15 Hidden Anime That Will Hook You From The Very First Episode
15. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
'Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash' is nothing like those power fantasies where the hero becomes unstoppable immediately and conquers the world effortlessly. This beautifully animated watercolor art style anime starts with a bunch of regular teenagers being dumped into a tough world without knowing how they got there. They must fight for the privilege of buying some food. The pilot episode immediately catches your attention by elevating what should have been an uninteresting low-level goblin hunt into an intense struggle for survival. It strips away all typical safety elements from video games, giving us an emotionally realistic and gritty fantasy experience.
14. Id:Invaded
A clever sci-fi mystery that takes its cues and noir crime investigation aspects from psychological thrillers such as Inception and Minority Report. The pilot throws you right into the thick of things, watching a genius detective investigate an actual murder case through surreal puzzles and dreams. His brain-boggling reasoning unfolds with breakneck speed, throwing us a bunch of clues to keep our minds spinning. This intellectual thriller manages to establish its unique high-concept premise with incredible confidence in its pilot episode.
13. Akiba Maid War
Do not be fooled into believing that 'Akiba Maid War' is just a slice-of-life comedy about a group of high school girls working at a maid cafe in Tokyo. This twisted parody begins with some fun and innocence before turning it all dark and violent as the crew is drawn into a bloody turf war between the Yakuza in fast-paced combat set against the backdrop of catchy J-pop music. The insane amount of tonal whiplash in the debut episode is absolutely perfect in every way, creating one of the best parodies out there.
12. Deca-Dence
'Deca-Dence' is a thrilling sci-fi tale that pulls the rug out from under our feet near the end of its impressive pilot episode. The premise begins with a brutal fight where humans must survive within a mobile fortress to defend against giant monsters. But after we become immersed in this familiar premise, everything changes thanks to a shocking plot twist at the very end. Not only does it add a fascinating extra element to the premise, but it gives us another reason to watch the next episode to find out what happens next.
11. Inuyashiki: Last Hero
In contrast to teenage heroes in most shows, this dark and unique sci-fi series follows an elderly man who is dying and gets transformed into an almighty cyborg with god-like powers. The intensity of the premise starts right away in the first episode as the protagonist is granted incredible powers before realizing what happened to him. This creates a lot of drama and suspense, especially when the other guy, who received the same treatment, starts using his powers for evil.
10. Gakkougurashi! (School-Live!)
The pilot of 'Gakkougurashi!' is best experienced without having any prior knowledge beforehand because going in blind creates the greatest effect ever. We start out watching a wholesome and cute story of high school girls attending school as usual and living a normal life. But then suddenly it all flips around when the characters realize something is terribly wrong. With the help of the amazing artwork, this seemingly generic show becomes an instant psychological horror in a matter of two minutes.
9. Odd Taxi
At first, the cute cartoon characters with animal designs might make you think it's a funny and cute show. Then, the pilot episode throws us into an interesting mystery involving an odd, middle-aged walrus driving a cab while listening to the stories of his passengers, only to discover that everything connects. The sharp and realistic dialogue feels straight out of a movie by Quentin Tarantino, with an atmosphere full of danger and mystery. After the first ride, it becomes clear that each word means something important.
8. Kanata no Astra (Astra Lost in Space)
Set thousands of light-years away from Earth in space, the first episode of this intriguing space survival mystery wastes no time in building the stakes. A mysterious event causes a group of high school students to be sucked into a floating object and stranded outside of a spaceship. In order to survive, they decide to cooperate with each other and explore the abandoned ship, which later turns into paranoia as one character realizes that they are not alone and someone may sabotage their communication. The pilot episode sets a good foundation for further development of the show.
7. Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
With the help of Wit Studio, this visually pleasing sci-fi action series tells a story about a joyful robot designed to please humans and sing them songs. In the beginning of the pilot episode, we learn about her life until she discovers that some evil force hacked her systems and found out about the dystopian future where machines killed every human being. From that moment, the sweet songstress turns into a deadly assassin and spends a century undercover. The pilot episode offers breathtaking scenes with impressive combat skills.
6. 91 Days
Taking place during the Prohibition Era, this intense mafia thriller starts with a tragedy. The first scene of '91 Days' depicts the brutal execution of an entire family by a crime syndicate. And years later, their son receives mysterious information about the murders. To take revenge on the killers, he decides to infiltrate the family and pretend to be one of them to get close enough for vengeance. The pilot perfectly represents the era, delivering a great premise for the rest of the series.
5. Link Click
This extraordinary supernatural mystery thriller features two partners who run a photography shop and possess the power to enter their customers' pictures to fulfill certain requests. This premiere episode is a true masterpiece, demonstrating the rigorous rules surrounding their ability to travel through time and the emotional impact of changing the past. You can feel a great deal of tension built into this episode, which culminates in an incredible last surprise that ties a simple assignment to a much greater scheme.
4. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
The first episode of this historical drama is about the traditional Japanese art of comedic storytelling (rakugo). The double-length episode tells the story of an eccentric convict who asks his favorite teacher for forgiveness and pleads to be accepted as an apprentice. Watching the characters perform rakugo is an absolutely riveting experience that immerses viewers in the actors' tragic passion and jealousy. This is a highly mature and sophisticated masterpiece that can keep you hooked right from the get-go.
3. The Promised Neverland (Season 1)
Even though the first season received many positive reviews, many new anime fans skip it, thinking it's just an innocent orphan story with carefree kids playing in the countryside. However, the premiere turns out to be an incredible surprise as viewers learn that all of those kids are smart and have been kept at an idyllic estate by a kind mother. Everything changes completely when the truth comes out, and the audience learns the horrible fate of the children when getting adopted.
2. Kyousougiga
This criminally underrated, psychedelic fantasy anime is an absolutely mesmerizing piece of art packed with colors, family drama, and mythology. In the first episode, viewers discover a mirror version of Kyoto where drawings are alive and people coexist with various magical spirits. Furthermore, viewers meet a manic girl flying through the sky and hitting everything with a huge turning hammer in order to reunite with her lost parents. This episode hooks viewers deeply with its creative story and emotional core.
1. Ga-Rei: Zero
The pilot episode of 'Ga-Rei: Zero' is absolutely the best one for subverting audience expectations. It features a very confident, powerful, well-armed team of supernatural disaster-response agents going out to save Tokyo from a horrific spirit invasion. This episode spends half an hour making the viewer think those characters are the stars of the show, only to kill them in the final few seconds. This legendary and shocking plot twist completely breaks down anime tropes, making viewers fall in love with it.
