There’s never been a better time to be an anime fan. I still have trouble believing a niche hobby I had growing up that’d often get me strange looks from my peers is now assimilated with the mainstream. It’s very strange to think that the WWE and Crunchyroll have teamed up many times in the past to a variety of different ends, and you often hear NFL and NBA players musing on their favorite anime and manga.
But, with a metric ton of new anime releasing every three months, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and confused about what the best shows to sink your teeth into are, at least at the start. Thankfully, I have seen an unholy amount of anime, and as such I feel qualified to let you know which ones are worth watching when you haven’t seen a lot. Included in this list will be both titles that you may have heard about in passing, and titles I would consider ‘deep cuts’ but would still be appropriate for a new fan.
Top 17 Best Shows to Get You Into Anime
17. Megalobox
Studio: TMS Entertainment
How to Watch: Crunchyroll | Hulu | Tubi TV
Megalobox is set in a futuristic society where our main character, Junk Dog, makes a living fighting in fixed boxing matches using a metal exoskeleton known as a Gear. Junk Dog takes on the alias of “Joe” and enters the Megalonia tournament in an effort to be matched up against and defeat his rival, the current champion Yuri. Megalobox is a hard-boiled boxing drama telling the story of real characters fighting for survival in a world that couldn’t care less about them, and I think it’s really neat.
This one makes the list because, despite the metal exoskeletons, Megalobox is a cut-and-dry boxing anime with themes of immigration, freedom, and achieving the (seemingly) impossible. It has two seasons, the second of which is called NOMAD, and continues to develop the characters introduced in the first. All this, backdropped by a unique blend of hip-hop and Latin music styles makes this anime one you should definitely not sleep on.
16. BLUELOCK
Studio: 8-bit
How to Watch: Crunchyroll
I am a recent convert of the cult of BLUELOCK, despite not being a fan of soccer. So, if you also aren’t a fan of soccer (or football, depending on where you hang your hat) don’t let it turn you off. It’s a series where, in a desperate bid to find and train Japan’s next striker, 300 forwards are recruited to spend the foreseeable future vying for “survival” against their “teammates.”
Despite how it may sound (or look), these youngsters don’t face any mortal peril in BLUELOCK, but based on their internal monologue, you’d think they do. I love this series because, despite my utter lack of understanding of intricate soccer terminology, it feels like a cross between Danganronpa and soccer, and I am totally here for it.
15. Dr. Stone
Studio: TMS Entertainment
How to Watch: Amazon Prime Video | Crunchyroll | Funimation | Hulu
Dr. Stone begins in the modern day, when a mysterious green light envelops the world, turning all of humanity into stone. Thousands of years pass, and Senku Ishigami wills himself out of the stone and sets out to rebuild civilization one step at a time, using nothing but the power of the scientific method.
In addition to the relatable characters and apocalyptic setting, one of the biggest things Dr. STONE has that many other anime like it don’t is its attention to authentic science. If Senku is seeking to engineer a battery, for example, you can rest assured that while the series won’t always instruct you step-by-step how to replicate the process, in many cases it will. It adds a sense of realism which many anime lack.
14. 91 Days
Studio: Shuka
How to Watch: Crunchyroll
91 Days is a mafia revenge story at its finest. It follows Angelo Lagusa, who as a child hid in the closet as his family was murdered by the Vanetti crime family. Angelo, now going by the name of Avilio Bruno, has returned to his hometown to exact revenge on the Vanettis and starts with the boss’s son, Nero. It’s also a completed story with a beginning, a middle, and an end, which is a luxury in the anime community.
I really liked how simple this revenge plot was. It’s not a multi-phase, multi-season plan to get revenge — the main character meets the target of his revenge within 1-2 episodes, and it’s finished within a single season. 91 Days belongs on this list because you deserve a story that ends without a cliffhanger, especially if this is your first, or one of your first, exposures to the medium.
13. Your Lie in April
Studio: A-1 Pictures
How to Watch: Crunchyroll | Funimation | Hulu
Your Lie in April is a tragic romance with classical music as a backdrop. Arima Kousei is a traumatized young pianist who once was an icon in the child musician scene, but he dropped out upon the death of his mother. His life was devoid of color until he encounters Miyazono Kaori, who inspires him slowly but surely to return to the world of classical music.
I must emphasize: this one is not for the light of heart. If you’re prone to crying over tales of trauma, loss, and grief, you should still watch Your Lie in April, but you should do so with the knowledge that you are going to cry, and that’s OK. You’ll emerge on the other end a butterfly born of catharsis.
12. Baccano!
Studio: Brain’s Base
How to Watch: N/A, Home Media Only (as of writing)
Baccano! is set in 1930s Chicago and tells the story of a wide cast of seemingly disconnected characters in multiple different places at multiple different times. But, while they may be disconnected from each other, they’re all connected to a mysterious elixir of immortality concocted over two centuries earlier.
Baccano! is told out of order on purpose, so be aware of that if you’re just picking it up. It’s still worth a watch, though it can be confusing on first watch if you’re not aware of that little fact. I think the thing I loved most about this series is its characters — light novel author Ryohgo Narita is very talented when it comes to large, disparate casts with no overt ties to one another, but who come together in very unique ways midway through the story. And Baccano! is no exception.
11. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
Studio: Sunrise
How to Watch: Amazon Prime Video | Crunchyroll | Hulu | Netflix
It wouldn’t be a starter anime list without at least one Mobile Suit Gundam. Iron Blooded Orphans is the perfect starter anime to this series because it’s set in its own, disconnected timeline from the others. It follows Mikazuki Augus and Orga Itsuka, who seek to build the private security company Tekkadan from the inside-out. This series ran for fifty episodes from October 2015 to April 2017.
I was trying to think what would be the best choice for a starter Gundam series, and Iron-Blooded Orphans is the one that instantly came to mind. It belongs to its own timeline, which resolves some of the angst that comes from new fans of the franchise, and its child soldier-driven plot resembles the earliest days of the franchise. These characters’ fight for a life all their own is also very relatable.
10. Cowboy Bebop
Studio: Sunrise
How to Watch: Amazon Prime Video | Crunchyroll | Funimation | Hulu
It would also be an incomplete list without Cowboy Bebop. I was a late convert to this space-faring series, only finishing it once it’d been out for 20 years, but I can still admit it’s amazing. Cowboy Bebop follows the radically disparate group of bounty hunters on board the Bebop — Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Radical Edward, and Ein the Corgi.
Each has their own unique drive for survival and intricate backstories, but survival in this universe requires both money and food. So, in order to continue running from the ghosts and skeletons in their respective closets, they take missions here and there and use the chump change to live another day.
I think this one belongs on this list not only because its notoriety is massive, but also because it feels largely isolated from episode-to-episode. I mean, yes there is a continuity and the episodes are leading up to a massive firefight between Spike and his demons, but mostly every episode deals with a new gig, new side characters, and new frustrations for the crew of the Bebop.
9. Sing “Yesterday” For Me
Studio: Doga Kobo
How to Watch: Crunchyroll
Sing “Yesterday” For Me is a classic slice-of-life story following Haru Nonaka, Shinako Morinome, Rikuo Uozumi, and Rou Hayakawa. It is a topsy-turvy tale of young love, heartbreak, rejection and acceptance.
It admittedly took me a bit to get into this one, but once I was in, nothing stopped that train. At its core is a highly relatable tale of adolescence, of growing up and not knowing your place in the world and desperately wanting to return to the past. But, as the series progresses, it’s clear to each character that moving forward into the future is the healthy move to make, and that means so much to someone who’s experienced that precise rut. It’s a classic rom-drama, but there are lessons to be learned in its pages.
8. Love is Like a Cocktail
Studio: Creators in Pack
How to Watch: Crunchyroll
Love is Like a Cocktail is referred to as an anime short, meaning each episode is only around three minutes in length. It follows Mizusawa Chisato, who is extremely competent at her office job, but upon returning home and partaking of her husband Sora’s creative alcoholic cocktails becomes a drunken mess known as a “Yoidere.” In each episode, the corresponding cocktail recipe is provided, meaning you can follow along and make it at home so long as you’re of drinking age!
I think recommending an anime short is a fantastic idea to new anime fans, but it largely depends on which anime short. In a lot of cases, these shorts can be arguably too deep for many new fans, but this one is not only rather surface-level, but it’s instructional and provides more than simply entertainment. I should emphasize, even if you don’t partake of alcohol, you’ll enjoy the misadventures presented here.
7. SAKURA QUEST
Studio: P.A. Works
How to Watch: Crunchyroll | Funimation
Sakura Quest is an unorthodox workplace comedy involving five young women and the tourism bureau for a small Japanese town set in its ways. These women must come up with new and creative ways to bring tourists to the town while also butting heads with the locals, who really couldn’t care less if more tourists came to the town. It also has a lot of heart that you might not expect given that premise.
If you’re looking for more practical humor and more emotionally driven stories, you should prioritize Sakura Quest. In this two-cour series, we are able to see how these young women are unconfident in their ability to revamp this tourism bureau, but over time, and with each success and failure, their foundations become stronger. By the last episode, I just about cried of happiness.
6. SPY x FAMILY
Studio: CloverWorks, Wit Studio
How to Watch: Crunchyroll | Hulu
SPYxFAMILY paints itself as a rough-and-tumble spy drama, and it can definitely be that at times, but more often than not it’s a supernatural, slice-of-life comedy. The series follows Secret Agent “Twilight,” who works for the Westalis Intelligence Service’s Eastern-Focused Division, or WISE.
Twilight is tasked with infiltrating the opposing country Ostania and preventing war from erupting between Westalis and Ostania, but first — he needs to make a family. Twilight, now going by Loid Forger, first adopts a daughter named Anya, then manages to find a wife of convenience, Yor. It turns out, however, that Anya is a telepath and Yor is a professional assassin.
I really enjoy the humor and action expertly blended together in this series. It made this list because, while the premise might seem complicated, the way it’s written is quite simple. As stated, it’s practically a slice-of-life that incorporates action elements at times, and I think that formula works well.
5. My Home Hero
Studio: Tezuka Productions
How to Watch: Crunchyroll
My Home Hero follows Tetsuo Tosu, an ordinary family man who winds up killing his daughter’s abusive, yakuza-affiliated boyfriend. With the help of his ride-or-die wife Kasen, the couple must lie, cheat, and steal in order to cover their tracks and prevent the yakuza from learning the truth.
When I say that this series had me on the edge of my seat for practically its entire run, that should be a testament to how exciting My Home Hero can be. It’s admittedly just one piece of its overall puzzle and there’s no reason at all to expect a second season, but a man can hope that one is announced soon.
4. Mob Psycho 100
Studio: Bones
How to Watch: Crunchyroll | Funimation
Mob Psycho 100 is an anime adapted from the slice-of-life manga by the creator of One Punch Man. It follows Mob, an incredibly talented ESPer who is learning and growing into an adult one step at a time. Oh, and if his emotional capacity ever reaches 100%, he’ll explode. That’s important to note.
I really like Mob Psycho 100 because it masters the art of telling a wholesome slice-of-life story while balancing a shonen battle story at the same time. What’s more, it’s only three seasons in length!
3. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Studio: Trigger
How to Watch: Netflix
DISCLAIMER: The above trailer and the entirety of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has mature content.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and serves as a sort-of prequel. It follows David Martinez, a street kid living in Night City who is about to learn that nothing good happens in Night City. It tells a perfect story of characters who don’t know when to quit when everything around them, even the city itself, is screaming at them to quit. I would suggest anyone, even those who disliked the game it’s based on, to give this one a shot. It might even convince you to give the game another chance.
In just 10 episodes (two episodes less than a normal anime season!) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has become one of my favorite anime of all time. The series expertly blends compelling character motivations with a world that wants them dead, and for that it deserves praise. I won’t go in too deep here, but the fact that I felt hollow at my core after the first episode, imagining myself in the main character’s position, should tell you all you need to know.
But the last episode too, had me drowning in melancholy and immediately made me want to add Cyberpunk 2077 to my gaming library. I know now it’s supposedly good and all, but at the time there was no reason to think that, and the series still made me go to GameStop and buy a physical copy of Cyberpunk 2077.
2. A Silent Voice
Studio: Kyoto Animation
How to Watch: N/A, Home Media Only (as of writing)
A Silent Voice is a story of self-acceptance and forgiveness disguised as romance. It follows Shouya Ishida, who was once a bully of a deaf girl named Shouko Nishimiya. While their entire class was responsible for the bullying, Shouya is singled out as the scapegoat and grows up as an outcast. Fast forward a number of years and Shouya runs into Shouko and tries to make amends while also forgiving himself for being so cruel to someone he holds dear.
I absolutely adore this anime film. It tells such a compelling tale of overcoming foolish mistakes as a child when you are entering adulthood. To add, it does so with understanding and forgiveness that society often tends to lack. I have seen many people on the internet fail to understand the meaning of this film, but I have seen just as many truly get it, and that gives me hope for the future.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist / Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Studio: Bones
How to Watch: N/A (2003 series) | Crunchyroll (Brotherhood) | Funimation (Brotherhood) | Hulu (Brotherhood)
Fullmetal Alchemist, and its infinitely more popular remake, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, follow brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, who seek to restore their bodies after a forbidden alchemical ritual left Edward without two of his limbs and Alphonse without a physical form at all, sans a suit of armor.
It probably doesn’t need to be said, but Brotherhood is the more accessible (and better) version, so start with it, but if you are able to find the 2003 series, I believe that is also worth a watch. Fullmetal Alchemist is one of those quintessential anime that everyone — no matter your experience with the medium — should watch at least once. It has everything you could possibly ask for: drama, mystery, a pair of brothers who would storm the gates of hell for each other, a compelling set of varied villains with their own motivations and backstories, and a historically parallel world where it all goes down.
