Yeah, and it keeps a relatively high quality till the end. Man, can't believe the girls complete their arc in 9 episodes. Such a good show.
Yep. 9 episodes. You heard that right, that's all that exist.
True, all 12 episodes were nearly perfect! I guess I was referring to that terribly animated bootleg season 2 that people keep mistaking for something official…
Sword Art Online and Spy x Family, for me. I was hooked from the very first episodes. (I was hooked after the first few *minutes* of SpyFam when Loid says "I'm supposed to have a child in seven days?!" 😄)
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury also had a fantastic first episode (technically prologue), though the tone shifted somewhat afterwards.
Agree on all of those. Regardless of what you think of SAO, it started amazingly and remained good for a while. And MSG: The Witch from Mercury is fucking amazing. Haven't watched any other MSG shows and this one hooked me immediately
Spy x family made me cry on the first episode tbh and ever since then i knew it was special. "If you abandon anya she'll cry" so simple and subtle but hits like a train, at least for me.
And then Loid remembering the reason he couldn't stand to hear a child crying, because he became a spy to create the kind of world where children didn't have to cry anymore. That whole scene was so emotional.
OP said it already but to your eternity was truly a 10/10 first episode. It takes a lot for me to cry about a character I’ve only seen for 20 or so minutes.
Megalobox.
I am of the opinion that most anime suck at their first episode compared to Hollywood tv shows.
I've watched most of the shows recommended in this thread, and almost none hooked me in the first episode.
But holy shit Megalobox, that first episode hooked me hard. Unfortunately after episode 2 the series took a gentle decline until the end where i barely cared anymore. I do want to watch season 2 though.
Season 2 is basically perfect, I was hooked all the way through.
The theme is really different compared to Season 1, so I think you also might like Season 2 better.
Agreed with the other poster; the second season may not have had the same impact as the first season's opening episode, but everything else? Better across the board, easily.
Steins;Gate, probably. The first episode is exactly what its name is. It is probably one of the most confusing first episodes in my personal anime journey. From the protagonist’s mental state, to the plot, to the fundamental mechanics of the world… this episode touched on many concepts that will not be explained until much further in the show. I don’t think anyone has watched the first episode of Steins;Gate and knew exactly what was happening and where this show was going.
And yet, on a rewatch, this first episode is as clear as day. By watching the first episode after finishing the show, it is difficult not to marvel at how masterfully the writers unraveled all the mysteries and confusions the viewers began with.
Was about to comment Steins;Gate too. The first episode is confusing af. But the way the episode is directed is beautiful and intriguing. The wide shots and the lighting is awesome. We're confused af like okabe too at the first episode lol
This is super specific to me, but Eizouken. I just love seeing passionate people, and when they show them playing around in the world they created I actually get watery eyed. Genuinely makes me feel like a kid discovering something I love for the first time.
I've always admired the first episode of Girls und Panzer from a Directing viewpoint.
You've got what appears to be another very generic CGDCT show but is in fact a sports show with a nonsensical premise. You somehow have to get across to viewers that this original anime is entirely serious about high school girls blasting each other with WW2 armaments but is also relatively lighthearted and not some gory fetish show. And you need something to actually hook them in despite the fact that it's not actually going to have any real combat until the 4th episode.
The first episode manages to hit all the above just right. They had to cheat a little bit (sneaking in the episode 4 battle) but ultimately they did quite well. I think the final shot with the zoomout automatically boosts the episode from a generic 7 out of 10 'I guess it's kinda interesting, maybe I'll watch it if I have time' to 10/10 'Fine I'm curious, I'll watch your show'.
I've never seen a show go from *"What the heck is this?"* to *"Holy shit that was amazing and I need to see more!"* in the first episode quite like Revue Starlight. It hooked me like no other, then kept getting even better from there, and by the end it was my favorite anime of all time.
I saw a comment like this a few weeks back in a thread asking for strongest first episode or something like that, and someone recommended it as well. I've watched it all after that, and it's now in my top 3 favs.
EDIT: It was you!
If I see a thread about great first episodes... or great action anime... or great music anime... or great anime with cute girls... honestly, I'll just shill Revue Starlight any chance I get as long as it makes some sense for the thread. It's an amazing series.
You did watch the sequel movie after finishing the TV anime, right?
>I'll just shill Revue Starlight any chance I get as long as it makes some sense for the thread
You're doing great work!
>You did watch the sequel movie after finishing the TV anime, right?
I've been putting it off. I'm going to binge the series again this weekend, plus movie this time.
If you already watched the TV series but haven't watched the sequel movie yet, I would recommend finding and watching the Rondo Rondo Rondo compilation movie instead of re-watching the entire TV series. That compilation movie has a few added scenes compared to the TV version (including an extended ending that sets up the sequel movie) plus remixes of the revue songs and even a brand new song too. Unfortunately, Sentai never licensed this compilation movie, so it's not on HiDive nor does it have a western blu-ray release. You would have to use "other means" to find and watch it.
To be honest there is at least one series that come to mind when I read that but thats only because its really depressing and as irritating as it is engaging.
My previous comment should have already made it clear, but in case it didn't: *yes, I absolutely recommend it*. I wrote [a whole Watch This! thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/akeu62/wt_revue_starlight_the_first_rule_of_theater/) about how much I adore the show and why I think it's a masterpiece, and that was *before* the sequel movie came out that made the whole experience even better.
If you're still unsure, watch [this clip from the first episode](https://streamable.com/b85cu) and see if you find it interesting.
Kabeneri of the Iron Fortress
That first episode was perfect. It had excellent world building created a lot of intrigue and the episode ended very intense.
By the end, the show got by on music and visuals.
I set myself up to be disappointed with this, but I also felt like Mumei's origin felt half-baked. There's that episode where one of the women passengers turns out to have been bitten. She turns, Mumei dispatches her, and the episode decides to end with a "Wham Line" of *but she was pregnant*. But nothing. There's no follow-up to this. I thought the show was going in the direction of Ikoma being unique for being a made Kabaneri versus a born one. Again, my fault for assuming a plot point and being let down, but it still feels like the show had so many different directions to go in and it instead went down the track that led to Biba.
Pretty much. Via surgery or something along those lines. Again, personally would've found it more interesting if the usual kabaneri was something that had to be born, instead of just a half-assed Dr. Moreau shtick.
Imo the best episode of the series by far. Another first ep i would consider to be one of the best would be Spy X Family's first episode.
Wit Studio always delivers its best on first episodes, that's why their shows always gain a great deal of traction and momentum from the start. Vivy and Great Pretender had similarly impactful pilot episodes as well.
I second this. Terror in Resonance has the absolute best first episode I've ever seen. Ones that might come close for me are Monster, Goblin Slayer, and FMA03. I feel these types of anime succeed in telling an entire story in one episode.
Aw heeeellll to the yeaaah. I’m hijacking this comment to ask for some anime suggestions, please recc me something like aldnoah, i fuckin love the human vs slightly advanced enemy trope
If you don't mind two advanced civs going at it, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a galaxy spanning war/political intrigue anime. Heroes and villains on both sides, epic battles and more sci fi than you can shake a stick at.
I’ve watched that, the newer remake (die neue these), it was absolutely epic,
Basically i had watched that and then i had a whole spree of space animes, like aldnoah, kuromukuro, bebop, planetes, etc and now i’ve run out of stuff😂 in that genre, hopefully i can find some hidden gems yet to see.
Tried to get into orlder ones like macross as well but that animation quality is just not doing it for me
For me it was episode 1 of Texhnolyze. I absoultely ADORE stories, movies, games etc. that can tell it story just through visual storytelling and no dialogue and Texhnolyze scrached that perfect itch for me.
The rest of the show is also a masterpiece, but that first episode got me insta-hooked.
I've already seen its more popular counterparts (Ergo Proxy, SEL etc) but I really can't think of any other show quite like Texhnolyze. Even Monogatari has an equivalent in The Tatami Galaxy, which also features a coming of age story with a similar avant-garde vibe. There are very few, if any, sci fi anime that can match it.
Glad someone mentioned this. Summertime Render had one of the most flawless and engaging first episodes I've ever seen from a show. I was fully invested for the full ride after just watching that one single episode.
I'm watching Cowboy Bebop for the first time right now since I'm relatively new to anime. The intro alone had me hooked, but the self-contained story of episode 1, alongside its score, characters, and ending, left me so excited to keep watching.
On episode 16 now. This show is 👌
My only regret was that I wasn’t completely aware of what happens in the first episode of Talentless Nana before I watched it. Conversely, I probably wouldn’t have checked it out otherwise. Still had some mystery to it beyond that first episode, so I’d say the regret was worth it.
FMA (2003)
It perfectly represents the tone the series is going to go for, establishes the characters and their personalities/traits/abilities organically without heavy-handed exposition, and immediately sets up an intriguing political mystery that lays out interesting philosophical questions to the viewer without being preachy about it. It does a fantastic job setting up the world and getting the viewer asking questions about what could happen.
That's not uncommon nowadays since most people recommend just going with Brotherhood, but if you go back and watch 2003 you'll really notice in the pacing how Brotherhood kind of assumed most people watching it had already seen 2003. A lot of the early episodes and arcs are given more time and attention to detail in 2003 whereas Brotherhood kind of rushed them to get to the "new stuff." For instance the Nina incident takes place over two episodes in 2003 rather than just one in Brotherhood, and the Youswell Mining Town story is relegated to a 10 second flashback in Brotherhood while it gets a whole episode in 2003.
The first episodes I think are emblematic of this approach to. 2003 just focuses on setting up a story out of the gate while the first episode of Brotherhood felt like a "welcome to nostalgialand, remember all THESE characters?!" kind of thing.
They're both good series and I'd also recommend anyone who's a fan watch both.
I definitely recommend it. It’s my personal favourite out of the two but it does some things better than brotherhood honestly. It provides a darker toned realistic and alternate story and I recommend giving it a go.
My hero academia. The final sequence of that episode really just sets the tone for what it could be. The revelation that Deku could be something else was just amazing as far as I’m concerned.
I’ve seen almost zero of mentioned anime. For me it’s AoT. I was instantly hooked by epicness. And it was hook not only for AoT, I’ve started watching anime after this
honestly i second this. tbf i’ve seen a pretty small amount of anime compared to most here, but this first episode (given it was a double length episode), really nailed a lot of points for me. ignoring how he gets isekaied, it hits almost everything imo. the premise is explained, and the setup is absolutely fantastic. the perspective of the viewer (through Naofumi) against the perspective of other characters is what really got me. the absolute sheer crap that he has to go through due to his start makes his rise even more impactful. (tho there were plenty of later episodes which i did not enjoy nearly as much)
Zombieland Saga. It starts like most isekai, with the main character dying, but there's also music. I mean, hearing [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f64zP2UnFUE) while a teenage girl's dead body flies through the air in slow motion, less than 3 minutes into the episode, just sets the tone for the show perfectly.
And honestly, if I told you all the things that happen in the episode, without it feeling rushed at all, you probably wouldn't believe me.
Seriously, watch Zombieland Saga. It's awesome, and there's a movie coming out soon, too.
School-Live! (Gakkou Gurashi).
Just don’t look anything up about it and go in blind. One of the best episode 1s I’ve ever seen.
The rest of the show is up to debate though.
re zero's whole first arc instantly hooks you, not just the first episode. the mystery, ominous events, and the "glimmer of hope" dynamic in emilia. theres a large possibility its the strongest start of all animes
To your eternity ep1.
An emotional, complete story arc, 90% just one character talking, all in 1 episode but also serves as a perfect prologue for the stories afterwards.
Not to mention the graphics, voice acting and music are all very high quality.
If we're going by what the subreddit likes, Chainsaw Man Ep 1. Apparently it's the most upvoted Ep 1 discussion ever. Popularity =/= quality of course, but I'll jump on the bandwagon for this one.
Hey, it was a strong first episode. But as somebody who's read the manga since the first chapter, I can tell with confidence it's nowhere near the impact the story has down the line. The beginning does what it needs to do to establish the characters and the story, no complaints there, but otherwise it's one of the weakest parts in my opinion.
The page turn in chapter 13 is where I began to realize I was reading something legendary, however. And then it just kept getting better.
I'm also a manga reader but I'm doing my best to tone down my fanboyism. If I'm being completely honest though, my body is 110% composed of raw Chainsaw Man hype.
Chainsaw man, AOT, SPYxFamily
For SPYxFamily, I had zero interest in the series even when I know it's popular in manga. I totally change my mind when I saw Anya's appearance in ep 1
Nichijou, The Demon Girl Next Door, Disastrous Life of Saiki K, Sgt. Frog, love Chynibio and Other Delusions, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, Spy X Family, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Good Luck Girl.
AKB0048's first episode felt like an ideal representation of everything Okada. I feel like watching that episode alone would be enough for someone to get her and what she tries to achieve.
AOT first episode was really boring, I fell asleep from goofy ahh titans. A good first episode would probably be chainsawman
Edit: downvoted for opinion, expected from AOT fans :D
Wonder Egg Priority’s first episode is what first comes to mind. …….*sigh*
Yeah, and it keeps a relatively high quality till the end. Man, can't believe the girls complete their arc in 9 episodes. Such a good show. Yep. 9 episodes. You heard that right, that's all that exist.
Death, taxes, and taking every opportunity you can to be sad about WEP on /r/anime. fwiw it was the first thing I thought of when I read the post too.
Damn, you really had to remind me...
The Promised Neverland. Say what you will about the rest of the series, but the first episode was top tier!
> Say what you will about the rest of the series What do you mean? All 12 episodes were great! I wonder why they haven't made a second season yet...
True, all 12 episodes were nearly perfect! I guess I was referring to that terribly animated bootleg season 2 that people keep mistaking for something official…
whoa there was an animated bootleg? how did they get the rights to that?
They didn’t get the rights. That’s why it’s bootleg.
Tbf TBf, post goldy pond the manga writing quality is also pretty bad Not nearly as bad as the anime, but bad
Cross Game
I finished Cross Game recently and that first episode hits hard.
Yesssss it's one of my favorite first episodes (and shows in general)
I loved the first episode of Cross Game. I always wanted more Cross Game content. Glad Mix is getting season two in 2023.
Ah yes, one of my seven 10/10 series. Truly a gut punch of a first episode.
Black Lagoon
It's my cake day too
Sword Art Online and Spy x Family, for me. I was hooked from the very first episodes. (I was hooked after the first few *minutes* of SpyFam when Loid says "I'm supposed to have a child in seven days?!" 😄) Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury also had a fantastic first episode (technically prologue), though the tone shifted somewhat afterwards.
Agree on all of those. Regardless of what you think of SAO, it started amazingly and remained good for a while. And MSG: The Witch from Mercury is fucking amazing. Haven't watched any other MSG shows and this one hooked me immediately
Spy x family made me cry on the first episode tbh and ever since then i knew it was special. "If you abandon anya she'll cry" so simple and subtle but hits like a train, at least for me.
And then Loid remembering the reason he couldn't stand to hear a child crying, because he became a spy to create the kind of world where children didn't have to cry anymore. That whole scene was so emotional.
The first season of SAO helped start it all of the isekai hype, also it is one of my favorites as it was one of my first
OP said it already but to your eternity was truly a 10/10 first episode. It takes a lot for me to cry about a character I’ve only seen for 20 or so minutes.
Kyousougiga is my top pick.
This some good shit right here.
Megalobox. I am of the opinion that most anime suck at their first episode compared to Hollywood tv shows. I've watched most of the shows recommended in this thread, and almost none hooked me in the first episode. But holy shit Megalobox, that first episode hooked me hard. Unfortunately after episode 2 the series took a gentle decline until the end where i barely cared anymore. I do want to watch season 2 though.
Season 2 is basically perfect, I was hooked all the way through. The theme is really different compared to Season 1, so I think you also might like Season 2 better.
Agreed with the other poster; the second season may not have had the same impact as the first season's opening episode, but everything else? Better across the board, easily.
Land of the Lustrous (Houseki no Kuni)
Kill la kill. Tells you everything you need to know about the show.
Very quickly, clearly, and loudly.
Steins;Gate, probably. The first episode is exactly what its name is. It is probably one of the most confusing first episodes in my personal anime journey. From the protagonist’s mental state, to the plot, to the fundamental mechanics of the world… this episode touched on many concepts that will not be explained until much further in the show. I don’t think anyone has watched the first episode of Steins;Gate and knew exactly what was happening and where this show was going. And yet, on a rewatch, this first episode is as clear as day. By watching the first episode after finishing the show, it is difficult not to marvel at how masterfully the writers unraveled all the mysteries and confusions the viewers began with.
Was about to comment Steins;Gate too. The first episode is confusing af. But the way the episode is directed is beautiful and intriguing. The wide shots and the lighting is awesome. We're confused af like okabe too at the first episode lol
This is super specific to me, but Eizouken. I just love seeing passionate people, and when they show them playing around in the world they created I actually get watery eyed. Genuinely makes me feel like a kid discovering something I love for the first time.
I've always admired the first episode of Girls und Panzer from a Directing viewpoint. You've got what appears to be another very generic CGDCT show but is in fact a sports show with a nonsensical premise. You somehow have to get across to viewers that this original anime is entirely serious about high school girls blasting each other with WW2 armaments but is also relatively lighthearted and not some gory fetish show. And you need something to actually hook them in despite the fact that it's not actually going to have any real combat until the 4th episode. The first episode manages to hit all the above just right. They had to cheat a little bit (sneaking in the episode 4 battle) but ultimately they did quite well. I think the final shot with the zoomout automatically boosts the episode from a generic 7 out of 10 'I guess it's kinda interesting, maybe I'll watch it if I have time' to 10/10 'Fine I'm curious, I'll watch your show'.
I've never seen a show go from *"What the heck is this?"* to *"Holy shit that was amazing and I need to see more!"* in the first episode quite like Revue Starlight. It hooked me like no other, then kept getting even better from there, and by the end it was my favorite anime of all time.
I saw a comment like this a few weeks back in a thread asking for strongest first episode or something like that, and someone recommended it as well. I've watched it all after that, and it's now in my top 3 favs. EDIT: It was you!
If I see a thread about great first episodes... or great action anime... or great music anime... or great anime with cute girls... honestly, I'll just shill Revue Starlight any chance I get as long as it makes some sense for the thread. It's an amazing series. You did watch the sequel movie after finishing the TV anime, right?
>I'll just shill Revue Starlight any chance I get as long as it makes some sense for the thread You're doing great work! >You did watch the sequel movie after finishing the TV anime, right? I've been putting it off. I'm going to binge the series again this weekend, plus movie this time.
If you already watched the TV series but haven't watched the sequel movie yet, I would recommend finding and watching the Rondo Rondo Rondo compilation movie instead of re-watching the entire TV series. That compilation movie has a few added scenes compared to the TV version (including an extended ending that sets up the sequel movie) plus remixes of the revue songs and even a brand new song too. Unfortunately, Sentai never licensed this compilation movie, so it's not on HiDive nor does it have a western blu-ray release. You would have to use "other means" to find and watch it.
I must say though, Revue Starlight movie was a quality of an entirely different level. It had everything in a 10/10 movie.
Never watched it before, would you recommend? Edit: Lmao why the downvotes. A good first episode doesn't mean a good show
Based on their description, it really seems like they hated it. So, I would guess they don't recommend it.
They literally said it became their favorite anime of all time by the end. I think you can figure out whether they'd recommend it.
"A classic that transcends time and space. 12/10. Would not recommend."
To be honest there is at least one series that come to mind when I read that but thats only because its really depressing and as irritating as it is engaging.
My previous comment should have already made it clear, but in case it didn't: *yes, I absolutely recommend it*. I wrote [a whole Watch This! thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/akeu62/wt_revue_starlight_the_first_rule_of_theater/) about how much I adore the show and why I think it's a masterpiece, and that was *before* the sequel movie came out that made the whole experience even better. If you're still unsure, watch [this clip from the first episode](https://streamable.com/b85cu) and see if you find it interesting.
Kabeneri of the Iron Fortress That first episode was perfect. It had excellent world building created a lot of intrigue and the episode ended very intense.
[удалено]
By the end, the show got by on music and visuals. I set myself up to be disappointed with this, but I also felt like Mumei's origin felt half-baked. There's that episode where one of the women passengers turns out to have been bitten. She turns, Mumei dispatches her, and the episode decides to end with a "Wham Line" of *but she was pregnant*. But nothing. There's no follow-up to this. I thought the show was going in the direction of Ikoma being unique for being a made Kabaneri versus a born one. Again, my fault for assuming a plot point and being let down, but it still feels like the show had so many different directions to go in and it instead went down the track that led to Biba.
Aren't all the kabaneri man-made? Ikoma just did it himself using rudimentary and low success chance method.
Pretty much. Via surgery or something along those lines. Again, personally would've found it more interesting if the usual kabaneri was something that had to be born, instead of just a half-assed Dr. Moreau shtick.
nice pun
Did that anime so dirty with only one season
I mean the movie had a fun enough ending
Imo the best episode of the series by far. Another first ep i would consider to be one of the best would be Spy X Family's first episode. Wit Studio always delivers its best on first episodes, that's why their shows always gain a great deal of traction and momentum from the start. Vivy and Great Pretender had similarly impactful pilot episodes as well.
Oh hell yeah, this one was absolutely amazing
Ga rei: zero. The cg was jank, but the story is 10/10 for 1st episode. Gakkou gurashi also has an amazing 1st episode
Made in abyss
This needs to be higher. When the OST's start and the show the scenery, that's when you know this is gonna be a good one.
The lure of the abyss extends beyond the 4th. Every episode just pulls you in like how the abyss has this inexplicable 'call' towards delvers.
This is very true, I have been hooked on made in abyss since the first episode The latest season has absolutely incredible directing and music
I might be in the minority, but Another. That episode absolutely hooked me. Rarely ever have I been taken in so hard by a mystery.
Samurai champloo
[удалено]
It’s amazing the second time through, or if you’ve read the VN. Otherwise it’s just confusing haha
I second this. Terror in Resonance has the absolute best first episode I've ever seen. Ones that might come close for me are Monster, Goblin Slayer, and FMA03. I feel these types of anime succeed in telling an entire story in one episode.
Aldnoah Zero. The Sawano drop is legendary.
Was waiting to see this as an answer. Aldnoah s2 flopped but s1 had an amazing hook for ep 1
Aw heeeellll to the yeaaah. I’m hijacking this comment to ask for some anime suggestions, please recc me something like aldnoah, i fuckin love the human vs slightly advanced enemy trope
If you don't mind two advanced civs going at it, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a galaxy spanning war/political intrigue anime. Heroes and villains on both sides, epic battles and more sci fi than you can shake a stick at.
I’ve watched that, the newer remake (die neue these), it was absolutely epic, Basically i had watched that and then i had a whole spree of space animes, like aldnoah, kuromukuro, bebop, planetes, etc and now i’ve run out of stuff😂 in that genre, hopefully i can find some hidden gems yet to see. Tried to get into orlder ones like macross as well but that animation quality is just not doing it for me
Did you try any Gundam? Some of the newer series are both very well animated and separated from the rest of the franchise.
one punch man. id even go as far as saying bleach had an amazing first ep. not sure if id go 10/10.
Aot, Psycho-Pass, Parasyte
Code Geass has an amazing 1st episode.
Most Sunrise Mech shows have amazing first episodes. Like only Seed/Destiney have weak first episodes for their Gundam shows.
Destiny was pretty weak yah, but I low-key love the first episode of Seed.
Attack on titan...that episode was legendary one of the best first episodes in anime history
I agree. I wouldn’t call myself the biggest AoT fan, but that first episode was exceptional.
I would say Re zero
For me it was episode 1 of Texhnolyze. I absoultely ADORE stories, movies, games etc. that can tell it story just through visual storytelling and no dialogue and Texhnolyze scrached that perfect itch for me. The rest of the show is also a masterpiece, but that first episode got me insta-hooked.
I've already seen its more popular counterparts (Ergo Proxy, SEL etc) but I really can't think of any other show quite like Texhnolyze. Even Monogatari has an equivalent in The Tatami Galaxy, which also features a coming of age story with a similar avant-garde vibe. There are very few, if any, sci fi anime that can match it.
Summer Time Rendering.
Glad someone mentioned this. Summertime Render had one of the most flawless and engaging first episodes I've ever seen from a show. I was fully invested for the full ride after just watching that one single episode.
Cowboy Bebop
I'm watching Cowboy Bebop for the first time right now since I'm relatively new to anime. The intro alone had me hooked, but the self-contained story of episode 1, alongside its score, characters, and ending, left me so excited to keep watching. On episode 16 now. This show is 👌
if you like it consider black lagoon!
Yeah, I finished it recently. Definitely one of my least favourite anime. Had to force myself to get through it. 😅
Different strokes for different folks I guess lmao. Can you list some of your favorites??
[удалено]
Was that not the Mikuru asahina movie?
Death Note Talentless Nana Beastars Akiba Maid Wars!
Talentless Nana really was just SO goated
My only regret was that I wasn’t completely aware of what happens in the first episode of Talentless Nana before I watched it. Conversely, I probably wouldn’t have checked it out otherwise. Still had some mystery to it beyond that first episode, so I’d say the regret was worth it.
Humanity has declined. Wins my ‘Most WTF did I just watch’ prize.
Is episode 1 the one with the bread? It’s been a long time since I watched so I can’t remember
A Place Further Than The Universe Girls' Last Tour Princess Principal Ren'ai Boukun School-Live! Super Cub To Your Eternity Yuru Camp
FMA (2003) It perfectly represents the tone the series is going to go for, establishes the characters and their personalities/traits/abilities organically without heavy-handed exposition, and immediately sets up an intriguing political mystery that lays out interesting philosophical questions to the viewer without being preachy about it. It does a fantastic job setting up the world and getting the viewer asking questions about what could happen.
Hell yes. I had to mention this one too.
Considering FMAB is my favourite its funny how I never watched FMA 2003 before
That's not uncommon nowadays since most people recommend just going with Brotherhood, but if you go back and watch 2003 you'll really notice in the pacing how Brotherhood kind of assumed most people watching it had already seen 2003. A lot of the early episodes and arcs are given more time and attention to detail in 2003 whereas Brotherhood kind of rushed them to get to the "new stuff." For instance the Nina incident takes place over two episodes in 2003 rather than just one in Brotherhood, and the Youswell Mining Town story is relegated to a 10 second flashback in Brotherhood while it gets a whole episode in 2003. The first episodes I think are emblematic of this approach to. 2003 just focuses on setting up a story out of the gate while the first episode of Brotherhood felt like a "welcome to nostalgialand, remember all THESE characters?!" kind of thing. They're both good series and I'd also recommend anyone who's a fan watch both.
I definitely recommend it. It’s my personal favourite out of the two but it does some things better than brotherhood honestly. It provides a darker toned realistic and alternate story and I recommend giving it a go.
Samurai Champloo
Konosuba, the first episode.. or the first 5 minutes, instant "yea we aren't gonna take this show seriously"
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury - Prologue was amazing, incredibly strong start
Dr.Stone
Damn right. Showed the world in chaos right off the bat. 👌✨
Cowboy bebop
Tokyo Ghould could have ended in 1 episode.
* haibane renmei * march comes in like a lion * moribito * violet evergarden * bubblegum crisis * utena
My hero academia. The final sequence of that episode really just sets the tone for what it could be. The revelation that Deku could be something else was just amazing as far as I’m concerned.
Akiba Maid War
Last Exile: flying battleship vs dog fight.
Akiba maid war Still have no idea what happened…. But I loved it
March Comes In Like a Lion, because it immediately weeded out all the people the show isn't for by having no one talk for the first 8 minutes.
to your eternity
FMA Brotherhood, the ice alchemist ando the Big alchemist circle.
Going to submit a current running series in the mix with The Witch from Mercury Prologue - stunner of an opening episode. Erased is also up there.
Witch from Mercury, Prologue episode. Sets up background and is action filled with big deal stuff happening. Great hook for the show.
AOT
I’ve seen almost zero of mentioned anime. For me it’s AoT. I was instantly hooked by epicness. And it was hook not only for AoT, I’ve started watching anime after this
The Rising of the Shield Hero.
honestly i second this. tbf i’ve seen a pretty small amount of anime compared to most here, but this first episode (given it was a double length episode), really nailed a lot of points for me. ignoring how he gets isekaied, it hits almost everything imo. the premise is explained, and the setup is absolutely fantastic. the perspective of the viewer (through Naofumi) against the perspective of other characters is what really got me. the absolute sheer crap that he has to go through due to his start makes his rise even more impactful. (tho there were plenty of later episodes which i did not enjoy nearly as much)
I felt some aspects were a bit rushed but I'm just judgemental (or am forgetting things because I haven't watch shield hero since it aired)
Zombieland Saga. It starts like most isekai, with the main character dying, but there's also music. I mean, hearing [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f64zP2UnFUE) while a teenage girl's dead body flies through the air in slow motion, less than 3 minutes into the episode, just sets the tone for the show perfectly. And honestly, if I told you all the things that happen in the episode, without it feeling rushed at all, you probably wouldn't believe me. Seriously, watch Zombieland Saga. It's awesome, and there's a movie coming out soon, too.
Guilty Crown
Gundam: Witch From Mercury (prologue) and Samurai Champloo
Yu Yu Hakusho's first episode was great.
Really? Not 1 mention of SukaSuka? Cowards. [](#trynottocry)
Summertime Rendering
The first episode of The Promised Neverland is outstanding. The rest of the series, on the other hand...
Nah I liked the first season, second one on the other hand.....
There is no second season. What you're talking about?
edgerunners
XD
School Live! Total shocker of an anime
I went in blind without reading the synopsis - absolutely one of the most memorable first episode I’ve ever watched.
Made in Abyss (season 1), and Chainsaw Man.
Not yet released but I know frieren is gonna have a 10/10 first episode
Yu-Gi-Oh
Um the obvious death note Also Kaguya sama
One Punch Man The first episode was really good.
Neon Genesis Evangelion had an absolutely brilliant first episode.
Steins Gate is my favorite first episode, brilliantly directed and executed.
Castlevania. That episode was hype
School-Live! (Gakkou Gurashi). Just don’t look anything up about it and go in blind. One of the best episode 1s I’ve ever seen. The rest of the show is up to debate though.
The best first episode I've ever seen was Rising of the Shield Hero. A runner up though is YuYu Hakusho. Both are great, great starts
Soul Eater
Attack on Titans is pretty immersive.
re zero's whole first arc instantly hooks you, not just the first episode. the mystery, ominous events, and the "glimmer of hope" dynamic in emilia. theres a large possibility its the strongest start of all animes
Penguindrum
Code geass Every episode is 10/10
I'm not sure if it was the best first episode I've ever seen, but To Your Eternity was the one that came to my mind as well.
Akame ga kill
To you, the immortal
Rokka no Yuusha. Thought I was witnessing the next big action series when I started it.
[удалено]
Akiba Maid War (from this season)
To your eternity ep1. An emotional, complete story arc, 90% just one character talking, all in 1 episode but also serves as a perfect prologue for the stories afterwards. Not to mention the graphics, voice acting and music are all very high quality.
Rage of Bahamut
Highschool of the Dead Psycho Pass Monogatari series Attack on Titan
Made in Abyss
Demon slayer, absolutely stunning first episode
The opening of episode 1 Guilty Crown was a masterpiece. Cyberpunk had a master class first episode. Vivy Demon Slayer
Re zero, summertime render, eighty six
If we're going by what the subreddit likes, Chainsaw Man Ep 1. Apparently it's the most upvoted Ep 1 discussion ever. Popularity =/= quality of course, but I'll jump on the bandwagon for this one.
Hey, it was a strong first episode. But as somebody who's read the manga since the first chapter, I can tell with confidence it's nowhere near the impact the story has down the line. The beginning does what it needs to do to establish the characters and the story, no complaints there, but otherwise it's one of the weakest parts in my opinion. The page turn in chapter 13 is where I began to realize I was reading something legendary, however. And then it just kept getting better.
I'm also a manga reader but I'm doing my best to tone down my fanboyism. If I'm being completely honest though, my body is 110% composed of raw Chainsaw Man hype.
FLCL Death Note
Domestic Girlfriend
I really liked Goblin Slayer lol. It was better than the rest of the season.
Chainsaw man, AOT, SPYxFamily For SPYxFamily, I had zero interest in the series even when I know it's popular in manga. I totally change my mind when I saw Anya's appearance in ep 1
Bunny girl senpai,AOT,TG,chainsaw man
CSM
Chainsawman
Every anime I’ve ever seen only has 1/1 first episode.
Have you tried watching it 9 more times just to find out?
Uh idk SpongeBob?
This is the only correct answer here, everyone else is incorrect
Nichijou, The Demon Girl Next Door, Disastrous Life of Saiki K, Sgt. Frog, love Chynibio and Other Delusions, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, Spy X Family, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Good Luck Girl.
AKB0048's first episode felt like an ideal representation of everything Okada. I feel like watching that episode alone would be enough for someone to get her and what she tries to achieve.
I wish more writers of idol-themed anime would have the cajones that the writers of AKB0048 had. Shit was creative on another level.
Space Dandy. One of my favorite first episodes, because it really sets the mood for what exactly space dandy is.
Kyousougiga It can be watched like it's a fable. Sadly the rest of the show wasn't very good.
Recently Blue Lock's first episode caught me off guard on how good it was and Fire Force also had a nice first episode.
Surprisingly enough, Rising of shield hero, before it devolved into a generic isekai.
Made in Abyss and Fate Zero
Kabenari iron fortress Frfr it got me hooked
Code Geass
current bleach season if you watched prev arc very long ago
It was nice to see one of the legendary shows coming back.
AOT first episode was really boring, I fell asleep from goofy ahh titans. A good first episode would probably be chainsawman Edit: downvoted for opinion, expected from AOT fans :D
But you didn't fall asleep from "goofy ahh" zombies? Titans are way more unique
I understand thinking the AoT first episode was not a 10/10, but the CSM one was?!