One can always argue about things, but we think that anime is one of the most successful Japanese exports of all time. What’s so special about it, you ask? Well, it is not just some kiddie cartoon, as anime series often don a dark visual style, presenting the viewers with inappropriate amounts of gore (always depicted in the most visually pleasing way, of course). Besides that, even if the tone of a particular anime is light, the visuals significantly differ from the Western aesthetics - these animations are full of visual clues, and almost everything bears a meaning. And what about the topics? Well, if Western animations are more likely to touch the topics of friendship and love, the issues in anime span from romance to thriller. And that indicates that anime series aren’t really meant for kids. In fact, you should take them and view them as your regular TV series, just animated and not live-action.
So, whether you are a seasoned anime fan or just poking around to see if you’d like it, you’ve come to the right place. For the aforementioned pros - this list consists of 181 entries, and we doubt that anyone has seen them all. So, even if you claim to have done so, we bet even you will find something new on our anime series list. As for the ones that are just checking around - the top 30 submissions are supplied with descriptions that will hopefully make your choice easier. Now, all there’s left to do is to scroll down below and check out our comprehensive list of the best anime series of all time! From such classics as Dragon Ball to newer series as The Promised Neverland, you will definitely find something worth your time. After checking out our top anime picks, vote for the ones you deem to be the best, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends! Domo arigato~!
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#21 Bleach
Bleach, a 2014 anime series based on Tite Kubo's manga, follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki. He's not just some simple dude, but a man who obtained the powers of a Soul Reaper (similar to Grim Reaper). Now, Ichigo takes the duty of defending humans from evil spirits and safely guiding newly departed souls into the afterlife. Although the anime series strays a bit from the original manga, the gist is still the same. All in all, Bleach has all the ingredients that made it into a very successful adaptation - there's the supernatural, comedy, action, and even a bit of romance.
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54points
#22 Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate is a 2011 anime series based on 5pb. and Nitroplus' visual novel of the same name and is a part of the Science Adventure franchise. The action in Steins;Gate is set in 2010 and follows Rintaro Okabe, who, together with his friends, discovers a way to time travel. The group starts sending messages to the past with the aim to change the events in the present. Although some critics weren't too happy about the pacing of the first half of the series, Steins;Gate nevertheless was named one of the best anime of 2010. Mainly because of its unique characters, captivating story, and ingenious writing.
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50points
#23 Black Clover
The anime series Black Clover is an adaptation of a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Yūki Tabata. It follows a boy named Asta, who lives in a world where seemingly everyone has a magic power but him. However, Asta gains a powerful grimoire, and despite having no magic in him, sets out to become the next Wizard King. And there's your main conflict that the adventures in Black Clover are based on. In January 2021, Crunchyroll (an American licensing and anime streaming platform) revealed that Black Clover was its most-watched series of the year before, and if that's not a quantifier for an excellent watch, we don't know what is!
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48points
#24 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is a 1993 anime series based on the manga of the same name by Hirohiko Araki. Although the original manga is divided into nine story arcs, each with a new protagonist bearing the 'JoJo' nickname, the series went on adapting only the third arc, called Stardust Crusaders. In this arc, the main villain is Dio Brando - a vampire who once destroyed the estate of Jonathan Joestar, the series’ protagonist. Jonathan's descendants (with him now being dead) are set to destroy Dio and his henchman. While it all sounds a bit complex, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure manages to pace it all out in a very understandable way, making it into a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
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48points
#25 Your Lie In April
Your Lie In April is the only submission on our list that falls under the romantic drama anime category, but there wasn't a chance that we would skip it. Based on a manga of the same name, Your Lie In April follows the story of a young pianist, Kо̄sei Arima, who loses the ability to hear the piano after his mother's death. However, not all is lost, and upon meeting a violinist Kaori Miyazono, he slowly regains his footing. The series director, Kyōhei Ishiguro, wanted his adaptation to be appealing to those people who normally do not watch anime, and in our eyes, he succeeded at this task with flying colors.
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45points
#26 Noragami
Noragami is a Japanese anime series based on a manga of the same name that was created by Adachitoka. It follows the story of Hiyori Iki, a seemingly normal schoolgirl up until she gets involved in a bus accident. Her soul momentarily slips out of her body during it, and she becomes aware of an alternate reality. One that is occupied by demons, deities, and gods. Now Hiyori forms a bond with a couple of them, and the trio goes on various adventures.
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44points
#27 Dragon Ball
The original Dragon Ball series was adapted from the first 194 chapters of Akira Toriyama's manga and was aired from 1986 to 1989. This is the first time that we get to meet the monkey-tailed Goku on screen (here, still a young boy) befriending teenager Bulma and then follow them embarking on a mission to find all seven of the mystical Dragon Balls. There are a couple of plotlines (or sagas if you want to get fancy) that span the series besides the Dragon Balls one - the Martial Arts Tournament saga, the Red Ribbon Army one, and the ones about King Piccolo and Piccolo Junior. So, with this many separate storylines beautifully uniting into one series, there's no way that Dragon Ball could ever get boring!
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43points
#28 Akame Ga Kill!
Akame Ga Kill! is a 2014 anime series based on the manga created by Takahiro and Tetsuya Tashiro. The story here centers around Tatsumi, a young country boy who goes to the Capital in means of raising money for his home. Of course, upon arriving, he finds out that the system is rotten and corrupt beyond repair. Because of his exasperation, Tatsumi becomes a recruit for an assassin group called Night Raid battling against the Empire. Without a doubt, there are plenty of chilling moments, near-death experiences, and thrilling adventures in a series with a premise like this! But, besides that, Akame Ga Kill! is also a brutal commentary on corruption and various social issues.
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41points
#29 The Promised Neverland
2019 The Promised Neverland is an anime series based on Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu's manga of the same name. Although the series starts by showing us a group of cheerful kids living their joyous lives in an exceptionally cushy orphanage, we soon get to discover that they are actually being raised to become food for demons. A very dark twist very early on, but that's how we like it! The kids then set out on a mission to save all those destined to become someone's food, and, undoubtedly, it isn't as easy as one might think. The narrative sucks you right in, and there's no way you won't binge-watch this series.
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40points
#31 Food Wars: Shokugeki No Soma
Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma is a 2014 anime series based on a manga of the same name by Yūto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. The series is set in an elite culinary school in Tokyo and follows a couple of young chefs' stories as they enter, study, and graduate from said school. Although the original manga was scolded for over-the-top fan service that didn't go well with the premise, the anime, however, garnered a respectable amount of fans happily invested in the plotlines and the adventures of the young chefs.
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33points
