lasterrending said:At the risk of repeating what others have said:
1. It should have broad appeal.
Something in the adventure genre would be good, as long as it's not just a string of repetitive battles. A little science fiction or fantasy would be nice, as long as it's not too deep or heavy. Slowing down the pace to give time for character development will appeal to those who aren't fans of action, especially if you add a bit of romance.
I would suggest a male MC simply because it's harder to make a female MC who appeals to men than to make a male MC who appeals to women. However, it should also include a strong female supporting character.
2. It should be relatively short.
2-3 seasons of 12 episodes each should be about right. After that, the casual anime viewer may lose interest. Each season should feel like it has a happy and satisfying ending.
3. It should be fairly episodic.
This is so you don't have to try to convince someone to watch the show from the beginning. It's easier to convince them to invest only half an hour to watch a single episode, and if the show is episodic it allows you to pick your favorite A two-minute explanation of the story and description of the main characters should be enough so that they're not confused if they watch Episode 9 without any background.
4. The main characters should be strong but relatable.
A typical wimpy harem MC will disgust first-time watchers. An overpowered MC will have first-time watchers rolling their eyes because it just confirms their biases.
Less important than his physical strength or powers is his confidence. He shouldn't be arrogant, but he should be capable of making decisions and sticking with them, and he shouldn't feel threatened when others take a confrontational tone. This is the type of character that everyone can both admire and relate to.
5. The show should be about something.
The main theme or idea of the show should be easily explained in one sentence.
The details of the storyline aren't as important as long as the show is constantly reminding the viewer of the main idea. Stray from that idea too far and it loses focus, which tends to make the viewer lose interest.
6. The tone should be fairly light.
This goes back to the "broad appeal." Some people just plain don't like dark or heavy shows. But even fans of dark and heavy can still appreciate something lighter.
A bit of humor sprinkled throughout the show is good, but it shouldn't dominate. Not everyone likes comedy.
7. Stay away from the more hardcore themes.
No blood. No nudity, or even gratuitous panty shots. No incestuous themes. No lolicon. No yuri and especially no yaoi.
If characters die, make sure they're not ones the viewers are emotionally invested in. It's okay to kill villains and the occasional side character.
8. Feel free to throw out any of the above rules to tailor your recommendation to particular people. If you have a friend who likes slasher movies, go ahead and show him something with lots of blood and guts. If you have a friend who's unashamed about his porn habit, get him started on ecchi harem shows.