Highlights
- Anime isn’t a genre itself, but includes many genres like comedy, romance, and sci-fi.
- Each genre has iconic shows like Sailor Moon and Naruto that define their categories.
- Popular anime like Dragon Ball and Berserk set the template for successors in their genres.
Anime isn’t a genre in and of itself. Rather, it comprises series and films of all kinds with the distinct style of Japanese animation. The top anime genres vary with what shows are popular at the moment, but they typically feature the same elements of comedy, romance, or science fiction. There are many genres of anime for shows to be classified under, from more obscure ones like iyashikei to well-known staples like shōnen.
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In each genre lies at least one of the most popular anime of all time, from Sailor Moon to Naruto. These iconic, top-watched shows are excellent ways to explore each anime category. To get a good feel of what each genre of anime has to offer, check out the top animated series that define their specific subgroup.
Updated July 16, 2024 by David Heath: Anime isn’t exactly going to make someone the hottest figure on the market in either the East or West. But it’s become more commonplace than it was in the past. More people grew up with Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon on TV and enjoyed One Piece and Escaflowne despite their bowdlerization. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure went from being an obscure manga that inspired an insane Capcom fighting game, to inspiring exhibitions at the Louvre.
That said, not all anime are created equal. Some series get more attention than others, as they either set the template its successors all followed, or became the most popular and accessible series in its genre. So, this list has been updated with a few new examples of top dogs and rising stars in popular anime genres, along with tweaks and rearrangements to the original entries.
1 Shōnen – Dragon Ball
MyAnimeList Score: 7.97
Dragon Ball (1986) ActionComedyAdventure
Release Date February 26, 1986 Seasons 9 Studio Toei Animation Based On Manga Creator Akira Toriyama Number of Episodes 153 Expand
Given the global outpouring of love fans showed when Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama passed away in March 2024, it’s safe to say his show about the life and times of an aggressive monkey boy touched the hearts of millions, if not whole nations. Dragon Ball Super‘s finale with Goku fighting Jiren led to the Mexican government sponsoring public watch parties across the country, causing a minor international incident when the Japanese government asked them to stop, which they didn’t.
Beyond that, Dragon Ball has practically defined shōnen anime as we know it today. The beef fests in Fist of the North Star faded by the end of the 1980s, but Dragon Ball lasted throughout the 1980s and 1990s and inspired every other series about plucky boys growing stronger through their encounters (e.g. One Piece, Naruto, My Hero Academia). Its classic fights, character designs, humorous quirks, and even its flaws, are recognizable all around the world, where even people who don’t watch anime will know what a ‘Kamehameha’ is.
2 Shojo – Sailor Moon
MyAnimeList Score: 7.73
Sailor Moon (1992) Magical GirlActionRomance
Release Date March 7, 1992 Seasons 5 Studio Toei Animation Based On Manga Creator Naoko Takeuchi Number of Episodes 200 Expand
Of course, this entry was going to be Sailor Moon. It may not be every shojo fan’s cup of tea, but for many more, it’s the end-all, be-all, greatest shojo/magical girl anime to ever exist. The show certainly became popular enough to make Usagi, the titular moon-based punisher of evil, essentially anime’s mascot. Alongside the other Sailor Guardians, she must protect the world from Queen Beryl and her energy-stealing minions.
Aside from inspiring multiple sequels, reboots, remakes, games, toys, and more, the series inspired more shows with female leads in its wake, like Revolutionary Girl Utena, Tokyo Mew Mew, and Star Vs The Forces of Evil. It even inspired other magical shows like Steven Universe, and not just for its sparkly aesthetic. The series was ahead of its time in featuring dark turns a la Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and progressive social themes like Sailor Uranus and Neptune’s romance, and the trans-themed Sailor Starlights.
3 Josei – Nana
MyAnimeList Score: 8.56
Nana (2006) DramaRomance
Release Date April 5, 2006 Seasons 1 Studio Madhouse Based On Manga Creator Ai Yazawa Number of Episodes 47 Expand
Similar to shojo series, josei targets a female audience but caters to adults rather than kids and teens. While there is often a romantic subplot roaming around, chasing after handsome men is not the entire focus of this genre. It can focus on grown-up interests (Chihayafuru‘s focus on karuta), or tackle real-life issues in a way that makes life-or-death situations in other genres seem small by comparison, like in Nana.
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It follows two girls who share the same name, but have little else in common, living together in Tokyo as they subsequently become inseparable besties, supporting each other’s dreams. Nana Osaki seeks fame and fortune through her rock band, while Nana Komatsu is more interested in cultivating her love life. Unfortunately, the closer they come to their aspirations, the more their friendship is jeopardized, leading them to make some difficult decisions.
4 Seinen – Berserk
MyAnimeList Score: 8.59
Berserk FantasyAction
Release Date October 8, 1997 Seasons 1 Studio OLM Team Iguchi Japanese Title Kenpuu Denki Berserk Based On Manga Creator Kentaro Miura Number of Episodes 25 Expand
Seinen is to shōnen what josei is to shojo. It typically caters to an audience of men 18 and older, but can still be relatable to many other viewers, as well, because it also deals with complex themes and grown-up interests. However, the content can be more extreme, with more blood and adult content, which can make it a no-go area for the squeamish. For example, Fist of the North Star, a series featuring a constant array of exploding heads and body parts, is still a shōnen series. Berserk is seinen because it manages to go into worse places than that.
However, it’s more famous as a manga as each of its animated adaptations is compromised to one degree or another. Even the beloved 1997 series is a truncated, censored version of the “Golden Age” arc done on the cheap. However, it still reigns as one of the most iconic and popular seinen anime for its grittiness, action, and impressive characters. Guts’ time spent with Griffith and Casca, and their horrific end, goes into the nature of revenge, ambition, and love. It’s also heavy on blood, murder, and assault, so viewers should tread carefully.
5 Fantasy – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
MyAnimeList Score: 9.09
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ActionAdventureFantasy
Release Date April 5, 2009 Seasons 1 Studio Bones Based On Manga Creator Hiromu Arakawa Number of Episodes 64 Expand
Berserk could also count as the genre’s most iconic fantasy anime, but that would be greedy. As influential as it is, there is no shortage of fantasy anime to rival it, particularly for viewers who fancy something dramatic but not as heavy as Guts’ tortured life. Something like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which combined mystical spells with steampunk technology, as Edward Elric seeks to restore his brother Alphonse’s human body by finding the Philosopher’s Stone.
It’s become one of MAL’s highest-rated anime shows, as the Elric Brothers’ quest was a unique blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements, which it used to produce heartbreaking moments (“Ed…ward…”), shocking twists, and grand battles. The only show like it was…Fullmetal Alchemist, the 2003 series that was made while the manga was still being produced. It arguably did the first half of FMA‘s story better than Brotherhood, but took the plot in its own, stranger direction for the second half.
6 Isekai – Sword Art Online
MyAnimeList Score: 7.21
Sword Art Online IsekaiActionFantasy
Release Date July 8, 2012 Seasons 3 Studio A-1 Pictures Based On Novel & Light Novel Creator Reki Kawahara Number of Episodes 96 Expand
Isekai likely needs little introduction at this point. It’s been booming since the early 2010s, inspiring its own crazes like villainess stories and dating game tales. But it’s technically just a new iteration of portal fantasy stories, where the main characters enter a new world through some mysterious means. It could be a fantasy land, a video game world, or both like the series responsible for the boom: Sword Art Online.
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It follows Kirito as he goes from being a beta tester for the aforementioned VR MMORPG to becoming one of its best warriors, defending its fantasy world of Aincrad from all threats with the help of his friends. The show has faced a fair amount of backlash and criticism for unoriginal characters and repetitive plots, but its core ideas inspired many more series. Since its release, dozens of other shows involving virtual worlds or video-game-like settings have sprung into popularity, including the beloved That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
7 Sci-Fi – Cowboy Bebop
MyAnimeList Score: 8.75
Cowboy Bebop ActionAdventure Sci-Fi
Release Date October 24, 1998 Seasons 1 Studio Sunrise Creator Hajime Yatate Number of Episodes 26
Sci-fi practically made anime what it is today, as its earliest stories, like Astro Boy, Giant Robo, etc, were all about robots, aliens, and humanity’s place in relation to them. Still, they are shows from the 1960s based on manga from the 1950s. Iconic as they are, they’ve aged. But old sci-fi can last a good while, as Cowboy Bebop, a show from 1998, is arguably as strong today as it was when it was broadcast 26 years ago.
On the surface, it follows the charming Spike Spiegel and his ragtag crew of bounty hunters traveling through space to make some cash. Underneath the hood, it sees how humanity in all its shapes and forms has spread across the solar system, and how this new interstellar world has affected them back. The show is equal parts serious and intense, and fun and easy-going, appealing to millions of fans worldwide.
8 Mecha – Mobile Suit Gundam
MyAnimeList Score: 7.75
Mobile Suit Gundam Sci-FiMecha
Release Date April 7, 1979 Seasons 1 Studio Nippon Sunrise Japanese Title Kidou Senshi Gundam Number of Episodes 42
Mecha may have gotten its start with Giant Robo and Mazinger Z, but it took Mobile Suit Gundam to make it an iconic part of anime. Alongside Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, and Goku, MSG‘s RX-78-2 Gundam mech practically represents the medium as a whole, with Yokohama previously having a lifesize model of it standing in its city. It’s since been taken down, but fans can see a similar model based on Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn in Odaiba, Tokyo.
The original series, following Amuro Ray using the RX-78-2 to defend against the Principality of Zeon, debuted in the late 1970s and would inspire more mecha series to come. Beyond the multiple different Gundam series (Gundam Wing is a popular one), its focus on the casualties of war, and use of teen protagonists would inspire the darker Neon Genesis Evangelion. While its lighter elements would inspire Macross and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
9 Sports – Haikyuu!!
MyAnimeList Score: 8.44
Haikyu!! (2014) Sports
Release Date April 6, 2014 Seasons 4 Studio Production I.G Based On Manga Creator Haruichi Furudate Number of Episodes 85 Expand
Wait, Haikyuu!!? Sure, it’s one of the most popular sports anime around, and its third season became the highest-rated sports series on MAL. It’s certainly the best volleyball series around, as Shoyo Hinata aims to follow the ‘Little Giant’s lead and become an ace volleyball player despite his height. It’s got funny characters, neat budding friendships, and nail-biting competitions that crank up the tension.
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But some may flinch at it being described as ‘genre-defining’. It’s a young pup compared to famous boxing shows like Hajime no Ippo and Tomorrow’s Joe, or Slam Dunk, which caused a whole generation of Japanese viewers to take up basketball. However, those series were also arguably better in their original manga form, with their anime being harder to find or not as well-paced. As a complete package that represents the best of sports anime while being easier to find online, Haikyuu!! is a great place to start.
10 Adventure – One Piece
MyAnimeList Score: 8.72
One Piece (1999) ActionAdventureComedyFantasy
Release Date October 20, 1999 Seasons 20 Studio Toei Animation Based On Manga Creator Eiichiro Oda Number of Episodes 1082+ Expand
Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates’ quest to find Gol D. Roger’s hidden hoard of treasure has been going on for 25 years now. Longer still for people who stuck to the manga, which began in 1997. It’s been going on for so long that the anime series is going to receive a remake, The One Piece, before it has even ended. The manga is winding down now, and the anime will follow suit, but the remake means Luffy and co. will be sticking around for much longer.
Still, it didn’t become one of the longest-running anime of all time, nor did its manga one of the best-selling in history, for nothing. One Piece has been a continual series of ocean-faring adventures from the start, where its protagonists travel across the seas, facing off against powerful enemies with a broad range of skills and tricks up their sleeves. It’s practically the perfect anime for fans of adventure shows
11 Drama – A Silent Voice
MyAnimeList Score: 8.93
A Silent Voice (2016) Drama
Release Date September 17, 2016 Director Naoko Yamada Studio Kyoto Animation
Not all popular anime are action-packed or humorous, as many stellar storylines focus on serious issues and sentimental content, focusing substantially on character development. It would be tough to find someone who has watched A Silent Voice and not shed a tear at some point, as this moving narrative is an emotional rollercoaster dealing with depression, disabilities, suicidal tendencies, and the brutality of bullying. There is not a lot of lighthearted content in this movie, but it is certain to leave the audience with a warm fuzzy feeling by the end!
Shoko Nishimiya struggles to integrate into her new school and becomes an easy target due to her hearing impairment, with Shoya Ishida enthusiastically participating in tormenting her. When things go too far, Shoya gets a taste of his own medicine when he is ostracized by his classmates and begins to obsessively grapple with his intense guilt while trying to somehow earn Shoko’s forgiveness.
12 Romance – Fruits Basket
MyAnimeList Score: 7.69 (2001), 8.21 (2019)
Fruits Basket ComedySupernaturalRomance
Release Date June 5, 2001 Seasons 1 Studio Studio Deen Based On Manga Creator Natsuki Takaya Number of Episodes 26 Expand
One of the most popular genres of film and television of all time, animated or not, is romance. People love watching people fall in love, in all sorts of circumstances and fictional worlds. One anime that sticks out above all the rest when it comes to romance is Fruits Basket, a show based on a best-selling rom-com manga. It sees Toru, a young girl who lost her parents, move in with the Souma family, where the boys suffer from a curse that briefly turns them into animals from the Chinese Zodiac if they’re hugged by a girl.
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With that premise, it’s safe to say the show is more than an average teen romance story. Through its magical premise, it deeply explores each of its incredible characters and highlights important friend and family relationships as well as romance as Toru learns more about the Soumas and tries to help undo their curse. This show is guaranteed to make audiences blush, in a good way!
13 Boys Love – Given
MyAnimeList Score: 8.31
Given (2019) DramaRomance
Release Date July 12, 2019 Seasons 1 Studio Lerche Based On Manga Creator Natsuki Kizu Number of Episodes 11 Expand
Fruits Basket is great for the straights, but what does the LGBTQ community have? Though popular in Japan since the start of the medium, Boys’ Love stories have been on an upswing in the West thanks to the likes of Yuri!!! On Ice and Junjou Romantica, though not always in the most constructive of ways. Given stands out as it feels less like it’s using BL to tantalize readers, and more to give them a strong, romantic story.
It’s essentially about the ins and outs of an amateur rock band. When Ritsuka, the reluctant guitar teacher to classmate Mafuyu, hears the guy sing during a jam session with his bandmates, he’s so moved by his singing that he insists he becomes their singer. But Mafuyu is unsure, as he’s still dealing with the trauma of losing his boyfriend to suicide. He’s been trying to express himself and play his late boyfriend’s guitar ever since. His attempts to come to terms with this, with Ritsuka’s help, made it one of anime’s most moving love stories, let alone in BL.
14 Girls Love – Revolutionary Girl Utena
MyAnimeList Score: 8.21
Revolutionary Girl Utena Magical GirlDramaRomance
Release Date April 2, 1997 Seasons 1 Studio J.C.Staff Japanese Title Shoujo Kakumei Utena Number of Episodes 39
Revolutionary Girl Utena is a lot of things. It’s a fantasy drama, a deconstruction of fairy tales, an examination of sexuality, morality, and abuse, and one of the key inspirations for Steven Universe. But it’s also ultimately about one girl trying to win the heart and trust of another. Inspired by a prince who helped her out following her parents’ deaths, Utena aims to become a prince herself by entering Ootori Academy.
While there, she discovers it has a club of Duelists who fight for control of Anthy, the Rose Bride, who has a great, latent amount of power. Sickened that Anthy is being treated like a literal object, Utena enters the duel to prove her worth as a prince and free Anthy from their control. It sounds simple, but her rivals aren’t jokes, and Anthy isn’t some innocent flower girl waiting for the right person’s hand. It’s a complex, convention-defying series that still holds strong today.
15 Comedy – Ouran High School Host Club
MyAnimeList Score: 8.16
Ouran High School Host Club ComedyReverse Harem
Release Date April 5, 2006 Seasons 1 Studio Bones Japanese Title Ouran Koukou Host Club Based On Manga Creator Bisco Hatori Number of Episodes 26 Expand
Many shows feature comedy as a secondary genre, with their primary focus being fantasy, romance, or adventure. Thus, it’s hard to pick just one anime series that captures comedy at its finest. One show that is iconic for its goofy jokes, fantastic banter, and hilarious plotlines is Ouran High School Host Club. It sees Haruhi, a new female student at Ouran Academy, getting mistaken for a boy due to getting stuck with short hair and a guy’s uniform.
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Her bad luck continues when she’s made to join the Host Club to pay for a vase she broke by accident. It has some cheesy love elements (the will-they, won’t-they between Haruhi and Tamaki), but it stays true to the lighthearted, over-the-top, and truly wacky nature of comedy anime. The kind-hearted yet spoiled rotten host club boys have the most knee-slapping interactions with the middle-class Haruhi, and their contrasting dynamic makes for incredible comedic situations.
16 Musical – Carole And Tuesday
MyAnimeList Score: 7.85
Carole & Tuesday Music
Release Date April 11, 2019 Seasons 1 Studio Bones Creator Shinichirō Watanabe Number of Episodes 24
Countless musicals, in anime and beyond, stick to using music as a device for delivering the plot, even if they’re about musicians and the music business (A Hard Day’s Night broke ground by actually being about a band preparing for a show, with rehearsals and everything). In contrast, Carole and Tuesday revolves everything around their music, with each episode introducing sensational performances accompanied by a breathtaking musical score and some of the most inspired lyrics written for an anime series.
The girl’s passion for melody is utterly contagious as they compete against other talented stars in the Mars Brightest Competition, aiming to prove human passion is something the AI singers can’t replicate. This uplifting series does not shy away from addressing serious topics to create a well-rounded narrative, be it racism, classism, or the treatment of the LGBTQ community (albeit not without controversy).
17 Slice Of Life – Clannad
MyAnimeList Score: 7.99
Clannad DramaRomanceSupernatural
Release Date October 5, 2007 Seasons 1 Studio Kyoto Animation Based On Video Game Creator Key Number of Episodes 23 Expand
Based on the visual novel of the same name, Clannad was about Tomoya Okazaki, a high school delinquent who has his life flipped upside down when he becomes friends with a girl named Nagisa Furukawa. At first, he tried to shun her and her weird eccentricities, like exclaiming what she likes as a form of motivation. But eventually, he concedes and becomes her friend.
From there, while he tries to play it cool, he shows more of his soft side when he tries to help Nagisa achieve her dream of restarting the school’s drama club. It’s a simple, sweet story that’s more easygoing than the more blood-pumping entries on this list. The show still has drama, pulling on the heartstrings like a harp, but it’s all comparatively grounded compared to sea-faring and space travel.
18 Historical – Rose Of Versailles
MyAnimeList Score: 8.33
The Rose of Versailles DramaRomanceHistorical
Release Date October 10, 1979 Studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha Based On Manga Creator Riyoko Ikeda Number of Episodes 40
Rose of Versailles isn’t just historical because of how old the series is (debuting way back in 1979). That’s because the entire plot revolves around the French Revolution and puts an intriguing spin on the iconic life story of Marie Antoinette. Set in the palace of Versailles, this story follows a Parisian noblewoman who is raised as a boy under the name of Oscar Francois de Jarjayes, because her father was in desperate need of a male heir.
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The older Lady Oscar gets, the more complicated things become, eventually leading to a crossroads, as she must decide whether to dedicate her energy to the masculine role of savior and protector in the Royal Guard or walk a more feminine path instead. Its pretty art style and gender-defying lead were a big influence on Revolutionary Girl Utena. But it also inspired Berserk with its hard-hitting drama, as its 40 episodes pack in a lot of twists and turns along the way.
19 Supernatural – Castlevania
IMDB Score: 8.3/10
Castlevania ActionFantasySupernatural
Release Date July 7, 2017 Seasons 4 Based On Castlevania Games Creator Warren Ellis Number of Episodes 32
This one might be a controversial choice, as fans have argued over whether the Castlevania series counts as an anime. It was largely produced in America by American companies (and one since-disgraced English comic writer), but it’s based on the classic Japanese video game series produced by a Japanese company and had plenty of staff who cut their teeth in Japan’s anime industry. That’s without getting into its influences like Berserk, so it’s certainly anime enough for this list, and it’s definitely supernatural.
Like the games, the series is full of vampires, demonic monstrosities, mages, necromancers, minotaurs, cyclopses, etc; the list goes on! With a medieval setting overflowing with magic, anything seems possible; like two humans and a dhampir defeating the king of the vampires. To thwart Vlad “Dracula” Tepes’ murderous warpath, three unlikely allies team up to protect the innocent (while trying not to kill each other in the process!) In turn, Dracula has to rely on his human companions to handle some rebellious vampire subordinates. Oh, the irony!
20 Horror – Elfen Lied
MyAnimeList Score: 7.47
Elfen Lied ActionDramaHorrorPsychological
Release Date July 25, 2004 Seasons 1 Studio Arms Based On Manga Creator Lynn Okamoto Number of Episodes 13 Expand
There are plenty of horror anime out there nowadays, whether it’s Higurashi: When They Cry, or the different (usually unsuccessful) attempts to turn Junji Ito’s fantastic horror manga into equally great animated shows. But one of the few that managed to go viral in a pre-streaming, pre-social world was Elfen Lied. It follows Lucy, a member of a genetically enhanced human subspecies called “Diclonius,” who threatens to wipe out humanity in revenge for the cruel experiments performed on her.
The only thing keeping her from doing so is her split personality, where she becomes a more innocent, less verbal version of herself, who gets taken in by college students Kouta and Yuka. Aside from its horrific violence (which often borders on being comical), it’s also as brutal in its theming, showcasing the worst of humanity. Lucy is a genocidal threat, but so are humans when they’re equally driven by their own prejudices and experiences.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
