5 series to lead your friends to anime

You want your friends to become true anime nerds – but they are still resisting? With these 5 series, you can introduce them to anime and damn them for eternity…

If you have a beautiful hobby, you want to share it with friends, family, and acquaintances. It can be quite frustrating when your enjoyment is met with raised eyebrows or a disdainful snort from others. This is especially true with anime. They’re often labeled as “cartoons for kids” or one is considered a “pathetic weeb.” And time and again one thinks: “If you would just watch two or three episodes, you would love anime too.”

And that’s exactly why we’ve picked out 5 anime series that will send your average friends spiraling into the depths of anime addiction.

Why are [Series X, Y, and Z] not on the list? In our selection, we considered certain criteria to appeal mainly to people who haven’t had much exposure to anime so far.

All the series we selected are either completed or have seasons that each represent a logical ending. We deliberately left out “endless anime.” We also made sure that the series contain little of the rather cliché repelling “anime madness” – ecchi depictions and overly “squeaky” characters are therefore minimized. But don’t worry – we’ll get your friends there too.

Additionally, we intentionally did not mention your favorite series, so you can still bring it up in the comments!

Violet Evergarden

Alternative Names: /
Genres: Drama
Stream available on: Netflix
Episodes: 13

The young Violet Evergarden has been used as a child soldier from an early age, trained for loyalty and efficient cruelty. When the war ends, she is taken in and efforts are made to give her a new place in the world. She works as an “Auto Memory Doll” – a service where the thoughts and feelings of people are captured in letters to be sent out.

Through this work, Violet gradually learns more about humanity and feelings, reflecting on what her actions in the war have caused and how she herself was trapped in a spiral of suffering for a long time.

What to expect from the anime: Violet Evergarden is a very emotional and profound anime. The search for one’s own purpose in life and the significance of feelings or interpersonal conflicts is portrayed as strongly here as in very few other series. Those who are “sensitive” will shed a tear or two while watching this anime.

Additionally, Violet Evergarden features a unique attention to detail and extremely good animations that remain unmatched to this day. If you want a bit of heartache and simply a damn good story, Violet Evergarden is a great choice.

Death Note

Alternative Names: /
Genres: Thriller, Drama, Crime
Stream available on: Currently not available on any streaming service – only available for purchase
Episodes: 37

The 17-year-old Light Yagami is a genius and predestined for a glorious career. One day, a mysterious notebook called “Death Note” lands right in front of him on the ground. The person whose name is written in this book dies. After some hesitation, Light tests the book, confirms its abilities – and recognizes the potential impact this book can have on the entire world.

Driven by his twisted sense of justice, Light begins to systematically rid the world of all criminals as “righteous Kira” to make it a better place.

However, his plan hits a snag when the FBI, the police, and the master detective “L” start investigations to prevent this kind of vigilante justice and hold Light accountable for his murders.

A demanding cat-and-mouse game begins: can “Kira” uncover “L”‘s identity and kill him with the Death Note? Or will Light be caught by “L” first?

What to expect from the anime: Death Note is unusual because the story does not focus on the “good hero” but rather on the clear villain Light Yagami. His mental duels against the police and detectives are the heart of the series. Clever plans to prove his own innocence or misdirect pursuers are always on the agenda.

Death Note also provides a lot of material for discussion. How would you react in such a situation? How tempting is the thought of simply eliminating all criminals in the world? Is that really just? Would the world – whether it’s just or not – be a better place?

Death Note was a phenomenon upon its release almost 20 years ago with profound questions and has lost none of its impact since. For many, it is still “the one anime” that has captivated an entire generation to the medium.

Three more anime to turn your friends into weebs can be found on the next page.