My first anime would have probably been Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh, and then graduated to Dragon Ball Z at around age 11. At the time, I had no concept that it was any different than our (American) tv shows, or that anime was a thing. I think the show that got me hooked was the show that, for the first time, I realized there was no way an American had thought it up and made it. That show was FLCL, and I had stayed up passed my bedtime to watch Adult Swim. I was hooked after that, but had no real medium or way to watch anime. I grew up on a farm in rural Missouri, so it wasn't as simple as going to school. None of my friends even knew what anime was. Hell, by the time I graduated only a close circle of my friends were aware of it's existence. To this day, I will not watch anime in front of other people, unless I am absolutely comfortable with them. There was such a stigma of, I don't know.. I was looked down on for watching cartoons, I think. Never have read a manga.