Anime is a format that just keeps changing with every generation. The world of magical girls, giant robots, and samurai has changed a lot between the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, and will only continue to change until the world fully moves on from anime...which will probably never happen.

With that in mind, the 2010s was a pretty big decade for anime, as animation standards increased and storytellers became arguably more ambitious, refined, and experimental.

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The advent of memes has only helped bring communities closer together, as anime entered the mainstream as a cultural phenomenon that all can enjoy and not just "otakus." This list will be going over some of the most predominant anime of the era and how they've held up since their premiere.

10 Sword Art Online

An image of Kirito and Asuna from the anime, Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online may very well be one of the most popular fantasy anime of all time and helped jump-start the isekai craze that now infects anime seasons. The story was originally just about Kirito's exploits after being trapped in a video game constructed by one overzealous engineer.

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It now extends to other fantastical worlds and has spanned multiple seasons and movies, single-handily bankrolling A-1 Pictures. Though the series has been divisive for its consistency and the way it handles sexual themes, there's no doubt that it's one of the most successful anime of the modern-day and can very well run as long as Reki Kawahara wants.

9 Haikyuu!!

There were a lot of sports anime that came out within the 2010s. Kuroko's Basketball got to end its long career, Masaaki Yuasa surprised fans with his special take on the genre and ping pong, and Free! can either be someone's guilty pleasure or total obsession. However, if there was one sports series to rule them all, it would have to be Haikyuu!!.

This infectious series utterly mastered the art of shonen hype and somehow compartmentalized it into volleyball. Hinata and his band of crows have been skyrocketing through their tournaments and the Shonen Jump sales charts and are currently enjoying success during their fourth season.

8 Steins;Gate

Anime has become near synonymous with the science fiction genre, yet its exact range for it is typically relegated to giant robots and space battles. A series that really shakes up the genre, such as in the way of Neon Genesis Evangelion or Serial Experiments Lain, only appears every few years. Fortunately enough, the 2010s got one of its own in Steins;Gate, a time-travel drama based on the visual novel of the same name.

While Steins;Gate's eccentric characters would grab the viewer in, its exciting tale of conspiracy and consequences kept eyes glued. The story still gives fans chills today, and a sequel series, Steins;Gate 0, even explored an alternate route for the ending.

7 Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Hunter x Hunter's original run can still excite anime fans today, but Yoshihiro Togashi's long hiatuses would, unfortunately, start during its run. It wouldn't be until well over a decade later that the story would be picked up again and by Studio Madhouse.

The studio chose to start the story over again and came out better for it, appearing as a more modern and sleek version of the original that wasn't plagued by constant filler and padding. As such, 2011's adaptation is the definitive Hunter x Hunter anime and holds up well as one of the last decade's best shounen series.

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Togashi hasn't progressed the story much since the anime caught up to the manga, and it may be a while before fans get to see Hunter x Hunter on the air again...if at all.

6 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Joestar Family JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Much like Hunter x Hunter, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure was the modern revival of a classic Shonen Jump series. The manga began to be serialized in 1987 and even enjoyed some cult anime success thanks to a couple of OVAs and a movie. It wouldn't be until 2012 that a formal anime would be made, and when it hit the air, it never stopped hitting.

Each season goes over a different section of the manga, with each one enjoying massive success and constant memeing from the internet. With each chapter arguably improving upon its predecessor, Jojo has only gone from strength to strength. With the latest chapter ending just last year, fans eagerly await to see if "Part 6: Stone Ocean" will be picked up.

5 Kill La Kill

Kill la Kill wasn't so much as the first page for Studio Trigger as much as it was the shot heard 'round the world. With creators fresh from Gainax and young minds eager to experiment, Trigger unleashed in 2013 an anime that would define everything that the studio was about: giant robots, fights, and lots of pretty explosions.

Kill la Kill is still revered by the community today, even if it often carries a "warning" mark for its distinct and overzealous sexual themes. Nowadays, Kill la Kill is considered the quintessential Trigger anime, one that has served as a blueprint for many of the studio's subsequent releases.

4 Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul wasn't the first anime to come out during its age about society fighting off man-eating monsters, and it certainly didn't become anywhere near as popular. However, it did leave its mark as one of the edgiest anime of the modern age that still leaves current fans wishing the best for their poor Kaneki.

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While the first season enjoyed massive success, the franchise would see said prominence fall after Tokyo Ghoul √A changed certain elements of the story. The Kaneki mask is still one of the most remembered visuals of anime, even if the anime itself has struggled to regain its acclaim, especially with its latest season Tokyo Ghoul:re.

3 One-Punch Man

If there's been one thing that has defined the 2010s as a whole, it would be the surge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the sudden boom of the superhero genre in film and television. The anime industry didn't trail too far behind, as it adapted one of the most subversive yet ever addictive takes on the genre, One-Punch Man.

The first season really grabbed fans with its exciting animation and ONE's famous writing. While the latter was still prevalent in Season 2, the change in studio heavily impacted the anime's animation and overall presentation, leaving a rather sour taste in the mouths of many anime fans. Given the three-year gap between the two seasons, fans may have to wait for the next follow-up but are really pulling for it to get better production value.

2 My Hero Academia

Shonen Jump is a company defined by its different generations. It ruled one era with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Fist of the North Star. It ruled the last with its famous Big Three, Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece. With two out of three of those having ended, its new generation is currently underway, and it is being led by an impressive successor, My Hero Academia.

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When this series was adapted into an anime, fans immediately took to it as the next big thing, as its colorful characters and strong shonen fundamentals enraptured viewers. The series has had a couple of controversies as of late with its character, Endeavor, and a recent name dilemma for one of its doctors, but the anime and manga are still going strong, with Season 4 receiving praise for its drama, action, and one exciting concert.

1 Attack On Titan

Attack On Titan - It's More Popular Than Vinland Saga

Attack on Titan is the very definition of success within the modern age and may very well be the defining anime series of the 2010s. Its first season hit the community by storm, with its exciting animation, endearing war themes, and famously incredible intros having infected fans all over.

There was a massive wait for its follow up seasons; however, since Season 2 came on the air, the series hasn't stopped bringing the same emotion, conspiracies, and action that pulled them in the first place. Its manga's sales are establishing Attack on Titan as one of the best of all time, and convention halls have yet to see a year where they aren't flooded with the series' special military outfits.

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