If “I need to get into anime this year” is on your 2022 resolutions, we have compiled this list of the best feel-good anime for beginners because you deserve nice things. If you don’t have this in your resolution, you are doing 2022 wrong.
1. Komi Can’t Communicate
Shouko Komi, the main protagonist, is a beautiful and mysterious girl in her new high school and everyone wants to be her friend but she doesn’t talk. Hirohito Tadano is ordinary and does everything he can to stay out of trouble. When he finds himself sitting next to Komi, he finds himself on a mission to help her make 100 friends. This is the best anime for beginners, it is funny, sweet, and incredibly chaotic but that’s what makes it worth the watch.
2. Food Wars!: Shokugeki no sama
If you are a foodie and you have a favourite comfort food, you’ll love Shokugeki no Soma because this anime is solely about making great food. Just don’t make the mistake of watching this anime without snacks because it’ll leave your mouth watering for food you don’t even understand.
With every dish made by Soma and his unlikely friends at the Totsuki Academy and the ridiculous reactions to each meal, you might find yourself saying “WTF” but you’ll eventually get used to it. We care about your account balance so maybe don’t binge-watch this if you don’t want to binge eat.
3. Barakamon
Barakamon is a story about a calligrapher named Handa who decides to embark on a journey of finding his self-worth. He settles on a rural island village far from life as he knows it in Tokyo. In the village, he meets amazing people that make him go through life-changing experiences. Finding yourself can be difficult, so this anime can seem sombre. However, it feels like a warm hug and is worth the watch.
4. School Babysitters
After a series of unfortunate events, Ryuichi became the school’s babysitter. Not only is he responsible for the wellbeing of his own little brother, but that of dozens of other toddlers who all have different and wildly interesting personalities. This anime is cute as hell and the literal embodiment of “uwu” from episode 1 to the very end! Can’t think of a better anime for beginners.
5. Yuri On Ice
After losing in a tournament, the main protagonist Yuri discards his skating career. Fortunately, with help from his long-time friend, Viktor, Yuri makes a glorious comeback. Throughout his journey, he regained his passion for skating and found love. The characters will make you invested in a sport you probably don’t watch a lot. You will also stay for the banter and the good music. I am jealous of people that get to watch this for the first time because that feeling is unmatched.
6. Haikyuu
One thing the sports anime genre will do is evoke some feel-good emotion. Haikyu is a long-running shounen series from Haruichi Furudate. The series follows the adventures of a high school volleyball team on a quest to be the country’s strongest volleyball squad. It will give you an enormous dose of positivity. The characters have a way of lifting your spirits and motivating you. What’s not to love?
7. A Place Further Than The Universe
This anime is very big on the importance of friendships and romanticizes going on epic quests with friends. If you’ve ever felt the need to just pack up your life and try new things, you’ll be able to relate to the protagonist Mari Tamaki. Mari sets off on a life-changing journey to Antarctica. Along the way, they’re joined by Hinata Miyake and Yuzuki Shiraishi. Their journey to Antarctica is truly inspiring, but the real heart of the series is the friendship between the four girls.
8. Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom is about a class of middle schoolers who are tasked with assassinating their teacher before he destroys the world. Their teacher is a yellow tentacled monster whom they dubbed as Korosensei. While these students sharpen their assassination skills, they also learn how to look out for each other, the value of friendships, and even manage to become some of the top students academically. Korosensei teaches them valuable life lessons and makes the show funny as hell, even as they try to kill him.
9. The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K
Saiki Kusuoa is a student with pink hair and psychic powers. He’s kept his abilities in check since childhood, but high school is changing everything about his stance on using his powers. This anime is 99% funny and 1% serious. If you are looking for a good laugh, this anime is for you.
10. Ponyo
Is any anime list complete without a studio ghibli recommendation? The answer is no.
5-year-old Sosuke lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother, Lisa, until he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach. Upon rescuing her, she names the fish Ponyo. But she is no ordinary goldfish, she is one of the many daughters of a masterful wizard and a sea goddess. Ponyo uses her father’s magic to transform into a young girl and quickly falls in love with Sosuke, angered by this, Ponyo’s father sends the ocean’s mighty waves to find his daughter for playing with such powerful sorcery. The two kids embark on an adventure of a lifetime to save the world and fulfil Ponyo’s dreams of becoming human.
QUIZ: Can you guess the anime from the pixelated image of the main character?
