With over 1,000 episodes (and counting), One Piece has established itself in the anime world as one of the most important anime. Besides its impressive longevity, the series also built a deeply complex world that continues to develop with every episode.
Thanks to the many episodes, the series has been able to create these character arcs that viewers have invested in and fallen in love with. Now, One Piece has amassed a massive fan base worldwide, from the United States to Germany to the Philippines. Of course, One Piece isn’t the only anime to make such an impact. There are many before and after that have had a similar or even larger impact on the anime culture and audience.
10
‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ (2019–)
IMDb: 8.6/10
Most people have heard of or seen clips from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The anime features beautiful artwork and has become one of the most popular anime series of recent years. In 2023, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba was the most viewed anime of the year. 2020’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time with a gross of over $500 million. It has become a global cultural phenomenon.
Demon Slayer is a shonen anime following Tanjiro Kamado, who joins the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt down the demons who turned his younger sister Nezuko into a demon. She stays with him and hangs on his back (literally). The anime had four seasons and now will have a trilogy of films. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle will be the first installment of the trilogy and is scheduled for release in Japan on July 18, 2025.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Release Date
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April 3, 2019
- Network
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Fuji TV, Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Iwate Menkoi Television, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, OHK, Ishikawa TV, Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting, TV Shizuoka, UMK TV Miyazaki, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NST, NBS, Sakuranbo TV, TSK, Ehime Broadcasting, KTS, NIB, Fukushima TV, TOS, AKT, Toyama Television, TV Kumamoto, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
9
‘Bleach’ (2004–2023)
IMDb: 8.2/10
One Piece is part of the Big Three anime; Bleach and Naruto also make up the group. This trio was the most massively popular anime series of the 2000s, running in the Japanese magazines by Jump. While One Piece and Naruto were the most popular of the three, you can’t ignore the massive influence Bleach has had. The anime has influenced some of the most popular modern anime series, such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man.
It may have been known as the “worst” of the Big Three, but the series gained a new audience with 2022’s sequel series, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The sequel anime series adapts the manga’s final story arc, and the fourth and final part is currently in development. Bleach follows Ichigo Kurosaki, who gains the powers of a soul reaper. Bleach features many epic action scenes and great character arcs.
- Release Date
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2004 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC, BS TV Tokyo
8
‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)
IMDb: 9.1/10
While Demon Slayer popularized anime for a younger generation, Attack on Titan likely reached a significantly broader audience. Viewers who often claim they don’t watch anime, may have watched Attack on Titan. The series was such a success that it broke the Guniess World Record for most in-demand anime TV show. Attack on Titan has been featured at the top of multiple “Best Anime Series of All Time” lists. From all the anime that have been created in recent years, there is no other anime as singular as Attack on Titan.
The anime has a unique art style paired with fight scenes that feel larger than any other we’ve seen in the medium before. This may be because these tiny humans are fighting with these giant titans, but even the emotional beats of the series feel more poignant than ever. Attack on Titan takes place in a world where humanity lives behind the walls of a city to protect themselves from giant Titans. After Eren’s hometown is destroyed and his mother is eaten (yes, eaten), Eren and his friends Mikasa and Armin join the Survey Corps. When you watch Attack on Titan, it feels like you are seeing a modern-day legend created right in front of you.
7
‘Yu Yu Hakusho’ (1992)
IMDb: 8.5/10
For those of you who are 90s kids growing up in the United States, you likely watched Yu Yu Hakusho on Adult Swim or Toonami. The Spirit Detective and his Spirit World were probably something unlike what we’ve seen in any other popular anime. Traditionally, shōnen series were characterized by a childish or lovely main character that exudes positivity (think Goku or Luffy), but Yusuke Urameshi was something completely different.
Firstly, (spoiler alert!) Yusuke dies in the very first episode of the series — he tries to save a kid and dies. Like Goku or Luffy, he is brave and loyal, but Yusuke isn’t an overly positive character. Instead, he was sometimes mean and cold. Despite this, he was beloved and felt authentic. These kinds of characters were precursors to modern fan-favorite protagonists, such as those in Bleach and Jujutsu Kaisen. This set Yu Yu Hakusho apart from its counterparts and made it influential to the genre as a whole.
6
‘Death Note’ (2006–2007)
IMDb: 8.9/10
While many of the anime consumed up to this point were action or fantasy-based anime, Death Note stood out among its contemporaries. The series didn’t rely on intense and elaborate fight scenes like Naruto or Dragon Ball Z. Death Note follows Light Yagami, who discovers a book that, if he writes a name in it, the person will soon die. Light decides that he should take on the responsibility of enacting justice on evil people with the help of this book.
Filled with plot twists and complex characters, audiences watch as this power corrupts the main character. Not only are we presented with an anti-hero, but we also begin to question the moral ambiguity of many of his actions. Is he really doing something good? Can it start good-intentioned but turn into something else? Death Note established that anime can create meaningful philosophical conversations and is not just a medium exclusive to action-loving children.
Death Note
- Release Date
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October 4, 2006
Cast
5
‘Sailor Moon’ (1992–1997)
IMDb: 7.7/10
Sailor Moon is one of the most iconic anime characters in the United States. While a good deal of anime were seen as appealing to young boys and men, Sailor Moon broke this barrier and grew a huge female fan base. The Sailor Moon characters have become synonymous with a distinct nostalgic feeling and are now pop culture icons. This anime is one of the most important anime series of all time, thanks to its well-crafted character arcs, powerful female characters, and memorable storylines.
The anime follows Usagi Tsukino, who is given magical powers by a magical cat, Luna. Her magical alter-ego is Sailor Moon, and she has to fight evil. Unfortunately, Sailor Moon faced numerous censorship efforts in the West, but the series persevered and has become an integral part of Western culture. Now, it has become one of the most famous 90s anime of all time.
4
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998–1999)
IMDb: 8.9/10
If you know anime, you know Cowboy Bebop. Besides being one of the greatest sci-fi anime of all time, it is also a wild mix of many seemingly contrasting genres. The series fuses sci-fi with Western, along with noir and Jazz music, all set in 2071. With only 26 episodes, the anime is a quick watch, but one that leaves a lasting impression.
This is a space opera following a team of bounty hunters, but one of the hunters, Spike Spiegel, has a past that comes back to bite him. The Western elements helped appeal to a broader audience in the West. Rather than inspiring many other anime, Cowboy Bebop became an example of an anime that created its own lane in the space, and people loved it.
3
‘Naruto’ (2002–2007)
IMDb: 8.4/10
If someone knows literally nothing about anime, they can probably mispronounce the name Naruto and know it refers to some kind of ninja in an anime. His face would be instantly recognizable by most non-anime fans. Naruto has become one of the most instantly recognizable anime in the world and has spawned multiple sequel series. Naruto follows Naruto Uzumaki, an orphan ninja who is ostracized by his village and peers. He dreams of becoming the Hokage to gain his village’s respect.
The franchise features some of the strongest anime arcs, characters, villains, and fights in the anime world. The time jump from the original series to Shippuden allowed for more mature themes and a well-balanced story. Despite its flaws, Naruto is beloved by fans, both young and old, who have grown up with the characters.
2
‘Pokémon’ (1997–2023)
IMDb: 7.6/10
While series like Naruto and Death Note drew many skeptical glances from non-anime fans in the 2000s, many children grew up on Pokémon, and they had no idea it was an anime. Many believed it was another animated series they watched on their Saturday morning cartoon block. This allowed for network TV to turn Pokémon into a massively popular franchise. With the help of network TV, video games, and playing cards, among other media, Pokémon has become the highest-selling media franchise of all time.
Each season follows the forever ten-year-old Ash Ketchum as he explores new regions and catches new Pokémon. With over 1,000 episodes, the series offers a wide variety of characters, adventures, and Pokémon to love. Of course, this is very much a children’s anime and should not be watched with the same expectations as more adult anime, such as Attack on Titan. Regardless, Pokémon is great fun and an easy watch.
1
‘Dragon Ball Z’ (1996–2003)
IMDb: 8.8/10
Without a doubt, Dragon Ball Z is the most influential and iconic anime of all time. The Dragon Ball franchise established the most popular anime genre, modern shōnen. The creator of the anime, Akira Toriyama, is regarded as a legend and is credited with introducing anime to the West, as well as influencing all modern anime. Following the adventures of Saiyan Son Goku from childhood through adulthood, the series continues to air, and it is undeniable that this franchise has had a profound cultural impact.
The creators of One Piece (Eiichiro Oda), Naruto (Masashi Kishimoto), and Bleach (Tite Kubo) all credit Toriyama as the inspiration behind their own paths in the manga world. The anime genre was taken seriously thanks to Toriyama’s character development, action sequences, and animation. The anime world would not look the same if it weren’t for Toriyama.