Beginning your anime journey is exciting and overwhelming at the same time since there’s an endless stream of shows to choose from. The animation, the tropes, and the kinds of trending shows have all changed over the years. So, the kind of classic mainstream series that are always in the spotlight may not appeal much to a newcomer who is unfamiliar with anime tropes. These series are far from being terrible, and some could even be considered masterpieces that are well-loved among global fans. However, they require a certain level of familiarity with anime conventions, while others are too different from the source material. Other reasons could be the length of episodes, the art style, and sometimes even complexity.
Some shows have been going on for decades, and not everyone wants to commit to such long series that follow some of the most famous tropes. This is why it’s often best to start with shorter anime series, regardless of how popular or underrated they are. If the first series ends up being a wrong choice, one may feel tempted to walk away from the medium, believing anime just isn’t for them. This is why we have compiled a list of some incredible shows that are best enjoyed once you’re familiar with the world of anime.
10) Tokyo Ghoul
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, you may be tempted to watch Tokyo Ghoul after considering the amazing reviews of the first season. The story follows an ordinary high school boy, Ken Kaneki, who somehow gets turned into a flesh-eating ghoul after a fatal accident. Struggling to fight his instincts as a ghoul, Ken must find a way to keep his humanity intact, even if it means coexisting with the very monsters that society fears.
However, the anime stops following the manga from the second season, earning a lot of criticism from fans. Not to mention that the animation just can’t recreate the incredible artwork of the series’ original creator, Sui Ishida. The fall-off in the second season is completely disappointing, and simply watching the first season isn’t enough to enjoy this spectacular series. The story is best enjoyed in the manga version, but even among experienced anime fans, not many prefer to read instead of watching.
9) Fairy Tail
You can either completely love Fairy Tail or completely hate it; there’s no middle ground for this series. Set in a fantasy world, the story follows Lucy Heartfilia, a young wizard who dreams of joining Fairy Tail, the kingdom’s most famous guild for all kinds of magicians. By a stroke of luck, she comes across a fire wizard, Natsu, and his companion, a blue-colored talking cat named Happy, who just might help her dream come true.
Despite the controversies surrounding the series, it has a strong foundation, interesting characters, and some of the best powers you’ll see in Shonen. However, the series focuses on fan service a lot more than most famous Shonen, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Even if we ignore the fan service (which is difficult), the story relies heavily on the power of friendship, which may not be well-received by someone who isn’t used to Shonen series.
8) Gintama
The story is set in an alternate Edo-period Japan, where the country has been conquered by aliens, Amanto, marking the end of the era of Samurai. In these trying times, Gintoki Sakata always carries a wooden sword with him and does odd jobs to make ends meet. Accompanied by Shinpachi Shimura, the son of a samurai, Kagura, a member of the legendary Yato tribe from outer space, and her pet Sadaharu, Gintoki always lands himself in all kinds of trouble, no matter what jobs he takes.
Gintama is well-loved among Shonen fans for its nonsensical comedy and lovable main characters. However, the series is a parody and includes several Shonen appreciations, which is why it’s incredibly rewarding for veteran fans. At the same time, beginners will just be confused about those references since the story itself relies on them. Missing out on the love Gintama shows for Shonen series takes away most of its charm, which is why it’s best enjoyed when someone has a good understanding of the classic shows.
7) The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland is yet another example of a masterpiece being ruined by the anime adaptation. The story follows the orphans from the Grace Field House, which is surrounded by a forest and heavily guarded. Looked after by Isabella, whom the children call “Mama,” the kids live together as one big family. Every few months, a child is adopted and leaves the orphanage only to never be heard from again.
No one thought this occurrence was weird until the three oldest children there witnessed a horrifying scene after venturing too far from the orphanage. Based on an award-winning manga, the suspense, mystery, and exciting buildup in the first season promise an incredible story to fans, but it doesn’t take long for it to fall off in the second season. The rushed narrative and the failure to follow the original source in the second season make it one of the worst adaptations of a great manga.
6) Fire Force
Fire Force has one of the best world-buildings in modern Shonen, which really makes it stand out compared to other series. The story is set in a world that constantly lives in fear of being a victim of spontaneous human combustion, a phenomenon that turns people into fiery monsters called Infernals. Shinra Kusakabe, a new recruit at the Special Fire Force Company 8, aims to help as many people as he can while also uncovering the truth about the tragic incident that destroyed his family.
Despite its incredible setting, power system, overpowered characters, and interesting characters, the anime has a lot of nonsensical fan service that doesn’t fit well in the story. The story highlights some heavy themes, but with just one character’s fan service gag, the mood shifts completely in a way that’s not particularly enjoyable. These fan services may be off-putting for beginners who aren’t used to anime blending drama and absurdity in the same episode.
5) Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is one of the greatest masterpieces of all time, but its complexity and themes might be more appreciated by avid anime fans. The story is set in a world where the remaining population has secluded itself within the enormous concentric walls to stop man-eating Titans from approaching them. However, things take a turn for the worse when Colossal and Armored Titans break through those walls and destroy Eren Yeager’s hometown.
Accompanied by his childhood friends, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, the three join the Survey Corps a few years after the tragedy to fight those Titans. As the story continues, the horrifying truth about the Titans and the broken world comes to light. Despite being a Shonen, the series is disturbingly gory, on an uncomfortable level, as it portrays themes of genocide, war, and human suffering on an unprecedented scale. Not only that, but the story takes a drastic turn in Season 4, and the ending was one of the most controversial of all time.
4) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Debuted in 1986, this classic Shonen by Hirohiko Araki has a unique art style, exaggerated dialogue, and over-the-top poses, which are considered iconic among fans. The first part is set in the year 1868, following George Joestar, an English nobleman, and his son Jonathan, who became indebted to Dario Brando, who is hiding his evil motives. He is later adopted by the Joestar family and takes the name Dio before commencing his plans to ruin the family.
The series has released 9 parts so far, each with new characters, settings, and plot, making it overwhelmingly long for a newcomer. Not to mention that some of the parts may feel slow or uninteresting at times, but you’ll miss out on key references and connections if you skip them. While the anime includes Western music, fashion, and pop culture references, it also relies heavily on anime tropes, and it’s easy to miss the layers of humor and parody that make it fun for veteran fans.
3) Bleach
While the studio is doing a splendid job adapting the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, the same can’t be said about the original version, which released 366 episodes. The story follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student who is able to see ghosts. After encountering a Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo learns about powerful monsters known as Hollows, which are monstrous spirits formed from deceased human souls that fail to enter the Soul Society.
In order to protect his family, Ichigo borrows Rukia’s weapon, as she was too injured to fight, and becomes a Substitute Soul Reaper, a power that ordinary humans can never wield. Slow pacing, anime fillers, and standard animation style were common during the 2000s, but now these trends fall behind the concise, seasonal anime series. Not only that, but the initial parts of the anime made minor but crucial changes from the original version that make viewers perceive the female lead, Orihime Inoue, slightly differently from how the mangaka, Tite Kubo, envisioned her to be. Additionally, as one of the Shonen classics, Bleach has most of the common tropes and power-ups scattered across the story.
2) Dragon Ball
The original Dragon Ball manga by Akira Toriyama debuted over 40 years ago and revolutionized the Shonen genre. Since then, the franchise has released several sequels, spin-offs, and films that are difficult to keep track of. Not to mention that they are too long and will take a while for anyone to catch up. That said, every Shonen enthusiast must at least watch the series once, which has become a source of inspiration for many mangaka even to this day.
The story begins with Bulma, a 16-year-old girl, on a quest to find the magical Dragon Balls and wish for a perfect boyfriend. She meets Goku, a young orphan living alone in the woods. She notices that he possesses one of the seven Dragon Balls but refuses to give it up. Bulma has no choice but to offer him the chance to tag along with her on a journey if he lets her borrow it. Hence begins Goku’s journey as he dedicates himself to Martial Arts and fights all kinds of threats who want to use the power of the Dragon Balls for evil.
1) One Piece
One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time, and for good reasons, since hardly any series today offers this level of extensive world-building, layers of mysteries, and lore. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate who embarks on a journey to claim the legendary treasure and become the Pirate King. He gathers a small crew full of talented new pirates who each have dreams of their own. The manga debuted in 1997 and is still ongoing, while the anime has been continuing weekly since 1999.
The anime has over 1100 episodes, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering the painfully slow pacing. For a while now, the show has been adapting one chapter per episode, which fans often complain about. While the animation quality has improved significantly since the Wano Country Saga, it’s hardly enough to make up for the pacing. That said, One Piece is still one of the best anime of all time, and any Shonen enthusiast would love the world created by Eiichiro Oda. However, beginners won’t be able to enjoy such a long series that takes forever to finish one arc.
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