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If done badly is sometimes followed by [[Green Rooming]]. Can be especially annoying in things like [[Twelve-Episode Anime]] series if the cast has more than four people.

 

 

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* In the original [[OVA]] version of ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]'', we (and Tenchi) meet Ryoko in the first episode, Ayeka and Sasami in the second, Mihoshi an episode or so after that, and Washuu in the sixth installment. [[Alternate Continuity|Other versions]] of ''Tenchi'' compress this process, with the cycle of meetings becoming shorter and shorter until [[Everyone Meets Everyone|they all happen in one fell swoop]] in ''Shin Tenchi Muyo''.

* In the ''[[One Piece]]'' anime, we meet Luffy and Nami in the first episode (though Nami doesn't join up with Luffy until episode 8, and was not introduced in the manga until the start of the Buggy arc). Zoro joins Luffy's crew in episode 3, Ussop joins in episode 17, Sanji joins in episode 30, {{spoiler|and Tony Tony Chopper and Nico Robin join in episodes 91 and 130, respectively. Franky joins in episode 322. Brook in 381, in a hilariously perfunctory fashion. Vivi seems like a shoe-in to join, but ends up not doing so after well over a year as a major character.}} It's debatable whether any characters past Sanji count since major plots already happen after that point.

* ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'': The team meets Zakuro AKA Renee (their last member) in the 10th episode, but she doesn't join until the next. 4Kids, in order to get the kiddies to know everyone ASAP, premiered with the 12th episode.

* ''[[Ai Yori Aoshi]]'' spends the first several episodes simply developing the backstory and relationship between Aoi and Kaoru, then slowly begins adding the other characters over the course of the first season.

* We're introduced to almost all the recurring characters in ''[[Love Hina]]'' in the first few minutes of the first episode, but Shinobu and Motoko [[Early-Bird Cameo|only get a minute or so]] of screen time, just enough to set them up for their more fully developed introductions in the second and third episodes, respectively.

* In the ''[[Ojamajo Doremi]]'' series; Hazuki and Aiko both became apprentences in episode 4(though Hazuki is briefly introduced in the first episode, and Aiko just transferred in episode 3), Doremi's sister Pop joins the team in episode 25 (she was introduced n the first episode as well), and Onpu debuts in episode 35 (but is a heel until the finale of the first season). Momoko and Hana-chan transform in the first episodes of ''Motto'' and ''Dokkan'', respectively...but Hana debuted in ''Sharp'' as a newborn.

* ''[[Soul Eater]]'' has the first three episodes each introducing one of the main [[Empathic Weapon|weapon/meister]] sets before the first [[Arc]] begins.

* ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'' introduces Ash in the first episode, which also features Misty, but she doesn't properly join him until the next. Team Rocket are introduced in Episode 2 and Brock joins the team in Episode 5.

** Ash's party is also introduced in this fashion: Pikachu in Episode 1, Pidgeotto and Caterpie in Episode 3 (of which Caterpie quickly becomes a Butterfree by Episode 4), Bulbasaur in 10, Charmander in 11 and Squirtle in 12.

** Also invoked by the later series as well. In ''Advanced Generation'', we're introduced to Ash and May in episode 1, Max in episode 3 and Brock returns for episode 4. Episode 1 of ''Diamond and Pearl'' introduces us to Dawn before bringing Ash and Brock back in episode 2. And ''Black & White'' gives us Ash in episode 1, Iris in episode 2 (though she made a brief appearance in episode 1) and Cilan in episode 5.

* In ''[[Fushigi Yuugi]]'', the whole beginning plot was pretty much jumpstarted by this - [[Gotta Catch Them All|find all the seven Celestial Warriors that are scattered around the empire]].

* ''[[Katekyo Hitman Reborn]]'' ''loves'' this. Pretty much the whole light fluff comedy beginning consisted of introducing a bunch of new characters that try to kill Tsuna. After the [[Genre Shift]], it's still done by introducing the Varia and who Tsuna's [[Gotta Catch Them All|guardians]] are. Even in the latest chapters, it's still introducing more [[Bishonen]] to interest fangirls ( {{spoiler|"Let me introduce you to the ''real'' six Funeral Wreaths!"}}).

* ''[[Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei]]'' does this with the students in Itoshiki-sensei's homeroom class. They're all technically members of the class from the beginning, but they each get focus episodes that introduce them to the audience and show off their particular brand of insanity.

* ''[[Zoids]] Genesis'' tries to play with this a bit, by making characters take one episode or so to actually join the team, but otherwise is the usual: The series starts with [[Kid Hero|Ruuji]], the first episode has [[The Lancer|Re]] [[Token Mini-Moe|Mii]] and [[Old Master|Ra Kan]] (Not [[Negima|that one]]) appear as somewhat ambiguous figures (Even if [[Spoiler Opening|the OP ruins this]]) but are revealed as good guys next episode. [[The Chick|Kotona]] [[Shotacon|Elegance]] appears in ep 4 and joins in ep 5, [[The Big Guy|Garaga]] appears in ep 5 and joins by 6, [[The Smart Guy|Ron]] appears AND joins in 6, even if he doesn't gets his Zoid until ep 9, and then there's a small gap until [[Sixth Ranger|Seijuurou]] joins in ep 10.

** Keep in mind though, in the manga Pilaf and co. didn't appear [[Early-Bird Cameo|until the heroes were on their way to his castle for the last Dragon Ball]].

* ''[[Rave Master]]'' begings with Haru aquiring Plue. In the next volume (since the first volume all happens around his house) he runs into Elie, and has come across Musica by the end-though it takes another volume for Musica to join.

** King handles the [[Loads and Loads of Characters]] in ''[[The Stand]]'' the same way.

* Despite being one of the two protagonists of the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' trilogy, Will is not introduced until the start of the second book.

** And he does it again in [[Expansion Pack World|its sequel]] ''The Mallorean'', where the last duck is only confirmed in the second half of the last book (though she was introduced in another form earlier in the series).

* Dave Barry's novels Big Trouble and Tricky Business introduce all of the primary characters in the first chapters before their plot threads start to (insanely) intertwine.

* Most ''[[Transformers]]'' series does this. Heck, in ''[[Beast Wars]]'', new cast members do, in fact, fall from the sky, generally in stasis pods. The upside of this is twofold: one, it makes [[Merchandise-Driven|introducing new product]] go down smoother and easier; and two, if there's any race in the universe that knows [[Establishing Character Moment|how to make an entrance]], it's the Transformers.

** With ''[[Transformers Armada]]'', it was more that "reinforcements" for both sides were either late to the party or weren't summoned until later. Apparently Megatron thought he could handle things with three mediocre soldiers and Optimus with two.

* The first five episodes of ''[[X-Men: Evolution|X-Men Evolution]]'' are almost solely devoted to this, generally with both the X-Men and the rival Brotherhood recruiting a new member in each episode.

* The computer-animated show ''[[Shadow Raiders]]'', this is rather conspicuous. The main character and the plot-driving character are introduced in the first episode, along with a couple more important characters. Then, within the span of five episodes, you've seen everyone of note. If the character wasn't introduced in the first five episodes, they're cannon fodder.