While the name might not have quite as much instant brand recognition in the West as the likes of Kyoto Animation or P.A. Works, Pierrot has nonetheless churned out a number of hit anime over the years. These include major shonen staples that have become household names even among non-anime fans, such as Bleach and Naruto, as well as popular darker titles like Tokyo Ghoul.
However, Pierrot has been around far longer than that. While Naruto began airing in its home country in 2002, and Bleach in 2004, the studio was established in 1979, making it one of the longest-running anime studios still producing mainstream and hugely successful series today. Not all of these are shonen battle shows though -- here are five of the very best anime that Pierrot has produced to date that help to highlight the studio’s variety.
Great Teacher Onizuka (1999-2000)
22-year-old Eikichi Onizuka may be an ex-biker gang leader, but his dream now is to become the best high school teacher in the country -- not because he (at first) has any great passion for teaching, but rather because he wants to score an adoring young wife. However, when he somehow ends up being hired as a teacher at Holy Forest Academy, his unique talents as well as his character are put to the test, as he’s placed in charge of the infamous Class 3-4, whose students are anything but easy to contend with.
Based on a shonen comedy manga of the same name, the 43-episode Great Teacher Onizuka anime blends its satirical themes and often highly irreverent sense of humor with a sense of deep earnestness. While some of its jokes haven’t necessarily aged well, GTO tackles a lot of surprisingly deep themes, such as bullying, sexual harassment and suicide, with even more surprising aplomb. It is likely for this reason that the series remains relatively popular to this day.
Polar Bear Café (2012-13)
The titular Shirokuma Café is a place owned and run by the enigmatic polar bear, aptly named Shirokuma. His café is popular among both animals and humans, although it becomes a hang-out spot for two customers in particular: an incredibly lazy and child-like panda who begins working part-time at the local zoo, and an older emperor penguin who likes to hear himself talk and has aspirations of becoming a comedian. Together with the pun-loving Shirokuma, they fill their days with conversations, road trips and get-togethers with other café customers.
Polar Bear Café (the literal translation of its Japanese title) is a josei manga-based work whose sense of humor is derived from its absurdist slice-of-life narrative. Following a largely episodic format, with each episode usually further broken up into bite-sized skits, the anime is mostly dialogue-driven and takes a whimsically silly yet gentle approach to its story and characters. The work may also be viewed as an iyashikei title, in that it’s a show that’s not only easy to watch but also makes for an extremely relaxing and oddly soul-soothing experience.
Yona of the Dawn (2014-15)
Yona is a kind-hearted but sheltered princess whose father is the pacifist ruler of the kingdom of Kouka. However, her days of pampered peacefulness come to an abrupt end when she is forced to flee for her life after witnessing her father being murdered as part of a coup d'état by none other than Soo-won -- Yona’s first love. Now, alongside her loyal bodyguard Son Hak, Yona must learn to survive in the wilderness and get revenge by seeking out the four dragon warriors of legend, who are said to be the key to Kouka’s harmony and prosperity.
While it may seem close to a reverse-harem at first blush, the shojo manga-based Yona of the Dawn (Akatsuki no Yona) has plenty to offer besides romance. An epic fantasy with just as epic character development, Yona herself undergoes a completely believable journey from spoiled princess to determined leader, fully capable of making her own decisions and inspiring others in the process. Combined with its tense action scenes and genuinely moving sub-plots, Yona of the Dawn is a must-watch for any fantasy-adventure fan.
Mr. Osomatsu (2015-16)
Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu are the identical sextuplets who make up the Matsuno brothers. Once rambunctious yet charming boys, they have since become ne'er-do-well NEETs whose various personality quirks have developed into gaping character flaws, from the egotistical and womanizing Karamatsu to the constantly overexcited and still exceedingly child-like Jyushimatsu. Their everyday lives are typically filled not with work or study but with drinking, gambling and attempting to score girlfriends.
An outrageous parody that showcases some razor-sharp satire, Mr. Osomatsu (Osomatsu-san) is something of a spinoff of the 1962 Osomatsu-kun manga, although absolutely no knowledge of the latter is needed to enjoy the contemporary anime. Although spanning 75 episodes across three seasons, the first season of Osomatsu-san is the most compelling. Its premiere episode alone -- which was actually removed from streaming services in November 2015 -- is nothing short of astounding in its audaciousness, although thankfully still far from the only standout episode the series has to offer.
Akudama Drive (2020)
Far in the future, Kansai has become a vassal state of Kanto and the police have the power to carry out public executions of anyone they deem fit to be an enemy of society. The worst of these are called “Akudama” – lawless men and women who are accused of committing the most heinous of crimes. When a young woman is accidentally arrested on a minor charge, she is caught between several Akudama and the equally as brutal police force, forcing her on a deadly adventure -- one that will not only challenge her physically and mentally but also completely upend society as everyone knows it.
Akudama Drive is an anime-original series, although the first part of the manga adaptation was released a couple of months prior to the show. A dystopian cyberpunk action title, Akudama Drive counts among its inspirations many works both Western and Japanese, including Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Luc Besson’s Léon: The Professional, Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Oshii Mamoru’s Ghost in the Shell. However, the anime has a story, cast and atmosphere entirely its own, complete with super-slick visuals to match and one heck of an OP.