Death Note is actually a pretty good call, but I would say anything that keeps the ridiculous anime stereotypes to a minimum would be best. Find something that is interesting, but also close to what you might see in other forms of entertainment. Some said ecchi or harem would be good, but I think the situations are a little too ridiculous for a newcomer.



Exactly what I was thinking lol.

If you want to show a nooby an anime, you must show him a clear clean cut anime

what I mean by that is

it needs to be a story that leads your friend the noob from point A to B
The protagonist should have no flaws other than what the story allows for

not necessarily a person can enjoy a horror or romance comedy etc, if the said friend has an interest already in those type of genre from t.v. shows, movies or books. All anime offers is just an animated extension of these said genres nothing more nothing less.

and thats anime. show then somthing like haruhi, lucky star. ect all that crazy things because thats anime. dont u dare show them naruto bleach ect thats just the boring crap ZzZZzzZzzzZzzzZZzz

I don't believe I said anything in my post disregarding genre........................



Nor did I say show them naruto, bleach, and what-not




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my e-penis has taken many-a-banhammers in which i do not wish to quote people back i have an opinion about so each person gets about one quote from me and that is mainly it...

Omg... yes! You had me at hello.... xD

ghibli is always good

usagi drop and baccano! should work well too, since both series have great story and are not very otaku-oriented

As other people have said, it's good to understand what your friends and family already enjoy. If possible, find a movie or a short series which is comparable. Unless a TV series is really compelling or very episodic, it can be difficult to convince any person to endure more than a dozen episodes.

I was a dedicated fantasy fiction reader back in 1998, so when a friend lent me the first tape of the Slayers TV series, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Since then, I've given or borrowed the following to other people:

* Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President (translated comics, to a person who likes political fiction)
* Cardcaptor Sakura (old Tokyopop translation, to people who like cute series)
* Maison Ikkoku (old Viz trade paperbacks, to a coworker who seems to enjoy sitcoms and soap operas)
* Detroit Metal City (to a fellow adult who seemed likely to enjoy tasteless/offensive comedy)
* Howl's Moving Castle (to a close friend who didn't seem to have specific tastes in movies)

As for my current friends... I intend to eventually introduce some of them to Summer Wars, or perhaps Castle in the Sky.

Cowboy Bebop is one of the best things to show, in my opinion. It's almost all English-names and music, and it has a lot of elements; comedy, drama, and action, and I think people who aren't sure about anime could really learn to enjoy it after that.

Starting with movies is good too; Ghibli, like some people suggested, or something like Summer Wars.

these are great! I'd also start with some Miyazaki movies. There are some anime movies/shows that are universally (or for the most part) liked. Those are the best to show. In my opinion, Miyazaki, Cowboy Bebop, etc. Classics.

Ouran Highschool Host~bu! ^-^

Series like One Piece and Naruto may be intimidating to a new anime viewer because of the long running episodes.

I'd probably recommend a nice comedy like SKET Dance or Beelzebub. I remember my friends recommended that I watch Ouran High School Host Club, and I have to admit it turned me off for about a year and then I came back seeking more interesting shows.

For a girl I'd recommend Shugo Chara or Yumeiro Patissiere.

I think FMA is one people can get into. It's very solid and mature in emotion and storytelling, while also having some lighthearted moments. A friend of mine got to see the original FMA and loved it. In fact, their entire family wound up getting hooked on it and as far as I know, none of them watched anime beforehand.

Don't show them Naruto, Bleach or One Piece first , because then they'll just be some shounen fanboy x_x

Excel Saga, Puni Puni Poemy, and Fooly Cooly are good choices. But really, there is no 'best' anime to show someone. Try to find an anime that appeals to their taste and go from there. You could try Angel Beats! because essentially it tries to appeal to a broad audience and doesn't focus on one specific aspect.