Verdict: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the best anime series of all time, just ahead of Hunter x Hunter (2011). Attack on Titan, Steins;Gate and Code Geass round out the top five.
Updated October 7, 2026 · TV series only, no movies or OVAs · Ranked on story, animation, influence and rewatch value
Who this is for: anyone looking for their next great series, and anyone ready to argue about the top spot.
| Rank | Series | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | 2009–2010 |
| 2 | Hunter x Hunter (2011) | 2011–2014 |
| 3 | Attack on Titan | 2013–2023 |
| 4 | Steins;Gate | 2011 |
| 5 | Code Geass | 2006–2008 |
| 6 | Monster | 2004–2005 |
| 7 | Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End | 2023– |
| 8 | Vinland Saga | 2019–2023 |
| 9 | Cowboy Bebop | 1998–1999 |
| 10 | Neon Genesis Evangelion | 1995–1996 |
| 11 | Berserk (1997) | 1997–1998 |
| 12 | One Piece | 1999– |
| 13 | Mob Psycho 100 | 2016–2022 |
| 14 | JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure | 2012– |
| 15 | Death Note | 2006–2007 |
| 16 | Gintama | 2006–2018 |
| 17 | Demon Slayer | 2019– |
| 18 | Dragon Ball Z | 1989–1996 |
| 19 | March Comes in Like a Lion | 2016–2018 |
| 20 | Naruto / Naruto Shippuden | 2002–2017 |
| 21 | Jujutsu Kaisen | 2020– |
| 22 | Parasyte: the maxim | 2014–2015 |
| 23 | Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War | 2022– |
| 24 | Chainsaw Man | 2022 |
| 25 | Blue Lock | 2022– |
#1 to #5: the best anime series ever made
Graphic: NerdSnack.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
The most complete anime ever made. Brotherhood has no bad arcs, no wasted characters and no loose ends. The Homunculi are the most cohesive villain team in anime, and Edward and Alphonse’s bond is the emotional backbone that makes every fight land harder. Equivalent exchange, the rule behind its alchemy, is the most elegant plot mechanic in shonen.
The top spot is a genuine debate with Hunter x Hunter. Brotherhood wins it because it finishes its story, and the payoff is worth all 64 episodes.
2. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
The best-written shonen ever made. The Chimera Ant arc is a roughly 60-episode meditation on humanity, evolution and morality, disguised as a battle arc. Gon and Killua’s friendship is the most nuanced relationship in the genre, and Nen is the most strategic power system in anime. If the manga ever finishes, this could take #1.
3. Attack on Titan
No anime has pulled off a bigger pivot. It starts as survival horror about giants eating people and becomes a political war drama about cycles of violence and the cost of freedom. Eren Yeager’s turn is one of fiction’s most argued-about character arcs. The final season divides fans, but the road there is unmissable.
4. Steins;Gate
A slow burn that becomes one of the best time-travel stories ever told. The first half plays like an eccentric hangout show. Then episode 12 hits, and Okabe’s desperate fight against choices he can’t undo takes over. If you haven’t seen it, go in blind.
5. Code Geass
Anime’s best political thriller. Lelouch gets the power to give anyone one absolute command, which is strong enough to be dangerous and limited enough to demand real strategy. His double life as Zero, his rivalry with Suzaku and the Zero Requiem ending make it one of the most talked-about finales in anime.
#6 to #10: modern classics and all-time greats
Graphic: NerdSnack.
6. Monster
The most underrated show on this list. A brilliant surgeon saves a boy’s life, then learns that boy grew up to be a serial killer. Johan Liebert might be the most chilling villain in anime. No superpowers, no chosen ones, just a doctor chasing a monster across post-Cold War Europe.
7. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
The most quietly devastating anime of the 2020s. An elf mage looks back on a finished hero’s journey after her companions have aged and died. Its take on grief and time hits harder the older you get, and it won Anime of the Year at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
8. Vinland Saga
The best story about what strength really means. It starts as a Viking revenge epic and turns into a study of pacifism and trauma, as Thorfinn goes from a revenge-obsessed teenager to a man trying to build something instead. Askeladd is one of anime’s great characters.
9. Cowboy Bebop
Jazz, noir and space opera in a blender, and it all works. Spike Spiegel is one of fiction’s coolest leads, Yoko Kanno’s score may be the best anime soundtrack ever, and the final line, “You’re gonna carry that weight,” is one of the most earned endings in the medium.
10. Neon Genesis Evangelion
The most analyzed anime ever made. Hideaki Anno used a mecha show to work through depression, isolation and the fear of connection, and created the template for every psychological anime that followed. It isn’t an easy watch, but you can’t understand anime history without it.
#11 to #15: required viewing
Graphic: NerdSnack.
11. Berserk (1997)
One of fiction’s great betrayal stories. The 1997 series covers the Golden Age arc with Guts, Griffith and the Band of the Hawk, ending in the Eclipse, still one of the most harrowing sequences ever animated. The manga goes further, but this adaptation is essential.
12. One Piece
A 1,000-plus-episode series has no business being this good. Its world-building, from Devil Fruits to the Void Century, is among the most ambitious in fiction, and the Marineford arc is one of the great war stories in any medium. The early episodes are the price of admission.
13. Mob Psycho 100
ONE’s best work, and yes, that includes One Punch Man. It uses psychic powers to talk about emotional repression and self-worth, and season 3’s finale is one of anime’s best endings. The animation is wild.
14. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
No anime has a more distinct identity. Every part reinvents the hero, the art style and the rules, while keeping the operatic drama and poses so iconic they became a meme language. It’s completely unhinged and brilliant.
15. Death Note
For its first 25 episodes, a perfect thriller. Light Yagami vs. L is one of the great cat-and-mouse stories in any medium. The second half drops off, but the first half alone earns the spot.
Keep Reading: Top 10 Anime Villains of All Time, Ranked · Best Anime of 2026: Every Great Show This Year, Ranked · Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End — Complete Guide to Both Seasons
#16 to #20: fan favorites that earned it
Graphic: NerdSnack.
16. Gintama
The funniest anime on this list, and one of the most surprisingly emotional. Hideaki Sorachi’s samurai-sci-fi comedy spends most of its run parodying everything in sight, then drops serious arcs that hit as hard as any action series. Few shows can switch tones this well.
17. Demon Slayer
Proof that animation quality alone can carry a show to a global audience. ufotable’s water and fire effects set a new bar for TV anime, and the Rengoku fight on the Mugen Train is one of the best-known battles of the decade. The story is simple, but the craft is undeniable.
18. Dragon Ball Z
The show that wrote the rules of shonen. Power levels, transformations, training arcs and screaming to go faster all trace back here. The Frieza saga is still one of anime’s most tense villain stories, and Gohan vs. Cell still lands more than 30 years later.
19. March Comes in Like a Lion
The most honest anime about depression. Shaft’s adaptation of Chica Umino’s manga follows Rei Kiriyama, a teenage professional shogi player who is brilliant at the board and lost everywhere else. The family that slowly takes him in makes it one of the warmest shows on this list.
20. Naruto / Naruto Shippuden
The gateway anime for a generation. The Chunin Exams, the Sasuke retrieval arc and Pain’s attack on the Leaf are formative moments for millions of fans. The filler is rough and the war arc drags, but Naruto’s journey from outcast to Hokage earns its place.
#21 to #25: the new wave
Graphic: NerdSnack.
21. Jujutsu Kaisen
The most visually spectacular action anime of the 2020s. MAPPA’s fights, from Gojo vs. Toji to the Shibuya Incident arc, set new benchmarks for action animation. It isn’t subtle, but no other modern shonen delivers spectacle this consistently.
22. Parasyte: the maxim
Body horror with a surprising heart. Madhouse’s 24-episode series follows Shinichi, a teenager whose right hand is taken over by a parasite he names Migi. Their uneasy partnership turns a creature feature into a sharp story about what makes someone human.
23. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
The redemption arc anime rarely gets. The original Bleach’s pacing became a meme. Studio Pierrot came back for the final arc with a bigger budget, tighter storytelling and a Quincy invasion that feels truly apocalyptic.
24. Chainsaw Man
One of the boldest-looking anime ever produced. MAPPA gave every episode its own ending theme, and Denji tears up the shonen hero formula. He doesn’t care about the power of friendship. He cares about food, girls and surviving the next five minutes.
25. Blue Lock
A sports anime that shouldn’t work, but does. Japan locks up 300 young strikers and pushes them to become ego-driven goal machines. It’s one of the most psychologically intense competition series in years, and Isagi’s rise is one of the best protagonist arcs of the 2020s.
Just missed the list
Re:Zero, Violet Evergarden and Legend of the Galactic Heroes are all masterworks. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is mostly an OVA series, so it falls outside our TV-only rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best anime series of all time?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, just ahead of Hunter x Hunter (2011). Brotherhood wins because it tells a complete story with a perfect ending.
Is Hunter x Hunter or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood better?
We rank Brotherhood #1 and Hunter x Hunter #2. Brotherhood wins on payoff, and Hunter x Hunter wins on depth, especially in the Chimera Ant arc.
Where does Attack on Titan rank?
#3, for the biggest story pivot in anime and its influence on the 2010s.
What’s a good first anime from this list?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Death Note or Cowboy Bebop. All three are complete stories that don’t need any background.
Next step: pick one from the top five you haven’t seen and start tonight. Then see our best anime of 2026, the top 10 anime villains, and our best anime movies of all time.
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