Anime Recommendation List for Beginners

Anime Recommendations - Newbies will enjoy this list of newbie friendly anime recommendations.

The Best Anime Series for newbies (in my opinion to start with)

If you've never watched an anime before, then you might not know where to start. This list has some suggestions for you!

Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Written by: Yoshihiro Togashi

Rating: PG - 13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis: This story follows Gon, a 12-year-old boy who has no knowledge of the outside world. What drives 12-year-old Gon Freecss is finding Ging, his father and a Hunter himself. Believing that he will meet his father by becoming a Hunter, Gon takes the first step to walk the same path.

Hunter x Hunter is still one of my favorite anime. It has probably the best character development out of any anime I've seen. Not only does it make you love the main character, Gon, but it also makes you fall in love with the other main characters and side characters as well! Watching everyone grow up in this world makes you itch for more.

Death Note

Death Note (2006)

Genre: Supernatural, Suspense

Written by: Tsugumi Ohba

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Synopsis: Brutal murders, petty thefts, and senseless violence pollute the human world. In contrast, the realm of death gods is a humdrum, unchanging gambling den. The ingenious 17-year-old Japanese student Light Yagami and sadistic god of death Ryuk share one belief: their worlds are rotten.

For his own amusement, Ryuk drops his "Death Note" into the human world. Light stumbles upon it, deeming the first of its rules ridiculous: the human whose name is written in this note shall die. However, the temptation is too great, and Light experiments by writing a felon's name, which disturbingly enacts his first murder.

If you like psychological anime with crazy moments, then Death Note is perfect! Very suspenseful and really shows you what the characters are thinking as they explain everything they do! Definitely a good first anime!

Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online (2012)

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

Written by: Reki Kawahara

Rating: PG - 13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis: Ever since the release of the innovative NerveGear, gamers from all around the globe have been given the opportunity to experience a completely immersive virtual reality. Sword Art Online (SAO), one of the most recent games on the console, offers a gateway into the wondrous world of Aincrad, a vivid, medieval landscape where users can do anything within the limits of imagination. With the release of this worldwide sensation, gaming has never felt more lifelike.

However, the idyllic fantasy rapidly becomes a brutal nightmare when SAO's creator traps thousands of players inside the game. The "log-out" function has been removed, with the only method of escape involving beating all of Aincrad's one hundred increasingly difficult levels. Adding to the struggle, any in-game death becomes permanent, ending the player's life in the real world.

This story follows Kazuto Kirigaya, who goes by Kirito in the online world. As the main hero of this story, it follows his experience as he gets trapped in a video game world. If you're a gamer, especially one that plays mmos, then you know this is every gamer's dream! However, in this game, if you die in game then you die in real life! This anime tends to be the gateway for most anime watchers.

Naruto

Naruto (2002)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Written by: Masashi Kishimoto

Rating: PG - 13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis: Moments prior to Naruto Uzumaki's birth, a huge demon known as the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox, attacked Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, and wreaked havoc. In order to put an end to the Kyuubi's rampage, the leader of the village, the Fourth Hokage, sacrificed his life and sealed the monstrous beast inside the newborn Naruto.

Now, Naruto is a hyperactive and knuckle-headed ninja still living in Konohagakure. Shunned because of the Kyuubi inside him, Naruto struggles to find his place in the village, while his burning desire to become the Hokage of Konohagakure leads him not only to some great new friends, but also some deadly foes.

EVERYONE knows the name Naruto. While this anime is relatively long, it will allow you to experience many emotions. I watched this anime consistently weekly for 10+ years and still can't get enough. A lot of action, ninjas and flashy moves with a side of funny and relatable moments!

Parasyte

Parasyte (2014)

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Written by: Hitoshi Iwaaki

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Synopsis: All of a sudden, they arrived: parasitic aliens that descended upon Earth and quickly infiltrated humanity by burrowing into the brains of vulnerable targets. These insatiable beings acquire full control of their host and are able to morph into a variety of forms in order to feed on unsuspecting prey.

This anime is relatively short with it being only 24 episodes. The first 12 rope you in and help you get familiar with the story. The next 12 are really action packed and will even have you feeling emotional at some times. Awesome fight scenes and relatable emotional moments.

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All opinions on this blog are my own & these just happen to be the few anime that i recommend to my friends when they first started watching anime! I feel that each of these has different aspects that would pull you in and make you more and more interested! 

I've watched a ton of anime, so I will definitely make more recommendations in the future! Realistically, there is no right anime to start with. You can start anywhere and I hope you get pulled in as much as I did!