7 Great Anime That Are Terrible for Beginners -

Every storytelling medium has titles that are brilliant yet terrible entry points—and anime is no exception. With hundreds of thousands of series available, choosing the wrong one as your first exposure can push a newcomer away from the medium entirely, even if they might have loved anime with the right introduction.

Some beginner-unfriendly anime suffer from excessive fanservice or outdated production values. Others are masterpieces… but structured in ways that simply don’t work for newcomers. While it’s subjective, several series consistently fall into the “amazing but not beginner-friendly” category.

Here are seven of the worst anime for newcomers—despite being fantastic in their own right.

7. Mobile Suit Gundam

Studio: Sunrise

In Mobile Suit Gundam, the Earth Federation faces near defeat against the Principality of Zeon, until teenage engineer Amuro Ray pilots an experimental Mobile Suit—Gundam—changing the tide of war. As Amuro struggles with duty, trauma, and his rivalry with the legendary Char Aznable, the series lays the foundation for decades of mecha storytelling.

While undeniably iconic, Gundam’s 1979 animation and pacing show their age. Its political depth and dense worldbuilding can also overwhelm viewers unfamiliar with mecha storytelling. It’s a landmark classic, but not an ideal first step into anime.

6. Lucky Star

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Lucky Star follows otaku gamer Konata Izumi and her friends through everyday conversations, jokes, and parodies of anime culture. Much of its humor references 90s and early 2000s anime—especially The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

For longtime fans, it’s a charming time capsule. But newcomers unfamiliar with otaku culture or older anime references will miss most of the humor, making Lucky Star a surprisingly tough starting point.

5. Digimon Tamers

Studio: Toei Animation

The third Digimon series centers on Takato, whose handmade creation Guilmon becomes real—dragging him into a darker, more mature battle for both human and Digimon worlds. Digimon Tamers is widely praised for its psychological themes, bold storytelling, and willingness to question its own franchise.

But much of its impact comes from how it subverts expectations built by earlier Digimon shows. Without that context, newcomers may not fully appreciate its deconstructive storytelling or tonal shift.

4. The Tatami Galaxy

Studio: Madhouse

This surreal comedy-drama follows an unnamed college student who regrets his life choices. Each episode rewinds time and explores a different “what if” scenario—changing only the club he joins, while his life spirals into equally absurd outcomes.

Brilliant but chaotic, The Tatami Galaxy features rapid-fire dialogue, experimental visuals, and nonlinear storytelling. It’s a masterpiece of modern anime—and also one of the least beginner-friendly experiences, demanding attention and familiarity with anime’s stylistic quirks.

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Studio: Shaft

After meeting a mysterious creature named Kyubey, Madoka Kaname is offered the chance to become a magical girl. But the truth behind the role is far darker and more tragic than she ever imagined.

Madoka Magica is both a deconstruction and a psychological thriller disguised as a magical girl anime. Its surreal visuals, intense themes, and genre-subverting twists can be jarring to someone completely new to anime. It’s a masterpiece—but better appreciated after sampling lighter titles first.

2. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Studio: Gainax / Khara

Shinji Ikari is coerced into piloting the Evangelion to protect humanity from the mysterious Angels. As battles intensify, the series explores trauma, depression, identity, and the collapse of the human psyche.

Evangelion is a towering work of existential, symbolic storytelling—but also dense, abstract, and emotionally heavy. Fully appreciating it requires watching both the original series and the Rebuild films. It’s iconic, essential, and brilliant—just not beginner material.

1. Monogatari Series

Studio: Shaft

The Monogatari franchise follows Koyomi Araragi, a former vampire who encounters girls cursed by supernatural oddities. Each arc blends fast-paced dialogue, complex metaphors, surreal visuals, and philosophical introspection.

A masterpiece of writing and direction, Monogatari is also one of anime’s most challenging series—dense with cultural references, rapid monologues, unconventional storytelling, and non-linear timelines. For beginners, it’s overwhelming; for seasoned fans, it’s one of anime’s crowning achievements.