The best anime series for beginners are Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Death Note, Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer. They tell complete or clearly structured stories and are easy to find on Crunchyroll or Netflix. Start with one that matches the genre you already enjoy in live-action TV.
Anime can look intimidating from the outside. This list keeps things simple: 12 series that are easy to get into, well regarded, and not too long to commit to. Each entry lists the year, the animation studio and where it has been confirmed to stream. Availability varies by country, so check your local Netflix or Crunchyroll library before you press play.
Quick facts: the 12 picks at a glance
| Series | First aired | Studio | Where it streams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | 2009 | Bones | Crunchyroll, Netflix (some countries) |
| Death Note | 2006 | Madhouse | Netflix (some countries) |
| Cowboy Bebop | 1998 | Sunrise | Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu (US) |
| Attack on Titan | 2013 | Wit Studio, MAPPA | Crunchyroll, Hulu (US), Netflix (parts of Asia) |
| Demon Slayer | 2019 | Ufotable | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu |
| Spy x Family | 2022 | Wit Studio, CloverWorks | Crunchyroll, Netflix (parts of Asia) |
| Jujutsu Kaisen | 2020 | MAPPA | Crunchyroll, Netflix (parts of Asia) |
| Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End | 2023 | Madhouse | Crunchyroll |
| Hunter x Hunter | 2011 | Madhouse | Crunchyroll, Netflix (some countries) |
| Mob Psycho 100 | 2016 | Bones | Crunchyroll |
| Haikyu!! | 2014 | Production I.G | Crunchyroll |
| Steins;Gate | 2011 | White Fox | Crunchyroll |
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
Two brothers try to bring their mother back to life with alchemy, and the attempt costs one of them his body and the other an arm and a leg. Their search for a way to fix it turns into a story about war, government cover-ups and sacrifice. Studio Bones made the series, and it aired in Japan from April 2009 to July 2010.
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It streams on Crunchyroll, and its Netflix title page is live in selected countries. It runs 64 episodes with a clear ending.
Why it made the list: a complete, tightly plotted story that rarely wastes an episode.
2. Death Note (2006)
A bright, bored student finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. A reclusive detective known only as L sets out to catch him. Madhouse animated the 37-episode series, directed by Tetsuro Araki, and it aired from October 2006 to June 2007.
It is listed on Netflix in selected countries.
Best for: viewers who like psychological thrillers and detective shows.
3. Cowboy Bebop (1998)
A crew of broke bounty hunters drifts around the solar system in the year 2071, chasing criminals and their own pasts. Sunrise produced it, Shinichiro Watanabe directed it, and the 26 episodes (called “sessions”) are known for a jazz-heavy soundtrack.
Netflix holds streaming rights in many countries, though it left the US and Canada in 2023. Crunchyroll added the series in 2022, and Hulu carries it in the US.
Why it made the list: short, stylish and mostly episodic, so you can stop any time.
4. Attack on Titan (2013)
Humanity lives behind giant walls to hide from man-eating giants called Titans. When the wall breaks, a teenage boy joins the military to fight back. The show ran four seasons and 94 episodes from 2013 to 2023. Wit Studio animated seasons 1 to 3 and MAPPA made season 4.
It streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu in North America, and on Netflix in Singapore and other South-East Asian markets.
Best for: fans of large-scale action and political drama who do not mind dark themes.
5. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019)
After demons kill his family and turn his sister into one of them, Tanjiro trains as a demon slayer to find a cure. Studio Ufotable is known for its detailed fight animation, and the series has run four seasons from 2019 to 2024. The story continues in the Infinity Castle film trilogy, with Part 1 released in Japan in July 2025.
The series streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu, and on Netflix in the US and Canada since January 2021. The Infinity Castle films were released in cinemas first.
Why it made the list: simple story, strong visuals and short seasons.
6. Spy x Family (2022)
A spy needs a fake family for a mission. He adopts a girl who can secretly read minds and marries a woman who is secretly an assassin. None of them know the others’ secrets. Wit Studio and CloverWorks animate it, and three seasons have aired from 2022 to 2025.
Crunchyroll streams it across North America, the UK, Europe, Australia and Latin America, while Netflix has carried it in parts of Asia.
Best for: families and viewers who want comedy more than heavy drama.
7. Jujutsu Kaisen (2020)
A high-school student swallows a cursed object to save his friends and ends up training as a sorcerer who fights curses. MAPPA animates the series. Season 1 aired from 2020 to 2021, season 2 in 2023, and season 3, The Culling Game Part 1, from January to March 2026.
Crunchyroll streams it outside Asia. Netflix carries it in South-East Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Why it made the list: one of the most popular action anime right now, with fast fights and a large cast.
8. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (2023)
Most fantasy stories end when the hero defeats the villain. This one starts there. Frieren, an elf who lives for centuries, outlives her old teammates and sets out on a new journey to understand the people she lost. Madhouse animates it, and season 2 aired from January to March 2026.
It streams on Crunchyroll, which carried season 2 in 2026.
Best for: viewers who prefer character drama over nonstop action.
9. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
A boy sets out to become a licensed Hunter so he can find the father who left him. Madhouse made the 148-episode series, which aired from 2011 to 2014.
It streams on Crunchyroll in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and its Netflix page is live in selected countries.
Why it made the list: a long series, but each arc feels like a new show.
10. Mob Psycho 100 (2016)
Mob is a shy middle-school student with huge psychic powers, and he tries hard to keep his emotions in check. He works for a fake psychic who uses him to make money. Bones animated all three seasons, released in 2016, 2019 and 2022, for 37 episodes in total.
The anime streams on Crunchyroll, which also streamed seasons 2 and 3 as they aired in Japan.
Best for: viewers who want comedy, action and a kind-hearted lead in one short show.
11. Haikyu!! (2014)
A short high-school student joins the volleyball team despite his height and forms an unlikely partnership with a gifted but difficult setter. Production I.G animated four seasons from 2014 to 2020, and the film Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle followed in 2024.
Crunchyroll streams the series.
Why it made the list: the best entry point into sports anime.
12. Steins;Gate (2011)
A self-styled mad scientist and his friends accidentally build a device that sends messages to the past. Small changes start to have serious results. White Fox animated the 24-episode series, which aired from April to September 2011.
It was simulcast on Crunchyroll when it aired in 2011. The first few episodes are slow, but the second half pays off.
Best for: science fiction fans who enjoy time-travel puzzles.
How to pick your first anime
- Short commitment: Cowboy Bebop, Mob Psycho 100 or Steins;Gate.
- Thriller fans: Death Note or Attack on Titan.
- Action fans: Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen.
- Light and funny: Spy x Family or Haikyu!!.
- Slow and emotional: Frieren.
If subtitles put you off, check the audio settings in the player, as many of these series offer an English dub. For more, browse our series coverage and ranked listicles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best anime for a complete beginner?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Death Note are the safest starting points. Both tell a complete story with a clear ending and work well dubbed or subtitled.
Where can I watch anime legally?
Crunchyroll is the main streaming service built for anime. Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max also carry popular titles, but availability varies by country.
Should I watch anime dubbed or subtitled?
Either is fine. Pick whichever you find easier to follow. Many popular series, including Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Death Note and Hunter x Hunter, have aired in English on Adult Swim in the US.
Which short anime can I finish in a weekend?
Cowboy Bebop (26 episodes), Steins;Gate (24 episodes) and the first season of Mob Psycho 100 (12 episodes) are the quickest to finish.
Sources: series details from Wikipedia entries for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Cowboy Bebop and Jujutsu Kaisen; Netflix title listing for Death Note; Frieren season 2 streaming via AniTrendz.
