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public class CustomAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<CustomAdapter.ViewHolder>
{
    private Context context;

    // The items to display in your RecyclerView
    private ArrayList<String> items;
    // Allows to remember the last item shown on screen
    private int lastPosition = -1;

    public static class ViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder
    {
        TextView text;
        // You need to retrieve the container (ie the root ViewGroup from your custom_item_layout)
        // It's the view that will be animated
        FrameLayout container;

        public ViewHolder(View itemView)
        {
            super(itemView);
            container = (FrameLayout) itemView.findViewById(R.id.item_layout_container);
            text = (TextView) itemView.findViewById(R.id.item_layout_text);
        }
    }

    public CustomAdapter(ArrayList<String> items, Context context)
    {
        this.items = items;
        this.context = context;
    }

    @Override
    public CustomAdapter.ViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(ViewGroup parent, int viewType)
    {
        View v = LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext()).inflate(R.layout.custom_item_layout, parent, false);
        return new ViewHolder(v);
    }

    @Override
    public void onBindViewHolder(ViewHolder holder, int position)
    {
        holder.text.setText(items.get(position));

        // Here you apply the animation when the view is bound
        setAnimation(holder.container, position);
    }

    /**
     * Here is the key method to apply the animation
     */
    private void setAnimation(View viewToAnimate, int position)
    {
        // If the bound view wasn't previously displayed on screen, it's animated
        if (position > lastPosition)
        {
            Animation animation = AnimationUtils.loadAnimation(context, android.R.anim.slide_in_left);
            viewToAnimate.startAnimation(animation);
            lastPosition = position;
        }
    }
}