10 Best First Anime Episodes

There are some anime series that ask a lot from their viewers, requiring early buy-in during slower early portions of their stories. Every anime fan has been told to stick with a show at least once, with the promise that things will get far more exciting down the line. Sometimes, the pay-off is worth it.

Other times, a show fails to grab a viewer’s attention. However, there are other shows that put the pedal to the metal immediately, opening with masterful introductions to a world and characters, hooking the audience in and never letting them go.

The first episode in a series is important, and will often determine whether the entire anime production will be a success. While some shows take time before they dive into the meat of the story, these 10 anime debuts left fans desperately wanting more.

Oshi no Ko

Animated by Doga Kobo, Based on the Manga by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari

Few anime introductions have had the sort of impact on the community that Oshi no Ko had in 2023. The first episode, titled “Mother and Children”, was a 90-minute extended experience that both introduced the wacky premise of the series and eventually broke viewers’ hearts.

Including multiple deaths, reincarnation, mystery, and twist after twist, no one was prepared for Oshi no Ko, and it didn’t take long for the hype surrounding the episode to begin spreading like wildfire. The length of the debut all but confirms the anime staff knew exactly what they were doing, and it was an undeniable success.

Demon Slayer

Animated by Ufotable, Based on the Manga by Koyoharu Gotouge

Since its debut in 2019, Demon Slayer has run the anime scene. With four highly successful seasons and two record-breaking films under its belt, and another two full-length movies to come, it may take quite some time before another series matches Demon Slayer‘s continued success. And all that success can be traced back to a great first episode.

Despite its reputation as a family-friendly battle shōnen smash hit, Demon Slayer can get rather dark, and does so at the very start. Tanjiro returns home to find that his family has been brutally slaughtered by demons, with the only survivor being Nezuko, who has been turned into a demon herself.

Later, a Hashira by the name of Tomioka appears to take Nezuko out, but Tanjiro successfully defends her, and proves she isn’t a senseless creature like other demons. Demon Slayer sets itself up effectively in its first episode, and leaves fans in anticipation of what might come next.

Yuyu Hakusho

Animated by Pierrot, Based on the Manga by Yoshihiro Togashi

There are quite a few tried and true storytelling techniques that certain writers will employ to ensure fans are bought in from the very beginning. However, killing off the main character isn’t usually one of those techniques, but that’s exactly what Yuyu Hakusho does in its very first episode.

The series follows Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is hit by a car while attempting to push a young boy out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. Shockingly, Yusuke dies right then and there, but awakes as a ghost in the underworld, and is tasked with completing a series of tests in order to return to his old world.

The series then goes on to focus on action and even includes tournament arcs, but by then, most viewers will already be bought in.

Death Note

Animated by Madhouse, Based on the Manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Death Note has remained incredibly popular since its premiere in 2006. Each year, the series continues to help usher waves of viewers into the anime community as a go-to show early on in new fans’ journeys into the medium. Death Note has achieved classic status, and deservedly so.

What has helped the series remain so popular is its masterful first episode, which introduces the titular Death Note and establishes its power, all while forcing the audience to quickly decide whether Light Yagami is abusing an ability he should not have.

It’s nearly impossible for the audience to move on from Death Note‘s set-up without further questions or curiosity about where its characters will go next.

Cowboy Bebop

Animated by Sunrise, Original Anime Series

Cowboy Bebop is one of the most popular and influential anime series of all-time, and it starts with quite a bang. The first episode, titled “Asteroid Blues”, establishes the world and its characters by throwing the audience directly into the action, delivering a suspenseful, flashy, and incredibly bleak story right off the bat.

The tragic bounty sets up Spike Spiegel’s character without outright telling the audience what he’s all about, while also foreshadowing future events by hinting at his ties to the Red Dragon Syndicate. There’s little left to be said about Cowboy Bebop that hasn’t already been said, and the quality of its narrative is on full display from the very first episode.

Attack on Titan

Animated by Wit Studio and MAPPA, Based on the Manga by Hajime Isayama

The world, politics, and characters of Attack on Titan are complex, and are all major reasons for the series’ incredible success over the last 12 years. Though the anime spends 94 episodes exploring them, the very first does a fine job of letting the audience know they’re worth diving into.

After following Eren, Mikasa, and Armin through what appears to be any other day in their walled city, the Colossal Titan appears and destroys the protective barrier, allowing other titans to flow in and wreak havoc on Shiganshina.

Attack on Titan‘s first episode is chaotic and an altogether shocking experience for anyone unprepared for the sort of story they’re getting into. The dangers of simply being alive in the series’ world are made known from the very beginning, and leave viewers wanting more.

Chainsaw Man

Animated by MAPPA, Based on the Manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Chainsaw Man is dark, gritty, weird, action-packed, and surprisingly moving, and all of those elements are on full display in its opening episode. Starting off by introducing Denji and his struggle to survive in a world that seemingly wants him dead at all costs, the series quickly flips the switch and leans into action—and it’s glorious.

The scene in which Pochita gives Denji a new contract and becomes his heart immediately tugs on the viewers’ heartstrings, and thanks to some masterful soundtrack work by Kensuke Ushio, the moment hits even harder.

Denji is an incredibly easy character to root for, and by introducing Makima and Public Safety in the episode’s final moments, fans can’t help but want to see if the protagonist’s life will improve.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Animated by Gainax, Original Anime Series

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of those titles that has transcended the boundaries of the anime community, and has found praise from general Western audiences, film enthusiasts, and die-hard anime fans alike. Though the series finale has been divisive since its airing, Evangelion‘s debut is an undeniable masterpiece.

With a classic ’90s visual aesthetic and a style all its own, Evangelion opens with an angel attack, throwing the audience right into Shinji’s shoes. Later, the series throws Shinji right into the cockpit of Eva Unit-01, and ends before revealing the outcome of his battle.

The introduction to Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s main characters and conflict is masterfully done, and by the time the roller coaster of emotions abruptly ends, fans will have no choice but to move on to the next episode.