Tony Cocking and Andrew McMahon
If you’re on the hunt for great fights, solid visuals, and awesome characters, then Jujutsu Kaisen is just for you. Built on the backs of classic Shonen like Naruto and Neon Genesis Evangelion, the show follows Yuji Itadori, a goofy high school student who one day finds himself possessed by the evilest curse of all time, Sukuna. Itadori is then given the choice of execution or hunting down the rest of Sukuna’s fingers and digesting them (I know, gross) in order to get rid of the evil curse for good. Despite the fact that he’ll still be executed once he gets them all, Yuji agrees, and an epic adventure that uncovers an entirely new world of spirits and curses begins. The thing that really makes Jujutsu Kaisen so popular is how it manages to take all of the cliches of shonen and hone them into something really enjoyable. Even though it doesn’t have the deepest plot, the characters and story are written, how things are paced, and so much more make for a hell of a ride. Jujutsu Kaisen is available on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.

One Punch Man

Most storytelling conventions would cast the protagonist as the underdog always fighting an uphill battle who is only able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat through sheer willpower. One Punch Man bucks this trend fantastically by presenting to us a character who is so overpowered, he himself is annoyed by it. That character is Saitama, a superhero who cannot fly or use mythical powers of any kind. He’s just strong. So strong, in fact, that he defeats most of his foes with a single punch. His apathy and lack of gumption set a unique tone, and despite the best efforts of the villains that stand before him, villains who get an A+ for effort, all will fall to the might of the one punch man. It is available for viewing on Hulu and Netflix.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean

Yes, this is indeed a JoJo’s reference, as just like all of the other stories that came before it in the series, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean is one of the most popular animes in the entire industry. This time around, we follow Jotaro Kujo’s estranged daughter Jolyne Cujoh, fresh off a 15-year sentence at Green Dolphin Street Prison after being set up by her ex-boyfriend. Now out, Jolyne is set on living the rest of her life as a free woman. Unfortunately, fate has other plans, throwing obstacles such as parallel universes, evil Stand users, and, of course, Dio Brando, who is now in the form of a green homunculus called the Green Baby. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean is full of all of the great action and comedy the series has become known for over the years, as well as a slew of interesting new characters, ranging from everything from an inmate who falls in love with her to an evil, amnesic weather reporter. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean is available on Netflix.

My Hero Academia

It’s hard enough for Saitama to qualify as a superhero with nothing more than his exquisite strength, so one can only imagine how lousy Izuku Midoriya must feel: born into a world where powers are the norm, he was gifted with none whatsoever. Nada. Bupkis. His is the power of… participation, really. Regardless, he doesn’t give up and enrolls in a school for heroes in training. My Hero Academia is a compelling piece of narrative based on the unexpected challenges and twists that life takes for Izuku as he learns that perhaps there is more power residing deep down within him than he ever thought possible. Anyone who has ever felt overwhelmingly average can surely relate. Enroll in My Hero Academia via Crunchyroll, Hulu or the Funimation website. …Don’t literally enroll, though. It’s not a real school, guys.

Vinland Saga

What is a true warrior? That is the question that Vinland Saga asks. On the surface, that may sound like a simple question, but anyone who has watched this anime knows that there’s so much more to it, which is what makes the show so great. Vinland Saga is a classic tale of revenge, as we follow a young boy, Thorfinn, who is set on defeating the man who killed his father. The twist is that he must work for this man, Askeladd, completing a bevy of different tasks in order to earn the honor of dueling him. While a bit more grounded in reality, the action of Vinland Saga is fast, fluid, and satisfying, featuring some of the best fights in anime. Alongside this, the story is top-notch, as many more narratives unfold parallel to Thorfinn’s quest for revenge that make for a compelling historical tale.

Darling in the Franxx

Nothing like a good old mech suit anime to get the blood pumping, eh? Darling in the Franxx may sound one X short of something a bit unsavory, but it is in actual fact based on a post-apocalyptic future where our very survival is threatened by beasts called klaxosaurs. Yes, klaxosaurs. Just go with it. Humanity’s last hope lies within paired children who pilot the Franxx, one of whom, a presumed prodigy known as Hiro, flunks out of the academy for failing to synchronize with his partner. He joins up with the elite pilot Zero Two, a mysterious girl with klaxosaur blood in her veins and a name that sounds like it was the brainchild of an edgy thirteen-year-old. You can watch Darling in the Franxx via Crunchyroll, Hulu or Funimation.

My Dress-Up Darling

Slice-of-Life anime really have to do something special to stand out nowadays, as it seems like everyone is trying to create the next big series that everyone can relate to. While it may have some fan service-heavy moments, My Dress-Up Darling is arguably one of the most wholesome and adorable animes to come out in the genre in a while. My Dress-Up Darling is all about Wakana Gojo, a first year high school student that dreams of becoming a hina doll craftsman, just like his grandfather. Due to this hobby, and a shy personality, the teen is a bit of a loner, spending most of his time creating clothes and hina doll parts in his room. That all changes the day he meets Marin Kitagawa. One of the most beautiful and popular girls in school, the unlikely pairing of Kitagawa and Gojo comes to be when she notices how good at sewing he is. When she asks him to help her follow her dream of becoming a cosplay model, the two begin to bond over the passion. Despite having no experience with human clothes, Gojo thrives at creating the costumes and is so passionate about it and healing Kitagawa that she actually falls in love with him. While there’s still a lot more to come, as its still in its first season, fans simply can’t get enough of the two, as they beg for them to confess their feelings for one another at some point soon. My Dress-Up Darling is on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

Black Clover

A world filled with magical powers, and one tragic little sap devoid of any at his disposal. This time, we’re referring to Asta, an orphan who aims to be the Wizard King someday. He compensates for this by just being physically superior to everyone else, a testament to the idea that even the most talented and studious among us can be outdone by a swift punch to the face. Alongside his friend and rival Yuno (a gifted magician with the power to control wind), Asta joins the Magic Knights, eventually gaining the keen ability of anti-magic. But he’ll have to harness this technique properly if he hopes to ever become the Wizard King, as well as survive the deadly onslaughts of one too many warlocks with a bone to pick. Black Clover can be found on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Attack on Titan

Known to some as Nightmare Fuel: The Anime. Attack on Titan takes place in a grim world where cities are walled off to help protect residents from the ever-present threat of the Titans. True to their name, these behemoths are gigantic, horrifying beasts with human-like features and a lack of remorse, and they happen to think that we’re all just delicious. Clearly, this is not a healthy relationship, so series’ hero Eren Yeager and his friends join the Scout Regiment in an effort to fend them off. Rife with troubling imagery and tension, Attack on Titan is best viewed with the expectation that you’re about to see some nasty stuff. The unsettling grins on the faces of some of the Titans leaves a lasting impression on you, particularly when they’re about to chow down on some poor sap who couldn’t run fast enough. Where’s Saitama when you need him? Attack on Titan is on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma

Soma is a young boy who dreams of someday becoming a full-time chef (all of these anime characters with their dreams and ambitions, how enviable) and enrolls at the Totsuki Culinary Academy, a prestigious school where less than 1% of students manage to graduate. Frankly, that sounds like a terrible school that shouldn’t receive any funding whatsoever, but who are we to judge? The high-pressure world of top-level cooking makes for a grand stage, as Soma and his classmates strive desperately to make the grade. Why, even lodging in the on-site dorms requires a dish that impresses the warden, and needless to say, two-minute noodles will not suffice. You can find Food Wars on Crunchyroll (rather appropriately), as well as Hulu.

Spy x Family

Spy x Family is one of the more unique entries on this list, as its popularity is mostly owed to how adorable and unique the family dynamic and premise that are home to the show are. The show follows Loid Forger, aka Twilight, one of the greatest spies in the world. In order to complete his latest mission, Loid must create a fake family and befriend one of the most notorious villains in the world. While building his fake family, the spy somehow manages to adopt a telepathic daughter, Anya, and an assassin, Yor, for a wife, not knowing that either of them have these skills. What follows is a crazy combination of calamity and humor, as we get to see Anya read people’s minds and juggle the secret of having a spy father and an assassin mother, all while trying to help her new dad complete his mission. Amidst the chaos, there’s also a lot of wholesomeness, as we get to see these personalities grow into an actual family. Spy x Family is available on Hulu and Cruncyroll.

Mob Psycho

Similar to their other creation on this list, One Punch Man, Mob Psycho creator One went a different direction when he decided what the conflict of this show would be. Instead of a show about a character growing their powers, this anime is all about a character, Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, that is already as powerful as can be. So what is the main conflict of the show? Well, it’s a mixture of different things, but its mostly about Mob doing his best to grow as a person and not rely on his powers. Since he’s already pretty good at this, a lot of the plot involves him teaching other espers the value of their powers but also instilling in them that they mean nothing if that is all you rely on. Not everyone is eager to believe this redirect, though, resulting in plenty of magical fights, most of which result in some of the most spectacular, vivid, and colorful sakuga in all of anime. As long as you can get past the odd character designs, this show will no doubt be a favorite of any anime lover. Mob Psycho is available on Hulu and Crunchyroll.

Ranking of Kings

Ranking of Kings manages to have one of the most interesting new concepts and executions in all of anime. Even though it possesses a lot of the same tropes that are home to the medieval/fantasy genre, it’s also got so many unique properties that helped it stand out amongst the pack. For one thing, the show’s main protagonist, Bojji, might be the most wholesome, adorable, and inspirational character in all of anime. Despite being born deaf and powerless, it’s this prince’s dream to become not only king of his nation but also the number one ranked king in all the world. Before his dream can even begin to start, though, he finds out that the world in at the mercy of a deadly conspiracy theory, as it’s unveiled that evil beings have been pulling the strings from behind the scenes for almost a century. Now, with the help of friends like Kage, a literal shadow on the ground, it is up to Bojji to save his family, kingdom, and the world, using nothing but the power of his heart. Ranking of Kings is available on Funimation and Crunchyroll.

One Piece

It’s pretty crazy that One Piece is still as popular as it is. Despite first airing all the way back in 1997, fans love this pirate adventure and all of its characters just as much as, if not more, than they did when it first debuted. The story of One Piece is pretty straightforward, as it follows Monkey D. Luffy, a boy whose body gained the properties of rubber after unintentionally eating a Devil Fruit. Using these new powers, he sets off on a journey to find the legendary treasure, known as the One Piece, which grants the prize of becoming the next King of the Pirates. Along the way, he meets plenty of interesting characters that join his crew while also fighting against a motley crew of villains and antagonists that make for some pretty intense fights. The series just recently passed 1000 episodes aired, with a new movie also on the way, and it doesn’t look like it will be done any time soon – at least in terms of the anime. One Piece is available on Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

When it comes to popular anime in the mainstream, you’d be hard-pressed to find one that is hotter than Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, especially when it comes to teens. The story follows a young man, Tanjiro Kamado, who comes home to find his entire family slaughtered by demons. To make matters worse, his sister, Nezuko, has also been turned into a demon. In order to turn her back into a human, Tanjiro must defeat the deadliest of demons, and the only way to do that is to join the Demon Slaying core. Once in the core, he meets plenty of personalities that both help him and provide plenty of challenges and obstacles along the way. While the story is pretty straightforward, the thing that makes Demon Slayer stand out is its high-quality animation. Throughout each season, Ufotable manages to outdo themselves with every fight, providing breathtakingly detailed, fast, and colorful fights that even non-anime fans love. You can watch Demon Slayer on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.

All Anime Release Dates in 2023 NieR: Automata Ver. 1.1a Anime Broadcast Gets Postponed Indefinitely Anime Souls Simulator Roblox Codes (January 2023) Ash’s Top 10 Best Rivals in the Pokemon Anime, Ranked Anime Dimensions Roblox Codes (January 2023)
Top 15 Most Popular Anime Series You Can Watch Right Now - 54