It's safe to say that anime is more popular here in the States than it ever has been. Ever since the mid-'90s, the anime community has been growing exponentially — what was once a niche market is now home to an absolutely massive fanbase. Simply put, anime is everywhere ... but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to get into.
Anime can be surprisingly complicated — most people may think it's simply about Japanese cartoons, but that barely even scratches the surface. Anime is a medium unto itself, not just another genre of animation — and, while that's helped create the library of amazing works that fans have access to today, it can be a bit obtuse for anyone who's been left in the dark.
That's what this guide is for: we're going to cover the basics of anime and manga, so that anyone who's trying to jump in and start watching has a jumping-off point. On that note, let's start with the most basic of basics: what are anime and manga, and how are they related?
Now that you know what anime is and where to start looking, the question is: where can you find it? While it can be a bit frustrating to find streaming anime online, there are far more options now than there used to be — and chances are you're already signed up for at least one of the following streaming services:
Crunchyroll
If you're looking for a place to simply jump in and try a few different series out, Crunchyroll is an excellent place to start. The majority of its library focuses on newer series, so anyone looking for classic shows or movies might not find much, but the size of Crunchyroll's library is hard to beat. Plus, there's no real need to sign up for a subscription (unless you really hate ads), making Crunchyroll the cheapest starting point as well.
Netflix
Let's be honest: Netflix's anime selection is all over the place. The quality of the shows available varies wildly, and more than a few series have been left incomplete for years. Despite all that, Netflix can still be a great place to go for anime: series like Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist are more than enough reason to dive in, and they're far from the only example of excellent anime on the service.
Hulu
It may take a little bit of digging, but Hulu has a surprisingly large selection of anime — including full series and individual movies — in its library. The only real catch is that, for many full series, most of the English-dubbed episodes are only available to Hulu Plus members ... but, if you don't mind subtitles, Hulu can be a great place to watch.
Amazon
No, we're not talking about Prime Video here — there are just some series and movies that you won't be able to find online. Blu-rays and DVD collections can be expensive, but in a lot of cases, they're going to be your only legal option. At the very least, diligent fans can find some fantastic deals, and it's hard to beat the picture quality of an actual disc.
Now that you've got a basic understanding of what anime is, who it's made for and where to find it, there's only one thing left to do: go out and actually watch some! There are literally thousands of different places to start — if you're looking for specific recommendations, make sure to check out our list of the essential must-watch anime TV series and movies!
As we've demonstrated, anime can get a bit complicated — if you've got any questions or suggestions for additions, let us know in the comments down below!
