So someone finally convinced you to give anime a shot. Maybe it was a friend, a viral clip, or you just kept seeing it everywhere and got curious. Whatever brought you here, welcome. You’re about to discover one of the most creative, emotional, and just straight-up entertaining mediums on the planet.
But here’s the problem: there are thousands of anime out there, and diving in without a guide is overwhelming. Start with the wrong one and you might give up before the good stuff kicks in.
That’s why this list exists. These 10 anime were chosen specifically for beginners, they’re accessible, gripping from episode one, and available on major platforms like Netflix, Crunchyroll, or Prime Video. Anime has never been more popular: the Demon Slayer movie alone grossed $780 million in 2025 (IndieWire), which tells you everything about where this medium is headed.
Let’s get into it.
1. Attack on Titan
In a world ravaged by man-eating titans for over a century, humanity’s few remaining survivors have no choice but to barricade themselves within a fortress-city. Young Eren, who witnessed his mother’s death at the hands of a titan, has only one dream: to join the elite corps tasked with discovering the origin of the titans and annihilating them all…
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix | Episodes: 87 episodes + final season
2. Jujutsu Kaisen
Every year in Japan, more than 10,000 unexplained deaths and disappearances are recorded.
In most cases, negative human emotions are to blame. Suffering, regret, humiliation: their accumulation in one place gives rise to curses that are often fatal…
This is what Yuji Itadori, a high school student and member of the Occult Club, is about to discover the hard way. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, but his extraordinary physical strength is a valuable asset for the group’s missions… until one of them goes wrong. The relic they unearth, the severed finger of an ancient creature, attracts monsters! The young man doesn’t hesitate for a second: he swallows the relic to ward off the evil spell!
He finds himself possessed by Ryomen Sukuna, the infamous two-faced demon. Against all odds, Yuji manages to regain control of his body. It’s unprecedented! Despite everything, he is condemned to death by the exorcist organization… A sentence that can only be postponed under one condition: finding and ingesting all of Sukuna’s fingers to eliminate the threat once and for all. And to do this, the teenager will have to learn the occult and mysterious art of exorcism!
Where to watch: Crunchyroll | Episodes: 3 seasons ongoing
3. Solo Leveling
When strange portals appeared across the globe, humanity had to find a way to avoid being slaughtered by the monsters emerging from them. Meanwhile, some people developed abilities that allowed them to hunt these monsters. These intrepid fighters don’t hesitate to venture into the heart of dungeons to battle the creatures they harbor.
Sung Jin Woo, an E-rank hunter considered the weakest of all, ventures into a D-rank dungeon with a team. However, when they find themselves trapped in a room with monsters far beyond the dungeon’s level, Jin Woo succumbs. Thinking he’s dead, he awakens in a hospital with a strange ability: a virtual interface that allows him to grow stronger and stronger.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll | Episodes: 2 seasons + more coming
4. Demon Slayer
Since ancient times, rumors have circulated about man-eating demons lurking in the woods. For this reason, the local townspeople never venture there at night. Legend also tells of a demon slayer who roams the night, hunting these bloodthirsty demons. For young Tanjirou, these rumors will soon become his harsh reality…
Since his father’s death, Tanjirou has taken it upon himself to provide for his family. Despite this tragedy, they manage to find small moments of happiness in their daily lives.
However, this small measure of happiness is shattered the day Tanjirou discovers that his family has been massacred and that the sole survivor, his sister Nezuko, has become a demon. To his great surprise, Nezuko still shows signs of human emotion and thought. Thus begins Tanjirou’s arduous task: to fight the demons and restore his sister to her human form.
Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll | Episodes: 4 seasons
5. Death Note
Light Yagami, a gifted young student, one day finds the “Death Note,” a notebook previously kept by a shinigami (death god), Ryuk, who was apparently bored in his world.
Simply writing someone’s name in this notebook causes them to die (under certain conditions that the shinigami explains to Light when they meet).
With the “Death Note” in his hands, Light decides to rid the planet of all criminals and make it a just, perfect world.
However, who is he to judge people? He thus becomes the most wanted criminal on the entire planet…
Where to watch: Netflix | Episodes: 37 episodes (complete)
6. My Hero Academia
Superheroes, superpowers… We’ve all secretly dreamed of possessing an extraordinary quality, of shining, or of being THE most powerful person in the universe. In this new world, this dream is within reach of almost everyone, because humans can now be born with a power: a “quirk.” But some unlucky souls are born without one. This is particularly unfortunate if you’re scrawny, whiny, and lack charisma, and especially if, despite all that, you harbor the ambition to become the ultimate superhero…
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix | Episodes: 7 seasons (complete)
7. Chainsaw Man
To pay off his debts, Denji, a young man in dire straits, is exploited as a Devil Hunter alongside his chainsaw-demon dog, “Pochita.” But after a cruel betrayal, he finally sees a chance to escape the squalor he’s been trapped in! Having become incredibly powerful after merging with Pochita, Denji is recruited by an organization and sets out to hunt demons…
Where to watch: Crunchyroll | Episodes: 12 episodes + movie
8. Steins;Gate
In an otaku district of Akihabara, a group of friends modify their microwaves to create devices that allow them to send written messages to the past. An organization called CERN has been conducting research on time travel. Now, having carried out several different experiments, the group must absolutely avoid being captured by this organization, which is constantly tracking them and disrupting their lives.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll | Episodes: 24 episodes (complete)
9. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Gon Freecss is almost twelve years old, and his dream is to become a Hunter. Hunters are elite adventurers who can be bounty hunters, master chefs, archaeologists, zoologists, vigilantes, or consultants in various fields. His father, Ging Freecss, whom he doesn’t know personally, is one of the greatest Hunters of his time. It’s also to find him that Gon wants to become a Hunter. However, the Hunter Exam, which takes place every year, is extremely difficult and dangerous. It’s said that only one in 10,000 applicants makes it to the exam site, and only one candidate every three years becomes a Hunter on their first attempt. During the exams, it’s not uncommon to be injured or even killed by monsters, traps, or even other competitors…
Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll | Episodes: 148 episodes (complete)
10. Dan Da Dan
A girl who believes in ghosts and a boy who believes in aliens make a bet — and then both turn out to be right. Dan Da Dan is chaotic, hilarious, romantic, and action-packed all at once. It was one of the most talked-about anime of 2025 and a perfect example of how creative the medium can get.
It’s fresh, it’s modern, and it’s exactly the kind of show that makes you text your friends at 2am to tell them they need to watch it.
Where to watch: Netflix | Episodes: 2 seasons ongoing
Where Should You Start?
If you want pure action from episode one: start with Attack on Titan or Solo Leveling. If you want something short and self-contained: Death Note is your pick. If you want the most visually stunning experience possible: Demon Slayer. And if you just want something fun and modern: Dan Da Dan or Jujutsu Kaisen.
There’s no wrong answer here — the best anime to start with is simply the one that sounds most interesting to you right now. Pick one, hit play, and prepare to lose a few nights of sleep.
Welcome to anime. You’re going to love it here. 🎌
Sources
- GamesRadar — Best Anime Shows to Watch in 2026
- Collider — The 10 Greatest Anime of 2025, Ranked
- IndieWire — The 20 Best Anime Series of 2025
- Complex — Best Anime to Watch Right Now (2026)
- The Wrap — The 9 Best Anime of 2025 and Where to Stream Them
Which anime are you starting with? Let us know in the comments — and if you’re already a fan, what would you add to this list? 👇