5 Anime Series to Watch if You’re New to Anime
It might be pretty hard to find your way into Animehood when you’re starting out given the odd and disparate nature of this vast genre of entertainment. Hence, this is why I have put together a list of five anime to watch if you’re new to anime.
Disclaimer: my series descriptions purposefully lack any true plot details or story information as I prefer to not give anything away about what happens in them— I believe all cinematic art is best experienced when you have absolutely NO idea what something is about and where it goes.
Disclaimer Part Two: each of my recommendations are based on the original, subtitled versions of the series (I have found that 99% of the time, the subbed versions are better than the dubbed versions).
So, without further ado, here are my 5 Anime Series to Watch if You’re New to Anime—
Gurren Lagann
This show was the inciting incident to my anime addiction. Before watching this series, I was occasionally watching anime but wasn’t head-over-heels. After watching this series, all I wanted was more. Both a brilliant story explicitly and implicitly, there’s nothing Gurren Lagann lacks. Tons of action, fulfilling character arcs, symbiotic relationships between men and prehistoric robots, and action– there’s also some very memorable lines and dialogue. The message of the final season, and the series as a whole, will stay with you forever… if you take the time to contemplate it.
Hina Matsuri
Probably my favorite single-season anime series ever, Hinamatsuri ticks every box for reasons to watch: it’s f%$&ing hilarious, it’s brilliantly written, it's multi-genre (comedy/sci-fi/slice-of-life/coming-of-age), and it leaves you bathing in positive emotions. Two episodes in, you’d never guess it would bring you to tears (it does) all the while making you laugh out loud. Hinamatsuri has something for everyone, and is my number one recommendation for someone new to anime.
Mob Psycho 100
Another multi-genre smash-hit, Mob Psycho 100 does a brilliant job of mixing together humor with the supernatural. What makes this series special is how it does a commendable job of interweaving valuable life lessons through invariably funny character relationships and dynamics. To top it off, Mob Psycho 100 has some pretty amazing action sequences too. Another series that will often leave you filled with positive emotions and hungrier for more anime like it. You will root for the socially inept, massively overpowered main character deeply and inherently– bowl-cut and all.
Attack on Titan
A show that transcended the industry and captured the attention of the world, Attack on Titan isn’t just the mainstream equivalent of cubic zirconium– it is a diamond of a dark fantasy series. Constantly twisting, turning, and expanding, this series will keep you invested and inspired (even if it breaks your heart repeatedly along the way). Running multiple seasons, the main perks of Attack on Titan are: consistent good writing, wonderfully fleshed out characters/character arcs, and a steady supply of adrenaline-inducing action. Oh, and the not-so-occasional scenes of gruesome violence and death. That too.
Any Studio Ghibli Film
Particularly: Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke - the ratings below are for Howl’s Moving Castle. Enough has been written online and traversed via word-of-mouth about Studio Ghibli’s legacy of beautifully crafted animated films, so I will not go into detail. Just watch at least one of the above if you haven’t already– trust me.
