These are the best 20 animated films of all time. We'll be ranking the most popular anime series in fan communities as well as the most economically successful anime series across the globe for this list. What is your all-time favorite anime? Tell us in the comments.
20. Code Geass
Lelouch, exiled from his own Britannia in Japan after his country's conquest, plans to start a revolt and exact revenge on his father and his native territory. It casts a wide net and has a little something for everyone from mecha fans to fans of psychological battles to those who enjoy school anime, reeling them all into one exceptional series, and with its revival movie and other projects it appears Kia's hype is at an all-time high. To accomplish this, he uses the show's title ability kiosks to make anyone he sees do exactly what he tells them. He also leads a rebellion while wearing a giant neck code gear.
19. One punch man
who disputes the notion that superheroes must be serious Saitama may appear silly and unimpressive, and he only becomes a superhero for fun, but it just so happens that he is the strongest one alive. His ability to defeat almost any adversaries with a single blow earns him skepticism and occasionally admiration, and his attempts to enter the professional ranks result in numerous intense and frequently humorous battles. It's hardly surprising that the series became so popular given its amazing battle scenes and superb animation, which highlight the series' excellent contrast between serious action and funny moments. The anime was also shown on Netflix and tsunami in the United States.
18. Sure, online
You can be critical of it all you want, but the original works continue to rank as one of the best-selling light novels of all time. This success seemed to translate to the first season of the anime when it was released. Trapped inside a virtual video game world, player kirito and asana must navigate a maze filled with rival players, monsters, and the occasional awkward love scene.
17. Bleach
Have you got it? I've come here to save you. Bleach is a supernatural shonen fight manga that centers on Ichigo Kurosaki, a human-tuned soul reaper who travels to numerous afterlife realms with his comrades as a result of his battles with supernatural adversaries. Younger fans are drawn in by the show's emphasis on youthful rebellion, and older viewers will also like it thanks to its fantastic action scenes and large ensemble of characters. While bleach's popularity may have dropped somewhat as it neared its end, the best points are still lovingly recalled by longtime viewers and joyfully discovered by new ones, and we can't wait for the anime continuation.
16. Fullmetal Alchemist
If you accomplish something well, you can earn recognition as one of the greatest anime. The Elric brothers' story of redemption, the creative depiction of alchemy, and the portrayal of the terrifying homunculi in the first season of the original series enthralled viewers all around the world. Brotherhood followed, and I turned everything up to eleven with a story that was far more in line with the original artwork of creator Hiromu Arakawa. It has established itself as a top-tier series that many anime fans see as sacred thanks to its philosophical viewpoints and amazing action sequences.
15. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis is one of the most influential and well regarded mega-anime series of all time. Shinji Ikari's struggles are portrayed in Evangelion as he is made to fight powerful angels by his evil father. In addition to some fantastic mega-action and a ton of symbolic imagery, Evangelion conducts psychological analyses of its essentially flawed characters. Love it or hate it, the series redefined the genre and introduced a whole generation to it, garnering it enduring fame and numerous remakes and sequels. It's even easier to access now that Netflix has the license.
14. Fate Stay Night
a hugely popular multi-platform property that started as a visual novel series. In most installments of the Fate franchise, a series of strong Muji compete against one another in spirit-suppressed conflicts for possession of the holy grail, which will grant them one desire. The series has spawned numerous prequels, spin-offs, and media tie-ins, with the anime proving to be particularly well-liked. It's incredibly approachable and hence well-liked because to the excellent animation and variety of entrance points, and it comes as no surprise that fake grand order is one of the most widely used applications in Japan.
13. Sailor Moon
It was the first popular shojo anime to gain popularity in the west. The titular character is regarded as one of history's finest female superheroes and has subsequently served as a standard for many other series that have since taken after her. Sailor Moon is a big deal, so to speak. While the combat scenes and romantic moments might still be enjoyed by many more demographics, it's a little surprising she and the other Senshi returned for an encore in Sailor Moon Crystal 20 years later. Her empowering example to young girls continues to be nothing short of amazing.
12. Detective Conan
With almost 8000 episodes, 20 films, and no indications of stopping down, one thing is certain: Conan's crime-solving exploits will probably outlive us all, making them a sort of national treasure. With more than 200 million copies sold, it has maintained its position as the fourth most popular manga of all time for a considerable amount of time. Although it's unclear how many more crimes the tiny detective can solve at this point, the anime is sure to keep enjoying continuous success because there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.
11. My hero academia
In the universe of my hero academy, one of the more recent anime sensations to take the world by storm, most characters have superpowers. The exploits of Deku, a once helpless youngster who has since gained power thanks to his hero, and his classmates as they pursue careers as professional heroes are chronicled in this narrative. Its superhero foundations make it simple to enter my hero academia, and it skillfully mixes a sizable cast of diverse and interesting people, thrilling, emotionally fulfilling action, and a compelling running storyline about the nature of heroism to create a tremendously addictive anime.
10. yu-gi-oh
Although their cast's recurring themes and content include their young casts competing with a card game with real stakes themes of friendship as well as various ridiculous hairstyles, Yukio and its numerous sequels focus on characters playing the dual monsters card game in increasingly dramatic circumstances. Yu-gi-oh is one of the most popular anime series and one of the most successful media brands ever thanks to the tie-in card game, several video games, and other items.
09. Gundam
The Gundam series, which invented the genre by focusing more real-world technology behind the fantasy idea of enormous megasuits, has had a long and illustrious career as a seminal mega-franchise and has had a profound impact on anime as well as other forms of Japanese media. The legacy it left behind is still creating history today. When the name of your brand becomes synonymous with your genre, you know it's successful. The phrase "Gundam" has practically become a credo for enormous piloted robots.
08. Jojo's bizarre adventure
The long-running 80s manga gave rise to quite a few fans of the franchise, but it wasn't until the 2012 release of the anime series following several generations of the jokester family that the franchise's popularity truly took off. With five parts already broadcast and the most recent Stone Ocean making its way to Netflix as an exclusive, the Jojo franchise has undoubtedly earned its place and won't be moving anywhere anytime soon. This franchise is so firmly rooted in the anime fandom that it's difficult to avoid seeing the parodies and references that saturate the internet.
07. Attack on titan
This series erupted onto our screens like a banner of doom. With a blend of brutal action, grim fantasy, and mature elements that have continued to frighten us over the years, they almost immediately gained a following of ardent fans. The unending conflict between humanity and the titans has established itself as a contemporary classic among fans of anime. The anime has several seasons, and the manga has sold more than 71 million copies globally. If it continues at this rate, it's safe to conclude that many venerable figures will fall from power.
06. Death notes
This now-legendary anime managed to establish itself as one of the most insightful and beautifully crafted examples of the occult detective genre ever put to both screen and paper. After finding himself in possession of a notebook capable of taking lives, genius sociopath student like Yagami vows to fix the world by cutting away those he views as rotten only to find himself brought into conflict with an intellectual woman who is determined to change the world.
05. Pokemon
Once a cutting-edge video game, it was able to grow into a tiny empire and give rise to an anime series that has managed to continue to this day, striving to be the best like no one ever was. Ketchum stepped in for the player as he set out to become a Pokemon master. Although he hasn't entirely succeeded in achieving that title or evading puberty, his exploits have nonetheless netted him countless episodes, numerous female sidekicks, and essentially the assurance that sometimes the quantity of equality can prevail.
04. Deamon slayer
Kimetsu no Yaiba, the demon slayer, has become an unexpected mega-hit in such a short period of time. Manga sails have soared, surpassing even the most recent volumes of One Piece, thanks to its stunning anime adaptation by the masters at UFO Table. To top it all off, the movie based on the Mugen train arc not only became the highest grossing anime movie of all time but the highest grossing worldwide film of 2020. Even Japan's prime minister is a fan.
03. Naruto
Through it all, and the knuckle-headed ninja persevered in creating a series that, despite its flaws, created a world filled with so many brilliant moments that fans were more than happy to push past its obstacles. It was replete with filler episodes and gained notoriety for a few narrative decisions. its manga is still a top seller. It was able to produce a ton of original films and even launch a sequel series that, who would have thought it, has managed to capture some of the best elements of the original.
02. One piece
It's the most popular manga of all time, and it's only recently reached the final third of its sprawling story. Somehow, it managed to combine crazy action scenes with moving political criticism. The property is a masterpiece, and to say so would be an understatement. Fortunately, the work's insane excellence hasn't just garnered it a devoted following of fans who anticipate each new chapter and episode like ravenous wolves, but also established it the gold standard for every adventure anime that have followed it.
01. Dragon ball
It's fair to say that this series, particularly Dragon Ball Z, was something of a revolution for many, opening the door to the wacky wild and wonderful stories that could be found in anime. Its impact certainly hasn't been forgotten, which might explain why its follow-up series Dragon Ball Super has managed to recapture the public's love of Goku and his friends as they battle evil.