The 25 Best First Episodes Of Anime That Hook You Immediately
With so many great anime to discover, it can be rather difficult to choose one to invest your time, money, and energy into. This is especially true if the anime is long-running and features dozens, if not hundreds of episodes to catch up on.
The best way to hook an audience is to make sure the first episode of a series bangs like a hammer dropped down a flight of stairs. While this is an easy fact to state, how do creators figure out the right amount of characters, plot, and action to include in a series's opening without coming off as overwhelming or turning away viewers?
These anime didn't just discover that golden ratio, they cemented it! Here are some of the best first anime episodes that hooked fans and kept them watching.
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- Attack on Titan
- Wit Studio
While some shows hook their audience through amazement, others grab the viewer's attention by way of shock and tragedy. In what's definitely a case of the latter, Attack on Titan brings the viewer to the walled city that houses Eren, Armin, and Mikasa just before it is breached by the terrifying Titans.
The city is demolished, Eren's mother is devoured by one of the beastly creatures right in front of his eyes, and he and his friends are barely dragged to safety. In the wake of this tragedy, the only thing on his mind is one simple task: to kill every last Titan.
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- Death Note
- Madhouse
With intelligence, good looks, and reputation, high school student Light Yagami seems to be on the road to massive success, yet he feels surprisingly empty. Then one day, he finds a mysterious notebook called a Death Note, which grants its owner the ability to kill anyone whose name is written upon its otherworldly pages.
With the help of a bored death god named Ryuk (who is the original owner of the notebook), Light kills criminals, vowing to cleanse the world of evil so he can become the God of his new "pure" world. The first episode of Death Note lays out a perfect origin story for our protagonist as he goes from elite student to evil mastermind.
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- The Promised Neverland
- CloverWorks
There's nothing like a good plot twist to hook you in on a series. On the surface, Grace Field House is a paradise for these highly intelligent young orphans. Their caretaker Isabella, who they refer to as "Mama," shows them unconditional love and support. But when the oldest children, Emma and Norman, find out the horrifying truth about the orphanage, they must find a way to escape Grace Field.
There's mystery, intrigue, and even horror all wrapped up in this first episode. It perfectly sets up the amazing story that will unfold in the rest of the season.
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- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Bones
The epic fantasy journey begins as many do: with mystery, intrigue, and mistaken identities. The Elric brothers find themselves in the desert city of Lior, following rumors regarding the fabled Philosopher's Stone, which grants its user unlimited alchemical power.
With the help of a local woman who is infatuated with the sinister Father Cornello's sun-worshipping religion, the duo uncover a nefarious plot involving a cult.
In the world of FMA, the principles of alchemy are established as the brothers explore their alchemical powers. It turns out that the science of alchemy follows some pretty strict rules, that, if disregarded, can produce disastrous results.
There's plenty of build-up for the story that's still to come, and the reveal of Ed's auto-mail limbs and Al's armored body (there's no flesh inside that suit, just Al's spirit) is one of the most memorable twists ever to be seen in a pilot.
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- Akame ga Kill!
- White Fox
At first glance, the world of Akame ga Kill! seems to be like any other fantasy show, with a powerful feudal empire, knights, and magic. However, the first episode unveils a dark and inhumane underworld just beneath the well-trodden fantasy surface.
Tatsumi and his friends leave their humble village to try and find riches in the nation's capital. He finds a high-paying gig as an aristocratic family's bodyguard, but soon discovers – during an assassination attempt carried out by the rebel group Night Raid – that there is cause for mass revolt. The family has been torturing his friends to death.
Seeing the corruption within his country, Tatsumi joins Night Raid, and is willing to get his hands dirty if it means putting an end to evil. This first episode sets a faux light-hearted tone, then takes a turn for the brutal, demonstrating just how nasty the story is going to get.
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- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Studio Pierrot
Yusuke Urameshi is the hero of the story, but he's killed in the opening moments of the first episode. A notorious delinquent, Yusuke has few attachments except his childhood friend Keiko, his rival, Kuwabara, and his alcoholic mother. All of that changes when he's killed trying to save the life of a kid who chased a ball into the street.
Yusuke ends up a ghost, and is told by a pink and blue grim reaper that he has a chance of being brought back to life. For its time, Yu Yu Hakusho had a rather shocking opening and features an intriguing world where the supernatural is part of the everyday.
The first major arc of the show grabs the viewers' attention for the simple fact that it is all about Yusuke's quest to be reincarnated, showing he has more depth and soul than your average punk.
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- Samurai Champloo
- Manglobe
Two ronin samurai enter a bar, which leads to a fight. Afterwards, both samurai are set to be executed, when a waitress from the bar bails them out at the last second. In return for rescuing them, the woman demands that the two rivals repay their debt to her by going on a journey to find "the samurai who smells of sunflowers."
Created by Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop fame, the series starts with beautifully rendered action, anachronistic music, and quirky, and memorable characters that hook viewers in. Like Bebop, this show also features an amazing soundtrack that sets the tone of the series, in this case, hip-hop and rap.
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- Elfen Lied
- Arms
What better way to leave an impression on audiences than with wanton violence and full-frontal nudity? The infamous intro to Elfen Lied chronicles the escape of the immensely powerful psychic diclonius Lucy as she escapes the laboratory that was experimenting on her by telekinetically slicing her way through the staff and security.
The diclonius loses her memory after she is shot, and ends up in the care of two unknowing teens as the organization after her continues their search. The literal bloodbath leaves an impressive imprint on viewers and sets up a story concerned with the brutality of humanity.
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- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebillion
- Sunrise
Alternate history stories are rather common, but right at the beginning, Code Geass sets itself apart. In a world where the Britannia empire has conquered Japan with an army of deadly mechs, the series follows the exiled prince Lelouch as he gets caught up in a rebellion against his despotic family.
The introductory episode establishes the empire's cruelty, Lelouch's genius, and several different sides of a realistically messy conflict, all while hitting audiences with surprising character deaths. The first use of the titular and hypnotic Geass comes when Lelouch uses it to crush his enemies, and the deadly aftermath is unforgettable.
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- Tokyo Ghoul
- Studio Pierrot
Tokyo Ghoul opens by presenting Ken Kaneki's ordinary life, and then quickly ripping it away from him. He starts off as a literature student eager to go on a date with a pretty girl. When that girl turns out to be a ghoul named Rize Kamishiro who wants to eat his flesh, his excitement turns to misery. He's saved from immediate destruction by an accident that seems to claim Rize's life and puts Ken in the hospital. When he recovers, he finds that Rize's organs have been transplanted into his body, turning him into a ghoul who must eat human flesh to survive.
This massive change sparks plenty of questions - can a former human ethically eat human flesh? What is life going to be like for Ken from now on? Who are the ghouls he once feared, and could they be more than just monsters? It's hard not to immediately start watching the next episode after seeing this debut.
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- Demon Slayer
- ufotable
While Tanjiro Kamado is out selling charcoal in the town near his rural home, his family is attacked by demons. The only survivor is his sister Nezuko, who has been transformed into a demon herself. As he tries to grapple with this terrible new reality, they're confronted by Giyu Tomioka, a Demon Slayer who tries to take down Nezuko. When Nezuko protects Tanjiro instead of giving in to mindless violence, Giyu directs Tanjiro to a place where he can train to become a Demon Slayer himself - something he'll have to do if he hopes to change Nezuko back.
Things will get more complicated, but this episode does a great job of establishing the basic premise of the series. It also features the same beautiful animation that will come to define the rest of the show.
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- Soul Eater
- Bones
The world of Soul Eater is dark, weird, and eccentric, with the first episode making it clear that viewers should expect the unexpected. Maka Albarn and her living weapon - the scythe known as Soul Eater Evans - are tasked by Death itself to smite evil humans and wicked witches, their first major target being a cat-themed witch named Blair.
The wacky tone is established quickly, with Maka and Soul fighting an evil S&M Jack The Ripper in an impressively animated battle. It also does a good job establishing Maka and Soul's relationship as 'meister' and 'weapon' by highlighting the growing pains of their rookie partnership. While the pair's main objective is to fight monsters, they often end up fighting each other as well.
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- Hellsing Ultimate
- Madhouse, Satelight, Graphinica
Stories about vampires have been literally done to death, so in order to get audiences on board, there has to be some excitement and true horror. Don't worry, Hellsing has all that in spades.The series follows the secret Hellsing Organization, a British Protestant group that fights the undead with the more powerful undead, AKA Alucard.
Rather than the standard magic and fangs, Alucard packs some serious firepower. When Seras Victoria's SWAT team is taken out by a vampiric priest, he has to shoot through her to get the monster, turning her into a vampire as well.
This opening story sets the bloody tone of the show, introduces the undead dynamo that is Alucard, and gives us Seras Victoria's origin story. Showcasing Alucard's eldritch and horrifying abilities is a surefire way to catch audience's attention.
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- Cowboy Bebop
- Sunrise
In the opening moments of Cowboy Bebop, we're introduced to bounty hunters Spike Spiegel and Jet Black as they hunt for their next big payday. In a take on Desperado, they're after a drug dealing gangster named Asimov and his girlfriend, Katerina as the couple attempts to unload a cache of the dangerous drug known as Red Eye.
This episode is great because it introduces the viewer to the the world of Bebop in a way that feels natural, familiar, and even inviting. Considering the show is set in 2071, it's impressive that the creators managed to on-board viewers so seamlessly; sliding in bits of lore at every turn without encroaching on the constant flow of action sequences.
It also proves that you don't need much backstory in order to become enamored with the right characters, especially if they can't seem to stay out of stylishly cool fights.
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- To Your Eternity
- Brain's Base
It's not often an anime can make you ugly cry in the first episode, but To Your Eternity manages to do just that. The series follows a supernatural being that is able to take the form of any living or non-living thing on Earth. After it assumes the form of a boy's lost wolf, it sets out on an adventure to discover new people and experiences. Both tragic and moving, this first episode will definitely leave a lasting impact on viewers.
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- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
- BUG FILMS
There are multiple elements within Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead's first episode to prove just how great of a story it is. Akira Tendo starts off the series as a bright, optimistic character starting his new job at his dream company. However, as the story progresses the tone shifts to something darker, and the audience sees that Akira has fallen into a toxic workplace - sucking all of the color out of his life.
Until one day Akira finds himself running from zombies on his way to work and realizes the world is overrun by the undead. While this would usually be the foundation for a creepy horror anime, this series utilizes it to put a twist on the entire genre as he is no longer tied to the abusive company he worked for. Akira's life is now filled with happiness and freedom, shown in the series' use of bright, fun colors for blood and guts. The first episode of this anime sets the scene for the unique mix of comedy, horror, and fun that is Zom 100.
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- Oshi no Ko
- Doga Kobo
The first episode of Oshi no Ko is over an hour long, and for good reason. This mini-movie of an episode sets the scene for a unique anime that combines many different sub genres into one story. With reincarnation, a revenge plotline, idol industry elements, and more, this show has to have a stunning first episode to capture all of the crazy components in Oshi no Ko.
The pilot follows Goro, a doctor who is a fan of Ai Hoshino, as he becomes her gynecologist, is murdered, and then reborn as one of her secret twin children. The drama only builds when his now mother is killed by an angry fan and Goro - as Aqua Hoshino - vows to enter the idol industry to discover who betrayed his mother. The seemingly never-ending amount of twists and turns makes this a great first episode for a highly beloved anime.
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- Death Parade
- Madhouse
It's hard not to get hooked on Death Parade after watching the first episode. Decim is a mysterious bartender who acts as an arbiter of the afterlife. After people die, they are sent to his bar in order to determine whether they'll be reincarnated or sent to Hell. The first episode follows a couple who must play Decim's deadly game of darts. As the game progresses, the couple starts to regain their memories of how they died, revealing shocking truths about their relationship.
Since the series is episodic, each episode is its own self-contained story - and episode one certainly delivers a narrative that is both thought-provoking and entertaining.
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- Gurren Lagann
- Gainax
Leave it to Gainax to start a series out with a bang that only grows louder and more dynamic with each passing the episode. Simon lives in an underground refuge with what may be the last humans on (or within, really) the Earth. The group's elder has forbidden anyone from going to the planet's surface out of fear of unknown dangers.
The only person to challenge this ban is Simon's hot-blooded older brother figure, Kamina, who vows to reach the surface and seek a better life for everyone. Right off the bat, the duo have to fight off a giant mecha that crashes into their underground haven, and the series just keeps getting wilder from there.
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- Kill la Kill
- Trigger
Honnouji Academy is the most elite school in all of Japan, and run by an authoritarian student council that would put a dictatorship to shame. All this changes when Ryuko Matoi, a delinquent girl in search of the person who killed her father, ends up in a superpowered uniform that makes her a beacon of hope for the masses.
The first major series put out by Studio Trigger, the pilot shows what the series will have to offer: absolutely over-the-top fights, tons of fanservice, and an incredibly eccentric cast of characters.
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- Psycho-Pass
- Production I.G
The first episode of Psycho-Pass dives right into the action while doing a great job of making its premise clear. In the world of this anime, people are pre-judged as potential criminals by the Sybil System. Each person has a "crime coefficient" which determines their likelihood of committing a crime. This can be influenced by inborn factors, or by life circumstances.
Akane Tsunemori has been assigned to work for the Public Safety Bureau. Her first job involves settling a hostage situation. It turns out that the man taking a hostage became a criminal because he felt he had no other options thanks to being assigned criminal status. As Akane and her coworkers try to take down the hostage, they soon realize that her crime coefficient has gone up to dangerous levels because of the trauma she's endured. Akane's coworkers want to destroy the hostage, but she manages to resolve the situation so that it's unnecessary. Viewers can see that Akane won't be going along with her world's unfair rules.
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- Outlaw Star
- Sunrise
Opening with an epic space battle, a Western-style duel on an alien planet, and some philosophical thoughts on journeying, the first episode of Outlaw Star kicks things off the right way.
Mercenary Gene Starwind and boy genius Jim Hawking are two big fish in the small pond of their home planet. All that changes when a mysterious client named Hilda hires them for a transportation job.
It turns out the cargo is rather, sensitive, and the pair end up marked by the most deadly criminals in the galaxy. At the end of the episode, Gene has to fight off space pirates using magic in an unforgettable cliffhanger that will keep viewers tuned in.
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- Kaguya-sama: Love is War
- A-1 Pictures
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is a hilarious anime about two teenagers who are madly in love with each other but refuse to confess their feelings. Instead, they concoct elaborate schemes to try to get the other person to say it first.
The first episode does a great job of establishing this premise by having the two of them conspire over attempts to get the other to invite them to a movie. Their elaborate and dramatic thought processess seem like they're straight out of Death Note, while the romantic element is heart-meltingly adorable. It's a great start to a weirdly incredible show.
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- School-Live!
- Lerche
School-Live! is a series about a group of girls attempting to survive after their school is overrun by zombies, but that's not how things are presented in the first episode. In the first episode, the students appear to be part of the School Living club, a club for students who never go home. Everything seems safe and fun, but towards the end of the episode it's revealed that the School Living Club is all in Yuki's head, and everyone else is playing along to avoid triggering a breakdown.
This immediately gets viewers invested in finding out whether or not the girls will survive, whether Yuki will find out the truth, and what other secrets will be revealed along the way.
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