Would you like to learn about anime? Would you like to understand where “Naruto Running” came from? Then you’re in the right place!
Yōkoso (meaning “welcome” in Japanese) to a resource of anime for beginners! Obviously, anime is not for everyone, but you’re in this article so something piqued your interest. Below is just a few genres of anime to choose from, and just a few starters if you would like to open your world to this creative animated world of anime.
Anime: Japanese animation. Outside of Japan, it is just animation from Japan. Anime is often characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters, and fantastical themes.
There are a few genres of anime to get started with, such as:
- Shonen – The genre of manga and anime geared towards males
- Kodomo – The genre of anime geared towards children
- Shojo – The genre of manga and anime geared towards females
- Horror – Anime intended to invoke fear
- Slice of Life – A simple anime that focuses on following the lives of people, commonly high school students
- Supernatural – Anime about witches, magic, ghost, deities, etc.
*There are many genres of anime, these are just some starters that can be for anyone!*
Now, onto the fun stuff…
1. Shonen
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Naruto Shippuden: This anime is about a boy named Naruto on his journey to becoming the Hokage (leader) of his village. Throughout his journey he will go through many conflicts such as wars, losses, and moments of despair. Being the stubborn knucklehead he is, he keeps his ninja way and never gives up! (It’s recommended that you watch Naruto before you watch Naruto Shippuden.)
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My Hero Academia: In a world of heroes, you would think there would be peace, but villains work behind the scenes. Follow our powerless main character, Izuku Midoriya, on his journey to becoming the number 1 hero!
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Fullmetal Alchemist: In a world of alchemy, “To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy’s first law of Equivalent Exchange.” Two boys go on a journey to look for the Philosopher’s Stone to regain what they have lost, but what will be the ultimate cost? (It’s recommended that you watch Fullmetal Alchemist, then watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.)
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Fairy Tail: Go on an incredible journey with Lucy Heartfilia to meet one of the most lively guilds you will ever know: Fairy Tail! In a world of mages, dragons, and other mysterious beings, you’ll learn about why this anime is called Fairy Tail, and how it all connects to the characters in this anime. As fun and uplifting as this anime may seem, the past of Fairy Tail will come to light as the guild clashes with some of the world’s biggest magical threats!
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1. Kodomo
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Yokai Watch: Main character Keita Amano wandered into a forest, but little did he know what he was getting himself into. Meeting Whisper, a friendly Yokai, now gives him the ability to go around and communicate with all of the other Yokai in his city. This lets him meet all sorts of fun creatures and go on new adventures!
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Pokémon: Who hasn’t heard of the adorable little lightning bolt Pikachu? Well if you want more of him, go watch Pokémon, where you get to know Ash Ketchum and his journey to becoming the Pokemon master!
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Ponyo: Ponyo being the daughter of a underwater scientist, she uses her father’s powers to eventually turn herself into a human! She goes up to shore to meet a young boy named Sosuke, and joins his family in his life. Although, this girl’s powers will soon throw everything out of balance. What will her and Sosuke do?
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Totoro: Satsuke and her younger sister Nei move into an old house with their father while their mother is sick. While they’re exploring, they discover a creature that is a wood spirit in their forest going by the name Totoro, and there’s more than one! Watch this adorable movie to see these adorable creatures.
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2.Shojo
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Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Madoka Kaname meets a mysterious cat in her school, and she makes a deal with it that grants her a single wish in exchange for magical powers to defeat powerful witches. Throughout the anime, you will learn that the bubbly anime you see will take a huge turn for the worse. What lies in store for Madoka and her fellow Magical Girsl?
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Ouran High School Host Club: Have you ever imagined going to a school full of rich people who have way too much time on their hands? At this school, there is a club full of gentlemen meant to entertain their guests, but the twist is that there is a girl pretending to be a host! The host club has to make sure not only that her identity remains hidden, but also to be the best gentlemen they can be.
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Sailor Moon: One day Serena Tsukino was running to school, and she tripped over a cat. This wasn’t any ordinary cat; this cat gave Serena the ability to become Sailor Moon. On her journey, she meets her new friends who will accompany her to protect the world against evil forces.
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Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Imagine having a dragon as a maid! Miss Kobayashi meets Toru, along with many other friendly dragons, and they accompany her throughout her everyday life.
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1.Horror
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Tokyo Ghoul: In this world, there are 2 species of human, the normal humans and the Ghouls. These Ghouls, long story short, are cannibals, and there are evil ones at that. Our main protagonist Ken Kaneki was turned from a normal human into a ghoul, and now he must hide in the shadows with other Ghouls. How is he going to overcome this horrific change in his life?
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Re: Zero: Natsuki Subaru finds himself in a world where, if he dies, he restarts where he began unless he reaches a checkpoint. Though this anime is not completely filled with horror, when you discover some some of the hidden scenarios that Subaru finds himself in, you’ll quickly find that this world isn’t all that it seems.
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Blood C: Saya Kisaragi a seemingly normal girl who works as a shrine maiden in her town, but you’ll soon realize she is much more than that. She is given the task of killing monsters called Elder Bairns, monsters who feed on humans. This anime is a lot heavier on the horror side for anyone who is looking for action and gore to go along with it.
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Death Note: What would happen to the world if a high school student found a magic notebook? If someone’s name is written in the book, they die. In this anime, you follow the life of Light Yagami, a wonderful student who fell into this darkness upon discovering the Death Note. Although, he claims that because of this new power he has, he is a God. He can’t hide this secret forever, and multiple people are already catching on to Light’s scheme. Can he stay hidden long enough to become the God of this world?
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1.Slice of Life
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The Disastrous Life of Saiki K: This anime is a hilarious series about a high school boy named Saiki, who in fact has supernatural powers. He doesn’t say much, and the only thing he really likes is coffee jelly. One thing he really doesn’t like is people. Despite this, many want to be his friend. Follow the disastrous, yet humorous life of Saiki.
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Toradora: In this school, we have the crazy Palmtop Tiger and the Dragon, also known as Taiga Aisaka and Ryūji Takasu. In this school they are feared, but once you get to know them, they are the nicest people you’ve ever met. There are a lot of humorous moments in this anime, as well as a bit of romance in the mix for anyone looking for a lighthearted anime to start with.
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Watamote: Follow the sad yet lively life of Tomoko Kuroki on her journey of becoming popular. Though it may seem boring, be reassured, this girl’s life is full of things you wouldn’t believe that any sane person would think of. The things she goes through just to be noticed will be some of the most hilarious scenarios you will ever see in an anime.
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Haven’t you Heard? I’m Sakamoto: In this anime, you will follow the most perfect student Sakamoto, and how he one ups everyone in his own school. He doesn’t say much and his perfections are quite humorous. Of course, one of the funnier sides of this anime is seeing how some of his peers try to embarrass him in the school, but they are the ones who end up making fools of themselves. Who knows, maybe Sakamoto will slip up somewhere.
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1.Supernatural
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Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic: You’ve heard of Aladdin with the magic carpet, and this is a different version of him. This Aladdin is a Magi, one of the most powerful beings in this world. Aladdin soon meets Alibaba, and together, they will go explore dungeons all around the world to find the hidden treasures and meet others like them along their travels.
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Blood Lad: Introducing Staz, a vampire territory boss in the Demon Realm. He meets a human girl named Fuyumi that found herself lost in this world, and gets into an accident when she is turned into a ghost! Him being the determined, yet slacking vampire territory boss he is, he is determined to find some way to get Fuyumi back into her normal body before she disappears in the Demon world!
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Soul Eater: Going into a school that is for future demon hunters, you will meet Maka Albarn and her partner (who is also a scythe) Soul. . Maka and Soul’s goal is to turn Soul a death scythe, and in order to do so, they must collect 99 evil human souls and 1 witch soul. They find themselves struggling in a bit more of a challenging task than that.
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Servamp: This anime revolves around a boy named Mahiru Shirota, who likes like to be simple and tries to avoid diffricult things. Though one day, all because he was being nice and picked up a “stray cat”, little did he know this cat would make his life much more complex. Mahiru soon discovers that this cat that he had named Kuro, was in fact a Servamp ( a servant vampire), and by giving him his name, they have formed a pact. What is Mahiru’s simple life going to turn into now?
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Now obviously there is so much anime that could be here and does deserve credit. Though these are just some starters that people do commonly start off with, and will hopefully open your eyes to the wondrous world of anime.
Janne! (See you later!)