Getting into anime can feel a little intimidating—like you’ve walked into a club where everyone already knows the inside jokes and secret handshakes. But don’t stress. Whether you’re brand new or just curious about where to start, this list is your crash course into anime’s wide world of stories. We’re counting down from number 10 to number 1, so grab a snack and get ready to find your first favorite series.
10. Delicious in Dungeon
What do you do when you run out of all your food provisions in the middle of a monster-infested maze? If you’re this group of adventurers, you make the monsters you battle into dinner. Yummy in my Tummy. Delicious in Dungeon is equal parts fantasy quest and cooking show, and entirely offbeat fun. It’s wholesome and strange, and the creative monster dishes will have you thinking, “You know, maybe basilisk roast isn’t so terrible after all.”
9. Mob Psycho 100
Get to know Mob, a shy but lovable middle school student who happens to be an unbelievably strong psychic. He doesn’t desire popularity or trouble—he only wants to live a normal life. The series blends ridiculous visuals, mind-blowing animation, and unexpected emotional depth. It’s crazy in the best possible way, yet also unexpectedly touching.
8. Toradora!
This one’s for the rom-com enthusiasts. Toradora! Team up Ryuuji, a misunderstood “scary” dude, with Taiga, a little but hot-tempered girl. They make a pact to assist each other in confessing their affections to their loves, but as you can imagine. Things do not go according to plan. Sweet, hilarious, and touching, it’s one of anime’s greatest love stories.
7. Samurai Champloo
Samurai sword battles to hip-hop rhythms? Yes, that’s the atmosphere. Samurai Champloo combines ancient Japan with contemporary cool, tracking three mismatched traveling companions—Mugen, Jin, and Fuu—on a frenetic road journey. It’s hip, action-filled, and sports a soundtrack that remains popular even today. Ideal if you need something hip and out of the ordinary.
6. Sugar Sugar Rune
Don’t let the candy-coated title fool you—this magical girl show has substance behind the glitter. Chocolat and Vanilla are two little witches vying for a throne, but in the process, they navigate friendship, competition, and what truly growing up means. It’s playful and vibrant, but also wonderfully sentimental.
5. Blue Exorcist
Rin Okumura discovers he’s the son of Satan (yes, THE Satan), and his life quickly gets more complicated. Refusing to go down in history the same way his dad did, he signs up for an academy to learn how to become an exorcist. Look for fast-paced fights, paranormal melodrama, and just the right amount of teen angst.
4. One Outs
Assume baseball is all about home runs. Think again. One Outs is more about the mental game than the game itself. Its lead character, Tokuchi, makes every game a war of the mind. Whether you have no idea what baseball is about, you’ll be on the edge of your seat because of the suspense and the intelligent plot turns.
3. Tamako Market
Occasionally, you simply want something soft and wholesome, and Tamako Market provides. It tracks Tamako, a lively young girl managing her family’s mochi shop, and the quirky people in her shopping area. Throw in a wise-cracking bird and a lot of charm, and you have a warm, cuddly watch that feels like a hug in anime guise.
2. Dr. Stone
What if the world suddenly turned everyone into stone statues? That’s the setup for Dr. Stone, where Senku, a science genius, wakes up thousands of years later and decides to rebuild civilization—with science as his weapon. It’s adventurous, educational (in a fun way), and unique among shōnen anime.
1. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Pacing in at number one is something just a bit unique. Orb journeys you through ‘centuries’ of history, with various characters going to battle for one revolutionary concept: that the world orbits the sun. It’s ambitious, well-written, and avoids all the traditional anime tropes for something that feels genuinely epic. If you’re looking for a well-thought-out, narrative-driven series, this is it.
And there you have it—ten anime that are ideal if you’re just wading into the medium. Whether you need a laugh, a romance, action, or something to get you thinking, this list has a little bit of everything. Choose one, press play, and hi to the anime fandom—you’re in the club now.