The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (2025)

Table of Contents
30 Undead Unluck Embraces Classic Shonen While Still Feeling Fresh Streaming on Hulu Your Rating Stream 29 Blue Lock is One of the Best New Sports Anime Series Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 28 Wind Breaker Proves How Good Delinquent Anime Can Be Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 27 Digimon Ghost Game Takes the Digimon Franchise to Spooky New Areas Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 26 Love After World Domination Presents Star-Crossed Sentai Lovers Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 25 Reign of the Seven Spellblades Is a Fun New Version of Magic School Tropes Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 24 Kaiju No. 8 Offers Larger-Than-Life Kaiju Showdowns Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 23 Edens Zero Merges Battle Shonen With Outer Space Adventures Available on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast Stream 22 Call of the Night Is a Surprisingly Touching Rom-Com Streaming on HIDIVE Your Rating 21 Lupin the III Part VI Introduces a Dangerous New Rival Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating 20 Ranma ½ Presents a Beautiful Remake of an '80s Classic Streaming on Netflix Your Rating Cast 19 To Your Eternity Presents an Immortal Interacting With the World Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 18 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun Presents a Different Style of Shonen Protagonist Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 17 Moriarty the Patriot Portrays a Hero Driven by Revenge Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 16 Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai Is an Excellent Battle Shonen Streaming on Hulu Your Rating Cast 15 Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Revitalized a Beloved Franchise Streaming on Hulu Your Rating Cast Stream 14 Mashle: Magic and Muscles Is a Terrific Fantasy Comedy With Social Themes Streaming on Crunchyroll Your Rating Cast 13 Tokyo Revengers Is a Brutal and Taut Time-Travel Adventure Streaming on Hulu Your Rating 12 Sakamoto Days Is Already a Smash Hit Streaming on Netflix Your Rating Cast 11 Fire Force Is a Colorful Adventure With the Power of Fire and Family Streaming on Crunchyroll
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (1)

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By Sage Ashford , Louis Kemner & Chelsea Steele

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (4)

The shōnen anime industry has been entertaining fans for decades, including classics like Dragon Ball Z, Fist of the North Star, and the beloved shōnen big three as well. These time-honored series are still popular to this day, but shōnen anime fans also want something fresh to watch. Every year brings delightful new shōnen manga and anime to enjoy, and plenty of fans want to stay current on the industry's trends and be a part of something new.

So, shōnen anime fans can check the past five years and dive into the industry's most recent offerings, many of which are already instant classics. From 2019 to today, a variety of delightful new shōnen anime have hit the airwaves to carry on the torch from older classics like Naruto and Attack on Titan, and many of them are still airing right now, making them a major part of the anime fandom's discourse. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best shōnen anime from the last five years are all action series, featuring everything from fiery monsters and cool science to wacky found families and more.

Updated on January 22, 2025, by Chelsea Steele: Shonen is anime's biggest and most popular demographic, with titles spanning over every genre and subgenre imaginable. There are new shonen series coming out every season, many of which have become the greatest new hits of the decade. We've updated this list to meet CBR's current publication standard, offering even more of the best shonen titles to come out in the last five years.

30 Undead Unluck Embraces Classic Shonen While Still Feeling Fresh

Streaming on Hulu

Supernatural shonen anime have always been popular, but they seem to be hotter than ever this decade. Among the many recent additions to this popular trend is Undead Unluck, a series starring a hilarious dynamic duo. Fuuko Izumo is the series' young protagonist. Plagued with an "unluck" curse, anyone who touches her is doomed to meet a terrible fate. Meanwhile, Andy is an "undead" with regenerative powers that make him virtually invincible. Though on their own they know nothing but suffering, when the two come together, it's like a match made in heaven.

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4

Undead Unluck certainly isn't anything the shonen demographic hasn't seen before. But while it embraces many of shonen's classic tropes and clichés, the series tends to put a fresh spin on them that makes them feel new. Like many new shonen anime, Undead Unluck combines elements of horror and comedy for a fun and unique take on both genres. Fans of dark shonen anime and other titles like Zom 100 are sure to love this great new series.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (6)
Undead Unluck

Action

Comedy

Supernatural

Release Date
October 7, 2023

Stream

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

An unlucky girl meets an undead guy. The two work together well with their super abilities, but discover a conspiracy involving superhumans.

Seasons
1

Studio
David Production, TMS Entertainment
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (9)

29 Blue Lock is One of the Best New Sports Anime Series

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (10)

In recent years, sports anime have seen more popularity than ever before, and Blue Lock is easily the most beloved of them all. Premiering during the Fall 2022 season, it's one of the most recent sports anime series to hit the scene. A standout of the genre, Blue Lock focuses less on teamwork and the power of friendship and more on individual amibition. The series stars Yoichi Isagi, a young up-and-coming soccer player invited to a controversial training program known as the Blue Lock.

Modern shonen fans tend to pivot towards darker stories with higher stakes, and Blue Lock certainly delivers. Where most sports anime are uplifting and inspirational, this series takes an exaggerated look at the competitive side of sports, revealing a cutthroat underbelly. The series delves deep into the psychology of intense competition and the effects it has on personal ambition and insecurities.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (11)
Blue Lock

TV-14

Animation

Sports

Release Date
October 8, 2022

Directors
Tetsuaki Watanabe, Shunsuke Ishikawa

Writers
Taku Kishimoto

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (12)

    Ricco Fajardo

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (13)

    Drew Breedlove

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (14)

    Alex Horn

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (15)

Seasons
2

Studio
8bit
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (16)

28 Wind Breaker Proves How Good Delinquent Anime Can Be

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (17)

CloverWorks' Wind Breaker proves there's still a massive appetite for the delinquent subgenre of anime. Wind Breaker's lead protagonist is Haruka Sakura, a young boy who was ostracized as a child for having heterochromia. Out of frustration, Sakura learned how to fight, and began establishing himself as someone to be feared. Signing up to attend Furin High School, Sakura is excited to go to a school where strength is valued above schoolwork, only to discover Furin is unlike anything he was expecting.

Fans of battle shonen are missing out if they're not already watching Wind Breaker. The series features some of the most impactful fight scenes in anime and the series is just getting started. This show is made for people who love delinquent anime, whether they're coming for the battles or the camaraderie between friends.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (18)
Wind Breaker

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date
April 5, 2024

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (19)

    Kristian Eros

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (20)

    Austin Tindle

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (21)

    Yuma Uchida

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (22)

A talented high school student with a passion for biking becomes the leader of his school's cycling team. He faces numerous challenges, including intense rivalries and personal obstacles, as he strives to lead his team to victory. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about perseverance, teamwork, and the true spirit of competition, pushing himself and his teammates to new heights.

Seasons
1

Studio
CloverWorks
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (23)

27 Digimon Ghost Game Takes the Digimon Franchise to Spooky New Areas

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (24)

When people think about Digimon, they often just think about the characters and world within the Digimon Adventure universe. However, Digimon Ghost Game takes place in an entirely new timeline, one where technology has continued to advance, and where strange creatures known as "Hologram Ghosts" have started to become more common. Though they have no idea what's caused the existence of the Hologram Ghosts, middle school kid Hiro Amanokawa and his partner Gammamon have begun researching their existence, and exploring the strange world these creatures came from.

Digimon Ghost Game was Toei's attempt to experiment with Digimon, to surprisingly great success. Rather than being a traditional battle shonen, Ghost Game introduces a ton of horror elements to create a more unsettling show. While the series is still made for kids, the horror elements makes sure even experienced Digimon fans are experiencing something entirely new.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (25)
Digimon Ghost Game

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date
2021 - 2022

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (26)

    Mutsumi Tamura

    Hiro Amanokawa

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (27)

    Miyuki Sawashiro

    Gammamon

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (28)

    Yu Kobayashi

    Ruli Tsukiyono

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (29)

Seasons
1
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (30)

26 Love After World Domination Presents Star-Crossed Sentai Lovers

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (31)

The only thing standing in the way of the Secret Society Gekko destroying the world is the power of Freezing Sentai Gelato 5. In the middle of this battle though, something unexpected occurs. The hero, Red Gelato, falls in love with one of the Society's newest villains, Desumi Magahara. Is it possible for heroes and villains to love one another? Moreover, can they keep their secret from the rest of the world?

Love After World Domination offers a hilarious star-crossed lovers story for fans of Super Sentai. The series knows exactly what tropes to reference and how to play with them for maximum effect with its fanbase. Still, it's approachable for people who aren't big fans of the long-running franchise. Anyone who needs a break from the usual battle shonen can easily start here.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (32)
Love After World Domination

TV-14

Action

Comedy

Romance

Super Power

Anime

Release Date
2022 - 2021

Writers
Satoru Sugizawa

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (33)

    Yûsuke Kobayashi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (34)

    Ikumi Hasegawa

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (35)

    Ayane Sakura

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (36)

Seasons
1
Powered by
The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (37)

25 Reign of the Seven Spellblades Is a Fun New Version of Magic School Tropes

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (38)

Kimberly Magic Academy is a prestigious school where the best young students can hone their magical abilities. However, the school isn't the safest—it boasts an 80% survival rate, with many students being consumed by their own magical powers. Here at this school, six students unite after a chance incident brings all of them together. While the incident might have been random, the group of them form a bond that will define their time at Kimberly.

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Blue Lock holds Japan's diamonds in the rough, and some players score higher than others.

Reign of the Seven Spellblades is one of the most underrated anime series of the 2020s. J.C. Staff brought the universe to life in stunning detail, allowing for the universe's excellent worldbuilding to take center stage. While the series basic plot isn't much to write home about, the series survives off its excellent characters, plus a twist that no one will see coming on their first viewing.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (40)
Reign of the Seven Spellblades

TV-14

Action & Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Anime

Release Date
July 8, 2023

Network
Tokyo MX, BS11

Directors
Shuuji Miyazaki

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (41)

    Atsushi Tamaru

    Oliver Horn (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (42)

    Yuka Nukui

    Nanao Hibiya (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (43)

    Hitomi Ohwada

    Katie Aalto (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (44)

Seasons
1
Main Genre
Anime
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (45)

24 Kaiju No. 8 Offers Larger-Than-Life Kaiju Showdowns

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (46)

Kafka Hibino is a man with a dream of one day joining his childhood friend on the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. However, he has no talent for fighting kaiju, and now that he's in his 30s, he's considered "too old" to join anymore. Kafka resigns himself to working for a kaiju disposal company, until he learns the age to take the defense force test has been raised. With one last chance, Kafka gives it his all, and though he barely passes, he makes it into the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.

There's just one issue: just before the test, he swallows a strange bug that transforms him into a kaiju. He'll have to somehow keep his new abilities a secret while working closely with the Defense Force. Kaiju No. 8 was a massive success as a manga, and found a similar level of popularity as an anime. Kafka is one of the most wholesome anime protagonists, often serving as comic relief but knowing when to step it up to protect the people he cares most about. At the same time, the series is gradually unveiling the mysteries of this fascinating world, all while having some of the best animation in the game thanks to Production I.G.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (47)
Kaiju No. 8

Animation

Action

Fantasy

Release Date
2024 - 2023

Directors
Shigeyuki Miya, Tomomi Kamiya

Writers
Ichirō Ōkouchi

Franchise(s)
Kaiju No. 8

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (48)

    Masaya Fukunishi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (49)

    Wataru Kato

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (50)

    Asami Seto

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (51)

Kafka Hibino merges with a kaiju and gains powers, leading him to attempt his childhood dream in Kaiju No. 8.

Seasons
1

Studio
Production I.G
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (52)

23 Edens Zero Merges Battle Shonen With Outer Space Adventures

Available on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (53)

Following Hiro Mashima’s work on Fairy Tail, he immediately got to work on his next story—a shonen space opera called Edens Zero. Edens Zero follows Rebecca Bluegarden, who travels to Granbell Kingdom to make content for her B-Cube channel. While she’s there, she meets Shiki, the lone human on a planet of nothing but robots. After a peaceful night there, the robots of Granbell turn on both humans, forcing them to escape the planet together, and setting them on an adventure into the Sakura Cosmos.

Edens Zero is just pure, unadulterated battle shonen fun. While the character designs might be similar to Fairy Tail, the world itself couldn’t be more different. Mashima takes advantage of setting things in space to come up with crazy new settings as Shiki and Rebecca travel from planet to planet, increasing their friend group until they have a proper spaceship crew. It’s also not afraid to present some wild plot twists most shonen series wouldn’t have the guts for.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (54)
Edens Zero

TV-14

Comedy

Adventure

Anime

Science Fiction

Release Date
2021 - 2022

Network
Nippon TV, RNB, RAB, TVI, YBC, UMK TV Miyazaki

Directors
Yoshiyuki Nogami, Yoshihiro Mori, Shigeru Ueda, Hidehiko Kadota, Koichiro Kuroda, Yusuke Onoda, Yoshiyuki Kumeda

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (55)

    Takuma Terashima

    Shiki Granbell (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (56)

    Mikako Komatsu

    Rebecca Bluegarden (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (57)

    Rie Kugimiya

    Happy (voice)

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (58)

Stream

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Seasons
1
Powered by
The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (61)

22 Call of the Night Is a Surprisingly Touching Rom-Com

Streaming on HIDIVE

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (62)

“The night changes the way you perceive things.” Though it’s a simple line uttered in the second episode, that’s the true encapsulation of Call of the Night. It’s a series that shows how beautiful and alluring night life can be, while showing viewers the development of a budding relationship between a teenage boy and a vampire girl. The backgrounds are doused in beautiful blues, gorgeous golds, and plush purples, making Call of the Night one of the prettiest anime of the 2020s.

Ko Yamori is a 14-year-old boy whose dissatisfaction with his daily life turns him into a night owl, roaming the city streets at night. There, he meets Nazuna, a strange young girl that seems to love the night just as much as he does. When Nazuna reveals she’s a vampire though, Ko decides he’d like to live the same life—only to learn that to become a vampire, one must first fall in love with a vampire. Thus begins Ko’s life of hanging out with Nazuna every night, until he falls in love with her.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (63)
Call of the Night

Supernatural

Romance

Comedy

Release Date
July 8, 2022

In Call of the Night, Ko Yamori finds himself disillusioned with life and gives up on trying to find joy or purpose. After wandering in the streets, he happens upon Nazuna, a vampire who sees his predicament and decides to show him the perks of the nightlife. When Ko decides he wants to become a vampire like her, she reveals that the only way for this is for him to be bitten by someone he's genuinely in love with. For Ko to finally engage in a life worth living, he decides to fall in love with Nanazuna with the intent of becoming a full-fledged vampire. Call of the Night is an anime adaptation of the manga series which began back in 2019 and is still an ongoing series. The animation debuted on July 8 2022, with no season 2 officially announced as of October 2022.

Seasons
1

MyAnimeList Score
7.96
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (64)

21 Lupin the III Part VI Introduces a Dangerous New Rival

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (65)

Lupin III: Part VI is the most recent series to come out of the franchise since its return in 2016. This time around, the story focused on Lupin in Great Britain, dealing with a special underground society, the Raven. Lupin and his gang are pushed to their limit dealing with the Raven, as they seem to wield absolute control over not only the underworld, but part of the British government as well. If that wasn’t bad enough, Lupin gets a new rival in Britain—the legendary Sherlock Holmes.

With Lupin III: Part VI, TMS Entertainment gets a bit experimental with the franchise. It splits the story up between Lupin’s battle with Sherlock and a story telling his origin. In between that however, viewers get more episodic tales that further develop the Lupin universe. While the grittier storytelling might take some getting used to, they still find a way to make it work, showing just how flexible anime’s original gentleman thief can be.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (66)
Lupin III

Anime

Action

Comedy

Adventure

Crime

Release Date
1971-00-00

Seasons
6

Studio
Telecom Animation Film, Monkey Punch Production
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (67)

20 Ranma ½ Presents a Beautiful Remake of an '80s Classic

Streaming on Netflix

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (68)

Mangaka Rumiko Takahashi’s work has been experiencing a resurgence lately, first with a remake of the 1978 rom-com classic Urusei Yatsura, and now with the remake of the martial arts romcom Ranma ½. While never making it onto television in America, the original Ranma ½ was foundational to the anime experience in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. When the remake was announced, it was a major question whether it could live up to the original anime, let alone the source material.

Related

10 Best Fights in Ranma ½ Anime Remake, Ranked

The Ranma ½ remake doesn't disappoint with its new animation and fans get to see some beloved fights reanimated in high definition.

Fortunately, the 2024 anime has exceeded all expectations. By staying faithful to the 1987 manga, it proves that the best work is truly timeless, as the series feels just as entertaining now as it did back then. Ranma and Akane are instantly lovable, and MAPPA does an excellent job of making this absurd universe feel completely normal to viewers by the end of the first episode. At this point, the only question left is can they do what the original didn’t, and fully adapt the entire series?

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (70)
Ranma 1/2

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Release Date
October 6, 2024

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (71)

    Kappei Yamaguchi

    Ranma Saotome

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (72)

    Megumi Hayashibara

    Ranma

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (73)

    Noriko Hidaka

    Akane Tendo

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (74)

Seasons
1

Studio
MAPPA
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (75)

19 To Your Eternity Presents an Immortal Interacting With the World

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (76)

To Your Eternity might be one of the most underrated shonen anime of the decade. The series focuses on Fushi, an immortal being that can shapeshift into any creature it sees. Though Fushi begins as an Orb, it gradually starts taking on new and more complex beings until it becomes a human. With each new creature it imitates, the formerly emotionless Orb comes closer to understanding the complexities of the human experience.

To Your Eternity just excels at everything, from story and animation to character development. Watching Fushi learn what it means to be human is compelling, leading to viewers getting attached to both their successes and failures. While the series might not be getting the attention it deserves, it’s still popular enough to continue getting new seasons, meaning viewers can continue following Fushi’s epic journey.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (77)
To Your Eternity

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Release Date
April 12, 2021

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (78)

    Mitsuki Saiga

    Kahaku

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (79)

    Reiji Kawashima

    Fushi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (80)

    Kenjiro Tsuda

    The Beholder

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (81)

Seasons
2

Studio
Brain's Base, Drive
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (82)

18 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun Presents a Different Style of Shonen Protagonist

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (83)

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun has been one of the most successful yet surprising shōnen hits of the last five years. The series centers around Iruma Suzuki, a young boy who learns that his no-good parents have sold him to a demon. Fortunately for him, the demon just wants a grandson he can spoil. This leads to Iruma's life getting a lot better—as long as he can keep everyone in the Demon World from discovering he's a human.

Iruma-kun features a protagonist that's out of place for most shōnen. Rather than being outspoken with big dreams, Iruma is a timid sort who has to be taught it's okay to even have ambition in the first place. The series turns a lot of classic shōnen tropes on its head just like that, making it perfect for people who want to try a shonen that's doing something new for once. That said, it ranks near the back of the line because hardcore shonen fans might find it a little too different from what they expect.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (84)
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Fantasy

Action

Adventure

Release Date
2019 - 2022

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (85)

    Ayumu Murase

    Iruma Suzuki

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (86)

    Ryohei Kimura

    Asmodeus Alice

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (87)

    Ayaka Asai

    Valac Clara

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (88)

Seasons
3

Studio
Bandai Namco Pictures
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (89)

17 Moriarty the Patriot Portrays a Hero Driven by Revenge

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (90)

Moriarty the Patriot is yet another example of how well anime and classic literature work together. The series puts classic Sherlock Holmes nemesis Moriarty in the protagonist role, as he works to dismantle the corrupt nobility in Britain. While his motivations are more genuine, that doesn't mean he isn't still a criminal though, only now the crimes cover up his true motivations.

Based on one of the best manga from Jump Square, Moriarty the Patriot is everything a crime-thriller fan could ask for. The mystery anime series tells blood-stained stories of revenge, as Moriarty aids common people in balancing the scales against the rich. He's not the only character who matters though, as Sherlock Holmes makes an appearance as Moriarty's rival and friend, ensuring the criminal genius doesn't go unchallenged.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (91)
Moriarty the Patriot

TV-14

Animation

Crime

Mystery

Release Date
2020 - 2021

Directors
Kazuya Nomura

Writers
Gō Zappa, Taku Kishimoto

Franchise(s)
Moriarty the Patriot

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (92)

    Aron Dismuke

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (93)

    Emily Neves

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (94)

    Chris Guerrero

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (95)

William James Moriarty lives as a regular noble while also being a consultant for the common folk to solve their problems. However, deep inside him lies a desire to destroy the current structure that dominates British society.

Seasons
1

Studio
Production I.G
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (96)

16 Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai Is an Excellent Battle Shonen

Streaming on Hulu

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (97)

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai is another in a long line of classic anime that got modern, more faithful remakes. The series follows Dai, a boy raised on an island by monsters who wants to become a hero. While Dai's elders warn him to give up on his dream, he gets his opportunity when the Dark Lord reawakens, causing monsters all over the world to go out of control. Alongside a brave crew of allies, Dai travels the world looking to battle against the Dark Lord and save the world once again.

Adventure of Dai is a great classic-style shōnen anime: it's a series about beating the bad guys through training arcs, determination, and a belief in oneself and allies. However, it captures the sense of exploration and adventure so well that even longtime shōnen fans can find something to love here. With great character development that leaves no character behind, viewers will become invested in this series in no time. Though it might not be 1:1 with the acclaimed Dragon Quest game series, Adventure of Dai is still one of the best animated adaptations of a video game.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (98)
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai

Anime

Action

Adventure

Release Date
2020 - 2021

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (99)

    Griffin Cork

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (100)

    Atsumi Tanezaki

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (101)

    Toshiyuki Toyonaga

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (102)

Seasons
1
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (103)

15 Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Revitalized a Beloved Franchise

Streaming on Hulu

Bleach has undergone a complete reputation shift since the arrival of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, an adaptation of Bleach's final arc. While some fans might have argued that Bleach was the "weakest" of the big three, it's been near impossible to argue over the last few years. Each new season feels like a major event in anime fandom, a must-watch for anyone keeping up with the most popular series.

Related

The 10 Best Human Characters in Bleach, Ranked

While the Soul Reapers tend to take the spotlight in Bleach, the human characters have moments in which they carry the show.

What helps with Thousand-Year Blood War is its "all killer, no filler" approach. Adapting four or five chapters per episode, every episode feels like a quick watch because they're so jam-packed with detail. Studio Pierrot is also putting out some of the best work they've ever done, as every episode's animation is masterfully done and the direction is on another level even from the original.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (105)
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date
October 10, 2022

Network
TV Tokyo

Showrunner
Tite Kubo

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (106)

    Masakazu Morita

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (107)

    Johnny Yong Bosch

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (108)

    Takayuki Sugô

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (109)

Stream

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

BUY

The peace is suddenly broken when warning sirens blare through the Soul Society. Residents are disappearing without a trace and nobody knows who's behind it. Meanwhile, a darkness is approaching Ichigo and his friends in Karakura Town.

Seasons
3

Studio
Pierrot Films
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (114)

14 Mashle: Magic and Muscles Is a Terrific Fantasy Comedy With Social Themes

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (115)

The Mashle: Magic and Muscles anime is more than "Saitama at Hogwarts," though it has plenty of that, too. Protagonist Mash Burnedead is an incredibly strong young man who punches his way to victory without magic, but the real problem is that he lives in a world that hates Muggles. Mash's world operates by Voldemort's rules, so Mash has everything to prove as a physically gifted non-wizard.

Mash Burnedead is now a student at the Easton school of magic, where he will fight hard to overcome Muggle prejudice and carve out a place for himself in the world with his physical feats and his inspiring power of friendship. Even the Draco Malfoys of that school may be inspired to join Mash's side and embrace the power of friendship over wizard supremacy. It's a solid anime, but the shōnen industry has several stronger offerings for fans to check out, too.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (116)
Mashle: Magic And Muscles

TV-14

Comedy

Fantasy

Release Date
April 8, 2023

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (117)

    Chiaki Kobayashi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (118)

    Katsuyuki Konishi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (119)

    Takuya Eguchi

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (120)

Into a world of magicians is born Mash, a young boy who lacks magic but is the strongest person around. His existence and destiny will change his world.

Seasons
1

Studio
A-1 Pictures
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (121)

13 Tokyo Revengers Is a Brutal and Taut Time-Travel Adventure

Streaming on Hulu

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (122)

The Tokyo Revengers anime, based on the complete manga of the same name, is a shockingly brutal action anime. Its hero, Takemichi Hanagaki, gets a surprise chance to save his childhood friend Hina's life. When Takemichi is in his 20s in 2017, Hina dies after getting caught in the middle of gang violence, but time travel may save the day.

Takemichi journeys back to 2005, in his junior high days, where he must join the Tokyo Manji delinquent gang to alter the course of history and make sure Hina never meets her tragic end. That quest will involve plenty of drama, fistfights, and meta-knowlege so Tokyo's weakest punk can do what no other thug ever could — change the future for the better.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (123)
Tokyo Revengers

Release Date
2021 - 2022

Hanagaki Takemichi lives an unsatisfying life right up until his death. Waking up 12 years in the past, he reckons with the eventual fate of his friends and tries to prevent an unfortunate future.

Seasons
1
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (124)

12 Sakamoto Days Is Already a Smash Hit

Streaming on Netflix

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (125)

Airing as part of the Winter 2025 lineup, Sakamoto Days is one of the newest shonen anime series. Sakamoto Days has only just begun, with a mere three episodes available as of current. But even with so few episodes out, it's already earned a spot as a one of 2025's best new shonen titles. The series stars titular protagonist Tarou Sakamoto, who was once feared by all as the greatest hitman of his time. However, that all changed when Sakamoto fell in love and settled down. But even as he's retired, Sakamoto finds that his shady past is still creeping up and trying to disrupt his domestic bliss.

Sakamoto Days follows the ex-hitman as he attempts to maintain his new life by finding new and creative ways to peacefully deal with his old rivals. This inventive anime series is a brilliant blend of action, comedy, and slice-of-life, making Sakamoto Days is a must-watch for fans of Spy x Family and The Way of the Househusband. The series is currently airing, so now's the best time to get in on the action with this hilarious and wholesome new title.

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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (126)
Sakamoto Days

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date
January 11, 2025

Cast

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (127)

    Matthew Mercer

    Taro Sakamoto

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (128)

    Dallas Liu

    Shin Asakura

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (129)

    Rosalie Chiang

    Lu Shaotang

  • The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (130)

Seasons
1

Studio
TMS Entertainment
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The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (131)

11 Fire Force Is a Colorful Adventure With the Power of Fire and Family

Streaming on Crunchyroll

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (132)

Fire Force, the newest series from the creator of Soul Eater, imagines a new world order being built on the ashes of a fiery apocalypse. Japan has been rebuilt into the Tokyo Empire, a nation that doesn't always enjoy the new peace. People often sponteaneously combust into Infernals, or deadly fire monsters, and it's up to fire soldiers like Shinra Kusakabe to put them down.

Related

10 Best Abilities in Fire Force, Ranked

Fire Force mangaka Atsushi Ohkubo found some creative ways to make a fire-only combat system feel rich and complex all the same.

As Shinra will soon learn, there's more at stake than protecting citizens from Infernals, because someone, for whatever reason, is making Infernals on purpose. Shinra will soon discover the grim truth of the White-Clad cult and their Knights of the Ashen Flame, who have big plans for the Pillars and the entire world around them. If Shinra is too late, everything may burn down once again.

The 30 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 6 Years, Ranked (134)
Fire Force

A superhuman firefighter force is formed to deal with supernatural fire incidents.

Genre
Anime

Number of Seasons
2

Studio
David Production
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