Top 30 Anime Series of All Time
by LittleRedemption | created - 12 May 2015 | updated - 2 weeks ago | PublicThe top 30 anime series of all time-future updates if necessary. This list is all about the quality: captivating stories, character development, etc. Bias and nostalgia goggles are not included. Do not expect Naruto or Pokemon. Furthermore, some of the anime series in this list may be demoted or entirely removed due to inferior following season/story arc (One Punch Man, The Promised Neverland).
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Steins;Gate (2011–2015)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
After discovering time travel, a university student and his colleagues must use their knowledge of it to stop an evil organization and their diabolical plans.
Stars: Mamoru Miyano, Asami Imai, Kana Hanazawa, Ashly Burch
Votes: 73,290
"El Psy Congroo"
Pros:
+ Amazing Writing
+ Best Time Travel Tale
+ Emotional and Intellectual Experience
+ Excellent Voice acting
+ Superb Character Development
+ Open the Steins Gate (ep 23)
Con:
Slow Start
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009–2010)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Two brothers search for a Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their deceased mother goes awry and leaves them in damaged physical forms.
Stars: Kent Williams, Iemasa Kayumi, Matthew Leonhart, Vic Mignogna
Votes: 197,188
"Anime Landmark"
Pros:
+ Emotional, Humorous, Political Storyline
+ Endearing Characters
+ Great introduction into the anime world
+ Incredible Voice Acting (Dub & Sub)
+ Episode 4
3. Fighting Spirit (2000–2002)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
Ippo, a teenage boy with a pure heart and unrelenting determination, discovers a passion for boxing after veteran fighter Takamura saves him from bullies.
Stars: Rikiya Koyama, Kôhei Kiyasu, Steve Staley, Richard Epcar
Votes: 9,717
"Best Sports Anime Ever Produced"
Pros:
+ Animation
+ Character Development
+ Engaging, Humorous, Underdog Tale
+ Sports fans will love it
4. Clannad: After Story (2008–2009)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
A sequel to the anime based on the recently concluded Key Clannad franchise. After Story is a new path that opens in the original visual novel after all other options have been traversed.
Stars: Yûichi Nakamura, David Matranga, Luci Christian, Mai Nakahara
Votes: 12,337
"Dango, Dango, Dango Family"
Pros:
+ Emotionally Heartbreaking Story
+ Great mix of Romance & Sci-fi
+ Loveable Characters
+ Best Romantic Anime Series
+ Ushio Arc
Con:
- Outdated Art Design (character models)
5. Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The futuristic misadventures and tragedies of an easygoing bounty hunter and his partners.
Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Unshô Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Steve Blum
Votes: 138,645
"Bang!"
Pros:
+ Charismatic gang of misfits
+ Jazz & Funk Inspired Score
+ Smart Dialogue
+ Stylish & Cinematic Feel/Look
Con:
- Slow Pace
6. Hunter x Hunter (2011–2014)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Gon Freecss aspires to become a Hunter, an exceptional being capable of greatness. With his friends and his potential, he seeks out his father, who left him when he was younger.
Stars: Issei Futamata, Megumi Han, Cristina Valenzuela, Mariya Ise
Votes: 134,326
"The x Holy x Grail x of x Shonen"
Pros:
+ Best Shonen Series
+ Character Development
+ Epic Coming of Age Tale
+ Quimera Ant's Arc
+ Zero x and x Rose
Con:
- Slow Start (1st Arc)
7. Code Geass (2006–2008)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
After being given a mysterious power to control others, an outcast prince becomes the masked leader of the rebellion against an all-powerful empire.
Stars: Jun Fukuyama, Takahiro Sakurai, Johnny Yong Bosch, Yukana
Votes: 80,073
"A Political Thriller"
Pros:
+ Best Character of All Time (Lelouch)
+ Character Development
+ Dark, engaging, political story plot
+ Best Anime Ending of all time
8. Your Lie in April (2014–2015)
TV-PG | 23 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
A piano prodigy who lost his ability to play after suffering a traumatic event in his childhood is forced back into the spotlight by an eccentric girl with a secret of her own.
Stars: Natsuki Hanae, Risa Taneda, Ayane Sakura, Ryôta Ôsaka
Votes: 37,739
"An Ending for the Ages"
Pros:
+ Tear-jerking Ending
+ Engaging Storyline
+ Best anime about music
+ Classical Score
9. Monster (2004–2005)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. The boy, now a charismatic young man, reappears 9 years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders.
Stars: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Liam O'Brien, Mamiko Noto, Karen Strassman
Votes: 44,444
"The Only thing Humans are Equal is in DEATH"
Pros:
+ Best Anime Thriller
+ Fantastic Direction
+ Psychological Drama
+ Superb Writing
10. Haikyu!! (2014–2020)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
Determined to be like the volleyball championship's star player nicknamed "the small giant", Shoyo joins his school's volleyball club.
Stars: Ayumu Murase, Kaito Ishikawa, Yu Hayashi, Satoshi Hino
Votes: 35,315
"Volleyball?... You Won't Regret It!"
Pros:
+ Amazing Sports Drama
+ Brilliant Pacing
+ Compelling Characters
11. Mushi-Shi: Next Passage (2014–2015)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy
They are creatures only known as 'Mushi'. While their existence are unknown to the humans, there are a few like Ginko who is a 'Mushi-shi' that travels around to investigate and find out more about the 'Mushi.'
Stars: Yûto Nakano, Mika Doi, Tomomi Saito, Kôki Uchiyama
Votes: 3,210
"Beautiful, Japanese Folklore Series"
Pros:
+ An enjoyable, calm storytelling flow
+ Enchanting Audio & Visuals
+ Thought-Provoking Tales
12. Fruits Basket (2019–2021)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
After Tohru is taken in by the Soma family, she learns that twelve family members transform involuntarily into animals of the Chinese zodiac and helps them deal with the emotional pain caused by the transformations.
Stars: Manaka Iwami, Laura Bailey, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Eric Vale
Votes: 9,034
"The Most Foolish Traveler in the World"
Pros:
+ Every Zodiac Member Background Story (Soma's "Family Bonds")
+ The Better Adaption
+ Sweet, Sad, & Uplifting Tale
Cons:
- Side Characters (Prince Yuki Fan Club, Student Council members, mostly all high school characters)
- Slow start
13. Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019–2023)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Romance
The proudly privileged top two students of an elite school each makes it their mission to be the first to extract a confession of love from the other.
Stars: Aaron Dismuke, Aoi Koga, Makoto Furukawa, Konomi Kohara
Votes: 20,047
"Strategy, Manipulation, Fear, and Love Detective ... RomCom at its Finest"
Pros:
+ Funny and Lovable characters
+ Romantic Comedy at its finest
+ Shuchiin After Party Episode
Con:
- Takes a while to get used to the narrator (Sub)
*Recommendation watch the Dub way better narrator*
14. Attack on Titan (2013–2023)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After his hometown is destroyed and is traumatized, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction.
Stars: Jessie James Grelle, Bryce Papenbrook, Trina Nishimura, Yûki Kaji
Votes: 509,586
"To Surpass Monsters, you must be willing to Abandon Your Humanity"
Pros:
+ Amazing Characters
+ Fantastic Concept
+ Superb Animation
+ Final Season
Con:
- Ending
15. One Piece (1999– )
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Monkey D. Luffy sets off on an adventure with his pirate crew in hopes of finding the greatest treasure ever, known as the "One Piece."
Stars: Mayumi Tanaka, Akemi Okamura, Laurent Vernin, Tony Beck
Votes: 234,181
"The King of Pirates has joined the rankings!"
Pros:
+ Luffy
+ Character Development
+ Wano Country Arc
+ Balances Drama, Comedy, & Storytelling Perfectly
Cons:
- Pacing Issues
- Too many FILLERS!
16. Made in Abyss (2017– )
TV-14 | 325 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A girl and her robot companion search for her mother, who's lost within a vast chasm.
Stars: Luci Christian, Brittany Lauda, Miyu Tomita, Mariya Ise
Votes: 15,163
"An Amazing Adventure"
Pros:
+ Gorgeous Art-style (similar to Studio Ghibli)
+ Loveable Characters
+ Rich Story-building
17. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019– )
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A family is attacked by demons and only two members survive - Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko, who is turning into a demon slowly. Tanjiro sets out to become a demon slayer to avenge his family and cure his sister.
Stars: Natsuki Hanae, Zach Aguilar, Abby Trott, Akari Kitô
Votes: 147,486
"The Anime That Made History"
Pros:
+ Episode 19
+ Best Looking Anime of all Time (for now)
+ Loveable Main Characters
+ Rewatchability
+ Top Tier Shonen
Cons:
- Comedic Scenes/Gags (E.g.Tsuzumi Mansion)
- Swordsmith Village Arc (excluding the season finale)
18. Bunny Drop (2011–2012)
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
A man adopts his six-year-old aunt and raises her as his own kid.
Stars: Hiroshi Tsuchida, Ayu Matsuura, Atsuko Mine, Noa Sakai
Votes: 3,835
"Adorable & Heartwarming"
Pros:
+ A joy to watch ("60 Smiles per Hour")
+ Compelling main characters
+ Heartwarming, adorable parenting Story
Con:
- Some rough animations (low-budget scenes)
*Avoid the manga at all costs*
19. Kotaro Lives Alone (2022)
TV-14 | 27 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
An unpopular manga artist has to care for his new neighbor, a 5-year-old child living alone.
Stars: Rie Kugimiya, Cherami Leigh, Kayleigh McKee, Jennifer Losi
Votes: 4,275
"A Sweet Heartbreaking Tale of Friendship and Independence"
Pros:
+ Kotaro
+ Rivals Usagi Drop
+ A unique, joyous, sweet, & wholesome experience
20. March Comes in Like a Lion (2016–2018)
TV-PG | 25 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
A 17 year old socially awkward orphaned shogi player, dealing with adult problems like financial difficulties, loneliness, and depression.
Stars: Kengo Kawanishi, Khoi Dao, Ai Kayano, Kana Hanazawa
Votes: 3,341
"Understanding Humanity + Shogi"
Pros:
+ A unique tale of depression, family, and hope
+ Loveable characters
+ One of the best coming to age tales
Con:
- The Shogi games are kind of dull in comparison to other tv shows about board/card game competitions like Queen's Gambit, Chihayafuru, etc.
21. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (2021– )
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A 34-year-old underachiever gets run over by a bus, but his story isn't over. Reincarnated as an infant, he'll embark on an epic adventure.
Stars: Yumi Uchiyama, Tomokazu Sugita, Amber Lee Connors, Ai Kakuma
Votes: 19,685
"Greatest Isekai Anime of all Time!"
Pros:
+ Best Isekai Anime Series of all time
+ World Building
+ Amazing Art Design & Animation
Con:
- Main character's perverted characteristic (tiresome anime trope)
- Lower Animation Quality (S2 pt.1)
22. Odd Taxi (2021)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Comedy, Crime
In a city which should be familiar, there is the feeling of something a little different.
Stars: Natsuki Hanae, Mike McFarland, Darius Marquis Johnson, Kenji Hamada
Votes: 5,726
"A Caring Driver with an ODD View of the World"
Pros:
+ Simple yet Captivating Plot
+ Fun & Witty
+ Superb Ending
Con:
- Some useless quirky characters
23. Bocchi the Rock! (2022)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Music
Hitori "Bocchi-chan" Goto is a lonely high school girl whose heart lies in her guitar; she meets Nijika Ijichi and joins "Kessoku Band." Inspired by legendary artist Tupac Shakur, Bocchi strives to become the greatest guitarist on earth.
Stars: Yoshino Aoyama, Sayumi Suzushiro, Saku Mizuno, Ikumi Hasegawa
Votes: 4,481
"'Y-Yaaay! W-W-Welcome!' - Bocchi the Introvert"
Pros:
+ Anime References
+ Creative Art Direction
+ Funny & Relatable Storyline
Con:
- Supporting Characters
24. One Punch Man (2015– )
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
The story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun & can defeat his enemies with a single punch.
Stars: Makoto Furukawa, Kaito Ishikawa, Max Mittelman, Zach Aguilar
Votes: 185,572
"The Folly of SuperHeroes is another Bald Man's Treasure"
Pros:
+ Animation
+ Epic Battle Scenes
+ Humorous take on Superheroes
+ Saitama
Con:
- Season 2
25. Gurren Lagann (2007)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Two friends, Simon and Kamina, become the symbols of rebellion against the powerful Spiral King, who forced mankind into subterranean villages.
Stars: Tetsuya Kakihara, Shizuka Itou, Yuri Lowenthal, Marina Inoue
Votes: 21,006
"The Drill that will Pierce the Heavens!"
Pros:
+ Amazing Main Characters
+ Perfect blend of Comedy, Action, & Drama
+ Top-notch, Stylish Animation
Cons (Spoiler):
- Best Character dies too early on
- Underdeveloped Antagonists
26. Ranking of Kings (2021–2022)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The people of the kingdom look down on the young Prince Bojji, who can neither hear nor speak. They call him "The Useless Prince" while jeering at his supposed foolishness.
Stars: Hinata Minami, Ayumu Murase, SungWon Cho, Emily Fajardo
Votes: 12,084
"Storybook Brought to Life"
Pros:
+ Beautiful, Emotional Tale
+ Marvelous first three episodes
+ Story Book Aesthetic
Con:
- Slower Pace Midseason
27. Mob Psycho 100 (2016–2022)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
A psychic middle school boy tries to live a normal life and keep his growing powers under control, even though he constantly gets into trouble.
Stars: Takahiro Sakurai, Setsuo Ito, Chris Niosi, Akio Ôtsuka
Votes: 44,780
"Genuinely A Good Show"
Pros:
+ Humorous Storyline
+ Mob's Character Development
+ Reigen
Cons:
- Underdeveloped villains
- Animation
28. Death Note (2006–2007)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.
Stars: Mamoru Miyano, Brad Swaile, Vincent Tong, Ryô Naitô
Votes: 377,879
"Top Tier Characters trap in an Overstay Anime"
Pros:
+ Amazing main characters
+ Clever & Witty Storyline
+ Great Art Style
Cons:
- Too long (omit half of the show)
- The best character doesn't get enough screen time
29. Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files (1992–1995)
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After a teenage delinquent is killed while saving a child's life from an approaching car, the rulers of the underworld send him back to become an "Underworld Detective" investigating demons apparitions in the human world.
Stars: Nozomu Sasaki, Justin Cook, Christopher Sabat, Cynthia Cranz
Votes: 16,033
"Spirit World Detective"
Pros:
+ Chapter Black Arc
+ Great Character Development
+ Humorous, Dramatic, & Romantic Storyline
+ Strong Ancillary Cast
Cons:
- Needs a Reboot (like what Hunter x Hunter got)
- Final Arc was Rushed
30. The Promised Neverland (2019–2021)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
When three gifted kids at an isolated idyllic orphanage discover the secret and sinister purpose they were raised for, they look for a way to escape from their evil caretaker and lead the other children in a risky escape plan.
Stars: Sumire Morohoshi, Mariya Ise, Shinei Ueki, Lynn
Votes: 46,750
"Fascinating Anime with a Rush Finale"
Pros:
+ Amazing art direction
+ Captivating Thriller
+ Creative Narrative
+ Outstanding Season Finale
Con:
- Second Season
*Recommendation: Avoid season 2 and only watch season 1. It ends on a satisfying note*
Tell Your Friends