Top 20 Shonen Anime Series
They're the best the genre has to offer. Join Ashley as we count down our picks for the greatest shonen anime to date
Transcript
00:00 Hey guys, it's Ash here with WatchMojo and these are the Top 20 Shonen Anime Series.
00:26 For this list, we'll be looking over the anime that adheres to the conventions of,
00:30 and have since gone on to define, the Shonen genre.
00:35 Hey Mojoholics!
00:36 For a chance to win cash prizes, play our live daily trivia challenges every day at
00:41 3pm and 8pm Eastern only at WatchMojo.com/play.
00:46 Number 20.
00:48 Fire Force
00:49 Hot off the heels of its spiritual predecessor, Soul Eater, this anime is so much more than
00:54 a flash in the pan.
01:06 In a world where innocents can turn into living flames known as infernals at the drop of a
01:11 hat, it falls to the Fire Force companies to wipe out any threats.
01:17 It's there that newest recruit Shinra finds himself at the centre of numerous factional
01:25 conflicts as the dark truths of the flames that they possess threaten to come to light.
01:31 While the fights are furiously fun, it's the crazed narrative twists that this series
01:35 throws out that keeps us coming back for more.
01:45 Number 19.
01:46 Spy Family
01:47 A spy, an assassin, and an esper.
01:50 Put them all together and what do you get?
01:53 The most capable, dysfunctional, yet adorable family the medium has seen in years.
02:01 Starting off as a mission to infiltrate a neighbouring country in order to prevent a
02:06 war, super-spy Twilight finds himself entangled with a daughter who can unknowingly read minds,
02:13 while his fake wife spends her nights killing off targets.
02:27 The capers are certainly compelling, but it's really the comedy and cute family dynamic
02:33 that endeared this series to so many, mainly through the medium of Anya's mind-reading
02:37 antics.
02:46 Number 18.
02:48 Saint Seiya
02:49 A classic still worth checking out, especially for those who like their ever-expanding cast
02:54 of Bishounen heroes with colourful attires, plenty of bromance, all tied together with
03:00 a mythological aesthetic.
03:12 Tasked with protecting the goddess Athena, Seiya battles other Olympians in increasingly
03:18 wild cosmic battles, some that even hold up to this day in terms of their scope.
03:29 If you've been hungering for a Sailor Moon adjacent, one with its own grand legacy you
03:33 can lose yourself in with a greater emphasis on action, Seiya's got you covered.
03:46 Number 17.
03:48 Yu Yu Hakusho
03:49 Demons, finger guns, and a punk kid turned spirit detective, the phantasmic action that
03:55 this series dished out was a landmark for the genre.
04:04 Following his accidental death, rebirth, and new occupation as a guardian between worlds,
04:10 Yusuke's new lease on life gave us plenty of tightly plotted arcs to indulge in, as
04:15 well as a killer supporting cast.
04:29 Between the exquisite dark tournaments and the showdown with incredible villains such
04:33 as Sensuei, Yu Yu Hakusho is well worth a watch for those uninitiated in Yusuke's particular
04:40 brand of detective work.
04:48 Number 16.
04:49 Rurouni Kenshin
04:57 Once a feared swordsman who killed without remorse, Kenshin's desire to atone lent
05:02 itself to a fantastic historical adventure filled with more slicing and dicing than you'll
05:09 likely be able to handle.
05:16 Ignoring its atrocious final season, Kenshin's retribution, along with his clashes with vicious
05:22 foes such as Makoto Shishio, made the whole affair one of the best action anime to ever
05:27 be released.
05:28 Why do you think it's gotten so many remakes and OVAs over the years?
05:40 Number 15.
05:41 Fairy Tail
05:43 Are you after undiluted shounen with every kind of trope imaginable?
05:47 Along with a heaping helping of magic battles, this guild has got you covered.
05:58 From dragon apocalypses to facing down armies of monsters to an endless slew of dark magic
06:04 users to contend with, the brawls do not stop here.
06:07 Though, that's mainly down to hot-headed Natsu spitting fire everywhere he goes.
06:20 While not exactly the deepest of anime, there's an abundance of fun to be had here.
06:31 Honestly, the best kind of ridiculous.
06:38 Number 14.
06:39 Chainsaw Man
06:41 Welcome aboard the crazy train, where every kind of expectancy goes out the window in
06:46 exchange for a delightfully degenerate lead and an endless slew of bloody violence.
06:58 You gotta love it.
07:00 After being turned into a half-devil filled to the brim with chainsaw blades, Denji chooses
07:05 to embrace his new reality of bloodshed and servitude.
07:09 All in the faint hope of a better life and the off chance he can get some.
07:16 Unafraid of going to some truly dark yet poignant places, this ain't your granddaddy's shounen.
07:22 And it's well worth diving into all the same.
07:37 Number 13.
07:38 Black Clover
07:39 It started off as the butt of a joke, and quickly rose up to become one of the strongest
07:45 and beloved contenders of the whole genre.
07:52 Asta's dream to become the Wizard King might sound like the same old tale of determination
08:02 and friendship, but what the premise may lack in originality, it excels in with monumental
08:08 battles and shockingly solid worldbuilding.
08:19 The power system combined with the eclectic supporting cast does a wonderful job of reinforcing
08:24 just how well this series understands shounen at its core, and we'll be damned if we aren't
08:30 rooting for Asta to achieve his dream.
08:32 We believe in you, King.
08:41 Number 12.
08:42 Jujutsu Kaisen
08:44 Dominating the modern anime scene with a slick combination of dark fantasy, grim worldbuilding
08:50 and savage fight scenes that expertly navigate their way between tense and pure hype, Jujutsu
08:56 Kaisen truly became a force of nature overnight.
09:05 Roped into the world of sorcerers after becoming the vessel for a malevolent spirit, Itadori's
09:11 trials as he battles against curse-users and outright monsters has been a complete thrill
09:17 ride right from the jump.
09:40 Number 11.
09:47 My Hero Academia
09:49 A homage to all things superhero that has since gone on to become a shining example
09:54 in its own right.
10:07 Set in a world of caped crusaders, Deku and his fellow wannabe heroes have proven themselves
10:12 to be a cut above the rest, with their heroics not only allowing for a medley of epic bouts
10:18 against villains of all shapes and sizes, but have also consistently elevated its narrative
10:23 by putting the spotlight on what a superhero society might look like, and all the vice
10:28 and darkness that it produces.
10:38 For anyone who loves any and all aspects of superhero culture, this is a plus-ultra recommendation.
10:54 Number 10.
10:55 Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba
10:58 What do you get when you combine an epic tale of swordsmen against demons, along with Ufotable's
11:04 godly animation?
11:12 One of shonen's shining stars that has consistently blown us away with just how monumental Tanjiro's
11:18 journey to cure his sister of her demonic affliction has become over the years.
11:31 The action scenes that pit the Demon Slayers against the upper moons are some of the medium's
11:36 most fluid and explosive to date, all the while it's held down with some off-cuff
11:41 comedy and a truly sobering sense of drama.
11:44 As despite constantly losing allies and loved ones, Tanjiro continues to soldier on for
11:50 the sake of his sibling.
11:57 Number 9.
11:58 Bleach
11:59 Ichigo Kurosaki's life took a rather ghostly turn when he became a substitute shinigami,
12:05 and in doing so led the way to a series that soared during its prime.
12:10 We were treated to some dazzling sword fights throughout Ichigo's encounters with the
12:14 members of the Gotei 13, and again with the Espada.
12:39 While many can claim that the series somewhat fell apart near the end of its original run,
12:44 it found new life with its revival via the Thousand Year Blood War arc, reinforcing just
12:50 how spectacular this series can be when firing on all cylinders.
13:06 Number 8.
13:07 Gintama
13:08 Bringing the laughs just as much as the bloodshed, the misadventures of samurai freelancer Gintoki
13:15 lend themselves to comedy more so than most.
13:35 While the countless odd jobs that often end poorly for our protagonist constantly have
13:39 us in stitches, this series knows just when to bust out the Bokuto and deliver on some
13:44 truly savage fight scenes.
14:01 You wouldn't have thought that a narrative involving paying the rent and alien insurgency
14:06 would blend together with a heart-wrenching duel between former allies, but you'll find
14:11 that the series balances itself seamlessly.
14:20 Number 7.
14:21 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
14:24 The saga of the Joestars is one for the ages.
14:32 Following a different JoJo throughout the years, every subsequent series has always
14:36 delivered when it comes to cultural commentary, abilities that go beyond the pale, and so
14:42 much creativity placed into its fight scenes that it's become a juggernaut that all aspire
14:47 to.
14:52 Whether you're down bad for the early days of Phantom Blood, or you're all about the
14:57 perilously Floridian adventures of Stone Ocean, JoJo remains an anchor for shounen goodness
15:03 despite breaking, inverting, and redefining every cliché along the way.
15:16 Number 6.
15:17 Naruto
15:18 Does it have an ungodly amount of filler episodes?
15:21 Yes.
15:22 Does it have some shining moments?
15:26 Absolutely.
15:29 Blazing the trail for many shounen that followed, Naruto and its sequel series gave us one of
15:35 anime's most well-known protagonists, whose way of the ninja leads him on quite the character
15:40 arc, going from prankster and social outcast to the hero the hiddenly village needs.
15:51 Complete with an unforgettable roster including Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, and a whole lot more,
16:05 to this day the series continues to rack up more hits than misses.
16:17 Number 5.
16:18 Hunter x Hunter
16:19 Second time's the charm apparently.
16:33 With contrasting but equally interesting leads, we see our four heroes fight their way to
16:38 earn themselves the title of Hunter and accomplish their own personal desires.
16:52 Everything from Gon and Killua's moving friendship, Kurapika's lust for vengeance against the
16:56 Phantom Troop, and the unnerving appearances of the psychotic Hisoka, there's a little
17:02 bit here for everyone.
17:03 But most of all, these fights can be brutal as hell.
17:14 Number 4.
17:15 Attack on Titan
17:16 Hey, the manga was posted in a shounen magazine.
17:20 It counts.
17:30 What started off as a fight for survival against giant cannibalistic creatures known as Titans,
17:36 swiftly evolved into a beautifully told, utterly devastating delve into human cruelty and resistance,
17:42 as Eren and company soon discover that for as monstrous as the Titans are, it's nothing
17:48 compared to the savagery found within themselves.
18:02 With moral ambiguity, slick sequences, and some of the most harrowing death scenes you're
18:07 likely to encounter, unravelling the layers of this blood-soaked mystery is worth all
18:12 the emotional damage.
18:23 Number 3.
18:24 Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
18:26 While the original series remains a strong contender, this second adaptation remained
18:31 much truer to the manga, and in doing so gave us the definitive tale of the Elric Brothers
18:37 and their mission to find the Philosopher's Stone.
18:49 With beautiful visuals, a top-notch soundtrack, and a compact plot that doesn't slow down
18:54 for a second, this is one that doesn't shy away from the heavy subject matters either
19:07 – so don't be surprised if you find yourself choking up on more than one occasion.
19:18 Number 2.
19:19 Dragon Ball Z
19:21 Is there anything more shonen than having a Super Saiyan screaming his lungs out?
19:38 We don't think so.
19:39 While the series continues to expand with its newer incarnations, no fan can forget
19:44 just how much fun it was to see Goku go up against the likes of Freeza, Cell, Majin Buu,
19:50 and more in fistfights that would, more often than not, end with a planet getting destroyed.
20:11 With so many iconic moments that have worked themselves into pop culture, this classic
20:16 proves that even decades on, no one will be forgetting the Kamehameha anytime soon.
20:38 Before we reveal our number one pick, here's some honorable mentions.
20:43 The Seven Deadly Sins, Dr. Stone, The Disastrous Life of Psyche-K,
21:08 Inuyasha, Hitman Reborn,
21:36 Our
21:50 Number 1.
21:51 One Piece
21:52 Amazingly developed characters?
21:54 Check.
21:55 Out of this world settings?
21:57 Check.
21:58 Perilous struggles with equally compelling villains?
22:01 Check.
22:02 Fight scenes that'll make your head explode?
22:04 Aye, Captain.
22:18 Still riding high to this day, the Straw Hat crew continue to bring us a mixture of thoughtful
22:23 commentary on concepts like good, evil, and justice, all wrapped inside a bombardment
22:29 of downright goofy comedy and surreally brutal fights.
22:44 All we can hope is that this ship continues to sail for as long as possible.
23:12 [music]
23:19 (upbeat music)
23:22 (upbeat music)