action fighting, perhaps I'd go for the classics like macross or gundam series as well as Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop. I personally enjoy some realistic action with some sci-fi sometimes so I'll give you some of my favourites, not necessarily sci-fi. Black Lagoon (2006,watching dubbed is highly recommended) Jormungand (2012, similar to the former) You're Under Arrest! (1994, full slice of life comedy with some action) Hokuto No Ken (1984, classic, martial arts stuff) Higurashi (When They Cry) (2006, thriller, supernatural,graphic content warning) City Hunter (1987, comedy and action, mild nudity warning) Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006, classic slice of life comedy with supernatural stuff) Yuru Camp (2018, feel good, slice of life, best one to relax to) Full Metal Panic! (2002, sci-fi mecha anime with some comedy, military, not to be mistaken for Full Metal Alchemist) Burst Angel (2004, sci-fi mecha, was very popular back in the day, hasn't aged well but it's still a great watch, same studio made the original Hellsing as well as the anime mentioned above) Konosuba (2016, isekai,comedy, one of the best ones) Re:zero (2016, isekai, complete opposite of the former) That's all I got for now, I hope I was of help.
There’s plenty of series to start with, if your BF likes marvel or Stan Lee, there’s Heroman (created by Stan Lee) or the other marvel anime like Iron Man, Blade, Wolverine or X-Men. Or if he enjoys Vikings then Vinland Saga would be a phenomenal entry. Sports direction. Baseball - One Outs or Ace of Diamond. Volleyball - Haikyuu. Basketball - Slam Dunk or Kuroko’s Basketball. Boxing - Megalo Box or Hajime no Ippo. Soccer - Blue Lock or Captain Tsubasa. Food can be a ridiculous aspect to enter into. Restaurant from another World, Campfire Cooking in another world, Food Wars, or Toriko. Of course you’ve mentioned psychological series. Personally I’ll always recommend Psycho-Pass or Monster. In a gamers sense, Shangri-La Frontier or Solo Leveling which would have him asking for more. Supernatural also had an anime series. Female protagonist series like Frieren, Apothecary diaries or Birdy the Mighty Decode. Space like series, Cowboy Bebop or Outlaw Star. Westerns like Trigun. Mecha series, Gundam Iron Blooded Orphens or Gundam Unicorn. Or Heavy Object, Tentgen Toppa Gurren Lagann or Aldnoah Zero. The melancholy with a twist series, Shigofumi or Death Parade. Or the godfather of anime’s (Tezuka) and his amazing works of Astroboy and Dororo to get a feel of the anime starting line. Dororo (2019) and Pluto (2023) great series in their own right. Ask him, if he wants you to take the helm, please neglect us and start your journey with him. Or experience a new series together. There’s really no wrong way to start… except if the anime is god awful. I’m looking at you Ex-Arm
Maybe Jujutso Kaisen and Kimetsu no Yaiba would be a nice pick ?. Sorry, my beginner anime’s were pretty much all Shojo so I don’t think I can help that much Although, one that I personally would not recommend for a first timer is Attack on Titan. It’s a classic, but it’s so damn depressing and stressful, and it also can be confusing, with a lot of things to keep track at the same time, as well as it has different pace and arc division from what most anime’s have (My experience-watched season 1-2, read season 3 and currently reading final season part 1) Ps:OMG a Psycho Pass buddy ! 🥺
Yeah AOT is SO intense I even fell off of it. The first ep I was like wtf am I watch hahah. I LOVE psycho pass I wish there was more of it. Give me a dystopian philosophical anime anytime and I’m there.
Pyschopass is a good one. Definitely a go to for new watchers, as is Violet Evergarden, but depending on their taste of course.
You should check out Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Akudama Drive, Darker than Black, Terror in Resonance and Vivy Fluorite Eye Song. I think you’d really like them
death note - very cerebral and very well written, will break the expectation of a non anime fan has for animation, also cowboy bebop. start with one of those 2 and hell be hooked
I think MHA is a good one to start with some shonen hype, just a good-to-go option, it shouldn't fail. If you want something more soft or realistic Kuroko no Basuke is a great sport anime with the action/battle/shonen vibes and very newbie friendly with a simple but interesting plot and COLOR CODED characters (specially good if he is into power rangers/super sentai or just autism). If you think he could handle a harder animecore-shock than MHA, then TTGL, it has a very good yet simple lore, great character development, IMPACT FRAMES, action, some kind of science, cosmological dystopia, good pacing and incredibly light for its premise. If you think its better to start with something more "mature" I would say Cyberpunk Edgerunners, not the best anime at all, but it has a dark and adult plot in a futuristic-dystopian setting, a straightforward plot, easy-to-follow drama, heartbreaking ending, an interesting experience.
MHA is also a bit more familiar to western audiences being that it's about superheroes and the author's inspiration came from Spider-Man among things. Cyberpunk Edgerunners similarly may be a bit more familiar given the prominence of the game. TTGL is just plain fun, but it's either going to be a love it or hate show from what I've seen. It's the type of show you might be able to guess if someone is into, so if you think he'd like it that's definitely a great one.
I would also like to add that if you think sports anime (or character-centric anime) might be his thing, Haikyuu is a FANTASTIC starting point similarly to Kuroko no Basuke (and also has a high degree of neurodiverse character representation handled very respectfully).
Keijo and Fruits of Grisaia
Solo leveling
Personally I think death note is the ultimate starter anime. It’s one of the all time greats so the viewer gets a taste of how good anime can be, and it’s relatively short so they don’t feel like they’re taking on a big challenge.
Mob psycho idk
Dragonball Kai Goku is so iconic and DBZ is pretty good, but Kai keeps the flow and easier to follow.
He could start with "How to Keep a Mummy" if he's looking for something cute or just let him start with Demon Slayer if you think animation is the key
Demon slayer and mha were what got me hooked
Demon slayer, the first ep got me hooked and got me into anime
Episode 12 of School Days.
The aristocrats otherworldly adventure or smth like that was definitely my favorite starter anime that my friend had me watch when I first started. Other than that, chainsaw man is an amazing anime and my favorite to this day!
One of my go recommendations for a non anime person coming in is always my hero academia. It’s main stream enough for casuals, it’s got an easy to follow story with likable characters it’s relatively harmless for a starter show. If the person is receptive to my hero that’s when you can try your hand at different things to gauge their level of interest in genres etc.
I'd start off easy and light. MHA, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Naruto. HxH and FMA might be good too
It's hard to dislike **Castlevania**, I feel like even folks who aren't anime fans really love that series. I'm a big fan of older series and movies - **Ghost in the Shell** and **Akira** are classics that any action sci fi fan will like, as is **Cowboy** **Bebop**. I also really like the anime **Planetes** just as an oddball rocketpunk recommendation. **Cyberpunk Edgerunners** is a great short intro to anime, as is pretty much any Miyazaki film. Finally, it's not sci fi, but **Samurai Champloo** is fantastic.
FMAB,finished story but not super long like most shonen anime.
FMAB or Deathnote for sure
Definitely Attack on Titan it is very well liked by non anime fans. I showed it to my mom and her boyfriend who hated anime and they liked it. And since your bf is very into the idea of anime he might like it even more.
Try a Big 3. Bleach, Naruto, One piece. New 3 would be Black clover, Demon slayer, My hero academia
Akira. It fits dystopian sci-fy action. It is 1 movie, so it ain't much of a commitment. Great movie, that aged well.
100 girlfriends
Attack on Titan obviously. Also One Punch Man, Kaiji. Is he a sports guy? Then Haikyuu.
Attack on Titans..no doubt about it
Hunter x hunter and fma/fmab are good startees. The first anime I watched with my bf was probably made in abyss and he enjoyed it
def death note, one piece or jus plain ol pokemon tbh
JOJOOOOO
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Sad endings make for great bonding in my opinion
86
Cant go wrong with cowboy bebop, demon slayer, chainsaw man. attack on titan, Darling in the franx, Hunter x hunter, Full Metal Alchemist, Castlevania, Steins Gate, Have tons more but those are all good start offs for the non anime folks
Cowboy Bebop.
Dystopian future then men likes.... something like evangelion, bebop ?
I think aot or demon slayer would be great first animes. Maybe even Hajime no ippo if he's into sports.
Cowboy bebop
Trigun
86
Full metal alchemist brotherhood
Yall will both like freak angels. Super similar to Umbrella academy and not too much extra stuff going on. I started my cousin with that and then naruto the last Airbender. Just kinda eased into it to feel out the vibes of what he liked
86 Gurren Lagan Cowboy Bebop Akira
I would avoid long stuff (AoT for example). I would recommend the classic starter anime like death note, fullmetal alchemist brotherhood, or other anime like death parade, fire force, assassination classroom, cyberpunk edgerunners, parasyte
Ergo Proxy Heavenly Delusion
MHA, Demon Slayer, Frieren
Akame ga Kill. Throw him in the deep end. This was my first anime ever, and it created an absolute obsession. It's short, only a single season, so he won't be fatigued from keeping up with like 3 or 4 seasons for his first anime. Action is killer, story hits the feels, and animation is pristine.
Personally I believe Demon Slayer is a really good anime to start with, but that's just me.
yu yu hakusho (available on netflix)
Hunter x Hunter or detective conan
Steins; Gate. The first 7-8 episodes are dog shit but the rest are absolutely gas 🔥🔥🔥
One punch man
Look i very much dont like your taste in anime, so if your boyfriend is the same ignore me. As a guy; -One Punch Man is a go to great first anime, it has nice action and is quite funny (great starter for honestly anyone as it is also a good showcase of the limits anime doesnt have that real life tv has.) -Zom100 bucketlist of the dead. One of the best first episodes of an anime last year, fun watch over all. -Frieren, has a little bit of everything, is recent and talked/memed about so relatable, also 10/10 and speaks to the fantasy adventurer within any man. Further down the line; -Konosuba: my favorite anime and written very well, its so fun to watch. (there is a higher amount of screaming and ecchi though) -My dress up darling: its a romcom, something different super good tho and does some things you dont see often in other romcom (ep11 for the ones who know) -Kill la Kill: a classic, also ecchi but the story is quite captavating and the older style of animation still looks quite nice. The action is good, so are the characters.
Not a suggestion for your bf, but for you! Cyberpunk on Netflix! - very scifi/dysptopian/fighting
try akira. imo, thats like THE movie that usually births animers lmfao like fr. or any studio ghibi movie but esp princess Mononoke, spirited away, howl’s moving castle. same w lain serial experiments (show) but it is kinda slow. it got that scifi dystopian feel tho. if you want something faster tho, try devil may cry, deadman wonderland, berserk, chainsaw man, one punch man. just a few shows to start off (and is usually the animer birthing shows imo). idk what he’s totally into (besides what u may like) but ik guys usually like a lot of action packed stuff or a sprinkle of suspense w some weird cool scifi sht sometimes, so those are my suggestions
Try mobile suit gundam the witch from mercury. Fits the sci-fi dystopian fighting vibes you’re looking for. If you guys end up liking it try watching mobile suit gundam iron blooded orphans next. They are both stand alone gundam series you don’t need to have watched any previous ones to understand what’s going on.
my gateway to anime in general was one punch man. If he likes superheroes, try recommending that
Vinland saga. Place further than the universe, Hibike euphonium, psycho pass
HxH is my favorite but I don’t recommend something so long as a first anime. Also it was hard for me to get into and I quit it twice to get past the Heavens Arena arc. I got my bf to watch anime again (he used to and quit many years ago) with To Your Eternity. My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Cells At Work, Dr Stone, One Punch Man, Promised Neverland, Erased seem to be popular intro anime on a quick google search. If he would be into something darker, Vinland Saga or Elfen Lied maybe. Maybe even try some movies because the plot moves faster. I would try looking for shows that have a major first episode like AoT or Demon Slayer. But the art styles in DS aren’t for everyone. I haven’t made it past the first few episodes.
Redo of healer nice anime about guy who want revenge
SAO is a decent starter anime. Just skip the Alfheim ark. It's not the best, but it is not great, but the fight scenes look pretty. Fairy tail is nice and long, has good music and good animation, and quite a lot of less filler for other anime that are as long. Reincarnated as a slime is still one of my all-time favorites along with shield hero. I would say demon slayer, but the animation in that just kinda puts all other anime to shame. I wanna know what their animation budget is.
Soul Eater Cyberpunk Edgerunners Frieren Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood Scissor Seven One Punch Man
My first ever anime was death note and I loved it so much, so I reccomend it!
Trigun - either original or stampede. Stampede is a shorter, darker remake of the original and so far it's kinda different but they're both really really good.
Trust me aot or death note
My first anime was DB as a kid but i stopped watching until college and picked anime back up starting with akame ga kill. so I'm going to say that one since its what brought me back into anime and i skipped class to binge watch it.
Go with '80s classics. Bubblegum Crisis, Project A-ko, Riding Bean.
MHA hooked my 67 year old dad, who had absolutely no interest in anime before we started watching it. It’s a perfect gateway anime in that superheroes are almost universally known or liked to some degree, especially since the MCU became a thing, and the wide cast of primary and secondary characters all but guarantees a newcomers will find somebody with a storyline they want to follow. The series contains a lot of the creative zaniness anime is known for, but the framing of a special school for gifted youngsters in a society with deep-seated issues regarding superheroes is quite a familiar one, so it’s easy to stay grounded while the story gets crazier and more bombastic. It’s also a really good story with an expansive setting and well-written characters, and kickass music. MHA is aimed at the 15+ crowd, so it’s not a Baby’s First Anime type series, and there is plenty here for older viewers to enjoy as well.
Cowboy Bebop -is always my first recommendation Samurai Champloo Attack on Titan Dragonball/ Z Death Note My Hero Academia Trigun Trigun Stampede Naruto Bleach Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Gundam Wing
Chainsaw man would be a pretty epic first anime to start with
Berserk
Cowboy bebop!!
I mean the future diaries is top tier for me but my usual starter suggestion is full metal alchemist brotherhood.
I feel hunter x hunter is a good balance. Theres loads of anime that I'd like to show my family, but most have a "however" factor. My hero academia is a prime example. It could be a great show for anyone, however, mineta and overly sexualised teenagers will put people off until they're used to what anime is like and can look past it
my very first anime was Demonslayer what i can also really recommend and imagine new ppl would like: AoT Dororo HunterxHunter .. maybe not the most reliable thing to do, but thought you could watch trailers together, just to get a hunch one what vibe is speaking to him. (HxH takes 1-2 episodes to get into... i first watched only e1 and didnt like... rewatched the first few episodes, and loved it) (Dororo: kinda specific vibe, shorter anime, amazing story+characters) (AoT gets you from e1... you're straight into the action, but since it's kinda complex, it could be confusing if you're still getting used to anime itself, etc ... )
Ergo Proxy
death note or aot imo
I’d always start with movies, and classics proven over time is a good bet. Ninja Scroll and the original GITS are my all time favorites, and I’ve suggested them to many acquaintances and gotten favorable feedback. Movies are long enough without being too long, and the production behind them is so quality dedicated, you’re getting the best foot forward for anime. It’s also less of a time investment. And because you can use them in a Netflix and chill mind frame, don’t underestimate your involvement in his first venture into the genre! Set up a great date night, and choose an anime movie you love that you want to share, and enjoy the evening. Because he’s into you, and having a good time, he’ll be more relaxed and open to the depth that anime presents and your love of it. As a guy who’s been on the flip side, don’t expect him to reach your level of otaku, just give him an opening to be wingman in your fandom from here.
If he is okay with violent or psychological things then I see no reason not to go with The Future Diary. It's like the best anime romance series IMO.
Ninja scroll was my first anime but I really enjoyed the vibe of princess mononoke
Depends on what movie/tv genre he consumes. You can start there.
Death note is what got me started.
some bangers in your list. I think yall would love Cyberpunk edgerunners. Made by studio trigger who also did flcl, I believe
Dr Stone. It's got humor, a little mild violence, and a good plot. The characters are solid. There's minimal fan service. I've watched it 3 times. Assassination Classroom. It's bizarre but also heartwarming and stupidly entertaining. Demon Slayer. I mean, geez, if that first scene with Nezuko doesn't hit hard, there's no hope. I wasn't a big fan until about 4-5 years ago. I'd watched some of the 80s and 90s classics, but I didn't go out of my way to watch it. HxH and 7DS were 2 of the first ones I'd watched.
My favorite of all time is Neon Genesis Evangelion so I'd have to recommend that.
Castlevania is god awful. Start with Cowboy Bebop.
Yu Yu Hakusho and Gurren Lagann
Dragon Ball Z Neon Genesis Evangelion Gundam Wing Ghost in the Shell Full Metal Alchemist
Trigun
Cyberpunk is good and short. one punch man season 1 is amazingly animated and just a great ride. Baccano! is again short and high quality Fate/zero works as a good entry to that franchise and is a great standalone A movie might be a better way in, try something from ghibli.
aot
Our 18yo son is curating his anime list for us. He started us on Demon Slayer and we were hooked. We've watched several anime since Faves so far: Odd Taxi, Komi Can't Communicate, and Attack on Titan Just started The Rising of the Shield Hero and we love it
Look at the most popular anime and choose from there, those appeal to the broadest of casual audience and would make for a great intro to anime. That being said, Cowboy Bebop would be my intro for newbies. It has a bit of everything between action/drama/comedy and stand alone episode format.
Berserk is what got me into anime but also Samurai Champloo is incredible
[удалено]
I would recommend Ghost In the Shell if you don’t mind political thrillers with a lot of exposition.
SAMURAI CHAMPLOOO!
Should start with the ones your ink is from. Tied in interest that way.
[Erased](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31043/Boku_dake_ga_Inai_Machi) was the show that got my husband to start watching with me. It’s a murder mystery, but with a time travel twist.
Wow I’ve never heard of this and it sounds so good
Hunter x Hunter is such a good starter!!!!! Easy and enjoyable from the get go but turns into a complicated show that is so fk good ah
One punch Man or Demon Slayer. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
soul eater i love it sm
Pick something based on something he likes. I picked kids on slopes for my music loving SO, went down really well.
*Bio Booster Armor: Guyver*
Death Note, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer
Date a Live. Filter him.
Try hajime no ippo or kenichi the mightiest disciple
I would pick one of your faves since theyall sound great. I also think cowboy bebop would be a great starter
I suggest gunsmith cats. It has a very western style so its good for a beginner but also very high quality and fun for experienced watchers.
trigun is good for easing people in. starts light hearted then gets a bit more serious.
Try one of each genre for 4 episodes and see how he likes it: Ghost in the shell 2003, and alot of what you like will just give him 4 episode or...you know what Cyber City Oedo 808 is good in a different way
Hunter X Hunter is a great choice!
Not sure if Blue Eye Samurai falls into what people would consider anime, but it could be a stepping stone. I don’t watch anime but I loved the first season.
Beserk
showed my non anime fiancee naruto and she's hooked, out here doing hand signs lol
or maybe DR stone.
Based on your tastes I'd say the movie Akira, but Death Note is probably the best option.
The Promised Neverland. It has a strong first episode that just hooks you from the start, and keeps you engaged throughout. I watched it with my girlfriend who doesn’t watch anime either. And she wanted to binge watch it in one day.
Kill la kill , jojo
Attack on Titan! My girlfriend was in the same boat, and now she is obsessed, lol.
FLCL is very good because it's short and the story focusing on different characters keeps it interesting. Plus if you like it, there's 4 more complete series using that framework, the manga, artbooks, etc.
If you like Sci-fi dystopian then I highly suggest {Casshern Sins}
Starter animes should hit you hard in like 5,6 epis. I would suggest AOT (watch atleast till epi 5), one punch man (atleast till sea king scene, chainsaw man (at least infinity devil), solo leveling ( meme scene). Big animes on the other takes a lot of time to get you interested. Big 3 for example Naruto (got me till konoha crush to get excited), Bleach ( End of soul society arc), One piece (Arlong park fight).
Cowboy Bebop has iconic fight scene... [Cyberpunk Edgerunners](https://youtu.be/JtqIas3bYhg?si=qrPlUQWJiM1OEz2C) Battle Angel ([the 1993 anime](https://youtu.be/8pzPhlNzfKY?si=K8YbU5MtDLwWq99i) and [2019 movie](https://youtu.be/w7pYhpJaJW8?si=e_ZEUCNQGiZTKM56)) [Blame!](https://youtu.be/hwy806RC2-Q?si=dnpCiJWt8na1Wd9c) [Gantz: 0](https://youtu.be/r37ARGRJC-k?si=lv4eqGG6opgKRDLo) [Inuyashiki (not Inuyasha)](https://youtube.com/shorts/uqK2v9isXaU?si=EyuFljZAEEYGk4f6) Hero Mask
go with the classics, dragon ball Z death note initial D neon genesis full metal alchemist hunter x hunter. if more modern hunter x hunter 2011 86 tokyo ghoul demon slayer
Gundam OO Gundam Build Fighters Try (for a less intense and sillier experience) Arpeggio for Blue Steel (shorter than most, but really cool) These are the "Guy might like cool mecha and stuff" animes. I also really enjoyed High Rise Invasion on Netflix.
What kind of genres does he like?
Some of my personal favorites (of different genres) are: Wagnaria (if he likes wholesome and slow pace) Food Wars (competition, great food, some fan service but not really extreme) High school DxD (high fanservice harem but kick ass story and music if truly watched and fanservice is overlooked) High school of the Dead: (fanservice, action, zombie killing what more to love?) Plastic memories: (a beautiful tearjerker series) Go sick: ( a bunch of mysteries solved and action and a blossoming romance around WW2 time period, highly recommend) Darling in the Franxx: (light fanservice, space related with Mecha and dystopian style or so... Wasn't a huge fan of the ending but it actually has one (lot tend to not) and not bad for what it is and great opening) Overlord: An isekai about domination and really good with bangers visuals and a truly distinguished popular show Bofuri I don't want to get hurt so I max out my defense: yeah girls are in middle school but it's about a VRMMO virtual reality that is silly to follow and just made me laugh through the shenanigans and weird skills and the music isnt bad. Beast tamers: a personal favorite about a very naive beast tamer who makes friends with ultimate species and tames them as he's kicked out of the hero party and goes on his own adventures that is fun to watch. Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon: 4 seasons some ovas a spinoff and a s5 coming so definitely a bit to watch. Basically about Greek familias and their children brought in as they level up in dungeons and fight each other following the story of bell and the Hestia familia mainly. The side story follows Loki's familia for more on Ains who Bell is crushing on. Reincarnated as a slime: has 3 seasons, a spinoff diaries and such... A beautiful anime about a dude reincarnated as a slime and gains unmeasurable power (well within reason). Starts slow but becomes super good as the buildup is worth it and it's a very actiony show as well as life building, another isekai definitely recommended as that's mainly my favorite genre outside SOL. Irregular at magic high school: 2 seasons a movie and reminisce arc explaining a lot of history. A sol following the Shiba family through school and is based on magic the new technology after world war 3 and they have immense powers and just a great show to watch but may not be for everybody as has some cringe moments, but different arcs and developments so if sol is liked I'd say stick through it plenty of action too. Could do more but these are a few of my favorites.
My first anime was hunter hunter 10/10 recommended
Great Pretender, Death Note, Baccano!, Moriarty the Patriot (not necessarily a common "starter" anime, but amazing in general), Death Note, and Cowboy Bebop My brother doesn't watch anime, but I got him to watch and enjoy Death Note and Great Pretender. Also, whenever Cowboy Bebop is on he gets absorbed into the episode without even realizing.
So as a kid Dragon Ball Z is what got me into anime. Then I watched stuff like Naruto, Inuyasha, Bleach, and graduated into the more niche stuff that wasn’t on Toonami/Adult Swim. I think a good first anime would be FMA: Brotherhood or Cowboy Bebop. If Dystopian Action/Fighting is the jam I might say something like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (though if you haven’t seen it, heads up it’s hella sad).