The popularity of anime has exploded in the west in recent years, with streaming services like Crunchyroll and Netflix having helped to introduce viewers to some of the many great hidden gems that the medium has to offer. This includes classic anime series as well, many of which were never broadcast in the west despite their overwhelming popularity in Japan.
At this point, however, the seemingly unlimited supply of anime can feel a little overwhelming at times, with more and more series being introduced with each new anime season. The very best anime series of all time will always be worth watching though and have helped to inspire countless others in the years since making their debuts.
1.
Death Note is number one on our list based on many reasons. Firstly, it has been voted the number one anime series of all time by Japanese fans. It is also ranked as the number 1 most popular anime series on the MyanimeList website.
Death Note is rather dark, and its protagonist isn’t a stereotypical good guy like in many other series. The film goes to places where other anime series haven’t dared, and this is what makes it absolutely enthralling.
The Shinigami is a god of death able to kill any person as long as he is able to see the victim’s face and write their name down in the Death Note notebook.
Ryuk, who is bored by living the god of death lifestyle, leaves one of these notebooks in human reals to see how humans use it.
The prodigal high school student Light Yagami finds the Death Note and begins testing it by writing the name of a criminal in it. The criminal dies immediately, and Light realizes how devastating the power of the notebook in his hands really is.
Light decides to clear out the world from criminals with the help of the notebook, and people begin worshiping him. The police, though, realize that there is a serial killer targeting criminals and try to apprehend him with the help of an eccentric detective named L.
The original manga series was published from 2003 to 2006 and includes 12 volumes and 108 chapters.
The anime series developed by Madhouse was composed of 37 episodes directed by . These were broadcasted in Japan from October 2006 to June 2007. In 2006 a light novel based on the series was also released, followed by a series of Nintendo video games and three live-action films, a TV drama, and mini-series in Japan as well as a US film shown on Netflix in August 2017.
The series became so popular that there was even a Broadway musical written and composed based on it.
If you want to see and experience the absolute best in the world of anime, Death Note is definitely a series which you should watch first and foremost. You will be amazed by the experience which awaits you with this very dark and fascinating series.
2.
Voted the Best Action Anime by Ranker, Attack on Titan is definitely a fantastic and revolutionary anime.
The series is about a young man called Eren Jaeger who vows to destroy all the giant humanoid Titans on earth after they destroy his hometown and kill his mother.
The imagery, the incredible storyline, and the atmosphere of this TV series is what makes it so unique and why it is loved by most anime fans.
The captivating storyline and the entire production of the anime series have made it as popular as the longest-running anime series, even though the original Attack on Titans has only 25 episodes.
It is based on an award-winning manga by Hajime Isayama. This series follows the adventures and the fight against the Titans by Eren Shingeki no Kyojin, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert, who all do everything possible to keep the three walls surrounding the remaining humans on the planet from the horrible Titan attacks.
There are three different military branches that are also engaged in protecting humans. The soldiers use special grappling systems referred to as Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, which they use to jump on trees, walls, and buildings in order to attack the Titans.
The original series aired in 2013, and a spin-off light novel and manga series have been created as a result of the success of the anime series. The second season aired in 2017, and there is a third one scheduled for July 2018.
In 2018, the Attack on Titan manga had sold 74 million printed copies, which has made it one of the best-selling manga series in history.
So, if you want to see some inspiring, well-paced, beautifully drawn action anime, make sure you get to see the Attack of the Titans series. We are positive that you will be so enthralled by them that you will most likely binge-watch the entire series at once!
3.
If you think anime is for kids only, you may want to think again. If you are an adult but want to explore the wonderful world of anime, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a great place to start.
Unlike the first Fullmetal Alchemist, which was only partially based on the manga series by , this series was made after the manga series was completed and followed the original plotline closely.
It includes 65 engaging episodes, which will keep you interested and craving or more.
The series is written by Hiroshi Onogi and directed by Yasuhiro Irie and premiered in 2009 and ran until 2010.
It was subtitled in English almost immediately following its release, which made it very popular among non-Japanese viewers as well.
We already told you the story of the two disfigured brothers Edward and Alphonse who go on a quest for improving their alchemic training to resurrect their dead mother and also to restore their physical bodies to their full and healthy form. Edward loses a leg and sacrifices his arm to preserve the soul of his brother during an alchemic experiment for resurrection goes wrong. Alphonse is turned into body armor, and Edward wears his brothers’ soul on him as he travels to the capital along with his other brothers to become a Fullmetal Alchemist at the State Military. She proceeds to search for the Philosopher Stone, which is supposed to give him immense alchemic powers. On the way, he discovers some deep conspiracies of the government along with details about his father’s past.
DVD and Blu-ray box sets have been released around the world, and the series aired on various channels in the US, UK, Australia and many other countries and attracted millions of fans worldwide.
With the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, you will never be bored and feel the need to fast forward a scene. Every minute of this brilliant anime series is spectacular and is worth your attention and time.
4.
Naruto has become a huge franchise ever since the first Naruto series was released back in the years. Since then, numerous comics, films, games and series and related products have been made and sold to the growing army of Naruto fans.
Naruto Shippuden explores the life and adventures of Naruto Uzumaki, who is a young, hyperactive, and loud ninja looking to become the strongest ninja in the village (Hokage). The series starts more than two years after Naruto left Konohagakure to go through intense training. The Akatsu, which is the organization of the elite ninjas, is planning on overtaking the shinobi world. Even though he is older, Naruto has not changed too much, except that his confidence has grown. He goes through each fight with all his heart and soul still in pursuit of the Hokage title.
The characters are all superb, including the antagonists, which is why so many people around the world love this series.
The story keeps you interested and excited at all times, which is also why this is one of the most watchable lengthy anime series.
It includes a whopping 500 episodes which were aired from 2007 to 2017, and the Naruto fans have been relentlessly following their favorite series and their favorite anime hero through the years. The Naruto Shippuden, unlike the original Naruto series, is aimed at a more mature audience. The animation and the music are outstanding, and there are some scenes in the series which will make you want to watch them over and over again.
If you are new to manga and anime, Naruto Shippuden is definitely a great place to start!
5.
The ONE PIECE universe is the brainchild of Japanese writer and illustrator Eiichiro Oda. Conceived as a serialized manga pirate adventure, ONE PIECE debuted in July 1997 in the manga anthology magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump. A hit with readers, the first four chapters of ONE PIECE were eventually collected and released in December 1997. Since then, there have been 105 (and counting!) collected volumes of ONE PIECE stories, all written and illustrated by Oda-Sensei.
In 1999, Toei Animation produced a ONE PIECE 2D animated series based on Oda-Sensei’s work. This brought Luffy and his Straw Hat pirates to life in a colorful way that retold their origin story. It gave dedicated ONE PIECE readers a slightly different take the books, and was an opportunity to welcome non-readers and anime fans into the mythology. It now boasts 20 seasons with over 1,000 episodes of adventures featuring Luffy and a huge ensemble of characters.
The ONE PIECE world has also expanded into animated theatrical films. Since March 2000, there have been 15 movies that add original stories to the mythology, or remix existing stories for the big screen. For gamers, Bandai has produced 40 different video game titles set within the world, and the ONE PIECE characters have appeared in Shōnen Jump video games.
6.
Dragon Ball Z or DBZ is definitely one of the most popular anime series around the world. It is a sequel to the original Dragon Ball series and adapts the following chapters of the manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama.
The story starts with Gokuu, who is living peacefully with his wife and son five years after winning the martial arts tournament. The arrival of Raditz, who claims that he is Gokuu’s long-lost brother, changes all of this. He tells Goku that he is a warrior from a now-extinct race from another planet. Gokuu was sent to earth as a baby in order to conquer and destroy our planet, but after suffering from a head injury lost his memory and became a good-natured person fighting to protect the weak.
After this revelation, Gokuu and his friends are faced with numerous attacks from extraterrestrial enemies.
The characters have grown and matured since the prequel Dragon Ball series, which is truly fun to observe if you are a fan of the series.
The Dragon Ball Z series aired from 1989 to 1996 and included 261 episodes. Due to the huge popularity of the series in the US and in Japan, 17 movies and a total of 148 video games based on Dragon Ball have been released.
There are two sequel series, including Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super.
Watching the Dragon Ball Z series is definitely a must for any anime enthusiast, of course, after you watch the original Dragon Ball series, which you will find ranking even higher on our list.
