| If you want… | Start here | Avoid unless you like… | |-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | A complete, tight thriller | Death Note (anime) | Monster (slower) | | 1,000+ chapters of payoff | One Piece (manga) | Bleach (filler arcs) | | Crying and healing | Fruits Basket (2019 anime) | Clannad (manipulative sadness) | | Existential dread with a bird boy | Goodnight Punpun (manga) | Flowers of Evil (less accessible) | | Vikings becoming pacifists | Vinland Saga (anime s1) | Berserk (more gore, less hope) | | Laughing then sobbing | Gintama (ep 3) | Saiki K (pure comedy, no drama) | | Messy adult love | Nana (anime) | Scum’s Wish (edgier, less real) |


Best for beginners. These shows are accessible, highly rated, and serve as a perfect introduction to anime tropes.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

2. Death Note

3. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)


If you have ever heard of anime, you have likely heard of Naruto, One Piece, or Bleach. These are the classics that defined a generation. However, newer titans have taken their place. For pure, adrenaline-pumping action and stories about friendship and perseverance, start here.

Not all anime is for kids. "Seinen" targets adult men (and women) who want grittier themes, moral ambiguity, and complex philosophy. These are the Breaking Bad or True Detective of the anime world.

Sometimes you don't want to save the world. Sometimes you just want to watch two awkward teenagers fall in love or a group of girls eat cake after school. This is the most underrated genre in anime.