Over the years, the anime medium has continuously proven stereotypes of the genre to be false, with films like Your Name, a romantic drama, being listed as one of the most successful and well-received films of all time. Though cliche animes can be truly entertaining it is important to note that not all shows fit within the tropes that people associate with the medium.

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That's not to say that action is a bad thing, as many anime series live and die by the quality of its fight scenes, but sometimes there is more to a story than simply how well one spiky-haired character can punch another spiky-haired character. And that something elevates its story above and beyond what is normally expected by anime shows into greatness.

Updated On July 7th, 2021 By Anthony Mazzuca: The past decade was filled with great anime and storylines. It represents a sea of change that hadn't been seen in some time, with two-thirds of the Big Three ending with Bleach (coming back this decade) and Naruto airing their last episodes. In its place, other shonen such as Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia rose to prominence.

15 Universal Survival Arc Was When Dragon Ball Super Got Back Down To Basics

jiren vs goku dragonball super

Dragon Ball Super had a few false starts in the early seasons, with bad animations left and right as well as long drawn-out stories before the real fun began with the Universe 6 arc. With the revelation that there were multiple universes, it opened the door to more unique plotlines, including the forgotten tournament arcs that hadn't been seen since Majin Buu and the long-awaited return of Future Trunks.

The final arc, Universal Survival, carries more weight than any story in Dragon Ball history, with not only the hero's universe being threatened with destruction, but every other universe in existence, adding intensity and desperation to the already breakneck fight scenes the series is known for.

14 The Downfall Of The Espada Was The Ending Bleach Deserved

Isshin and Ichigo

The final battle of Soul Reapers against the remaining Arrancar was climactic, action-packed, and what could have been a good send-off for the series. Across the many, many battles that take place, we finally see the resolution of Ichigo and Ulquiorra's fight, culminating in Ichigo's most badass form yet, as well as finally seeing what many previously unknown zanpakuto abilities are.

The only real weak point of this arc is the amount of filler, but now that the series has ended - at least for now - it's easy enough to skip those episodes.

13 Season 1 Of Tokyo Ghoul Centers On Growing To Accept Yourself & Others

Ken Kaneki in the hospital tokyo ghoul

While the series takes a nosedive in quality in its sequels, season 1 of Tokyo Ghoul is high-quality television. It centered on Ken Kaneki getting turned into a half-ghoul after getting attacked by Rize.

There's action spread throughout with some great action moments, but the core of the story is Kaneki growing to accept his new life. It's why it plays an important part in the finale. There are great character developments from its core cast beyond Kaneki as well.

12 Erased Is One Of The Better Time Travel Anime

Kids run towards their destiny in Erased.

This twelve-episode anime follows Satoru, a man with a strange ability called "Revival" that sends him back in time moments before a life-threatening incident will occur, allowing him to change fate.

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In one particular instance, his mother is murdered by a mysterious person and he is thrust 18 years into the past to prevent not only his mother's death but the kidnapping of a childhood friend. Although it's fairly short, Erased stands as one of the better time travel and murder mystery stories out there.

11 Season 1 Mob Psycho 100 Shows That Being Powerful Doesn't Make You Better Than Anyone Else

Mob Psycho 100 happy

Mob Psycho 100 got overshadowed upon its release by other anime in 2016 but gained more steam for its interesting animation style in season 2. The show is much like ONE's other work in that it has an overpowered protagonist who's just trying to make it through life.

The deeper meaning of the show is that being more powerful or smarter than others doesn't inherently make you better than them. It's rare to see in anime as often the overpowered character flaunts their powers.

10 The First Half Of Parasyte The Maxim Is A Bloody Ride That Features A Great Bond Between Man & Parasite

parasyte the maxim Shinichi's infected arm

At a glance, Parasyte The Maxim seems like a body horror-oriented show, and while there is plenty of that, it's far from the only thing that it has to offer.

It starts bloody, many of the infected humans having grotesque-looking transformations, but as the series goes on Shinichi, and his parasite Migi begin to form a bond together. Their relationship is one of the more interesting parts of the show, harkening to something like Venom and his hosts in Marvel.

9 The Boros Arc Is By Far The Best In One Punch Man, Making Saitama Break A Sweat For Once

Saitama punches through Boros in One-Punch Man.

The best battle in all of One Punch Man so far has to be Saitama taking on the galactic overlord Boros and marks the first time ever that Saitama fails to utterly destroy his opponent in a single punch. Beginning with the hilarious revelation that a prediction of the end of the world could come at any second, Boros' ship descends upon the Earth and the heroes are all sent into battle, except for Saitama, who bee-lines for the main chamber.

Like with previous fights involving multiple heroes, we get to see what the others are truly capable of, although this time it's many of the A and S-Rank heroes on the front lines rather than the cannon-fodder that usually throw themselves into danger with less than stellar results.

8 Invasion of Pain Changed The Entire Dynamic of Shippuden

Pain talking to Naruto in Naruto Shippuden.

So much happens in this arc that it can be hard to keep track of. Konahamaru uses the Rasengan on screen for the first time, Naruto gets to show the results of his training in senjutusu and Hinata finally tells Naruto she loves him, not that anything happens between them until much later on. It's also the closest we've seen to Kurama taking over Naruto, with only Minato being able to help stop the transition into a full-blown nine-tailed form.

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The Invasion of Pain story also gives us probably the most breakneck fight we've seen in the entire series up until that point, with Pain and Naruto flying around the battlefield Dragon Ball style for a good portion of their fight.

7 The Hero Killer Saga Is When My Hero Academia Truly Hit Its Stride

Stain the hero killer My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia was a solid series with a cool premise, but it hit greatness once Stain, the hero killer, came into the picture. He presented a great challenge for Deku and company, both as a force and philosophically.

While at a glance he seems like a psychotic killer, Stain is one of the deepest villains in the entire series. His motives were interesting and introduced a dynamic that made viewers question if heroes were worthy of their lofty standing.

6 Puella Magi Madoka Magica Turned The Clichés Of Magical Girl Anime On Their Head

Madoka looking happy in Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Magical girl shows have been around almost as long as anime has, with series like Cardcaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon still standing as highlights of the genre even years after they had finished. Puella Magi Madoka Magica, however, pulls a Neon Genesis Evangelion and flips the standard tropes on its head to make one of the most entertaining stories to date.

Like Evangelion, it takes a good hard look at what is normally celebrated in its genre and shows the viewers that great power comes with great sacrifice and consequences. There are also some surprisingly violent fight scenes that should interest people who don't normally watch magical girl anime.

5 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Focuses On Grief & How To Deal With It

Jinta as a teenager looking back at Menma's ghost in Anohana

The story of Anohana follows a group of estranged friends who, after one of their group mysteriously comes back to life as a spirit, work together to try and figure out what is anchoring her to the living world and help her move on.

While only eleven episodes long, it manages to grip its viewers in a story that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as each of the group comes to terms with the death of their friend in their own ways and find a way to move on as well.

4 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Comes To A Thrilling Conclusion Filled With Callbacks & Returns

Father versus the Army in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Everything the Elric brothers have learned about Amestris, Father, and the philosopher's stone culminates in the final arc of this popular series. The Promised Day has arrived and it's their last chance to stop Father from opening Earth's gate and obtaining the power of a god.

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What makes this story so good is the fact that nearly every character the Elric brothers have encountered in their quest comes back to help them in the final battle, with many tearful reunions among those who had to flee for their lives and with their alchemy teacher, Izumi, finally declaring herself an alchemist rather than a housewife.

3 Hunter x Hunter Is At It's Peak During The Chimera Ant Arc

Chimera Ants closeup

For many, the Chimera Ant arc is what cemented in the minds of viewers that Hunter X Hunter was one of the best, if not the best, Shonen anime to have ever come out.

Following Gon as he tries to prevent the titular monsters from wreaking havoc on the world, it culminates in the climactic battle of an adult Gon that even people who haven't watched a single episode of the anime probably know about.

2 Steins;Gate Tells A Beautiful Story Of Loss & The Effects Of Time Travel

Steins Gate Egoistic Poriomania

When it comes to time travel anime, Steins; Gate will always reign supreme, not only in this decade but any before it. It handles it in a way that's both amusing and unsettling, a feature of the anime as a whole.

Certain episodes can leave you laughing, and others that will have tears rolling down your face. Much of that is due to how the anime handles love and loss, making the viewer feel for the characters in a way that makes you better understand their actions.

1 The Return to Shiganshina In Attack on Titan Was The Perfect Way To End An Arc & Leave Fans Wanting More

Shiganshina _ Attack on Titan

An action-packed story in an already action-packed series, the arc follows the attempt to retake Wall Maria, which had been lost to the Titans at the beginning of the series, and the search for clues to the history of the Titan's that may be locked in Eren's old house.

Characters die, secrets are revealed and new Titans are born by the conclusion of the arc, leaving fans wanting more, just as any good ending should.

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