Frequently Asked Questions

The best starting anime depends on what you already enjoy. For action fans: Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer. For fans of psychological thrillers: Death Note. For an all-around perfect anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. All four have excellent English dubs and don't require prior anime knowledge.

Both are valid. Dubbed (English voice acting) is easier for newcomers since you can focus on the visuals. Subbed (original Japanese with subtitles) is preferred by many fans for emotional authenticity. Try both for a few episodes and go with what feels right. Many series like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer have excellent English dubs.

Crunchyroll is the largest legal anime streaming platform with the most simulcast titles. Netflix has major titles like Attack on Titan, JoJo's, and exclusives. Amazon Prime has a solid selection. Funimation (now merged with Crunchyroll) has the most English dubs. For older classics, HIDIVE and Retrocrush are good options.

Filler episodes are anime-original content created when the anime catches up to the source manga and needs time for the manga to advance. Filler episodes don't come from the original story and usually have no impact on the main plot. Long-running series like Naruto and Bleach have extensive filler. Our watch order guides identify which episodes to skip.

Yes — skipping filler is completely fine and what most experienced fans do. Filler episodes don't affect the main story and many are low quality. Our Naruto watch order guide and other watch order articles list exactly which episodes are safe to skip.

The Fate series is widely considered the most confusing franchise to navigate as a newcomer. It started as a visual novel with three separate story routes, and different anime adapt different routes. Our Fate series watch order guide breaks it down clearly. Dragon Ball and Gundam also have complex franchise structures.

Naruto has 720 total episodes (Naruto + Shippuden). At 24 minutes each, that's roughly 288 hours without filler. If you skip all filler (around 295 filler episodes), you're down to approximately 200 hours of essential content — about 8 full days of continuous watching. Most people complete it over several months of regular viewing.

No — many fans start directly with Dragon Ball Z and enjoy it without issues. The original Dragon Ball covers Goku's childhood and gives background on some characters and locations, but DBZ recaps the essential context. However, watching Dragon Ball first does make some DBZ moments more impactful, especially anything involving Goku's relationship with Master Roshi and Krillin.

Nen from Hunter x Hunter is almost universally considered the most deep and strategically complex power system in anime. It has 6 categories, multiple technique layers, vow and limitation mechanics, and a rock-paper-scissors category system that makes every fight a cerebral exercise. Read our full Nen guide for a complete breakdown.

This is one of anime's most debated questions. The consensus strongest anime characters are Zeno (Dragon Ball Super), who can erase entire universes at will, and Anos Voldigoad (The Misfit of Demon King Academy), who is written to be literally limitless. See our full ranking article for the complete top 20 with explanations.

Gojo uses the Limitless cursed technique and the Six Eyes. His default ability is Infinity — a passive barrier that slows anything approaching him to zero, making him physically untouchable. His offensive techniques include Blue (attraction), Red (repulsion), and Hollow Purple (a destructive combination of both). See our full Gojo abilities guide.

Isekai (異世界) literally means "another world" in Japanese. It's a genre where a character from the real world is transported, reincarnated, or otherwise ends up in a fantasy or alternate world. Popular examples include Re:Zero, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Sword Art Online, and Overlord. See our full isekai guide.

Shonen is targeted at young male audiences (typically ages 12–18) and tends to feature themes of friendship, growth, and perseverance. Examples: Naruto, Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia. Seinen targets adult men (18+) and allows for more mature, complex, or graphic storytelling. Examples: Berserk, Vinland Saga, Tokyo Ghoul. See our full comparison guide.

According to MyAnimeList (the largest anime community site), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood consistently holds the top rating. Other frequently cited contenders for "best anime ever" include Steins;Gate, Hunter x Hunter (2011), Violet Evergarden, and Clannad: After Story. "Best" is subjective — but FMA: Brotherhood is the closest thing anime has to a universal consensus pick.

Large expressive eyes in anime stem from the influence of Osamu Tezuka, the "God of Manga," who was heavily inspired by Western cartoons like early Disney films. Large eyes allow artists to convey complex emotions more clearly in a still image or limited animation. They're also culturally considered attractive in Japan. Over decades, this visual style became a defining characteristic of the medium.

Technically yes — anime is a form of animation, and "cartoon" is a general term for animation. However, the word "anime" specifically refers to animation produced in Japan and carries distinct cultural, artistic, and storytelling characteristics that differentiate it from Western animation. Japanese creators themselves use the term "anime" (short for "animation") to refer to all animation, including Western cartoons.