Making a first impression with an anime is like anything else in films and entertainment.
It will either make you lose interest if it’s bad, or that’s even if the later episodes are good. And if it’s completely bad, the rest of the series has no chance of doing well.
Let’s talk about anime that have a good first episode (and first impressions) regardless of whether the later episodes are up to par.
That’s for you to decide.
Here’s a list.
1. My Happy Marriage
Miyo is why the first episode is so dramatic but powerful, sad but relieving in the end, and having so much emotional impact.
The main female character Miyo grows up in an unfortunate situation that depicts and treats certain people of a certain status badly and disrespectfully, even if they are part of the same family.
Naturally, this makes you hate and dislike certain characters and favour others more. But by the end of the first episode, you’re left impacted by the sad circumstances and, more importantly, how it turns out afterwards.
2. Attack On Titan
Attack On Titan will always be a classic first episode for how and what happens in between. Eren Yaeger and, Armin + others are kids at this point.
Things change. The protection of Wall Maria falls apart when the Titans smash through it, followed by a titan in particular who makes it through and tragically kills Eren’s mother.
He and Armin are forced to watch it happen, powerless, as they head out to the escape route and make it out alive before the carnage gets worse.
This births the cliche revenge plot of Eren, which dramatically changes over the course of the series.
3. The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K
Siaki K is only a baby in the first episode, or at least for the first 5 minutes or so, while the anime comically explains who he is, his powers, how he keeps them restrained with a device, and how he was walking on air as a baby.
For a slice of life/comedy series, it’s not surprising that the first episode has a good impression and a strong impact.
But Saiki K being a different animal all together gives you a feeling no comparable anime can duplicate.
4. Classroom Of The Elite
Classroom Of The Elite is a savage school series that does it differently from the average school anime show. First of all, the competition in this school is ruthless, and the bar is high for students.
Many students come from well-off backgrounds, making some arrogant, ignorant, or in the case of Ayanokouji, ruthless in silence and confident without being cocky.
Or, in the case of Suzune Horikita, the black-haired female character, a little insecure and dedicated to playing the part and not allowing herself to drag others down because a lot is at stake.
5. High School Of The Dead
I don’t like how this anime turns out and the nonsensical Ecchi elements that ruin the plot, but in general, the first episode of this anime series is actually good.
It starts out with the zombie apocalypse, the aftermath, and the craziness of what’s developing as some get killed and eaten while the main characters fight to survive and succeed.
The first episode is, unfortunately, one of the series’ best episodes.
6. Goblin Slayer
Goblin Slayer is here for a reason. The first episode is brutal, savage, memorable, and will never be forgotten.
The Goblin Slayer, a man in armour with an awkward personality, finds himself in a cave with goblins (deliberately) trying to hunt them down and protect people as a side effect.
Onna, the priestess of the series, is in these caves when her friend is taken away, brutally murdered, and she almost gets killed as Goblin Slayer happens to save her just in time.
Traumatized and grateful, Onna hangs with Goblin Slayer, and they form a wholesome relationship with each other (but not romantically).
7. Oshi No Ko
Who knew Oshi No Ko, an anime with a focus on idols, could be so strong with its first episode? The dose is drug-inducing.
Ai Hoshino is the star of the show even after the events of the long 1 hour plus first episode. She’s a famous idol with a particular look to her, one that reels people in.
After having kids, things get better, but they also get worse and even tragic.
A surprising Isekai element comes into play during this time as well.
8. Barakamon
Barakamon is a wholesome slice of life anime that focuses on Seishu Handa, a calligrapher. He punches a man in the face after his work is criticized, making this first episode leave a strong impression.
He’s then sent to an island by his family to go cool off and develop himself while reflecting on his mistakes.
Personal development is the main theme of this anime, aside from the comedy that comes with it. And it’s a meaningful series that continues to entertain right from the anime’s dramatic first episode.
9. Akame Ga Kill
Akame Ga Kill is an anime about Nightraid, the revolutionary army, and their goal of creating a revolution to destroy the corrupt government, its officials, and politicians who society has grown to hate silently.
The first episode shows Tatsumi, a swordsman from a poor village with hopes of making money to help his village, shocked and traumatized by the end of it when he sees the true reality of the capital (which he had naive ideas about).
He ends up joining nightraid by happenstance, but what happens in between is something no fan will ever forget in the first episode.
10. Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a guy who’s grown up in unfortunate situations. His father kills himself to avoid paying a debt that he owes to a bunch of shady guys.
Denji is then forced to pay off that debt once the debt collectors find out, and Denji is even forced to sell one of his kidneys (organ selling).
This first episode does a solid job of helping you warm to the MC, relate to his circumstances, and put yourself in his shoes, which only seems to worsen as you watch.
11. Owari No Seraph
Owari No Seraph is about humans vs vampires. The vampires are putting pressure on the human race, so the human race develops weapons and ways of fighting back, including using demon swords.
Before that, Yuichiro Hyakuya, Michaela, and their friends are child slaves to vampires in a “child” factory meant to feed them their blood.
After coming up with a plan to escape, only Yuichiro escapes with his life. Everyone else is slaughtered mercilessly.
Similar to Eren from Attack On Titan (same studio at the time), Yuichiro wants revenge and becomes stronger after joining The Moon Demon Company and making a pact with a demon sword.
12. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online has one of the best first episodes going. The anime sets it up nicely and makes the premise dark and depressing for all its gamers in the world of VR.
If they die, they die in real life. And for those who think it’s a joke, they suffer the consequences through almost instant death.
Kirito, the master player of this series, and others like Asuna Yuuki eventually band together to get through the madness and survive to see the day they make it out of the VR game, which can only be done by winning.
Even if that means killing others (knowing it will kill them for real).
13. A Certain Scientific Railgun
Mikoto Misaka goes by a lot of names. The shock princess, the railgun of Tokiwadai, and other names because she’s a famous Level 5 in a city with millions of espers (only 7 are ranked Level 5).
It fits that the anime’s first impressions are thanks to characters like Mikoto Misaka when you get to see her “Railgun” in action, which is flipping a metal coin, and using it to create a “Railgun” by blasting it with electricity, which is her superpower.
Kuroko Shirai, the teleporting esper, as well as Ruiko and Uiharu, also make up the anime’s first impressions that only impress.
14. The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses
Mie-San, the main female character, is the girl who often forgets her glasses and has to squint her eyes to see anything. Or even bury her face in a magazine to read the letters.
Komura Kun, the anime’s male MC, helps Mie-San, partly because he likes her, and their relationship develops into a part clumsy, part wholesome, and part comedic relationship.
The first episode’s visuals, aesthetics, camera angles, and art style is part of the anime’s solid first impressions.
15. Re:Zero – Starting Life In Another World
Subaru Natsuki, a late teenager who wears tracksuits and has style, is reincarnated into an unfamiliar world of elves, demons, swordsmen, strange creatures, and more he’s soon to discover.
After meeting Emilia, a half-elf (he doesn’t know this yet), he decides to focus on her as a means of coping in his new environment and as a way to stay motivated (he also fancies her).
But as we see in the later episode, which is about 45 minutes long, tragic events strike, and after leaning he can come to life after death, respawning at certain checkpoints like a game, things start to get serious.
16. Wonder Egg Priority
This anime is one of those you’d class as being amazing initially but having one of the worst endings for no good reason.
The anime’s first episode shines for a lot of reasons. Ai Ohto, one of the main female characters, wears a yellow hoodie, has unique coloured eyes, and is depressed.
The anime captures her stress and depression better than most anime can compare to. It turns out her friend, who she feels she could have helped, committed suicide, and this is a major part of the first episode.
The aesthetics only make it all the more impressive.
17. Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer isn’t the greatest Shounen anime, but it has one of the best first episodes for a Shounen.
Admittedly, it uses the tragic cliche to sell itself, but it does a good job of it.
Tanjiro Kamado comes home to blood and dead bodies. Those bodies are of his family. Only his little sister is alive, but she’s now a demon who still happens to retain some human elements.
After a demon slayer saves Tanjiro from his sister, who goes wild at first, he promises to fight for his sister, his only family left in this cold world and wants to find a way to turn her into a human.
18. Psycho Pass
Psycho Pass’s first episode takes place in a back alley. A woman is almost r*ped, and she’s visibly traumatized.
It’s worse than it sounds.
This is the first job for Akane Tsunemori, a new police officer on duty, and she witnesses some of the worst stuff on her first day.
That’s not the worst of the plot, though. The anime is about a technologically driven society and police force that relies too much on technology to solve human problems.
One of which is the gun called a dominator, which decides whether someone should be blasted into smithereens or apprehended and jailed based on the measurement of their mental state (which the gun is capable of doing with A.I).
This leads to all sorts of problems, which Akane tries to protest.
19. Heavenly Delusion
Maru, a strange boy with strong physical abilities, and Kiriko, a strange girl with an even stranger but sad backstory, work together to survive in a world full of maneaters.
Armed with a special gun, Kiriko can blast anything to bits as it’s a weapon that’s charged with energy, reliant on a type of battery.
Maru can destroy man-eaters for unexplainable reasons with his fists alone, or at least he can if he touches their heart or certain body parts.
The first episode leaves you with enough mystery, action, cliffhangers, and suspense to want to continue watching.
20. Redo Of Healer
Redo Of Healer is the kind of anime that starts off strong and has even stronger material the more you watch it, unlike Goblin Slayer (as far as uncomfortable scenes).
Keyaru, an innocent healer, is taken advantage of for his healing powers by the so-called princes of the kingdom and everyone involved of royal blood.
He finds s way to get revenge and succeeds, and he gets his revenge in the most barbaric ways possible, which only makes sense since he’s treated much worse and in ways that can’t be called human.
21. Gurren Lagann
Gurren Lagann starts with Kamina, Simon, the kid, and Yoko, the hot redhead. Long story short, Kamiya’s insistence on reaching the surface (after living underground their whole life) is what motivates Simon to find a way to reach the surface.
They succeed, and this is a major turning point in their lives as far as freedom, adventure, and exploration goes. Plus living their best life.
As they were warned by others who settled for living under the surface, dangers are all over the place now that they’re on the earth’s surface. But it doesn’t matter.
Kamina, the inspiration of the series, values freedom and living his dreams over anything else.
It’s infectious.
22. Dragon Ball (first season)
Dragon Ball starts with Goku as a kid and Bulma in her teenage years. She sees Goku attacking her car, feels threatened, and shoots Goku with a gun multiple times.
He survives to Bulma’s surprise, and they strangely become partners and later friends in the Dragon Ball franchise.
We find out later that Goku survives because he’s a Saiyan.
23. The Executioner And Her Way Of Life
In this Yuri series, the executioner and her way of life, the first episode has to be one of the most savage in all of anime history.
The anime focuses on Isekai like many before it, but it’s with a twist. Isekai characters who are reincarnated are treated differently than they usually would be.
This is revealed in the first episode, unapologetically.
With the plot focusing on Menou Chan, the church girl who appears to be “ethical” but works behind closed doors in nefarious ways, brutality is only to be expected.
The plot runs deep.
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Related:
15 Amazing Anime With The Most Disappointing Endings
