Even though anime is one of the most popular forms of entertainment worldwide, it can be difficult for newcomers to find where to start. For those new to the genre, here are five fantastic anime series for beginners to watch:
1. Spy x family
The series follows an undercover spy tasked to infiltrate an elite school and gather information about a political leader. To do so, he creates a fake family, adopts a telepathic girl named Anya and marries an assassin named Yor. The show follows the adventures of this unlikely family and their efforts to keep their true identities a secret, even from each other.
2. Death Note
This psychological thriller is about a high school student named Light Yagami who discovers a notebook that grants the supernatural power to kill anyone whose name is written on its pages. As Light begins to use the Death Note to rid the world of criminals, he attracts the attention of a mysterious detective, and the two engage in a mind-bending cat-and-mouse game of wits. Death Note has been praised for its complex plot and exploration of themes such as morality, power, and justice.
3. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan takes place in a world where humanity lives inside cities surrounded by walls that protect them from gigantic man-eating creatures called Titans. When his village is destroyed, and he loses his family during a Titan attack, Eren Yeager vows to eliminate the giants and joins a group of soldiers to fight back against the Titans.
4. Cowboy Bebop
With its well-developed characters, complex storytelling and stylish animation, Cowboy Bepop has been praised for its cinematic quality and has since become a cult classic among anime fans. Set in a post-apocalyptic world in 2071, it focuses on the wild adventures of bounty hunters chasing down criminals across the Solar System in their ship, The Bebop. The series features a unique blend of genres, including sci-fi, cyberpunk, western and noir.
5. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Are you in the mood for epic, over-the-top fight scenes? The series is about a boy named Tanjiro Kamado who strives to become a demon slayer after finding his family brutally murdered by demons and his younger sister, Nezuko, turned into one. Tanjiro embarks on a journey to avenge his family’s deaths and find a cure to turn his sister back into a human. Demon Slayer has taken the world by storm and quickly become a fan favorite. It pays homage to Japanese artistry and shows stunning visuals of sword choreography.