Anime can be many things: a children’s fairy tale, a thriller, a story about football or a sad drama about growing up. That’s why the question “where do I start?” seems hard. We’ve chosen ten titles from different genres that you can watch without knowing earlier parts or the manga. We give creators’ names in Latin script, as catalogs usually do, and all facts were checked against Wikipedia pages on October 14, 2026.
First, it’s worth deciding on a format. If you don’t want to spend many evenings on it, start with a film: Spirited Away or Your Name tell a complete story in two hours. If you want a series, choose a shorter one: the list includes titles with 24 to 26 episodes, as well as long stories with several dozen episodes.
Spirited Away
Director and screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki. In Japan the film was released on July 20, 2001. A girl named Chihiro moves to a new place and accidentally enters a world of Shinto spirits. According to Wikipedia, the film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002 (shared with another film) and the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 75th ceremony (2003). It was the first hand-drawn animated film not in English to win that award.
Who it suits: those who want to start with a classic and aren’t afraid of fairy-tale strangeness.
Your Name.
Director and screenwriter: Makoto Shinkai; production studio: CoMix Wave Films. The premiere in Japan took place on August 26, 2016. Two teenagers, Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu, who have never met, suddenly start swapping bodies. According to Wikipedia, this film later overtook Spirited Away in worldwide box office receipts.
Who it suits: those who love romance with a fantastical twist.
Death Note
The manga was created by Tsugumi Ohba (writing) and Takeshi Obata (art) and was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump. The anime was produced by Madhouse, directed by Tetsurō Araki. The series aired from October 2006 to June 2007 on Nippon Television and has 37 episodes. A high school student finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it, and the detective L is on his trail.
Who it suits: those who like psychological thrillers and intellectual duels.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
An anime based on the manga by Hiromu Arakawa, directed by Yasuhiro Irie. The series aired from April 5, 2009 to July 4, 2010: 64 episodes and 4 OVAs. This is the second adaptation of the manga; it was made to reproduce the plot of the original as closely as possible, while the 2003 version, according to Wikipedia, went its own way once the source material ran out.
Who it suits: those who want a long but cohesive adventure with a finished ending.
Cowboy Bebop
Director: Shinichirō Watanabe. The series aired in Japan on TV Tokyo from April 3 to June 26, 1998, and then on Wowow from October 23, 1998 to April 24, 1999. There are 26 episodes (“sessions”) in total. It is a neo-noir and a space western set in 2071. A crew of bounty hunters lives and works on the ship “Bebop.”
Who it suits: those who like stylish, self-contained episodes and a jazzy mood.
Attack on Titan
An anime based on the manga by Hajime Isayama, which ran from 2009 to 2021. The premiere took place on April 7, 2013. Wit Studio produced the first three seasons and MAPPA the fourth. According to Wikipedia, the series has 94 episodes and 3 OADs. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity live behind walls that protect them from giant humanoid creatures called Titans.
Who it suits: those ready for a tense, grim story that spans many episodes.
Steins;Gate
The series is based on a 2009 visual novel by 5pb. and Nitroplus. Directors: Hiroshi Hamasaki and Takuya Satō. It premiered on April 6, 2011, and has 24 episodes. Eighteen-year-old Rintaro Okabe and his friends accidentally discover a way to travel through time: they can send messages to the past and change the present.
Who it suits: those who like science fiction and stories about time.
Haikyu!!
The manga by Haruichi Furudate began running in Weekly Shōnen Jump in February 2012. The anime from Production I.G started on April 6, 2014. The hero, Shoyo Hinata, wants to become a great volleyball player despite his short height.
Who it suits: those who like sports stories about teamwork.
Kimetsu no Yaiba
An anime based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, produced by ufotable. The premiere took place on April 6, 2019. A teenager, Tanjiro Kamado, sets out to become a demon slayer after his family is killed, while his younger sister Nezuko has become a demon.
Who it suits: those who love vivid animation, action and stories about family.
Spy × Family
The manga by Tatsuya Endo has been published in Shueisha’s Shōnen Jump+ since March 25, 2019. The anime was created by Wit Studio and CloverWorks; its first part aired on April 9, 2022. Spy Twilight has to form a “family” to complete a mission, but he doesn’t know that his adopted daughter can read minds and his wife is a professional assassin.
Who it suits: those looking for a light comedy with action.
A quick pick by mood
- I want two hours and that’s it: Spirited Away or Your Name.
- I want tension and mysteries: Death Note or Steins;Gate.
- I want a long adventure: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood or Attack on Titan.
- I want style and short episodes: Cowboy Bebop.
- I want sports or comedy: Haikyu!! or Spy × Family.
- I want action with beautiful animation: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Tip. Give a title three or four episodes before deciding it isn’t for you. In many anime the first episodes introduce the rules of the world, and the real rhythm comes later. If you’re bored after four episodes, simply move on to the next item on the list.
To learn how to read the schedule of new episodes, see our article on anime seasons. And if you want to understand how shōnen, seinen and other categories differ, read our explainer on genres.
Frequently asked questions
Should I start with a film or a series?
A film is simpler: it is one complete story in two hours. But a series gives you time to get used to the characters and the storytelling style. If you’re unsure, take Spirited Away or Your Name, and then move on to a series.
Dubbed or subtitled?
It’s a matter of taste. Subtitles keep the original voices, and dubbing doesn’t distract from the picture. We explain how to find a version in Ukrainian on streaming services in a separate article about Ukrainian dubbing.
Do I need to read the manga before watching the anime?
No. All ten titles can be watched without knowing the manga or the visual novel, and you can read the original after watching.
Where can I watch these anime?
Streaming catalogs change, and they differ between countries. See our overview of services available in Ukraine, and check the page of a particular title on your service.
Sources
- Spirited Away (Wikipedia)
- Death Note (Wikipedia)
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Wikipedia)
- Attack on Titan (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- Cowboy Bebop (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against live official pages and Wikipedia on October 14, 2026.
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