The last ten years have treated anime fans to some of the best storytelling they have ever seen. Anime series in all genres have blown fans away, from the romantic Fruits Basket remake to the heartfelt action of Demon Slayer to the goofy slice-of-life antics of Horimiya or Bocchi the Rock!. It's easy to name a whole series as one of the industry's finest, but it also helps to narrow things down to just one stellar story arc.
Some anime are long enough that they are stronger in some phases than others, hence the rankings of story arcs. A tiny anime such as Bocchi the Rock! Is a great series as a whole package, while something like My Hero Academia and Oshi no Ko should be broken down into story arcs. Once that's done, anime fans can see which story arcs truly dominated the medium in the last decade. Plenty of arcs impressed anime fans, such as Demon Slayer's Mugen Train arc, but even that's just an honorary mention compared to the industry's top arcs in recent years.
One Piece: 6 Characters Who Will Shine In the Elbaf Arc
These characters will all have played big roles in the Elbaf Arc by the time it's over.
My Hero Academia's Shie Hassaikai Arc Was Classic Superhero Action
This Arc Felt Like Something Straight Out of Marvel or DC Comics
The Shie Hassaikai Arc isn't quite the best story arc in the last 10 years, ranking last among the most noteworthy arcs in that time frame. That's simply because My Hero Academia's Shie Hassaikai Arc is fairly straightforward, lacking any seriously profound messages or philosophies found in other, even better story arcs. It's mainly a quintessential comic book hero arc in anime form, but at least the marvelous Shie Hassaikai Arc made the most of that basic concept.
The pacing, emotional stakes, personal growth, Quirks, and tension of the Shie Hassaikai Arc are all on point and combine effectively to surpass even the UA sports festival sequence or the Kamino Ward showdown. When Deku and Mirio Togata accepted personal responsibility for rescuing the terrified Eri from Overhaul, the results are spectacular as the reality of heroism truly sinks in. At the time, Deku was too used to training arcs and tournaments, but the Shie Hassaikai Arc pressured him to realize that entire human lives depend on his actions, such as the life of one abused girl who needed him to be her hero.
Jujutsu Kaisen's Shibuya Incident Arc Turned Yuji's World Upside Down in a Bloodbath
Few Anime Have the Guts to Kill Off So Many Characters
The first season of Jujutsu Kaisen's outstanding anime was a balance of grim drama, violent action, and goofy comedy to make for a compelling package. Some fans may have been alarmed or even outraged by the excessive bloodshed and misery found in the subsequent Shibuya Incident Arc, but then again, Jujutsu Kaisen couldn't afford to coast. This title already had the makings of a dark and horrific series in all the right ways, and Yuji Itadori's saga needed to up the ante sooner or later.
Jujutsu Kaisen realized its own ghastly potential in the Shibuya Incident Arc, which saw a number of heroes and villains alike meet their end or come scarily clos to it. Yuji's relationship with Ryomen Sukuna, which was already a strained one, became the stuff of nightmares to push the stakes through the roof. All the fun and games ended right on time within this arc, with Yuji feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever as Kento, Satoru, and Nobara left him one way or another. Jujutsu Kaisen had the guts to slaughter its own characters and end things with an impactful plot twist to turn the entire story on its head, and it worked perfectly.
One Piece's Egghead Island Arc Pitted the Straw Hats Against the Five Elders
Dr. Vegapunk Dominated This Arc as a Scientist With a Dire Warning
One Piece already has many fantastic arcs and sagas to its name, which helped define the islands of the Grand Line. Fans loved the Alabasta Saga and the Marineford Arc, and while slow, the Wano Arc delivered some of the series' best moments yet. By now, fans can name the Egghead Island arc as One Piece's best in the last decade, partly because its pacing outshines the Wano Arc's own. This arc may not feel as epic as Wano, but it doesn't have to, either.
My Hero Academia: 8 Strongest Characters in the Final War Arc, Ranked
My Hero Academia’s Final War Arc showed off some of the strongest characters the series has to offer. Who are the best of the best?
The Egghead Island Arc did some of everything, from showing off the goofy scientific genius of Dr. Vegapunk to throwing the Straw Hats into battle against the Five Elders, CP0, and even Admiral Kizaru/Borsalino. Fans got to see Luffy make even better use of Gear 5, all while Barthrolomew Kuma's hefty flashback drove everyone to tears. Rounding things out was the astonishing revelation that the Ancient Weapons will soon be used to drown the world once again, creating titanic stakes going forward.
Attack on Titan's War For Paradis Arc Was the Long-Awaited Explosive Endgame
Eren Yeager Became the Best Hero Turned Villain of All Time
It's true the Attack on Titan anime has a number of controversies, including fans' mixed feelings about the conclusion, but there's no denying it also treated audiences to some of the boldest storytelling of all. In 2013, the first season blew everyone away, and in more recent years, the last few arcs helped stick the landing with breathtaking action and tension. Even the detractors may admit that the War For Paradis Arc at least tried to be a suitably epic ending for Attack on Titan, and fans will say the final arc succeeded 100%.
The War For Paradis Arc included mind-boggling revelations about the origins of the Titans, the full scope of the world's conflict, and much more. In that arc, the half-brothers Eren and Zeke had a falling out, fighting over the future of the Titans, the Eldian people, and indeed, the entire world. It became clear that Attack on Titan had come a long way since the days of fighting Titans at the walls, and Eren's transformation into a world-ending threat made that feeling hit incredibly hard.
Oshi no Ko's Prologue: Childhood Arc Twisted the Genre Into Something Incredible
Two Hard-Hitting Plot Twists Changed Aqua's and Ruby's Lives Forever
It's often slam-bang action that makes for an instant classic anime arc, but Oshi no Ko impressed viewers in other ways. This anime launched as a darkly subversive comment on the entertainment industry's many unsavory practices, and more than a few lives will be lost in the process. The plot itself does much of the heavy lifting here, with this debut arc rocking the fandom with two major twists. Dr. Amamiya's and Sarina's deaths and rebirth was a great way to start Oshi no Ko, but then the anime truly made industry history with Ai Hoshino's murder.
What started off as a grim yet weirdly funny slice-of-life adventure with the small Hoshino family became a bloody story of revenge and figuring out one's own destiny. It's wonderfully tense to watch Aqua Hoshino risk madness seeking revenge, but it's also worth watching to see if Ruby will grow up to surpass her late mother on the stage, or meet the same fate someday. The story's sharp swerve from Aqua's strange childhood to his revenge storyline is what makes the Prologue: Childhood Arc such a must-see storyline.
Vinland Saga's Slave Arc Forced Thorfinn and Canute to Carry Heavy Burdens
Thorfinn Grappled With His Past While Canute Grappled With the Crown
In manga form, seinen fans generally agree that Berserk is a little better than Vinland Saga, but on the small screen, it's Vinland Saga that dominates. The anime's first major arc was a mind-bending and heartbreaking tale of vengeance and seeking the meaning of life. Then, not unlike Oshi no Ko, Vinland Saga abruptly shifted the narrative in a totally different direction following a shocking murder.
Say Hello To The Next Solo Leveling Arc Even Better Than Jeju Island
Jeju Island was an amazing arc, but it will be surpassed by this upcoming arc in the next animated project of Solo Leveling.
Asekladd's death challenged Thorfinn to abandon revenge and instead meditate on what violence and vendettas really mean to him. That's the emotional core of the Slave Arc, with Thorfinn humbled as a slave farmhand as he faces his many inner demons. It's a great weight to carry, and Prince Canute would know. He's grappling with the weight of the crown, haunted by visions of his late father's severed head. Canute may be king now, but his struggles are far from over.
Bleach's Thousand-Year Blood War Arc Proves Why This is a "Big Three" Anime
Bleach's Final Arc is Leaner and Meaner Than Naruto's Own Final Arc
The original Bleach anime secured its place in the shonen "big three" with its Soul Society Arc, the equivalent to Naruto's Chunin Exam Arc and One Piece's Alabasta Saga. Since then, the anime started to leak popularity until it got canceled altogether in 2012. One decade later, the anime returned in a leaner, meaner, and shinier form with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc is classic Bleach action with some essential updates and twists to make it far more than just a return to form.
This arc made Bleach a legend all over again with its creative battles, the themes of rivalry and complacency, and the characters' own growth. Cast members such as Ichigo, Rukia, Byakiya, and even Kenpachi proved that anyone can become ever greater if they push themselves and think about who they are or why they fight. This growth is vital for the Soul Society's survival in the face of the Wandenreich's vengeful war on all Soul Reapers, a bloodbath that will finally shed light on Ichigo's mother and the nature of the first Zangetsu. All that, combined with stellar pacing and production values, makes this the top anime arc in the last decade.
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