Title: The Ultimate Anime & Manga Starter Pack (And What to Watch Next) 🎌

Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of anime out? Or maybe you want to get into reading the source material but don't know where to start?

I’ve broken down the best of the best into four distinct "moods." Pick your vibe, and dive in.

12. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Why it’s popular: Widely considered the "perfect anime." Two brothers use forbidden alchemy to try to revive their dead mother. The ritual fails: one loses his body, the other an arm and leg. They search for the Philosopher's Stone to fix themselves, uncovering a military conspiracy.

Part 2: The Seinen Heavyweights (For Mature Tastes)

Seinen is aimed at adult men (though loved by all), dealing with psychological trauma, philosophy, and moral gray areas.

9. Summertime Rendering

Genre: Time Loop / Mystery / Horror Status: Anime (Complete) | Manga (Complete)

The most underrated thriller of 2022. A boy returns to his rural island home for a funeral, only to discover a "shadow" version of his dead friend is trying to kill him. He is trapped in a time loop. The stakes are high, the plot twists are tight, and the villain is terrifying.

Part 5: The Hidden Gems (Lesser Known but Brilliant)

9. Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)

Why it’s popular: Prepare to cry. A prodigy pianist loses the ability to hear his own playing after his mother dies. A free-spirited violinist enters his life and tries to bring him back to music.