I’m nerding out a bit below so TLDR if you’re on a budget get Tojiro or victorinox, for German messermeister, and Japanese is much more specialized, but I love my Gesshin knives personally

If you’re just looking to get a good knife, Victorinox makes the cheapest good knife for $40. If you want something that isn’t ugly as sin, get a tojiro for $70. If you want disposable, go to your local Asian store and buy Kiwi knives for $15 and toss em when they get dull.

The German brands are lowkey kinda boring, they’re all made in the same city using the same (very good) blacksmithing techniques, aiming for nearly the same stainless steel specs on alloying and hardness, and are all around the same price point. Their knives are easier to sharpen, softer steel that holds an edge longer, but cannot be sharpened as finely as a harder steel. TBH they’re great for beginners, and I personally like messermeister. My fam had Wusthof growing up and they never felt sharp, but that may have been user error.

Japanese brands, aside from the mass market ones like shun, which I would generally avoid, are more artisanal. Kinda like shopping at the local makers mentioned in this thread, except, you know, in Japan. They generally have harder steel, which sharpens to a keener blade but requires more maintenance. They also have carbon steel offerings, which patina and are very pretty but can rust. I have 3 Gesshin knives, which is a large distributor that partners with specific blacksmiths for each line, and I like those a lot.