Top 10 Anime That Became Masterpieces After Just One Episode

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we are counting down our picks for the Top 10 Anime That Became Masterpieces After One Episode.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the opening episodes that turned out to be a reflection of the greatness to come.

Think we missed a masterpiece in the making? Let us know in the comments!

Granted, if the first episode happened to feature Johan’s reveal just as he has stated his killing spree, this would have shot up to number one. That being said, watching Dr Tenma’s unknowingly fatal decision to choose to perform life-saving surgery on a child as opposed to a political figure magnificently sets the stage for the horror to come. We are only given snippets of tension, but they still succeed in layering together as we see the fallout from his decision start to unfold. You know what they say about good intentions and hell, right?

Manga conclusion aside, this is one of the most heart-warming properties in the medium, giving us a father and daughter bond that would go on to bring an uncountable amount of feels. Disillusioned and just wading through his adult life, Daikichi changes two fates when he makes the decision to adopt his deceased grandfather’s secret love child, giving them both a chance to find some sense of happiness in their life. The first episode may certainly be more on the sombre side of things, but come on! Look at how cute Rin is!

Now this is what you call an animation flex. Very much the calm before the storm, this tale of Vikings and revenge not only contains one hell of an opening battle sequence, but does a stellar job of establishing the characters of both father and son. We have Thors; an enlightened yet beast of a man who has forsaken violence in order to protect his family and walk the path of the true warrior, and we have Thorfinn; a naïve youth obsessed with tales of adventures and romanticised versions of war. Their relationship is masterfully displayed, instantly enamouring us, and paving the way for many a brutal reckoning going forward.

The stakes may be pretty low, given we only see one major table tennis match in the whole episode, but the style of animation and set up between its two leads is still grandiose in execution. With Masaki Yuasa’s signature visual flare lending itself to a bizarre yet invigorating portrayal of the sport, watching Smile and Peco slowly find their passion for it following their defeat at the paddle of a rival champion forms the bedrock of the story. It’s a solid underdog story drenched in a wholly unique attire right from the get go.

Going from a prodigal student all the way to a God of the New World, this opening episode is very much Light’s origin story, as he takes his first dip towards being a global serial killer. Or messiah figure, depending on how you view his actions. Establishing both Light’s monstrous intelligence and the power of the Death Note, no matter your opinions on his personal brand of justice, the way in which he utilises the book of the Shinigami and seeing his hubris grow makes for incredibly compelling viewing.

This episode could have been presented as a short film and we wouldn’t have questioned it. It’s excellence in the way it conveys its emotional rawness within such a limited space of time is borderline unparalleled. Even if you take away the supernatural aspect of a sentient orb assuming the form of everything it touches, you still have a compelling relationship between a lonely boy and his wolf as they endeavour to seek out civilisation…and the soul-shattering realisation that the world doesn’t owe you any happiness. This one is shaping up to be a true star.

While there was no way to predict the darkness that would follow via the introduction of Bondrewd, our first time in the city overlooking the abyss was still a monumental one. Sure, there’ may not have been as much bite when compared to the rest of Reg and Riko’s journey, but it still gave us the gorgeous visual of the new day rising over Orth, a taste of its creature designs, and the instant chemistry between the naïve cave raider and her cyborg companion. And the rest is history. A very painful and uncomfortable history.

Setting the tone in terms of both beauty and heartbreak, Violet’s new life as an Auto Memory Doll came with an abundance of PDST, upsetting flashbacks, and some of the most dazzling animated backdrops in recent memory. All of which was just icing on the cake as we follow a former soldier trying to rebuild her life, while also attempting to comprehend human emotion and connection due to being raised as a living weapon. It was a stunning showcase of what was yet to come, with Violet taking her first step towards understanding the meaning of the phrase “I love you”.

It’s the first time that Shinji got into the robot, the first time we saw an Angel floating under the sunken ruins of a city, and the first time we saw what a terrible father Gendo is. While we could never have predicted the philosophical madness that would follow, the initial assault of the Abrahamic creatures nonetheless presented us with amazing sci-fi world-building along with some truly compelling battles. This episode sets up all the madness that is yet to come in the most perfect way!

There’s no conspiracies, no war, no evidence of the undercurrents that would go on to define it as a political thriller in its later seasons, just a whole episode filled with horror and tragedy as Eren and the rest watch their home be consumed by ravenous, man-eating giants. While you can certainly go over it with a fine-tooth comb searching for the smallest signs that give reference to future events, watching the Colossal Titan rise above the wall and snuff out hundreds of lives speaks volumes by itself, giving us a visceral introduction to a world that everyone has come to both fear and adore.