10. Hitorijime My Hero
A teenaged boy, who’s bullied by the neighborhood gang, is saved by an infamous street fighter—and that man turns out to be his homeroom teacher at school next year. They develop a bond that runs deeper than either of them could have ever expected. Hitorijime My Hero is a romance drama slice-of-life anime series of the yaoi variety, meaning it features romantic relationships between males. The characters are fairly well-written and their dynamics are compelling to watch, but it’s definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
9. Elfen Lied
In Elfen Lied, there are mutant human-like beings with short horns and invisible telekinetic arms. One of these, named Lucy, was held captive for experimentation—but she escapes from her facility and now seeks to evade capture at all costs. While the Elfen Lied anime may not be as well-executed as the manga, the animation is high-quality and the story is quite engaging. Be warned, however, that Elfen Lied contains more gore and nudity than you might expect from an anime—perhaps excessively so.
8. Re:Creators
While watching an anime, a high school student who aspires to write his own light novel gets sucked into the anime’s world. When he returns to the real world, he learns that several characters from different anime, manga, and video games also came to the real world. Re:Creators is an action-packed sci-fi/fantasy anime series with lots of violence and mature themes. It explores some interesting premises, like how humans are gods to the fictional characters we create, and how they might want to rebel against us.
7. Princess Principal
In an alternate history, London is divided by a wall into The Commonwealth and The Kingdom, and both nations are at war via political intrigue and espionage. Princess Principal centers on five girls in The Kingdom who are spies on behalf of The Commonwealth. With its top-notch animation, clever writing, and soulful soundtrack, Princess Principal cements itself as one of the best action-intrigue anime series of its decade. It’s a must-watch if you like spies, double agents, and action-packed suspense.
6. Girls’ Last Tour
After a deadly apocalypse brings humanity to ruin, two girls remain as the last survivors of their city. They scavenge for resources and explore wastelands, relying on each other to make it through each day. At just 12 episodes, Girls’ Last Tour isn’t very long—but it’s fulfilling and engrossing all the time. It shows how two girls can find hope in a hopeless world, and provides beautiful slice-of-life vignettes that are uplifting and inspiring. A real masterpiece.
5. Toradora!
Toradora! is a romantic comedy anime series centering on two high school students: a gentle guy with an intimidating face, and a petite doll-like girl who’s fierce and feisty. They have crushes on each others’ best friends, and agree to help each other out. Toradora! has become one of the most popular anime series and, despite its genre, is often a recommended watch even to those who’d usually turn up their noses. It’s a delightfully written story packed with emotion from start to finish.
4. Land of the Lustrous
Land of the Lustrous is set in the far future, on a distant world, centering on immortal human-like organisms called Lustrous who are the embodiment of gemstones. They’re in a war against the Lunarians, who want to shatter them and use them as decorations. While Land of the Lustrous is only 12 episodes, it still proves to be a satisfying story with captivating characters and creative worldbuilding. It’s also produced using 3D computer graphics rather than hand-drawn 2D animations, and proves that CG anime can be great.
3. Slam Dunk
A delinquent high school student, who’s desperate for a girlfriend, meets the girl of his dreams at Shohoku High School. In an effort to impress her, he joins the basketball team—and soon finds that there’s a lot to learn and love in the team’s camaraderie and the sport. Slam Dunk aired in the 1990s, which is why the art style sticks out like a sore thumb. But this pioneering sports anime is one of the most popular anime series of all time, and for good reason: it’s engrossing, it’s inspiring, and it’s relatable.
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender centers on 12-year-old Aang as he learns to master his Avatar abilities and use them to defeat the warmongering Fire Nation, all the while evading capture by the son of the Fire Lord. OK, Avatar: The Last Airbender may not technically be an anime because it’s an American series produced by Nickelodeon… …but it has all the hallmarks of a top-tier anime series, from deeply-written characters to in-depth worldbuilding to epic plotlines. The only thing it’s missing is Japanese voice acting. We’ll let that slide.
1. Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga centers on Thorfinn, the son of a murdered Viking warrior, who now serves as a member among the group of mercenaries responsible for his father’s death. He vows to become a formidable warrior and one day exact revenge on the group’s leader.
