Jujutsu Kaisen is a smash-hit shonen manga/anime franchise that ranks among the best titles in modern shonen. This beloved fantasy anime pays tribute to the shonen classics that came before it while still having a unique and compelling voice of its own. And Jujutsu Kaisen also has excellent animation and a wonderful movie to its name.
All told, Jujutsu Kaisen is an essential part of the modern anime scene, but it is not yet #1 in the eyes of fans. While outstanding, Jujutsu Kaisen still has a ways to go, and it cannot easily compare to top-tier anime of previous or current years in terms of story, characters, themes, or action scenes.
10 My Hero Academia Has Deep Themes & Excellent Combat
One of Jujutsu Kaisen's main competitors is My Hero Academia, which not only has much more anime material than Jujutsu Kaisen but also has a better combat system and deeper, more resonant themes. My Hero Academia is more than a tribute to shonen classics and superhero comics - it has powerful messages about society, too.
My Hero Academia comments on what it really means to be a hero, and how subjective the concepts of good, evil, and heroes can really be in a world where villains are misunderstood or feel left out of society entirely. And the Quirk-based combat system found here is one of shonen's best.
9 Naruto Has Solid Themes & Great Combat
The hit shonen series Naruto was one of the "big three" of its day, alongside One Piece and Bleach. At first, Naruto felt like pretty conventional shonen, but this series has some surprising depth to it, including the complex friend/enemy relationship between Naruto and Sasuke. And there's more.
Naruto also explores worldly themes concerning revenge, hatred, and the cycle of violence, which is grimly applicable to the real world. It's hard to see how peace will ever be achieved when every nation or ninja wants to make everyone else pay for past wrongs. Naruto, who inherited Jiraiya's dream of peace, will find a way.
8 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Is Weird But Outstanding To Watch
The long-running JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is like a second One Piece, continuing to get better and more popular over the years since it launched back in 1987. This is an anthology shonen anime following a series of Joestar family heroes, from the Kenshiro-inspired Jonathan Joestar to the imprisoned heroine Jolyne Cujoh.
JoJo's has it all, from clever and unpredictable Stand-based action scenes to bizarre but great humor to a refreshing sense of adventure and wonder. The series also features some remarkable character and costume designs that Jujutsu Kaisen can't yet match.
7 Death Note Features Incredible Mind Games
The notorious shonen crime thriller manga/anime franchise Death Note challenged what it means to be a battle shonen story while not completely dismantling what shonen is supposed to be. The antihero is Light Yagami, a compelling and twisted protagonist who is determined to reshape the world by slaughtering criminals.
Light also aims to rule his own kingdom as Kira, the embodiment of dark justice. But first, he must confront the world's best detective, L, who is determined to topple Kira and his monstrous sense of justice. The resulting battle of wits and deep philosophical themes all put Jujutsu Kaisen to shame.
6 Hunter X Hunter Is A Shonen Staple
Despite repeated breaks that earned it the nickname Hiatus x Hiatus, the legendary shonen series Hunter x Hunter was almost part of the big three of its time. This long-running story is all about the hero Gon Freecss and his adventures across the world, including his quest to find his wayward father, Ging.
Hunter x Hunter has a cool Nen-based combat system that richly rewards creative thinking, and the story also features some of shonen's best fights and villains of all, such as the chimera ant king Meruem and the jester-like Hisoka Morrow. Mahito has yet to rival the likes of them as a shonen antagonist.
5 Demon Slayer Is Getting Ahead Of Jujutsu Kaisen
Demon Slayer is another iconic series of modern anime, and even if its manga has ended while Jujutsu Kaisen's is ongoing, Demon Slayer still has a serious lead over Jujutsu Kaisen. This is the story of the kind swordsman Tanjiro Kamado, who is on a quest to restore Nezuko's humanity and fight all manner of flesh-eating demons.
Demon Slayer's themes aren't quite as deep as Jujutsu Kaisen's, but this anime has Jujutsu Kaisen beat in terms of animation, emotional impact, character design, and its combat system, though the gap is a fairly narrow one. Depending on where its anime goes from here, Jujutsu Kaisen just might surpass Demon Slayer at last.
4 Attack On Titan Also Makes Pointed Commentary
Attack on Titan also has some deep, worldly themes to offer, mainly from a historical point of view concerning World War II. This grim, seinen-style shonen series is all about not just the battle against flesh-eating Titans, but also the battle between the Eldian and Marleyan people, with each group demonizing the other.
Attack on Titan also features some incredible animation with its 3D battles, many intense twists and turns in its story, and the courage to kill off many of its characters. Doing all that really cranks up the suspense and tension to heights that Jujutsu Kaisen simply cannot match.
3 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Is Peak Shonen
Anime fans widely agree that 2009's Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of the finest anime series, if not the very best. This anime does practically everything right, and Jujutsu Kaisen ought to pay attention and take notes. There is a lot to learn here.
Brotherhood features a stylish alchemy-based combat system in a steampunk world, historical references, deep themes of war and humanity, bizarre but cool villains, solid humor and drama, and even an excellent soundtrack and a runtime of 64 episodes. That's enough episodes to tell a great story without feeling drawn-out or tedious.
2 Neon Genesis Evangelion Is Fascinating
Newer is not always better, and plenty of anime from previous decades can compete with modern titles. An excellent example is the 1990s mecha anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, which has a well-earned reputation in the anime world for many reasons. Though it can also be tricky to fully understand at first.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is famed for its advanced animation techniques that hold up today, too. This anime also smartly deconstructs the mecha genre while also partially embracing it, and this anime also boasts deep, thoughtful themes about the human psyche, religion, and far more. The same is true for the movies.
1 One Piece Boasts Remarkable Worldbuilding & Consistency
The legendary shonen series One Piece defied the odds by getting better and better over the course of 25+ years of constant serialization, all while losing very little steam, if any. Having great characters, combat scenes, and humor is just the start. One Piece also sets a new standard for worldbuilding and lore.
Author Eiichiro Oda clearly worked very hard to create a compelling, realistic world that feels more like an open-ended RPG world to explore, which greatly adds to One Piece's appeal. Oda also took care to carefully weave together many character arcs and story beats to make his story huge but also consistent and cohesive. Few, if any, other shonen series have done this.