Entering Anime

If you are a fan of television and movies, of any genre, but have yet to venture into the world of anime, you are missing out. To so many people, anime still seems like this really niche thing for people to enjoy. Some write it off as just Japanese cartoons and mistake it for children. But the reality is that anime is a world of its own with deep, rich stories for people of all ages to enjoy. However a subsection of media with as much content as anime has can be very intimidating, so how does someone get started?

We have come up with a few solid entrance points into the world of anime that would help any newcomer get acquainted.

The perfect place to start is really with any Studio Ghibli movie. These films are perfect for fans of any genre, as they have something for everyone. And they are truly beautiful to watch. Though we will always recommend watching anime in its original Japanese, if for some reason you can’t deal with subtitles, the English dubs are also a great way to get you involved in the world. And the Studio Ghibli dubs are some of the best. So now you just have to decide where to start based on the feeling you want to have while watching it…Ghibli is all about the feelings.

Mellow, sweet and comfortable; My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo.

Funny, fun and whimsical; The Cat Returns, Howl’s Moving Castle.

Adventurous, melancholy, hopeful; Nausicaa Valley of the Wind, Princess Monoke, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky.

There are so many more, but these are excellent entrance points for anyone wanting to get into anime. Now what about series? Well if you are more of a tv watcher there is plenty of anime for you as well. We are going to start off with what is widely considered one of the best Anime series of all time, FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood. The show focuses on two brothers who are on a quest to fix a mistake. It is an emotional roller coaster and something that gets right to the heartstrings.

The other important thing to note about anime series is that they are structured slightly differently than American shows. The seasons tend to be longer with shorter episodes. So if you are someone who misses 22 episode network seasons and filler episodes then it might be time for you to get into anime.

Two other series that I have found are good starting points (mostly because of their entertainment factor and accessibility) are Ping Pong the Animation. If you were ever an athlete this is a great, close to home series that is quite funny. And Delicious in Dungeon on Netflix. Honestly any of the animes on Netflix could be considered good beginner animes but really you just have to pick a genre and start. Anime is a form of entertainment and not a genre in itself.

Anime is an artform full of different art styles, compelling stories and incredible characters. Outdated ideas of what this artform is keeps it from gaining the attention that it deserves. Though it's popularity in the US is growing there is a lot more to anime then Dragon Ball Z. So no matter what genres of media you normally gravitate towards, I promise that there is anime that you would love. Crunchyroll is one of the best streaming platforms for anime, it is possibly the largest one and they are a major player at things like AnimeExpo so that is a good place to start. There are a decent amount of anime on Netflix and all of the Studio Ghibli movies are on Max. Happy watching!