They're the genre's household names! Join Ashley as he counts down the most popular anime to ever exist, including the likes of "Pokemon", "Evangelion", "Detective Conan", "Gundam", "My Hero Academia", and more!
#20: "Code Geass” (2006-08)
Exiled from his home of Britannia in Japan, which his nation has conquered, Lelouch seeks to instigate a rebellion and take revenge on his father and his homeland. To accomplish this, he utilizes the show’s title ability, Geass, to make anyone he sees to exactly what he tells them, as well as leading a rebellion as a masked vigilante in a giant mech. “Code Geass” casts a wide net and has a little something for everyone, from mecha fans, to fans of psychological battles, to those who enjoy school anime; reeling them all in for one exceptional series. And with its revival movie and future series, it appears Geass hype is at an all-time high.
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#19: “One-Punch Man” (2015-)
Who says superheroes have to be serious? Saitama may look goofy and unimpressive and he becomes a superhero for fun, but it just so happens he’s the strongest one alive. His ability to defeat nearly any opponent with just one punch earns him disbelief and occasionally admiration, as his attempts to turn pro lead to many intense and often funny battles. The series’ wonderful contrast between serious action and comedic moments is emphasized through superb animation and expertly crafted fight scenes – and being featured on both Netflix and Toonami in the states, its no surprise it became so widespread.
#18: “Sword Art Online” (2012-)
You can hate on it all you want, but the original works still stands as one of the highest selling light novels of all time, something that seemed to translate to the first season of the anime upon release. Trapped inside a virtual video game world, players Kirito and Asuna have to traverse a gauntlet filled with enemy players, monsters and the occasional awkward love scene. Its immense polarisation has only served to earn it more attention, which might explain how it’s landed itself multiple spin offs and sequels.
#17: “Bleach” (2004-12)
A supernatural Shonen battle series, “Bleach” follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a human turned Soul Reaper, whose conflicts with otherworldly foes take him and his friends into various dimensions of the afterlife. The show’s emphasis on youthful rebellion really strikes a chord with younger viewers, and its great fight scenes and enormous cast of characters ensure that older demographics find something too. While “Bleach” may have fallen off sharply in popularity towards its conclusion, its highs are still fondly remembered by old fans and joyously discovered by new ones, and we can’t wait for the anime continuation.
#16: “Fullmetal Alchemist” franchise (2003-04; 2009-10)
You don’t get recognised as one of the greatest anime of all time without doing something right. When the original series exploded onto the scene, it captivated fans everywhere with the Elric brothers’ tale of redemption, the artistic portrayal of alchemy, as well as the characterisation of the fearsome Homonculi. Then along came Brotherhood and ramped everything up to eleven with a narrative much more akin to creator Hiromu Arakawa’s original work. It’s philosophical views and amazing action scenes have cemented It as a top-tier series that many anime lovers consider sacred.
#15: “Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
One of the influential and critically acclaimed mecha anime of all time, “Neon Genesis Evangelion” depicts the tribulations of Shinji Ikari as he is forced to battle massive angels by his diabolical father. “Evangelion” combines psychological examinations of its fundamentally flawed characters with some excellent mecha action and plenty of symbolic imagery. Love it or hate though, the series introduced a whole generation to the genre while also turning it on its head; earning it an enduring popularity and several remakes and sequels… and with Netflix now holding its license, it’s even more accessible than ever.
#14: “Fate/stay night” Franchise (2006-)
A massively successful multimedia franchise, which began as a visual novel series, the “Fate” franchise usually follows a succession of powerful magi who engage in battles with one another using summoned spirits in order to attain the Holy Grail, which will grant them one wish. The series has had a huge number of sequels, spin-offs, and tie-ins across various media, and the anime have proved especially popular. The top notch animation and wide variety of entry points has made it a very accessible, and therefore well-liked, franchise… and it doesn’t hurt that “Fate Grand Order” is one of the most popular apps in Japan.
#13: “Sailor Moon” franchise (1992-97; 2016)
It was the first successful shoujo anime to hit the western mainstream, the titular character is considered to be one of the greatest female superheroes of all time, and has since acted as a benchmark for numerous other series that have followed in her footsteps. So yeah, Sailor Moon is a big deal! Her empowering example to young girls remains nothing short of inspirational, while the fight scenes and romantic elements could still be enjoyed by plenty of other demographics. It’s little surprise she and the rest of the Senshi came back for an encore twenty years later via Sailor Moon Crystal.
#12: “Detective Conan” (1996-)
With over a thousand episodes under its belt, over twenty movies, and zero signs of slowing down. There is only one truth, and it’s that Conan’s crime-solving exploits are likely going to outlive us all. Something of a national treasure, it’s maintained its place as the fourth highest-selling manga of all time for a fair while now with over 200 million copies sold. We’re not sure how many more crimes that the pint-sized detective can solve by this point, but given how there’s still no end in sight, the anime is bound to continue its steady stream of success.
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#11: “My Hero Academia” (2016-)
One of the more recent anime sensations sweeping the globe, “My Hero Academia” takes place in a world where most people have superpowers. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, a once powerless boy now granted one by his hero and the adventures of he and his classmates on the road to becoming professional heroes. While its superhero roots certainly make it easy to get into, “My Hero Academia” expertly balances a large cast of diverse and unique characters, exciting, emotionally satisfying action, and an intriguing ongoing storyline about the nature of heroism; making for a fantastically addicting anime. And you can’t beat that soundtrack!
#10: “Yu-Gi-Oh!” Franchise (1998-)
Spanning twenty years and counting, “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and its various sequels focus on characters playing the Duel Monsters card game in increasingly dramatic circumstances. Although their casts vary, common themes and content include their young casts battling with a card game with real stakes, themes of friendship, as well as various ridiculous hairstyles. The tie-in card game and various video games and other merchandise have helped make “Yu-Gi-Oh!” not just one of the most popular anime, but also one of the highest grossing media franchises ever.
#9: “Gundam” Franchise (1979-)
“Gundam” has a much storied history. A seminal mecha franchise, the “Gundam” series pioneered the genre by emphasizing more real world science behind the fantastical concept of giant mech suits and has been tremendously influential in anime as well as other forms of Japanese media and its legacy is still going strong and making history today. The word “Gundam” has become something of a byword for giant, piloted robots, and when the title of your franchise becomes synonymous with your genre, you know it’s popular.
#8: “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” (2012-)
While the franchise already had quite a number of fans stemming from the long running 80s manga, it’s popularity wouldn’t explode until the release of the 2012 Anime series. Spanning multiple generations of the Joestar family, this franchise is so deeply rooted within the anime fandom that you’d be hard pressed not to see the parodies and references that litter the internet. With four series already aired and with the latest, Stone Ocean making its way to Netflix as an exclusive, the JoJo franchise has certainly made it’s place and won’t be going anywhere for a very long time.
#7: “Attack on Titan” (2013-)
Like a bat out of hell, this series exploded onto the screen and almost instantly got itself a following of hardcore fans. Blending together visceral action, dark fantasy and mature elements that have continued to rattle us over the years, humanity’s ongoing battle against the Titans has managed to carve itself a spot as a modern classic among anime lovers. The manga has sold over 71 million copies the world over and the Anime has multiple seasons. If it keeps up the pace, then it’s fair to say a lot of golden oldies are going to get dethroned.
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#6: “Death Note” (2006-07)
The anime that struck gold. With but a single series, this now legendary title managed to establish itself as one of the smartest and most beautifully crafted examples of the occult detective genre ever put to both screen and paper. After finding himself in possession of a notebook capable of taking lives, genius sociopathic student Light Yagami vows to fix the world but cutting away those he views as rotten, only to find himself brought into conflict with an intellectual equal known as L. Both lead characters have had such a profound impact that there are still some who sees Light’s murderous actions as justified, while others still insist L is still the sexiest man alive. Go figure.
#5: “Pokémon” (1997-)
What started out as an innovative video game managed to turn itself into a miniature empire, one that spawned an anime series that somehow has found a way to keep going even to this day. Hoping to be the best like no one ever was, Ash Ketchum took the place of the player as he set out to become a Pokemon Master. While he hasn’t quite managed to achieve that title yet (or escape puberty for that matter) his adventures have still managed to earn him hundreds upon hundreds of episodes, numerous female sidekicks and pretty much the guarantee that sometimes quantity over quality can win the day. That, and a catchy rap.
#4: “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019-)
In such a short amount of time, Demon Slayer has grown into a mega hit that absolutely no one saw coming. Propelled by it’s absolutely stunning Anime adaptation by the masters at Ufotable, manga sales have been through the roof, surpassing even the latest volumes of One Piece. And to top that all off, the movie based on the “Mugen Train” arc not only became the highest grossing Anime movie of all time, but the highest grossing worldwide film of 2020. Even the Prime Minister of Japan is a fan!#3: “Naruto” franchise (2002-)
It was saturated with filler episodes and gained infamy for a few narrative decisions. Yet through it all the knuckle-headed ninja persisted to give us a series that despite its flaws created a world filled with so many brilliant moments that fans were more than happy to push past its hurdles. Its manga remains a best seller, it managed to dish out a whole slew of original movies, and even got itself a sequel series that has surprisingly managed to capture some of the best parts of the original. Who would have guessed?
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#2: “One Piece” (1999-)
It’s the best-selling manga of all time, only just entered the last third of its epic narrative saga, and somehow managed to blend batshit insane fight scenes with political poignant commentary. To say that this property is a masterpiece would be an understatement. Thankfully, the crazy quality of the work hasn’t only earned it a diehard set of loyalist fans who wait on each new chapter and episode like hungry wolves, but the way it bypassed all manner of shonen conventions has made it the gold standard for all adventure anime that have come after. It will be a truly sad day when Luffy has to hang up his hat.
#1: “Dragon Ball” franchise (1989-)
Redefining the west’s perspectives on how action and animation can go hand in hand, it’s fair to say that this series, especially in the case of Dragon Ball Z, was something of a revolution for many, opening the gateway to the wacky, wild and wonderful stories that could be found in anime. It’s impact certainly hasn’t been forgotten, which might explain why its sequel series, Dragon Ball Super, has managed to recapture the populace’s adoration of Goku and his friends as they take on the might of intergalactic combatants. Plus, we’re pretty sure that the Kamehameha is now ingrained into the human race’s psyche. How’s that for popular.