Let’s be real—attempting to create an ultimate list of the greatest anime ever is a bit like attempting to catch a Greased-up Pikachu. It’s too many genres, it’s too many classics, and far too many die-hard fans prepared to duel you Yu-Gi-Oh style for their own choices. But that’s the catch. Whether you’re a die-hard mecha lover, a slice-of-life softie, or someone just in it for the plot twists that break your brain, this list has something for you.
So buckle up, because we’re counting down 10 of the greatest anime series ever made—from legendary classics to underappreciated gems—in true anime fashion: dramatic, passionate, and just a little over-the-top.
10. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Way back in the mid-to-late 2000s, Haruhi Suzumiya burst onto anime fandom like a meteor. This series tracks the incredibly ordinary Kyon as he is pulled into the orbit of Haruhi, a girl with reality-bending powers she can’t even be bothered to notice she possesses. It’s a weird, innovative, and regularly presented episode order under the deliberate duress of scrambling. And then there was that infamous “Endless Eight” arc. Love it or rage-quit it, the show caused waves still felt today.
9. Violet Evergarden
This is a gut punch of feels. Violet Evergarden is a beautifully animated show about an ex-child soldier attempting to grasp emotions she has never quite comprehended. She opens up a ghostwriting shop, writing letters for others to convey their emotions—and along the way, begins to find her humanness. It’s beautiful, visually stunning, and emotionally shattering in the best possible way.
8. Haikyuu!!
Think volleyball is all P.E. class fluff? Think twice. Haikyuu!! Makes a school sport into an exhilarating, tear-jerking rollercoaster. Watching Hinata, a short but stubborn kid, climb the volleyball ranks is pure adrenaline-fueled bliss. The games are intense, the friendships are genuine, and each character—from the starters to the benchwarmers—is given their time to shine.
7. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Political machinations? Enormous mechs? A morally ambiguous mastermind manipulating from behind the scenes? Code Geass has it all. Lelouch’s transformation from banished prince to revolutionary anti-hero is full of twists, strategy, and one of the most memorable conclusions in anime history. It’s intelligent, dramatic, and infinitely re-watchable.
6. Gintama
Gintama is unadulterated chaos in the best way possible. The series takes place in an alternate-history Edo-era Japan invaded by aliens and switches between ridiculous comedy, sentimental drama, and genuinely intense action plots. Gintoki and his odd-jobs gang repeatedly break the fourth wall, mock anime conventions, and still hit you with the emotional payoffs when you least expect them to. It’s anime’s greatest variety show.
5. Fist of the North Star
One phrase: “You’re already dead.” Fist of the North Star is a brutal, over-the-top 1980s classic that helped define the action anime genre. Kenshiro walks the wasteland, using pressure-point martial arts to explode bad guys in gloriously bloody fashion. It’s gritty, iconic, and its legacy can still be felt in modern action series.
4. Azumanga Daioh
Sometimes the greatest anime is not saving the world—it’s simply living within it. Azumanga Daioh takes a group of high school girls (and their fabulously quirky teachers) through the hustle and bustle of ordinary life. It’s warm, funny, and endearing. The comedy is gentle but pointed, and the relationships are genuine and comforting—like spending time with your group of slightly crazy friends.
3. Attack on Titan
From the very first episode, Attack on Titan made sure you were aware that it wasn’t messing around. This dark fantasy epic sets humanity against gigantic, human-eating Titans—and the twists, betrayals, and reveals just keep on coming. It’s an action-packed, highly philosophical, and not afraid to go all in on political and moral gray zones. Few shows have redefined anime in the new era like this one has.
2. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Oregairu)
Ditch your standard love triangle fluff—Oregairu zooms directly in for the jugular of teenage angst and social isolation. It follows Hachiman, a brutally candid (and frequently bitter) loner who’s pulled into the Service Club, where he’s coerced into assisting others while struggling to grasp himself. The prose is incisively sharp, the emotional development is unflinching, and the series offers more than a few unsettling realities of coming of age.
1. Summer Time Rendering
And at the top of the list is a veritable gem. Summer Time Rendering begins with a funeral and rapidly escalates into a time-traveling mystery filled with doppelgängers, supernatural powers, and an inescapable feeling of foreboding. It’s beautiful to watch, masterfully paced, and it ties everything together with a gratifying, emotional conclusion. If you enjoy shows that leave you screaming “WAIT, WHAT?!” at the screen, this show’s for you.
Will everyone love this list? Not. Should we let that prevent us from loving the heck out of these shows anyway? Not on your life. Anime is its little world, and no matter if you’re here for the action, the comedy, the romance, or the heavy existential feels, there’s something on this list (and far beyond) that’ll strike you right in the heart. Now go watch your favorite, or get hooked on something new—you’ve got plenty of episodes to catch up on.