Below is a list of genres, but it does not contain every genre!
When it comes to the word "genre" what do you instantly think of? Is it action, adventure, comedy or even romance? Just like any other TV show out there, anime has many genres.It is also important to note that one anime can be considered multiple genres, because most of the time it usually is. Oh-and it even goes beyond the every day regular genres like: romance, comedy, sci-fi, horror, action, and adventure. So in case you thought you completely closed off your mind to anime, because you thought there was only one genre of anime, it's time to open your mind and explore! You might even pick out an anime and realize, that it was ten times better than watching Grey's Anatomy, or Castle.
Romance These shows always involve sparks flying between one or multiple characters in the anime. While watching the show, you may find out the main character is involved in a crazy love triangle or that she/he has an adorable crush on her childhood friends. If you love watching crazy love triangles come to a satisfying (or sometimes unsatisfying) end, watching lovable characters confess their love, or love creating new ships (*refer to the terminology section in the homepage) then this is the genre for you!
Examples: Clannad, Ore Monogatori! (My love story!) , Sukitte Ii na yo (Say, "I love you"), Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)
Comedy This genre of anime will either leave you laughing or smiling, I guarantee it. Two other genres that relate to comedy are Slice of Life and Parodies. Slice of Life anime sound exactly like what they're called; they depict characters in every day normal settings. These anime's are also nice to watch if you need a change of anime, after watching too many action or fantasy anime. Parodies, on the other hand usually reference characters from another anime, or are created with other famous stories in mind (e.g. Little Red Riding Hood). If you're looking for jokes, or something to brighten your day, definitely check out an anime under comedy.
Examples: Comedy: Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu, Gintama, Slice of Life: Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, Toradora!, Usagi Drop Parody: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, Gintama, One Punch Man, Blood Lad,
Action Anime categorized under action typically include action packed fight scenes, conflict, suspense, cool weapons, and characters who have major strength and incredible combat skills! If you live for heart-pounding action scenes, or want to watch an anime character kick some major butt, this is the genre for you!
Horror Just like any other horror film or TV show, watching an horror anime will definitely give you a good scare or intrigue you if you love watching scary stuff. Ghosts, monsters, blood, and screams are all common themes in an horror anime. Whether you watch it with the lights on or off, you're in for a treat. Examples: Terraformars, Higurashi, Umineko no Naku Koro ni Hane, Another, Parasyte
Adventure The title of the genre speaks for itself. In an adventure anime, the main character(s) set out on an epic quest, explore the unknown, and encounter new and exciting things! The main character(s) could be doing anything from searching for wealth, to rescuing a damsel in distress, to even saving the world. Virtually anything could happen in an adventure anime, including laughing, action packed fights, and traveling amidst breath taking scenery. Sometimes we aren't able to go on our own adventures, but watching the characters in the anime go on their own adventure may just make up for it.
Examples: Fairy Tail, One Piece, HunterXHunter
Mystery All mysteries can be different, but they all involve the central idea that one thing needs to solved. Not all animes feature a detective, contrary to what some may believe. For example, there is an anime where the main character is trying to figure out which stranger is actually his twin. Other examples include: a group of teens trying to solve a weird phenomenon, or a main character's ongoing search for another character who seemed to vanish. Whether you love a good Sherlock Holmes or just any mystery, be sure to check out some mystery animes.
Examples: Onegai Twins, Death Note, Ergo Proxy, Terror in Resonance, Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro, Dagan Ronpa
Music
Are you a band kid? Do you love music in general? If you do, you should try watching an anime centered around music. Anime-centered music can involve anything from school bands to performing arts schools, to singing idol groups, and they all involve characters who share a passion for producing music. Examples: Utau no prince-sama, K-on!, AKB0048, Mermaid Melody, Kids on a Slope
Harem/Reverse Harem Anime that fall under the harem category or genre involve a plot in which the main character is a male and he is surrounded by female characters throughout the whole anime. The male lead usually befriends the girls around him, and it is common for multiple female characters to fall in love with him during the plot.|
Reverse Harem on the flip side, is the complete opposite. The protagonist is a girl who is usually surrounded by a bunch of male characters. Examples: Harem: Nisekoi, Date A Live, Rosario to Vampire Reverse Harem: Utau no prince-sama, Brother's Conflict
Post-apocalyptic These anime always take place in a setting where the world is in a hellish state, and some type of conflict is plaguing the world. A popular example of this would include a zombie apocalypse. Usually the characters in the anime are focused on survival or want to try to fix the way the Earth has become.
Examples: Attack on Titan, Coppelion, Trigun, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Sports Are you a die hard Eagles fan? Do you love watching Michael Jordan? Perhaps its time for you to check out a sports anime! These anime focus on...well you guessed it- Sports! Basketball, swimming, tennis, volleyball or any other famous sport you can think of most likely has an anime with that sport as it's focus. The plot in these anime usually involve a team working their butts off to crush their rival team. It is also common for central characters to "hit a wall" or become frustrated when things don't go quite as planned. Finally another element in sports anime, is the relationship the main character builds with his or her fellow teammates.
Examples: Free!, Kuroko no Basuke, The Prince of Tennis, Haikyu!
Psychological
These anime usually love to mess with your mind, by playing psychological tricks on you, and keep you guessing until the end. You might not see a lot of epic fight scenes, but you may come into contact with battles of the mind.
Examples: Death Note, Death Parade, Mirai Nikki, Psycho Pass, Monster (2004)
Shounen When you heard the word "Shounen" you should instantly think mainstream. Shounen are 99.9% of the time your mainstream popular anime. These anime are usually targeted at males, but they can interest females too. In this genre, the characters usually evolve over the course of the show. Examples: Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Fairy Tail, Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Mecha The term "Mecha" refers to gigantic robots which are used for mobile combat. Without these enormous robots, mecha anime wouldn't be mecha. Mecha anime usually relate to military anime, as it is usually the government in the anime that is responsible for these huge robot fighters. It is also common for these anime to occur in other settings than on just Earth, such as space and other planets. Example: Gundam, Macross Frontier, Gurren Lagann, Aldnoah zero, Eureka 7, Genesis of Aquarion
Sci-Fi (science fiction) Sci-Fi anime involve science, high tech machines, and usually take place in the future. Sci-fi anime can also include mecha and space. Examples: To aru Kagaku no Railgun, Kill La Kill, Cowboy Bebop, Darker than Black, Steins;Gate
Historical Historical anime are usually based off historical moments in Japanese anime, and most of the time they relate to the time of the Samurai, which is mainly during the Edo period. Other setting besides the Edo period may include the Medieval period, the Middle Ages, and during World War II.
Examples: Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan, Grave of the fireflies, Rurouni Kenshin,
School School anime is probably the most common out of all the genres. Many of the other genres interlace with the school genre since 80% of the time the main characters are either in high school or middle school. Although anything can happen in school anime, most of the action centers around the school life of the characters.
Examples: School Rumble, Tari Tari, Toradora, Gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun
Game Over the last couple of years game anime has become increasingly popular. Characters playing in a virtual gaming world, battling with gaming cards, or even playing online computer games involves the gaming genre. Examples: Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, No game no life, Accel World
Vampire Vampire anime can be diverse from one another, but they all involve vampires. Just because the anime has vampires in it doesn't mean it has to be horror. Just like any other type of anime, it can be a comedy, romance, thriller, or sad anime. Whether you love Twilight or vampires in general, be sure to check vampires out in your favorite anime! Examples: Vampire Knight, Shiki, Diabolic Lovers, Seraph of the End
Magic Magic anime is a very popular anime even today. Some people think magic anime is all about the magical girls and their transformations, but it doesn't have to be. There are many different magic anime out there, that all involve characters with their own unique magical abilities. I personally love to watch magic anime, just to check out all the cool powers that each character has. Examples: Magi, Beyond the Boundarie, Shakugan no Shana, Kaze no Stigma