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Michael B Jordan names best anime series for new fans, and he’s right

Michael B. Jordan, director and star of Creed 3, is famously a big fan of anime, and he's given some tips on where to get started if you're totally new.

Bleach

Much has been made of how Michael B. Jordan has brought his love of anime into his directorial debut, Creed 3. The fight scenes have been influenced by Dragon Ball Z, and even Donnie’s boxing shorts were inspired by Akira. Jordan recently spoke to Radio One, and gave his suggestions for where to start with anime series if you’re a total noob.

One Piece, Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter. That’s a pretty good starting five,” says Jordan. Bleach is probably the most obscure of these – it aired between 2004-2012 – and 7 seasons can be watched on Hulu/Disney Plus.

One Piece is a classic anime that began airing in 1999, and they have made over a thousand episodes. Many One Piece characters are widely beloved – such as Luffy, Shanks and more. Netflix is making a live-action series of One Piece, and it should hit our screens in 2023.

Dragon Ball Super is currently on its second season. The original series ran from 1986-1989, and Dragon Ball Z ran from 1989-1996. Dragon Ball Super ran from 2015-2018, then Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero began in 2022.

Naruto originally ran from 2002-2007, and Naruto: Shippuden ran from 2007-2017. There have been so many episodes, that we have advice for you on which Naruto filler episodes you can skip. But we still have many Naruto Jutsu that we love – including Particle Style, Limbo, and Seven Gates.

Hunter x Hunter is another anime series that goes all the way back to 1999, and its current iteration is on its seventh season.

Anime can be intimidating to make a start with, as there’s so much out there, it’s overwhelming. But Michael B. Jordan has given us a good starting place. We are always keeping you up-to-date with new anime – and you can find out what to expect in the coming month or so.