With the final season currently airing, all eyes are on My Hero Academia. Season 8 has been nothing short of spectacular, with each episode ranking among the highest rated for the series.
But as good as My Hero Academia is, there's plenty of anime out there that make a case for being just as good. No disrespect against My Hero, it's one of the better series of its generation, but these anime might just be a little bit better.
Chainsaw Man
The Reze Arc movie absolutely killed it in theaters, bringing in over $40 million at the domestic box office and over $131 million internationally. Now's a great time to be a Chainsaw Man fan, with the series showing no signs of stopping.
With MAPPA at the helm, you just know that the series is in great hands. The anime is one of the most visually stunning and fluid you'll see, with an incredibly ambitious narrative that most shonen titles can't match. With the movie being as successful as it has been, it's safe to say that the future is bright for Chainsaw Man fans.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles
Most people might know Mashle: Magic and Muscles for the viral second season opening, "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born", by Creepy Nuts. But the series is actually a really fun watch - especially for fantasy fans.
There are even some parallels to My Hero, with Mash being magicless just like Deku being quirkless at the start of the series. Both series approach these problems differently, with Mashle leaning a lot more into comedy. If you're someone who likes a good laugh and a fun premise, this is the series for you.
One Piece
When it comes to top shonen anime, you just can't beat One Piece. Still going strong after over a quarter-century, One Piece is the gold standard for any shonen title.
Oda has crafted an incredibly rich and interesting world, filling it with a myriad of supporting characters with some just as fleshed out and developed as the main cast. With the manga and anime still going strong, and Oda consistently finding new ways to shock and draw in readers, One Piece is a tough series to beat.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has been running for nearly forty years at this point. What keeps the series so fresh is Araki's ability to reinvent it, constantly trying out new things with his narrative and art style. JoJo's focuses on the Joestar family and their adventures throughout different generations. It's a great concept that Araki has made the most of, with each part telling a different story with a new Joestar taking on the lead role.
The first two parts are classics in their own right, but the series really hit its stride with Part 3: Startdust Crusaders. This part famously introduced Stands to the series, which would go on to become the norm for JoJo's and the most iconic part of the series. If you want to watch a longer series with great lore, amazing characters, and some of the best moments anime has to offer, JoJo's is absolutely worth watching.
Noragami
It's been a decade since the second season of Noragami aired, but there are still anime fans out there holding out for a season 3 announcement. As unlikely as the anime adaptation continuing on is, that shouldn't stop anyone from appreciating just how good the first two seasons are.
Noragami follows the minor deity Yato, who dreams of one day having millions of followers. But when ordinary middle schooler Hiyori Iki seemingly saves Yato from being hit by a bus, causing her soul to leave her body, it's up to Yato, his partner Yukine, and Hiyori to set things back to normal while also fulfilling as many other requests as they can to get Yato more followers. Funny enough, Noragami was adapted by Bones, the studio behind My Hero Academia. So maybe once they're done with the series, Norogami fans will finally get that season 3 reveal.
Mob Psycho 100
Most anime fans know One's other series, One-Punch Man. And while it's a great series, the author's other series, Mob Psycho 100, is just as good, and maybe better in some ways.
A lot of One-Punch Man's comedy comes from Saitama being so overpowered that he defeats the most menacing and seemingly world-ending foes without breaking a sweat. There's some of that here, too, with the titular Mob possessing incredible psychic abilities that put others like him to shame. But both series handle their overpowered protagonists differently, with a lot of Mob Psycho 100 focusing on Mob breaking out of his shell, growing more comfortable with who he is and the relationships he's cultivated on that journey.
Dandadan
Dandadan and My Hero Academia might both be contending for anime of the year when all is said and done. With season 2 having just wrapped up this September and season 3 already on the way, there's no better time to check it out.
Dandadan follows loner Okarun and popular girl Momo Ayase as they get wrapped up in various paranormal and extraterrestrial adventures. The cast is great, with Okarun and Momo's dynamic carrying the series. Visually, it's one of the best-looking anime in recent memory, thanks to the stellar work by the always amazing Science Saru.
My Hero Academia
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
Cast
-
Daiki YamashitaIzuku Midoriya (voice) -
Kaito IshikawaManga Fukidashi (voice)
