7 Anime with Mindblowing First Episodes That Make You Curious to Keep Watching

Kapanlagi.com - The first episode of an anime series often determines whether viewers will continue the adventure or stop midway. A strong opening, full of mystery, thrilling action, or unexpected plot twists can instantly captivate hearts and leave us dying to know what happens next.

Here are 7 anime whose first episodes are guaranteed to keep you glued to your seat and eager to watch the next episode!

1. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)

Anime Attack on Titan Poster (Credit: IMDB)

The first episode of Attack on Titan hits viewers with horror and despair. We are introduced to a world where humanity lives behind giant walls to protect themselves from human-eating creatures called Titans.

Brief Synopsis: Eren Yeager vows to exterminate all Titans after witnessing his mother being eaten alive and his hometown destroyed.

Release Date: The first season premiered on April 7, 2013.
Total Episodes: A total of 94 episodes (including all seasons and special parts).

2. Death Note

Death Note Anime Poster (Credit: IMDB)

Death Note opens its story with a very intriguing premise: a genius student discovers a supernatural notebook that can kill anyone simply by writing their name. Its first episode quickly showcases the power and terrifying potential of the Death Note.

Brief Synopsis: Light Yagami, a smart high school student, finds the Death Note and decides to use it to create a world without crime.

Release Date: Premiered on October 3, 2006.
Number of Episodes: 37 episodes.

3. Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi)

Erased Anime Poster (Credit: IMDB)

The first episode of Erased immediately presents a murder mystery and the supernatural ability of its main character, Satoru Fujinuma, known as "Revival". The intense opening with the death of his mother and murder accusations instantly intrigues the audience.

Brief Synopsis: Satoru Fujinuma has the ability to return to the past to prevent tragic incidents.

Release Date: Premiered on January 8, 2016.
Number of Episodes: 12 episodes.

4. Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass Anime Poster (Credit: IMDB)

Psycho-Pass immediately throws the audience into a futuristic dystopian world where crime can be measured and predicted. Its first episode introduces the concept of "Crime Coefficient" and highlights the ethical dilemmas faced by law enforcement.

Brief Synopsis: Akane Tsunemori, a new Inspector, must learn to navigate a system that measures a person's potential for crime.

Release Date: Premiered on October 12, 2012.
Number of Episodes: 22 episodes (Season 1).

5. Akame ga Kill!

Anime Poster Akame ga Kill! (Credit: IMDB)

Akame ga Kill! can be considered one of the coolest yet underrated anime that truly deserves a larger fanbase. From its very first episode, it’s clear that this is not an ordinary anime. The story follows Tatsumi, a naive young man who travels to the Imperial Capital to earn money and live a better life. At first, it seems like a standard adventure story, but it turns out... life is not that easy, bro!

After being separated from his friends and getting robbed, Tatsumi is rescued by a seemingly kind wealthy family. However, it turns out this family is just pretending. When a group of assassins called Night Raid attacks the house, Tatsumi realizes that this family actually enjoys deceiving travelers, then torturing and killing them just for entertainment. Crazy, right?

From here, we begin to see how cruel and dark the world in Akame ga Kill! is, while also making the audience aware that not everything that seems good is truly good. At the end of the episode, Tatsumi is offered to join Night Raid, and that moment becomes a cool opening for a story full of action, tragedy, and a bit of dark humor that keeps you hooked. This anime also carries a strong message about corruption and injustice, not only in Tatsumi's world but also touching on our own reality.

Release Date: Premiered on July 6, 2014
Number of Episodes: 24 episodes.

6. Yu Yu Hakusho

Yu Yu Hakusho Anime Poster (Credit: IMDB)

Yu Yu Hakusho hooks you right from the early minutes; it takes less than five minutes to pique the audience's curiosity. Just imagine: in the first scene, the main character Yusuke Urameshi gets hit by a car and dies! Even the narrator says that Yusuke was supposed to be the hero of this story… but, fate had other plans. From there, you can already see that this anime has a unique storytelling style that stirs emotions, mixing light humor with serious themes like death and redemption.

After dying, Yusuke meets Botan, the shinigami (a kind of soul reaper) who is surprisingly cheerful and rides a blue flying oar! Their conversation is funny yet touching, especially when Yusuke is given the choice to take a test to come back to life. From here, his wild adventure in the spirit world begins, full of action, mystery, and cool characters that will appear one by one.

The ending of the first episode is also extremely intriguing—what kind of test does Yusuke have to face to return to the living world? And will he succeed? All the setup at the beginning is done so well that you'll definitely be tempted to keep pressing the next episode button.

Premiered: October 10, 1992
Total Episodes: 112 episodes.

7. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Anime Poster (Credit: IMDB)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood hits the ground running from its very first episode! In a short time, this anime has successfully introduced a world full of political conflict, complicated rules about alchemy, and even gives us a glimpse into the past of Edward and Alphonse Elric, the two brothers who recklessly tampered with forbidden knowledge and ultimately must atone for their mistakes. Behind all of this, they have one grand goal: to find the Philosopher's Stone to restore their lost bodies.

At first glance, it seems like the first episode will be packed with explanations, but surprisingly, it’s not! All those important details are neatly wrapped in an exciting action sequence against Isaac McDougal, the 'Freezing Alchemist' who has plans to kill King Bradley. This battle is not only impressive in terms of action but also serves as a clever opener that hints at major plot twists in the future without giving everything away.

What makes it great is that this first episode already delivers a serious yet emotional vibe, combined with pacing that perfectly balances drama, humor, and action. It’s no wonder many say that after watching just a few episodes, you’ll become addicted and unable to stop.

Premiere Date: April 5, 2009
Total Episodes: 64 episodes.

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