Please advise a Manga and Anime virgin!

[PRECIOUSreads]

A great one to start with is Naruto by masashi kishimoto. I grew up on this series and it's still an absolute favorite.

[CaroloftheOldOnes]

What subjects do you like? For example, if you're into horror, try Junji Ito. Maybe start with a collection of his short stories, say Museum of Terror 1 to 3.

Cheers
Carol

[Kaitlin Licato]

As someone who majored in Japanese in college... I have seen my fair share of anime and read a lot of manga. My advice is always to look for one that matches your style in shows/movies/books to begin with. The one that really got me hooked (I had been watching some others prior), was Fushigi Yuugi as someone previously mentioned. Its a romantic comedy fantasy. As someone who loves rom coms and fantasy stories (books and movies), it was the perfect mix for me.

Also, if you every encounter someone who HATES anime, ask them what they think anime is. They will usually tell you they base all anime on: Pokemon, Dragonball Z, Naruto or some other typical mainstream one. 9 times out of 10, I can find an anime or manga that they enjoy once I know what they are really looking for.

Like others said, the Miyazaki movies have a range to them are are generally family friendly so they are a good start. If you love Howl's Moving Castle (like I do), you'll probably like the same anime/manga as me, haha. Also though, in terms of culture "Princess Mononoke" (Mononoke-Hime) is so great. It's a great movie on it's own, but once you know more about Japanese cultural history, it really stands out.

Happy watching/reading!

[sockweather]

Start with an easy going romance! It’s a good way to start for sure. I recommend Ao Haru Ride for anime while any Sakisaka Io works for manga. This is based on my personal experience. Have fun!

[Hannah_Keos]

I'm in love with Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku. Its about the crazy hectic lives of four otaku or "geeks" (not the literal translation). There is romance but its light-hearted and the comedy is awesome. The manga makes a lot of pop culture references. You will find more suggestions in the series itself. It does have a show, but the manga is new so not all the books have been animated yet. The world of anime can be extensive and weird, but this series is a good ice-breaker.

[Elli H]

As many comments already stated, Studio Ghibli is definitely a great place to start! I pretty much love every single production from them.

I would also recommend Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn). The story completely fits the historical and romance genres. The manga is still ongoing and there is currently one season of anime out. I recommend both reading the manga and watching the anime. The manga has a bit more scenes that the anime does not have (as usual) and the anime has amazing background music to go along with. This is definitely one of my top favorites of all time.

[Dramaloladiva]

Hi there!
I have loved manga for as long as I can remember. It started with the classic but amazing Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo. The story and art are both out of this world and changed my life because it truly is such a work of art. So my first recommendation would be:
1. Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo (6 volumes).

My second recommendation would be Naruto by Masahashi Kishimoto. The anime is fine but the manga is truly where the story is. It’s not yet a classic but it is a very VERY well known story in the manga world and it has to be read.
2. Naruto by Masahashi Kishimoto (72 volumes)

My third recommendation is One Piece by Eichiro Oda. It’s still on going but it’s a classic and one of the best (in the best possible way) manga out there. Possibly the best in the world as of right now...
3. One Piece by Eichiro Oda (94 volumes and on going)

There are so many more mangas out there that are so awesome to read...some of the most iconic authors are Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball, Rumiko Takahashi of Ranma 1/2 and Inu-Yasha, they’re all so amazing. One of my favorite authors is Makoto Yukimura. His on going series called Vinland Saga is one of the best drawn series in my humble opinion. And last but not least, there is Kaoru Miri whose mangas are wonderfully drawn such as Emma...amazing drawings and story!
Have fun reading and discovering all there is to know in the manga world!!

[BilBini]

There is Dr. Stone anime it's great series and season 2 will be out in 14 July so 4 more days.
It's an awesome one and it's is a scientific one if you like that genre.
And the hole story is about a small ambitious child who loves science. And one day when he grew up, in the laboratory a mysterious light turns every human on the planet into stone.
After 3700 years, genius boy Senku Ishigami (Main character) emerges from his petrification into a "Stone World" and seeks to rebuild human civilization from the ground up. But he faces lots of challenges when he depetrifies a muscled guy to help him in serious problem when some lions are trying to eat him and his friend. But then from that second he created his biggest and maybe only anime...
This anime really bring me joy specially it's very informative. You can find on CrunchyRoll or other free legal websites to watch it.

[KingLaz999]

I think you will love maid sama. It's a high school romance and it has a lot of romance in it, in my opinion. It's honestly one of the most underrated romance show out there!

[Krishnajee100]

I would recommend Your Name (mainly a love story) and A Silent Voice (this anime covers topics of bullying, self-loathing and self-acceptance). Would recommend more if came across something good .

[Kavita Shah]

I recommend you to watch these anime shows:
Detective Conan
Naruto
Hayate the Combat Butler

[David Metimba]

This will be very subjective but I advice not starting with mainstream anime like Naruto, One Piece, Attack on Titan etc. I did this and now I find it harder to enjoy some of the other anime that arent as popular. Watching Naruto, Dragonball, One Piece and the most popular anime first raised my expectations so high that most other anime I watch are less engaging.

However, you can give it a go anyway that fits you. Experiences are different for most.