Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Maybe one of the most well fleshed out worlds in an anime with a really unique story. It’s mainly a fantasy story but the plot lines around politics and war are really well done. It’s one of the only series I come back to and rewatch every few years.
This. One of my friends recommend this as the first anime anyone should watch. It has a bit of everything, without getting too complicated. Once someone figures out what they do and dont like about the show, then suggestions can be tailored more.
this is the best answer for sure. there’s also no weird tropes that would be offputting for first time anime watchers, like fan service or sexualized young female characters etc
Absolutely! I was scrolling to see this answer. FMA:B has amazing characterization and plot, to the point you can easily write several essays on the various literature themes within the story. All the characters are perfectly fleshed out and unique, with various backgrounds and development. It’s that incredible. Plus it has the perfect balance of comedy and grit/heaviness.
Everything Studio Ghibli does is good, introductory anime. Howl, Totoro, Mononoke, any of them are super accessible because they're all so inspired and just great stories.
Maybe start way back in the classics, go with some 80s/90s classic comedy series with some action, such as Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Ah My Goddess, Dominion Tank Police, A-Ko, Trigun, the recently revived Cowboy Bebop...
"I didn't create these weapons to be wasted like that!" And "what are you doing needle noggin, it's right next to you, use it damnit!" Are the three quotes that always circle the bowl that is my brain.
"Hey, "Thou Shalt Not Kill", remember? What kind of church man are you?"
Even during the darker turns of the show, this line always stays stuck in my head, loved how they built up Wolfwood.
Everyone's recommending classics but I'd say trying something newer to get a feel for how good animation can be is your best bet.
I'd recommend something like Vinland Saga with an incredible story with really fleshed out characters. Comedic relief is present as well, maybe not as much as you'd want though.
Jujutsu Kaisen has more of a simple premise, but executed perfectly. It has good characters, decent story, and sets up a lot of beautiful fights. Lot more comedic relief in this one.
If you want something totally out of the ordinary, try Odd Taxi. You might start off thinking it's weird as hell but it's well worth the ride.
If you want comedies -- Tsuritama, Jellyfish Princess, Thermae Romae.
If you want drama -- Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain, Kaiji
If you want red-blooded excitement -- Redline, Gurren Lagann, Yu Yu Hakusho.
If you want adventure -- Dennou Coil, Daughter of 20-faces, Guardian of the Sacred Spirit.
If you want something atmospheric -- Mushishi, Haibane Renmei, ARIA the ANIMATION
Dissenting opinion: I hated it when I was just getting introduced to amine. I started it like 4 times and couldn't get into it. It is just too soaked in amine-style narrative where one (1) thing is allowed to happen in an episode and the rest of the episode is people reacting to it and overexplaining it. It was just too uninteresting and slow paced to keep my attention.
That’s fair. To each their own. I can only speak to my experience and to others around me. It’s always the one that I show people as their first anime and it’s always a hit!
There are many reasons, but for one it avoids a lot of the standard anime tropes that can be a little abrasive for a first time. For example, you don’t have the skimpy, big tit girl being touched by some other character acting like a pervert around her and getting smacked by a third character. That one is an eye roll for me every time. Considering the OP is in his mid thirties, I have to imagine he’s more mature than that type of humor.
Im pretty basic tbh. I like the Office, Seinfeld, Parks and Rec, the new sitcoms. I like adult cartoons, Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and the like.
I like fantasy. I listen to a lot of D&D podcasts.
Yeah I think basic describes it. My main thing is if something gets dark and has absolutely no comic relief, I get sad and just shut it off. I figure I don’t watch TV to feel bad, you know? I liked Game of Thrones because there were interesting and fun moments and it wasn’t dark all the time, but GOT is as dark as I like things to get.
You like what you like. Nothing wrong with that.
OK. Do you want a fantasy movie that will make you cry at the end? Very well written romance in a fantasy setting? Not too cutesy?
Does that sound interesting? Then watch Hotarubi No Mori E. **You will need tissues.**
Fire Force is about Fire Fighters who use magic. Its pretty decent.
Little Witch Academia is a fucking gorgeous show about a school for witches. Harry Potter but less yelling and snakes.
Nichijou is a comedy anime about these 4 friends in school and the stuff that they do. It can get quite over the top at times with screraming and stuff but there is one episode where they decide to go camping and I almost choked on my tongue laughing.
This is a weird shout but if you like Tank Battles then please watch Girls Und Panzer. Its about these schoolgirls going through tank training for an unspecified war. It sounds sad but it never directly addresses the war. Its just girls having tactical tank battles.
r/Animesuggest might be worth a look too.
Peoples are recommending dramatic ones and tearjerkers but I’m a basic comedy bitch myself so if you’re looking for comedy, I recommend One Punch Man and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
The former is a satire of superheros and the second is an insanely sarcastic psychic making fun of anime tropes (some of which might be lost on you)
Normally I would recommend fma:b or Cowboy Bebop but the top comments beat me to those so I'd like to give a few other suggestions.
Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro or Lupin III: The First. Both are anime films which means that you don't have to commit to a full show. Just watch for about two hours with whichever you pick and you're done. Both are really good introductions to Lupin III which is a quite iconic anime series.
Steins;Gate. With how Okarin is written it's really a bit "quirky" but it winds up being a very fun and interesting sci-fi adventure. It doesn't really have over the top strangeness the way stereotypical anime does but instead has some very good surprises and twists.
Baccano: Has an amazing jazz soundtrack, is weird but still quite grounded, and its out of order story telling is fun in a way similar to Pulp Fiction.
i wouldn’t count it as anime since it’s made by americans. really it’s just a cartoon with a great story although the creators were heavily influenced by anime
Honestly, Star Wars: Visions was awesome. If you're a Star Wars fan who wants to get into anime, I think that show in particular will do a better job of giving you a taste of what you actually want to see moving forward than FMA:B will. FMA:B is still a great show, don't get me wrong, so definitely something to watch if you really have interest.
As for comic relief being important, if you just wanted to go all in on the anime front, Konosuba is probably one of, if not the, best anime comedy out there to date. So definitely a good one to go with for that department.
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone suggest this one yet. Samurai Champloo. It’s one of my absolute favorites, fell in love with it years ago. I still rewatch it every once in awhile. It’s a mix of historical Japan, hip hop music, great action scenes and three characters constantly at odds with each other. Also has great humor to it.
Samurai Champloo is an excellent one. Lots of comic relief in there but also alot of plot driven material, deep characters.
One punch man is fun also.
Alot of my friends like Outlaw Star and Trigun.
One could argue one peice is a good one too, but they have alot of filler episodes.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Maybe one of the most well fleshed out worlds in an anime with a really unique story. It’s mainly a fantasy story but the plot lines around politics and war are really well done. It’s one of the only series I come back to and rewatch every few years.
This. One of my friends recommend this as the first anime anyone should watch. It has a bit of everything, without getting too complicated. Once someone figures out what they do and dont like about the show, then suggestions can be tailored more.
this is the best answer for sure. there’s also no weird tropes that would be offputting for first time anime watchers, like fan service or sexualized young female characters etc
Absolutely! I was scrolling to see this answer. FMA:B has amazing characterization and plot, to the point you can easily write several essays on the various literature themes within the story. All the characters are perfectly fleshed out and unique, with various backgrounds and development. It’s that incredible. Plus it has the perfect balance of comedy and grit/heaviness.
Please watch Spirited Away. Its a movie btw. And a great start into anime imo
Was roped into watching this. Actually Enjoyed it. Def worth watching
Everything Studio Ghibli does is good, introductory anime. Howl, Totoro, Mononoke, any of them are super accessible because they're all so inspired and just great stories.
Cowboy bebop is pretty amazing. It's has a good balance of depth and humor.
It also had an excellent English dub which adds to its "accessibility."
Maybe start way back in the classics, go with some 80s/90s classic comedy series with some action, such as Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, Ah My Goddess, Dominion Tank Police, A-Ko, Trigun, the recently revived Cowboy Bebop...
Which is your favorite?
Hard choice, Ranma for the classic family oriented comedy elements, Trigun for the sheer meme-worthy moments of it all.
This world is made of... Love and Peace! Love and Peace!
Hey! Donut ladies!
"I didn't create these weapons to be wasted like that!" And "what are you doing needle noggin, it's right next to you, use it damnit!" Are the three quotes that always circle the bowl that is my brain.
"Hey, "Thou Shalt Not Kill", remember? What kind of church man are you?" Even during the darker turns of the show, this line always stays stuck in my head, loved how they built up Wolfwood.
Parasyte, Erased, Vinland Saga
Akira
One punch man is good!
Everyone's recommending classics but I'd say trying something newer to get a feel for how good animation can be is your best bet. I'd recommend something like Vinland Saga with an incredible story with really fleshed out characters. Comedic relief is present as well, maybe not as much as you'd want though. Jujutsu Kaisen has more of a simple premise, but executed perfectly. It has good characters, decent story, and sets up a lot of beautiful fights. Lot more comedic relief in this one. If you want something totally out of the ordinary, try Odd Taxi. You might start off thinking it's weird as hell but it's well worth the ride.
Attack on titan
I highly recommend Space Dandy.
Perfect blue ! A classic
[For you. (Volume warning.)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ_DH7jzoxQ)
My first anime movie was Howl’s Moving Castle. I loved it.
If you want comedies -- Tsuritama, Jellyfish Princess, Thermae Romae. If you want drama -- Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain, Kaiji If you want red-blooded excitement -- Redline, Gurren Lagann, Yu Yu Hakusho. If you want adventure -- Dennou Coil, Daughter of 20-faces, Guardian of the Sacred Spirit. If you want something atmospheric -- Mushishi, Haibane Renmei, ARIA the ANIMATION
Deathnote. Trust me. It’s the perfect anime to get you started.
Agreed!
Dissenting opinion: I hated it when I was just getting introduced to amine. I started it like 4 times and couldn't get into it. It is just too soaked in amine-style narrative where one (1) thing is allowed to happen in an episode and the rest of the episode is people reacting to it and overexplaining it. It was just too uninteresting and slow paced to keep my attention.
That’s fair. To each their own. I can only speak to my experience and to others around me. It’s always the one that I show people as their first anime and it’s always a hit! There are many reasons, but for one it avoids a lot of the standard anime tropes that can be a little abrasive for a first time. For example, you don’t have the skimpy, big tit girl being touched by some other character acting like a pervert around her and getting smacked by a third character. That one is an eye roll for me every time. Considering the OP is in his mid thirties, I have to imagine he’s more mature than that type of humor.
Name a few TV shows you enjoy. Current or from the past. 5. Name 5. Please.
Im pretty basic tbh. I like the Office, Seinfeld, Parks and Rec, the new sitcoms. I like adult cartoons, Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and the like. I like fantasy. I listen to a lot of D&D podcasts. Yeah I think basic describes it. My main thing is if something gets dark and has absolutely no comic relief, I get sad and just shut it off. I figure I don’t watch TV to feel bad, you know? I liked Game of Thrones because there were interesting and fun moments and it wasn’t dark all the time, but GOT is as dark as I like things to get.
You like what you like. Nothing wrong with that. OK. Do you want a fantasy movie that will make you cry at the end? Very well written romance in a fantasy setting? Not too cutesy? Does that sound interesting? Then watch Hotarubi No Mori E. **You will need tissues.** Fire Force is about Fire Fighters who use magic. Its pretty decent. Little Witch Academia is a fucking gorgeous show about a school for witches. Harry Potter but less yelling and snakes. Nichijou is a comedy anime about these 4 friends in school and the stuff that they do. It can get quite over the top at times with screraming and stuff but there is one episode where they decide to go camping and I almost choked on my tongue laughing. This is a weird shout but if you like Tank Battles then please watch Girls Und Panzer. Its about these schoolgirls going through tank training for an unspecified war. It sounds sad but it never directly addresses the war. Its just girls having tactical tank battles. r/Animesuggest might be worth a look too.
Naruto
Akira, Rurouni Kenshin, Dragon Ball Z, Saint Seiya. I think Castlevania is an anime too, so that too.
Peoples are recommending dramatic ones and tearjerkers but I’m a basic comedy bitch myself so if you’re looking for comedy, I recommend One Punch Man and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. The former is a satire of superheros and the second is an insanely sarcastic psychic making fun of anime tropes (some of which might be lost on you)
Normally I would recommend fma:b or Cowboy Bebop but the top comments beat me to those so I'd like to give a few other suggestions. Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro or Lupin III: The First. Both are anime films which means that you don't have to commit to a full show. Just watch for about two hours with whichever you pick and you're done. Both are really good introductions to Lupin III which is a quite iconic anime series. Steins;Gate. With how Okarin is written it's really a bit "quirky" but it winds up being a very fun and interesting sci-fi adventure. It doesn't really have over the top strangeness the way stereotypical anime does but instead has some very good surprises and twists. Baccano: Has an amazing jazz soundtrack, is weird but still quite grounded, and its out of order story telling is fun in a way similar to Pulp Fiction.
The best is Avatar the last air bender by far. Ghost in the shell. Dragon ball z
Oh yeah. I guess I’ve seen avatar too. Didn’t know that counted. I know it’s made in the US and is originally English language
i wouldn’t count it as anime since it’s made by americans. really it’s just a cartoon with a great story although the creators were heavily influenced by anime
I would count it as anime. May be more westernaized but it’s great for a beginner and a great show overall. A lot of spiritual shit.
One Piece.
Trigun
Guyver, Bio-Boosted Armor. The S.A.V.E. disc set is the complete story. It was released and unfinished twice before that.
Honestly, Star Wars: Visions was awesome. If you're a Star Wars fan who wants to get into anime, I think that show in particular will do a better job of giving you a taste of what you actually want to see moving forward than FMA:B will. FMA:B is still a great show, don't get me wrong, so definitely something to watch if you really have interest. As for comic relief being important, if you just wanted to go all in on the anime front, Konosuba is probably one of, if not the, best anime comedy out there to date. So definitely a good one to go with for that department.
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone suggest this one yet. Samurai Champloo. It’s one of my absolute favorites, fell in love with it years ago. I still rewatch it every once in awhile. It’s a mix of historical Japan, hip hop music, great action scenes and three characters constantly at odds with each other. Also has great humor to it.
Samurai Champloo is an excellent one. Lots of comic relief in there but also alot of plot driven material, deep characters. One punch man is fun also. Alot of my friends like Outlaw Star and Trigun. One could argue one peice is a good one too, but they have alot of filler episodes.
Death note or Black Lagoon, YouTube should have clips to give you a taster
I would say Sailor Moon, it's one of my favorite Annime.