Shonen anime make up the vast majority of modern-day popular anime. When it comes to shows that breach the mainstream zeitgeist, few manage to break through that aren't specifically aimed at a shonen demographic. With so many studios trying their hand at these anime, it makes sense that a vast majority end up failing.
A cynical fan may see a new and upcoming shonen anime announcement and naturally assume it'll be subpar. But a few shonen anime manage to thrive in spite of the saturated field. These anime may not be perfect, but they are better than they have any right to be.
10 Spy X Family Is The Biggest Anime Of 2022
Spy X Family is a unique addition to the world of shonen anime. Unlike many shonen which center around bombastic, energy battles and exciting fantasy worlds, Spy X Family is set in a modern-day Japan following a wholesome, makeshift family that just happens to be made up of spies, assassins, and psychics.
Following its premiere, the anime has skyrocketed in popularity, amassing a fandom that many franchises can only dream of. At one point, Spy X Family even topped the highest-rated charts on MyAnimeList.
9 Attack On Titan Had A Decade Long Mystery
Attack on Titan is one of the most impressive anime to come out in the past few decades. Very few shows can tell a story as engaging and intriguing as Attack on Titan, while still withholding the actual premise of the series for as long as it did.
Attack on Titan didn't reveal the true nature of its story until the end of Season 3, over half a decade since the story began. But even without knowing the full scope of the story, fans were fully invested the entire time.
8 Hunter X Hunter Is Shonen's Most Acclaimed Series
Hunter X Hunter is one of the most critically beloved series of all time. By nature of the demographic, shonen anime is meant to appeal to a younger audience, and yet Hunter X Hunter has amassed a viewership well into late adulthood.
Set in a unique world and following a charismatic cast of heroes, Hunter X Hunter depicts a thoughtful story that can devastate its viewers' hearts. While many anime have gotten more popular than Hunter X Hunter, very few can boast as much acclaim.
7 Jujutsu Kaisen Is Uniquely Dark For A Shonen Anime
Jujutsu Kaisen is a rare addition to the Weekly Shonen Jump lineup, with a story even darker than some of its most gritty predecessors. Following Jujutsu High's newest student, the anime depicts a world all about the innate negativity of human society.
It explores the most cynical, depressing aspects of the world and forces its young protagonist, Yuji Itadori, to wade through an ocean of vile darkness. While the story is far from doom and gloom at all times, it is surprising how successful it has become in spite of its dark nature.
6 Haikyuu Made An Unpopular Sport Look Awesome
While the average shonen anime is more focused on epic fight scenes and fantasy power systems, the sports genre is a crucial and underrated element of the shonen demographic. Since the likes of Slam Dunk, sports and shonen have intertwined consistently through the decades.
But Haikyuu took that to the next level when it grew a fanbase larger than any sports anime that came before. The most impressive aspect of Haikyuu is the fact that it did this with a sport that very few people care about. Haikyuu has made volleyball seem awesome.
5 Death Note Redefined What Could Be Shonen
The average anime fan would likely assume that Death Note is a seinen story, as opposed to shonen. It's an understandable mistake based on the anime's intense themes and brutal acts of murder. Death Note isn't afraid to tackle dark subject material.
Combine that with its tendency to kill off beloved characters and it isn't hard to imagine how people mistake its intended demographic. But regardless, Death Note is one of the most important anime to come out in the past two decades. Its success opened the door for a ton of new stories like it within popular shonen magazines.
4 One Piece Has Been Consistently Great For Decades
One Piece has been a staple of the shonen demographic since 1999. Fans have watched the series grow from a show about simple adventuring, to a clash of major political factions seeking world dominance.
With over 1,000 episodes, a non-fan could look at One Piece and easily imagine that the story is running out of steam and reusing the same old tropes again and again. But real One Piece viewers know that the anime is innovative. It constantly switches up its formula, and introduces new and unique elements that make it feel as fresh as ever.
3 Bakuman Is A Shonen Story About Creating Shonen Stories
Bakuman is an exceptionally fresh addition to the world of shonen anime. It depicts the competitive battle shonen-esque world of making manga. Following the artistic duo that created Death Note, Bakuman uses the framing of a battle shonen anime to tell a story about those who create battle shonen anime.
It's a meta-narrative with unique subject material and wise insights into the process of artists and creative geniuses. Very few anime have attempted to do what Bakuman does, and the small handful that tried weren't able to do it as well.
2 Slam Dunk Made The Sports Anime Genre Into What It Is
Anime fans nowadays love shows like Haikyuu, but it's important to recognize that these anime owe it all to the ones that came before. Slam Dunk permanently altered the anime landscape and redefined sports for its massive audience.
Following the release of Slam Dunk, Japan saw an increased interest in basketball unlike ever before. That trend of popularizing a sport was repeated again with Haikyuu. Slam Dunk is a thrilling anime that can go toe-to-toe with even the best modern-day sports shows.
1 Dr. Stone Replaced Fights With Science
Premiering in 2019, Dr. Stone quickly rose to prominence as one of the most unique and interesting anime to come out of the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. Following a genius, teen scientist as he attempts to bring the world back from complete destruction, Dr. Stone reworked the shonen formula to be less about battles and more about intelligence.
Senku provides a neat twist to the archetypical shonen protagonist and brings some much-needed diversity to a field that can sometimes feel a little stale.