Finish your quarantine watch list? Want something new to watch, but can’t figure out where to start? Want to know just why anime is so popular? Well, look no further because I have just the list for you. Here’s my top ten list of animes to get into as a beginner… and don’t worry, it’s all spoiler free.
- Naruto/ Naruto Shippuden
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A classic start for beginners so you may have heard about it from somebody who’s been watching anime for years. Naruto follows a young ninja (named Naruto) on his journey to becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. If you’re in the mood to binge a long series, you’re in luck. Naruto and Naruto Shippuden can be found on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.
- Ouran High School Host Club
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Looking for romance and shenanigans? Look no further than Ouran High School Host Club for all your romance needs! One of my all-time favorite animes ever follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student at Ouran Highschool as she figures out a way to pay back the popular host club for a broken vase. It’s a great story for beginners and a whole lot of fun to watch! Ouran High School Host Club can be watched on Netflix and Hulu.
- Food Wars
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If you’re a foodie, this is the show for you! Soma Yukihira aspires to become a chef and take over his father’s restaurant as he improves his culinary skills.When his father gets a new job, Soma is enrolled into an elite culinary school where the students compete in competitions in order to hone their skill and make it to graduation. The food on this show will leave your mouth watering! Pro tip: don’t watch this show on an empty stomach. Food Wars can be watched on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.
- My Hero Academia
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If you’re a fan of superheroes, then this is the show for you! This show follows Izuku “Deku” Midoriya and his journey from being quirkless to the number one hero like his idol, All Might. Not only is this show easy to binge, it’s still ongoing and you have plenty of time to catch up before season five! This show has plenty of memorable characters and an amazing storyline. You can watch My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
- Haikyuu!
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Are you into sports? Are you wondering why people are getting so hype about volleyball? Haikyuu! Haikyuu follows Hinata Shoyo and his journey to becoming a top volleyball player despite his stature. This show brings out a new side of volleyball that a lot of people have never seen before. As a former volleyball player, this show makes me want to play again! P.S. While the manga may be over, the show is still going with season four set to release in October! You can catch the previous seasons on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.
- Death Note
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Looking for something a little darker? Are you in need of a new mystery? Try Death Note. Death Note follows high schooler Light Yagami as he comes into possession of a supernatural notebook with the ability to kill anyone whose name is written in it. This show is an oldie but a goodie with a thrilling mystery attached to it. You can catch Death Note on Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and HBO Max.
- Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
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More slice of life! This is the show where that infectious TikTok sound is from. Wotakoi follows four friends and how they connect over their shared love of anime, manga and videogames. It’s a really heartfelt show about love and friendships. With only 11 episodes, it’s a quick one to get done in just one day (like me). You can watch Wotakoi on Amazon Prime. P.S. The intro will get stuck in your head.
- Attack on Titan
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Heading back to the darker side of anime, Attack on Titan brings a different spin on giants. When his hometown is destroyed by titans, Eren Yeager becomes determined to fight back against them for the fate of humanity. While the titans in the show may look funny, they are nothing to sneeze at. This show packs a punch in the emotions department! Currently, only season one is on Netflix, but you can stream the remaining seasons on Crunchyroll and Hulu just in time for season four to come out in December.
- Yuri!!! On Ice
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Never in my life have I ever wanted to be a figure skater. I just re-watched this anime for the second time and it felt like I was watching it for the first time all over again! This anime follows Yuri Katsuki on the verge of retirement when he suddenly gets his competitive spirit back after his idol agrees to coach him. I absolutely love this anime and its art style is to die for. There are talks of a potential season two and a movie, but they have been delayed for the time being. You can catch Yuri!! On Ice on Crunchyroll.
- Banana Fish
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Spain without the S. For my last recommendation, I’m telling everyone about my current hyper fixation, Banana Fish. Banana Fish follows 17-year old street gang leader, Ash Lynx and camera assistant, Eiji Okumura on their journey to figuring out the mysterious origins of “Banana Fish,” all while avoiding the mafia. When I tell you that this show will tug on your heartstrings and stay on your mind forever, I mean it. It’s currently one of my all-time favorites and I can’t wait to read the manga. You can watch Banana Fish on Amazon Prime.
Anime is a unique style of art brought to life with amazing stories. Some of these stories have managed to stay on my mind for days and I can’t get enough of it. I highly recommend you try out a few and see what you like. It doesn’t matter if you prefer subtitles or dubbed, anime is still anime.