Recommendations for Anime Newbies.

Anime has been my life for a decade and a half now but my tastes have really changed over time. I want to share my favourite shows and films with you… but that’s going to be another post. For now, I plan to rope you non-anime-lovers into watching some great start-off animes and hopefully get you hooked!

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Action

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010) (15)

Total number of episodes: 64

MyAnimeList Rating: 9.2/10

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows the journey of two young brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, as they attempt to recover their bodies after a failed attempt at bringing their mother back to life using alchemy sees Ed lose his arm and leg and Al lose his entire body, leaving his soul fused to a suit of armour.

This is a great starting anime firstly because it’s fully translated into English so there’s no need to worry about those scary, fast paced subtitles. Then of course, there’s the gripping plotline which follows the brothers’ search for a philosophers stone to change their bodies back, but as they come closer to finding a solution they discover a plot so sinister that it could put everyone they love in danger.

Brotherhood balances moments of comedy and heart-warming happiness with dark and grim scenes that you just don’t see coming. There are ups and downs throughout but it keeps you coming back for more with its loveable characters and some scenes of mass murder.

Where to watch: Netflix

Other recommended action anime: Attack on Titan, Cowboy Beebop, Noragami.

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Romantic Comedy

Ouran High School Host Club (2006) (15)

Total number of episodes: 26

MyAnimeList Rating: 8.4/10

Haruhi Fujioka is a normal girl who simply wants to get on with her studies but when she wanders into the third music room of Ouran High School, an academy for the very wealthy or those with a scholarship, and breaks an expensive vase, she is forced into the academy’s all-male host club to pay off her debt.

Ouran is actually one of my all-time favourite anime shows. It’s not complicated and it always makes me laugh, no matter how many times I rewatch it. Ouran pokes fun at the rich and the poor alike and there isn’t a single main character who I don’t like. Whilst being part of the Host Club, Haruhi has to teach the ignorant rich boys that there is nothing wrong with being a commoner. In fact, they can have more fun without money.

As a starting anime, it’s great because it introduces you to many visual gags commonly found in anime, such as the Emo Corner and Insult Arrows. It also introduces you to reverse-harem tropes such as the various male personalities, like the cool guy and the small, cute one. Honey. Honey is adorable. There is always time for cake.

Personally, I prefer to watch this anime in the original Japanese with subtitles because not as many jokes get lost in translation, but the English voice actors aren’t all too bad so the English dub is fine too.

Where to watch: Funimation.com, Hulu or buy it online at Amazon.

Other recommended romantic comedy animes: My Love Story!!, Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Fruits Basket.

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Video Games

Is it Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon? (2015) (15)

Total Number of Episodes: 12

MyAnimeList Rating: 7.9/10

In a world where guilds, quests and attack stats are real, Bell Cranel is a weak adventurer who finds himself playing the damsel in distress when he is rescued by a powerful female adventurer named Aiz from a minotaur that has escaped from the lower levels of the dungeon. Determined to be the hero that saves her from an evil monster, Bell starts to venture into the dungeons more often and builds a party to help him level up. But he might just bite off more than he can chew with the gods watching over him.

Okay, so I love this anime for various reasons. I’m a big fan of Greek mythology, I’m a big fan of MMORPGs, Hestia is brilliant and the whole thing is pretty silly.

Although there is no English dub as of yet, the Japanese with subtitles isn’t too fast paced but even if it is, the animations are pretty explanatory. Though, if you’re not familiar with gaming terms, some of the jokes may go over your head. It’s still enjoyable and there are some great plot twists that crop up all the time. Also, epic fight scenes.

Where to watch: Crunchyroll.com

Other recommended gaming animes: Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, .(dot)hack.

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Horror

Another (2012) (15)

Total number of episodes: 12 (+1 extra episode)

MyAnimeList Rating: 7.9/10

When Kouichi Sakakibara moves to a new school, he soon notices that he can see a girl that no one else can. The more he asks questions, the more it becomes apparent that his school class is caught up in something horrific and it is a race against time for Kouichi to find a way to stop it to save the lives of his friends and also himself.

Another is one of those animes that has a great balance between calm and creepy. From the beginning you find yourself asking what’s happening but before you have time to ponder it, tragedy strikes and in the most gory fashion. Instead of hoping that my favourite characters survived, I ended up hoping that they died in the most humane way. Though, have no fear, it’s no Battle Royale. (Though I have never looked at an umbrella the same way again.)

If I have to say one thing that really makes Another stand out from the others, it’s its soundtrack. I was honestly hooked from the opening credits with creepy tingles crawling up my spine. If you refuse to watch the anime, at least have a listen to its opening song.

Where to watch: Crunchyroll.com, Hulu, or you can buy it from Amazon.

Other recommendations for horror anime: Parasyte: The Maxim, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Blood-C

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There are obviously hundreds more anime genres and shows you can watch, that I would recommend, but you only need a few to start with. I’ll be sure to post other recommendations and reviews in the future so check back.

Currently reading: Skip Beat! by Yoshiki Nakamura

Currently watching: Bungo Stray Dogs

Currently looking forward to: Finding Dory