Shonen anime has become a cultural staple. We have action! Dramas that make you cry? Check? No matter which side you turn, there are plenty of attractive characters. Check.
A great deal of them has achieved meteoric success on a global scale. Its genre may seem it’s meant for preteen boys, yet these books are surprisingly popular among adults of all ages.
There has never been a better moment to start reading shonen if you haven’t already. Intense drama is coming, so hold on to the edge of your seat. When you’re feeling down in a galaxy far, far away, these are the top shonen anime to watch.
Contents
The 10 best shonen anime
- One Piece
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Hunter x Hunter
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z
- Attack on Titan
- Gintama
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Demon Slayer
- Mob Psycho
For Those Who Like: Worldbuilding, Plot Payoffs
There is a solid reason why, after over 20 years and more than 1,000 episodes, One Piece is still considered a masterpiece. It’s massive, with a planet full of life, and like the oceans here on Earth, who knows how much more there is to find?
If Monkey D. Luffy hadn’t ingested the Gum-Gum Fruit by accident, he wouldn’t have acquired the rubbery properties of that fruit. With his new abilities, he embarks on a journey of a lifetime, meeting and forming bonds with a wide variety of interesting people and strange species.
Even though certain episodes drag on a bit too long, the overall story of Luffy and his crew’s search for One Piece and their subsequent rise to power under the banner of the Straw Hat Pirates are compelling. There is nothing else like it in terms of worldbuilding.
For Those Who Like: Strong Characterization, Breathless and Airtight Story
This 64-episode series of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood will make you feel like you’ve been on a high-speed roller coaster around the world and back.
Edward and Alphonse Elric are two alchemists who, as a result of committing human transformation, are now trying to recover their bodies. They strive to obtain a Philosopher’s Stone after learning of its legendary abilities, but instead, they unearth a dangerous scheme that could destroy their entire world.
Despite having a great story, the characters in FMA: B are what make the show so memorable. The ambitions, motivations, and moments of glory given to even minor characters make them unforgettable.
Bones spared no expense when it came to the animation, and many memorable scenes involve the use of alchemy. Among these is creating some of the best openers and closings in the history of anime.
Hunter x Hunter
For Those Who Like: Stellar Hard Magic System (Nen), Epic Fights
Bungee Gum combines the best qualities of rubber and chewing gum. Every fight in Hunter x Hunter is exciting to watch because of the show’s unique blend of high-energy action and cold, analytical reasoning.
Do you enjoy anime superpowers with a scientific explanation? Then perhaps Nen is the most suitable energy source for you.
The best adventurers in this world are hunters, and they are frequently sent on missions to track down and kill various targets. Young Gon Freecs dreams of joining the Hunters because his absentee father, also a Hunter, inspired him to do so.
Hunter x Hunter’s Nen system is an exceptionally ingenious way to fuel the show and its characters, however, followers of shonen will be familiar with the story armor that all heroes enjoy, with them frequently drawing forth new powers and forms out of thin air. Nen dictates the actions of every character and serves as the show’s guiding principle. Disobey the regulations? It’s going to cost a lot.
Despite being nominally a supernatural shonen, the series’ use of a new protagonist for each arc gives each chapter a distinct feel. In Golden Wind, a crime drama thread runs through the plot, whereas Diamond is Unbreakable goes for a more mysterious tone.
Battles in JoJo are unusually frequent and relentless, even for a fighting shonen. But the uniqueness of each battle is a result of the persistent playing to the advantages and disadvantages of the many participants, abilities, and settings. A fight can never be waved away by saying that one side is stronger.
Each battle, instead, ends in a way that leaves viewers happy, and there’s plenty of back-and-forth between the two sides to keep them guessing.
The first Phantom Blood arc can be challenging to read, but it’s the beginning of the story, and the conclusion is well worth it.
Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z
For Those Who Like: Hype, in Capital Letters
Many subsequent shows have acknowledged Dragon Ball as the original modern shonen. Although many games have come and gone, the original still holds its own when it comes to fanfare and impressive abilities.
Goku’s origin narrative in Dragon Ball and its sequel is a mash-up of the legend of Sun Wukong and that of Superman. He is a member of the Saiyan species, which is at risk of extinction due to its bloodthirstiness among warriors. However, he has devoted his life to saving humanity and the cosmos, becoming their greatest defender.
The antagonists in Dragon Ball are one of the show’s best features. Everyone you see on screen is stunning, oozing with danger, and providing a chilling contrast to Goku’s unwavering optimism. Even though the older animation may not hold up as well today, a compelling story and a hearty dose of KAMEHAMEHA! never disappoint.
Attack on Titan
For Those Who Like: a Dose of Tragedy to Go With Their Action
Attack on Titan, a newer series that celebrates tragedy, treachery, and giants with superpowers called Titans, joins this list as a GOAT.
Eren, Armin, and Mikasa are three best friends living in Shiganshina when the city is suddenly invaded by Titans. After suffering the loss of their homes and families at the hands of these gigantic monsters, they decide to join the Survey Corps, a military division whose sole purpose is to combat the Titans.
The world outside the walled towns feels closed off, but the series moves at a great pace. Each season features illuminating tales from Eren’s crew that build to the season finale’s revelation of the Titans’ mind-blowing origin.
Gintama
For Those Who Like: Irreverent Parodies, Gut-busting Comedy
After the aliens vanquish Earth, Gintoki Sakata must make a livelihood as a sellsword in a fictional version of the Edo period (about equivalent to the late Heian period in Japan).
Despite having to rely on odd jobs to make ends meet, he has managed to cultivate a close circle of friends and a fondness for pranks.
Despite being most well-known for its parodies, Gintama is kept going by its characters and the comedy they provide, all of whom we learn more about as Gintama ramps up the ridiculousness.
However, the program doesn’t hold back when it comes to hitting you where it hurts, so you should expect to feel both laughter and sadness.
Yu Yu Hakusho
For Those Who Like: Supernatural Horror, Fantastic Villains
Yu Yu Hakusho is a landmark example of the genre and should be credited with popularising the tournament arc in anime and manga.
In Yu Yu Hakusho, we watch as Yusuke Urameshi, a juvenile delinquent, saves a little girl from certain death after an automobile accident. Upon being given a second chance at life, he becomes known as the Spirit Detective, whose job is to look into paranormal occurrences on Earth.
The series embraces body horror to emphasize its themes of corruption and power and is recognized for its darker tone, especially in comparison to the phones of its period. The show’s Dark Tournament arc, however, is often regarded as among the finest examples of shonen storytelling.
Demon Slayer
For Those Who Like: Polish, Every Frame a Painting
One possible explanation for Demon Slayer’s meteoric rise in popularity is the game’s low entry barrier. The plot is predictable, but the show makes up for it with unexpected turns and gorgeous characters.
Two people in Tanjiro Kamado’s family survived the demon attack, but he was the only one who escaped with no injuries. His sister Nezuko is a demon, although she still displays humanity despite her transformation.
Tanjiro wants to join the Demon Slayers Corps, a covert group fighting supernatural demons so that he can defend his sister and exact revenge on those who wronged his family.
As much as Demon Slayer borrows from its forebears, it sharpens what it borrows until it can be used to sever a demon’s head from its body.
The animation is excellent and should be seen even if you have read the manga. Ufotable, the show’s producers, really stepped up their game for this one. The studio behind some of the best fighting shonen in recent memory spared no expense to make Demon Slayer one of the best on the market.
Mob Psycho 100
For Those Who Like: Coming-to-age Story, Masterful Blend of Comedy and Seriousness
Shigeo Kageyama, also known as “Mob,” is an unassuming middle schooler who keeps his feelings to himself.
The mob is one of the world’s most potent espers, but he keeps his true identity under wraps to keep from losing control of his abilities. Trouble has a way of finding the individual who doesn’t seek it out.
Following Mob and his con artist-teacher, the fake psychic Regen Arataka is the series’ main gimmick. Mob’s infantile ideals with his world-ending powers, and Reigen’s cynicism, are brilliantly examined through their contrasting character interaction. In many cases, they are hilarious, and the anarchy only increases when new and bizarre characters are introduced.
However, Mob Psycho, despite being humorous in many respects, does not avoid serious issues. The show is surprisingly serious, managing to find a lesson in every conflict and problem that arises despite its many jokes.
The creator of One Punch Man, ONE, is a gifted storyteller, and Mob Psycho’s somber yet dreamlike atmosphere sets the stage for a coming-of-age tale that few other shows can accomplish in years’ worth of episodes.
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