I am big on welcoming people into this community, and I want to share anime with lots of people who may not be into it. I've always seen a few mistakes when people make lists for newcomers that can be easily fixed with some barebones communication, and I'm here to showcase what my Starter List is.
My idea for a great starter show is a show that seems familiar to whatever it is the newcomer has seen before. And when I say "newcomer" i really mean anyone whose trying to get into anime, be it someone at your school, a relative, or a friend! A repetitive mistake many lists tend to make is recommending shows that the Listmaker likes, and not shows they think the other person will like.
You gotta take into account what the other person likes, otherwise they may be turned off from the show idea of anime completely. You may like ecchi and Harem shows, but the newcomer may not like it, and if you show them KissXSis instead of Clannad, they'll definitely not want to watch anime after that.
So this list won't really have a whole lot of ecchi or harem anime on it, simply because this is a list catering to those who don't really like that side of anime.
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#1 Karin
I'm not sure if a lot of people know what this anime is, but its one of my favorite romance animes aside from the really popular ones in the community like Ouran Highschool Host Club. Karin is an anime about a vampire girl who's not like other vampires at all. See, she has a condition where instead of drinking blood from humans, she spurts blood out from her nose in unfortunate situations. The show is basically about her getting a crush on a boy, who kind of likes her back (?) and also her trying to keep the whole vampire thing a secret from her classmates. It's silly, goofy, and a very light hearted series that I think is the perfect gateway for some of the more ridiculous sides to anime. While the animation is nothing to boast about, the characters are fun and make for really great episodes. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting to slowly edge their way into the romance side of Anime.
#2 Inuyasha
This is a rather old recommendation, but it's one I make simply because its an anime that's a romance, but it's also a story driven show that focuses on both characters and world building. Inuyasha was one of the first anime I ever watched as a kid, and it definitely got me to want to watch more shows like it.
Inuyasha is a show about a girl named Kagome who ends up falling into a well that takes her into the past, where she discovers that there's a mysterious jewel inside of her somehow that a lot of demons in this time period want, and now that she's here they're after her! (un)Lucky for her, she meets Inuyasha, a half human half demon boy who's also been looking for said jewel in order to become a full demon. Shenanigans involving a giant centipede demon ensues, and the mysterious jewel is ripped out of Kagome's body VERY painfully, and shattered into a million pieces. The rest of the show revolves around Kagome and Inuyasha going on a long adventure to search for each of these pieces scattered around the world, fighting demons and possibly falling in love.
As you can tell from that synopsis, this show is a wild ride from episode 1, and I think that's what makes it a perfect starter show! It's filled with action, and its pacing is just good enough that it doesn't immediately give you whiplash when watching it. I recommend this to anyone looking to get into fantasy and adventure shows, as Inuyasha is a fun story driven show that's a little silly at times, but in all the right ways.
#3 91 Days
This entry is a lot different then the other two because it is completely serious in tone. This show isn't at all a comedy, it's a very gritty mafia drama that I think is a really great starter for people who want something a little more serious. The show has a great artstyle that I enjoy a lot, and both its dub and sub is great, so you'll enjoy either one. (Though personally, I recommend watching the dub, but that's only because it was the version I watched :3)
91 Days is an anime about a boy named Angelou Lagusa who witnesses his families murder on a cold, winter night. Years later, still depressed and angry about his family's death, he receives an anonymous letter that lists the names of the men who were there on the night his family was killed. The men on the list are all apart of the Vanetti family, who have powerful ties to the mafia. Angelou decides he'll get in close with the Vanetti's, join their ranks, and kill the men on the list one at a time.
This show is great if you like small character details, and another reason for why I recommend the dub over the sub is just because the dub had so many small instances where characters said things that really added to their depth, and also got a chuckle or two of me. This is the type of show you recommend to someone who really likes attention to detail in regards to dialogue. You like witty banter, and sly backhanded compliments than you'll love listening to this script.
These three shows are just some of the shows I think would be great for Newcomers. Don't take my word as law though, if you watch any of these and hate the show, well then that show just wasn't for you. I'm sure you'll find a show that is super awesome and perfect for you. Maybe you should follow whats popular, after all popular shows are only popular because lots of people are watching them. There's bound to be something you like, so don't just stop at one episode, give it a try!
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