List of anime series considered the best

Last updated

This is a list of anime series that television critics or magazines have considered among the best of all time. The anime series are included on at least three separate best-of lists from different publications (inclusive of all time periods, networks and genres), as chosen by their editorial staff.

Contents

List

Anime seriesGenreReleaseStudioRef.
Anohana Coming-of-age 2011 A-1 Pictures [A]
Attack on Titan Dark fantasy 2013–2023 Wit Studio, MAPPA [B]
Baccano! Mystery 2007 Brain's Base [C]
Berserk Dark fantasy 1997–1998 OLM [D]
Bleach Supernatural 2004–2012 Studio Pierrot [E]
Chainsaw Man Dark fantasy 2022 MAPPA [F]
Code Geass Mecha 2006–2007 Sunrise [G]
Cowboy Bebop Space Western 1998–1999 Sunrise [H]
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Cyberpunk 2022 Studio Trigger [I]
Death Note Psychological thriller 2006–2007 Madhouse [J]
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Dark fantasy 2019–2024 Ufotable [K]
Devilman Crybaby Dark fantasy 2018 Science Saru [L]
Dragon Ball Fantasy comedy 1986–1989 Toei Animation [M]
Dragon Ball Z Fantasy comedy 1989–1996 Toei Animation [N]
Fate/Zero Dark fantasy 2011–2012 Ufotable [O]
FLCL Science fiction 2000–2001, 2018, 2023 Gainax, Production I.G [P]
Fruits Basket Supernatural 2019–2021 TMS Entertainment [Q]
Fullmetal Alchemist Dark fantasy 2003–2004 Bones [R]
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Dark fantasy 2009–2010 Bones [S]
Future Diary Psychological thriller 2011–2012 Asread [T]
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo Science fiction 2004–2005 Gonzo [U]
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Cyberpunk 2002–2005 Production I.G [V]
Gintama Adventure 2006–2018 Sunrise, Bandai Namco Pictures [W]
Gurren Lagann Mecha 2007 Gainax [X]
Haikyu!! Sports 2014–2020 Production I.G [Y]
Hajime no Ippo Sports 2000–2014 Madhouse, MAPPA [Z]
Hunter × Hunter Fantasy 2011–2014 Madhouse [AA]
Inuyasha Fantasy 2000–2004 Sunrise [AB]
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Adventure 2012–present David Production [AC]
Jujutsu Kaisen Dark fantasy 2020–present MAPPA [AD]
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Psychological 2019–2022 A-1 Pictures [AE]
KonoSuba Isekai 2016–2024 Studio Deen, Drive [AF]
Lupin the 3rd Mystery 1971–1972 Tokyo Movie [AG]
Made in Abyss Dark fantasy 2017–2022 Kinema Citrus [AH]
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Science fiction 2006 Kyoto Animation [AI]
Mob Psycho 100 Supernatural 2016–2022 Bones [AJ]
Mobile Suit Gundam Mecha 1979–1980 Sunrise [AK]
Monster Psychological thriller 2004–2005 Madhouse [AL]
Mushishi Supernatural 2005–2006 Artland [AM]
My Hero Academia Superhero 2016–present Bones, Bones Film [AN]
Naruto Fantasy comedy 2002–2007 Studio Pierrot [AO]
Naruto: Shippuden Fantasy comedy 2007–2017 Studio Pierrot [AP]
Neon Genesis Evangelion Mecha 1995–1996 Tatsunoko Production, Gainax [AQ]
One Piece Fantasy comedy 1999–present Toei Animation [AR]
One-Punch Man Superhero 2015–present Madhouse, J.C.Staff [AS]
Ouran High School Host Club Reverse harem 2006 Bones [AT]
Paranoia Agent Mystery 2004 Madhouse [AU]
Parasyte: The Maxim Science fiction 2014–2015 Madhouse [AV]
Pluto Science fiction 2023 Studio M2 [AW]
Pokémon Fantasy comedy 1997–present OLM [AX]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Magical girl 2011 Shaft [AY]
Ranma 1/2 Adventure 1989 Studio Deen [AZ]
Re:Zero Isekai 2016–present White Fox [BA]
Rurouni Kenshin Adventure 1996–1998 Gallop, Studio Deen [BB]
Sailor Moon Magical girl 1992–1997 Toei Animation [BC]
Samurai Champloo Samurai 2004–2005 Manglobe [BD]
Serial Experiments Lain Cyberpunk 1998 Triangle Staff [BE]
Steins;Gate Science fiction 2011 White Fox [BF]
Tokyo Ghoul Dark fantasy 2014 Studio Pierrot [BG]
Trigun Space Western 1998 Madhouse [BH]
Vinland Saga Epic 2019–2023 Wit Studio, MAPPA [BI]
Violet Evergarden Coming-of-age 2018 Kyoto Animation [BJ]
The Vision of Escaflowne Isekai 1996 Sunrise [BK]
Your Lie in April Romantic drama 2014–2015 A-1 Pictures [BL]
YuYu Hakusho Supernatural 1992–1995 Studio Pierrot [BM]

Publications

The reference numbers in the notes section show which of the 14 selected publications list the anime series.

See also

Notes

The reference numbers show which publications include the anime series.

  1. ↑ Anohana: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
  2. ↑ Attack on Titan: [6] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [13] [4] [5]
  3. ↑ Baccano!: [6] [10] [12]
  4. ↑ Berserk: [6] [7] [1] [3] [14] [15] [4]
  5. ↑ Bleach: [6] [7] [1] [3] [12] [14] [5]
  6. ↑ Chainsaw Man: [6] [9] [3] [12]
  7. ↑ Code Geass: [6] [1] [10] [2] [11] [14] [13] [4] [5]
  8. ↑ Cowboy Bebop: [6] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [15] [13] [4]
  9. ↑ Cyberpunk: Edgerunners: [1] [9] [4]
  10. ↑ Death Note: [6] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [13] [4] [5]
  11. ↑ Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: [6] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12]
  12. ↑ Devilman Crybaby: [6] [10] [11] [14]
  13. ↑ Dragon Ball: [8] [1] [9] [2] [3] [5]
  14. ↑ Dragon Ball Z: [6] [7] [8] [1] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [15] [13] [4]
  15. ↑ Fate/Zero: [1] [9] [2] [3] [14]
  16. ↑ FLCL: [6] [1] [10] [12] [14] [15] [13]
  17. ↑ Fruits Basket: [8] [1] [9] [15] [4]
  18. ↑ Fullmetal Alchemist: [1] [2] [3] [14] [13] [4]
  19. ↑ Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: [6] [16] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [15] [5]
  20. ↑ Future Diary: [7] [1] [5]
  21. ↑ Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo: [1] [14] [4]
  22. ↑ Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: [7] [2] [3] [11] [14] [4]
  23. ↑ Gintama: [7] [8] [1] [11] [4]
  24. ↑ Gurren Lagann: [1] [14] [13] [4]
  25. ↑ Haikyu!!: [1] [9] [10] [12] [13] [4] [5]
  26. ↑ Hajime no Ippo: [16] [1] [9] [10] [5]
  27. ↑ Hunter × Hunter: [6] [7] [1] [10] [12] [14] [15] [13] [4] [5]
  28. ↑ Inuyasha: [7] [2] [3] [14]
  29. ↑ Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: [6] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [12] [15] [13]
  30. ↑ Jujutsu Kaisen: [6] [7] [1] [9] [3]
  31. ↑ Kaguya-sama: Love is War: [6] [16] [7] [1]
  32. ↑ KonoSuba: [7] [1] [2]
  33. ↑ Lupin the 3rd: [7] [12] [14] [15]
  34. ↑ Made in Abyss: [6] [1] [10] [11]
  35. ↑ The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: [6] [2] [3] [4]
  36. ↑ Mob Psycho 100: [6] [16] [1] [9] [10] [11] [12] [15] [4]
  37. ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam: [3] [12] [14] [15] [13]
  38. ↑ Monster: [6] [16] [7] [1] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14] [15] [4] [5]
  39. ↑ Mushishi: [6] [16] [1] [11] [14] [4]
  40. ↑ My Hero Academia: [6] [7] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [13]
  41. ↑ Naruto: [6] [16] [7] [8] [1] [2] [3] [11] [12] [13]
  42. ↑ Naruto: Shippuden: [7] [8] [1] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [13] [5]
  43. ↑ Neon Genesis Evangelion: [6] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [15] [13] [4]
  44. ↑ One Piece: [6] [16] [7] [8] [1] [9] [10] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [5]
  45. ↑ One-Punch Man: [6] [7] [1] [11] [12] [5]
  46. ↑ Ouran High School Host Club: [10] [14] [4]
  47. ↑ Paranoia Agent: [11] [14] [4]
  48. ↑ Parasyte: The Maxim: [7] [11] [5]
  49. ↑ Pluto: [9] [15] [4]
  50. ↑ Pokémon: [7] [8] [9] [2] [3] [11] [12] [14] [13]
  51. ↑ Puella Magi Madoka Magica: [6] [15] [4]
  52. ↑ Ranma 1/2: [7] [14] [13]
  53. ↑ Re:Zero: [7] [1] [2] [3] [11]
  54. ↑ Rurouni Kenshin: [7] [14] [5]
  55. ↑ Sailor Moon: [7] [12] [14] [15] [13]
  56. ↑ Samurai Champloo: [6] [1] [10] [14] [4]
  57. ↑ Serial Experiments Lain: [6] [7] [14] [15] [13] [4]
  58. ↑ Steins;Gate: [6] [16] [8] [1] [9] [2] [3] [11] [14] [13] [4] [5]
  59. ↑ Tokyo Ghoul: [6] [7] [2] [5]
  60. ↑ Trigun: [6] [10] [12] [14] [4]
  61. ↑ Vinland Saga: [6] [16] [8] [1] [9] [15]
  62. ↑ Violet Evergarden: [6] [9] [2] [3] [11] [14] [4]
  63. ↑ The Vision in Escaflowne: [7] [12] [14] [15]
  64. ↑ Your Lie in April: [1] [14] [4] [5]
  65. ↑ YuYu Hakusho: [7] [10] [12] [14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Buchalter, Jake; Parmer, Seth; Ouardighi, Mohamed El (25 February 2025). "The Best Anime Of All Time". The Gamer. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 S, Yusuke (26 October 2020). "30 Best Anime of All Time (2020)". Japan Web Magazine. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 S, Yusuke (20 February 2025). "30 Best Anime of All Time". Japan Web Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 March 2025. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Mullicane, Evan D. (13 December 2024). "50 Best Anime Series of All Time, Ranked". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Entertainment Desk, TOI (1 March 2025). "Top 50 Anime series of all time". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Frye, Brendan (26 January 2024). "The 36 Best Anime Series of All Time, Ranked". CGMagazine. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 S. Poe, Arthur (19 May 2022). "50 Best Anime of All Time, Ranked". Fiction Horizon. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Bowen, Tom (4 October 2024). "The 16 Best Anime Series of All Time, Ranked". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Russell, Bradley (14 March 2025). "Best anime: The 25 series you should be watching in 2025". Gamesradar+. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 IGN Staff (22 September 2022). "Top 25 Best Anime Series of All Time". IGN. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Archbold, Phil (16 February 2022). "30 Best Anime Shows Of All Time Ranked". Looper. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Goodman, William (31 January 2023). "The 30 Best Anime Shows of All Time". Men's Health. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Vo, Alex; Motamayor, Rafael; Fowler, Rob (7 December 2020). "THE 25 ESSENTIAL ANIME SERIES TO WATCH NOW". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Paste Staff (4 October 2018). "The 50 Best Anime Series of All Time". Paste. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Jones, Austin; Staff, Paste (15 January 2024). "The 35 Best Anime of All Time". Paste. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kloberdanz-Dyck, Lucas (8 February 2025). "The 10 Best Anime You Need To Watch at Least Once". Collider. Archived from the original on 28 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.