The Best Seinen Anime Series of Every Year of the 2010s

When you look at some of the best decades for seinen anime, the 2010s are a strong contender for the top spot. While the '90s and 2000s had some great years, the 2010s had a ton of amazing series that many fans still look back on fondly.

Some years were definitely stronger than others, and some were so jam-packed with quality anime that it was hard to pick just one series. Looking back on it, these were the best seinen anime each year of the 2010s had to offer.

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By Carley Garcia

2010: Working!!

High Schooler Souta Takanashi has an affinity for small and cute things. So when the pint-sized Popura tries to recruit him into working at a family restaurant called Wagnaria, he can't refuse. Now dealing with his eccentric new co-workers and their chaotic antics, Souta's new work life begins.

As far as slice-of-life series go, Working!! Is one of the better ones. It's not often that a series focuses on daily work life, and that gives Working!! A fun twist that you won't find in other anime. It might not be the most well-known series, but the comedy always lands, the cast is fun to follow, and it does a good job of exploring different character relationships.

2011: Kaiji: Against All Rules

If you're a fan of Kakegurui and you've never heard of or watched Kaiji, then you're missing out. The series follows Kaiji Itou, a young gambler who finds himself swimming with the sharks when he's forced to board the gambling ship Espoir in order to pay off a co-worker's debt. With the stakes higher than they've ever been, Kaiji sets out to win it all.

Against All Rules is the follow-up to 2007's Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, with Kaiji once again down on his luck, this time getting himself kidnapped and pushed into forced labor. Kaiji once again sets out to make the ultimate gamble to secure his freedom, but with various challenges and temptations in his way, it's not going to be easy.

2012: Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine

The Lupin the Third franchise has been around for decades. With a myriad of anime adaptations and films released over the years, it's one of the most well-known series out there. Anime fans all over the world know Lupin, but his companions, especially Fujiko Mine, have become just as recognizable over the years.

As the name suggests, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine focuses on the iconic heroine. While Lupin, Daisuke, and Goemon do appear throughout the series, Fujiko is the star. The series is visually stunning, and the extra attention given to Fujiko's character and backstory makes for some of the best overall storytelling in the franchise. It's sometimes darker than some of the other entries, and that's part of why it works so well and still stands out all these years later.

2013: Monogatari Series: Second Season

Incredibly dialogue-heavy and often playing into tropes that might turn some anime fans away from it, the Monogatari series might not be for everyone. But if it is something that's in your wheelhouse, the series delivers some of the best visuals, character interactions, and storytelling you'll see in anime.

Split into six series (Nekomonogatari (White), Kabukimonogatari, Hanamonogatari, Otorimonogatari, Onimonogatari, and Koimonogatari), Monogatari Series: Second Season continues the story of high school student turned Vampire Koyomi Araragi, focusing on his various interactions with different people in his life and the supernatural phenomena that afflict them. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but the Monogatari series is a unique genre-bending experience that sticks out from the rest.

2014: Mushi-shi: Next Passage

2005's Mushi-Shi is an underappreciated series, standing out as one of the decade's most unique anime that just doesn't get the attention it deserves. While the original did a lot well, 2014's follow-up, Mushi-shi: Next Passage, might be even better.

Next Passage once again follows Ginko as he travels around helping those around him coexist with strange supernatural creatures known as Mushi. The anthology format makes it an easy series to follow at your own pace, but the surreal atmosphere and well-crafted stories will have you wanting more after each episode.

2015: One-Punch Man

The latest season of the One-Punch Mananime might have been the most controversial yet, but that doesn't take away from the success of the first season. Season 1 of One-Punch Man put the series on the map, setting a standard that fans feel hasn't been met since.

Saitama's journey through the ranks of being a hero is filled with fun supporting characters, some awesome-looking villains, and incredibly funny moments that serve as the series' strong point. While most series with a similar set-up would take things seriously, One-Punch Man has fun with its setting, delivering solid laughs alongside some great action.

2016: March Comes In Like a Lion

You won't find many anime about shogi out there. March Comes In Like a Lion gives you an interesting look at the game, but the real appeal is the well-written characters and their relationships.

The series follows Rei Kiriyama, a young shogi prodigy who, upon moving out of his adoptive home, becomes reclusive and apathetic. Things start to change when he meets the Kawamoto sisters, Akari, Hinata, and Momo. While Akari sets out to get him out of his shell, Rei struggles to balance the pressures of his professional shogi career while also learning how to open up to others.

2017: Inuyashiki

Inuyashiki is a great twist on the superhero genre that mixes in some sci-fi elements as well. While the anime adaptation is only 11 episodes long, MAPPA's work on the series is top-notch.

58-year-old Ichirou Inuyashiki lives an unfulfilling life, with a family that seems indifferent to his problems and struggles. His life only gets worse when he finds out that he has a few months left to live. Pushed towards his breaking point, Inuyashiki runs into a field where he's caught up in a sudden burst of light. Inuyashiki wakes up to discover that his old body has been replaced by a new and improved mechanical one. Thankful for this new lease on life, Inuyashiki sets out to help those in need. But things aren't as good as they seem.

2018: Grand Blue Dreaming

Plenty of comedy anime come out every season, but there's something about Grand Blue Dreaming that just works better than most series. The cast is great, and the series is full of great laughs to go along with some genuinely beautiful scenery at times.

The series follows university freshman Iori Kitahara, who moves into his uncle's scuba diving shop located in the Izu Peninsula. When he meets the local diving club, Iori sets out to live his best college life, full of drinking, partying, and getting up to all sorts of shenanigans.

2019: Kaguya-sama: Love is War

If you're a rom-com fan but tired of the same old formulaic series, then Kaguya-sama is definitely an anime you should check out. The series mostly takes place within Shuchiin Academy, an elite private school that caters to children of the rich and famous. Student council president Miyuki Shirogane and vice-president Kaguya Shinomiya are the school's top students, and everyone at Shuchiin thinks they'd make a great couple. So do they. The only problem is that both are too proud to admit it. Instead of outright confessing their feelings, both Kaguya and Miyuki set out to trick the other into confessing first through various schemes and psychological games.

Love is War really lives up to its title, with every potential confession turning into a strategic chess match between its two leads. The series has a lot of fun with this premise, and while both are slow to progress in their relationship, there's enough there to keep things interesting while they figure things out.