I am working on a video essay to create the "Top 25 anime to hook non-anime fans." This is my initial list. I would really like other opinions. What other series you think I should consider and why? (Emphasis on the why)
What got you hooked? What turned you away from a show? If you don't watch anime, has a show ever caught your eye? What would get you to try a new show?
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
I am super excited to see what you all have to say!
EDIT: Thank you so much everyone! I was not expecting 40+ replies in under a week!
For me chainsaw man was a show that got me hooked back onto anime as I had a falling out with anime. Chainsaw man was something that brought me a lot of joy as I found the characters to be relatable but super interesting and unique which made them very loveable. Alongside with great characters the animation and soundtrack were wonderful and I even find myself listening to the soundtrack from time to time. I think chainsaw mans weirdness at times may turn some people off but I think it adds to the essence of what chainsaw man is.
I think Attack on Titan is one of the anime that you should absolutely have on there, considering its reach went beyond the boundaries of culture and became something everyone could enjoy regardless of what they know about japanese animation. Dragon Ball and Naruto are also examples of this. If there's anything that could hook a non anime fan it would be one of those.
In my opinion I think One Punch Man should also be included as it is one of the first shows I ever watched before I understood what anime was as a medium. It has a story that isn't particularly hard to understand or limited by japanese culture, and it has characters that a viewer from any background could imprint themselves on. The same goes for the previously mentioned anime too. I feel anime that are heavily based within japanese culture have a harder time grasping a global audience because the experiences within can often times only be experienced within the context of japan's social structure.
I think inclusions like Edgerunners, Cowboy Bepop and Little Witch Academia are good too, those anime are frequently mentioned as starters in any forum about anime or otherwise. They have vibrant character designs which often brings in people looking to experience something new.
There are a few anime on this list which I personally feel are much too niche to hook the majority of newcomers to the medium. Oddtaxi is one of them. The character designs are unique, but the story itself is based heavily on the perspective of a japanese citizen, and therefore will be difficult for newcomers to relate to. I think Love is War and Angel Beats unfortunately have this problem too. I've watched a decent amount of anime myself and the sole reason it took me so long to give Angel Beats a watch is because of its appearance. It just looks like japanese high school drama, which some people may be interested in, but I'm willing to wager most newcomers won't be interested in.
All very good points! I will keep them in mind.
Part of the reason shows like Naruto/DBZ/One Piece didn't make the first draft is because I feel a shorter series has an easier barrier to entry. Its easier to get someone to try 12-24 episode than a 100+ episode commitment. They are definitely not out of the running, its just another factor I am looking at.
Thanks for the input!
Kaguya has some humour that might not hit well for those unfamiliar with anime.
As for other suggestions, unfortunately the only things I can think of aren't dubbed, but there are some recent and varied shows I can think of.
HIGH CARD – Superpowered team rounds up the superpower granting objects and fights a superpowered mafia in Not UK™. Also fairly dark/heavy, which I realise may not have come across in that summary. Also the artstyle may be of note.
AI – Many very interesting and fairly relevant questions raised in an interesting future setting.
This one could be offputting because one stray scene in the hot spring case, but may be worth considering, as it's a straightforward episodic murder mystery with a slightly offbeat, but not too over the top, lead.
anilist.co/anime/158926
Also if it would be alright to add a donghua, then obligatory Link Click suggestion.
anilist.co/anime/126403
A gripping and tightly written mystery/thriller with a gradual but early-ish shift from an episodic plot structure to the main overarching plot~ Also the only one here that I know has been dubbed in English.
I don't know how I skipped over Link Click! Just an amazing show all around!
I will have to look into the others more since the only one I have heard of until now is HIGH CARD.
Good point bringing up if a show has a dub or now. That is one factor I am considering since quite a few people are turned off by subtitles. Not having a dub doesn't DQ a show, but I feel it is an important factor when considering western audiences.
I'll recommend four shows.
Also, music anime and anime for a female demographic are kind of what you're missing. I know that when I started to watch music anime, it really opened up a new world for me because I'd enjoy the song-and-dance numbers so much. You have Your Lie In April, but I'd add another. Though I haven't seen it yet, I'd go with:
And because there's still an imbalance in intended audience, I'd have another shoujo, ideally one quite different from the shows already on your list. Maybe:
To fit those in, I would probably start by taking off ERASED, Irina, and Hell's Paradise (though this one is good to show the historical genre... not sure, but I'm basically looking at the genre balance and trying to shift it around a bit).
because I feel like it's less universally liked and popular and would be more likely to turn off a non-anime fan
Hm? I'm curious what makes you say this, aside from maybe the length...
A couple people I showed it to were instantly put off by Nagi’s accent and couldn’t get past it, plus it has a slow start! Those are the two reasons, but my boyfriend liked it, so maybe you’re right. I was trying to not be biased, but it might actually the better choice cause it’s a good testing board for the whole genre of idol anime.
Thank you for bringing up the Netflix "originals"! I often forget them since I don't watch much Netflix.
I am also aware of my lack of more Shojo. To make my first pass, I essentially went over my anilist account and grabbed the top 30 or show shows that, I have used to successfully get people into anime. Since I didn't grow up on a lot of romance/Shojo, it usually isn't in the front of my mind. I definitely want to add at least 1 or 2 more romance/shojo series.
Also thank you for bringing up BL, again it's one I don't watch as often so it wasn't in the front of my mind.
For detective lovers:
DEATH NOTE
For a friendship history:
Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai
For sport fans:
Haikyuu or Hajime no Ippo THE FIGHTING
Political stuff:
Youjo Senki
Classic shounen:
YuuYuuHakusho
Comedy for youngers:
Kaguyasama wa Kokurasetai First Kiss wa Owaranai
Comedy for oldies:
GTO
personally, i think this list could use some diversifying irt demographics since pretty much everything there is a shonen/seinen. some shoujo/josei i'd recommend:
Cardcaptor Sakura
classic magical girl anime, a very fun time and easy to watch
Yona of the Dawn
fantasy adventure with dragons and a female protag with really interesting development
Lady Oscar The Rose of Versailles
historical drama set before and during the french revolution
given
beautiful romance and really good music
Kasesan and Morning Glories
short but sweet romance, not as well known as the others but i like it a lot
also, these are seinen but i have to include them:
Skip and Loafer
one of my favorite slice of life romances, honestly i'd say if you want to include a seinen romance this would be a better pick than kaguya and that's not only because i didn't like kaguya much lol
Delicious in Dungeon
super fun and comfy adventure food series that gets increasingly profound
So, I think a good beginner needs to be something that is just anime-like enough to warm you up to the media, but not so much that it is and up being alienating to those who aren't deep in it already. If you are going to recommend something to someone who doesn't usually watch anime, you don't want to scare them away with something full of fan services and anime tropes they might not get.
And that is why I recommend this:
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
I think this might be the best beginner anime to recommend anyone, it's not only a really well made story, but I feel like it's very appealing to western audiences in a way that some other popular animes might not.l be, at least at first contact.
Another great thing about it is that it is a very complete anime. Do you like action? Fullmetal alchemist got you covered. Do you want a good magic system? You will find one here. Do you like stories that cover interesting themes? This is one for you. The characters are fun and complex, there is a lot of political intrigue, there is humor, there is mystery.
I am not going to say that Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is the best anime ever made (because I don't believe such a thing can even exist), but I think it probably is one of the ones with the most broad appeal, no matter who you are, chances are you will probably like it, this is a series that does a bit of everything and still does it well. If someone wants to get into anime, this is a great place to start.
So, I just noticed I am fucking blind, I looked again and there is full metal there, not sure how I missed the first time. That being said I would still say that Brotherhood is probably a better recommendation than the original, most of the changes are for the better, specially the ending.
This is one that I go back an forth on every time I look at the script. I might put them both on the list in the same spot.
The reason I went with the original is because I feel Brotherhood assumes you have seen the first series or are at least familiar with the series. This causes it to speed through the first half and you miss how impactful some of those original moments are.
I completely agree that Brotherhood is technically the better show on almost every level, but there is a certain magic to the original that I feel many over look.
I really appreciate your description of the show! That is the best "why you should watch" description I have seen for this show! Thanks so much for your input!
Yeah I see what you mean, there are a few parts in brotherhood that few a bit rushed, but I personally think it's minor. I did watch the original first, but I think even if I didn't I would still enjoy brotherhood. That being said the idea of having both in the same spot is also pretty good, even though I do prefer brotherhood I do recognize there are some strong points to the original.
"Non-Anime Fan" is a VERY wide spectrum. I guess you try to cover it as much as possible?
Mahou Shoujo MadokaMagica
Popularity and the whole "deconstruction of the magical girls genre" thing
Kimi no Na wa
Popularity and engaging love story.
Azumanga Daiou THE ANIMATION
The SoL anime before Lucky Star existed and, unlike the latter, understandable without deeper knowledge of Japanese popculture.
SteinsGate
Popularity and story.
PERFECT BLUE
Very good thriller.
Mononokehime
Best Ghibli movie.
Sakura Quest
Mature story about women working in the tourism sector in the countryside.
Koukaku Kidoutai STAND ALONE COMPLEX
Ghost in the Shell, but with bigger cast and more action.
Baccano
Non-stop action with a very likable cast.
Katanagatari
Great combination of action and philosophy and the best fight I've ever seen.
Hibike Euphonium
The first season is not the best of the Hibike franchise, but you need to watch it to be able to be able to watch the other, better entries (but S3 isn't good).
It is definitely a wide spectrum, hence the top 25 instead of top 10. This isn't much a solid list but more of a tool box as well as a look into what makes a series universally good and not just good for anime.
SAC is one I have to revisit because my personal bias may have kept it off the list.
Azumanga is one I totally forgot so that is getting a relook as well.
Madoka is one I have a hard time putting on the list because to get the full enjoyment you do need an understanding of magical girl tropes which non-anime fans may not have. I am definitely open to it though.
Movies are difficult to place on the list because I feel Anime movies and Anime series feel like completely different beasts to me. But if I open it up to more movies, you have mentioned not only some of my favorites, but some of the GOATS!
Thank you!
you do need an understanding of magical girl tropes
Madoka was my first magical girl Anime and I enjoyed it a lot, even without any knowledge of magical girl tropes.
Regarding movies, I'd say it's a good entry point because it's way easier to say "Hey, watch this movie" than saying "Hey, watch this 26 episode TV show".
I'd probably lean towards anime that aren't that long and also have a more modern art style. As someone who is pretty new to anime but has since consumed a lot, shows like One Piece have way too many seasons for me to feel like I would want to catch up to, so even though I know people who love it, I haven't bothered even trying to watch it. I'd also probably aim for shows where you don't need to know a lot about Japanese culture to get references or understand why someone's doing something. I'd also maybe lean towards shows with adult main characters, assuming the list is for adult viewers (adult as in not children, not that it has "mature" themes) so that it's easier to connect with. Maybe also shows where there's a progressing plot line so that it's enticing enough to watch all the way through (even though I like Spy x Family, the fact that the story doesn't really go anywhere might be harder to get attached to and keep watching).
Here's some that I think would be great for people who haven't gotten into anime before:
Buddy Daddies
It's only 12 episodes but it's got a complete story arc with a satisfying ending. It's got a lot of heart, comedy, and some action. It's not overly complicated, has good animation, and great characters in my opinion. Even though it's short, I didn't feel like it was rushed when I was watching it.
Moriarty the Patriot
This one ties into a character that non anime fans are likely familiar with (Sherlock Holmes) while putting an interesting spin on it. It's not too long, and each episode is pretty entertaining while progressing towards a final endpoint.
Thanks for your input! Its nice to have some thoughts from someone newer to anime. You have confirmed a few thoughts I already had an presented me with some new ones.
I will give Buddy Daddies another look incase my personal preference affected things. I felt it hit a lot of the notes as Spy x Family, but Spy x Family hit them a little better.
Thanks again!
Rewatching this one and I gotta also add this to my suggestions for the list!
Snow White with the Red Hair
It's such a sweet, healthy romance with likeable characters. There's a nice progression to the relationship throughout, and good character development. Would be a nice one to hook someone who's into romance.
the no shoujo is an L, i think you need a hobby anime in there too and something directed by this woman
https://anilist.co/staff/101856/Yamamoto-Sayo
You are absolutely right. Right after I posted this, I realized that I didn't have enough shojo/romance options as well as other genres. I am glad I am not the only one who noticed.
I truly appreciate your list! There are a lot of series I love personally on it, but I kept them off for one reason or another. For example:
1) Gintama - requires a huge knowledge of Japanese Culture and specifically Shonen Jump to fully get.
2) DBZ - Very long series which can intimidate people. Its why things like Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece aren't on here.
3) My Dress Up Darling - EASILY my favorite modern romance, but the ecchi could be of putting to quite a few.
4) Mob Psycho - This one hurts the most. I personally put this as one of the best series I have every watched in any medium, but I know so many people who don't make it past the first 2 episodes because of the art style.
It's incredibly fascinating because things that I think would be a barrier to entry, don't seem to be as big of an issue to you and some others I have talk too. I may need to reevaluate somethings on the back end.
Thank you again for your insight!
PS:
Also thank you for reminding me of Wotokoi existing.
your issues on those are exactly why i put them there! i was under the impression this list was to cast as wide a net as possible but i may have misunderstood lol
You aren't wrong with your assumption!
I know I left somethings vague partially because I didn't want to dictate what people felt like suggesting and partially because this is my first time attempting a larger project like this so I am kind ok winging it and refining it as a go. This all started with watching my wife go from hating anime to loving it in the 5+ years we have been together. It been fun trying to understand why the stereotypical "starter anime" didn't resonate with her, but other series did. How did her experiences shape her anime taste? What makes a show good "for an anime" and what makes a show just plain good? It just evolved from there.
I want to try to look at why certain shows hook people and why other shows turn people away. I know it ultimately depends on the individual and their tastes/experiences, but I like playing the idea of creating the ultimate "tool box" of shows that an anime fan could reach into and see a certain level of "success."
I am always fascinated of why people like or dislike a certain thing. 100 people could all like or dislike the same show, but for completely different reasons.
By no means is what I come with definitive and maybe in the future I could make videos more specific "tool boxes" based on other genres, tropes, or even other non-anime shows people like.
I know its a big task to try and thread that needle, and I am interested to see how this comes together. I am hoping not only to understand why certain anime hook non-anime fans and others don't, but also why I like/dislike certain series. Maybe even gain a new appreciation for a show.
Your reply provided me another piece of the puzzle!
While hells paradise had a fun concept and a good op the writing felt really bad and the animation wasn't the best, I reckon something more rom com ish like Horimiya would be good for new fans, but really a shounen like Aot could take its place as well, has a fun concept but imo better writing. Cool list tho, alot of these shows seem to fit the premise quite well.
For mecha genre I wouldn't anymore recommend Code Geass. It's a really good series and one of my favorites, rated top, but I wouldn't anymore use it to hook people, perhaps
Kidou Senshi Gundam Tekketsu no Orphans Break Blade
Another is Iyasikei, you have Somali there but something more general, Somali feels like it's target audience is strongly male but something more general like
Natsume Yuujinchou
Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou
Another common trope is missing what I would recommend is Youkai genre, well in Dororo there is already but it focuses more on action than youkai theme
Mushishi
Would be better on this genre.
And there isn't that many comedy series in your list, Might be that Little Witch Academia is but never seen it. Here is three what I would recommend in this genre, these focuses a lot on (surreal) comedy, joshiraku less than others.
Joshiraku
Nichijou
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
And also something like this for shoujo
Ouran Koukou Host Club
All great options!
Code Geass isn't there to be a mecha representative. Its more for as an option for people who love political drama. I feel the best Mecha series often times have the mecha as more of a feature rather than the main draw. Iron Blooded Orphans is a fantastic call out!
Comedy is one that is fighting an uphill battle on the list because Japanese humor is different than western humor and comedy is SO subjective comedy.
Ouran is also fighting an uphill battle. While I love the series and know many people do, there are also people uncomfortable with implied twincest, the outdated art/animation, and other. I am relooking at adding more shojo and some people here recommended a relook at Yona of the Dawn and Snow White with the Red Hair.
Mushi-shi is one that has been on the verge of breaking through since the first draft of this list.
Thank you for you input! Every opinion helps!
That being said when I was able to branch away from that genre I found so much more to love. Rom coms, mystery, eechi, horror, psychological, historical, shojou, fantasy, isekai, sports, food animes, and all the niche ones that you have to have an understanding of the culture to get. Those ones are probably my favorites.🥰
The funny thing is I would not show them my top three at first. After i asked what they were into for like movies and tv shows I would find anime that i enjoyed that fit that idea. That's truly how you get someone hooked and understand that this ain't kiddie cartoons. That's why I could never make a list of any kind cause everyone is different and deserves to be treated as such with their gateway anime.😉
Thank for listening/reading. 🤗As someone who bounced off of anime for a long time (aside from DBZ, Pokemon, and any other anime I watched as a kid), the biggest thing that drew me in wasn't anything specific to anime; good story, good characters, good art, etc. are what grabbed me. The things that pushed me away are certain overused or annoying tropes. Stuff like sibling complexes, fan service, etc.
Based on conversations I've had with people that don't usually watch anime, stay away from recommending stuff with hundreds of episodes. A complete, self contained story in 12 or so episodes is generally what I recommend and what I've had most success with.