Every medium has stories that are terrible for newcomers, and anime is no exception. With all the hundreds of thousands of anime there are to watch, a person who picks the wrong one to start with can be turned off by the entire medium forever, even if there are stories they would like if they gave them a chance.
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Some of the worst anime for newcomers are those with excessive fanservice or those with terrible animation and writing, but sometimes, an anime will be a great watch, but still be constructed in a way that’s unappealing to newcomers. All of that is highly subjective, but overall, the idea makes sense when looking at a few anime in particular.
7) Mobile Suit Gundam
In Sunrise’s Mobile Suit Gundam, the Earth Federation is fighting a losing battle against the Principality of Zeon, but when Amuro Ray obtains an experimental Mobile Suit called a Gundam, the Earth Federation gets the edge it needs to turn the tide, even as Amuro questions his place in the war and fights the Red Comet of Zeon, Char Aznable.
Mobile Suit Gundam is an undeniable classic, and without it, mecha anime and the sci-fi genre as a whole would be completely unrecognizable. However, as an anime from the 70s, the writing and visuals definitely show their age at times, so it might not be the best anime to show to newcomers, especially if they aren’t familiar with mecha anime.
6) Lucky Star
Kyoto Animation’s Lucky Star focuses on the daily lives of lazy otaku gamer Konata Izumi and her friends and family. Most of the series is focused on the comedy of the interactions between the cast, but the anime also heavily relies on jokes and parodies of popular 90s and 2000s anime, most notably The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
As funny as Lucky Star is, the series unfortunately dates itself by referencing so many anime that aren’t relevant in modern day, especially with all the jokes built around referencing Haruhi Suzumiya. It’s easily one of the best Kyoto Animation anime around, but for anyone who isn’t invested in anime culture, it might not be the best show to watch.
5) Digimon Tamers
Toei Animation’s Digimon Tamers is the third anime in the Digimon franchise. Takato Matsuki, an avid Digimon fan, is thrilled when his original creation, Guilmon, comes to life, but their friendship soon puts them at the center of a massive battle to decide the fate of humans and Digimon alike that neither of them can come out of unscathed.
Digimon Tamers is one of the best Digimon anime to watch, but part of what makes the series special is its darker atmosphere and how it deconstructs the tropes of its predecessors. The series can still be enjoyed on its own, but without understanding the conventions of the wider Digimon franchise, it might not land as well as it should.
4) The Tatami Galaxy
In Madhouse’s The Tatami Galaxy, the unnamed protagonist feels like he’s wasted his life as he remains an antisocial loner who can’t make a move on his crush. The protagonist is left wondering how different his life would have been if he hadn’t joined the tennis club, and each episode explores a reality where the protagonist joins a different club.
As great an anime as The Tatami Galaxy may be, the surreal nature of its story and overall production make it an incredibly hard anime to watch, even for more seasoned fans of the medium. Masaaki Yuasa is one of the biggest names in modern anime, but his work probably isn’t the best way to introduce someone to anime.
3) Puella Magi Madoka Magica
In Shaft’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica, after accidentally learning about magic, Madoka Kaname is given the chance to become a magical girl and fight evil Witches, but as she debates taking up the offer, Madoka discovers that being a magical girl is nowhere near as glamorous as she was led to believe in the worst way possible.
Not only is Madoka Magica incredibly surreal, but with its dark and deconstructive take on the magical girl genre, it can certainly be a hard anime to get into. The incredible quality of the series makes it more than worth it, but for those who are just getting into anime, it might not be the best anime to watch.
2) Neon Genesis Evangelion
Studio Khara’s Neon Genesis Evangelion stars Shinji Ikari, a reserved young boy who goes to the futuristic Tokyo-3 to see his father for the first time in a decade. There, Shinji is forced to pilot a giant robot called an Evangelion and protect the world from monsters called Angels, all of which gradually take a toll on Shinji’s fragile psyche.
Evangelion’s surreal storytelling and deconstructive nature make it hard to recommend to newcomers, especially with how a person gets the most out of it by watching both the anime and Rebuild of Evangelion. That being said, it’s one of the most iconic anime of all time for a reason, so it’s still something any fan should watch at some point.
1) Monogatari
Shaft’s Monogatari series stars Koyomi Araragi, a high school student who was briefly turned into a vampire, but has yet to fully regain his humanity. One day, he meets Hitagi Senjogahara, a girl cursed to weigh almost nothing, and after helping her out, Araragi finds himself repeatedly encountering more and more girls with problems that circle back to the supernatural.
Shaft is famous for producing anime with surreal narratives and visuals, and the Monogatari series is the pinnacle of this, and it only gets denser with each new installment. The sharp writing and inventive visuals make the Monogatari series great to watch, but at the same time, it leaves it as one of the worst anime for beginners, by far.
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