Anime in recent years has become quite mainstream, with all the primary streaming services having a vast catalog on their sites. But that was not always the case before all these people used to either pirate anime or pay hefty amounts to get the DVDs from Japan.
This all changed due to modern globalization and the impact a few anime had on people, which led to more demand. To say any anime holds the title of “Best of All Time” would be incorrect as it is a purely subjective matter of how one perceives the anime and its underlying message, but the impact they have on the industry and people is not.
Below are 25 anime that have left a mark on the industry and the people. These are also some of the most famous anime and some of my favorites. Note that this list was hard to put together. There are tons of great Anime that didn’t make the cut. Let us know your favorites in the comments.
1. Monster
Moster, to put it simply, is a masterpiece. It is the adaptation of the manga by Naoki Urasawa of the same name. It is a suspense thriller that has you question the true nature of humans and how far one’s depravity can go.
It follows the story of a famous young doctor who does what he thinks is right by saving a child over a renowned politician and losing everything in the process. But years later, people against him started to die one after the other, and he was pulled into a web of plots and evil machinations. Through all this, he only asks himself one question, was doing the right thing worth it?
2. Cowboy Bebop
When many fans talk about a classic, they refer to the anime released in the 90s, and Cowboy Bebop is the poster child for them. It is a simple tale about a few bounty hunters drifting in space, trying to find themselves while running from the past. Each episode tells a contained story with a thematic meaning while slowly progressing the cast’s main plot.
Whatever happens, happens.
Spike
The main character of the cast is Spike, a guy running away from his past of crime and broken love. We see how he affects the people he meets on his travels and his crew and also how they affect him. It is a somber tale with a melancholic end that leaves an impression on you.
3. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Nothing in this world is free, and everything has a price. “To obtain something must be given.” That is the core concept of alchemy and one upon which the anime and manga were created. It is the second adaptation of the manga of the same name and is the most accurate to the source material. It follows the story of Edward and Alfonse as they now have to search for a way to reverse the damage done to them by trying to resurrect their mother.
The narrative will have the brother come to see the horrors of war, man’s greed, the fury of vengeance, and the true nature of alchemy itself. Will the brother be able to undo their mistake and save the future of their kingdom? Only time will tell.
4. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure follows the story of the Jostar Family and their descendants. It is divided into parts, of which six have been animated. The anime features some of the best fights to be written and animated. From part three onward, each character linked to the story has a stand that has a unique ability. When two stand users fight, it is not about who has the stronger stand. It depends on who can use the stand better and more strategically.
With a colorful cast and a narrative that explores a wide variety of themes and ideas that might even be considered taboo, it is no surprise that JoJo is the best anime/manga ever for many. Its over-the-top dramatic fight scenes have also helped establish its place in pop culture.
5. Gintama
It is one of the best anime ever conceived while also being the hardest to recommend to anyone. This is due to the massive amount of time required to understand the story and get to the good stuff.
It is a comedy anime at first glance but features some of the best arcs and story beats, shifting the tone from a jovial comedy to a blood-pumping shonen in a heartbeat. But if you can invest the time required, you will bear witness to one of the best anime ever created.
One will undoubtedly leave you a laughing and crying mess in the end.
6. Hunter x Hunter
At first glance, it is a simple story about a child named Gon with an absent father who sets out to become a Hunter by passing a dangerous exam to meet his father. That is the anime’s main plot at the start, but as the arcs progress and new characters are introduced, we begin to see the big picture. The combat system of Nen is also one of the most unique and flushed-out systems ever.
Each arc will have us see the emotional highs and lows of the main protagonists and the antagonist. Yoshihiro Togashi has genuinely crafted a tale that will stand the test of time.
7. Naruto
Most anime fans are aware of the story of Naruto, a talentless orphan boy who is scorned by his village and dreams of becoming the Hokage. It was on the most iconic shonen of its time, dubbed the big three. It is the first anime many have seen and is regarded as the best. Its story resonates with many people as it shows that one can achieve his dreams with hard work even if he doesn’t have extraordinary talent. The bombastic action, worldbuilding, and outstanding characters, such as Itachi and Madara, are also responsible for much of the show’s popularity.
8. One Piece
Regarded by many as the most incredible story ever told, with world-building that not even novels can rival. It was also dubbed of the big three of its time and is the only one still going. It stars Monkey D Luffy, a rubber boy who sets out upon the open seas to become the pirate king. Along the way, he will meet new and old friends, fight against powerful foes, uncover the mysteries of the past, and gain and loss comrades.
It features some of the most hype and emotional scenes in anime as Luffy and his crew will face the corrupt world to achieve their dreams. It is not short anime as it has over 1000 episodes to its name, but for those that want to see the major highlights of the arcs, recap films were also created, which have better animation than the main show.
9. Bleach
For many, this anime defined a generation with its themes of defining the typically traditional and featuring some of the most well-designed characters and artwork of its time led it to be dubbed one of the big three. It follows the story of a boy named Ichigo who can see ghosts. He uses it to help the lost souls pass on. But a chance encounter one day sets events into motion that will see old secrets come to light and force long forgotten to return. With its current final arc being animated, we can finally see the conclusion of Ichigo’s story.
10. My Hero Academia
What would happen if everyone gained superpowers? Would anyone remain special anymore, and how will society be able to adapt? These are the questions that My Hero Academia answers as its protagonist is Izuku, a quirk less boy with no powers living and being discriminated against in a superpowered society. But even through all this, he has a hero’s heart and wishes only to save people.
One day after school, returning from middle school, he runs into his ideal All Might, and following a series of events, he is offered by All Might to be the next bearer of his quirk. With teary eyes, Izuku accepts and starts his journey to become the best hero.
11. Trigun
It explores the story of Vash, an enigmatic wanderer in a killer red duster on the desert planet No Man’s Land. He is overly pacifistic, but his hyperactive nature results in him causing vast amounts of property damage. He is also suffering from an amnesiac episode and is traveling to find out the truth of his origin. It features some of the best animation and character designs of the 90s. The plot is also everchanging, as the mystery thickens with every new information we get. It is one of the all-time classics, which is also getting a remake in 2023 that will update the visuals and music while keeping the story the same.
12. Gurren Lagann
The drive to change to be different is the main lesson of Gurren Lagann. It follows Simon and Kamina, two boys who have lived their whole lives underground; still, a miraculous find of an ancient artifact changes the boy’s life as they set out from their village for the surface, where they will meet new friends such as Yoko and fend off evil beastmen who terrorize the last pockets of humanity. They both will fight the beastmen with the friends they make along and way and reclaim the surface, for they have the drill that shall pierce even the heavens.
13. Steins; Gate
Time traveling is shown as either a plot device or an impossible act, but what happens when a mad scientist alters the timelines and can travel with the help of a microwave and a banana? You get Steins Gate, an absurd exploration of a mad scientist Rintaro Okabe. The story revolves around him accidentally finding out a way to time travel and trying his very best to return things to normal. Still, with the butterfly effect, he could never have imagined that things would get out of hand on such a level that a world organization would chase after him and his friends. It is a thriller with a great narrative payoff.
14. Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is a name known by anime and non-anime fans; it is responsible for introducing many to anime and setting standards for shonen which are still followed to this day. It follows the story of Goku, a Saiyan who crash lands on earth and tries his best to be the most powerful fighter known to man. Accompanied by his friends and his family, he faces threats to the universe. It features some of the most iconic fights and moments, such as when Goku went Super Saiyan for the first time. It may be old for some, but its fights still hold up in the present day, and with the continuation of Super starting again, we can expect Goku to go on many more adventures.
15. Death Note
The subversion of the stereotypical protagonist has become typical nowadays, but the first anime to this was Death Note. In it, we follow the escapades of Light as he goes on what can be only called a moral crusade killing anyone he deems to be a criminal using his supernatural Death Notes. All the while, he is being hunted down by the international detective L. It is a dark anime as we see Light kills thousands to create his perfect world while also being engaged in a game of cat and mouse with the law. It has inspired many to change their view of driven and single-minded protagonists.
16. Code Geass
What is the price of losing a war, Your freedom? Your Humanity? Or Your sense of nation and self? These questions are explored in the narrative of Code Geass as we see Lelouch, a prince of Britania, living in exile with his sister in the colony formerly known as Japan. In this alternative timeline, The Empire of Britania has taken over most of the world, and its king rules the world with an iron fist. But embers of a rebellion still exist but lack a strong figurehead. That changes when Lelouch gains the ability to command people and dawns the mask of zero to liberate Japan and destroy his father.
17. Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is a recent anime that has taken the world by storm due to its solid story and fantastic animation, which makes its fights come to life. It follows the story of Tanjiro and Nezuko as demons killed their family, and Nezuko was made into one. Now they travel as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps to find Muzan, the leader of the demons and the one who killed their family, to get revenge and turn Nezuko back into a human. It is a more down-to-earth tale with a brand-new combat system that allows the slayers to harness elements via breathing to combat the demons.
18. Your Lie In April
Compared to other anime on the list, it isn’t an epic tale or has impressive fights. It is a simple tale of a boy dealing with emotional trauma given to him by his late mother and learning to listen to and love the piano again. It features thoroughly flushed-out side characters that help Kousei Arima get over his trauma and play again. It also has a romantic subplot that only pays off in the final episode. It teaches us to never give up on ourselves and our dreams, even when all hope seems to get lost. It also has one of the most enjoyable and atmospheric soundtracks of any anime on this list.
19. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Evangelion is a beautiful anime in every sense of the word, as you can easily see the influence of Hideaki Anno in almost all of its scenes. Still, it is hard to understand as each event holds a different meaning depending upon who watches it. The story is set on a post-apocalyptic earth where all the seas have turned red. But that’s not all, as now beings known as Angles attack humanity daily. The only hope for humankind is EVA’s giant robots piloted by children. The recent movie remakes put light on some of the more obscure mysteries while also providing us with a definitive end after decades.
20. Hajime no Ippo
Boxing is a sport that has diminished in recent years. However, it still has a die-hard fan base present which would explain the success of boxing anime, but before all this came Hajime no Ippo, one of the first significant boxing anime and one of the most successful ones. It follows the story of Ippo as he goes from being a weak-willed person to one of the most muscular boxers ever. It has emotional high points and low points that help the character to grow and become better throughout the show. It is a must-watch for any new anime fan and one I am sure they will enjoy.
21. Mob Psycho 100
From the author of One Punch Man, we have an anime about an emotionally suppressed boy with the power to destroy cities being led by a charismatic con man. This narrative might seem strange, which it no doubt is but the way it is executed and animated makes it one of the best character-driven anime ever. Mob is a middle schooler who feels like he is worth nothing and that his powers are only a hindrance. But as the story progresses, he can come to terms with who he is and grow from being just a weird kid with physical powers.
22. One Punch Man (Season 1)
What happens when you have all the power in the world? But lose the will to fight as no one is strong enough. That is the dilemma Saitama, the anime’s main protagonist, finds himself in. He left his day job as a salaryman and became a hero for the fun of it. Due to his training, he lost all his hair but gained immense power. He lives in one of the most downtrodden areas of the cities and can take care of many high-level monsters, but no one acknowledges him. Will he be able to find a worthy opponent or ever gain recognition? Only time will tell.
23. KonoSuba
Isekia anime has gotten quite a bad rep in recent years due to the lackluster shows after 2010, but KonoSuba and Re: Zero are in a league of their own. KonoSuba takes all the stereotypes of an average Isekia anime and turns them on their head. Our protagonist isn’t some knight in shining armor, and the rest of the cast is also not your typical harem cast. We have a useless goddess that can’t do anything, an explosion freak, and a mosaicist knight. The story is on the smaller side as the main bulk of the anime focuses on the main cast’s character interaction and misadventures.
24. Pokemon
It is no doubt that Pokemon has cemented itself as one of the most significant social phenomena of the 21st century. This is primarily due to the anime with which many different generations have grown up. We have followed Ash and Pikachu’s story as they have traveled over the Pokemon world, fought battles against all kinds of trainers, and came out victorious. With the end of the champion tournament and Ash becoming the Pokemon master, fans want the series to change and explore the massive world of Pokemon in a new light.
25. Yu Yu Hakusho
One of the last few classics to come out in the 90s and one of the few which introduced many aspects of shonen anime, such as the highly rated tournament arc. We follow Yusuke, a 14-year-old teenage delinquent who loses his life after an accident and discovers that the concept of an afterlife is not genuine. He can become a spirit detective to solve cases and help people. He will find friends to help him and defeat powerful foes along the way. It is the perfect anime to get the classic shonen fix.
