If you never tried any type of anime but crave to explore this fantasy, magical, action, science fiction, comedy, horror, and adventure world, then check out the list of the best anime shows of all time. It features series chosen by fans, along with their reviews and some popular selections.
Additionally, we suggest some latest or upcoming anime that we think will do well after their release, which you can watch either after completing these or before.
Also Read: Enjoy The Best Anime Film Of All Time To Make Your Day!
Best Anime Shows of All Time
1- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Genre: Psychological Drama, Mecha, and Apocalyptic
- Release Date: October 4, 1995
- Reason: Flawed and multi-layered characters, psychological/philosophical themes, animation, soundtrack, and setting.
The exciting and thrilling psycho-drama series Neon Genesis Evangelion starts the list of the best anime shows of all time. This narrative is set in a post-apocalyptic world (15 years after a global disaster) and features a teenage boy, Shinji Ikari, whom a secret organization called Nerv recruits to pilot a huge biomechanical robot, Evangelion. His main task is to combat the unusual mysterious beings known as angels who distribute human life.
As Shinji moves forward with his mission, he encounters intense battles against these angels, feeling doubtful for himself because of emotional instability during these fights.
Also Read: 7 Best Sci-fi Anime: Stories of Space, Time, and Future
2- One Piece
- IMDb: 9.0/10
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, and Science Fiction
- Release Date: October 20, 1999
- Reason: Despite being such an old series, it includes relatable characters, great action, and fight scenes.
There is no doubt why One Piece is second in our list of the best anime shows of all time. With an adventurous and enthusiastic theme, this series showcases a young pirate, Monkey D. Luffy, whose dream is to become the king of pirates. As a magical element, this iconic anime introduces a magical fruit called Gomu Gomu no Mi.
He started his journey to travel the vast and diverse world of the Grand Line by assembling a crew with unique skills and the ability to stand out strongly on this river adventure.
3- Dragon Ball Z
- IMDb: 8.8/10
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy Comedy, and Martial Arts
- Release Date: April 26, 1989
- Reason: Phenomenal fight sequences and great moments
You should not miss Dragon Ball Z, the must-watch series among the best anime shows of all time. This sequel story features the popular character Goku and uncovers that he is actually an alien from the Saiyan race. The classic battle unfolds as Goku fights his brother Raditz, who has kidnapped his son. To rescue his son, Goku teams up with his former foe, Piccolo.
As they successfully defeat Raditz, they must face increasingly dangerous enemies, such as Nappa and Vegeta, who are also Saiyans. During this time, he discovers his new powers and his ability to transform into a super Saiyan.
4- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- IMDb: 9.1/10
- Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Steampunk
- Release Date: April 5, 2009
- Reason: Similar to the modern setting, easily understandable plot, and strong villain character.
This adopted anime showcases the advantages and disadvantages of dark magical practices individuals engage in to fulfill their unwanted desires. The story showcases two talented young brothers, alchemists Edward and Alphonse Elric, whose mother’s life is declining. To save her, they use alchemy. In the process, Alphonse loses his entire body, and to recover it, Edward sacrifices his arm.
Together, they go on a mission to find the Philosopher’s Stone, which helps restore their bodies. Along the way, they confront powerful enemies called homunculi.
Also Read: 7 Best Samurai Anime: The Journey of Swords In Battle
5- Attack on Titan
- IMDb: 9.1/10
- Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Post-Apocalyptic
- Release Date: April 7, 2013
- Reason: Great action with good character growth and no involvement of the anime tropes that make it understandable for non-anime viewers.
Attack on Titan features a battle-based story between humanoid creatures and humans. The plot follows Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, and their friend Armin Arlert as they lead a military organization. The giant creatures, known as Titans, destructively invade and destroy human lives.
Here the formed military alliance fights against these creatures to protect humanity as they attack on their home. As they uncover the mysteries of the Titans, the story reflects sacrifice and moral complexities.
6- Hunter x Hunter
- IMDb: 9.0/10
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, and Martial Arts
- Release Date: October 2, 2011
- Reason: Best scenario, epic match-ups, and power systems during fights.
There is no chance we miss out; Hunter x Hunter is to be included in the list of the best anime shows of all time. It is the exciting story of a young boy, Gon Freecss, who one day finds out that his father, Ging Freecss, is a legendary hunter with excellent skills and abilities.
After knowing this little green dress, the boy is determined to find his father and become a Hunter himself. For that, Gon moves forward to this adventure, which involves finding treasure, battling dangerous creatures, and exploring uncharted territories. Where he meets Killua Zoldyck, another hunter who navigates a world full of new abilities called Nen. In this emotional and heartfelt journey, both become good friends and help throughout the end.
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7- Mob Psycho 100
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Genre: Action, Comedy, and Supernatural
- Release Date: July 12, 2016
- Reason: insane fight scenes, amazing cinematography, and iconic character moments
Next is the story of an ordinary boy named Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, who possesses powerful psychic abilities but still struggles with emotional instability and desires to live a normal life. In the series, Mob works for Arataka Reigen, a self-proclaimed psychic who owns a spirit consultation office. There, he navigates several challenges and complex situations due to his limited control over his powers.
However, with time, he developed a control in his personality that helped him grow personally, maintain relationships with friends, and know how to use these abilities. This reflects how the character’s struggles and difficulties lead him to become a new version of himself.
8- Haikyu!!
- IMDb: 8.7/10
- Genre: Sports, Comedy, and Coming-of-age
- Release Date: April 6, 2014
- Reason: Intense and emotion-based matches with outstanding character development and fun scenes
I don’t know how many of you agree with me, but Haikyu!! deserves a place among the best anime shows of all time. The series, which released its latest film this year, gained massive popularity thanks to its amazing character development and intense sports match scenes.
Shoyo Hinata, a high school short-stature boy and passionate volleyball player, dreams of becoming great at the sport. Inspired by the legendary player known as the “Little Giant,” Hinata joins the volleyball team at Karasuno High School. There, he meets his rival, the strong and talented setter Tobio Kageyama. Throughout their training, they form a great and valuable bond that helps the team win several tournaments.
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9 – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Genre: Adventure, and Supernatural
- Release Date: October 6, 2012
- Reason: Great portrayal, interesting character, and bizarre narrative till the end
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is a famous narrative known for its unique art style and imaginative craft. It starts with the Joestar family, where Jonathan faces challenges due to his adoptive brother Dio Brando, who transforms into a vampire and desires world domination. As the series progresses, Dio manipulates people and escalates violence. To stop him and protect his family, Jonathan uses his martial arts called Hamon.
Each part of the story includes different settings filled with powerful enemies, relationships, rivalry, and highlighted struggles. This blend of action, drama, and humor keeps you engaged and never lets you get bored.
10- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- IMDb: 8.6/10
- Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Martial Arts
- Release Date: October 3, 2020
- Reason: Just after watching you fall in love with these high emotions and eye-catching story
We cannot miss including Demon Slayer in the list of the best anime shows of all time due to its emotional and powerful plot. The story follows a kind-hearted teenager, Tanjiro Kamado, who lives in Taishō-era Japan. However, this peaceful life is destroyed one day when he returns to sell charcoal and discovers that demons have brutally murdered his family. Only his younger sister Nezuko survives, and she has transformed into a demon herself. Despite this, she retains her emotions and humanity, prompting Tanjiro to seek a way to restore her human form.
To take revenge and save her sister, he joins the Demon Slayer Corps, an organization that hunts down demons. Under Sakonji Urokodaki’s mentorship, he learns the story breathing techniques that enhance his abilities and assist him throughout the journey.
11- Jujutsu Kaisen
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Supernatural
- Release Date: October 3, 2020
- Reason: With the best fight scenes and unbeatable character this series stand out
The well-known name Yuji Itadori ranks among the best anime shows of all time, featuring intense action and deep character development. The story showcases the journey of a high school student with unique physical abilities who discovers a cursed object—a rotting finger that belongs to a powerful demon named Ryomen Sukuna. To save his friends, he swallows that finger and becomes Sukuna’s host. This random event changes Yuji’s life, and now he joins a group of Jujutsu Sorcerers, who are trained to fight curses and protect people from supernatural threats.
There, he learns to control his powers and focuses on searching for all of Sukuna’s fingers to eliminate the demons. This story highlights the harsh reality filled with numerous difficulties and dangerous curses.
12- Death Note
- IMDb: 8.9/10
- Genre: Mystery, Psychological thriller, and Supernatural thriller
- Release Date: December 1, 2003
- Reason: Unique and unmatchable thriller and narrative
The mysterious notebook story, Death Note, begins when a smart and intelligent high school student, Light Yagami, stumbles upon an unknown notebook called the Death Note. This book can kill anyone simply by having the writer inscribe their name in it, as long as they know the person’s face. As Light tested this notebook and discovered its real abilities, he was shocked. Now he believes that he can build a better world by eliminating all the criminals. However, this action has attracted the attention of law enforcement and a brilliant detective known only as L.
After that, they engage in a cat-and-mouse-like fight, facing many complex challenges and consequences that illustrate a thin line between good and evil in this story.
13- Detective Conan
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Genre: Thriller and Mystery
- Release Date: January 8, 1996
- Reason: Amazing plot twists, along with best comedy and action scenes
Last but not least, the best anime shows of all time, Detective Conan, presents a thrilling story about a young and brilliant high school detective, Shinichi Kudo. One day, as usual, he investigates a case when members of the Black Organization, a mysterious crime group, suddenly attack him. They order and force him to drink a poison that leads to taking his life. Despite that, that poison shrinks his body into that of a small child.
To protect himself, he adopts the new identity of Conan Edogawa and moves in with his childhood friend Ran Mouri, whose father, Kogoro Mori, is also a detective. While searching for the people who poisoned him, he solves various cases.
14- Naruto
- IMDb: 8.4/10
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy Comedy, and Martial Arts
- Release Date: October 3, 2002
- Reason: Showcase good narrative and impactfully characters
Non-other than Naruto also stands out as the best anime shows of all time. The story follows a young orphaned ninja named Naruto Uzumaki who lives in the Hidden Leaf Village. From birth, he bears the burden of being the host of the nine-tailed fox, a strong beast that attacked his village years ago. For this reason, villagers kept him away and shunned him. Between all these Naruto has a dream of Hokage, the head of the village.
To fulfill that goal, he joined the ninja academy, where he befriended ninjas Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. Together, they faced many challenges and enemies throughout their journey as they embarked on missions to become more powerful.
As we completed our list of the best anime shows of all time, here is a little more add-on to our upcoming anime-watching journey. Such as-
- Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible (Expect in 2025): Another rom-com with the well-known concept of invisibility will be included in the anime world.
- Witch Watch (Release in April 2025): Focus on comedy and magic, with a story to protect a childhood friend’s life.
