There are thousands of Anime out there to watch and enjoy, and some are better than others. Whether you're a longtime anime enthusiast or a newcomer seeking recommendations, that's why we created this list.

Related
The 10 Best Anime MMORPGs, Ranked
Here are some of the best Anime MMORPGs that you can delve into as a fan or a newcomer to the genre.

Our compilation includes some of the most well-known Anime that you may have already heard of or watched, as well as hidden gems waiting to be discovered. This Anime collection spans various genres, stories, and art styles for you to enjoy. We're confident that you'll find at least one recommendation here that you'll watch and thank us for.

Updated on January 10, 2023, by Mohamed El Ouardighi: As we always aim to keep our lists current for you, we revisited this one to add a couple more Animes that you can enjoy and start watching in 2024.

One Piece

The Neverending Masterpiece

Luffy Facing The Thousand Sunny And The Rest Of The Straw Hat Pirates

We can’t start a list about the all-time anime greats without including one of the longest and most popular stories ever told, now can we? One Piece is a story about adventure, freedom, romance, and following your heart no matter who it puts you up against or how it makes you look.

This epic, created by Eiichiro Oda, has been running for over 24 years and has over 1000 chapters, and yet the quality of the story is still incredibly high. Just look at the current events going on in the Wano Arc and you can easily see just how amazing the story continues to be, even after all this time. While the long-upcoming live-action adaptation isn't looking all too great, there’s not a lot more to say about the manga/anime. The story of Monkey D. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brooke (and maybe Yamato soon) is adored worldwide.

Gintama

The Iconic Comedy Anime

Gintama Looking At The Camera

Hopping right over to another monumentally huge Shonen series, it’s Gintama! Gintama fits into a lot of different genres, including adventure, shonen, comedy, science fiction, and mystery. But, primarily, the focus is on either the action or the gags. As far as the plot goes, it’s about as wacky as they come, set in an alternate version of Edo Japan where aliens came and took over.

But, as far as how plot-heavy Gintama gets, it mostly focuses on Gintama himself and his group of friends. It’s self-referential, fourth-wall-breaking, childish, satirical, and downright hilarious. Truly, Gintama is the perfect series for those looking for a comedy show that never seems to end.

Demon Slayer

The Newest Star Of Shounen

Mugen Train Cover Art For Demon Slayer

After Demon Slayer’s adaptation started airing in 2019, there was no ignoring it. This show, animated by notable studio Ufotable, was so obviously well-crafted even from the first episode that it was clear this series was going to go places. And go places it did, because whether it's the manga or the Anime, Demon Slayer is mind-bogglingly popular in both the East and the West. And, with Mugen Train coming to Crunchyroll, its popularity is only going to resurge again before season 2.

And while some aren’t the biggest fans of Demon Slayer's narrative overall, it can’t be argued that the incredible animation work by Ufotable, the impeccably well-written characters, the simplistic yet immediately gripping storyline, or the concept of fighting demons with elemental sword styles don’t blend well to create the worldwide phenomenon that we see today.

Hajime No Ippo

Formulaic In The Best Way

Ippo Looking At The Camera From Hajime No Ippo

One of the only series to hold to run longer than One Piece and one of the flagship examples of how incredible sports anime can be, next up is Hajime No Ippo. Following the entire career of Makunouchi Ippo, from a pacifistic kid who was bullied to a name known worldwide, Hajime No Ippo is a top-tier sports series.

Related
12 Best Anime Games On Nintendo Switch
Go Super-Saiyan with these incredible anime titles for Nintendo Switch.

And, thanks to three incredible seasons that spanned more than a decade, the anime adaptation is on par with the source material in terms of quality. There’s a lot to watch, and the Anime hasn’t adapted all of it (yet), but if you have even a passing interest in boxing, Hajime No Ippo is a perfect show for you.

Haikyuu!!

Top-Tier Sports Anime

The Karasuno Volleyball Team Celebrating A Win All Together

Sticking to the Sports Anime train of thought for a minute, here comes Haikyuu. While Hajime No Ippo is formulaic almost to its detriment, Haikyuu is always mixing it up. Some episodes are entirely focused on a game, others focus on another team’s backstory, and there are even other episodes that barely involve volleyball.

But, no matter what type of episode you get, it’s guaranteed that the quality will be top-notch. Haikyuu has a huge roster of memorable characters, some of the most well-written humor we’ve ever seen, and every episode has at least one or two nail-biter moments. It’s just a fantastic story, with a remarkably high average quality per episode.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

An Eight-Part Wild Ride

All The Main JoJo Protags From Part 1 To Part 8

Take any other shonen series, replace all the characters with 6’5 unnaturally muscular men, and give them each their own superpowered ghost, and you’ve got JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The source material, written and drawn by Hirohiko Araki, has been going on for decades and is an excellent tale that documents the lives of various people in the Joestar line such as Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke, Giorno, Jolyne, Johnny, and even Jojolion. Every part is unique, distinctive, and engrossing to boot.

What originally started as a story about a stone mask and vampires is now a tale about using your weird ghost power to beat up another ghost power user and looking stylish while doing it. The number of different franchises this series has influenced in its run is immeasurable, and it’s undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. And, for anyone keeping up with the manga series, Part 8: Jojolion just ended, with the next part already confirmed! So, anime-only fans have the Netflix anime for Part 6: Stone Ocean to look forward to, while manga fans have Part 9 not too far off on the horizon.

Dragon Ball

Original, DBZ, Super, Or Even GT, It's All Worth Watching

Dragon Ball Super Vegeta And Goku In SSGSS Looking Angry Together

The story of Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Z Warriors is one of the most iconic tales ever told in Anime. From Dragon Ball to Dragonball Z, and now Dragonball: Super, one can argue that DBZ almost single-handedly paved the way for Anime in the West!

The endless powerups, endlessly ascending power ceiling, drawn-out battles, and iconic characters have remained fresh in the minds of people for decades now, and the IP doesn’t show any signs of slowing down in the near future either. And, with incredible games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, there's no reason to slow down anyway!

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood & Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

Just Some Of The Best

FMA-2007-And-FMA-Brotherhood-Cover-Art-Side-By-Side-1

Truly, nothing beats Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I mean, it’s held the #1 spot on MyAnimeList for years now, so that should tell you all you need to know. In case you’re unaware, FMA is the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two genius brothers, and their journey to get back what they lost while also finding new things to live on for.

The Alchemy system in the series is so incredibly deep and properly fleshed out, meaning that the world these brothers live in is just as believable as they are as characters. Brotherhood differs from the 2003 series in a few ways, most obviously the art style, but its dedication to the source material and the stellar animation work overall easily means FMA: Brotherhood has earned a spot on this list.

Meanwhile, The original Fullmetal Alchemist (also animated by Studio Bones) is an excellent series that had to divert from the source material after catching up a bit too quickly. And, while it’s probably the best example of an anime adaptation actually doing a decent job with an original story continuation and ending, it still doesn’t quite match up to Brotherhood in comparison. In either case, if you’re looking for Anime to watch, and you somehow haven’t seen either the 2003 version of Brotherhood, you need to hop on the bandwagon ASAP.

Cowboy Bebop

Nothing More Iconic Than This

The Main Cast Of Cowboy Bebop All Squished Into The Frame

It was inevitable that this show would be featured in a list detailing out some of the best Anime around. Cowboy Bebop is more than just a simple anime — it's a phenomenon that explores various cultural, social, and philosophical themes. Oh, and it also oozes style from every pore. It's a bit Cyberpunk, a bit space western, and a whole lot of pizazz.

All of these are augmented by a colorful and eclectic cast of characters. Cowboy Bebop is a fantastic watch regardless of if you’re new to the medium or a longtime anime fan who just happened to miss it. And, depending on the quality of the live-action adaptation, there might be a lot of people checking out the original soon for reference or to compare.

Fruits Basket

An Emotional Rollercoaster Worth Boarding

Fruits Basket promotional image of main cast

Fruits Basket is an excellent example of a show with a clear-cut vision and delivers on its execution in spades. While many will boil the Anime down to a slice of life, we feel that seems a bit reductive for what the show offers. The characters, voice acting, animation, music, and plot are handled with much love and care, making it near-impossible not to grow attached to the cast.

Fruits Basket isn't a slice of life but a supernatural drama with heart and soul apparent in every episode. If this Anime gets its hooks in you, you will laugh and sob alongside the characters and root for their success. There's genuinely nothing quite like the emotional rollercoaster Fruits Basket sends you on, and it's worth diving into if it sounds up your alley.

Fooly Cooly (FLCL)

The Penultimate Coming Of Age Anime

FLCL Cover Art

Fooly Cooly, one of the best coming-of-age stories of all time. It has charm, it has comedy, it has a bit of raunchiness, and it has a ton of mysteries. There’s such an innate charisma that FLCL has and it's almost impossible to put it into words, which is probably why the “sequel series,” FLCL Progressive, has such a difficult time trying to re-capture it.

Related
The 23 Best Anime Fighting Games, Ranked
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? Dragon Ball Z? Naruto? All of these titles have great anime fighting games. Here are the best ones, ranked.

The original was such a product of the times and so special to a specific type of person that it’s a bit hard to recommend watching it for the first time in this day and age. But, if you’re a fan of wacky moments, a story about a boy trying to grow up and find himself, or a girl from space beating things up with guitars, then FLCL might be a great watch for you.

Kaguya-sama Love Is War

A Hilarious Game Of Cat And Mouse

Key Art for the Anime Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

There are tons of Anime out there that scratch the romcom itch, but there's nothing quite like Kaguya-sama: Love is War. The plot centers around the Student Council President, Miyuki Shirogane, and the Student Council Vice President, Kaguya Shinomiya, with both having one goal: Have the other confess their love to them.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is one of, if not the funniest, Anime out there, and delivers many heartwarming moments as well. Every episode delivers, and the payoff of this past season's finale will make you cheer alongside the cast of wonderful characters. Furthermore, this show is still ongoing, has an upcoming movie, and was strongly hinted to have a fourth season in the works!

Attack On Titan

A Worldwide Phenomenon

Attack On Titan Season 4 Cover Art

Do we really need to say anything about the phenomenon that is Attack On Titan? You likely saw how popular each new episode of the most recent season would be on social media on release night. There are even a few games similar to it, as well as some direct video game adaptations of the story.

That story, of course, being that one following Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Their tale is so engrossing, both due to the triumphs this trio makes and the horrors they bear witness to. Attack on Titan might have one of the most absurd settings for an anime ever, but it’s somehow become one of the most approachable for new people, and that’s a pretty big achievement. While the ending of the series was pretty polarizing, AoT will still go down as one of the most well-regarded series of all time.

The Fate Series

An Incomprehensible Gigantic IP

Fate Series Showcasing A Few Of The Main Cast Standing Around Together

Originally spawning from the Fate/Stay Night visual novel series, the Fate media franchise is very popular in this day and age. There are several different anime series, tons of games, a lot of spin-offs, and even some light novels. Most if not all stories in the Fate franchise revolve around the Holy Grail War, the Masters, and the warriors from history they summon.

The big appeal of this franchise is the amazing designs and creative iterations of famous historical icons such as Arthur Pendragon, Medusa, Gilgamesh, and tons more. It’s a fantastic franchise to get into for fans of battle royale settings, violent shonen action, and tournament arcs. Even just considering the fact that Fate/Grand Order (the mobile game) is Sony's most profitable game ever, it's obvious that the Fate franchise has a lot to offer for those with money to spend, and for those without.

Code Geass

An Iconic Mecha Influence

Code Geass Lelouch Looking Very Evil

Any person who's seen good anime series knows what Code Geass is all about. Featuring an intriguing plotline where the heir to the throne, Lelouch vi Britannia, obtains the power of Geass — an ability that lets him control the actions of someone just once — the show is a roller coaster that'll keep you guessing till the very last second. Even for people who aren't interested in the mecha genre, the plot of Code Geass is so engrossing that you will find yourself binge-watching episodes before you know it.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Get In The Robot Shinji

Eveangelion Main Cast For 3.0 Movie All Sitting Around Together

There aren’t many shows we’d recommend watching purely because of how much they’ll hurt you, but Evangelion is one of them. It’s almost hard to find anyone these days who hasn’t seen the series, especially with the re-release on Netflix, but some of them are still out there. The story of Asuka, Rei, Shinji, and even Misato is one that’s meant to leave you vulnerable and hurt. Neon Genesis Evangelion is satirical in a way, looking at all the other mecha shows that came before it and breaking them down piece-by-piece.

Related
10 Best Anime Endings Of All Time
Satisfying anime endings are oddly rare to come by, so we rounded up the definitive list of shows with a rewarding conclusion!

It’s raw, it’s emotional, it’s got the best opening music, and it’s just a great watch overall. Whether it’s the movies (though mileage may vary) or the show, no one brings up anime giants without bringing up Evangelion. That said, with the relatively recent Western release of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, the story has finally reached its concrete conclusion, and lifelong fans of the IP will be processing this ending for quite some time.

Gurren Lagann

The "Hypest" Show Around

The Main 4 Of Gurren Lagann Walking Toward The Sunset Together

While Neon Genesis Evangelion was a deconstruction of the Mecha genre in its purest form, Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann is essentially a celebration of it. The series is pure unadulterated Mecha satire, and fans love it. Whether it’s the incredible animation done by Trigger, the larger-than-life characters such as Kamin or Simon, or the infinitely rising power ceiling that grows with each episode.

The mech designs are fantastic, the hype is immeasurable, and the fight choreography is nonsensical yet coherent. If you’re looking for something that will continually blow your socks off every few minutes, there’s nothing better than Gurren Lagann.

Bleach

Return The King

Cover art for the anime Bleach

As part of the "Anime Big Three," Bleach is a hugely popular show that likely needs no introduction but rather convincing that it needs to be watched. The only downside with Bleach is that it falls in the same traps Naruto/Shippuden does and has tons of filler episodes that clog up the flow and pacing of an otherwise excellent show. It has 167 filler episodes out of its 336 total, meaning that nearly half of all Bleach episodes are filler.

However, we still recommend Bleach to anyone who has yet to experience it, especially now that the show has received a new season a decade after its last one ended in 2012. And, for what it's worth, the new arc is everything we ever wanted out of a new Bleach. Whether you choose to watch the filler or skip it is up to you, but Bleach is absolutely worthy of your time and attention.

Hunter X Hunter

Shounen At Its Finest

Cover Art For Hunter X Hunter Chimera Ant Art With All Main Cast For This Arc Featured

There's a reason why Hunter X Hunter is one of the greatest shonen series of all time. The plot, pacing, and characters of this show are considered to be second to none. Few shonen arcs are as well-paced or as tense as the Chimera Ant Arc. The manga originally got an anime adaptation in 1999, but the fanbase had quite a few issues with this rendition. Luckily, Madhouse took on their own adaptation in 2011 that was much more well-received.

Whether it’s the music, the animation, the sound design, or just the fight choreography, Hunter X Hunter is just such an easy series to get engrossed in. There's a reason why people play games similar to it — just in the hopes of scratching that itch. However, those games have their own share of problems as well. And who could forget about Nen, one of the most versatile and interesting shonen power systems of all time? Yeah, no doubt about it, HxH is the cream of the crop.

Higurashi When They Cry

A Violent Murder Mystery You Should Investigate

Promotional image of the cast of Higurashi: When They Cry

There aren't many murder mystery anime out there, so it's worth noting when one as good as Higurashi: When They Cry comes around. Despite the adorable cast of characters and their endearing personalities, the show leans heavily into its psychological horror elements. It has some of the most gruesome scenes that will stick with you forever and bring you to the edge of your seat as you try piecing together everything.

Everything that transpires in the fictional village of Hinamizawa feels authentic, earned, and visceral. The building anticipation and creeping dread throughout each episode and arc are always paid off with a shocking reveal, whether that be a crucial plot point or a twist that shifts everything else into perspective while simultaneously blowing your mind. If murder mysteries are your thing, Higurashi: When They Cry is worth investigating.