Best Anime: Ten Series and How to Choose Your First Watch

There is no single objective top 10 anime of all time: audience votes, critical lists and personal favourites measure different things. These ten series are an editorial starting list chosen for memorable characters, clear creative identity and a range of genres. Their order is a route through different viewing experiences, rather than a live database ranking.

Ten anime series to consider

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Two brothers’ attempt to repair the consequences of an alchemical experiment expands into a larger conflict. Start here for an adventure that combines family stakes, mystery and political questions. Brotherhood is a separate adaptation from the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist series.

2. Cowboy Bebop

A crew of bounty hunters moves through a science-fiction world shaped by crime stories and music. Choose it for an ensemble whose pasts matter, with individual episodes that offer distinct moods.

3. Death Note

A student’s discovery of a notebook with lethal power leads to an escalating contest of strategy. It is a useful starting point if you prefer suspense and competing plans to a long combat adventure.

4. Neon Genesis Evangelion

A young pilot joins the defence against mysterious attackers. The series gradually makes its characters’ psychological pressures central to the experience. Choose it when you want difficult questions rather than a reassuring hero story.

5. Attack on Titan

A society living behind walls faces giant humanoid attackers. The narrative expands well beyond its opening survival premise, so avoid later-season descriptions if you want its discoveries preserved.

6. Mob Psycho 100

A powerful young psychic struggles with ordinary needs for friendship and self-understanding. The contrast between extraordinary ability and emotional growth makes it a good choice when character matters as much as spectacle.

7. Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Gon’s journey begins as an adventure to become a Hunter and changes shape across its story arcs. Choose the 2011 adaptation deliberately: a similarly named earlier television version also exists.

8. Mushishi

A travelling specialist encounters unusual life forms and the people affected by them. Its reflective, largely episodic approach makes it a change of pace from competitive or battle-led series.

9. Fruits Basket (2019)

A girl’s connection with a family living under a curse develops into a story about care, trauma and belonging. The 2019 adaptation is distinct from the earlier anime; check the year when choosing.

10. One Piece

A pirate crew’s search for a legendary treasure opens a very long adventure. Choose it if you enjoy following a growing cast and world over time. A shorter series may be a better first commitment if you want a quick conclusion.

How to use anime rankings

Check whether a ranking covers television, films or individual seasons. A highly rated sequel is not necessarily a starting point. Ratings also change over time, and this guide does not present borrowed audience scores as its own verdict.

Choose by time, tone and format

Start with suspense if you like thrillers, episodic stories if you prefer variety, or a sustained adventure if you want a long commitment. Animation includes material for many audiences; read content advisories for violence, distress and sexual themes. Check subtitles, dubbed audio and regional availability separately.

For more context, compare Rotten Tomatoes’ essential anime selection and the official Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood listing. For feature-length animation, browse Spirited Away and Akira.