It's safe to say that anime is more popular here in the States than it ever has been. Ever since the mid-'90s, the anime community has been growing exponentially — what was once a niche market is now home to an absolutely massive fanbase. Simply put, anime is everywhere ... but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to get into.

Anime can be surprisingly complicated — most people may think it's simply about Japanese cartoons, but that barely even scratches the surface. Anime is a medium unto itself, not just another genre of animation — and, while that's helped create the library of amazing works that fans have access to today, it can be a bit obtuse for anyone who's been left in the dark.

That's what this guide is for: we're going to cover the basics of anime and manga, so that anyone who's trying to jump in and start watching has a jumping-off point. On that note, let's start with the most basic of basics: what are anime and manga, and how are they related?

Modern manga is, in fact, the result of a long evolutionary artistic process that can be traced back as far as the late 19th century — however, it wouldn't be until after World War II ended that manga would take on its now-recognizable style. Like anime, the word "manga" simply refers to cartooning or comics in Japan, while its usage in Western cultures specifically references Japanese art.

Osamu Tezuka is widely considered to be one of the first modern manga artists: Tezuka's Astro Boy, first published in 1951, quickly went on to define the medium and was eventually adapted into its very own anime series. This transition from page to screen went on to become the norm, and many popular anime still start out as weekly manga stories to this day.

Viz Comics would prove to be instrumental in bringing manga to an American audience with its release of the original Dragon Ball Z comics back in the late '90s. The 2002 launch of the anthology magazine Shonen Jump would further boost manga's reach, and it's widely considered to be one of the main reasons why the medium is still popular today.

Strangely enough, anime doesn't have one concrete definition around the world. In Japan, it typically refers to any type of animation, regardless of where it came from — outside of the country, however, anime typically refers to a specific style or genre of animation produced in Japan.

While the origins of anime date back as far as 1917, animated World War II propaganda films produced in Japan are generally cited as the first example of feature-length anime. Following World War II and throughout the 1970s, animation studios began to form and diversify, leading to the wide variety of artistic styles and sub-genres that still exist today.

Anime in America wouldn't become widely popular until the mid-'90s, when series like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon made their way overseas. These shows weren't the first anime to come to America, but they would prove to be the catalyst for introducing the medium to a mass American market.

All right, you know what anime and manga are — now it's time to figure out how to narrow down your search.

Anime and manga are typically divided into one of four major demographics. While not every single series ever created necessarily fits into this framework, the vast majority of anime and manga could be categorized as either Shōnen, Shōjo, Seinen or Josei — and, while that may look complicated, it's basically breaking things down into age groups and genders.

Shōnen

Notable examples:
Ranma ½, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto

If you've ever watched an anime, you've probably seen shōnen. This is the high-flying, energy beam-throwing, spiky-haired anime that most people associate with the medium. Shōnen series are typically written with male teenagers or young boys in mind, though the breadth of different stories and characters means that just about anyone can watch.

Shōjo

Notable examples:
Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Revolutionary Girl Utena

Shōjo is, in many ways, the conceptual opposite of shōnen: instead of the stories being written with young men in mind, shōjo series are typically written for young women. Shōjo typically focus on relationships, romance and generally more emotional stories, and often feature a bigger emphasis on comedy. Think of shōjo as the romantic comedy to shōnen's action movie.

Seinen

Notable examples:
Berserk, Gantz, Hellsing

If you want something grim, seinen is likely your best bet. As the older brother to shōnen anime, seinen focuses on darker, more mature stories, which usually results in more complex, intricate stories and deeper characters. And, while it's not exactly a requirement, seinen stories often tend to be more violent and/or sexual in nature — in other words, keep them away from the kids.

Josei

Notable examples:
Angel Nest, Princess Jellyfish, Gokusen

If you haven't already guessed, josei anime are basically more mature versions of shōjo series. The focus on romance and relationships still exists, but they're often portrayed in a more realistic manner, and issues such as infidelity or sexual assault are commonly addressed. Josei stories aren't necessarily written specifically for adults (as many seinen are), they're simply presented in a more mature, "grown-up" fashion.

Now that you know what anime is and where to start looking, the question is: where can you find it? While it can be a bit frustrating to find streaming anime online, there are far more options now than there used to be — and chances are you're already signed up for at least one of the following streaming services:

Crunchyroll

If you're looking for a place to simply jump in and try a few different series out, Crunchyroll is an excellent place to start. The majority of its library focuses on newer series, so anyone looking for classic shows or movies might not find much, but the size of Crunchyroll's library is hard to beat. Plus, there's no real need to sign up for a subscription (unless you really hate ads), making Crunchyroll the cheapest starting point as well.

Netflix

Let's be honest: Netflix's anime selection is all over the place. The quality of the shows available varies wildly, and more than a few series have been left incomplete for years. Despite all that, Netflix can still be a great place to go for anime: series like Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist are more than enough reason to dive in, and they're far from the only example of excellent anime on the service.

Hulu

It may take a little bit of digging, but Hulu has a surprisingly large selection of anime — including full series and individual movies — in its library. The only real catch is that, for many full series, most of the English-dubbed episodes are only available to Hulu Plus members ... but, if you don't mind subtitles, Hulu can be a great place to watch.

Amazon

No, we're not talking about Prime Video here — there are just some series and movies that you won't be able to find online. Blu-rays and DVD collections can be expensive, but in a lot of cases, they're going to be your only legal option. At the very least, diligent fans can find some fantastic deals, and it's hard to beat the picture quality of an actual disc.

Now that you've got a basic understanding of what anime is, who it's made for and where to find it, there's only one thing left to do: go out and actually watch some! There are literally thousands of different places to start — if you're looking for specific recommendations, make sure to check out our list of the essential must-watch anime TV series and movies!

As we've demonstrated, anime can get a bit complicated — if you've got any questions or suggestions for additions, let us know in the comments down below!