It’s never been easier to get into anime, with hundreds of amazing anime series available to stream on Netflix and Crunchyroll. That said, just because an anime is accessible doesn’t mean it’s beginner-friendly. Some of the best anime of recent years, like Chainsaw Man, assume viewers are already familiar with shonen tropes and may be overwhelming to newcomers.
Anime like Konosuba and Gurren Lagann might not click with newcomers to the medium, even though they’re fan-favorite series. All of these anime are worth watching, but people who are just getting into anime will want to start with something a little easier to dive into.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Doesn’t Slow Down For Newcomers
Some anime reboots and remakes are great jumping-on points, but Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War assumes viewers are already familiar with the original series. The anime only rebooted the visuals while picking up the story where it left off, making it an anime strictly for established Bleach fans.
Viewers are expected to be familiar with many returning Bleach characters in the anime’s Thousand-Year Blood War story arc, and even more characters are introduced as the series progresses. The plot is also fast-paced and intense, with more than a few plot twists rocking the narrative. It’s a fantastic treat for established Bleach fans, but new anime fans will be lost.
High School of the Dead Is an Acquired Taste Even for Anime Veterans
Zombie stories typically have mass appeal, but High School of the Dead leans too hard into its fan service to be appealing to most anime newcomers. While fan service in anime has its place, it can be overwhelming in High School of the Dead, and it may give newcomers the wrong impression.
However, the biggest issue with High School of the Dead is that the series lacks a proper ending. Even if viewers get sucked in by High School of the Dead, they’ll be left disappointed by its lackluster ending, and it may turn them off to anime altogether.
Chainsaw Man Plays With Classic Shonen Tropes
Chainsaw Man is a fantastic series, but while anyone can enjoy it, anime rookies may miss out on some of the qualities that make it so interesting. Since Chainsaw Man plays around with the classic shonen formula, viewers who haven’t seen much shonen won’t be able to appreciate the way the series deconstructs classic tropes.
Instead of starting with Chainsaw Man, it’s best to watch some of the best and most beloved shonen anime first. Watching titles like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and My Hero Academia will give new anime fans a deeper appreciation for the story Chainsaw Man is telling.
Konosuba Assumes Viewers Are Familiar With Isekai Anime
Konosuba is a parody of the isekai genre, and while it’s frequently hilarious, half of the series’ jokes are going to fly over the heads of anime novices. The entire series is filled with gags, from its self-insert protagonist and typical anime goddesses to its overpowered demon lord, but viewers who haven’t seen much isekai anime may not realize these are jokes in the first place.
Instead of starting with Konosuba, new anime fans should try out a few “normal” isekai titles first, such as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and Re:Zero. Once they’re more familiar with the genre, they’ll be able to see how Konosuba playfully tears all this apart with its zany humor.
My Deer Friend Nokotan Doesn’t Have Much to Say
While there’s nothing particularly bad about the comedy anime My Deer Friend Nokotan, it isn’t substantial enough to be an excellent watch or a strong ambassador for what anime can be. The series has charming humor and strong visual flair, but not much beyond that. It’s the kind of delightful nonsense that works best for established anime fans looking for a break from more serious titles.
People watching their first few anime may look at My Deer Friend Nokotan and come away thinking anime is made up of shallow cartoons with little to say. Newcomers would be better served by stronger comedies that still have interesting characters, like Nichijou or even Azumanga Daioh.
Gurren Lagann Isn’t the Best Introduction to Mecha Anime
New anime fans can absolutely start with the acclaimed Gurren Lagann and enjoy everything it does well. The anime delivers emotional highs, inspiring themes, and astonishing animation, so it’s easy to understand why it remains so beloved. At the same time, it can leave newcomers with a slightly distorted view of the genre it comes from.
The main issue with treating Gurren Lagann as a starter anime is that it doesn’t really reflect mecha anime at large. Its humor, excess, and wildly exaggerated power scaling make it feel more like a loving exaggeration of the genre than a typical example of it. More grounded series like Gundam and Macross keep their scale far more controlled and are a better introduction to mecha anime.
Fairy Tail Is Long and Packed With Fanservice
The Fairy Tail anime is stronger than many of its detractors claim. It has a big heart, memorable characters, and some genuinely creative ideas in its magical combat system. In the long run, though, it can’t really compete with the shonen heavyweights it invites comparison to.
There’s also the issue of Fairy Tail‘s constant and often gratuitous fan service. Some anime newcomers will strongly dislike that, and even those who don’t may come away with the wrong idea about how much fan service is typical in shonen action anime. Experienced anime viewers will find it easier to look past Fairy Tail’s fanservice and appreciate what it does well.
Gintama Is a Love Letter to Shonen
Gintama deserves its stellar reputation, but it still works best for established anime fans. It’s not just a comedy. It’s also a love letter to shonen and a parody of it, constantly making jokes about the big three, Dragon Ball, and many other series. That makes Gintama especially rewarding for veteran fans who can catch the references and enjoy how absurd they get.
New anime fans would miss much of that, which takes away a big part of what makes Gintama so special. For that reason, it’s a series best saved for later. There’s still plenty to appreciate, including strong character moments and well-animated fight scenes. Even so, newer viewers can find those strengths in other anime without having to sort through so much constant meta-humor.
Eromanga Sensei May Creep Out Anime Rookies
Some anime rookies may not mind fan service centered on teenage girls, but they’ll almost certainly draw the line when they discover what’s waiting in Eromanga Sensei. This anime comes from the same creator as Oreimo, which has a similarly iffy reputation. Neither title makes a good impression on newcomers to the medium, and both could leave them regretting getting into anime at all.
Above all, the problem with Eromanga Sensei is that it mixes sexual tension and comedy with the protagonist’s 12-year-old stepsister, Sagiri, while the other girls aren’t much older. Plenty of other anime dabble in steamy material and sexually charged comedy, but Eromanga Sensei is arguably one of the worst examples of it.
Food Wars! Has Constant, Over-the-Top Fan Service
Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma is a great culinary anime that puts a comedic spin on the shonen battle formula, but there’s just too much sexualized content for many newcomers to handle. The series often shows its characters dramatically undressing as they react to the incredible taste of food.
Fans may point out that this happens to male characters almost as often as it does to female ones, but that still won’t work for everyone. More importantly, Food Wars! can leave viewers with the wrong idea about how common that level of fan service really is across the medium.