While anime is a medium that may appeal to some people more than others, there are actually a fair amount of series that are capable of reaching those who wouldn’t typcally care for it. Anime is a style that some people just can’t get into because of how exaggerated the expressions, art, and stories can be.
Anime is an incredibly flexible medium because in reality, it’s a term to describe Japanese animation. Much like animation in the west, there’s something out there for everyone. In fact, there are plenty of stellar anime that fly under the radar of people that don’t usually care for anime – whether it be a less than typical shonen, or a gritty psychological drama.
10 Erased
Arguably a series that feels the most like what someone would expect when watch an anime, Erased is a series that follows a manga writer who has the ability to turn back time to prevent something terrible from happening. However, when he discovers that his mother has been murdered by a serial killer, he warps back to his childhood to figure out their identity and prevent them from committing a string of killings that happened in his youth.
Erased is a series that feels outlandish in its set-up, but its execution makes for a clever time-jumping mystery. The premise of an elementary school detective makes for an entertaining watch that also adds tension when he befriends one of the victims and does everything in his power to stop her from becoming the killer’s next target.
9 One Punch Man
One Punch Man excells in its satircal comedy, which is bound to appeal to people that adore franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This action comedy follows a man named Saitama, a hero who is so strong that he can defeat every enemy he faces with a single punch. He’s an incredibly overpowered hero, and it’s something that he regrets, as he’s grown bored with being able to wipe out the competition without breaking a sweat.
This series excels in sympathizing with Saitama’s frustrations. Viewers can feel just how dull the life of a hero can be when their abilities easily outmatch the competition. This opens up a real-world conversation about burnout and how being the “best” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. With the addition of legitimately fun superhero action, One Punch Man is a necessity for every non-anime fan’s watch list.
8 Junji Ito Maniac: Tales of the Japanese Macabre
This recent Netflix horror anthology is a collection of stories from one of the most famous horror authors working today: Junji Ito. Horror anthologies can be a mixed bag, but that’s ultimately what makes them so appealing. Shows like Creepshow and The Twilight Zone thrive in showcasing episodes of varying quality that can appeal to a wide range of audiences for an enjoyable roller coaster of terror.
Junji Ito Maniac is no different. This collection features some of the author’s scariest works brought to life, including his famous story Hanging Balloon, which is made even scarier with its clever use of sound. Horror is a fan-favorite genre, and this anthology has enough nail-bitingly scary stories to appeal to even the least-experienced anime watcher.
7 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Cyberpunk 2077 is a video game that has had something of an infamous reputation since it launched in 2020. While the game has undergone countless patches to better enhance the gameplay experience, fans have come to agree that the anime based on the game’s world was an immense success.
Edgerunners is a prequel to the main game that follows a character named David. After losing everything to a violent – seemingly targetted – crime, he becomes a mercenary for the black market known as an Edgerunner. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has earned critical claim and multiple awards for its exploration of the video game’s world as well as its unique characters. It’s a show that must be seen not just by fans of the game but also people who enjoy great storytelling and character dynamics as well.
6 Danganronpa: The Animation
Based on the visual novel of the same name, this anime will undoubtedly appeal to anyone interested in eccentric whodunit stories. Danganronpa follows a group of high school students with exceptional talents locked inside their school, Hope’s Peak Academy.
The only way they’re able to leave is if one of them murders a fellow student and isn’t found guilty in a “class trial”. Not only are the murders gruesome and cleverly staged, but the trials to figure out who did it are just as entertaining as twists and turns are thrown into the mix. While the overarching plot does very into eccentric places, which could turn some audiences away, the mystery more than make up for it.
5 Death Note
After Light Yagami finds a bizarre notebook called a Death Note, he quickly learns that he can kill anyone he wants just by writing their full name in it and visualizing their face. This is just the beginning of one of anime’s most fascinating cat-and-mouse thrillers, as Light works to make the world a “safer” place. Death Note is a series that has become beloved by fans for various reasons. From its well-written dark characters to its tense storyline, Death Note is a show that needs to be seen to be believed and well worth the hype.
4 Aggretsuko
For fans of shows that feature anthropomorphic animals in everyday situations, Aggretsuko is the perfect gateway anime. The series follows a red panda named Retsuko as she navigates the stresses of the adult world by venting her frustrations every night at karaoke with death metal.
It’s a show that blends humor with real-world problems like burnout so well that it earned five whole seasons on Netflix. Best of all, these characters are created under the same company that created Hello Kitty, Sanrio, making it the perfect series for adult fans of the adorable characters to watch.
3 Ghost Stories (English Dub)
Ghost Stories is a unique anime, but not because its plot or characters are anything special. In fact, when watching the show in Japanese, it’s a relatively below-average series. However, the English dub turns the mediocre paranormal series into an absolute must-watch for anyone, including those that don’t like anime.
When the time came for this series following a group of ghost hunters to get an English dub, the voice actors and writers actually swapped things around in the translation to make Ghost Stories one of the most offensive – and perhaps funniest – anime out there. Nothing is off-limits in this series as it stretches its characters and gives them new personalities for outrageously funny line deliveries. It’s less an anime and more an experience that must be heard to be believed.
2 Pokémon
With how big the phenomenon for Pokémon in the West was in the 90s, it can sometimes be overlooked that the series is actually an anime. Not only that, it’s a very good one that perfectly captures the feeling of playing the video game it’s based on.
As audiences watch Ash’s journey to become a Pokémon master, they get to see every exciting moment of growth, and each new challenge he takes on. In fact, he recently achieved his dream as a world champion, much to the joy of fans worldwide. The journey this show takes is one that even the people that don’t like anime could enjoy taking as it brings the popular video games to life.
1 Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is a beloved series that follows the crew of bounty hunters as they try to make a living in space while navigating countless existential obstacles. This series has been treasured as the golden standard for anime for 25 years because of its clever writing that explores deep themes with an epic science fiction setting.
Plus, the main characters are some of the most complex and enjoyable out of any anime, even by modern standards, making them some of the best on television. Cowboy Bebop is the perfect example of just how far anime can appeal to people through excellent genre execution and great writing, even if they don’t care for the medium.
