Even though some deride shonen anime for its formulaic nature, there's a reason it's still one of the most popular genres. That’s largely due to the fact most shonen series know what they’re best at and stick to it — impressive fight scenes, strong and often likable character archetypes, and powerful stories surrounding themes of friendship, family, and being an all-around decent person.

Over the years, there’s been no shortage of impressive shonen anime thanks both to Shonen Jump and its many competitors. It's a hot debate in anime fandoms as to which titles are the cream of the crop, but the best titles are sure to offer something unique.

Updated by Sage Ashford, February 11th 2024: Shonen anime is more popular than it's ever been, meaning there's more variety available to the fans. Aside from types of action series, shonen anime has also provided some of the greatest sports anime, comedies, and more. We've updated this list further to add more of the best shonen anime, representing a wider range of what the genre is capable of.

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The Best Isekai Of All Time, Ranked
The best of the best when it comes to Isekai anime have otherworldly stories, epically overpowered protagonists and remarkable adventure.

50 Flame of Recca Is The Best Modern Day Ninja Shonen Series

The cast of Flame Of Recca posing on the Official Poster
Flame Of Recca
TV-PG
Action
Adventure

In modern Japan where the way of ninja is still practiced secretly, Recca discovers that he has a power to manipulate fire. Eventually he meets people who also has strange power, and he soon has to overcome his past and face his destiny.

Release Date
July 19, 1997
Creator
Nobuyuki Anzai
Cast
Kôsuke Okano , Hikaru Midorikawa
Main Genre
Animation
Seasons
1 Season
Studio
Pierrot
Production Company
Fuji Television Network, Pierrot DAR, Pierrot

MyAnimeList Score:

7.34/10

IMDb Score:

7.3/10

To some, Flame of Recca is a poor man's Yu Yu Hakusho. Considering how good YYH is though, that would still place Flame of Recca head and shoulders above most shonen anime. Flame of Recca focuses on Recca Hanabishi, a teenager who thinks he's a ninja and who also has fire shooting out of his forearm. His quest to figure out his own family history leads him into the path of some dangerous people.

Flame of Recca appeals to fans who love awesome fight scenes and shonen tournament arcs. Outside of the Dark Tournament, it might have one of the best tournament storylines of all time. Combine that with some strong characterization and the result is a quality anime series.

49 S.Cry.ed Is A Shonen Version Of The X-Men

S.Cry.ed anime poster
S.Cry.ed
TV-PG
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Sci-Fi

Enter Kazuma, a reckless and hotheaded Native who lives with a little girl named Kanami. Kazuma barely manages to survive off working on a farm and doing tasks for his friend Kimishima. Soon, however, Kazuma becomes caught in the conflict with HOLY and forms a fierce rivalry with Ryuhou, one of its highest officers. What is the true intent of HOLY and its leader, Martin Zigmar?

Release Date
July 4, 2001
Cast
Steve Blum , jason spisak , Carrie Savage
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1
Production Company
Bandai Visual Company, Sunrise, TV Tokyo
Number of Episodes
26
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

MyAnimeList Score:

7.36/10

IMDb Score:

6.9/10

For anyone who’s ever wondered what X-Men would be like as a shonen anime, there’s Sunrise’s S.Cry.ed. It’s set in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, where an accident not only destroyed the city, but gave around one percent of its people super powers, known as Alters. Within this new world, an Alter known as Kazuma tries to live a simple life as a mercenary, but gets involved with the government organization HOLY in a mission that has the potential to reveal the secrets of the Alter world.

S.Cry.ed is one of the more fun shonen series to come out of the early 2000s. It’s not about a deep plot, and it doesn’t run for hundreds of episodes. It’s just got a perpetually angry protagonist that could give Wolverine a run for his money, and a bunch of cool fight scenes.

Kuzuma grinning coyly in the anime S.Cry.ed

48 Sorcerer Hunters Is A Fun Action Comedy

Sorcerer Hunters anime poster
Sorcerer Hunters
TV-MA
Comedy
Fantasy
Adventure

In Spurna, the Sorcerers are the rulers and tiranize the people. The people have only one hope: The Sorcerers Hunters, a group of people devoted to free Spurna from the evil sorcerers.

Release Date
October 3, 1995
Cast
Jason Douglas , Tiffany Grant , Junie Hoang
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1
Production Company
Daume, King Records, T-Up
Number of Episodes
26

MyAnimeList Score:

6.66/10

IMDb Score:

6.6/10

Not enough series know how to have fun without making their entire series premise a farce. Sorcerer Hunters manages perfectly crosses that line, introducing fans to a world split between two groups: humans and Sorcerers. With Sorcerers often abusing their powers, a group of fighters who specialize in fighting them travel the continent hunting evil sorcerers down.

Sorcerer Hunters has plenty of great dramatic moments, but also has plenty of slapstick comedy and running jokes to spice things up. Lovers of nostalgic ‘90s animation will have a blast here, but also anyone who appreciates great soundtracks will love this series’ exquisite jazzy background music.

The cast of Sorcerer Hunters smiling as they pose together

47 Arslan Senki Is A More Classic Action Fantasy Series

Arslan Senki TV poster
The Heroic Legend Of Arslan
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Fantasy

Arslan, a prince of Pars, loses his kingdom to Lusitania, a fanatical religious empire. He gathers allies to reclaim his throne and end the war between faiths.

Release Date
April 5, 2015
Cast
Jerry Jewell , Ryan Reynolds , Rachel Robinson
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
2
Production Company
Dentsu, FUNimation Entertainment, Kôdansha
Number of Episodes
34

MyAnimeList Score:

7.66/10

IMDb Score:

7.5/10

Young Arslan is the crown prince of Pars, but after a betrayal from within his country, loses his nation to the people of Lusitania. Forced to go on the run, Arslan collects a group of loyal allies who can help him regain his nation. Along the way, he grows into the type of person fit to rule over a country.

If Arslan Senki doesn’t feel like a modern anime, there’s a reason for that. Though the manga the series is based on comes from 2013, the novel that the manga is adapting is from 1986. For some people, this is the best of both worlds. The Arslan Senki remake features modern animation, yet lacks the overdone tropes of modern shonen anime.

Jaswant protects Arslan with his sword in Arslan Senki.

46 Mob Psycho 100 Shows The Danger In Messing With The Quiet Guy

Group Photograph from Mob Psycho 100 II OVA
Mob Psycho 100
TV-14
Action

A psychic middle school boy tries to live a normal life and keep his growing powers under control, even though he constantly gets into trouble.

Release Date
July 12, 2016
Creator
One
Cast
Kyle McCarley , Jason Liebrecht , Chris Niosi , Michael Sorich , Max Mittelman , Erik Scott , Kimerer , Casey Mongillo , Cherami Leigh
Main Genre
Action
Seasons
3
Studio
Bones
Number of Episodes
37 + 2 OVAs

MyAnimeList Score:

8.80/10

IMDb Score:

8.6/10

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Before there was One Punch Man, One built his name off of Mob Psycho 100. Unsurprisingly, Mob Psycho has amassed its own audience of devoted fans thanks to world-class animation from Bones and a humorous yet captivating storyline.

The series focuses on Mob, or Shigeo Kageyama. Mob has incredible psychic powers, but they’re so great he can’t quite control them. Seeking a teacher to help him sends him down a path of using more of his power, introducing the danger of losing himself to his own abilities.

Mob Admires the Giant Broccoli in Mob Pyscho 100 Season 3 Episode 6

45 Kekkai Sensen Puts A Normal Kid In The Most Dangerous City Ever

MyAnimeList Score:

7.60/10

IMDb Score:

7.2/10

Kekkai Sensen takes an eclectic cast and tosses them into the heart of the strangest city one can imagine in Hellsalem's Lot. Once a normal city, one day multiple realms fused there to change the city and its populace forever. Surviving there is more dangerous than ever, but it doesn't stop people from going about their day to day.

Kekkai Sensen has a great vibe and even better characters. Protagonist Leonard Watch and the members of Libra feel like family by the end. There's also some creative fight scenes that break from the expected battle shonen expectations, thrilling audiences.

Leonardo Watch closing his eyes with a look of dread in Kekkai Sensen

44 Fist of the North Star Inspired Countless Anime Afterward

Kenshiro on the poster for Fist of the North Star
Fist Of The North Star
TV-14
Action

After a nuclear war turns Earth into a lawless wasteland, Kenshiro, a practitioner of the deadly master art "Hokuto Shinken", fights a succession of tyrannical warriors to restore order.

Release Date
March 13, 1987
Creator
Buronson and Tetsuo Hara
Cast
Akira Kamiya , Kirk Thornton , Lex Lang (English) , Kenji Utsumi , John Snyder , Takaya Hashi
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
6

MyAnimeList Score:

7.96/10

IMDb Score:

8.2/10

In the not-at-all "distant" future of 19XX, a man named Kenshiro wanders the wastelands of a destroyed Earth on a quest to find his rival Shin. Shin kidnapped his fiance, putting Kenshiro on a quest for revenge. However, traversing the wastelands isn't easy. Fortunately, Kenshiro is a master of Hokuto Shinken, an unbeatable style of martial arts.

Fist of the North Star is an '80s anime classic. The popularity of the series reshaped what people thought shonen titles were supposed to be about. Kenshiro's iconic look also forced authors to rethink what a protagonist should look like, resulting in protagonists like Jonathan Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Saeba Ryo from City Hunter.

Kenshiro enters the wastelands in Fist of the North Star.

43 Saint Seiya Originated The Armored Hero Concept In Anime

Saint Seiya anime poster
Saint Seiya
TV-PG
Action
Adventure

A group a young warriors known as 'Saints', each in possession of a 'cloth' guarded by a different constellation, must protect the reincarnation of the goddess Athena as she attempts to keep the Earth from being destroyed by evil forces.

Release Date
August 30, 2003
Cast
Hideyuki Tanaka , Tôru Furuya , Ryô Horikawa
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
3
Production Company
Shueisha, Toei Animation
Number of Episodes
114

MyAnimeList Score:

7.75/10

IMDb Score:

8.5/10

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10 Strongest Saint Seiya Villains, Ranked
From Lucifer, the fallen Angel, to Eris, Goddess of Discord, Saint Seiya is full of rich villains that battle against Athena and her Saints.

Saint Seiya is another '80s shonen classic. The series follows a group of heroes known as Saints, placed in charge of protecting Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The Saints have proven themselves strong enough to gather the power of the Cosmos within them, using it to defeat any enemy if its in service of protecting Athena. Fighters chosen as Saints also have the right to the Sacred Cloths, armor that protects the Saints from any who might attack them.

While it can get a bit tiring seeing people repeat the same move, Saint Seiya is a transformative part of the shonen genre. The series basically pioneered the idea of Super Sentai-like groups of attractive young men fighting for a single cause. The same idea would repeat in multiple other anime, from Gundam Wing to Tenku Senki Shurato.

Gemini Saint smiles in gold armor from the Saint Seiya anime

42 D.Gray-man Presents Battle Shonen Through A Gothic Aesthetic

D.Gray-Man
D.Gray-Man
TV-14
Action
Adventure

Young Allen Walker, an exorcist, fights Akuma to save the world.

Release Date
October 3, 2006
Creator
Katsura Hoshino
Cast
Todd Haberkorn , Shizuka Itou , Sanae Kobayashi , Mark Stoddard
Main Genre
Animation
Seasons
1
Producer
Fukashi Azuma
Production Company
TV Tokyo
Number of Episodes
104 Episodes

MyAnimeList Score:

8.01/10

IMDb Score:

7.7/10

Allen Walker is the latest member of the Black Order--a group responsible for fighting against the Millennium Earl and his forces. The Millennium Earl revives souls and places them within his creations known as Akuma, demons that aim to destroy humanity. The members of the Black Order use their special weapons, known as Innocence, to protect humanity against the Earl, hoping to stop his last plan before it's too late.

D.Gray-man has always been one of the more popular shonen anime of the 2000s. While it was no Big Three, its gothic aesthetic carried its own unique appeal to fans. Readers seeking a world that's a bit darker and more challenging to the protagonists will likely find D.Gray-man a shonen worth their time.

Yu Kanda looking serious while wielding her sword in D.Gray-Man

41 GetBackers Is An Urban Fantasy With Two Charismatic Leads

GetBackers anime poster
GetBackers
TV-PG
Action
Adventure
Comedy
Sci-Fi

Ban Midou and Ginji Amano, two juvenile delinquents from the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, Japan, are also known as a pair of retrievers-for-hire called the GetBackers. Both of them possess supernatural powers to aid them in their missions.

Release Date
October 5, 2002
Cast
Sarah Hauser , Darren Pleavin , Shanon Weaver
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1
Production Company
Kôdansha, Rondo Robe, Studio DEEN
Number of Episodes
49

MyAnimeList Score:

7.58/10

IMDb Score:

7.4/10

The Get Backers are a two-person group, Amano Ginji and Mido Ban, who will find any item for a client, no matter what it is or how hard it is. Though they've never failed a job, most of their work takes them into some of the dangerous parts of their city, against some of the most dangerous threats. Fortunately, both of them have incredible powers to rely on. Ban has his "evil" eye, while Ginji wields mastery over electricity.

Easily one of the best action series of the 2000s, GetBackers' true strength is the charisma of the lead characters. They play off each other well enough to make the sudden shifts between comedy and action work perfectly. Fans looking for an urban fantasy with strong shonen elements should start here.

The main cast of GetBackers posing and looking cool as they walk

40 Mashle Knows How To Combine Humor And Action

Mash Burndead in front of his schoolmates in Mashle Magic and Muscle
Mashle: Magic And Muscles
TV-14
Comedy
Fantasy

Into a world of magicians is born Mash, a young boy who lacks magic but is the strongest person around. His existence and destiny will change his world.

Release Date
April 8, 2023
Creator
Hajime Kōmoto
Cast
Chiaki Kobayashi , Katsuyuki Konishi , Takuya Eguchi
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1
Studio
A-1 Pictures
Number of Episodes
12

MyAnimeList Score:

7.56/10

IMDb Score:

7.5/10

Existing in a world of magic as the only human who can't use magic is hard enough. But doing the same thing at a magic academy is on another level! However, that's exactly the trouble Mash Burnedead finds himself in when he's forced to attend Magic School. To protect his peaceful life, he'll have to find a way to accel to the top of his school. It seems like an impossible task, but Mash has something working in his favor.

Reading a description of Mashle doesn't do it justice. The series is a laugh-riot from episode one, where Mash defeats a mage by kicking his magic spells around like a soccer ball. Fans of great comedy anime series will take to this show instantly, but even action fans will find plenty to love here. Like One Punch Man, while Mash is ridiculously powerful, the rest of his cast has to struggle to find a way to win their fights.

39 Fire Force Features A Feast Of Fiery Fight Scenes

Fire Force anime cast huddled together
Fire Force

A superhuman firefighter force is formed to deal with supernatural fire incidents.

Genre
Anime
Language
Japanese/English Dub
Number of Seasons
2
Debut Date
July 6, 2019
Studio
David Production

MyAnimeList Score:

7.71/10

IMDb Score:

7.6/10

In the world of Fire Force, the planet struggles with spontaneous human combustion. Everyday people are suddenly transformed into Infernals, beings made of pure flame that attack the rest of humanity. Some people resist the transformation, instead gaining the power to control fire. Many of these people become part of the Fire Force, a group that protects humanity from the Infernals.

It's here that Shinra Kusakabe becomes a member of Fire Force Company 8, a company designed to both protect humanity... and discover the truth behind the spontaneous combustion. Fire Force is pure shonen action at its best. David Production takes their animation skills to a new level, with fight scenes that are absolutely jaw-dropping, and belong up there with some of the best. Meanwhile, the awesome character designs rival some of the best from the Big 3 anime, making it easy to get invested in the world.

Shinra and Arthur training in Fire Force

38 Tomorrow's Joe Focuses On The Growth Of A Rookie Boxer

Joe Yabuki Looks to the Sky in the Tomorrow's Joe Promo
Tomorrow's Joe
Sports
Drama

In Tomorrow's Joe, Joe Yabuki is mentored by Danpei Tange to become a boxing champion.

Release Date
April 1, 1970
Studio
Mushi Production
Main Cast
Teruhiko Aoi, Shuusei Nakamura and Juukei Fujioka

MyAnimeList Score:

8.30/10

IMDb Score:

8.3/10

Joe Yabuki is a young man who answers all his problems with fighting. His rowdy ways eventually draw the attention of a former boxing coach, who agrees to teach Joe the ways of the sweet science of boxing. That said, Joe's way forward isn't easy, and becoming a boxer is more of a challenge than anything he accomplished before.

Tomorrow's Joe is a legendary anime series that all fans of the medium should make the time to try. Though both seasons are from the '70s and '80s, the character development and plotting in both is unmatched. Fans don't just get to experience the high points in Joe's life, but the challenges of his full life as he grows from a boy to a man. If nothing else, fans of series like Hajime no Ippo or Slam Dunk should place Tomorrow's Joe near the top of their To Watch list.

the protagonist of tomorrow's joe with boxing gloves

37 Blue Lock Examines What It Means To Be Competitive

The charactes of Blue Lock in fragmented pieces of glass in Blue Lock Anime Poster
Blue Lock
TV-14
Sports
Anime
Thriller

High school soccer players from across Japan gather for a controversial project designed to create the best and most egoistic striker in the world.

Release Date
October 8, 2022
Creator
Muneyuki Kaneshiro
Cast
Kazuki Ura , Tasuku Kaito , Yuki Ono , Soma Saito , Masatomo Nakazawa , Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Shoya Chiba , Shugo Nakamura
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1
Studio
Eight Bit
Franchise
Blue Lock
Characters By
Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura
Distributor
Crunchyroll
Main Characters
Yoichi ISagi, Meguru Bachira, Rensuke Kunigami, Hyoma Chigiri, Wataru Kuon, Jingo Raichi, Yudai Imamura, Gin Gagamaru
Production Company
Eight Bit
Story By
Muneyuki Kaneshiro
Writers
Muneyuki Kaneshiro

MyAnimeList Score:

8.30/10

IMDb Score:

8.3/10

Related
10 Best Blue Lock Characters
Only the best can survive in Blue Lock's intense atmosphere, and players like Isagi Yoichi, Meguru Bachira, and Seishiro Nagi have what it takes.

Yoichi Isagi is a star soccer player dealing with a crushing loss, when suddenly he learns he's been selected for project Blue Lock. Project Blue Lock is designed to find the best striker for the Japanese national team, putting 300 students through rigorous training to figure out which one will become the best. Yoichi decides to push himself by entering this project, wanting to discover the limits of his abilities.

Blue Lock takes a different approach to sports than most other anime series. Most shows focus on the power of friendship, but Blue Lock instead centers on competition. Each character is out for themselves, aiming for a spot that only one person can take in the end.

Blue Lock's Chigiri outrunning the Wanimas.

36 Magic Kaito 1412 Offers Viewers A Heroic Gentleman Thief

Magic Kaito anime poster
Magic Kaito
TV-14
Comedy
Crime
Mystery

Kaito Kuroba, a normal teenage high school student, stumbles across the secret of his father's death: his father was not only a magician, but the famous phantom thief Kaitou Kid, and was killed by an organization for reasons unknown. Taking up his father's mantle in an attempt to bait the killers, Kaito performs a number of thefts.

Release Date
April 17, 2010
Creator
Gôshô Aoyama
Cast
Unshô Ishizuka , Kappei Yamaguchi , Ayumi Fujimura
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
2
Production Company
TMS Entertainment
Number of Episodes
12

MyAnimeList Score:

7.89/10

IMDb Score:

7.3/10

Kaito Kuroba has just discovered the truth behind his father's death. His dad was secretly the phantom thief known as Kaito Kid, who relied on illusionist tricks to pull off massive capers and steal legendary gemstones. However, Kaito Kid's actions brought him into the crosshairs of a dangerous organization, a group also seeking the legendary Pandora Gem for their own purposes. To get justice for his dad, Kaito Kuroba takes on his father's role as the Kaito Kid, hoping to find the Pandora Gem before his enemies can.

From the creator of Case Closed, Magic Kaito 1412 brings the same iconic art style to a different story. Instead of focusing on solving whodunnits, Magic Kaito becomes a solo heist series. Despite the series' episodic nature, most fans will find Kaito Kuroba too charismatic to resist, especially since finishing it isn't the Herculean task watching Case Closed is.

Kaito holding out his gloved hand in the anime Magic Kaito

35 Magi: Labyrinth Of Magic's Leads Build A Kingdom Through Dungeon Exploration

Alladin and Simbad in Magi- The Labyrinth of Magic
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
TV-14
Anime
Action
Adventure

Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana go their separate ways after spending time together in Sindria to develop their own strengths, make new friends and prepare for what is coming.

Release Date
October 7, 2012
Creator
Shinobu Ohtaka
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
2
Production Company
A-1 Pictures, Aniplex
Number of Episodes
50
Main Cast
Erica Mendez, Erik Scott Kimerer, Kaori Ishihara

MyAnimeList Score:

8.01/10

IMDb Score:

7.8/10

In the world of Magi, riches and power are available to anyone who conquers a Dungeon. Massive labyrinths with dangerous traps and guardians within, dungeons designate those with the ability to become King. In this world, young Alibaba and his new friend — a Magi named Aladdin — aim to conquer a dungeon for themselves. However, doing so plunges them into a power struggle amidst some of the strongest magicians and rulers in the world.

Pulling inspiration from the One Thousand and One Nights folk tales, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic is a unique battle shonen. The action is still just as fierce as something like Naruto or One Piece, but the protagonists eschew all the usual shonen character tropes. The result is a series that feels more fresh than other series, which often feel like clones of the Big Three.

A closeup of Sinbad grinning in Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

34 World Trigger Features Quirky Leads And Creative Combat

World Trigger anime poster
World Trigger
TV-14
Action
Sci-Fi

A gate to another dimension has burst open, and from it emerge gigantic invincible creatures that threaten all of humanity. Earth's only defense is a mysterious group of warriors who have co-opted the alien technology in order to fight back!

Release Date
September 1, 2014
Cast
Yûki Kaji , Brian Doe Chua , Tomo Muranaka
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
3
Production Company
Toei Animation
Number of Episodes
99
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

MyAnimeList Score:

7.58/10

IMDb Score:

7.5/10

World Trigger is a battle shonen series that would be far more popular if not for the massive break between season one and the rest. The show takes place in a world where Earth is being invaded by strange beings known as "Neighbors."

To fight back, a new group known as the Border Defense Agency is created, relying on new weapons capable of actually harming the Neighbors. The lead protagonist is Osamu Mikumo, a younger member of the Border Defense Agency, who finds himself working with a transfer student from his school, Yuma Kuga. There's just one wrinkle: Yuma is also a Neighbor, who wants to fight against his own people.

Osamu manifesting an energy weapon in his hands in the anime World Trigger

33 Medaka Box Is A Genius Parody Of The Shonen Genre

Medaka Box anime poster
Medaka Box
TV-14
Action
Comedy
Romance

Elected as student council president with 98% of votes, Medaka is a brilliant students who will help students any way she can. This leads to the introduction of a suggestions box, which will later be given the nickname of 'Medaka Box'. Some of the suggestions therein, however, will provide some tough challenges for her and her student council friends.

Release Date
April 4, 2012
Cast
Monica Rial , David Matranga , Greg Ayres
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
2
Production Company
Gainax, Hanokiwa Academy Student Council, Lantis
Number of Episodes
24

MyAnimeList Score:

7.02/10

IMDb Score:

6.4/10

Medaka Box has a great, if incomplete, adaptation. The series focuses on Medaka Kurokami, the Student Council President for Hakoniwa Academy. Medaka is seemingly perfect — smart, gifted, compassionate, and beautiful. However, being perfect comes with its drawbacks, like finding people who can stand alongside perfection.

Medaka struggles to connect with others around her, leading her to create a suggestion box she titles the "Medaka Box" for the purposes of improving the school. A clever satire of all the shonen tropes people have come to love, Medaka Box is perfect for every fan who wants a shonen series that's more thoughtful about how it tells its story.

Medaka Kurokami and Kouki Akune from Medaka Box in front of a dark background with lightning.

32 Ranma 1/2 Is A Nostalgic '80s Classic

Ranma 1/2 1989 anime series with the cast in the forefront
Ranma 1/2
TV-PG
Action
Comedy

Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan's rule. 

Release Date
April 5, 1989
Creator
Rumiko Takahashi
Cast
Megumi Hayashibara , Noriko Hidaka , Kappei Yamaguchi , Sarah Strange
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
7
Studio
Studio Deen
Number of Episodes
143

MyAnimeList Score:

7.76/10

IMDb Score:

8.1/10

Related
10 Ways Ranma 1/2 Embraces Shonen Clichés
As a satire martial arts shonen anime, Ranma 1/2 is the perfect old-school anime to revel in familiar cliches and make them a joy to watch.

The original gender swap comedy series, Ranma 1/2 is another adaptation from the legendary Rumiko Takahashi. Ranma 1/2 focuses on martial arts prodigy Ranma Saotome after he's been forcibly engaged to another martial artist, Akane Tendo, because of their parents.

Akane is well known for her hatred of men, though that might work in Ranma's favor since he's under a magical curse that transforms him into a woman whenever he comes into contact with cold water. This series was massively successful in the nineties for a reason. Fans of shonen should find this series easy to love.

Ranma Saotome gives Akane Tendo a flower in Ranma 1/2.

31 History's Greatest Disciple Kenichi Shows A Novice Fighter Become A Master

Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
TV-14
Action
Comedy

"Weak Legs" Kenichi Shirahama would rather spend his time reading self improvement books than fighting.

Release Date
October 7, 2006
Creator
Syun Matsuena
Cast
Jessie James Grelle , Christopher Sabat , Kent Williams
Main Genre
Animation
Seasons
3 Seasons
Production Company
TMS Entertainment, Brains Base

MyAnimeList Score:

8.05/10

IMDb Score:

8.1/10

History's Greatest Disciple Kenichi is one of the better shonen series of the 2000s that doesn't involve the so-called "Big 3." The series focuses on teenager Kenichi Shirahama, who struggles with being bullied by some kids at his school. However, when he meets new student Miu, he realizes she has incredible martial arts ability, and asks her to help him learn how to become stronger.

Talking to Miu leads Kenichi to the Ryozanpaku dojo, where he meets martial arts masters capable of seemingly impossible feats. With so many masters, Kenichi finally thinks he can gain the strength to stand up for himself, if he can make it through their ridiculous training.

Kenichi training while his instructor laughs in The Mightiest Disciple Kenichi