Top 20 Anime Everyone Needs To Watch

Script written by Alex Crilly-Mckean

Top 20 Anime Everyone Needs To Watch

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we are counting down our picks for the Top 20 Anime Everyone Needs To Watch.

For this list, we’ll be bringing you the titles that demand to be viewed, whether you’re a newcomer or a fan who just hasn’t had a chance to check them out. Did we miss an essential anime viewing experience? Let us know in the comments below!

#20: “A Place Further than the Universe” (2018)

There’s no shortage of coming-of-age stories across the anime scene, with some hitting closer home than others. Ironic, that despite taking place on a voyage that sees four high schoolers travelling to Antarctica, there’s a universal beauty to this show that will strike a chord with anyone who has felt anxious towards their future. The comedy is just what you’d expect, the banter between the girls is all kinds of sweet, and It all beautifully captures the medley of uncertainty that comes with preparing for adulthood. The gorgeous Antarctic backdrop doesn’t hurt either.

#19: “Erased” (2016)

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? As far as whodunits go, this was anime’s breakout star, one that just so happened to add time-travel, parental abuse, and all of the feels to the mix! After discovering he can travel back into the body of his child self, young Satoru attempts to save his classmates who are fated to be killed by a serial kidnapper. While the lead up to the reveal of the killer’s identity is brilliantly crafted, it almost plays second fiddle to the budding relationship that Satoru shares with Kayo – a girl he not only vows to save from her gruesome end, but also the demons of her homelife.

#18: “Higurashi When They Cry” (2006-)

Those of you who like your thrillers to come with an extra slice of crazy, then Rena and the gang have you covered. An extensive franchise unafraid to throw in time loops just to add to the madness, prepare to watch cute girls unleash their inner monster, as a town’s ancient curse slowly starts to turn the populace into hacky slashy maniacs. It might have a few pitfalls in terms of its spinoffs, but once you get to grips with the show’s signature sense of horror, then you’ll be hooked, eager to pinpoint the moment a new violent cycle has begun, and if Rika will ever get that elusive happy ending!

#17: “Kaiji” (2007-11)

A true underdog story as well as a cautionary tale regarding greed and gambling, Kaiji’s struggle to free himself from financial hell will have you cheering for him every step of the way. Even if he’s an idiot who really should have learned his lesson by now. The way in which he’s forced to rely on wit and dumb luck to overcome horrendous trials inflicted on him by the sickeningly wealthy never fails to rack up the tension, especially with the consequences carrying a penalty far beyond an empty wallet. You’ll never trust a pachinko machine again, but Kaiji’s gambles are worth a watch all the same.

#16: “Vinland Saga” (2019)

Anime and Vikings - a match made in heaven, especially for those who thrive on historical epics unafraid to dive into the gory details surrounding its most legendary figures. A fictitious retelling of the war between the English and the Danes, amidst all the carnage we’re introduced to Thorfinn; an Icelandic warrior driven by vengeance. The stylish savagery never ceases to amaze, but the true wealth of this modern masterpiece is found in its characters, each one flawed, ferocious and frantically pursuing a fleeting dream. It’s one of the greatest prologues we’ve ever come across in the medium, and missing out on it is doing yourself a huge disservice, and by that we mean you’d miss out on Askeladd!

#15: “One Punch Man” (2015-19)

It took a single gag and somehow succeeded in giving us one of the best superhero anime to date, while frequently poking fun at every superhero cliché out there! Strong enough to decimate every foe with but a single blow, Saitama’s life is ruled by boredom and nonchalance. Even though he’s often the one thing capable of preventing the world from getting decimated by the abundance of crazy-strong monsters and villains. You know how each bout is going to end, and yet the tightrope it walks between outrageous humour and mind-blowing action assures that it always hits its mark.

#14: “Golden Kamuy” (2018-20)

A treasure hunt for the lost gold of an ancient tribal people might sound like a spirited adventure, and it is, just as long as you account for the map being tattooed on the bodies of several convicted killers, the wilderness filled with giant animals, and every corner hiding a new psycho eager to get down and bloody. Thankfully, the one leading the charge is none other than Sugimoto, a former soldier whose desperation to snatch the gold for a just cause pushes him further and further into danger, willing to break anyone in his way. Yeah, it’s that kind of treasure hunt.

#13: “JoJo's Bizarre Adventure” (2012-)

Unconventional would be putting it mildly. If you ever wanted to know what all the fuss was about regarding JoJo-mania, then there’s no better time to leap in. Chronicling the crazy, action-packed adventures of the Joestar bloodline, each instalment brings its own style and flare as the new JoJo on the block takes on supernatural threats – often complete with a crazy cast, crazier fashion choices, and so many culture clashes that the whole franchise has since become a meme unto itself. Make no mistake, by the time you get to Diamond is Unbreakable, you yourself will have become a JoJo reference.

#12: “Steins;Gate” (2011)

Quite possibly the purest example of a sci-fi thriller to ever grace the anime scene, the exploits of the self-proclaimed mad scientist may trade in giant robots for a microwave that can help send texts to the past, but the result is nonetheless stellar. Embracing both the absurd and the scientific, while it might seem that you’re drowning in physics jargon to begin with, rest assured that Okabe’s timeline jumping is a masterclass in both suspense and character. A true decade definer that will have you convinced risking humanity is worth it just to protect Kurisu.

#11: “Made in Abyss” (2017)

Enchanting. Breath-taking. A beautiful setting with a leading duo that are nothing short of adorable. How could this be anything but a magical, heartfelt adventure? Well hold onto your incinerator, because Riko and Reg’s journey to the bottom of the abyss is one of the most suspenseful and brutal fantasies to come out in recent memory. There’s no plot armour here, just an escalating set of dangerous creatures and cave raiders waiting for them on the Abyss’ many levels. Prepare yourselves, since there’s nothing this series loves doing more than snatching away your feels and burning them in front of you. And yet we still adore it.

#10: “Fate/Zero” (2011-12)

The Fate-Verse is truly a daunting juggernaut of a franchise, one that some of us are still struggling to dissect and understand. Still, if we had to recommend a starting point, we’d go with this prelude. Not only is it an animated feast to the eyes thanks to UFOtable’s Unlimited Budget Works, but will also likely throw you into a spiral of depression as the ugly side of the Holy Grail War is put on full display. The battles between the Seven Heroic Spirits and their Masters are phenomenal, but that doesn’t change how broken you’ll feel by the end. That’s the Urobutcher for you.

#9: “Code Geass” (2006-08)

Have a weakness for brilliantly paced sci-fi epics unafraid to go to the dark side? Can’t get enough of character-driven stories mired in tragedy? Then we kindly invite you to watch the rise and fall of Lelouch vi Britannia. With the country divided between the ruthless empire of elites and the oppressed Japanese masses, a disillusioned noble takes up arms against his family to set things right – fuelled by the power of the mind-controlling Geass while operating under the moniker of a masked rebel known as Zero. The consequences of Lelouch’s actions not only make for some of anime’s most impactful moments, but push the boundary as to just how morally grey a hero can become.

#8: “Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14)

A progenitor of the tropes that would go on to define the shounen genre, everything this anime sets out to accomplish – it nails! The gold standard for power systems, a sprawling world with endless story-arc potential, some truly transcendent villains, and at the centre of it all we’ve got one boy who wants to become a hunter just so he could find his wayward dad. It’s a hell of an undertaking and the lack of a sequel never gets any less painful, but Gon’s adventures are just too rich to ignore.

#7: “Gurren Lagann” (2007)

You’re not here for sentimentality. You’re here for incomprehensibly large robots beating the shit out of each other with an entourage of best girls waiting in the wings. And to that we say, why not have both? With visuals so Trigger-gasmic they’ll have you literally seeing stars, the exploits of Simon the Digger and his fellow human rebels against the Beastman threat is layered with all the sci-fi absurdities you could want. Including but not limited to, giant drills being the be all and end all, relationships that hit way harder than they have any right to, and the manliest man to ever dismiss shirts in the form of Kamina.

#6: “Death Note” (2006-07)

What would you do if you were given the power to take a life with just a written word? Well, if you’re Light Yagami, you declare yourself the God of the New World and start wiping out everyone perceived to be wicked. This not only opens the floodgates for the hard questions revolving around concepts such as justice and virtuous violence, but also one of the greatest mind-games in anime. On one side you’ve got Light and his murderous crusade as Kira, and on the other the world-famous detective known as L; two geniuses locked in a mental battle where losing equals death. The pen is mightier than the sword, and makes for a far more compelling watch.

#5: “Mobile Suit Gundam” (1997)

The granddaddy of giant robots, if you’re in the mood for an absolute classic whose themes on war and ideologies still hold up to this day, then the original Gundam is the way to go. The mecha action packs just as much of a punch, Amuro’s plights and trauma as a civilian thrown into battle are all too sympathetic, and Char remains a trend-setter among anime’s greatest anti-heroes. Decades on and it's still impossible to not be giddy at the sight of the RX-78 unleashing its beam sabres.

#4: “Attack on Titan” (2013-)

One of the few times that we can wholeheartedly say – yes, the hype is real. Starting off as an elseworld, dark fantasy fight-fest that pitted the last of humankind against giant, man-eating humanoids known as Titans, this series has since evolved into something far greater. Refreshingly original, brutal in its execution, seeing Eren and the Survey Corp slowly uncover the truth about their world is practically an obligation at this point. If only for the gloriousness that is the Final Season, as well as watching Levi strut his stuff.

#3: “Cowboy Bebop” (1998-99)

When it comes to cool, there’s just no topping the Space Cowboy. Composed of mostly self-contained episodes, the antics of the Bebop crew as they endeavour to land bounties and carve out a living in the seedy cosmos is stuffed to the brim with swag. From taking out wayward criminals, outwitting and outshooting the craziest things the galaxy has to offer, all the way to facing off against the ghosts of his past – Spike Spiegel just does it better than the rest. Plus, the music. Can you really pass up the chance to skip out on jazz this good?

#2: “Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood” (2009-10)

Most anime can only dream of achieving this kind of status – a complete story, spanning over sixty episodes, a tightly constructed plot and world-building that few could hope to match. All we can do is encourage you to take the plunge, since the Elric Brother’s journey to reclaim their bodies in the wake of a tragic mistake will have you enthralled from beginning to end. The characters; sublimely well-realised. The lore; riveting. The action; the perfect amount of crazy. An equivalent exchange of quality and quantity if there ever was one!

#1: “Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)

The sheer amount of symbolism and its inability to settle on a conclusion might seem a bit off-putting at first, but the original Evangelion outing is still phenomenal. From the EVA-Units battling the Angels, all the way to its meditation on just how frail and foolish humans are – a la Shinji’s inability to get in the damn robot. All of it unravels together into this vortex of intense, heartbreaking action, while also making you second-guess everything you’ve witnessed. It’ll undoubtedly leave you puzzled by the end, but the journey to reach its fever dream ending is still very much worth it. After all, waifus such as Rei and Asuka are hard to come by.