There are some series that are better to get into than others if you want to get into anime. From my experience, I would probably stay away from Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon, Serial Experiements Lain, and FLCL. This isn't to say that these are bad series---in fact they're some of the best---but they're very odd, and could give you a bad impression of anime as a whole. I'd recommend watching the following: Martian Successor Nadesico: Good story, makes fun of anime itself. Jin-Roh the Wolf Brigade: Alternate reality after WWII. More of a serious-style anime. It's so realistic that you could see it made as a live-action movie and come off very well. Hellsing: (warning: ultra-violent, not for the squemish)Takes some great liberties with vampires, but comes off with a highly enjoyable series. While some anime is okay for kids, this isn't by any stretch.