Top 5 (short!) Anime to start your Otaku Career!

Ohayo ladies and gentlemen, weebs and otakus! Today Adilsons is bringing you the Top 5 anime you need to watch to become a part of otaku culture! This list is for the newer audiences out there and showcases the modern classics of the anime world that most or all of the anime-watching community is aware of. If you're new to anime and confused about where to begin, this list is just the right place for you to begin your journey! For the more experienced of you out there, just sit back and enjoy the nostalgia!
Let's start-o!
PS: For viewer convenience, we we'll only be including anime with less than 80 episodes (so entries like Once Piece, Naruto and Bleach definitely won't be here!) so there's no reason for the newbies reading this to feel intimidated!

Quick Showcase:

#5: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

#4: One Punch Man

#3: Overlord

#2: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

#1: Death Note

#5: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Mystery
Episodes: 64

The literal definition of a modern classic, we kick off our list with one of the best anime of all time: FMA Brotherhood. There are 2 anime out there for this franchise, but make no mistake- the newer Brotherhood remake has better animations and remains more faithful to the manga in every sense.
Although this is admittely one of the more bloated anime in this list, rest assured that every episode is worth the watch.

Set in the fantastical world of Amestris where Alchemy is a widely practiced art, Fullmetal Alchemist explores the story of the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse. Abandoned by their father at a young age and orphaned by the death of their mother, the main events of the series kick off when the brothers attempt a ritual to bring back their mother, with devastating repercussions. The story starts off as a simple quest to retrieve the legendary Philosopher's Stone but quickly takes a much more dark tone.
The perfect balance of plot and action make this well-placed series a modern classic loved by almost all anime watchers worldwide.

FMA is a worthy candidate for your potential first anime.

#4: One Punch Man
Genre: Action, Comedy, Shounen
Episodes: 24

An instant fan favorite, One Punch Man brings a brilliant twist to the traditional superhero story. If serious anime isn't your cup of tea, OPM is a definite contender for your anime list.

This story follows the hilarious pursuits of the ever powerful Saitama- aka The One Punch Man. His superpower? As his name very blatantly suggests, this caped baldy can take out any villain in the world with just. One. Punch. Whether you're a huge humanoid creature capable of leveling entire cities or Dragon Ball Z-esque villain, you don't stand a chance against Saitama. One punch and you're out. There is but one villain who still eludes this monster of a man- a mere mosquito.

Season one of OPM boasts one of the best animation qualities ever seen in anime. The fights are brilliantly animated and the plot will either keep you laughing or at the edge of your seat, even if you know how powerful Saitama is.

A point to note is that this anime, unlike most other entries on this list, is still not complete- meaning you will have lots of great episodes to look forward to still.

One Punch Man is a brilliant way to start off your compulsive anime addiction. Don't say we didn't warn you.

#3: Overlord
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Action, Virtual World
Episodes: 34 + 2 movies

What happens when a world famous MMO shuts down and you're the last player online? Overlord happens.

YGGDRASIL, a Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game is nearing the end of its amazing 12 year run and Momonga (aka the Overlord), the last member of his now inactive guild, logs in one final time to say farewell to the game he so dearly loves. As he watches the deadline for the shutdown near, he makes one final offer to the members of his guild to meet up for a farewell. Only one member responds, and leaves shortly... Deeply saddened, our protagonist awaits the end of the game, determined to stay online until the end... which never comes?
Instead, once the timer runs out, the NPCs begin to show personalities of their own and follow Momonga's every command. Is this a dream come true for our Overlord?

Overlord is an immensely popular show for many reasons, and is a great way for potential anime fans to get acquainted with one of the most exciting genres of anime, i.e. the virtual world theme.

If video game centered storylines appeal to you, Overlord is as good an anime to start off with as any other.

#2: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Genre: Mecha, Action, Military
Episodes: 25

An absolute classic of the anime world, Code Geass is a 2006 anime which still holds its ground among the best anime of all time.

In a world with 3 superpowers: the Holy Brittanian Empire, the Chinese Federation and the European Union, an exiled prince by the name of Lelouch vi Brittania finds himself under ownership of the "Power of Kings", an ability which allows him to instantly turn people into his mind puppets who follow his every whim. Lelouch soon puts this power to use against the Brittania Empire in an act of rebellion against his own father with 3 goals in mind: revenge for his mother's death, the utter annihilation of the Brittanian Empire and the aim to leave a better world in his wake. There's just 1 catch: his power only works once on one person.

Lelouch adopts the pseudonym of Zero and leads a group of resistance dubbed The Black Knights to fight on behalf of the Japanese and overthrow the oppressive Brittanians; unfortunately, this is much easier said than done.

Just how far will Lelouch have to go in order to exact justice?

Code geass is one of the most renowned anime of all time and has been the inspiration behind several other anime; a must watch for anyone interested in exploring anime.

#1: Death Note 
Genre: Psychological, Mystery, Thriller
Episodes: 37

The number 1 entry on our list, and almost any other anime list where it fits goes to the absolute classic- Death Note.

The story starts off on a very simple premise: Light Yagami, a high-achieving model student stumbles across a notebook called the Death Note. Other than allowing him the ability to communicate with the notebook's owner (i.e a Shimigami or a God of Death), the note gives him a simple yet extremely powerful ability; if Light writes the name of any person in the note while imagining what they look like, that person will drop down dead within 40 seconds.
Determined to use the power of the Death Note to rinse the world of all evil, Light attracts the attention of a mysterious entity known as L who promises to find and capture him. As the two drastically different geniuses collide to prove who is better, nobody is safe...

The ultimate mind game, that is what death note is at its core. It's almost impossible to find an anime watcher who hasn't at least heard of the cult classic that is Death Note.

If you think you can keep up to pace with these two tactical geniuses, Death Note is without a doubt the first anime you ought to watch!

So! For the more experienced otakus and weebs out there, how do you think we did? Is there any particular entry you'd have liked to see on this list? Leave your feedback with us and we'll be happy to hear your thoughts!

Until then, take care and we'll catch you next week!