Anime is a medium of explosive action and breathtaking visuals. The genre is notorious for being one of the most popular in the medium. And Japan remains the leader in producing thrilling traditional animation unrestricted by demographical appeal or storytelling conventions. While many people point out the industry's repetitive art style and unenthusiastic animation, unorthodox titles regularly push the boundaries of imagination and skill. Action anime is a labor-heavy, tedious, and expensive genre, so it doesn't have many spectacular exemplars.

RELATED: 10 Best Action Anime, Ranked According To MyAnimeList

Nevertheless, when done right, anime can produce unconventional, visually captivating action shows with a unique style and eccentric aesthetic. The worlds of striking action anime are a blast to visit, and every unique title has the power to engross the viewers in its alluring universe.

10 Promare Highlights The Striking Art Style Of Its Animation Studio

promare anime

The well-regarded anime studio Trigger is famous for its unconventional visual style that takes full advantage of the medium's explosive fluidity. Beloved Trigger shows, such as Kill la Kill and Darling in the Franxx, are full of experimental animation and over-the-top action scenes.

The studio's attempt at adapting its unorthodox art direction to a feature format was an astronomical success, which resulted in the creation of Promare in 2019. The mecha action movie incorporates everything the fans love about Trigger shows and takes it even further with incredibly polished animation and an astounding action scale.

9 Vampire Hunter D Celebrates Classic Cel Animation Of The '80s

D from Vampire Hunter D

The 1980s were a golden decade in the history of cel animation in Japan and worldwide. The 1985 fantasy horror OVA Vampire Hunter D captures the alluring aesthetic of its period masterfully. The movie was an interesting mix of futuristic themes and classic literature influence.

It follows a lone half-vampire, half-human, vampire hunter only known as D. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the film utilizes its unique environment and artistic limitations of the time to create a striking, violent world. Vampire Hunter D is a stunning piece of old-fashioned action anime that doesn't shy away from mature themes and realistic portrayals of violence.

8 Mob Psycho 100 Combines Thrilling Action With Sincere Characterization

Mob from Mob Psycho 100.

Unlike its predecessor One-Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 doesn't put the action at the center of its narrative development. The series focuses on the character development of a timid middle schooler, Mob, struggling with a rather typical problem of controlling and understanding his spiking emotions. Unfortunately for the whole world, Mob's uncontrollable feelings are linked with his astounding supernatural power of psychokinesis.

The series' unusual art style complements its experimental action scenes wonderfully. Watching Mob lose control of boiling emotions and cause mass-scale destruction is simultaneously mesmerizing and heartbreaking.

7 Guilty Crown's Music Works Well With Its Electrifying Action

Shu and Inori from Guilty Crown

The science fantasy dystopian series Guilty Crown highlights the visual mastery of early 2010s anime better than any other show. While the anime's plotline is infamously convoluted and leaves a lot of the viewers utterly confused, Guilty Crown remains an extremely enjoyable watch due to its fantastic action and sound design.

The series' soundtrack is composed by a prominent Japanese musician Hiroyuki Sawano, known for his work on Attack on Titan and Kill la Kill. The outstanding music compliments the terrific action, creating an otherwordly combination of visuals and sound.

6 Mo Dao Zu Shi Brings The Fans' Attention To The Chinese Anime Market

Mo Dao Zu Shi Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Cast

The Chinese animation market frequently produces stunning action shows with a distinctive cultural identity. Unlike the classic tropes of Japanese action anime, China innovates the medium with its extraordinary shows about the cultivation world, a universe of immortal sages and warriors.

The most popular exemplar of this fiction genre is Mo Dao Zu Shi, a mystery drama about an infamous Demonic Path cultivator Wei Ying. Wei's adventures are full of thrilling battles that transform the conventions of anime cinematography by utilizing unorthodox camera movements and almost big screen-worthy animation.

5 Monogatari's Inventive Cinematography Influences Its Action

Bakemonogatari Suruga vs Araragi fight

Despite Monogatari's legacy as one of the most memorable and influential harem romance anime, the show excels in a multitude of genres, including action.

RELATED: Monogatari: 10 Things You Never Knew About The Massive Anime Franchise

The iconic anime explores its supernatural elements through myriads of inventive fight scenes, which complements the series' compelling dialogue writing and stellar characterization. Monogatari's diverse cast consists of different supernatural creatures, including vampires, vampire hunters, bizarre oddities, and powerful spirits. The battles between the superhuman opponents are as unorthodox as the show itself, brilliantly choreographed, and a lot of fun to witness.

4 Tekkonkinkreet's Visuals Are Nothing Like Any Other Anime Movie

Tekkonkinkreet Unique Art Style

Tekkonkinkreet, also known as Black & White, is an experimental movie that follows two orphans from the giant metropolis Treasure Town opposing yakuza members who try to take over the city. The scene of avant-garde anime film is full of vibrant, unconventional exemplars, and Tekkonkinkreet is one that no anime fan should miss.

The movie's unique setting of a decaying megapolis overtaken by criminal gangs provides an engaging backdrop for the narrative's explosive action. Tekkonkinkreet is an energetic adventure that has a fantastic visual direction sense and unparallel style.

3 Demon Slayer Is An Artistic Masterpiece Of Shonen Action

Demon Slayer Fight

One of the most popular action anime of recent years, Demon Slayer, is famous for its spectacular visuals and polished animation. Ufotable's Demon Slayer stands out as one of the most well-produced shows in the current industry landscape.

RELATED: 10 Ways Demon Slayer Is Better When You're An Adult

The thrilling battles between the Demon Slayer Corps and their supernatural opponents are animated with outstanding attention to detail, even utilizing experimental animation techniques and combining art styles. The various Breathing Styles showcased in the anime are created using a stylistically distinctive pattern, which gives them a surreal, fascinating aesthetic.

2 Fate/Zero's Action Animation Looks Impressive Even Today

Saber (Fate/Zero)

The most prominent installment of the massive Fate franchise, the 2011 anime series Fate/Zero, is a thrilling and mature Battle Royale that hasn't lost its relevance to this day. The battle for the Holy Grail becomes big-scale tactical warfare, in which every participant is prepared to give their all to succeed in obtaining the artifact.

The show focuses on the violent encounters between the historical spirits known as Servants in the Fate universe. Ufotable's famous mastery in animating thrilling battles is the highlight of Fate/Zero that made the show a timeless classic of action anime.

1 Jujutsu Kaisen Is A Benchmark Of Quality Action Anime

Gojo using his special attack in the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie

The hit adaptation of a current Shonen Jump record beaker Jujutsu Kaisen baffled the viewers with its engrossing animation and vibrant art style. The series stands out from other shonen battle titles due to its energetic pace. The show never waits around and features a thrilling battle sequence in almost every episode.

Jujutsu Kaisen doesn't let its audience get bored, continuously progressing its thrilling plot. Despite a rather typical anime art style, the series' incredible production quality makes Jujutsu Kaisen the most visually stunning anime of the current decade.

NEXT: Jujutsu Kaisen: 10 Closest Fights The Heroes Almost Lost (But Didn't)