Anime is not merely entertainment—it’s a movement. Some shows throughout the years have revolutionized the genre, ignited international fan bases, and left indelible impressions on popular culture. Whether it’s a war-torn emotional rollercoaster, a fantastical magical girl escapade, or a philosophical mecha battle, these shows didn’t merely cause ripples—they set the bar. Here’s a decade countdown of the top ten anime shows that revolutionized the scene, from genre-altering milestones to the very birth of anime itself.
10. Sword Art Online
You can argue over its quality all you want, but there’s no arguing with what Sword Art Online did for anime. It wasn’t the first isekai, but it was the one that ignited the fuse for the genre’s explosion in the 2010s. By dropping its characters into a life-or-death video game reality, SAO resonated with audiences all around the world who were already fantasizing about living within virtual worlds. With critics aside, it launched an entire generation of virtual-reality-based tales and made “stuck in another world” a staple of anime’s most familiar tropes.
9. Demon Slayer
Few anime in recent history have ever burned like Demon Slayer did. It wasn’t the beautiful animation or the fighting—it was the feeling, the characters, and the way it managed to resonate with old fans and newcomers. Overnight, anime was no longer niche. It was everywhere. From the cinemas to the social media platform, Demon Slayer showed that anime could compete with the biggest franchises—and come out on top. It set the bar for visuals, audio, and storytelling for everyone.
8. Urusei Yatsura
Before anime was a genre playground in the same way we know it now, Urusei Yatsura started a generation of romantic mayhem and sci-fi strangeness that would characterize an entire corner of anime narrative. The series brought us the world of Lum—a boisterous, electrifying, unforgettable alien girl who effectively created the waifu well before there was even a word for it. With its offbeat comedy and messy love triangles, it set the stage for thousands of harem comedies and established what fans came to expect out of character-centric anime.
7. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
If there’s one anime that gets both action and emotional narrative right, it’s Brotherhood. This show managed to balance comedy, tragedy, and some of the darkest moral conundrums anime had ever faced—all while creating a rich world with compelling characters. Whether it was the ache of loss, the burden of sacrifice, or the relationship between brothers, it struck home. And unlike most adaptations, this one landed well, a true faithfulness to the original manga’s narrative that was understandable for fans and newcomers alike.
6. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
You don’t require enormous monsters to retell an enormous story—merely a masked revolutionary with godly ability and a scheme. Code Geass provided political intrigue, tactical combat, and one of the greatest complicated heroes anime ever offered. Lelouch wasn’t only a hero—he was an enigma. His path blurred the distinction between justice and tyranny, and his choices instigated scorching debates that persist even today. Add in some sleek mecha battles and devastating plot twists, and you’ve got a series that reshaped what anime could do with power, morality, and sacrifice.
5. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Evangelion didn’t just turn heads—it cracked them open. What began as a typical “kids in robots fight aliens” setup quickly unraveled into a deep psychological spiral that explored depression, trauma, and the burden of expectations. Its animation was raw, its narratives were uncompromisingly abstract, and its characters were genuinely like people in a manner that was sometimes too raw for the viewer to absorb. Love it or loathe it, this show remade anime during the ’90s and continues to affect creators in all media to this day.
4. Sailor Moon
Before anime became “cool” internationally, Sailor Moon was doing it quietly. With its mix of magical makeovers, cosmic evildoers, and genuine friendships, the series led the way for female-centric tales in anime—and did so in style. It showed that you could be strong and sporty, too. Most of all, it reached a generation of viewers, many of whom discovered their very first anime heroine in Usagi Tsukino. Its influence can still be sensed in everything from pop stars to superhero squads.
3. Mobile Suit Gundam
Gundam didn’t create the mecha genre, but by God, it remade it. The cheesy alien fights were gone—in were a gritty, realistic war that dealt with its subject matter with the respect it was due. Pilots weren’t superheroes anymore—now, they were frightened kids, soldiers, and casualties of politics. Gundam introduced a new level of realism to anime and launched a decades-spanning franchise that would find its way into the hearts of millions, inspire generations of model makers, and become one of the most recognizable brands in all of Japanese pop culture.
2. Dragon Ball / Dragon Ball Z
Ask nearly any anime enthusiast what introduced them to the world of anime, and there’s a good chance it includes a glowing aura and a whole lot of screaming. Dragon Ball and its legendary continuation, DBZ, opened the world’s eyes to power-packed fights, iconic characters, and a hero whose development shattered the sky. It’s not only about fights—it’s about friendship, determination, and the unrelenting striving to become stronger. Goku became an icon of anime itself, and the ripple effect can be observed in almost every shonen series thereafter.
1. Astro Boy
And at the top of this list is where it all started. Astro Boy wasn’t only the first hit anime series—it was the first anime, full stop. Developed by the iconic Osamu Tezuka, Astro Boy provided anime with its soul, its appearance, and its heart. The futuristic robot child with human feelings spawned a medium that would eventually cover the world. Its messages of identity, technology, and humanity continue to resonate, and its design style sets the pattern for what was to follow. Astro Boy, in a word, invented anime. Without it, we wouldn’t have the anime we see today. Period.