Best Shounen Anime

Well-made

shonen anime

(or

shounen anime

, as it is sometimes spelled) tend to be massive hits — just look at

Attack on Titan

or

Dragon Ball

. It is by far one of the most popular “genres” of anime with countless numbers of manga adaptations and original series being created for fans. Shonen is also a demographic rather than a traditional genre, so it covers a wide spectrum of shows.

In a category with countless anime to watch, it can be difficult to choose which series to get into. Still, there are some shounen anime so excellent they stand above the rest and should be on every fan’s must-watch list until they’ve seen them all. What are the

best shonen anime

ever?

Exciting New Shonen Anime Of Fall 2023

2023 is gradually coming to an end, and there is only one anime season left to go. Although not as stacked as

2022

‘s equivalent quarter, Fall 2023 is not lacking in shonen goodness, and that includes both returning and new properties. Naturally, sequels have hogged most of the limelight, and they are relatively big names.

Dr. Stone New World Part 2

,

Spy x Family Season 2

,

Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc

, and

The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2 Part 2

all have a fair amount of momentum behind them, and they will be joining a few notable Summer 2023 leftovers in

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

,

Rurouni Kenshin

and

Dark Gathering

.

Exciting as these sequels are, they are hardly Fall 2023’s only compelling shonen anime. In fact, the season’s newcomers might surprise a lot of people.

Undead Unluck

,

Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions

,

Ragna Crimson

,

Shy

, and

The Kingdoms of Ruin

are all fun, and they are not even the tip of the iceberg.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

MyAnimeList (October 28, 2023): 8.95

Madhouse has not been on an especially strong run in recent years, but the studio can still produce greatness. Going by the quality of the source material,

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

has the potential to be Madhouse’s biggest show since 2018’s

A Place Further than the Universe

; conversely, if it falls flat, it might become the studio’s saddest disappointment.

Presenting a twist on the fantasy formula,

Frieren

takes place after the heroes have already defeated their world’s demon

king

. Naturally, they get back to their normal lives, all the while remembering their past adventures. Primarily set a few decades after this event, the story revolves around Frieren, an elf who has always struggled to connect with her companions, and follows her as she goes on a new introspective adventure.

Shangri-La Frontier

MyAnimeList (October 28, 2023): 8.01

Starting out as a web novel before transitioning into a manga,

Shangri-La Frontier

is all about gaming. Rakurou loves demolishing bad games; it is his passion and joy. One day, he is recommended a virtual reality title called Shangri-La Frontier, and he decides to take the plunge and jump into its gorgeous world.

Surprisingly,

Shangri-La Frontier

does not go down the typical isekai route since Rakurou is not trapped inside the game’s world; basically, the anime is kind of similar to

Bofuri

, at least in concept. The story really attempts to capture the spirit of playing a game, and Rakurou tries hard to defeat the developers by using legal exploits. The manga even dives into other games, so it is not limited to just Shangri-La Frontier.

Now, let’s take a look at the best non-airing shonen anime…

28


Call Of The Night

MyAnimeList Score: 7.99

Call of the Night

is all about freedom. Although he is a good student, Kou Yamori finds that he struggles to relate to other teenagers, particularly when it comes to matters of love. While suffering from insomnia, he ventures out in the night, a decision that changes the guy’s life forever when he meets Nazuna Nanakusa, a vampire.

Enamored by her approach to life, Kou sets out on a path to become a creature of the night, but he will need to first fall in love with Nazuna to actualize this dream.

Call of the Night

is whimsical, stylish, and funny. Kou and Nazuna have instant chemistry, and they are hardly the only great characters to exist in this world.

27


Chainsaw Man

MyAnimeList Score: 8.55

Considering the sheer volume of sequels that aired during Fall 2022, the fact

Chainsaw Man

was by far and away the season’s most hyped anime speaks to the popularity of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga. As its title suggests,

Chainsaw Man

is about a man who can transform parts of himself into chainsaws. The story includes the Yakuza and devil hunters, along with a lot of gore.

Yes, this is a

battle shonen anime

for adults, and this goes beyond just grotesque villains. The source material touches upon mature themes, even if they are presented through Denji’s juvenile perspective. The adaptation has delivered on its promise so far, and

Chainsaw Man

could dominate the shonen anime scene for a few years.

26


My Hero Academia

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 7.88

While hardly the first to feature superheroes,

My Hero Academia

is anime’s most famous example of the theme. With six seasons and a couple of movies under its belt, the show has enjoyed a long and successful run, and Deku’s story is not done yet.

At its best,

My Hero Academia

offers unforgettable fights, chilling villains, decent humor, and a constant

sense

of growth for its protagonist. Now, the series has had a few flat arcs; in fact, seasons 4 and 5 are both considerably weaker than the rest of the show, and they can be difficult to get through since they span almost 50 episodes. Thankfully, season 6 was a massive step in the right direction for the anime.

25


Bleach

MyAnimeList Score (Original Series): 7.93

At its best,

Bleach

compares favorably with any other action anime out there. The Soul Society arc is wildly recognized as one of the strongest early sagas in shonen, and those 40 episodes feature fantastic action, world-building, and storytelling. The Thousand-Year Blood War, which started airing in Fall 2022, is another high point that brought back

Bleach

in a big way after a long hiatus.

While the positives outweigh the negatives,

Bleach

notoriously overuses filler arcs to the point they regularly derail the show’s momentum. Sagas like The Bount arc have their moments, but they are so overly long that they drag down the rest of the series. However, as they are filler, these arcs can be skipped, and that is arguably the best way to enjoy

Bleach

.

24


Dragon Ball Z

MyAnimeList Score: 8.17

Akira Toriyama’s

Dragon Ball

introduced countless people to not only shonen but also anime in general. It might be the greatest gateway anime of all time, and it has retained its popularity for four decades.

Dragon Ball

and

Dragon Ball Z

are the franchise’s peak; the former showcased Toriyama’s talent for comedy while the latter set the standard for the action-heavy battle shonen series that would follow in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Dragon Ball

has had more than a few disappointments and low points throughout its history, but the anime’s longevity is beyond question. And, when the show peaks, it reaches heights only the

greatest shonen anime

have seen. While an argument could be made that the original

Dragon Ball

is better,

DBZ

is undoubtedly the most popular and influential entry in the franchise.

23


Spy X Family

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.58

A highlight of Spring and Fall 2022,

Spy x Family

chronicles the Forgers’ comedic escapades that can range from school break-ins to terrorist attacks with potentially widespread consequences. Tasked with befriending an important diplomat, Twilight, the eponymous spy, crafts a fake family man persona and adopts a girl named Anya, who just so happens to be a mind-reader. As Loid, Twilight also marries Yor, a woman who moonlights as an assassin.

These secrets simultaneously separate and bring this family together.

Part 2

started to develop the characters’ relationships, showing that something genuine is threatening to blossom from this artificial connection.

Spy x Family

season 2 is airing as part of the Fall 2023 season; for the most part, the show is still very entertaining, although the story’s lack of forward movement can start to grate after a while.

22


Death Note

MyAnimeList Score: 8.62

A psychological thriller about a serial killer and the detective(s) seeking to bring him to justice,

Death Note

is a

shonen anime

that focuses on a battle of minds rather than biceps. Light Yagami finds the Death Note, allowing him to kill anyone by simply writing their name within the book’s pages. As Kira, Light starts to shape a new world in his vision, one that naturally attracts the attention of the authorities.

Death Note

is at its best when concentrating on Light and L’s rivalry and strange friendship. Their cat-and-mouse chase is the stuff of legend, and outside of maybe

Monster

, few anime have done it better.

21


Naruto & Naruto Shippuden

MyAnimeList Score (Naruto): 7.99

For a couple of years,

Naruto

was the most popular anime in Western countries, eclipsing the long-dormant

Dragon Ball

and the slow-to-crossover


One Piece


. Living in the Hidden Leaf Village, the eponymous ninja has been treated as an outcast for most of his days, but rather than wallow in self-pity, Naruto plans to gain everyone’s respect and trust as he strives to become his home’s Hokage. The first step in this journey involves starting shinobi training, which sees Naruto partnering up with the brooding Sasuke and Sakura, with the students operating under the tutelage of Kakashi.

Lasting for more than 700 episodes,

Naruto

goes through its share of highs and lows, but the series is generally quite consistent. Naruto and Sasuke’s friendship/rivalry drives the story forward, and the anime has one of the strongest roster of antagonists in shonen.

20


Dr. Stone

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.28

Dr. Stone

has an awesome premise and an even better protagonist. Out of nowhere, most of Earth’s population is turned into stone, causing the world to gradually regress over the span of a few thousand years. Eventually, Senku breaks from his prison, and the intelligent teenager quickly sets out to unfreeze everyone while speedrunning humanity’s technological progress. While he might not be strong, Senku is incredibly intelligent.

Dr. Stone

is an unapologetic celebration of scientific discovery, and the anime tries to keep things grounded when it comes to Senku’s inventions. Narratively, the show tells a good story filled with likable characters, including a few memorable villains.

19


Your Lie In April

MyAnimeList Score: 8.65

Despite popular

opinion

stating shonen consists of only the battle variety, the “genre” extends far beyond the confines of just

Dragon Ball

and

Naruto

.

Your Lie in April

highlights a different side to shonen, one driven by emotion, heart, and humor.

Your Lie in April

centers around a prodigy who is struggling to rediscover his spark for music following the death of his mother. He forms a friendship with Kaori, and things get powerful from there. Prepare the tissues as

Your Lie in April

is the ultimate anime tearjerker.

18


The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.41

Kusuo Saiki is an all-powerful psychic who can do nearly anything, a fact he wants to very much keep under wraps. Unfortunately, Kusuo’s efforts to keep a low profile are undermined by his magnetic ability to attract lovably weird people, and his school has quite a few of them.

A sketch comedy show,

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

is a laugh riot that seldom has a dull moment. Kusuo’s stoic demeanor serves as the perfect foil to the rest of the cast’s quirky characters, and the anime balances the humor with its share of sweet moments.

17


Great Teacher Onizuka

MyAnimeList Score: 8.69

Who wouldn’t want someone who previously ran a biker gang as their teacher in school? Especially after they suplex the Vice-Principal!

Great Teach Onizuka

features plenty of comedic moments as Eikichi works magic in the way only he can with the worst students around at Holy Forest Academy.

It has a bit of a retro anime style as it’s hitting over 20 years old at this point, but it’s still highly regarded by critics and fans.

16


Bakuman

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.18

Bakuman

gets a bit meta at times, with the main story following Moritaka’s journey to becoming a mangaka with his friends. It’s an amazing and realistic look into what life would be like for a full-time manga artist, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see them work hard and find ways to succeed each step of the way.

Bakuman

is not as heavy on action scenes as most shonen anime, which makes it unique compared to most fan favorites.

15


Tomorrow’s Joe

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.30

Tomorrow’s Joe

, more commonly known as

Ashita no Joe

, is by far one of the greatest boxing stories to ever be animated. Despite coming out all the way back in the ’70s, new fans are still checking it out to this day showing that it has incredible staying power.

This anime was so influential that it received a spiritual successor known as

Fighting Spirit

which is also highly regarded. This in turn inspired the creation of

Megalo Box

whose main character is named Joe as an homage to the series that defined boxing in anime.

14


Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.49

Demon Slayer

has cemented itself as something of a modern battle shonen classic in the vein of

Dragon Ball

and

Naruto

. It is an entry-level anime, simply because its mainstream success might attract the attention of people who have yet to fully embrace the world of Japanese animation.

Although enjoyable from the start,

Demon Slayer

hits its stride at a specific point: episode 19. This chapter caused the anime’s popularity to explode almost overnight, and the fire has not stopped raging since. 2020’s

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train

was a massive international hit, while season 2’s Entertainment District arc is a contender for shonen’s best cour of the last few years. Even if the Spring 2023 season did not reach the same heights as its predecessor, the Swordsmith Village saga was still very good.

13


Fist Of The North Star

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 7.96

When discussing influential action shonen anime (and manga),

Fist of the North Star

has almost no peers. Debuting in the early ’80s, the manga and its adaptations were such massive successes that their stories and characters continue to be referenced to this day. Its influence can be seen in properties like

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

and

Berserk

, two series that also cast long shadows over the anime and manga industries in general.

Fist of the North Star

is obviously dated, and its animation can be difficult to stomach if someone is only accustomed to modern shows. That said, its storytelling has aged surprisingly well considering decades have passed since its inception. While it might be tempting to dismiss the anime as a historical piece rather than something to be enjoyed in this day and age,

Fist of the North Star

still packs an impressive punch.

12


Jujutsu Kaisen

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.63

Jujutsu Kaisen

has a great mix of comedy, action, and storytelling that has driven many fans of anime to watch it over the years. Not to mention the animation is a feast for the eyes that will leave many with their jaws on the floor. In contrast to most anime, the main protagonist Yuuji isn’t simply choosing to become stronger but is forced to when he encounters a cursed item.

This new angle keeps things incredibly fresh for those that have seen many mainstream shonen titles in the past.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie

is also a fantastic addition to the series, delivering similar thrills to

Demon Slayer

‘s cinematic sequel.

Season 2 is airing as part of the Summer 2023 anime season.

11


Nichijou – My Ordinary Life

MyAnimeList Score: 8.46

A prime example of shonen’s underappreciated range,

Nichijou

is a sketch comedy about a group of high school girls, a talking cat, a child genius, and a robot. The slice of life anime starts ordinary enough, seemingly setting the stage for what will be a relatively relaxing and “normal” series; then, a school principal wrestles a deer, and things fly completely off the rails.

Nichijou

is unpredictable, surreal, heartfelt, and consistently hilarious. The anime blows most other comedy series out of the water, and it holds up well to repeat viewings.

10


Attack On Titan

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.54

Arguably the

most popular shonen anime

of the last decade,

Attack on Titan

‘s penchant for shocking moments, vicious action, and haunting music have made it a must-watch show for nearly the entirety of its lifespan. Improving with each season,

Attack on Titan

is arguably at its best when its titular monsters are removed from center stage to provide room so that the anime can explore its universe’s origins and human characters.

Attack on Titan

will be coming to an end soon, and it will be a huge loss for shonen in general.

The anime has changed a lot since its initial incarnation, emphasizing political and social themes alongside its visceral action and shocking twists.

The Final Season

challenges what fans have come to expect from these characters, and the twists and turns generally feel earned.

9


One Piece

MyAnimeList Score: 8.71

One Piece

has over 1000 episodes under its belt, putting it on a pedestal few other anime can reach. The adventures of Luffy and his crew are epic to the point of legendary at this point and trying to watch the entirety of the show has become an ultimate challenge for anime fans.

Even with this length, there are still countless people starting the series fresh and following it through until the end. It just goes to show just how incredible

One Piece

‘s world-building, scope, and characters are. While the storylines tend to stick to a formula, they are elevated by a strong sense of adventure and a willingness to dive deep into the backstories of both heroes and villains.