Anime continues to become an increasingly mainstream form of entertainment. Still, out of the many eclectic genres of anime that exist, it’s typically shonen series that drum up the most exciting and find the greatest level of popularity. There’s never been a shortage of shonen content and the genre has been able to adapt along with the other modern anime that have come along.
2020 in particular was a strong year for anime and there were many series, both new and returning, that turned out some wonderful content. There’s some great shonen anime from 2020 that people deserve to check out.
10 The God Of High School Searches For The Best Of The Best (7.12)
The God of High School is another major series to come out of Crunchyroll in 2020 that already has a massive audience built in thanks to the property’s original manhwa. The God of High School centers around a prestigious tournament that assembles the very best adolescent fighters from South Korea. The anime begins in a relatively grounded place, but intricate martial arts transform into elaborate displays of superpowers. Extreme abilities and a lovable trio of main characters, led by the jovial Jin Mori, help The God of High School find its footing early on.
9 Appare-Ranman! Is A Thrilling Race For Vast Rewards (7.34)
Shonen anime series never struggle to find different competitions that test the strength of their characters, but the recent Appare-Ranman! Decides to mash together shonen sensibilities with a racing anime structure cleverly. An intelligent engineer and a sheepish samurai wind up as an unexpected team that's enrolled in a race across America to win prize money that they desperately need. Appare and Kosame are fun characters to follow, but Appare-Ranman! expands its scope and makes sure that every leg of this race feels exciting yet different.
8 Food Wars! The Fifth Plate Continues To Turn Cooking Into Combat (7.37)
Anime often tells stories that feel like they’d be impossible anywhere else, and the Food Wars! Series is a fantastic example of this. Food Wars! Turns a passion for cooking and the culinary arts into a competitive battle that’s as suspenseful as two warriors flinging fireballs at each other.
Soma’s journey to becoming the very best chef is a fun and unique narrative to juxtapose to the typical shonen anime hero. Season five of the entertaining anime brings Soma closer to his ultimate culinary dominance goal.
7 Tower Of God Is Full Of Mysterious Warriors That Are Determined To Reach The Top (7.69)
Tower of God is an anime that’s adapted from the highly popular manhwa and webcomic that finds a creative and ominous way to bring a varied cast of characters into competition with one another. Tower of God’s titular tower is a vast and enigmatic battleground where esteemed fighters from all over are willing to do whatever is necessary to reach the top and get their wish. Tower of God’s protagonist, Bam, begins as a highly passive character, but he learns some valuable lessons that force him to grow up and face the dangers surrounding him.
6 Season 2 Of Fire Force Turns Up The Heat And Expands Its World (7.79)
Fire Force is another shonen title that finds a way to approach superpowers and chaotic battles from a reasonably fresh angle. Fire Force is set in a dystopian alternate version of the future where spontaneous combustion is the norm, and fiery Infernals run amok. Special Fire Force divisions fight against this growing epidemic, and season two of the anime really puts its characters through the gauntlet. Some of the best moments of the entire season happen in Fire Force’s second season, and it perfectly sets up an even more explosive season three.
5 Dorohedoro Features A Chaotic World That’s Out Of Control (8.10)
Dorohedoro would be as if the genres of fantasy, science fiction, thriller, and horror all got put into a blender together. The series is set in a wonderful world where magic and crime are rampant. Caiman suddenly wakes up one day with no memory of who he is and his past, as well as the realization that he has a reptilian head.
Caiman’s journey to regain his sense of self sets him on a strange and dangerous adventure. Dorohedoro is also proof that CG can be effectively done in anime with the right, artistic approach.
4 A Certain Scientific Railgun T Uncovers A Disturbing Conspiracy (8.25)
A Certain Scientific Railgun T is the third season in the Scientific Railgun franchise, and it pushes the series dark subject matter further than ever before. The anime deceptively features a bubbly cast of feminine characters, but the series uses them to investigate violent terrorist attacks and a growing conspiracy, rather than marginalize them. The look and style of the anime’s heroines help create an even greater sense of fear. A Certain Scientific Railgun T isn't afraid to take risks, and its shocking developments help make it the most satisfying season of the anime yet.
3 The Great Pretender Shows The Artistry In A Good Con (8.41)
So many of these series trade in violence and physical demonstrations of strength, but The Great Pretender is a refreshing change of pace where mental domination that’s the priority. The Great Pretender follows an exceptional group of grifters who attempt to turn the tables on the privileged and corrupt with elaborate schemes. The Great Pretender’s plotting is on a whole other level, and it’s always several steps ahead of the audience. Every heist is close to perfection, and the breathtaking animation by WIT Studio helps each scene pop.
2 Season 3 Of Golden Kamuy Works Harder To Reach Gold (8.47)
Golden Kamuy turns the clock back to the early 20th century in a dangerous period in Hokkaido's history. Golden Kamuy isn't based on a true story, but it carefully pulls from real cultures in a way that makes this old fashioned hunt for gold feel more authentic and not like some outlandish adventure. Sugimoto and Asirpa are the perfect unlikely pair and season three does some excellent work as it explores how they function separately before they're reunited. It’s hard not to get caught up in their commitment to their mission.
1 Jujutsu Kaisen Is Set To Be The Next Bit Shonen Hit (8.51)
Tons of new anime comes out every year, and it’s not uncommon for popular series to lose their steam over time. It’s difficult to maintain interest over a first season. Still, Jujutsu Kaisen genuinely gets better with each episode, and it has a bright future of cursed spirit slaying and exorcism ahead of it. Jujutsu Kaisen elegantly has its protagonist, Yuji Itadori, become entangled with the war between good and evil. The battles, characters, and backstory in Jujutsu Kaisen are all extremely satisfying, and hopefully, its second season won’t lose any of this momentum.