Anime is a very well-established foundation in the Western world, and it’s common for most people to have at least heard of it. Even so, many people have never watched anime, finding it hard to start with such a massive selection. For those interested, here are a few good animes to start with.

Naruto: The series is a popular name nowadays, and for good reason. If interested in action and adventure, this show is not boring in the slightest. Naruto does a good job of not bombarding one with heavy topics and tons of unfamiliar concepts to Western shows right off the bat. Naruto is available on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

Fruits Basket: A series associated with the romance genre, takes on the common love triangle trope, but is lighthearted and funny, while also introducing romance anime tropes. The 2001 release is available on Crunchyroll, and the 2019 release is on Hulu and Funimation.

Bloom Into You: Featuring a non-heterosexual romance, the series takes on a slightly heavier story than Fruits Basket but is done without being overbearing. Bloom Into You is available on Amazon Prime with a subscription.

Sailor Moon: If none of those seem appealing, this series is also worth a try. Magical Girls, or Mahou Shoujo, is treated as its own genre in anime, similar to superhero stories. Sailor Moon serves as a great introduction to that genre. The story ramps up in intensity as you go along, but it won’t leave you in the dust, even as a stranger to anime tropes and terms. Sailor Moon is available on Hulu.