As of now, the anime medium in the West has grown increasingly popular. Series like Pokémon and Sailor Moon often acted as gateways to the world of anime for fans when they were younger, and still act as much to newer generations. In the present day, more and more people are outwardly expressing their love for the medium, either via cosplays or by explicitly sharing their favorite anime with peers.

However, even though anime is as popular as ever now, it can still be tricky to recommend anime to first-time viewers, especially friends and family. This is mainly because some anime, even fan-favorite ones such as Soul Eater and Ranma 1/2, contain troubling trends which, unfortunately, still remain prevalent in some anime today. Thankfully, there are also many series that are overall fantastic to recommend to anime newbies.

Anime Has Many Genres — Just Like Any Entertainment Medium

Anime Is for Audiences of All Ages

For the most part, every anime falls into a category, aside from the themes it explores (i.e. if it is a romance or a fantasy, or even a blend of both genres). The two most well-known categories are shonen anime, usually geared toward young male audiences, and shojo anime, usually geared toward young female audiences. Shonen anime, such as One Piece or My Hero Academia, often involve a young male protagonist living in a fantastical world, working toward a specific goal. Shojo anime can range from slice-of-life love stories such as Lovely Complex to action-packed fantasy tales with a side romance, such as Yona of the Dawn.

Aside from shonen and shojo, there are many other popular genres. Seinen anime, for the most part, are geared toward adult male audiences, and often include thriller narratives like that of Monster or introspective slice-of-life stories such as March Comes in Like a Lion. Meanwhile, josei anime are created for adult female audiences, with engaging drama narratives such as Nana and uplifting comedy narratives including Princess Jellyfish. The isekai genre usually includes stories about protagonists transported to another world, such as InuYasha, while Gundam remains the most popular franchise in the mecha genre, thanks to its fantastic robot designs.

There is truly an anime for everyone, as the overall sphere is constantly growing minute by minute. For instance, an individual who loves sugary-sweet romance stories may enjoy the classic shojo anime Kimi ni Todoke, while those fond of thrilling action stories with a quick sense of humor might become fans of the more recent shonen anime Kaiju No. 8. Some anime happen to be a blend of genres, making for an even more layered experience. For instance, the popular anime Cowboy Bebop, known as one of the best series for people who usually do not watch anime, is not only a science fiction narrative, but a crime drama. Meanwhile, the recent hit series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is not only a thrilling and thoughtful fantasy narrative, but part of the iyashikei genre, a sub-genre of the slice-of-life category which focuses on overall calming, cozy stories.

Why Is It Difficult to Recommend Some Anime Series?

Fanservice & Uncomfortable Trends Are Common in Some Anime

Although there are so many different series in the overall anime sphere, some anime, even the most popular ones, are not without their flaws. For instance, fanservice depicting underaged characters, often girls, is an uncomfortable trend. This trend is most commonly seen in shonen anime, such as the uniquely styled Soul Eater. This well-known series has an eye-catching style, a fun soundtrack, and fantastic world-building, but it also includes several scenes where the camera paints one of the many teenage characters in an inappropriate light.

Other anime actually use this trend constantly, to the point where the only focus of the entire series is fanservice itself. It can be quite a nasty surprise to be watching an anime that begins smoothly, only for it to suddenly focus on objectifying its female cast. An unfortunate phenomenon of many past anime series involved the female cast simply being used as fanservice, with only the male cast going through character development or defeating foes; even if they were given the chance to do so, they would still not be given the same respect as the male cast.

Shojo anime tends to be a little more subtle with how it uses fanservice, but many series are not completely devoid of it, either. Classic shojo anime of the early 2000’s, such as Maid Sama!, Ouran High School Host Club, and even Kamisama Kiss, have their own instances of fanservice meant for the female gaze, even including underaged characters. Thankfully, this trend is not in every shonen or shojo anime, with many newer titles choosing to stay away from this sort of cinematography.

However, there are other trends which also remain prevalent in some anime. One such element is the “perverted character” trope, where one character’s only trait is to obsess over whoever they find attractive and continuously harass them; a classic example lies with Happosai, a repulsive old man starring in Ranma 1/2. Another uncomfortable element, often present in older romance anime, is when an adult character pursues a character who is still a minor. For instance, Fruits Basket, a beloved and compassionate classic shojo anime, is usually very thoughtful and a great series overall, but it features two instances of age-gap romance. There are even some anime, such as Vampire Knight, that involve two characters becoming a couple, even though they are related by blood.

The Best Anime That Are Great for First-Time Viewers

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Anne Shirley, & Pokémon: Indigo League Make Excellent Starter Anime

Though it can be hard to find a series for newcomers to the anime sphere, especially as many popular ones may contain uncomfortable tropes, there is a good deal of anime that contain either very little fanservice or none at all. For movies, Studio Ghibli films are always a fantastic choice, with movies for any age. The whole family will adore My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service, while Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind are sure to engage older audiences. Many of the films directed by Hayao Miyazaki have strong themes of respecting the balance of nature, and practicing compassion in general. The majority of films created by Studio Ghibli are sure to leave their audiences with a new perspective and a new appreciation for the world and all it has to offer.

Other than movies, a series that has remained beloved by all ages for generations is the original Pokémon anime, especially its first season, Pokémon: Indigo League. The plot is relatively simple yet still engaging for younger viewers, while the series’ overall atmosphere is very nostalgic and will likely be seen as charming and sweet to older viewers. A new Pokémon anime, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, follows a completely different cast of characters, yet has been well-received despite longtime fans missing Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, the protagonists of the original series. Another great anime for the whole family is Anne Shirley, a series based on the classic novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. If someone has enjoyed the films of Studio Ghibli, then it is highly likely that they will like Anne Shirley as well. The art and animation are gorgeous and accompanied by a bright soundtrack, pulling the viewer right into Anne’s world.

There are also many great series for older audiences who wish to learn more about anime. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, based on Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist manga, has remained beloved to this day and is often the first anime for newcomers. A shonen anime staple, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is very introspective at heart, even when compared to other shonen anime. It is certainly not an anime for young children nor for the faint of heart, as it deals with grisly themes and can be quite gory at times. However, it is also a story filled with hope, as the two Elric brothers never lose faith in the other and remain steadfast in their journey to help the other after an alchemical experiment goes awry.

What especially makes Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood stand out, especially against other anime of its time, is how it treats each of its characters, especially its female cast. Every character has an important role in the story, even if their screen time is short. While other series in the past have been prone to leaving behind their female characters and only using them for objectification, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood goes against that, giving the female cast the same respect and care in their character development as their male colleagues. The anime will likely be well-received among fans of popular science fiction franchises, such as DC or Marvel.