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There are countless great anime series out there, but here’s a few that any fan should make sure they get a chance to see. These are the anime that you must absolutely watch if you’re a fan of any. Here are 50 anime series to watch before you die.
This 11 episode anime has a complex narrative with plenty of twists and turns, requiring its viewers to really pay attention. In the wake of a mysterious terrorist attack on Japan with no deaths, twelve individuals are given a strange phone and ¥10 billion in digital money to help “save” Japan. These individuals, which include one of the main characters Akira Takizawa, are given the name “Seleção.” The series culminates with two different feature length films.
Ten years ago a spatial anomaly known as Heaven’s Gate appeared in South Africa, followed by a “Hell’s Gate” in Tokyo. After the real stars disappear in the sky they’re replaced by fake stars, and people with supernatural powers appear called “Contractors.” Darker Than Black’s story might take a bit to make sense, but once its multiple plot lines come together it builds an incredibly strong narrative.
Hellsing is named after the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, originally led by Abraham Van Hellsing, who hunt down and destroy supernatural and undead forces. Alucard is a part of the order, and a vampire himself. Hellsing has some incredible action scenes, coupled with plenty of blood and violence to fit its themes. Mix in a neo-Nazi group and conflicts started in World War II, and you have an anime filled with huge battles and gothic themes.
Sword Art Online started a bit of a trend in anime, with storylines about people being trapped in a virtual reality MMO. The first half of Sword Art has some great emotional stories packed into the 12 episodes. Unfortunately, the second half loses a lot of the potential and feeling the show setup. Regardless, Sword Art Online has good central characters and its interesting to see the difference between the two halves of the show.
Welcome to the N.H.K. tells a story about the lives of several young adults living around Tokyo. The show focuses on its main character being whats known as a hikikomori, a shut in who experiences extreme bouts of depression and loneliness. NHK shows some impressive character development, and manages to tackle some tough themes while remaining entertaining and funny.
Samurai 7 takes the classic film by Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai, and puts a unique sci-fi spin on it. The anime combines elements of mecha, with feudal age Japan. Each of the seven samurai have a distinct personality and role to play when they’re hired by a village to defend it from bandits. Samurai 7 has crisp animation and a fresh spin on a classic story.
Death Note has an interesting premise, one that is decidedly dark right from the beginning. Light Yagami is a genius high schooler who discovers a notebook called the “Death Note,” which kills anyone who’s name is written inside of it. Light become’s known to the public as “Kira,” and his actions gain the attention of Interpol and the detective “L.” A dark and twisted story of death and morality plays out from there.
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Eden of the East
This 11 episode anime has a complex narrative with plenty of twists and turns, requiring its viewers to really pay attention. In the wake of a mysterious terrorist attack on Japan with no deaths, twelve individuals are given a strange phone and ¥10 billion in digital money to help "save" Japan. These individuals, which include one of the main characters Akira Takizawa, are given the name "Seleção." The series culminates with two different feature length films.
Hellsing Ultimate
Hellsing is named after the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, originally led by Abraham Van Hellsing, who hunt down and destroy supernatural and undead forces. Alucard is a part of the order, and a vampire himself. Hellsing has some incredible action scenes, coupled with plenty of blood and violence to fit its themes. Mix in a neo-Nazi group and conflicts started in World War II, and you have an anime filled with huge battles and gothic themes.
Darker Than Black
Ten years ago a spatial anomaly known as Heaven's Gate appeared in South Africa, followed by a "Hell's Gate" in Tokyo. After the real stars disappear in the sky they're replaced by fake stars, and people with supernatural powers appear called "Contractors." Darker Than Black's story might take a bit to make sense, but once its multiple plot lines come together it builds an incredibly strong narrative.
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online started a bit of a trend in anime, with storylines about people being trapped in a virtual reality MMO. The first half of Sword Art has some great emotional stories packed into the 12 episodes. Unfortunately, the second half loses a lot of the potential and feeling the show setup. Regardless, Sword Art Online has good central characters and its interesting to see the difference between the two halves of the show.
Digimon Adventure
While Pokemon may be remembered more widely, the original Digimon anime brought its own style to the table. Everything is themed around a "digital world" that a handful of children fall into while at a summer camp. Fun battles, interesting characters, and some really great monster designs helped Digimon Adventure stand out and create a series.
Dragonball Z
Dragon Ball Z really doesn't need an explanation. There's few anime series, if any, that have been as influential or widely known. Dragon Ball Z set its action at 11, and only raised the stakes every season. Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and the others will remain a huge part of anime history forever.
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan took the world by storm when the anime premiered in 2013. Humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction after giant ravenous creatures known as Titans appeared. Now humans live their lives behind the safe walls of their final bastion. Attack on Titan came packed with fantastic action sequences, and plenty of shocking moments.
Gundam Wing
The Gundam series is one of the longest running anime series around, with over 30 years of history. Gundam Wing may be one of the most well known shows within the series as well. Wing is the perfect example of what '90s anime was, plenty of action and melodrama in one package.
Ranma 1/2
Ranma Saotome, a martial artist, has a curse that turns him into a girl whenever he comes into contact with hot water. He gained this ability after falling into a cursed spring that would turn him into the last thing that drowned in it. The series uses this idea to great effect, to put Ranma in some hilarious situations . Ranma even uses his curse to intentionally further his own goals at times. The show is also filled with a strong cast of ensemble characters.
Knights of Sidonia
Knights of Sidonia has a few similarities with Attack on Titan. Humanity is on its last legs after the alien race called Gauna decimated them. In a last ditch effort, humans fled from earth aboard starships one of which was the "Sidonia." Knights of Sidonia has a desperate tone throughout the show, and a very unique animation style.
The Big O
The Big O is an interesting mix of mecha anime, detective story, film noir and even shares similarities with Batman. It's set in the fictional Paradigm City, forty years after an event caused all of its citizens to lose their memories. Roger Smith is a "Negotiator," who's job it is to travel the city solving its myriad problems. The first season is episodic with each episode showing a different instance of the residents coping with their amnesia, while the second season follows a serialized story arc.
Welcome to the NHK
Welcome to the N.H.K. tells a story about the lives of several young adults living around Tokyo. The show focuses on its main character being whats known as a hikikomori, a shut in who experiences extreme bouts of depression and loneliness. NHK shows some impressive character development, and manages to tackle some tough themes while remaining entertaining and funny.
Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April has a strong musical tone, focusing on a piano prodigy named Kosei Arima. Trauma from events in his life have stopped his piano playing until he meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono. The show is an emotional ride throughout the season, as Kosei struggles to take up the piano again and deal with even more heartbreaking events.
Durarara!
Durarara is a strange anime that takes a bit of figuring out, taking place in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo. Mikado Ryugamine has noticed strange even supernatural things starting to happen in the city. Durarara, is filled with tons of characters and storylines running simultaneously. Once everything comes together and the secretes are made clear however, there's a really interesting story to see.
Samurai 7
Samurai 7 takes the classic film by Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai, and puts a unique sci-fi spin on it. The anime combines elements of mecha, with feudal age Japan. Each of the seven samurai have a distinct personality and role to play when they're hired by a village to defend it from bandits. Samurai 7 has crisp animation and a fresh spin on a classic story.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
In order to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. Equivalent exchange is the basis of alchemy, and Fullmetal Alchemist. The series focuses on the Elric brothers, as they become skilled alchemists and learn mistakes the hard way. Fullmetal Alchemist is unique in the way that it blends its tones throughout the show. One moment it can be hilariously funny, and then it can switch to being emotional and serious. It does all of this without a break in the action or character driven story its trying to tell.
Outlaw Star
Similarly to Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star is a space opera/space western. The show was originally based off of a manga series, and even produces a spin-off series called Angel Links. Gene Starwing runs a jack-of-all-trades business, and comes into possession of a ship they call the "Outlaw Star" after a bodyguard job. He finds out the ships true purpose is to find the "Galactic Dragon Vein," a place filled with immense treasure, knowledge, and power.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop has style like no other anime out there. It's essentially a space western that features the bounty hunters Spike Spiegel and Jet Black as they track down bounties and add more members to their crew. Bebop has an incredibly unique and dynamic soundtrack, that really helps flesh out the great action and characters on screen. It's a space cowboy adventure unlike anything else out there.
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is another anime in the wave of extremely popular hits from the '90s like Dragon Ball Z and Gundam Wing. It also started the "magical girl" idea that would become popular. Usagi Tsukino is a middle-school who meets a talking cat named Luna, that gives her a magical brooch that lets her turn into Sailor Moon. With her new found power she must defend the world from evil, and she'll run into other Sailor Scouts along the way.
Pokemon
Although Pokemon has many seasons under its belt at this point, none of them hold a candle to the first one. The original Pokemon introduced us to Ash Ketchum and the magical world of Pokemon. Almost every episode has a new adventure where Ash and his crew meet interesting individuals or get put in strange situations. The original show is still worth going back to purely for nostalgia's sake if not to see how fun some of the episodes were.
Parasyte
Parasyte has a dark, body snatchers-esque story that takes place in Tokyo. Shinich Izumi lives a quiet life until one night worm-like creatures called Parasites come to earth, taking over human hosts by entering their brain. through their ears or noses. After a Parasite called Migi fails to enter Shinichi's ear it burrows into his arm. Both characters' minds remain intact, and the pair use their strange bond to survive while encountering other Parasites.
FLCL
Even though FLCL only has 6 episodes, its one series that anyone isn't likely to forget. It's a wacky anime that involves its main character having a portal open on the top of his head, through which robots periodically appear. At its core though, FLCL is really a coming of age story told through its main character Naota Nandaba.
Paranoia Agent
Paranoia Agent is actually based off of a cultural phenomenon in Musashino, Tokyo caused by a juvenile serial assailant called Lil' Slugger. The anime has an interesting format by jumping between a large cast of characters who have been affected by Lil' Slugger. The story switches focus to each of these characters, revealing more about their secret lives and the overall truth about Lil' Slugger.
Death Note
Death Note has an interesting premise, one that is decidedly dark right from the beginning. Light Yagami is a genius high schooler who discovers a notebook called the "Death Note," which kills anyone who's name is written inside of it. Light become's known to the public as "Kira," and his actions gain the attention of Interpol and the detective "L." A dark and twisted story of death and morality plays out from there.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Code Geass is set on an alternate Earth, where the world has been separated into three different superpowers. Lelouch vi Brittania is an exiled Brittanian prince, who gets caught up in a terrorist attack. By meeting a girl named C.C. he survives by gaining the power of Geass. With this power he's able to command anyone to do whatever he wants. Code Geass is an interesting look into morality and culture, while providing plenty of mecha action on top.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Madoka Magica may seem like another "magical girl" anime in the same vein as Sailor Moon, but it's hiding a secret beneath its happy exterior. The series takes some incredibly dark turns with its storytelling, which involves multilayered plotlines that intersect with each other.
Stein's Gate
Time travel isn't an easy thing to do, and no anime shows this better than Stein's Gate. When the eccentric "mad scientist" Okabe Rintaro accidentally discovers he can send text messages back in time using a microwave, he sets out to change things. Stein's Gate changes tone from a happy go lucky comedy anime, to a dark and serious character piece by the end. It shows the debilitating effects time travel might have on someone's psyche and the lengths they would go to in order to fix things.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
This show is based off of a series of light novels following a the narrator and protagonist, high school student Kyon. He's dragged around by his eccentric classmate Haruhi Suzumiya in search of aliens, espers, time travelers and other supernatural events. The colorful characters of the show create engaging relationships with one another, and keeps viewers interested throughout.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Evangelion is a mecha anime that takes place on an apocalyptic Earth, fifteen years after a worldwide Cataclysm. Shinji is a teenage boy recruited by the shadowy organization NERV, to pilot a bio-machine mecha called Evangelion. The show has spawned an enormous fanbase, because of its dark, intensely thematic story and well realized characters. It's a masterclass example of everything that anime can do so well, even with a divisive ending.
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
This anime is actually based on a visual novel titled Phantom of Inferno that was released back in 2005. The story follows Zwei, a tourist who happens to witness an assassination by Ein, who happens to be the top assassin in her organization, Inferno. What follows is a tale of subterfuge, betrayal, and a lot of killing as Zwei is forced to train under Ein so that he may survive and find freedom.
Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo's director is the same man that directed Cowboy Bebop, Shinichiro Watanabe. As such, it has a unique style just like Bebop. Champloo takes feudal Japan and applies modern styles and references. It tells the story of three unlikely characters who come together. A young girl named Fuu, a ronin named Jin, and a brash rogue named Mugen. The three form an unlikely friendship while traveling across Japan.
Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is a brutal violent story that takes place in Kamakura, Japan. A newly mutated species called "Diclonius" has been created, looking similar to humans. Lucy is a Diclonius that has been held in a research facility her whole life. She's injured during her escape from the facility, and develops a second childlike personality known as Nyu. Elfen Lied is filled with violence, gore and nudity so viewers should be warned. However, it's a memorable horror series that builds interesting characters along with themes of social isolation and prejudice.
Gurren Lagann
Gurren Lagann is a mecha anime, but one that doesn't take itself too seriously. The action is crazy and over the top, just like the characters themselves. Gurren Lagann takes place on a future Earth that is ruled by the Spiral King. Simon is a meek digger who joins the gang Team Gurren, and subsequently discovers a powerful mecha. Gurren Lagann is a show that will appeal to everyone not just mecha fans. It has everything you might want, comedy, action, adventure, sci-fi and more
Trigun
Vash the Stampede is an expert marksman and a man who has destruction follow wherever he goes, mostly because of damages caused by bounty hunters trying to collect the sixty billion dollar bounty on his head. Vash avoids killing at all costs, and can't remember the event that placed the bounty on him. Two insurance company employees, Merly and Milly, follow him around in order to minimize damages. The action of Trigun is intense, and as the central mystery around Vash unravels the plot grows ever more dramatic.
Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy is one of those animes that constantly keeps you guessing as it progresses. Centered around Re-l, an investigator for the Citizen Intelligence Bureau, the anime follows a string of murders commited by AutoReivs (personal androids). What starts as a simple mystery evolves into an intense thriller as the titular Proxies become involved. These powerful beings which seem to live on the outside of human ability send Re-l on a a deadly chase through the world
Blood +
Blood + is inspired by the anime movie Blood: The Last Vampire, although it only lightly draws elements from it. Saya Otanashi has been living an innocent life in Okinawa City, although she has anemia and amnesia. After being attacked by a bat-like creature called Chiropteran, Saya finds out she's the only one that can defeat them as her blood causes them to crystallize. She sets out on a journey to rid the world of Chiropterans and finds out more about her past in the process. Blood + has beautiful animation, and is filled with action and mystery.
Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D follows D, a dhampir hunter of all things evil, through a post nuclear-apocalyptic world. Using elements of Lovecraftian horror, western influence, and science fiction, the anime transports those who watch into a world that revels in chaos and despair. With just the right balance of futuristic cybernetics, ancient curses, suspense, and humor, Vampire Hunter D offers something that is a sort of lost art.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Yusuke Urameshi is killed after he attempts to save a young boy from being run over by a car. There's no place in the underworld for Yusuke yet though, and he's sent back to Earth with the title of "Underworld Detective." The show managed to stand out in an already packed lineup of '90s anime with a great cast of characters, and a nice balance between action and narrative.
D. Gray-Man
Although the name doesn't provide too much insight into the anime itself, D.Gray-Man is a story about an exorcist. Using the power of Innocence and a transforming arm, Allen Walker hunts Akumas, machines being used by a ruler knows as the Millennium Earl. These possessed bots are being used to destroy humanity and will bring the world of machine and those who look to stop them to war.
Lupin the 3rd
Lupin the 3rd is an anime classic, about the master thief Arsene Lupin III. The franchise is still receiving new anime series and more, but the first is definitely worth going back to. Lupin is considered the greatest thief in the world, and sends a calling card to whoever he plans to steal from. A colorful cast of characters and allies for Lupin, keep the comedic anime driving forward at all times.
K
The unassuming name of the anime aside, K is one seriously interesting series. Following the murder of one Tatara Totsuka, Yashiro Isana is on the run as a doppelganger seems to be guilty of the crime. Now the King of Tatara's gang is after him, but he is not the only one who plans to show his face. Full of science fiction and interesting abilities it is a definite must watch.
Soul Eater
It's a huge task to reap the souls of an entire planet and keep balance in order, so Death has a school to train helpers. The Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA) is full of interesting students that fight and some that can even turn into weapons themselves. Full of comedy and huge battles, it keeps the excitement up as it follows the powerful students of the legendary grim reaper.
Naruto
Naruto's worldwide acclaim is something that can't be rivaled by any other series besides maybe Dragon Ball Z and One Piece. The series' main character of the same name is inhabited by a Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. Naruto becomes a bit of an outcast in the Ninja Village, even though he dreams of becoming the Hokage, or leader. The show's episodes number into the hundreds, and is even still going. Naruto has some of the best action scenes you can find in anime, and the main character exudes a palpable sense of determination through the whole show.
One Piece
Just like Naruto, One Piece is a long adventure to undertake as the show has over 700 episodes. The series is absolutely filled with wacky and absurd characters, all the way to the main character Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy's body has taken on the properties of rubber after he ate a Devil Fruit as a child. One Piece is certainly a monumental undertaking, but it always keeps the fun going with multiple different arcs and plotlines on top of its amazing action.
Speed Grapher
There's plenty of anime series with crazy concepts, but Speed Grapher has possibly one of the crazies around. Tatsumi Saiga is a former war photographer, who investigates a secret fetish club for the rich and wealthy. Things go awry and Saiga ends up with the power to destroy anything he takes a picture of. A fittingly bizarre and unique story evolves from there.
Bleach
Bleach is yet another anime that surged to popularity in the early 2000s , along others like Naruto and One Piece. Bleach is about a boy named Ichigo Kurosaki who has the ability to see ghosts. This ability eventually leads him to becoming a Soul Reaper, a powerful fighter that battles lost souls called hollows. The superpowered combat of Bleach is the driving force of the show, with ever more dangerous villains constantly springing up.
Baccano!
In 1711 aboard the ship Advenna Avis, a group of alchemists summon a demon and are granted an elixir of immortality. The only way for them to end their existence is by devouring one another. In 1932 one of the alchemists, Szilard Quates recreates the elixir before it's stolen by a young thug. Baccano has gorgeous animation, and a story themed around the American mob.
Azumanga Diaoh
Azumanga Diaoh is a charming anime on every level, with a humorous and eccentric cast of characters. The show chronicles the school life of six normal high school girls and two of their teachers. It covers three years of everything from taking tests, to the time traveling to school. Azumanga Diaoh makes you feel invested in the lives of its characters, and seeing their eccentric personalities clash at times.
Psycho Pass
In the year 2113 something called the "Sibyl System," actively measures people's mental states, personalities and the probability that they'll commit a crime. Akane Tsunemori is part of a police unit that uses special guns to hunt people with too high of Crime Coefficients. Psycho Pass has a unique take on a dystopian world, and the story keeps viewers guessing throughout the series.
Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven takes place 10,000 years after humanity was made to leave Earth, because of an alien race known as Scub Coral. The remnants of humanity now live on a terraformed planet called the "Land of Kanan." Renton Thursten is the son of a military researcher who died saving the world, and he dreams of joining the renegade group Gekkostate. He gets the chance to do just that when a large robot and its pilot, Eureka, literally fall into his lap. Eureka Seven builds an interesting relationship between its two main characters, and is a definite watch for any mecha fan.
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Published: Apr 27, 2016 03:37 pm