
There will always be heated discussions about what the absolute represents best anime series are, and it’s a tricky debate, even when fans limit things to shonen, action series, etc. A good example is One pieceits own ranking among the best anime, because even if everyone agrees that One piece is one of the great legendaries, it’s not necessarily #1. No other anime can beat One piece to its game of scale, but that’s not the only game an animated series can play.
Pound for pound, within their own genres, a handful of anime series and anime-adjacent cartoons have been hailed as being as good as One piece or even better. The community loves One piecebut there’s always more to enjoy in a medium so varied and vast (and growing faster than ever). Along with that, there’s no denying that One Piece’s early animations have aged poorly, some gags can become stale, and the pacing can make it difficult. So a handful of other anime match or surpass One piece in their own way, delivering breathtaking art styles, character designs, themes, and emotional resonance that surpass any of the greats.

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1
Attack on Titan is a wild adventure of horror, war and intense politics
It keeps fans guessing until the very end
In the eyes of many fans, Attack on Titan is not only better than One piecebut it might be the #1 shonen anime of all time. It is much more than the sum of its parts, combining certain creative elements to tell a story of ethnic tension, war, conspiracy, mystery and survival in horror. At first, the anime was a cool mix of mecha and zombie horror with the Titans, but then the narrative expanded with the powerful Titan Shifters and the Marley Empire.
The end result was a stylish, brutal, profound and simply unforgettable epic that still has fans talking today, and not just because of the controversial ending to conclude. From start to finish, Attack on Titan has got anime fans totally hooked on its captivating mysteries about walls, where the Titans come from, and what lies beyond the confines of what Eren thinks is the world’s last city.
2
Naruto packs a powerful emotional punch as a zero-to-hero story
Fans will never forget Pain’s lecture on the cycle of hate
Naruto is one of the “big three” of shonen, alongside One pieceand he excelled in many of the same areas as One piece – and I excelled in a few other areas as well. NarutoThe deep jutsu-based combat system is comparable to any Devil Fruit or Haki technique, and the fights are much more complex. and more surprising, since the characters are ninjas who favor tricks and traps over strength in most cases.

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Furthermore, Naruto has some of the most thought-provoking and heartfelt arcs and themes in shonen anime, including Naruto and Gaara’s shared pain as jinchuriki, born as monsters. This led to Naruto’s famous conversation jutsu to redeem a living weapon, and then an even greater conversation jutsu unfolded following Pain’s attack. Naruto and Pain debated the fate of the world in terms of the cycle of hatred, a worldly theme that anime fans will never forget.
3
Berserk is hailed as the greatest Seinen story of all time
It’s a brutal action fantasy with a vulnerable heart
The late Kentaro Miura helped write manga history with his epic Berserkwhich inspired a few animated series of the same name. The animated versions may be incomplete, but they still embody what makes Berserk such a beloved icon in the industry. If fans delve into the original manga, they will not only experience the entire story, but also some of the industry’s best art of all time.
Berserk is famous for its bloody action and horror, but it’s not just that. Every action has meaning, because Protagonist Guts isn’t just an excuse for bloody fights: he’s a vulnerable, sympathetic wrestler who must balance revenge, love, and finding the meaning of life. and friendship in a nightmarish medieval world that takes no prisoners. The story also presents intriguing themes about the laws of causality and what it means for someone to pursue their true destiny, whatever that may be.
It packs a lot into just 64 episodes
The 2009 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood the anime almost always ranks in the personal top 10 series of all time by fansand the community as a whole often places it first, or just below. All of this praise is deserved for Hiromu Arakawa’s masterpiece, a smartly paced shonen adventure with breathtaking depth with its themes, symbolism, plot, and characterization. The series has 64 episodes, but has the content of a series twice as long.
The story began when the Elric brothers searched for the famous Philosopher’s Stone, but the scope of their adventure quickly expanded to include a dark conspiracy that could spell the end of all of Amestris. Along the way, the Fraternity Amime will explore topics such as the human condition, the law of equivalent exchange, and the dire consequences of genocide and revenge.

Two brothers search for a philosopher’s stone after an attempt to revive their deceased mother goes wrong and leaves them in physically damaged forms.
- Release date
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April 5, 2009
- Cast
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Romi Park, Rie Kugimiya, Vic Mignogna, Maxey Whitehead
- Seasons
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1
5
A Silent Voice is an underrated gem with a heartfelt story of redemption
This is one of the best animated films of all
A silent voice is a good example of how two anime franchises from completely different genres can be compared fairly, even if they have little in common. One piece is a long shonen action story while A silent voice is an animated film drama, but pound for pound, this animated film beats Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece. It helps that the themes and content of this story are much more accessible than the heavyweight One piece.

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This is a strong, emotionally powerful story about children desperate to communicate and understand each other in the face of bullying, regret, and misunderstanding. Antihero Shoya Ishida tormented his deaf classmate Shoko Nishimiya in 6th grade, but this made him an outcast, and he had a personal judgment. Now Shoya has to make amends, but even if Shoko forgives him, other people might not forgive him, maybe not even Shoya himself.

A silent voice
A young man is ostracized by his classmates after bullying a deaf girl so much that she walks away. Years later, he embarks on the path to redemption.
- Release date
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October 20, 2017
- Studio
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Entertainment in Kyoto
- Cast
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Saori Hayami, Miyu Irino, Yui Ishikawa, Megumi Han
- Runtime
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130 minutes
6
Hunter x Hunter is on par with one of the big three Shonen
Its Nen combat system is simply brilliant
It’s true that the famous Hunter x Hunter the manga/anime never became one of the “big three” of shonen, but it can still compete with them, and many fans rank it higher than those three shonen legends. Hunter x Hunter is appreciated for its Nen combat system, which is complex and quite intuitive despite its numerous rules. It lent itself to some of the best action scenes in shonen, where anything goes, but there is structure beneath the apparent chaos.
The story is also solid, with protagonist Gon Freecss meeting cool new friends like Kurapika Kurta and the ever-popular Killua Zoldyck, leading to one of the most realistic and charming friendships in anime. The anime also excels with its dazzling character designs, many of which are totally offbeat but still unforgettable and enjoyable to watch. This is the anime where a young woman with a vacuum cleaner is a cool villain, and this is a mild example.

Hunter x Hunter
Gon Freecss aspires to become a Hunter, an exceptional being capable of greatness. With his friends and his potential, he sets off in search of his father, who left him when he was younger.
- Gender
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Adventure, Fantasy, Martial Arts
- Language
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English, Japanese
- Number of seasons
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6
- Start date
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October 2, 2011
- Studio
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Madhouse, Shueisha
7
Bleach: The Bloody Thousand Year War Was a Game Changer for One Piece’s Rival Series
Its animation, pacing and action brought the old bleach out of the water
In general, anime fans hold One piece more esteemed than the original Bleach series, but the new anime changed all that. After a decade-long hiatus, the legend of Shonen Bleach is back with its Bloody Thousand Year War story arc, and it was 100% worth the long wait. This new anime is simple, wicked, and visually stunning, not to mention its impactful new plot.
A new enemy has appeared, the powerful Wandenreich, and Ichigo and the Soul Reapers must push their limits to defeat this vengeful Quincy Empire. However, this new plot isn’t just action in itself: this brilliant new anime also contains jaw-dropping twists on notable characters like Ichigo Kurosaki, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Captain Unohana, and there are also the Uryu Ishida’s personal issues. betraying his friends to join the Quincy Empire as the heir of King Yhwach.
8
Monster is an exquisite crime thriller
Johan Liebert is one of anime’s greatest villains
Monster is another example of anime garnish One piece although it is a completely different genre and style. Monster is a gripping crime thriller based on the manga of the same name by author Naoki Urasawa, set in West Germany. as Dr. Tenma makes a fateful decision one night in the hospital. He was supposed to save the local mayor, but instead he saves a young boy named Johan Liebert.

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Johan soon disappears in bloody circumstances and years later, Dr. Tenma must admit that he saved a monster in cold blood. What follows is a breathtaking story of the brilliant, charismatic and deadly Johan Liebert on his rampage, and all thanks to Dr. Tenma’s rash decision to operate on the wrong patient years ago.
9
Avatar: The Last Airbender has intricate writing and excellent personal arcs
He doesn’t talk up and down to his young audience
Anime Adjacent Avatar: The Last Airbender beats most Japanese anime series at their own game, and for that matter, so does its successor. It is a back-to-basics action cartoon about an idealistic young hero who fights hard to save the world from certain catastrophe while the evil Fire Lord Ozai seeks to conclude the Hundred War Years to ensure dominance of the Fire Nation.
It may be the basic plot, but fans love it Avatar for much more than that. It features some of the best story arcs in animation, from Sokka’s expanding worldview and heartbreak to Aang embracing a new world and most importantly, Zuko and Iroh’s redemptions. as members of the Fire Nation royal family. This cartoon also features a simple but highly entertaining combat system, deceptively deep and thoughtful dialogue, and the simple fact that it never denigrates its young audience with its difficult themes of war, loss, heartbreak, and betrayal.
10
Vinland Saga is a historical anime about the meaning of war and life
It’s a meditation on why a Viking was born
The Vinland Saga is a historical anime with an even better manga series supporting itand either version of the story is sure to delight fans of historical dramas and seinen. The Vinland Saga forces his anti-hero Thorfinn Karlsefni to ask difficult questions about what his life means, the meaning of violence and even whether he has enemies. Thorfinn will examine these questions in a medieval world that still rewards the sword.
In the first major story arc, Thorfinn will swear bloody vengeance, convinced that it is his only goal. But when that is removed in a subversive tale of the Viking War, Thorfinn will start again from scratch as a slave on a farm. There, he will face the ghosts of his victims and wonder if he even deserves a chance at a new life, defined by peace and freedom in a world that seems to offer neither.