There are so many anime we all love. And on top of all, we love a good shonen anime. Here are some of the top shonen anime of all time.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho is shonen anime distilled down to its very best: A cast of impossibly cool tough guys duking it out with awesome, terrifying villains. Yoshihiro Togashi’s first major series, the mangaka mastered the shonen formula on his first try with the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who becomes a detective for the afterlife once he’s brought back to life for saving a young girl.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjP8WMVveLX/
Hunter X Hunter
In this world, creator Yoshihiro Togashi deconstructs much of what makes this shonen series work and reassembles the tropes in a way to serve him, rather than the other way around. It’s the superb amount of thought he puts into every arc and character that makes it forgivable that Togashi releases basically 20 chapters a year.
One Piece
We love our goofy hero Luffy who is the protagonist of this show. In this world, the protagonist and his pirate crew sets off on a journey from the East Blue Sea to find the mythical treasure, the One Piece, and proclaim himself the King of the Pirates.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci-K7-KvqaW/
Dragon Ball Z
This is one of most influential anime. Even though Dragon Ball Z isn’t the first shonen anime ever, it’s definitely the most influential. In one way or another, almost every other hit shonen series has taken inspiration from Dragon Ball Z. After all, what’s a shonen series without a transformation? A training sequence? Even time skips were popularized with this series.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYYxKint5z5/
See more
Naruto
Naruto has never run out of steam. Masashi Kishimoto’s story of a young ninja rejected by his city and working to one day become the leader of his village captured the imagination of every kid and teenager who grew up in the 2000s. Alongside Bleach and One Piece, Naruto would become part of Shonen Jump’s Big 3. While Bleach lost quite a bit of its luster by the end, Naruto was just as strong as ever when it finished.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWS-rz5tYZ0/
See more
My Hero Academia
This show features the best characters that anime has to offer. Welcome to the adventures of Class 1-A, full of the Best Boys and Best Girls that anime has to offer. The lead best boy is Izuku Midoriya, a young teenager who starts out without superpowers in a world where almost everyone has a Quirk. When Midoriya meets his idol and biggest superhero of them all, All Might, he winds up pulled into an adventure that will lead to him becoming the greatest hero ever.
Bleach
Bleach is one of the most popular shonen anime of all time. Bleach is considered one of the "big three" in shonen anime alongside Naruto and One Piece. Out of the three, Bleach is the only one that isn't still airing or doesn't have a spin-off still ongoing.
Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan is about survivors trying to survive in a world where man-eating Titans exist. The story begins with the Shiganshina district being devastated by a Titan attack after one of the walls is toppled, and the plot grows from there.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY_rPnUIhXF/
See more
Jujutsu Kaisen
This is the best modern shonen anime. Jujutsu Kaisen takes the most common tropes from shonen anime and reinvents them in a modern light. The series doesn't fear veering into the dark side — in fact, the series' darkest moments are when Yuji Itadori truly shines. Yuji is a shonen protagonist unlike any other, and he constantly innovates the tried-and-true tropes set by his contemporaries.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVVWMirFNpz/
Death Note
Death Note is a classic. Death Note is a tight psychological war between two geniuses. One declared himself God, and the other seeks to put an end to his reign of tyranny. It's titles like Death Note that prove just how diverse shonen can truly be.
Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer has exciting fights and beautiful animation. Demon Slayer is considered one of shonen's new big three, alongside My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen. The series doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's one of the most unique titles shonen has to offer. With an interesting premise and a beautiful art style, there's no question why the series is so alluring.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is revolutionary. Jojo's is a generational storyline that constantly reinvents itself. It's a true ground-breaker for the genre and with every new part, its campiness and absurdity only increase. Jojo's has become such a cultural phenomenon that other anime series blatantly reference it. Most notably, other series have incorporated the "menacing" kanji, and some characters have done Jojo poses or mimicked the Joestars' battle cries.
These are some of the top shonen anime of all time. But there are many more shonen anime that we love and adore. If you love anime, visit Kawaii Kart to see anime merch.
