T5W#312-Top 5 Anime Suggestions for Beginners

While I was at a wedding this past weekend, I met a knew friend who, once they learned I was into Anime, asked me a question I haven’t really thought about in a long time: If you’re new to Anime, what’s a good start point or what titles would you recommend?  The answer to these questions has changed overtime across all of Anime’s existence.  There’s no exception in the here and now: Anime in the early 2020’s and most of the 2010’s is a far cry from where Anime was in the 90’s or 2000’s.  With all this said, what would be my Top 5 Anime Suggestions for Beginners?  To answer, I’m going to be looking back at some of the biggest and most accessible titles from the last decade and change.  Some of these titles should come as no surprise and some are ones I think hold the most appeal and are the reason why Anime has continued to prosper and is now more in the public zeitgeist than ever before. 

#5-Death Note

Far from the rapid fire and seizure inducing action of the bulk of this list, Death Note is the ultimate cat and mouse murder mystery and is still regarded as one of the Best Anime ever made.  Light Yagami discovers the titular Death Note, a Notebook capable of killing anyone he can visualize, and uses it to become a crazy savior of Humanity.  On his heels is L, a quirky but brilliant detective who is probably the only one who can match Light’s wits and drive.  Light and L’s rivalry is legend and the pacing, twists and turns and gorgeous production values have made Death Note a favorite for a long time.  Even if you know how the show ends, it’s worth a watch just to see how it gets there…then revel in one of the greatest series finales of all time.

 

#4-Attack on Titan

When Attack on Titan first dropped, people were saying it was Anime’s answer to The Walking Dead.  It became a watercooler discussion topic overnight and even after a lengthy hiatus between the first two seasons, it still continues to prosper, arguably stronger than ever.  The series follows Humanities struggle to survive in a world where titanic beasts known as Titans ravage the lands and kill without discrimination.  Eren Jaeger has a personal score to settle with these monsters, it’s just a matter of how much of his own soul he’s willing to sacrifice to see the fight through.  Boasting stellar animation and fight choreography, a gripping tale that sees Humans fighting each other as much as Titans, and one of the most intense Anime openings ever, there’s definitely going to be a major hole to fill when Attack on Titan wraps its final season later this year.

 

#3-Naruto

Believe it, it was gonna be on this list.  After the conclusion of another Anime I’ll talk about in a second, Naruto stepped in to fill its shoes and quickly took off with audiences in Japan and in the US.  The series follows the titular Ninja as he rises from cursed troublemaker to legendary warrior to leader of his own people over the course of a couple hundred episodes and an equal amount of Ninja showdowns.  Just because Naruto clocks in at 720 episodes between two series (Naruto and Naruto Shippuden), doesn’t mean it drags.  The energy Naruto brings to every fight, every character story arc and every new adventure is infectious and you can find yourself binging dozens of episodes in a day.  And don’t worry, even when you reach the end and you want more, there’s always Boruto: Naruto Next Generations to tide you over.  Much like’s its Pirate cousin, One Piece, Naruto is a saga that will likely never end.

 

#2-Dragon Ball Z

 This isn’t just the show that got me into Anime in the late 90’s, it’s the Anime that continues to be synonymous with Anime more than its other franchise offerings.  Dragon Ball Z is a legend and for good reason.  The story of Goku’s quest to find the seven Dragon Balls while duking it out with the most powerful tyrants in the galaxy has dozens of iconic moments and characters from the eternal bad assery of Vegeta to Super Saiyan Goku’s showdown with Frieza to the terror of the Androids and Cell to the deceptive terror of Majin Buu.  DBZ continues to be rewatched by old fans and its fanbase grows as those fans share it with friends and use the show as a launch bed for the rest of the Dragon Ball franchise.  Sure we might have Dragon Ball Super and more projects to keep the saga going til the end of time…but without Dragon Ball Z, none of that might be possible.

 

#1-My Hero Academia

It’s been a long time since I’ve been so invested in a series like this.  My Hero Academia is the one Anime I turn into week after week whenever a new season airs and, in my eyes, is more the successor to Dragon Ball Z than Naruto in terms of wide appeal.  Superheroes are still a big thing in pop culture thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  And while some might feel Marvel and DC’s super hero tales have grown darker and less enjoyable, My Hero Academia takes those pre dark days and shows us what it means to be a hero in society thriving with heroes.  Deku’s quest to become the top hero is one of the most inspiring tales in Anime and you actually cant wait to see what hardships he’ll overcome next.  Factor in a fun cast of characters, villains you cant wait to see get their asses kicked and some of the most tear inducing inspirational sequences in Anime in a long time and you’ve got an Anime for all ages and all audiences.  THIS is where your Anime journey should really begin…PLUS ULTRA!!!