Top 20 Best Shounen Anime Of All Time

Anime fans are literally pampered because of the number of great shows available for them to choose from and enjoy, and at this point, for someone who has been around this community for a while, it’s really hard for him to rank his top 10, 20, 50 or even 100 favorite Anime! and it’s even harder for us to do so since it’s been more than two decades since we found out about Anime! and that’s why we like to make multiple lists for you about the different genre to make it easier for us and give you the chance to uncover new shows and genres that you probably didn’t know about!

Yet, this was a really tough list to make! simply because the genre we choose for this article is without a doubt the most popular one and the amount of absolutely incredible Anime we had to choose from is immense! Ladies and Gentlemen here is our Top 20 Best Shounen Anime Series of All Time!

Keep in mind that:

• We tried our best to make this list as good as possible, and as genuinely as possible! we are not trying to satisfy anyone’s taste, this is our pure and honest opinion! we would really love to know what you also think is the best, so feel free to do so in the comments below!
• We treat “Shounen” in this article as a genre and not as a demographic! if you wanna know the difference then check out the introduction of our Top 50 Most popular Battle Shounen Anime of All Time! it’s explained there.
• This list will be updated every time we feel the need to do so! and with many new upcoming big series coming out, expect the update of this list to happen fairly soon!

20. Fire Force

• Other genres: Superpowers, Action, Comedy, Supernature
• Studio: David Production
• Original Creator: Atsushi Ookubo
• Premiered: Summer 2019
• Episodes: 24(S1) 24(S2)
• Main Cast: Shinra Kusakabe, Iris, Arthur Boyle, Maki Oze, Tamaki Kotatsu

“Fire Force” is a show that tackles a very strange phenomenon called the “Spontaneous Human Combustion” which surprisingly, also happened in real life, especially in the 19th century!

It’s a very intriguing story that contains a lot of mystery and secrets and makes the viewer asks a lot of questions, with some extremely epic fights and battles that were beautifully Animated by Studio David Production!

19. Tokyo Revengers

• Other genres: Comedy, Drama, Action, Supernatural
• Studio: LINDENFILMS
• Original Creator: Ken Wakui
• Premiered: Spring 2021
• Episodes: 24
• Main Cast: Hanagaki Takemichi, Manjirou Sano, Ken Ryuuguuji

This Anime is about a 26 years old man who acquired the power of going back in time under certain conditions to change some chaotic events that happened in the present time!

The action in this is good but nothing crazy compared to the upcoming shows on this list! the best part about this Anime is the plot twists, the drama, and especially, the character development!

18. Soul Eater

• Other genres: Supernatural, Action, Comedy
• Studio: Bones
• Original Creator: Atsushi Ookubo
• Premiered: Spring 2008
• Episodes: 51
• Main Cast: Maka Albarn, Evans, Death the Kid, Black Star

This is the second work of “Ookubo” sensei on this list after “Fire Force”, and in this one, we indulge in a demoniac world where our main character “Evans” dreams to become the “Death Scythe”, yes, it’s as strange as it seems! a dark fantasy story full of weird and bizarre concepts with a lot of hype and spicy action moments!

17. Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

• Other genres: Action, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: Artland
• Original Creator: Akira Amano
• Premiered: Fall 2006
• Episodes: 203
• Main Cast: Tsunayoshi Sawada, Reborn

This show is about a middle schooler who doesn’t excel at anything he does when he views his life change forever after meeting with “Reborn” who is on the mission of making him the greatest mafia boss ever!

The show is slow at the beginning but it truly succeeds in making the viewer build that special bond with the characters and it just gets better and better and better! the selling points of this Anime are without a doubt the supporting cast and the character development

16. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

• Other genres: Action, Fantasy, Drama, Military
• Studio: Bones
• Original Creator: Hiromu Arakawa
• Premiered: Spring 2009
• Episodes: 64
• Main Cast: Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang

This is an extremely popular Anime and one of those shows that is usually ranked among the best and always held a place up there, and we know that a lot of you readers were expecting this show to be at least in the top 5!

But honestly, although this Anime gave us some iconic moments that we will never forget, and it has some pretty solid storytelling, we think that it’s a little bit overappreciated compared to what’s coming next on this list!

15. Yu Yu Hakusho

• Other genres: Action, Comedy, Supernatural
• Studio: Pierrot
• Original Creator: Yoshihiro Togashi
• Premiered: Fall 1992
• Episodes: 112
• Main Cast: Yuusuke Uramichi, Botan, Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara Kazuma

“Yu Yu Hakusho” is a great show that delivered a unique concept back then when it came out, it tells the story of a world full of mysterious creatures where the main characters are on a mission of discovering all its secrets while engaging in death battles against ferocious evil creature!

Although this show doesn’t have the gorgeous animation quality that recent Shounen Anime are known for, it is still a great show with awesome world-building and character-writing! it also delivered one of the greatest tournaments arcs in Anime history

14. Rurouni Kenshin

• Other genres: Action, Drama, Comedy, Romance
• Studio: Gallop, Deen
• Original Creator: Nobuhiro Watsuki
• Premiered: Winter 1996
• Episodes: 94
• Main Cast: Himora Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Sagara Sanosuke, Myoujin Yahiko

This Anime takes us to 10 years later after the “Bakumatsu” era ended, and tell us the story of the legendary samurai named the “Hitokiri Battousai” who shed a lot of blood during this era and his attempt to run away from his past by completely disappearing from sights and started a journey full of regrets hoping to find a way to clear his sins!

Although it’s a shounen that contains a lot of great fights and badass characters introduced throughout the story, This Anime feels like a Seinen in a lot of its parts and that’s the beauty of it!

13. Dragon Ball

• Other genres: Action, Comedy, Martial Arts, Sci-Fi
• Studio: Toei Animation
• Original Creator: Akira Toriyama
• Premiered: Winter 1986
• Episodes: 153 291(Z) 64(GT) 131(Super)
• Main Cast: Son Gokuu, Vegeta, Son Gohan, Piccolo, Kuririn

Who doesn’t know about “Dragon Ball”? one of the most famous TV Anime that we grow up watching without even knowing what Anime actually is! the grandfather of all Shounen Anime!

Great Action, great superpowers, well-written Antagonists, and great choreographic fight scenes especially in the newest seasons where more advanced animation methods are implemented!

12. Bleach

• Other genres: Action, Supernatural, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: Pierrot
• Original Creator: Tite Kubo
• Premiered: Fall 2004
• Episodes: 366
• Main Cast: Kurosaki Ichigo, Kuchiki Rukia, Inoue Orihime, Uryuu Ichida, Sado Yasutora

“Bleach” is another extremely popular Shounen Anime that took the first decade of the 21st century by storm when it came out! it succeeded to build a really big community that rivals the “Naruto” and the “One Piece” fandoms and everybody heard about “Bleach” at that time!

This Anime is known for its extremely beautiful character designs and outstanding soundtracks that are still renowned as one of the best music Anime of all time! we also can’t forget about the amazing world-building and the breathtaking fights of this show!

11. D.Gray-man

• Other genres: Fantasy, Supernatural, Action, Comedy
• Studio: TMS Entertainment
• Original Creator: Katsura Hoshino
• Premiered: Fall 2006
• Episodes: 103(S1) 13(S2)
• Main Cast: Allen Walker, Lee Lenalee, Kanda Yuu, Lavi

This Anime is so underrated! even in the days when it was airing and today, it’s so hard to make someone start it! but for those who are fans of this show, they know great it is!

One of the best dark fantasies you can watch! it has a very intriguing plot full of mystery and complexity! the character development is great and sometimes surprising! and the supporting cast is very interesting.

You may also read:

• Top 50 Most Popular Battle Shounen Anime of all Time
• Top 10 Best Shounen Anime Protagonists of All Time
• Top 10 Best Anime Studios Dominating The Industry!

10. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

• Other genres: Adventure, Comedy, Action, Mystery
• Studio: David Production
• Original Creator: Hirohiko Araki
• Premiered: Fall 2012
• Episodes: 26(S1) 48(S2) 39(S4) 39(S5)
• Main Cast: Joestar Family

The “Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure” franchise is definitely one of the most beloved series! it’s an Anime that you rarely hear bad things about and the fandom is always satisfied with every new part that comes out from a story standpoint and from a quality standpoint!

The characters are incredibly well written, and the power system is simple but geniusly exploited by the writer, which gives the fights in this show a unique taste and always makes the viewer look forward to their climax which never disappoints!

09. Jujutsu Kaisen

• Other genres: Action, Drama, Supernatural, Comedy
• Studio: Mappa
• Original Creator: Gege Akutami
• Premiered: Fall 2020
• Episodes: 24
• Main Cast: Itadori Yuuji, Fushiguro Megumi, Kugisaki Nobara, Gojo Satoru

We dive into a world where some supernatural creatures called “Curses” are the biggest menace to society! some circumstances led our protagonist “Itadori Yuuji” to join the special school to learn the art of Jujutsu and use it to protect those dear to him!

The action in this show is one of the greatest things you can find in the Anime world, the choreography is on a different level, and the animations and the soundtracks used makes every fight more intense and impactful, without forgetting about those beautifully crafted climactic scenes that fill the viewer with an extreme feeling of satisfaction

08. Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple

• Other genres: Action, Comedy, Martial Arts
• Studio: TMS Entertainment
• Original Creator: Syun Matsuena
• Premiered: Fall 2006
• Episodes: 50
• Main Cast: Kenichi Shirahama, Miu Fuurinjin

This show tells the story of a bullied young boy who saw his life change forever after his meeting with a beautiful and elegant blond girl who introduced him to her grandfather’s dojo where five grandmasters of different martial arts reside!

Incredible character development of the protagonist! awsome martial art fights! and above it all the awesome supporting cast that took this shounen anime to another level! it’s true that the animation is old school but it’s still one of the greatest shounen anime to date!

07. Hunter x Hunter

• Other genres: Adventure, Action, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: Madhouse
• Original Creator: Togashi Yoshihiro
• Premiered: Fall 2011
• Episodes: 148
• Main Cast: Gon Freecss, Zoldyck Killua, Kurapika, Paladiknight Leorio

One of the most popular Anime series ever! a lot of fans consider this show the best work ever created by this industry! the story of a young boy called “Gon” who wanted to become a Hunter in order to find his father!

This show is known for its incredible writing and narrative, the power system in this show is probably the most complex one you can find in all Anime! the show is also full of badass characters and epic battles and sometimes the events take a dark turn that gives the whole Anime another taste.

06. Demon Slayer

• Other genres: Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: ufotable
• Original Creator: Gotouge Koyoharu
• Premiered: Spring 2019
• Episodes: 26(S1) 18(S2) + Movie
• Main Cast: Kamado Tanjiro, Kamado Nezuko, Agatsuma Zenitsu, Hashibara Inosuke

“Demon Slayer” is a show that changed the Shounen genre after it came out! its popularity exploded in no time and it became a gate for a lot of people to discover Anime in general and the shounen genre in particular!

This Anime is famous for its extraordinary beautiful visuals! Ufotable did an incredible job with the production of this show that became one of the best Animated shows ever!

05. Black Clover

• Other genres: Action, Comedy, Adventure
• Studio: Pierrot
• Original Creator: Tabata Yuuki
• Premiered: Fall 2017
• Episodes: 170
• Main Cast: Asta, Yuno, Silva Noelle, Sukehiro Yami

This Anime tells the story of a Kid called “Asta” who dreams of becoming the Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom! with all hurdles that he will face, “Asta” is ready to take this challenge and achieve his dream no matter what, after all his magic is to never give up!

This Anime proved everybody wrong! it went from a meme show that everybody made fun of to the most anticipated show of the week when it was airing! This show truly knew how to steal the hearts of the viewers! The show had its ups and downs but “Black Clover” gave us some of the most epic episodes in the history of Shounen and nobody can deny that!

04. My Hero Academia

• Other genres: Superpowers, Action, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: Bones
• Original Creator: Horikoshi Kouhei
• Premiered: Spring 2016
• Episodes: 13(S1) 25(S2) 25(S3) 25(S4) 25(S5)
• Main Cast: Midoriya Izuku, Katsuki Bakugo, AllMight, Ochako Uraraka, Todoroki Shouto

Since he was a kid, “Midoriya Izuku” has always dreamed of becoming like his idol and the Number One hero AllMight who saves everybody with a smile! unfortunately for him, “Midoriya” was among the few Quirkless people which means that theoretically, he has no chance of becoming a hero!

No matter what anybody says, this Anime will always be one of the greatest Shounen series, why? simply because of the iconic moments that it gave up and the beautifully written story that led to these moments! this show knows how to play with the viewer’s emotions! sometimes you will feel happy and energetic, sometimes sad and depressed, sometimes hyped and fired up, and sometimes frightened and scared!

03. Naruto

• Other genres: Comedy, Action, Drama
• Studio: Pierrot
• Original Creator: Masashi Kishimoto
• Premiered: Fall 2022
• Episodes: 220(S1) 500(S2)
• Main Cast: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake

Konoha is a secret ninja village where the protagonist “Naruto” was born, because of the monster sealed inside of him, this kid had it very difficult with the inhabitants of the village the despite him, but thankfully, people like “Haruka” sensei existed! Naruto dreams of becoming Hokage to own the respect of everybody and prove them wrong!

“Naruto” was an amazing journey! it was a show that a lot of us grew up watching and once it ended, it left a huge void in our chests but it also left us with many precious memories of all those magical moments and events that happened in the show!

02. One Piece

• Other genres: Adventure, Comedy, Action, Drama
• Studio: Toei Animation
• Original Creator: Eiichiro Oda
• Premiered: Fall 1999
• Episodes: +1000 (ongoing)
• Main Cast: Monkey D. Luffy, Nami, Roronoa Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, Nico Robin, Franky, Brook, Jinbei

After eating the devil fruit of Gumu Gumu, “Luffy” became the robber man! he dreams of taking the sea, recruiting strong crew mates, and going on an epic journey to find the famous treasure of One Piece and become the Pirate King!

The best ongoing shounen series! and once this series ends, it will be no surprise if this becomes the greatest Anime ever created! well, a lot of fans already considered it so! One of the greatest written stories in all media that captivated people’s hearts all over the world

01. Gintama

• Other genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Action
• Studio: Sunrise, Bandai Namco
• Original Creator: Hideaki Sorashi
• Premiered: Fall 1999
• Episodes: 366 + Movie
• Main Cast: Sakata Gintoki, Shimura Shinpatchi, Kagura

The story of a trio who lives under the same roof and makes a living from their Odd Jobs services taking requests from different people and helping them with their issues!

A daily life full of hilarious, happy, epic, sad, and unexpected events! unless you watched this show, you will never understand why it’s on the top of this list!