Check the 10 greatest anime series to watch including the latest recommendations and the top classics!
There are numerous animations produced and released all over the world every year. Here, anime, which is the Japanese term originating in Japan and especially means the animations made in Japan.
It is said that the first Japanese animation was made and released in 1917. Speaking of the earliest famous anime in Japan, Astro Boy (a.k.a. Mighty Atom) was released in 1963 as the first series aired on TV. Around hundreds of new anime are aired on TV and distributed to the movie streaming platforms and come to the screens every year, and the number of must-watch titles is going on increasing year by year.
The industry of anime has prospered substantially in Japan partly because the country has other Japanese pop cultures such as manga, video games and light novels. Some popular anime are adaptations of manga, video games, light novels and other media. And, anime has flourished worldwide so rapidly since anyone can access the Japanese animations with English dubs and subtitles.
Here are top 10 best anime series of all time including both the classic anime franchises and the brand new shows. This greatest anime list will help beginners to find which anime to start watching with in the world or anime fans to decide the next one to try. Otherwise, check the best anime by freak’s standards.
1. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
The advent of a shockingly quality anime surprised experienced fans all over the world in 2019. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (鬼滅の刃) is adapted into an anime from the manga by Koyoharu Gotoge, which was serialized on the Weekly Shonen Jump from 2016. The first season of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba with 26 episodes was welcomed by both fans of the manga and people who had not read it.
It is set in the Taisho period (1912-1926) in Japan where demons exist with human beings. The main character Tanjiro Kamado finds his family is killed by the attack of demons and only his sister Nezuko is changed into a demon. He decides to become a demon slayer to restore her to a human.
This anime includes every important part for an excellent anime from the main character’s purity and growing to friends with the spirit of brotherhood and respect for any characters. The battle scenes between demon slayers with swords and unique demon characters are intense, which is beautifully drawn. Each character’s past and background including even demons is respectfully depicted in this anime.
It is followed by the sequel story Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train (劇場版 鬼滅の刃 無限列車編) released in October, 2020. At the same time as the second season of the TV series Entertainment District Arc finished in February in 2022, it was announced that the production of the season 3 Swordsmith Village Arc was decided. This franchise has not completed yet, but it is safe to say that Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba will grow to represent the best anime in Japan and around the world.
Air Dates: From 2019
Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
2. Naruto
Naruto (ナルト), the greatest anime with the theme of Ninja, was initially released as the Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Masashi Kishimoto in 1999 and run until 2014. The anime Naruto series was completed in 2017 after no less than 15 years, consisting of two titles: Naruto (NARUTO -ナルト-) aired in 2002-2007 and Naruto: Shippuden (NARUTO -ナルト- 疾風伝) aired in 2007-2017.
The setting of Naruto is the fictional world of Shinobi (Ninja), and the ineffective boy Naruto is growing by the help of many friends and masters there. Naruto and other Ninja characters battle with various Ninja techniques using the chakra energy.
Lots of anime’s essentials such as strong bonds with friends and family, betrayal and parting are represented in this anime. Many anime fans may pick out Naruto as the top of anime especially for foreign people, and it deserves it. Nevertheless, Naruto yields the top position to a certain new anime being released.
Air Dates: 2002-2017
Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
3. One Piece
What is the most famous and top-selling ongoing manga and anime is One Piece (ワンピース) without a doubt. The first volume of the manga was published in 1997, and there are now over 100 volumes sold around the world. The anime adaption began two years later after the first manga was released, and over 1,000 episodes have been aired since then. The whole story of One Piece can be divided into about 10 parts, and beginners can enjoy it even if they start anywhere.
It proceeds with the adventures of the main character Monkey D. Luffy and his crews in the pirates world. He sets sail on the sea in search of the ultimate treasure called “One Piece”. There are Devil Fruits in the world of One Piece, which grant a superpower to those who eat one while the fruits unable them to swim. Powerful fight scenes between the Devil Fruits eaters including Luffy are stunning.
Air Dates: From 1999
Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Drama
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
4. Dragon Ball
Many anime fans associate the most famous action anime with Dragon Ball (ドラゴンボール), which started to be aired in 1984. Dragon Ball is originally made as the Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Akira Toriyama. There are several main parts in the Dragon Ball series, and it is ongoing as the new title Dragon Ball Super (ドラゴンボール超) from 2015. The well-known part is Dragon Ball Z (ドラゴンボールZ) where the story proceeds after the main character Goku is grown up.
Any battle scenes are worth watching, however, it is especially recommended to watch Goku vs Freeza and Goku’s son Gohan vs Cell.
Air Dates: From 1984
Genre: Action, Adventure
Recommended for Beginners
5. Attack on Titan
As one of the best action anime in recent years, Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人) should be listed. It was originally released as a manga in 2009, and the first season of the anime adaption was aired in 2013. In the story, humanity stands on the edge of extinction for being attacked by the titans. The main characters Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman with the other Survey Corps members battle against the titans.
The story of the manga series came to the end in April, 2021. The fourth and final season of the anime series started from the winter of 2020 and will be completed with the final part airing in 2023.
Air Dates: 2013-2022
Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
6. Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen (呪術廻戦) has been a top manga and anime series since the manga series started its serialization on Weekly Shonen Jump in 2018. The first season of the anime adaptation, produced by the modern Japanese anime studio Mappa, aired with 24 episodes in 2020. Since the end of 2021, the first anime movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (劇場版 呪術廻戦 0) has been welcomed by plenty of fans, based on the volume 0 of the manga series. It has been also decided that the latest second season will hit the air in 2023.
Air Dates: From 2020
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Action
Recommended for Fans
7. My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia (僕のヒーローアカデミア) is one of the most popular ongoing anime that consists of several seasons while the original manga has been published on the Weekly Shonen Jump since 2014. A young boy Izuku Midoriya and other Heroes fights the Villains using their superpowers Quirks. My Hero Academia is also popular among international anime fans since the touch and atmosphere in the anime look like an American Superhero comic rather than Japanese anime.
Air Dates: From 2016
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Recommended for Beginners
8. Bleach
Bleach is what both anime beginners and experienced fans should watch, broadcasted with 366 episodes from 2004 to 2012. It was made by a studio Pierrot, based on the popular manga series serialized on Weekly Shonen Jump between 2001 and 2016. The new series Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War (BLEACH 千年血戦篇) covers the rest of the original story from the manga, starting from October, 2022. The action adventure series with the theme of Samurai follows a high schooler Ichigo Kurosaki, who gets supernatural powers to beat evil spirits called Hollows.
Air Dates: From 2004
Genre: Action, Adventure
Recommended for Beginners
9. Death Note
The mystery and horror anime Dearth Note (デスノート), based on the manga published on the Weekly Shonen Jump from 2003 to 2006, is highly rated by both domestic and international anime fans. It is so popular worldwide partly because the anime is completed with the relatively short story (37 episodes) in addition to the well-elaborated storyline.
The protagonist Light Yagami finds a Death Note which makes people die if their names are written on the note. You can enjoy watching of the high-level game of wits.
Air Dates: 2006-2007
Genre: Mystery
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
10. Full Metal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師), which is abbreviated to Hagaren in Japanese, is a well-known Japanese sci-fi anime worldwide. This anime is divided into two different anime: Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The former Fullmetal Alchemist was broadcasted before the manga series did not finish the story, which means its story is different from the manga series. On the other hand, the manga’s story is truly depicted in the latter Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, which is highly recommended to watch.
The alchemist brothers Edward and Alphonse loses a part or the whole of their body by violating a taboo: Using alchemy to try to revive their dead mother. And, they start traveling to find the way to retrieve their bodies. During the journey, they meet a variety of State Alchemists and vicious opponents Homunculi. You can enjoy fierce battles between them as well as moving episodes related to what is life.
Air Dates: 2003-2010
Genre: Adventure, Science Fiction, Dark Fantasy
Recommended for Beginners/Fans
This best anime list covers from the classic series to the ongoing new faces including the latest trends. I did the best to be objective as much as possible to complete the ultimate ranking that helps many fans to understand the lineup of quality works and to find the one to watch next. As the advent of nicer one, this best anime’s position is changing.