Anime recommendations for a beginner?

I never liked anime because it felt like in all of them people were overreacting to everything, and every time a girl showed up she was oversexualized. Now I'm learning Japanese so I'm trying again. I'd love recommendations for animes that are considered good :)
Preferably in Netflix or Amazon Prime

Voir le contenu lié

Commentaires

AutoModerator2026-01-10 10:11

Hi Kamitia, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!

The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^

[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")

You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.

The following may be of interest:

* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)

* [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search)

* [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me)

* [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order)

* [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites)

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Ok_Bench38522026-01-10 10:15

Snow White with the Red Hair

Your Lie in April

CodAdministrative3692026-01-10 10:20

Your lie in April as a first anime is risky lol

Ok_Bench38522026-01-10 18:37

true..hehe

Kamitia2026-01-10 10:27

Thanks, they look good! I'll try them :)

ParticularSimple8892026-01-10 10:17

contrary to popular belief its not that hard to find anime without unnecessary fanservice. and whenever any1 use this as argument against anime, i always think they watch anime on pornhub or some shit. anyway

im not sure if my recommendation are on netflix since i dont use it and since you dont explain what type of stu u like...:

ancient magus bride

ascendance of bookworm

86

clevatess

megalo box

run with the wind

akudama drive

a place further than universe

dark gathering

Kamitia2026-01-10 10:24

I tried Classroom of the Elite and My Hero Academia and both of them had a lot of fanservice lol

Also I like pretty much anything- action, fantasy, sci-fi, romance.. I just want it to be normal haha

Thanks for the recommendations!

ParticularSimple8892026-01-10 10:30

haha classroom of the elite. now thats definitely not something for beginner.

i dont remember mha having that much fansservice to an unacceptable lvl but nvmind

magnidwarf19002026-01-10 10:19

One Piece

CodAdministrative3692026-01-10 10:20

You made this easy by saying you didn’t like characters overreacting and hate over-sexualization. Try out Frieren or Apothecary Diaries.

Kamitia2026-01-10 10:26

Oh Frieren looks really nice! I'll try them both, thanks :)

hildagrim202026-01-10 10:36

I support the Frieren recommendation. It's a masterpiece

AnimeIsColors2026-01-10 10:20

Death Note is your best bet. Since you're learning Japanese, it's great because it relies heavily on dialogue and logical battles rather than screaming. The animation still holds up incredibly well today. I watched it when it first came out, and it was the show that actually made me take anime seriously. Also available on Netflix/Prime.

Kamitia2026-01-10 10:33

I heard a lot about it but it seemed too dark for me. I'll give it a try though, maybe I'll like it. Thanks!

teddyburges2026-01-10 11:01

I personally don't think Death Note is a good show to start with. Especially if you like something more morally good. I think it has a great soundtrack and fantastic animation, but the protagonist is a piece of shit who just makes me angrier the more I see of him.

One paragraph synopsis:

Borred teenager finds a notebook that can kill anyone he writes their name (and knows what they look like), develops a mwhahaha god complex overnight and is willing to sacrifice everyone and anyone for shits and giggles because he can get away with it.

Spaghett_Enjoyer2026-01-10 10:24

Death Note is always a great classic to start with.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is one of the best well rounded anime I have watched.

ShamefulTemptations2026-01-10 10:29

VINLAND SAGA , ATTACK ON TITAN , FULL METAL ALCHEMIST BROTHERHOOD

rockyKlo2026-01-10 10:30

Violet Evergarden - on Netflix, it's a very popular and emotional one.

Ooku: the inner chambers - a historical AU where a disease only effect men, results in women taking power in feudal Japan. It a Josei so meant for adult women.

Spy x family - a found family spy show about a spy needing a family for a long term mission adopts a telepath and "married" an assassin with anyone but the adopted daughter knowing. Family bonding ensues. It's a nice story, Netflix is pick up the seasons about year or so after they initially air. Yor the assassin has some slightly revealing outfit but not super fanservicey by any stretch.

Pretty much any Ghibli movie is also a safe bet.

Temporary_Ad61122026-01-10 10:32

My daemon

Drifting home

Child of kamiari month

Suzume

Her blue sky

My oni girl

Flavors of youth

Lookism

The apothecary diaries

Vinland saga

Ecstatic-Resolve88982026-01-10 10:39

Attack on titan, overlord, lelouch of the rebellion, death note, demon slayer, chainsaw man, jujutsu kaisen,

Daisy97hd2026-01-10 10:43

Flavors of youth, Death note, Attack on titan

MyhammadYusuf2026-01-10 10:48

Solo leveling

IntrospectiveMT2026-01-10 10:58

Avoid the “big three” (Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach); they’re too long for a beginner. You can try, but their first seasons may feel palpably dated.
Don’t dive into the classics if that older feel isn’t appealing to you.

You want to watch shorter shows because it’ll help you to hop around and understand the contours of the medium. Understand that anime is an incredibly broad medium. The diversity is similar to western cartoons with everything from Bluey to Robot Chicken and Family Guy. The only defining thread is the art style as sometimes anime even bucks the common tropes (oversexualization being among them).

If you’re tight in time and not liking something by the second episode, drop it. Jump to something else, but don’t drop anything without watching at least ten minutes or you’ll cement bad preconceptions.

[Jujutsu Kaizen](https://youtu.be/gUmDKkP8bt4?si=HId5XP572sWSzJse) is a recent action anime that doesn’t oversexualize the women’s demeanor. [Psycho-Pass](https://youtu.be/qd2pS3655x4?si=RHCCIQlInFJUlOCG) is a very mature, philosophical, psychological thriller following a group of detectives in a dystopian future. [Made in Abyss](https://youtu.be/Skmy1trZXtg?si=jBGVUEcNbyfw9Ca4) is a good one to crush misconceptions. It looks a bit childish at a cursory glance, but it’s a beautifully made dark fantasy horror adventure. [Hellsing Ultimate](https://youtu.be/pr5efRmso_A?si=zvnEZum-zVCflQ7Z) is a little older, but perhaps the theme appeals to you. I like it. [Chainsaw Man](https://youtu.be/FztHCqFLPTA?si=d49NEkUs1JDdlqN-) can’t miss. Dark comedy horror. My personal favorite, [Oshi No Ko](https://youtube.com/shorts/J0tasVLsWvg?si=6DJipUddMZPERDUD), if soul-transmigrating actors/actresses/singers solving a murder case as they grow up in their new bodies sounds interesting. [Violet Evergarden](https://youtu.be/N2e88MmaU8Y?si=EcnzZmbu4qjFb4cf) is beginner friendly by just virtue of feeling more like cinema than anime.

(Hyperlinks link to amateur music videos for the relevant show. I find they’re better at enticing newcomers than the corresponding trailers. If you have more specific likes/dislikes, I can help you as I’ve almost seen 1,000 animes at this point according to my catalog)

AylakGoblin2026-01-10 11:09

Anime isn’t a genre, it’s a medium. In the broadest sense, it’s just a format of moving pictures. That’s why asking “where do I start with anime?” is as weird as asking “where do I start with movies?” You start with the ones you think you might like.

Also, “oversexualised females” isn’t an anime rule, it’s a trope. It shows up often, but not always, in certain shōnen shows. That’s like watching only Star Wars, deciding you don’t like flashy sword fights, and then blaming the entire medium of cinema for it.

People here can give you endless recommendations, sure. But I think it’s better to teach how to fish. Go to myanimelist.net. Click Anime → Anime Search → Advanced Search. From there, filter things the way you want. If you don’t know a term, Google it, or ask ChatGPT, whatever.

Anything rated 8+ is usually well-regarded by a wider audience, so that’s a decent starting point. Filter by genre and themes, learn what demographics actually mean, read the synopsis, and pick for yourself. Anime isn’t just battle shōnen and fanservice. There are tons of genres and tones out there. That’s why giving blind recommendations to people we don’t know rarely works.

So yeah. Choose your own.

Gullible_Bat_54082026-01-10 15:11

Good reply!

I agree !

Tanishq__2352026-01-10 11:12

Easily Death Note , it is shorter than most of the popular Anime and it has a great story

Many people start from Death Note

GiveMeTask012026-01-10 11:25

>> Steins;Gate

>> Frieren

>> Haikyuu

>> Hajime no Ippo

>> Violet Evergarden

>> Spy x Family

>> Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

>> My Hero Academia

>> Demon Slayer

>> Your Lie in April

>> Barakamon

Typical-Coat94902026-01-10 11:49

Fruits Basket is always my recommendation

Mysterious-Roll-33262026-01-10 12:40

since you're learning japanese shirokuma cafe for day to day conversations also rec Yotsuba! manga when you're nearing completion of N4

Wahruz2026-01-10 13:22

Netflix

1. Spy x Family
2. Frieren
3. Delicious in Dungeon
4. Bartender
5. Umamusume Cinderellla Gray
6. Bocchi The Rock
7. Mob Pyscho
8. Buddy Daddies
9. Little Witch Academia

Movie
1. Josee, Tiger and Fish
2. Word Bubble up like Soda Pop
3. My Oni Girl

I highly recommend the movie if you a beginner, because it only take 1 sitting with phenomenal visual and good story. My personal favourite is Josee, Tiger and Fish. It mature and very touching movie. I love it so much and would recommend it to anyone.

If you want series, I highly recommend Spy x Family and Frieren. After that it delicioius in dungeon.

The other is more nuanced but it great and good, it more a specific genre after that. Bartender is one of the anime dedicated to hobby. Bocchi is about a girlschool introvert being in a band, mob pyscho is about akward schoolboy with power (i did a disservise with the description, great show).

Kamitia2026-01-11 06:56

Wow thank you for the detailed comment! A lot of them sound really good, I'm excited to try them

Kooky-Smell81432026-01-10 14:01

Horimiya

No-Resident49802026-01-10 15:00

Two excellent but perhaps lesser mentioned ones: Samurai Champloo and K-on!.

Gullible_Bat_54082026-01-10 15:12

>I'd love recommendations for animes that are considered good :)

Anime is a medium with several genres and themes. Taste in anime is subjective.
Animes that i find good, may not be your cup of tea. I don't know what genres you like or triggering stuff you can't watch.

>Preferably in Netflix or Amazon Prime

The streaming catalogues have differences between countries. For example, In my country Portugal, Ghibli movies are on Netflix but some americans told me that in USA Ghibli movies are on another streaming platform.

**Ghibli movies** (in my country, they are on Netflix)

Kimi ni todoke (3 seasons, on Netflix)

Snow white with the red hair

Parasyte the maxim

Cowboy bebop

**On youtube, with english subtitles, i recommend**:

A place further than the universe

Twelve kingdoms

The daughter of 20 faces

Shion no Ou

Kotoura-san

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge

Princess Jellyfish

Yama no Susume (a.k.a Encouragement of Climb)

Kamitia2026-01-11 06:50

I know it's not a genre, but I just want to learn Japanese and I like animation so that's why I just ask for an anime

And I have a VPN, so the country doesn't matter

Thanks for the recommendations!