Watching Anime as a Newbie: A Beginner’s Guide

Anime is a whole world in itself, and any beginner stepping into it is bound to feel a little overwhelmed at first.

With so many genres, types, production companies, and universes, understanding it all feels impossible. When I first stepped into it, I was shocked to find out there are various types for different genders and age groups. 

For instance, there is Shoujo, the complete opposite of Shonen. Don’t worry! I have explained them in detail below. 

As someone who does not speak Japanese, these terms first sounded so alien, while OG fans knew them by heart. It was all so new for me, but the peer pressure to watch and read Manga pushed me into it. I spent nights reading all about it until I was familiar with the basics.

I have condensed all my learning regarding it into this blog for beginners so that you don’t feel overwhelmed while exploring this action and fun-packed animated world.

Types and Genres

Anime is famous for having so many types and catering to a wide variety of audiences. This is why its fans get so offended when someone calls it a cartoon. 

It is divided into five broad categories, also called genres. These are:

• Shoujo: This type is made for young girls, mostly between the ages of 12 to 18. It explores themes that interest young girls like romance, fantasy, and drama. But there are also shows and movies based on mystery and horror as well. In Shoujo, the lead is female and the entire plot is based on her. Sailor Moon is a very popular example of this.

• Shounen: This type is specifically made for young boys, between the ages of 12 and 18. It explores themes like action, sci-fi, adventure, and battle – generally enjoyed by boys of these ages. Moreover, Shounen has male leads and focuses on themes like friendship, coming of age, and heroism. It is a pretty popular type and includes shows like Naruto and Dragon Ball Z.

• Kodomouke: This type is made especially for kids below the age of 12. Kodomuke has light-hearted stories and often subtly teaches lessons about friendship and values. Popular Kodomuke includes the Pokémon series, Beyblade, and Doraemon.

• Seinen: This type targets adult men beyond the age of 18. It explores a variety of themes enjoyed by this wide demographic. It is an advanced form of Shounen and explores mature themes and genres like psychological, erotica, action, gore, and dark romance. It also has emotionally mature and complex characters. Seinen is known for its wide variety of sub-genres. Popular Seinen shows include Monster, Mushishi, and Vagabond.

• Josei: Contrary to Seinen, Josei caters to adult female audiences of ages beyond 18. It is also called the mature version of Shoujo. It explores themes like romance and friendships in a more realistic manner. However, since most women prefer watching Seinen, Josei is the least popular type of Anime. Honey and Clover is a prominent example of Josei. 

Where to Watch

The good thing about it being so popular all around the world is that it is pretty easy to watch. You do not have to visit shady-looking websites or sign up for different platforms since Anime is widely available on a variety of streaming services. 

If you are looking to subscribe to a streaming service, I would suggest visiting a platform like LocalCableDeals. It features multiple service providers, which offer streaming add-ons. As an example, Xfinity offers the Crunchyroll app in its streaming services. 

With LocalCableDeals, you can explore, compare, and sign up for TV plans and streaming services in a single place, without the hassle of researching them separately. 

Here are the most popular sites and streaming services where you can watch Anime.

1. Crunchyroll: It has a great collection of Anime in Japanese as well as multiple other languages. 
2. Funimation: If you are looking for shows and movies in English, this is the site for you. 
3. Hulu: While not completely dedicated to it, 9% of Hulu’s content is Anime. 
4. Viz: It is a free application and website for Anime fans. Viz is one of the largest distributors of manga and Anime in North America. 
5. MyAnimeList: It has the largest collection of Anime to offer. You can also read Manga on this website.

Anime Terms You Should Know

Now that you are somewhat familiar with the world, you should also learn its lingo so you can throw around its terms like a pro. Here are some terms you can start with:

• Otaku: Hardcore Anime and Manga fans.
• Ecchi: Shows with slight sexual undertones.
• Kawaii: Something cute and small that is loveable.
• Waifu/Husbando: Someone who is Wife or Husband material.
• Tsundere: Characters in anime that are straight-up aggressive.
• Yandere: Refers to the characters that openly express love to the point of obsession.
• Q-Version: A cuter version of something or someone.
• Mecha: An anime subgenre that shows giant humanoid robots. 
• Isekai: Another sub-genre where the main character is unwillingly transported to a fantasy world. 

And that is the basics of Anime covered for newbies. It has a lot to offer in terms of themes, genres, and storylines for everyone. All you have to do is figure out which one is your type before diving into the entertaining world of Anime. 

One last tip I have for you is to watch anime with subtitles. Translated versions tend to lose the Japanese and cultural feel, so subbed shows and movies are great for being able to understand them while also enjoying the cultural references. Plus, it is a great and fun way to learn Japanese.