When or how did you discover anime?

[Ismira]

The very first anime I ever watched was Cardcaptur Sakura. I don't think I was aware it was anime, just a regular cartoon that broadcasted on TV. It was cute and different from my usual cartoons. Eventually, I started to explore more shows on TV; InuYasha, Marie Antionette, UFO baby, Pokémon. Some others, but this was 15+ years ago, and my memory isn't quite what it once was. My interest eventually waned and school/college took precedence, so I never truly developed a die hard interest in the world of anime.

I get easily overwhelmed, so the thought of trying to play catch up with some of the popular/classics gives me anxiety, but FMA, MHA, and AoT are some I hope to watch eventually!

[Kibba]

I remember when I was a little kid (I'm from Dominican Republic) and one of my cousins moved here from the US and brought a lot of Shonen Jump magazines/manga and a bunch of anime VCRs and that's how I was introduced to the world of anime.
I think Naruto or Yugioh

[EnderTheory]

Back in elementary school, I think my earliest anime was Fruits Basket. Around that time frame, I also watched Dragonball Z Kai, Sasami Magical Girls Club, Pokemon, Soul Eater, and Elfin Lied (I really should have waited until later to watch this one, I think it was like morbid curiosity after being exposed to one of the really horrible scenes on YouTube). I also sometimes randomly tuned in to see what was on Funimation at the time, when it was still available on the TV network.

Anyone ever go to an anime con? I went once with a few friends and lmao I was so underdressed compared to everyone else. Most people were in some for of cosplay and I just rocked up in casual attire so I stuck out like a sore thumb. It was fun but it was just a little too much for me.

I've been to two anime cons locally a long while ago, and I was in the same boat with being underdressed I did two non-anime cosplays and the first one was just sorta something I threw together on a whim, while the second I put a lot more effort into but still felt it was very lackluster (this was back in middle school, and I made the mistake of trying to paint rubber gloves-- the paint came off when I went to high-five someone and I felt super embarrassed). I did plan to go to a third one to meet up with someone irl, but it never happened due the beginning of covid setting in. I'm honestly not sure if I'll ever be able to go back to a convention, because my anxiety gets really bad.

[flowerbeans]

Naruto was my first anime. Had some friends watching it during that time (I was about 13/14 years old) and the characters were school kids too. I got intrigued by their art and even to this day, I must say anime drawings are so so good!

[♥ pillowfighter ♥]

Growing up I used to love watching Sailor Moon, DBZ when it was on Toonami, Pokemon, Digimon etc so I guess sort of that like you said. I even remember a channel playing Cardcaptor Sakura but idk what it was. I loveeeed that.
But I think the real awakening was, there was a night my mom fell asleep before me and I stayed up late and was drawing cartoons on a piece of notebook paper. I changed the channel to Adult Swim and InuYasha was on. I remember literally being so drawn into it. Maybe because I was old enough to understand what was happening unlike when I would watch the other shows growing up and there was so much drama? It was so good. I went onto watch that and Full Metal Alchemist every single night because there was a block where they'd be on at like 1-5am or something. I liked them so much that I printed off pictures in black and white and put them into my school binder that had a sleeve in the front of it to place paper in and a girl who sat behind me in social studies noticed and told me it was called anime.
From there I started to read her manga and I got into Chobits and Fruits Basket and some stuff I probably should not have been reading for being in 6th grade. LOL.
And now here I am! Mid to late twenties and still really into it.

[Menine]

I remember watching Tenchi muyo and Dragon Ball in TV as a kid. Growing up, I become into shoujo and josei

[♥ Wooloo ♥]

I watched anime on and off from Toonami as a kid but didn't watch my first full series until Chobits during a trip overseas to my home country. We were bored since we were stuck indoors most of the time, so my brother and I watched our cousin's English subbed copies.

[♥ Harvest Goddess ♥]

My entire family would watch anime. So I grew up with a lot. My first movie was Totoro, and then my first and favorite show was .//hack.

I watched a lot of Gundam and Sailor Moon with my uncle though, and he used to buy me the dolls. It was super nostalgic.

Now I watch anime with my friends weekly.

[Ismira]

My Japanese friend introduced me to the genre when I was but a wee child. Actually, I think I was in my pre-teens, so not so much as wee as naïve and blissfully ignorant. Unfortunately, the anime she recommended was meant for an older audience and had some.. suggestive.. scenes. Double whammy: I'd convinced my family it was a great show and we sat down to watch.. lo and behold, the risqué scene appeared naught but two minutes into it. I'd never felt so flustered and awkward in my adolescent life! I spluttered, averted my eyes, and quickly changed the channel all while trying to convince my family that no, she was not a bad influence!

Ahh, good times. Wish I could remember the name of this anime.

[Serebii]

I was homeschooled as a kid so of course I didn't adhere to a normal sleep schedule. This meant that I was awake at god knows when watching stuff on Cartoon Network, and at the time CN had an anime block (I think this was before Toonami, even) that featured DBZ, Tenchi Muyo and I want to say Ranma 1/2? Not too too sure on that last one.

But yeah, Tenchi Muyo itself was my introduction to anime. And a year later Pokémon started airing so THAT is when things really took off for me.