Whether it’s through incredible art and animation or mature, unique, or otherwise great storytelling, there are plenty of anime to recommend to people who don’t normally watch anime that avoid some of the biggest criticisms people tend to have about the medium. There are many reasons why people refuse to watch anime of varying justifiability, but that’s not to say they can’t change their minds about that.
As big as anime has gotten over the years, it’s still common for people not to give it a fair chance. The old perceptions of anime being universally weird, perverted, and – like all animation to some people – for children are still alive in some circles, and the fact that some of the biggest anime require years of investment on the part of the viewer is also a constant turnoff to some.
However, there are some series that are simply great for anyone who’s ever wanted to turn someone onto anime, and that will turn even the most skeptical people into fans.
10 Anime Series For People Who Don’t Like Anime
Whether they’re spoofs, horror stories or video game adaptations, these ten series are made for people that can’t quite get into anime themselves!
10 Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Is Already Becoming A Fantasy Classic
Based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada & Tsukasa Abe
Release Year | 2023 |
Number Of Episodes | 21 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll |
In an era where isekai and video game aesthetics dominate fantasy anime, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End stands out as a straightforward fantasy story with great character writing and incredible animation to match. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a breath of fresh air for anyone wishing for a return to classic fantasy in anime, in general, and for people who don’t normally watch anime, it’s an easy way of showing that there’s far more variety than one might think in terms of both writing and visuals.
Watch On Crunchyroll
9 Bocchi The Rock! Shows How Creative Anime Can Make Its Visuals
Based on the manga By Aki Hamazi
Release Year | 2022 |
Number Of Episodes | 12 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll |
Coming from the same director as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Keiichiro Saito, another great anime to show to skeptics is 2022’s Bocchi the Rock! Just like Frieren, Bocchi the Rock! features some of the best animation of any anime in the past few years, and the fact that it goes out of its way to play with the medium by constantly changing art styles and using mixed media like CGI and claymation works to sell that even further. Add in a thoughtful story about overcoming social anxiety, and Bocchi the Rock! is perfect for showing how inventive anime can be.
Watch On Crunchyroll
8 Pluto Shows How Great Anime Can Be At Both Science Fiction & Mystery
Based on the manga By Naoki Urasawa
Release Year | 2023 |
Number Of Episodes | 8 |
Where To Watch It | Netflix |
Science fiction and mystery are two of the most prolific genres in fiction, and Pluto is a great anime for skeptics that encompasses them. Pluto is a reimagining of the classic anime Astro Boy, and it masterfully combines excellent mystery writing with classic science fiction story tropes to make a great detective story with excellent character writing from start to finish. Add in some brilliant visuals and commentary on the Iraq War, and Pluto is not only a perfect modernization of Astro Boy, but a great way of showing how mature anime can be in both themes and writing, as a whole.
Watch On Netflix
7 Death Note Is Still An Incredible Thriller Almost 20 Years Later
Based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata
Release Year | 2006 |
Number Of Episodes | 37 |
Where To Watch It | Hulu, Netflix |
For older anime to turn skeptics into fans, a great series to recommend is 2006’s Death Note. Death Note became a worldwide hit thanks to the intense mind games that drive the thriller elements of its story, and almost 20 years later, it’s still often heralded as one of the best anime for people to watch, whether they be newcomers to anime or seasoned veterans. Death Note is a perfect example of how an anime can have action without over-the-top fantasy battles, and it’s a perfect series for anyone who needs to see what something like that would be like.
Watch On Hulu
6 Azumanga Daioh Is Still One Of The Funniest Anime Ever
Based on the manga by Kiyohiko Azuma
Release Year | 2002 |
Number Of Episodes | 26 |
Where To Watch It | HIDIVE |
While many slice-of-life anime have some sort of gimmick surrounding their story, Azumanga Daioh prides itself on focusing solely on being a straightforward sitcom, and that makes all the comedy and more down-to-earth story moments hit harder both in its own narrative and when compared to similar stories. Azumanga Daioh is often seen as having formed the foundations of the “cute girls doing cute things” anime genre, and for anyone who wants to see how good those stories can be, it’s the perfect place to start.
30 Best Anime For Beginners
Anime is incredibly popular, but the amount of choice might overwhelm those who are just getting started. So here are the best anime for beginners!
Watch On HIDIVE
5 Vinland Saga Is An Incredible Piece Of Historical Fiction
Based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura
Release Year | 2019 |
Number Of Episodes | 48 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime |
Not every action anime has some sort of fantastical setting, and a great one for turning skeptics into fans is 2019’s Vinland Saga. A fictionalized account of the life of Thorfinn Karlsefni, the first Viking to settle in North America, Vinland Saga starts off bringing Viking action to life with incredible animation before shifting into a thoughtful and mature narrative about violence and forgiveness, and that dichotomy is depicted surprisingly effectively from start to finish. No other anime captures historical fiction with the kind of craft that Vinland Saga has, and that makes it a perfect anime to turn someone into a fan.
Watch On Crunchyroll
4 Attack On Titan Is The Definitive Gateway Anime Of The 2010s
Based on the manga by Hajime Isayama
Release Year | 2013 |
Number Of Episodes | 89 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
Many anime have a reputation for being gateways into the medium, and one of the best ones to show skeptics is 2013’s Attack on Titan. Attack on Titan was quick to become a worldwide phenomenon with its stunning and horrific visuals combined with engaging mystery writing and political commentary, and that’s resulted in it having some of the most variety and overall quality of anything in the past decade. There are very few anime like Attack on Titan, and for anyone who needs convincing on how massive in scale anime can be, it’s one of the best anime to watch.
Watch On Crunchyroll
3 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Has The Perfect Blend Of Action & Story
Based on the manga by Hiromu Arakawa
Release Year | 2009 |
Number Of Episodes | 64 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was the long-awaited accurate adaptation of the original manga. It perfectly captures the stellar action and simultaneously mature and comedic writing of the manga, and it does so with incredible animation and overall direction that still holds up over a decade later. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s style of writing and action make it an easy introduction to anime, and for anyone who needs to see how great anime can be, it’s one of the best anime to watch.
Watch On Crunchyroll
2 Jujutsu Kaisen Is One Of The Best Modern Action Anime
Based on the manga by Gege Akutami
Release Year | 2020 |
Number Of Episodes | 47 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll |
Action anime has always been among the most popular anime, and a great one to turn skeptics into fans is 2020’s Jujutsu Kaisen. Ever since its debut, Jujutsu Kaisen has become one of the most popular anime in the world thanks to its character and story writing and consistently amazing animation and fight choreography, and it’s virtually impossible to bring up action anime without mentioning it at least in passing. Jujutsu Kaisen is a near-flawless example of how far modern anime has evolved in terms of both writing and visuals, and it’s bound to make a fan out of any skeptic.
Watch On Crunchyroll
1 Cowboy Bebop Is Still An Enduring Classic After 25 Years
Original anime by Shinichiro Watanabe & Keiko Nobumoto
Release Year | 1998 |
Number Of Episodes | 26 |
Where To Watch It | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
Cowboy Bebop is often heralded as one of the best anime ever made, and with its incredible animation, excellent character writing, and unique aesthetic that mixes Western and science fiction themes and music, it’s easy to see why that opinion would remain so popular after 25 years. Cowboy Bebop is a perfect showing of how stylish and creative anime can be, and because of that, it stands as one of the best anime to turn skeptics into fans.
Watch On Crunchyroll
