Best Shonen 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.

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In a category with countless anime to watch, it can be difficult to choose which series to get into. Still, some shonen anime are so excellent that they stand above the rest and should be on every fan’s must-watch list until they’ve seen them all. Let’s go over the best shonen anime of all time, and the picks will cover more than just battle shonen.

Updated July 13, 2025 by Mark Sammut: The Summer 2025 season is underway, bringing forth a plethora of new shonen anime. Honestly, I think this might be the strongest lineup in years, and that goes for nearly every demographic. I’ve added a section covering a few of the season’s better new shonen series.

Most Exciting Summer 2025 Shonen Anime

A new season is underway, and Summer 2025 is stuffed with some of the biggest shonen anime of the year. Obviously, sequels are hogging the limelight, and Dandadan, Kaiju No.8, Call of the Night, Sakamoto Days, Rent-a-Girlfriend, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, and Dr. Stone are just a few of the lineup’s highlights. If you are into shonen, you are probably already familiar with these shows, so we’re not going to recommend their current seasons since, frankly, they do not need any further advertisement. Instead, let’s highlight some of Summer 2025’s most exciting new shonen anime.

• Gachiakuta – The most highly anticipated new shonen anime of the season, Gachiakuta has the potential to produce greatness, thanks to both the source material and the studio handling the adaptation. Bones has a pretty fantastic track record in general, and the studio seems to have brought its A-game to this story. So, what is Gachiakuta about? Well, the anime envisions a society divided into the rich and the slums, with the latter facing a tough life that could see them dumped into the trash heap if they are found guilty of a crime. Rudo is falsely convicted of murder, seemingly dooming him to certain death; however, he not only gets a second chance at life, but he also might eventually get his revenge.
• Dealing with Mikadono Sisters Is a Breeze – OK, look, I know harems are not for everyone, but they are popular enough to warrant a few new series every month. Dealing with Mikadono Sisters Is a Breeze is Summer 2025’s fresh contender, and the anime features a pretty likable male protagonist who is not afraid to stand his ground. The three girls are all prodigies who look down on their new roommate, but they might learn to appreciate his presence before long. While I cannot recommend this to anyone who hates harems, even moderate fans of the genre should give this one a try.
• Nyaight of the Living Cat – Although not Summer 2025’s biggest horror anime, Nyaight of the Living Cat is kind of cute and delivers exactly what its title advertises. Yes, a zombie movie, just with adorable cats replacing the walking dead. A few silly moments aside, the anime seems to take itself pretty seriously, at least for its premise.
• Tougen Anki – A fairly popular battle shonen, Tougen Anki should be decent, especially since Studio Hibari is fairly dependable. Shiki has Oni blood, and he goes to school to try and manage his powers while, ultimately, seeking to get revenge on the person who killed his father.

37

Call Of The Night

MyAnimeList Score: 7.95 (Season 1)

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.

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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.

36

Fire Force

MyAnimeList: 7.72 (Season 1)

Fire Force

Release Date

July 6, 2019

Directors

Yuki Yase, Tatsuma Minamikawa

Writers

Yamato Haijima, Tatsuma Minamikawa

Based on a manga by the same author responsible for Soul Eater, Fire Force is a relatively traditional battle shonen anime, albeit one that benefits from above-average execution and consistently great animation. Except for questionable fanservice, the series mostly gets everything right, delivering a well-told plot drenched in religious imagery, intense and consequential action, likable characters, and interesting world-building that complements the story’s political and social themes.

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While arguably falling just short of the absolute top-tier action anime, Fire Force is nevertheless a pretty easy recommendation for anyone who is generally fond of shonen’s tropes and traditions.

35

Noragami

MyAnimeList: 7.94 (Season 1)

Noragami

Release Date

January 5, 2014

Network

MBS, Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, BS11, BS Fuji

Directors

Tsuyoshi Tobita, Masashi Abe, Shuji Miyahara, Satoshi Nakagawa, Satomi Nakamura, Tetsuo Hirakawa, Yoshifumi Sueda

A well-liked 2010s shonen anime that seems unlikely to ever completely adapt its source material, Noragami is still worth a watch, just because the available content is highly enjoyable and could entice newcomers to seek out Adachitoka’s manga. Yato is a god who has mostly been forgotten but wishes to have a shrine, something that requires followers. One day, he saves a girl named Hiyori, starting a cute friendship that ultimately benefits both of them.

Initially, Noragami leans quite heavily into humor, almost coming across as a comedic slice of life with occasional bursts of drama and action. However, the story gradually expands the world’s scope while diving deeper into the main characters’ histories, with Yato’s journey being particularly fascinating.

34

Case Closed

MyAnimeList: 8.17

One of the very few shonen stories to eclipse One Piece in episode count, Case Closed has been a fixture of the anime scene since 1996. Also known as Detective Conan, the series follows a teenage detective who is turned into a child by a mysterious organization, forcing him to find unique ways to help the police solve cases.

Putting aside the occasional development to the overarching narrative, Case Closed primarily consists of stand-alone investigations that, more often than not, last only a single episode. Although arguably not reaching the same heights as some of the other best shonen anime, Case Closed is surprisingly consistent, with most episodes serving up entertaining and easily digestible mysteries. Characters like Conan, Ran, Kogorou, and Kaito are icons.

33

Kaiju No. 8

MyAnimeList: 8.28 (Season 1)

Except for the biggest sequels, Kaiju No. 8 was Spring 2024’s most highly-anticipated anime. Based on Naoya Matsumoto’s popular manga, the adaptation benefits from Production I.G’s production value, with the first few episodes standing head-and-shoulders above most currently airing shows. Going beyond its aesthetics, Kaiju No. 8 has a premise that simply sells itself, even if it is not necessarily breaking new ground.

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As Japan has a kaiju problem, the country relies on a special team to take down these monsters whenever they appear. Driven by a childhood tragedy, Kafka aspired to join this task force, only to fail the entrance exam. Now in his early 30s, the odds of him making the grade are very low; or, at least, that was the case before Kafka received an unexpected power-up that allowed him to transform into a kaiju.

Kaiju No. 8 knows its main selling point and instantly gets to it. The anime starts with a great kaiju sequence that also does a fantastic job of setting up the story’s key players, especially Kafka, Reno, and Mina. Although a bit loud at times, Kafka is a charming and frequently funny protagonist who fits the everyman role while still very much having a strong personality. As it progresses, the show transforms into an almost ensemble action show, with Kafka and Reno joining a team of very talented rookies.

32

Chainsaw Man

MyAnimeList Score: 8.46

Chainsaw Man was by far and away one of 2022’s most hyped anime, which 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 delivered on its promise for the most part, although the show’s legacy will depend on the quality (and existence) of the sequels. Chainsaw Man could dominate the shonen anime scene for a few years.

31

My Hero Academia

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 7.84

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. Fortunately, seasons 6 and 7 are much better.

30

Ranma ½ (Both Series)

MyAnimeList Score (2024 Series): 8.04

Rumiko Takahashi is an all-time great mangaka, and her stories should ideally be experienced in their original forms. That said, for the most part, adaptations based on her works are pretty good, and Ranma ½ is probably Takashi’s most famous masterpiece alongside Inuyasha. The manga received two adaptations, one that aired during the early ’90s and a new iteration released in 2024. Both do a splendid job of showcasing Takashi’s incredible talent for humor and romance, all the while throwing in creative fight sequences.

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Now, when it comes to choosing a version to watch, the modern remake is arguably the better pick. MAPPA’s animation is beautiful, and the anime really nails its pacing. That said, the classic version has two great seasons that advance Ranma and Ayane’s relationship. After that, the series enters filler territory, which means a lot of amusing but inconsequential episodes.

29

Spy X Family

MyAnimeList Score (Season 1): 8.46

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 starts to develop the characters’ relationships, showing that something genuine is threatening to blossom from this artificial connection. Spy x Family season 2 aired as part of the Fall 2023 season; for the most part, the show remained very entertaining, although the story’s lack of forward movement did begin to grate after a while.

28

Bleach (Original & Thousand-Year Blood War)

MyAnimeList Score (Original Series): 7.97

At its best, Bleach compares favorably with any other action anime out there. The Soul Society arc is widely 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 that 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.