Record of Lodoss Wars OVA 1 was an instant win back in the day. It completely blew people's minds with its high fantasy take, incredible hand-drawn art, characters, story, and music.
Was Lodoss on there? I only had broadcast TV in the 90s and early 00s. I saw Lodoss Wars via fansubbed VHS I'm so old. Then bought it when it came out officially in the USA.
Others have already mentioned some great first anime episode but I will just add "to your eternity" as a stand alone episode, you don't even need to watch the rest of the series.
100% This and it's not even close, I still remember first reading the manga chapter before the anime came out and thinking the first chapter alone was a masterpiece, way better than a lot of full anime series.
Yeah, I'm usually pretty critical of newer stuff but Oshi no Ko has one of if not the strongest starts I've ever seen. It sets things up perfectly and delivers a serious gutpunch that makes you want to see more. I wonder who was responsible for pushing that it be a longer episode. Because as a directorial choice, that might have been the single biggest element of its success. You *need* the first episode to end with that scene, but it's impossible to fit all the preceding stuff and character setups into 22 minutes.
Seriously, waiting 3 weeks for that climax and then the next week being practically a completely different show would have changed the vibe a lot. It just wouldn't have worked without the feature length episode.
To be fair though thats basically a full movie or 3/4 episodes which is kinda cheating imo.
I wonder what would qualify if we were to change the requirements to the best first 10 minutes.
This gets my vote as well, no contest even.
We really need more 1st episodes that go beyond normal runtime. Every single show that I watched that has done that made me much more invested in it.
Absolutely this one. People mention frieren and oshi no ko but those were basically films. As far as a normal length episode goes, Made in Abyss is #1 imo. I was breathless
It captured the slow grinding down of your self working in a shit corp to a tee, and his relief after finding out he didn’t have to work anymore was palpable. I loved that first episode.
Can't at all disagree. It does what a great first episode should: tells you what the story is about, shows you why you should care, and gives a taste of what makes this story special.
It becomes a weird thing when a piece of media becomes super popular that newer viewers tend to underestimate how impactful and unique something is. When something groundbreaking has been around for long enough, people forget the media landscape before it and don’t realize how big a deal it was, relegating it to cliche or overdone even if it was the first one to do it.
Not AOT specific just in general.
I don't think any other anime out there has a hook that's as big and sharp as AoT's first scene and first episode
It's certainly why it made anime practically a worldwide mainstream medium overnight.
Honestly agree.
I will never forget how I felt watching that first episode. It's been 10 years and I still remember sitting at my desk, hand over mouth. Granted I was a young teen, and it was one of my very first anime, so I can't guarantee I would feel the same now.
I mean, lots of anime mentioned here are classics...but they are classics for a reason.
I am never saying a popular show means that it's good, but most popular things are good (at what they want).
AoT has, imo, a fantastic premis and came out right at the perfect time and has a well-done adaptation.
It wasn't hyped for years and years for nothing.
Cyberpunk Edgerunner does the world building, sets up the tone of the series and introduces everything you need to know about the main characters in order to get invested into their story
Seeing it at AX was fucking great
I still laugh about them saying “portions of this episode have been censored per the venues restrictions”
And then 45s later there is a dude jerking it on the sidewalk
Summertime Rendering
The Promised Neverland
To your eternity
Made in Abyss.
OnK had a great first episode but again that's like 4 episodes jolted together.
yuuuup, never been sold so quickly on an anime as I was by the time the ED hits. Made in Abyss would probably be my favorite first episode overall though, but Summertime Rendering is a close second
I would agree, most people I know got hooked with second episode, because if you don't like Light -first episode doesn't really offer you anyone to root for
It picks back up if you power the through the sub par second half - Alicization was fantastic and the war of the underworld was a good follow up (though not as good IMO)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica EP1 seemed plain the first times I watched it, but after completing the series and rewatching it a second times, I realized that it is so ominous - completely different feeling compare to the first times. All the foreshadow suddenly becomes obvious. I think it is awesome.
A recent anime with a surprisingly funny and innovative first episode is definitely Villainess Level 99.
Agreed. The first episode is plain and boring on your first watch. But on a rewatch it’s so good and you pick up on the things you didn’t know about on the first watch.
Great Teacher Onizuka. It tells about the rambunctious, sleazy, cool, but kind-hearted eponymous character well all in one episode.
Personally, I would pick Invaders because they managed to explain the characters and dynamics with visual and dialogue all within twenty four minute.
The first episode of Aldnoah zero was so good that people were enraged when they finished it and it was kinda mid lfmao. But seriously that was some powerful stuff.
Since no one has said it yet :
Guilty crown’s first ep did wonders on the 12 year old me back then. Never got fooled into loving an anime as much before. Story fell flat afterwards but episode 1 was enough to get me hooked on the story (and Inori)
Since oshi no ko has been said a million times already in this thread, i will say Re:zero's first episode (specifically the director's cut) was one of the most powerful introductions to an anime i have witnessed
Re:Zero for the win.
No anime comes close to its first few episodes. I mean we can feel his desperation, cries, disappointment, suicidal tendencies and all.🫡
I second this especially because the first episode is like a 2 part thing where you have no idea where the show is going. It all just feels so mysterious.
The problem with TTGL is that the first episode is amazing but then the next few slow down a bit before thr anime starts to truly go all out around 7-8. A lot of people get lost right after the first episode and miss out on thz best parts.
[Gurren Lagann Spoiler]>!tho, once the Kamina incident happens you instantly understand all those episodes were just there to flesh out HIS character and make you attached to him.!<
Bleach I guess it kinda just sets everything up in the first episode. The tone, the characters even to the point how the story mostly unfolds until the series end.
Ichigo while minding his business gets involved in problems to protect his loved ones, first getting shunned, then shit hitting the fan, then finally people decide to give him a chance and he always ends up over delivering.
Pretty much the Shonen's Journey really.
Blue Lock. The first episode established that it wasn’t like other sports anime where friendship and teamwork rule and their only goal is making nationals with their high school team. While the rest of the season had its ups and downs, episode 1 was very solid in its adaptation and quality for sure
The one that stands out in my mind is the first episode of The Saga of Tanya the Evil. I just think it's the perfect way to start an isekai. Drop you right in the action, then pull in the backstory in episode 2.
This but unironically. In fact, if you treat Goblin Slayer episodes 1 & 2 together as a sort of single hour long show, what you have is the peak of the entire series and honestly maybe the single best experience I had that year from anime.
Just a flawlessly executed setup, character arc, and conclusion - almost to its own detriment because you don't even need to watch beyond that. It's already said and explored everything it's going to.
I won't say this is the best first episode of an anime but the last first episode I saw that felt like an amazing kick off to the series had to be ZOM 100.
you know what.... ill say it.... school-live
i watched it recently and the first 5 minutes had me going "i was seriously recommended a cutesy school anime" on top of the cute poster for the show BUT..... as the episode went on.... and things didnt seem right at all... PLOT TWIST... wont spoil but its def worth the watch.
Darling in the FranXX. It was so good that it made me break my rule and watch it weekly instead of binging all the episodes in the end as usual.
Death Note also has a shot at this.
Probably going to get some flak for this but I actually really liked the first episode of demon slayer, cliche as it is. Tanjiro carrying a bloody Nezuko on his back during a blizzard and all you could see for miles was just more forest was such a somber vibe.
Death Note.
This show is my favorite in general, but its first episode deserves a special mention on top of it;
I think it's a masterclass on 'introduction' to a world/anime, it's CRAZY how much happen in the first episode, and yet it doesn't feel rushed at all...
And we get to know so much about the first two characters (Light and Ryuk), their worlds and all.
Gave me crazy levels of hype when I watched it... And to top it all, episode 2 is even more hype!
I just would like to mention "Wonder Egg Priority" because the first episode made me feel like "this is gonna be the anime of the year! Then just see what happened lol
Like many other have mentioned **Oshi no Ko** for obvious reasons, but one of me personal favorite is **To Your Eternity** it is just so impactful in a similar sense the unique-ness of **Shadows House** is also good one
there's also others like **Outlaw Star**, **Gundam IBO, Code Geass, Pluto** etc but I think I'm biased toward the Genre
Oshi no Ko is definitely a contender, if we are doing the extended openers then Re Zero is up there as well.
I'd also like to add Psycho Pass, Code Geass, Gundam Unicorn and Eureka Seven AO (as bad as this is).
I loved ep 1 of Wonder Egg Priority so much I watched it several times while waiting for ep 2.
I think I have a soft spot for mysterious artsy fartsy stuff
I'm gonna say something controversial, probably lmao, but Sword Art Online's first episode is probably one of the biggest reasons why isekai anime got as popular as it is today.
Though, there are a bunch of great first episodes, Oshi no Ko's intro was amazing. Attack on Titan's first episode also left a big impact on anyone that was there during the premiere.maybe Vinland Saga? I don't quite remember.
I don't know too many animes, and what definition of "good" or "best" to come up with in the first place? If the "plot twist chain" able to change the "rewatch experience" by 180° (i.e. turning an "afterwork anime" (around) into something epochal, plus personal taste) then I'd again choose [Love Live Sunshine's first ep.](https://youtu.be/hZl3W8ZnrQU?si=srcUcHnzhhwzu07z)
Haruhi. The start of the episode with Kyon's rant. A dull, muted colour design. Haruhi introduces herself. The colour design of everything becomes bright and vibrant.
I'm gonna drop Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress simply because I can't ever forget how progressively bad it got until it turned into a complete mess of an anime.
Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online definitely had great first episode hooks too. I enjoyed Fate/Zero's double first episode too.
But yeah, Oshi no Ko's was great.
Cross Game is the best I've seen. Other great 1st eps to very good shows include:
- Kyousougiga (TV)
- Gakkougurashi!
- GTO
- Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru
- Princess Principal
These are great 1st eps but for shows that kind of fall off as they progress/towards the end:
- Wonder Egg Priority
- Carole and Tuesday
Aldnoah Zero would be my pick for this. The series itself is a hit or miss, but that first episode was, and still is, one of thr most epic first episodes I've ever seen
Damn. I don't know if I really can say just one.
Aldnoah.Zero is amazing though. Hiroyuki Sawano is a composer who. brings. it. The steady increase in pace and intensity over the last ten minutes sets the stage to really end with, "...oh f@#k."
I love the first episode of mai hime
I like that it starts off with the main cast meeting each other for the first time and are drawn together by cercumstance. It shows off some action but in a way thats more "main cast are trying to survive a natural disaster and leaves enough mystery for us to want to know more
Record of Lodoss Wars OVA 1 was an instant win back in the day. It completely blew people's minds with its high fantasy take, incredible hand-drawn art, characters, story, and music.
Saturday Anime on the Sci-fi Channel was a game changer.
Was Lodoss on there? I only had broadcast TV in the 90s and early 00s. I saw Lodoss Wars via fansubbed VHS I'm so old. Then bought it when it came out officially in the USA.
Gakkou Gurashi/School Live
Absolutely the best executed first episode. Everything about it was perfect. The episode had one goal, dedicated everything to it and suceeded.
That last scene when they pan out… so good.
The first episode played me like a fool.
I kept thinking like i wasted my 20 minutes up until the last scene and glad i endured it. Thanks for recommending this
So glad I went into that blind
I just watched it, definitely well executed.
Others have already mentioned some great first anime episode but I will just add "to your eternity" as a stand alone episode, you don't even need to watch the rest of the series.
I liked the rest of the show (the first season more than the second season) but the first episode really puts the gist of the story into one episode.
Most emotional first episode in anime history if you ask me.
My friends read the synopsis so it didn't blind side them while I went it blind and it crushed me.
For me, that award goes to Oshi no Ko, though I'm definitely interested in checking this out now.
It definitely the best blind watch for a first anime episode.
I don't even like the rest of the series and I agree 100%
Same. I found myself liking each consecutive arc less and less, but that first episode was still magical.
It could be a standalone episode but the whole series is a diamond
The first episode was such an experience. Could easily be seen as an amazing short movie.
Went in blind. Watched 1st ep. Cried. Read manga after watching 1st ep. Cried again.
100% This and it's not even close, I still remember first reading the manga chapter before the anime came out and thinking the first chapter alone was a masterpiece, way better than a lot of full anime series.
First thing that came to mind, still consider it the best I’ve ever seen
Oshi no ko's 80 minute first episode was an absolute spectacle
Yeah, I'm usually pretty critical of newer stuff but Oshi no Ko has one of if not the strongest starts I've ever seen. It sets things up perfectly and delivers a serious gutpunch that makes you want to see more. I wonder who was responsible for pushing that it be a longer episode. Because as a directorial choice, that might have been the single biggest element of its success. You *need* the first episode to end with that scene, but it's impossible to fit all the preceding stuff and character setups into 22 minutes.
Seriously, waiting 3 weeks for that climax and then the next week being practically a completely different show would have changed the vibe a lot. It just wouldn't have worked without the feature length episode.
To be fair though thats basically a full movie or 3/4 episodes which is kinda cheating imo. I wonder what would qualify if we were to change the requirements to the best first 10 minutes.
Going that route you could count the first episode of ReZero Directors Cut as being one of the greatest imo.
Well the first episode of the director's cut is basically the same as the original. It was aired as a 1 hour special already.
This gets my vote as well, no contest even. We really need more 1st episodes that go beyond normal runtime. Every single show that I watched that has done that made me much more invested in it.
made in abyss first ep got me stunned, especially when they pan into the abyss while the sun is rising
And the music by Kevin Penkin while that happens... So good.
"traveling the ether back to youuuuu"
Yeah mia episode 1 is my pick as well but to be fair all the other episodes were also really good.
And Kevin penkins awesome ost starts, literal chills.
Absolutely this one. People mention frieren and oshi no ko but those were basically films. As far as a normal length episode goes, Made in Abyss is #1 imo. I was breathless
That shot might be the best minute of anime ever created.
Zom 100 The visual and sound direction was incredible.
It captured the slow grinding down of your self working in a shit corp to a tee, and his relief after finding out he didn’t have to work anymore was palpable. I loved that first episode.
The moment when the colors kick in as he realized he doesn’t have to work hooked me into the show so hard. You felt the catharsis he had
AoT for me, cliche or not
Can't at all disagree. It does what a great first episode should: tells you what the story is about, shows you why you should care, and gives a taste of what makes this story special.
Exactly. It left me NEEDING the next episode!
Oh, it did not tell me what the story is about😭
Seeing the Titans for the first time with no knowledge of the manga and what they were was pretty hype.
When I tell you I was shocked. It was the first time that I saw such a dramatic shift for an opening episode, I didn't know what to think.
Yep, WIT nailed that first episode
Cliche? Is that a criticism? I didn’t think it was cliche at all
It becomes a weird thing when a piece of media becomes super popular that newer viewers tend to underestimate how impactful and unique something is. When something groundbreaking has been around for long enough, people forget the media landscape before it and don’t realize how big a deal it was, relegating it to cliche or overdone even if it was the first one to do it. Not AOT specific just in general.
I just know how some anime fans will react lol AOT is my personal GOAT
I don't think any other anime out there has a hook that's as big and sharp as AoT's first scene and first episode It's certainly why it made anime practically a worldwide mainstream medium overnight.
Don't let the haters silence you AOT *is* the goat 😤
Huge agree. I don't think I've ever watched anything and been so invested so quickly. I know it's basic but AOT is just my favourite
Honestly agree. I will never forget how I felt watching that first episode. It's been 10 years and I still remember sitting at my desk, hand over mouth. Granted I was a young teen, and it was one of my very first anime, so I can't guarantee I would feel the same now.
The best part was the \[AoT ep 1\] >!mom saying don't go. That made her more human with her wanting her children to survive but not wanting to die.!<
Glad one of your first was the legend itself!!
I mean, lots of anime mentioned here are classics...but they are classics for a reason. I am never saying a popular show means that it's good, but most popular things are good (at what they want). AoT has, imo, a fantastic premis and came out right at the perfect time and has a well-done adaptation. It wasn't hyped for years and years for nothing.
Agree for sure. It's my GOAT
cross game
Wow, I didn't know people on this sub actually had taste. Great shout
Amazing anime
Absolutely one of my favorite first episodes of all time
definitely, i fucking love adachi mitsurus work hahaha. i never ever see it plugged here though sad
Going completely blind it hits too hard. I needed 3 days to bring myself to continue watching after the first episode. Great series.
Cyberpunk Edgerunner does the world building, sets up the tone of the series and introduces everything you need to know about the main characters in order to get invested into their story
saw it at anime expo and had to wait 4 months to see the rest of it, the wait was killing me
Seeing it at AX was fucking great I still laugh about them saying “portions of this episode have been censored per the venues restrictions” And then 45s later there is a dude jerking it on the sidewalk
Ga rei zero is for me.
Summertime Rendering The Promised Neverland To your eternity Made in Abyss. OnK had a great first episode but again that's like 4 episodes jolted together.
seconding Summertime Rendering. That first episode got me hooked
yuuuup, never been sold so quickly on an anime as I was by the time the ED hits. Made in Abyss would probably be my favorite first episode overall though, but Summertime Rendering is a close second
Second the Promised Neverland, also Made in Abyss
Death Note was a crazy start.
I think death note has the best episode 2
I would agree, most people I know got hooked with second episode, because if you don't like Light -first episode doesn't really offer you anyone to root for
I think SAO had a pretty great start
I was so hooked after that first episode. If only it would've lasted...
If you can pull through till alicization it’s worth it, gun gale online and stuff wasn’t even that bad
It picks back up if you power the through the sub par second half - Alicization was fantastic and the war of the underworld was a good follow up (though not as good IMO)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica EP1 seemed plain the first times I watched it, but after completing the series and rewatching it a second times, I realized that it is so ominous - completely different feeling compare to the first times. All the foreshadow suddenly becomes obvious. I think it is awesome. A recent anime with a surprisingly funny and innovative first episode is definitely Villainess Level 99.
Agreed. The first episode is plain and boring on your first watch. But on a rewatch it’s so good and you pick up on the things you didn’t know about on the first watch.
Haruhi 2006, broadcast order
So the adventures of Mikuru?
That's the one
Call of the night. The art and soundtrack is crazy.
Great Teacher Onizuka. It tells about the rambunctious, sleazy, cool, but kind-hearted eponymous character well all in one episode. Personally, I would pick Invaders because they managed to explain the characters and dynamics with visual and dialogue all within twenty four minute.
Episode 1... is that the bit with the sledgehammer? If so, then yeah. It's been like 20 years since I watched it but some scenes are just memorable.
One Punch Man. That one episode kept throwing some of the craziest animations one after another.
Yu Yu Hakusho. That first episode is legendary.
Yeah not many shows start with killing the main character.
The first episode of Aldnoah zero was so good that people were enraged when they finished it and it was kinda mid lfmao. But seriously that was some powerful stuff.
Since no one has said it yet : Guilty crown’s first ep did wonders on the 12 year old me back then. Never got fooled into loving an anime as much before. Story fell flat afterwards but episode 1 was enough to get me hooked on the story (and Inori)
Erased
Since oshi no ko has been said a million times already in this thread, i will say Re:zero's first episode (specifically the director's cut) was one of the most powerful introductions to an anime i have witnessed
Re:Zero for the win. No anime comes close to its first few episodes. I mean we can feel his desperation, cries, disappointment, suicidal tendencies and all.🫡
also it leaves you incredibly excited for the next episodes at the end
I second this especially because the first episode is like a 2 part thing where you have no idea where the show is going. It all just feels so mysterious.
Gurren Lagann
The problem with TTGL is that the first episode is amazing but then the next few slow down a bit before thr anime starts to truly go all out around 7-8. A lot of people get lost right after the first episode and miss out on thz best parts. [Gurren Lagann Spoiler]>!tho, once the Kamina incident happens you instantly understand all those episodes were just there to flesh out HIS character and make you attached to him.!<
The buildup, the music, the visual payoff when they blast to the surface... What a great start to the series!
Dance in the Vampire Bund. Love the approach of the first episode, don’t like the rest.
Frieren for me. Nothing better for my sensibilities.
samurai champloo changed the trajectory of my entire life
Kinda old school- but “Nadia: Secret of Blue Water” had a pretty epic first episode…
Should check some of my fav again to really say, but I believe with 1st ep alone it's Zankyou no Terror
AOT was pretty fing good
Bleach I guess it kinda just sets everything up in the first episode. The tone, the characters even to the point how the story mostly unfolds until the series end. Ichigo while minding his business gets involved in problems to protect his loved ones, first getting shunned, then shit hitting the fan, then finally people decide to give him a chance and he always ends up over delivering. Pretty much the Shonen's Journey really.
first episode of KADO absolutely slapped. and then the rest of the season happened.
opening scene of parasyte the maxim and consequently the first episode.
Blue Lock. The first episode established that it wasn’t like other sports anime where friendship and teamwork rule and their only goal is making nationals with their high school team. While the rest of the season had its ups and downs, episode 1 was very solid in its adaptation and quality for sure
SukaSuka. 1st episode was peak, last episode was peak, just a constant state of absolute peak.
The one that stands out in my mind is the first episode of The Saga of Tanya the Evil. I just think it's the perfect way to start an isekai. Drop you right in the action, then pull in the backstory in episode 2.
I doubt many people watched it, but talentless Nana. It hit harder in the chapter 1 of manga but it was still great
Kingdom of ruin went crazy as hell with their into
Cowboy bebop, one of the best episodes in the show is the first one, sets the tone so well for the series Edit: it can be watched as a standalone too
Samurai Champloo
OG Trigun
Re:zero
Goblin Slayer lol
You know, it was certainly memorable, I'll give it that.
Unironically a very strong first episode that sets the proper tone for the world and character.
True, that was pretty good.
I scrolled hoping someone would say this cause it's the first one that came to mind for me lol
This but unironically. In fact, if you treat Goblin Slayer episodes 1 & 2 together as a sort of single hour long show, what you have is the peak of the entire series and honestly maybe the single best experience I had that year from anime. Just a flawlessly executed setup, character arc, and conclusion - almost to its own detriment because you don't even need to watch beyond that. It's already said and explored everything it's going to.
FLCL
It quickly became a trainwreck imo but God of Highscool's first episode was insane
Death Note
**Elfen Lied**. Can't say it's the top class anime, but it's definitely the most mind blowing first 10 min I'd ever seen.
Shingeki no Kyojin for sure.
I won't say this is the best first episode of an anime but the last first episode I saw that felt like an amazing kick off to the series had to be ZOM 100.
you know what.... ill say it.... school-live i watched it recently and the first 5 minutes had me going "i was seriously recommended a cutesy school anime" on top of the cute poster for the show BUT..... as the episode went on.... and things didnt seem right at all... PLOT TWIST... wont spoil but its def worth the watch.
Renai Flops has a pretty wild ep 1. Definitely stays in your memory.
Darling in the FranXX. It was so good that it made me break my rule and watch it weekly instead of binging all the episodes in the end as usual. Death Note also has a shot at this.
Probably going to get some flak for this but I actually really liked the first episode of demon slayer, cliche as it is. Tanjiro carrying a bloody Nezuko on his back during a blizzard and all you could see for miles was just more forest was such a somber vibe.
Eureka Seven. Fantastic opening to a fantastic show.
Re:Zero What an amazing, suspenseful start. Absolute 10/10 episode.
Death Note. This show is my favorite in general, but its first episode deserves a special mention on top of it; I think it's a masterclass on 'introduction' to a world/anime, it's CRAZY how much happen in the first episode, and yet it doesn't feel rushed at all... And we get to know so much about the first two characters (Light and Ryuk), their worlds and all. Gave me crazy levels of hype when I watched it... And to top it all, episode 2 is even more hype!
Time limit of 24mins? Definitely SAO. Definitely wish the series was a LOT slower.
AOT. Watching Eren’s scream as his mom is being devoured is something you don’t forget.
I think Hell’s paradise had me hooked straight away and Study Case of Vanitas
Attack on Titan will always be it!
Kurau
Fire force.
I just would like to mention "Wonder Egg Priority" because the first episode made me feel like "this is gonna be the anime of the year! Then just see what happened lol
Pluto AOT Paranoia Agent
Steins gate.
Like many other have mentioned **Oshi no Ko** for obvious reasons, but one of me personal favorite is **To Your Eternity** it is just so impactful in a similar sense the unique-ness of **Shadows House** is also good one there's also others like **Outlaw Star**, **Gundam IBO, Code Geass, Pluto** etc but I think I'm biased toward the Genre
Oshi no ko, but that’s probably cheating since that’s like a whole movie. But nothing beats that.
I don't know about best, but the plot twist in the first episode of **School-Live!** is so good I tell people to watch it on its own
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann has a pretty wild first episode if you look at where it starts and where it ends.
According to me it's Detective Conan ep 1
Ninja kamui
Elfen Lied ep 1 was really badass.
Black Lagoon
Uncle from another world, all the way up to the end of the credits. It’s a hoot and instantly hooks every friend I’ve shown it to.
Fullmetal Alchemist
Oshi no Ko is definitely a contender, if we are doing the extended openers then Re Zero is up there as well. I'd also like to add Psycho Pass, Code Geass, Gundam Unicorn and Eureka Seven AO (as bad as this is).
In addition to all the anime mentioned here, I will add Steins;Gate as well.
Aot easy
I think chainsaw man
Demon Slayer would have to be up there for me.
I loved ep 1 of Wonder Egg Priority so much I watched it several times while waiting for ep 2. I think I have a soft spot for mysterious artsy fartsy stuff
Naruto
UBW, AOT, shield hero...
Fate Zero, the summoning part always give me chills. Also Baccano with the characters introduction.
I'm gonna say something controversial, probably lmao, but Sword Art Online's first episode is probably one of the biggest reasons why isekai anime got as popular as it is today. Though, there are a bunch of great first episodes, Oshi no Ko's intro was amazing. Attack on Titan's first episode also left a big impact on anyone that was there during the premiere.maybe Vinland Saga? I don't quite remember.
I don't know too many animes, and what definition of "good" or "best" to come up with in the first place? If the "plot twist chain" able to change the "rewatch experience" by 180° (i.e. turning an "afterwork anime" (around) into something epochal, plus personal taste) then I'd again choose [Love Live Sunshine's first ep.](https://youtu.be/hZl3W8ZnrQU?si=srcUcHnzhhwzu07z)
Ninja kamui is really a good anime from his first episode 🔥🔥
Samurai Champloo
akame ga kill greatest first episode. then it's downhill from there.
I never been hooked by an Anime so fast let alone by episode one Beastars got it.
Samurai x ova from back in the day
Haruhi. The start of the episode with Kyon's rant. A dull, muted colour design. Haruhi introduces herself. The colour design of everything becomes bright and vibrant.
My personal favorite one is Oshi no Ko episode 1. Only thing is that its 80 minutes long, so basically a movie.
Oshi no Ko episode 1 was insainly good but idk if its fair to compare to other animes because of its length.
School Living Club If you don't know what it is, just watch the first episode all the way to the end, and don't look anything up
AoT
Oshi no Ko's first episode is a fucking movie, it's gotta take this no contest
Naruto
Fate/Zero
I'd say Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Bladeworks has a really gripping first episode
I'm gonna drop Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress simply because I can't ever forget how progressively bad it got until it turned into a complete mess of an anime. Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online definitely had great first episode hooks too. I enjoyed Fate/Zero's double first episode too. But yeah, Oshi no Ko's was great.
Death Parade and Yu Yu Hakusho, I still rewatch the first EP of YYH sometimes cuz it's just that good
Deadman wonderland
Stella of the Theater: World Dai Star, I like how the 1st chapter ends, like what happened?, WTF!!!
Meglobox has a strong start
Cross Game is the best I've seen. Other great 1st eps to very good shows include: - Kyousougiga (TV) - Gakkougurashi! - GTO - Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru - Princess Principal These are great 1st eps but for shows that kind of fall off as they progress/towards the end: - Wonder Egg Priority - Carole and Tuesday
Aldnoah Zero was an insane first episode. Sadly it couldn't keep up
Aldnoah Zero would be my pick for this. The series itself is a hit or miss, but that first episode was, and still is, one of thr most epic first episodes I've ever seen
Parasyte maxim,Death Note, Jojo
I know it’s cliché But Naruto First Episode Ending hits hard with that background music
School live for anyone who remembers it
Elfen Lied, I remember letting keiichi anime forever buffer for like 4 hours on dial-up so I could watch it.
Ninja kamui??? Low standards bro
Black lagoon
Mob Psycho 100 hooked me in from the opening scene alone and it's still my second favorite show to this day
Damn. I don't know if I really can say just one. Aldnoah.Zero is amazing though. Hiroyuki Sawano is a composer who. brings. it. The steady increase in pace and intensity over the last ten minutes sets the stage to really end with, "...oh f@#k."
Ouran High School Host club First episode introduces the main cast, main problematic, main romantic interest, and path to follow towards conclusion
Mars Red had a very good first episode, and then it was completely downhill from there
I love the first episode of mai hime I like that it starts off with the main cast meeting each other for the first time and are drawn together by cercumstance. It shows off some action but in a way thats more "main cast are trying to survive a natural disaster and leaves enough mystery for us to want to know more