Joanna Marie O. Santos
November 17, 2021

This top anime list will help new and old anime fans around the world decide which anime to watch and try next.

It's tough to rank only ten anime shows, and there are many more worth watching outside of this list. But, we did our best finding the top must-watch anime series of all time!

  Let's start!   Top 10 Greatest Anime Series You Should Watch   10. Steins; Gate  

While Steins; Gate is mainly a science fiction animation and also a psychological thriller. Mysteries, as well as twists, turns, and discoveries are scattered throughout the series, which make this show a great thriller to watch. This series does not disappoint!

  9. Hunter x Hunter  

Hunter x Hunter is a must-watch anime. It avoids many of the clichés and dangers typical in other battle shonen shows. This is one of the many reasons it made the list.

Since Akira Toriyama's groundbreaking manga Dragon Ball, the battle shounen genre has inspired many fantasy series. Too many shounen anime and manga don’t progress beyond fundamental cliches. However, Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter is one of the rare series that has overcome these issues.

  8. Attack on Titan [caption id="attachment_2621" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Attack On Titan Season 3 Music[/caption]  

The major part of Attack on Titan's success is how faithful it is to the original story. Hajime Isayama, a genius Japanese manga artist, wrote the flawless plot of Attack on Titan. Old anime fans and critics alike approve of this manga anime, gaining a 9/10 rating on IMDb, 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 8.5/10 on MyAnimeList.net.

  7. Cowboy Bebop  

Anime enthusiasts recognize Cowboy Bebop as one of — if not the best — "gateway" anime series for new anime watchers.

Aside from an amusing main character named Spike, there’s also the intriguing, mysterious, powerful, and terrifying antagonist named Vicious.

Cowboy Bebop has well-rounded anime characters, who you can’t help but root for. This is because the show was more concerned with its characters than with its major plot. It also focused more on the crew's daily lives than anything else, which allowed the audience to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

  6. Death Note  

Death Note is a short but thought-provoking anime.

A notebook is one of the last things a person would use as a weapon if they’re in danger. However, in Death Note, a black notebook can end a life in whatever way the user desires at any moment. While the tool is simple, the antihero is interesting, leaving watchers wondering whether Kira’s vision is right or not. Will it solve humanity’s problem? Should it replace the justice system? Watch Death Note to find out!

  5. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood  

While some animes fail to live up to their source material, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood exceeds expectations. The story begins with two brothers hell-bent on solving a problem. Along the way of achieving their goal, other characters weave in and out of their story, either assisting or stopping them in their journey. Each of these characters feels significant, and they all stand alone.

The anime's action scenes are incredibly well-done as well. Fuhrer Bradley, with his tremendous speed and viciousness, is a standout. It exposed fans to Bradley's exchange with Homunculus Greed only a few episodes into the series. Instead of showing dramatic still images, the sequence was rapid, fluid, and jaw-dropping.

  4. Inuyasha  

Rumiko Takahashi prioritized adventure over humor when she made Inuyasha. This proved to be Inuyasha's most famous feature, which helped its huge success. Fans of action and fantasy anime eagerly wait for each episode’s adventures, and romance fans look out for heartfelt love stories between characters. Kagome is the manic pixie dream anime girl, and Inuyasha is the antihero character who found love.

These elements, however, are also present in other anime. Fushigi Yugi was one of the first anime series to merge fantasy adventure and romance.

  3. Detective Conan  

Conan, the fan-favorite anime boy, goes through a journey to unravel the ultimate secret of reverting to his former self. This anime series is thrilling, intriguing, and surprising. The story’s twists and romance are well-written and bring the characters to life.

Detective Conan is one of the most extended anime series, and it maintains suspense. It has a rich plot with unique and captivating characters who will keep you glued to the screen.

  2. Naruto Shippuden  

Incredible fight scenes abound in Naruto, showcasing many unique and exciting powers — Jutsu and Ninjutsu. Each character has powerful abilities, which they use to fight ferociously for their goals and motives. Naruto also teaches its viewers the philosophy of friendship and never giving up no matter how hard it gets.

The anime's world-building is so detailed that the plot takes on a highly realistic hue. Masashi Kishimoto's decision to divide the Naruto Universe into the Five Great Shinobi Nations foreshadows a slew of conflicts and wars deepening the plot.

The anime background theme songs of this beloved series are bonuses, which are memorable and iconic on their own.

  1. Dragon Ball Z  

Dragon Ball Z is an anime series known for its insane fight scenes, which made it the most popular battle shonen of all time. It is so popular that there are many calls for an anime revival for this series.

Dragon Ball Z’s progression also keeps viewers wanting for more. The characters’ crazy transformations are one of the things that made Dragon Ball Z so popular. This unique method of power scaling has become one of the most popular concepts in shonen anime and manga, and it's just gaining popularity as the story progresses. This is a concept that fans wait for each time a Dragon Ball Z episode is released.

  Key Takeaways

This top anime list includes everything from old series to current fresh faces of the latest trends. We aimed to be as objective as possible to help many fans understand the lineup of the greatest anime works of all time.

If you're wondering where to watch them, Netflix is one of the cheapest and convenient platforms to use. There are also anime sites where you can watch anime for free. So, binge-watch the most incredible anime shows now!

Need more awesome reads? Check our Philippines’ Top Picks blogs list!

  Sources: cbr.com, thedailystar.net, jpninfo.com, epicdope.com   image sources: wallpaperuse, Blogspot, Funimation from Polygon, New World God from Fullmetal Alchemist Wiki, Bandai Namco from nintendolife, Net Sama from Flickr, Kuudere Music from Flickr, HimFly from Pixabay, Alain-Christian from Flickr, PlayStation.Blog from Flickr