| Of all the shows in anime history, what three shows had the best first episode? (has to be first season) and what made it so good? |
| It'd probably be Hanasaku Iroha, because I did not expect to like the protag as much as I did after the first ep. Love Lab because I did not expect it to be as funny as it was. Or, Parasyte cause that also surprised me with how good it was |
 'On-Hold' is another way for a completionist to say 'Dropped' |
| Cross Game, it completely caught me off guard and hit me in the heart. |
| Osomatsu-san's first episode is one of the most memorable opening episodes i've ever seen. |
| I'm gonna say Zankyou no Terror, was hooked immediately from the first episode. |
 "Do you know why snow is white? Because it's forgotten what color it's supposed to be." - C.C. |
| Those for sure: - Ga-Rei-Zero - Cross Game - Gakkougurashi - Elfen Lied - Akame ga Kill - Promised Neverland - Death Parade |
 |
| My two picks would be Kill la Kill and Ping Pong the Animation. Kill la Kill is such a far cry from what I normally watch (over-the-top in every way imaginable- fanservice, action, etc.), but I was laughing my ass off at how utterly absurd it was. Somehow it all just worked for me, right from the first episode. Ep. 1 felt like it went by in 5 minutes. Ping Pong was a show I was skeptical about when I started it (as with most, it had to do with the art style, and I'm also not big on sports), but the first episode was all I needed to realize I was watching something brilliant. I loved the animation and the way they sequenced the shots, and I ended up binging the whole series right there in a single sitting. |
 "I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited." ― Jorge Luis Borges [url=]Goodreads[/url] | [url=]Letterboxd[/url] |
| Probably Usagi Drop. In just 13 minutes it made me care so much about the characters to the point where I was tearing up when Rin started crying in front of her father's coffin. That's more than most shows manage to do during their entire run time. As for some others, Attack on Titan would probably be near the top for how quickly it manages to completely hook you into the show when shit starts going down. I'd also put NGE there for similar reasons. And maybe Death Note for the concept alone. |
 |
| in my opinion: - Shingeki no Kyojin - Yakusoku no Neverland - Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu |
 |
| Osomatsu-san tbh fucking hilarious! |
| Probably Erased. Made in abyss, FLCL and maybe Shigatsu wa kimi na uso or the tatami galaxy had good first episodes too. |
Eventually, you'll fall into death's embrace anyway, so it's stupid to be bound by useless ideals.  |
| Texhnolyze is definitely up there, but my pick is Haibane Renmei. It's a beautiful introduction to the world and characters that will leave you intrigued, bewildered and wanting more. |
 |
| Ping Pong the Animation had a really strong first episode, and Boku Dake/Erased did too. Bakemonogatari kinda did too. Ping Pong the Animation made me fall in love with the show immediately. I never thought I'd care about a ping pong match, yet I was absolutely enamored by that first ping pong battle. Erased's first episode wasn't the most original out there, but it was very, very well executed. It's strong first episode is what led me to be so much more critical of the show than I should have, after how disappointed I was at the show as a whole. My standard for the show was created by that first episode, and the second half didn't even live up to a quarter of that standard. That first episode really hooked me, and was a shining example to me of originality being far less important than execution. I've grown tired of the Monogatari series, even though I watch every single season, but I still love Bakemonogatari. That first episode did such a good job at showing us what kind of show it was, and getting me interested. It was so new and fresh that I couldn't help but want more, and unlike Erased, actually delivered on that promise of quality for at least an entire season. |
 |
| SAO Goblin Slayer Because other happy-go-lucky isekai/adventuring shows are cliched and boring AF. |
 |
| The first thing that came to mind was Guilty Crown, which despite being terrible overall (imo), had an amazingly strong first episode. The Future Diary comes to mind. The first episode’s initial value is meh, but after finishing and rewatching I think it’s excellent because of how it foreshadows the end. I’m also fond of the first episode of Samurai Champloo |
| Lolicons are scum. BABYMETAL is more metal than Metallica. Naruto is objectively the best anime ever. HxH 99' is decent. HxH 11' is bad. |
| Darling in the FranXX had a good opening episode, still a shame how that show turned out. |
What a beautiful Duwang |
| Probably the first episode of Hunter x Hunter (1999 version). Now that's how you make a first episode that truly absorbs you into the screen and makes you want to genuinely press "next episode" to know how the story unfolds. Simply a beauty. |
| Off the top of my head, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Being 45 mins long definitely helped. |
| Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion had pretty iconic first episodes, if you ask me. But everybody knows that. So I also nominate Black Lagoon, Chihayafuru, Kill la Kill, WataMote, Psycho-Pass, Death Parade, K-On! Season 2, and (hot take incoming) Steins;Gate. |
 This glorious signature image was created by @Mayumi! I am the Arbiter of Absolute Truth, and here is my wisdom: "Anime was always influenced by the West. This is not news. Shoujo is the superior genre primarily aimed at young people. Harem/isekai are lazy genres that refuse any meaningful innovation. There is no 'Golden Age.' There will always be top-shelf anime. You should be watching Carole & Tuesday." |
vegeta8639 said: Probably Usagi Drop. In just 13 minutes it made me care so much about the characters to the point where I was tearing up when Rin started crying in front of her father's coffin. That's more than most shows manage to do during their entire run time. Totally forgot to mention Usagi Drop... I couldn't agree with you more. Easily one of the best first episodes of all time. The show as a whole didn't blow me away per se, but it was such a sweet story. I really enjoyed it. |
"I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited." ― Jorge Luis Borges [url=]Goodreads[/url] | [url=]Letterboxd[/url] |
| Centaur no Nayami. 4 seconds in and there it is, my girls are already kissing. From that moment i know this is going to be a awesome anime =) that's my favorite first episode of all time |
 |
LeWind_God said: Cross Game, it completely caught me off guard and hit me in the heart. This, really impressive how it made me care for the characters through drama in the very first episode. |
| Aldnoah.Zero Especially the last few minutes are epic af. Too bad it was all downhill from there. |
 |
| Actually I don't remember, too much anime... Only stuff that started really really great but after that totally disappointed me like: Dimension W, Kokkoku, SAO, Basquash!, Terra Formars: Bugs 2-hen (the pilot of Terra Formars), Kiss Dum: Engage Planet ect. |
| I second Samurai Champloo though I've yet to finish it. and add Detroit Metal City as it hit the absurdist comedy in episode one and never let up. I'm a metalhead who couldn't help but laugh at how that show portrayed my more 'enthusiastic' brothers and sisters. |
You can make me grow old, but you can never make me grow up! |
| Gakkougurashi has one of the best [redacted] right on the first episode, though it becomes too famous because of it that people mostly getting spoiled and diminish the magic of that episode. Muv Luv Alternative is another title I had in mind, such a shame that the show itself never picked up on the excellent opening that you'd better off only watching the first few episode only. Arakawa Under the Bridge is probably one of the best Shaft anime in presenting total chaos in just one episode, you'd abandon all sort of reasonable thinking and just go on with the crazy plot. It is quite a feat for priming the audience for all the comedic nonsense afterwards. |
azzuReMar 29, 2019 3:52 AM
| The most important things in life is the people that you care about |
| Fate/Zero (not really new if you know Fate/Stay Night beforehand though) Cross Game Samurai Champloo Made in Abyss Erased (too bad it's quality dropped a lot in second half) |
Jim_HeartMar 29, 2019 4:30 AM
"The Slave is the have-not, the oppressed one with nothing to spare. But because the Slave is in that despairing situation, having nothing, it can kill the Emperor !" |
| For me, Saga of Tanya the Evil had one of the best 1st episodes i have seen. It is what cuased me to watch the entire series |
| "Never Give Up Without A Fight" By Zuko |
| I'm surprised at how many people said Cross Game. That first episode was really something else. There's plenty of recent anime that had great first episodes. I was hooked on Dororo and Shield Hero after the first episode. Although Dororo's OP did play a part in me getting hooked, but that's another topic. |
| What's your rush now? Everyone will have his day to die. |
| Erased, unfortunately it dipped pretty hard by the end. |
| Death Note - "And I... I will become this God of the new world" |
| Cowboy Bebop. It does a flawless job of establishing the overall tone, fleshing out the setting and introducing both Spike and Jet. Plus it contains one of anime's most kinetic and vibrant fight sequences. |
Take care of yourself |
| I'd go with Shingeki no Kyojin or Death Parade. After reading the topic, I also agree with Evangelion, Black LagoonDarling in the Franxx |
| Someone else already mentioned it, but the first episode of Gakkou Gurashi is an absolute masterpiece. I love how the entire thing makes you feel uneasy- it feels a little TOO moe, and there are a lot of things that don't add up until the reveal at the end. I knew about the twist beforehand and it still caught me off-guard with how well they executed it. |
| I MUST SOMEHOW MAKE SENSE OF OUR CONVOLUTED SITUATION |
| 3-gatsu no Lion Usagi Drop Death Note Erased Attack on Titan Tokyo Ghoul |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| Single best first episode in my opinion belongs to Shingeki no Kyojin by far for sucking you in to the premise right away! Oregairu, or Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru, is a close contender. Hikigaya Hachiman’s monologue at the start is just spot-on and I knew from that very moment that this show would go down as one of my favourites and unsurprisingly it certainly did. Boku Dake ga Inai Machi had a good first episode or so but the second and third episodes completely hooked me in. Similarly, Koutetsujou no Kabenari and Youjo Senki really grew on me from a couple of episodes or so. |
#Anime4Life be my Life Motto! #PrayForKyoAni  |
| Maybe -Sword Art Online -Shingeki no Kyojin -Agame ga Kill! |
  『 The truth has power because it’s the truth. And because it is the truth, that makes it just. It’s persuasive, isn’t it? Don’t you want truth like that? 』 |
More topics from this board
» Endless eight and mental health concernstrinitroglycerin - 8 hours ago |
8 |
by trinitroglycerin
»»
3 minutes ago |
|
Poll: » Who is your favorite imas secretary?Shizuna - Yesterday |
19 |
by Shizuna
»»
6 minutes ago |
|
» Would you support AI generated Anime?Dragevard - 11 hours ago |
34 |
by Vaturna
»»
9 minutes ago |
|
» What does it mean when you rate an anime 6? ( 1 2 )Akuya - Yesterday |
63 |
by Hikinekomori
»»
15 minutes ago |
|
Poll: » Your favourite romance ( 1 2 )Jackson_rajkumar - Apr 30 |
92 |
by Buny0058
»»
17 minutes ago |