Even if you haven’t heard of the term “shounen”, there’s a 99% possibility that you’ve watched an anime that falls into this category. Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and My Hero Academia are some of the most famous examples. Shounen is a type of Japanese animation originally targeted at young boys. In fact, the term shounen, pronounced “show-nen”, is the Japanese word for “boy”, but the genre has since expanded to include many other demographics and found a huge following in young girls and adults too. Although there are many genres of anime, this is by far the most popular and successful.
The shounen genre has been around since the beginning of the 20th century when an increase in publishing manga magazines occurred and began targeting specific genders and age ranges. But there are several reasons why it continues to find success today. A shounen anime is characterized by its use of long storylines, as well as action-adventure plots, comedy, and colorful yet simple characters who later bloom into more complex, mature, nuanced ones as they overcome hardships and obstacles. The protagonist is often a boy or teen (around 13-18 years old), but there are exceptions that show us a female main character, like Soul Eater, Dr. Slump, and The Promised Neverland. A wide cast of secondary characters accompanies our hero and contributes to shaping their story and fate, episode after episode. If you’re a newfound otaku (in other words, an obsessed manga and anime fan), or you’re just curious about the best and most popular shounen anime, you’re in the right place!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1 My Hero Academia
2016 | Ongoing (100+ episodes)
In a world where most humans develop superpowers at a very young age, a boy named Izuku Midoriya is one of the few who never developed any powers. But that’s not enough to stop him from following his dream and enrolling in a prestigious hero academy. Now, the promising freshman is making his debut at the world-renowned UA Academy. My Hero Academia won’t disappoint you, as it earned its fame as one of the best shounen anime of the last decade!
Report
58points
#2 Hunter X Hunter
2011 | 148 episodes
We’ve added Madhouse’s 2011 Hunter X Hunter anime series to our shounen list, leaving the original adaptation, released in 1999, out. Why? Well, simply because this second edition tried its best to stick to the events from the manga by Yoshihiro Togashi. And we do love ourselves an accurate adaptation! Hunter X Hunter follows Gon Freecss, a cheerful and pretty naive boy about to take the Hunter examination to become licensed to track secret treasures, rare beasts, and dangerous individuals. And that’s basically enough to know that the plot will be soaked in action and adventures.
Report
57points
#3 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
2009 | 64 episodes
The steampunk series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is indeed one of a kind. It follows the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, two aspiring alchemists traveling the world and learning the secrets of their craft. But it’s not so simple and rosey, of course, as the brothers’ failed attempt to bring their deceased mother back to life ends up horribly, and that’s exactly the point where all of their dark adventures begin. The heroes have zero time to relax with deep government conspiracies and unbelievable quests. If you’re unsure which top shounen anime to watch, you can’t go wrong with this one!
Report
57points
#4 Attack On Titan
2013 | Ongoing (80+ episodes)
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Attack on Titan tells the struggles of humanity living inside cities surrounded by enormous walls, a defense against titans that feast on humans, seemingly without reason. Everything about Attack On Titan got its fair share of praise, starting with the characters and the dark themes, ending with the incredible storyline rich with plot twists that question characters’ morality and raise discussion among fans. No wonder it is beloved among critics and fans alike! The fandom is currently waiting for the very last part of the final season, coming out in 2023.
Report
55points
#5 Death Note
2006 | 37 episodes
The story depicts Light Yagami, a teenage genius who finds a mysterious notebook, the Death Note, able to kill off any person just by writing their name on it. Of course, Light then tries to carry out a purge of humanity by murdering anyone who he deems immoral in hopes of creating a crime-free society. As with any Japanese story, it isn’t all so simple, and Light gets into plenty of obscure and life-threatening events. The Death Note series isn’t just gore and obliteration. It also talks about profound questions of justice and murder while managing to stay highly entertaining throughout its run, also thanks to L Lawliet, another character that the fandom loved from his first scene.
Report
52points
#6 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba
2019 | Ongoing (44+ episodes)
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is the anime adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga. It follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, who sets out to become a demon slayer after his whole family is slaughtered and the only survivor, his sister, is turned into a demon. The Demon Slayer series ran for 26 episodes in 2019 and later spawned a sequel film which, in turn, became the highest-grossing anime film and Japanese film of all time. In addition, the series itself was heavily praised for its seamless animation, gorgeous action choreography, and character arcs.
Report
52points
#7 One Piece
1999 | Ongoing (1000+ episodes)
Based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is one long watch as, since its release in 1999, it has aired over 1000 episodes. Now that’s impressive! The series follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy whose body gains rubber-like qualities after he unintentionally eats a Devil Fruit. His main quest is to find the ultimate pirate treasure, known as One Piece, to become the next pirate king. Of course, Luffy isn’t alone on his adventures and is followed by the Straw Hat Pirates. And although One Piece has been running for 22 years as of today, the series still holds its position as one of the most-watched and best shounen of all time.
Report
51points
#8 Jujutsu Kaisen
2020 | Ongoing (24+ episodes)
The story of Jujutsu Kaisen is a very classical shounen anime story but still ended up charming the audience, myself included. A dorky teenager with a strong sense of justice and an unusual ability to fight against evil spirits. A group of people training to become exorcists and fighting the same enemy as the protagonist. And, of course, a collection of powerful villains who are in conflict with each other but still want to destroy the world. This anime, based on a manga series by Gege Akutami, has great pacing and insane fighting scenes and visuals that will make you want to rewatch the first season over and over again. A second season is set to premiere in 2023.
The story of Jujutsu Kaisen is a very classical shounen anime story but still ended up charming the audience, myself included. A dorky teenager with a strong sense of justice and an unusual ability to fight against evil spirits. A group of people training to become exorcists and fighting the same enemy as the protagonist. And, of course, a collection of powerful villains who are in conflict with each other but still want to destroy the world. This anime, based on a manga series by Gege Akutami, has great pacing and insane fighting scenes and visuals that will make you want to rewatch the first season over and over again. A second season is set to premiere in 2023.
Report
50points
#9 Naruto: Shippuden
2007 | 500 episodes
Naruto: Shippuden is the sequel to the original Naruto anime, corresponding to Part II of the manga. It debuted on Japanese TV in 2007 and concluded in 2017. A solid ten-year run! His story is full of plot twists, ultimate battles, betrayal, and reforms, an entertaining series full of action and redemption. However, if you want to watch Naruto: Shippuden in all its gory glory, search for the original Japanese version with English subtitles, as the American broadcast has heavily edited scenes with alcohol, Japanese customs, sexual references, and the appearance of blood and death.
Report
48points
#10 Black Clover
2017 | 170 episodes
Asta is a boy who lives in a world where seemingly everyone has a magic power but him. One day, Asta gains a powerful grimoire and sets out to become the next Wizard King despite having no magic in him. In January 2021, Crunchyroll revealed that Black Clover was its most-watched series of 2020, and if that’s not a quantifier for an excellent watch, we don’t know what is!
Report
47points
#11 Naruto
2002 | 220 episodes
Adapted from a comic by Masashi Kishimoto, this animated hit follows the adventures of Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent boy who is determined to become a Hokage, the ninja acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of them all. The episodes are based on the first twenty-seven volumes in Part I of the manga, while some feature original, self-contained storylines.
Report
45points
#12 Dragon Ball Z
1989 | 291 episodes
Dragon Ball Z is the sequel series to the 1986 original adaptation. It picks up five years after the Dragon Ball series, with Goku now an adult and a father to Gohan. With the help of other powerful fighters, Goku sets out to defend the Earth from extraterrestrial enemies who will test his power and determination. Get ready for a long journey through the plotlines and events that made Dragon Ball Z so iconic!
Report
45points
#13 Bleach
2004 | 366 episodes
Ichigo Kurosaki is not just some simple dude, but a man who obtained the powers of a Soul Reaper. Now, Ichigo takes the duty of defending humans from evil spirits and safely guiding newly departed souls into the afterlife. Although this adventure 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. Catch up with this hit series as soon as possible because a new season covering the manga’s last story arc is set to premiere next October!
Report
45points
#14 The Seven Deadly Sins
2006 | 100 episodes
Every episode of the Seven Deadly Sins anime is like a small, self-contained adventure. Set in Britannia, the story follows a group of knights representing the seven deadly sins, who had disbanded ten years earlier after being framed for plotting a coup against the Liones Kingdom. Although The Seven Deadly Sins falls under the shounen category, the series’ graphic violence and fan service prove it to be anything but a kiddie show.
Report
45points
#15 Assassination Classroom
2015 | 49 episodes
The story here is quite an unusual one. It follows the daily life of a powerful octopus-like alien working as a junior high teacher. The creature’s students are tasked to assassinate him, as asked by their government, thus trying to prevent the planet’s obliteration. And who’s gonna teach them how to use weapons and strategy to kill him? The professor himself! This popular anime series may sound like it oversteps the “weirdness line”, but trust me here: there’s no way to stop binge-watching Assassination Classroom.
Report
44points
#16 Fairy Tail
2009 | 328 episodes
If you are looking for a fantasy world with characters that are out of this world, then you have come to the right place! Lucy, an aspiring Celestial Wizard, becomes a friend and ally to powerful wizards Natsu, Gray, and Erza, who are part of the infamous wizard guild, Fairy Tail. The author Hiro Mashima revealed he based Natsu Dragoneel’s feisty personality on himself when he was a teenager.
Report
40points
#17 Haikyu!!
2014 | 85 episodes
Compared to the rest of the lot, this series also falls into the spokon genre, a type of anime focused on stories involving sports and competition. Haikyuu!! follows a junior high school student, Shouyo Hinata, and his journey to becoming a professional volleyball player. It’s not the easiest dream considering Hinata is pretty short for a volleyball player, but his impressive determination and ability to jump higher than most of the other characters balance it perfectly. When he meets his new teammate Kageyama Tobio, the tyrannical but really talented setter who defeated him in middle school, his dream seems a little more possible than before.
Report
38points
#18 Dr. Stone
2019 | Ongoing (35+ episodes)
Dr. Stone is an anime series based on a manga written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by the South Korean artist Boichi. The manga became an anime in 2019, with two full seasons and the third one set for release in 2023. This is what happens in Dr. Stone: a mysterious flash petrifies all humanity, and everybody spends the upcoming 3,700 years as stones. A fifteen-year-old prodigy named Senku Ishigami is able to revive himself and finds other living humans in hopes of starting a new society. And that’s what you need to know! The series is full of interesting factual information on chemistry and engineering (come on, it’s always nice to learn something new!), memorable characters, and most of all, tons of fun.
Report
36points
#19 Yu Yu Hakusho
1992 | 112 episodes
Teenage delinquent Yusuke Urameshi is killed in a car accident while trying to save a child’s life. For this heroic act, Yusuke is given a second chance at life and becomes an Underworld Detective, for which he investigates cases involving demons. Despite the older animation style being difficult for some fans to get used to, it helps the show’s aesthetic and nostalgia.
Report
36points
#20 Noragami
2014 | 25 episodes
Noragami follows the story of Yato, a forgotten minor god seeking to gain enough money to build his own temple. His life changes when he teams up with a human girl, Hiyori Iki. Along with Yato’s Regalia, Yukine, the trio goes through many adventures struggling with their friendship, identity, and pretty dark pasts. Get ready to jump into an alternate reality occupied by demons, deities, and gods! And remember, don’t ever skip the openings. The music is sick!
Report
36points