10 Best Anime for Beginners to Binge

Anime is a powerfully flexible medium, with enough broad genre offerings for beginners from all walks of life. Some may crave deep, cerebral mysteries and thrillers, while others might seek a lower-stakes, vibes and franchise-driven affair they're more familiar with. But realistically, there's an anime for anybody, and they don't have to look too far to find it.

The medium has evolved past its niche state following numerous anime booms between the 1970s through the 2010s until the present. There are concise narrative-driven affairs, either with realistic human drama, or epic, action-packed fantasy adventures. While some are timeless essentials recommended to anybody, these are the best 10 anime for any type of beginner to check out.

Pokémon

One of the longest-running anime series ever, it's no understatement to say that Pokémon is at least partially responsible for anime growing as popular as it is outside of Japan.

Despite its lengthy episode count, each season of Pokémon is largely standalone, so new viewers can jump into the charming and simplistic series at any point.

Pokémon is especially beginner-friendly thanks to its recent soft reboot, Pokémon Horizons, so new fans can get into the series there and see why it's been so beloved for decades without getting bogged down by what little continuity there is.

Spy x Family

Spy x Family is a starter anime series that strikes the perfect balance between action and comedy. The series focuses on super-spy Loid Forger and his "family" that he recruited as part of his cover, which consists of the deadly assassin Yor and the young telepath Anya.

The kicker, though, is that no one except Anya is aware of anyone's true identity, leading to plenty of hijinks as they scramble to keep their secrets. Despite that layer of intrigue, though, the Forgers' everyday wholesome interactions make Spy x Family so constantly entertaining and a perfect entryway into anime.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

Anime is well known for its epic, over-the-top fight scenes, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba takes that to an incredible level.

The series follows young Tanjiro Kamado, who, after losing his family to a demon attack, finds that his sister is still alive, but now a demon herself. Desperate to save his last remnant of his family, Tanjiro agrees to become a demon slayer in order to help search for a cure, facing off with fearsome foes with incredible courage.

With a moving story, complex characters, and gorgeous art, Demon Slayer is a can't-miss starter anime series for those looking for action.

Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is easily one of the most iconic and important anime of all time. Cowboy Bebop is essentially a futuristic Wild West story, and it brings together a group of mismatched characters on adventures across space who are all more complex than they seem.

Cowboy Bebop is known for its complex characters, interesting plot, and its legendary music, especially its theme song, all of which is perfectly showcased across 26 episodes and a feature film.

Cowboy Bebop is often heralded as one of the best anime of all time, and that makes it a perfect choice for anime newcomers.

Death Note

Death Note is an iconic and highly influential series that is perfect for anime beginners thanks to its endlessly compelling story. It follows the brilliant Light Yagami, who, upon discovering a notebook with the power to kill people, becomes the vigilante Kira to force peace upon the world.

Light's actions bring him into conflict with an eccentric detective known as L, leading to an intense game of cat and mouse between the two characters. While over-the-top dramatic at times, Death Note ranks up there with the best thrillers in any medium and thus serves as a fantastic entry-level anime.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End does an excellent job of depicting a story of magic and humanity that's not too mature for the average person, and the gorgeous visuals and direction never fail to showcase all of that in the best of ways.

Despite how recent Frieren is, it quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, and with how much accessibility its writing and animation offer, it's easy to see why that happened.

From the animation, to the characters, to the writing, there isn't a single thing about Frieren that isn't worth recommending to both new fans of anime and those who are established.

Your Lie In April

Sometimes the greatest starter anime are those that showcase an unexpected side of the medium. Your Lie In April is centered on former piano prodigy Kousei Arima's struggle to return to playing the instrument after meeting a dazzling violinist.

The show's charming and heartbreaking story can strike a chord with anyone.

With memorable characters and an incredible soundtrack, Your Lie in April is one of the most beautifully made anime around and eminently watchable at only 22 episodes.

Despite how sad it can be, Your Lie in April is a solid starter anime for those looking for something less upbeat.

Sailor Moon

No anime is as ubiquitous among the entire female demographic while grasping at a universal appeal quite like Sailor Moon, which served as the first anime for many children from the 1990s.

The series is iconic, with a built-in brand that has resulted in highly successful merchandise and multiple other anime adaptations reaching 2023 and beyond.

Luna empowers Usagi Tsukino, a talking cat with the equipment to transform into her Sailor Guardian alter ego, Sailor Moon, who joins the other Guardians to fight against evil forces in the quintessential shojo classic.

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball became one of the biggest anime in the world thanks to its incredible action and engaging cast of characters. Through the sequels, the movies, and the new transformations that take our heroes to great heights, it's still just as endearing almost 40 years later.

Countless people have cited Dragon Ball as the story that got them into anime, and for anyone still looking to get into the medium, there are few better anime to start with.

The last great anime for newcomers to watch is, without a doubt, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The series serves as a more faithful adaptation of the manga than the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, and as such, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood perfectly adapts the original manga with amazing animation and overall direction from start to finish.

Over a decade later, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 's writing and animation more than hold up and it's still often heralded as one of the best anime of all time, and as such, the series is easily one of the best anime for introducing the medium to beginners.