10 Best Shonen Anime of the Last 10 Years, Ranked
Anime has many genres so that every fan can enjoy the medium, from romance to action to mystery to comedy. However, every show is categorized into four demographics: shōnen, shoujo, seinen, and josei. Out of these four, shōnen is by far the most popular, representing anime aimed towards young/teenage boys, such as One Piece and Naruto.
However, with anime becoming more popular every year, newer shows are getting even more recognition, which is why this list will rank the ten best shōnen from the past ten years. Anime was much different in 2015 compared to now, but that decade has racked up some impressive titles. This list will rank the anime shows based on popularity, fan opinion, critical acclaim, story, writing, animation, originality, overall quality, and its shōnen aspects.
10
‘Chainsaw Man’ (2022)
Studio: MAPPA
Most of these anime are the biggest shows of their respective years, and that was definitely the case for Chainsaw Man, which had one of the most anticipated premieres. This series follows Denji, who sheds his debt-filled life to work as a demon hunter since he can transform into the chainsaw devil. While fans will have to wait a while until season two, the upcoming Chainsaw Man movie finally has a release date.
This decade has seen the rise of darker and darker shōnen anime, with many fans finding it hard to believe Chainsaw Man isn’t a seinen. Despite that, this anime is an unforgettable thrill ride, which reinvents enough and keeps the right amount the same. Its wacky characters and twisted dark plot blend to create a disturbing anime series that has a lot of fun, with stunning animation to top it all off.
9
‘Solo Leveling’ (2024)
Studio: A-1 Pictures
2025 is off to a hot start, specifically for Solo Leveling, which has taken the world by storm. This power fantasy anime is set in a world where mysterious gates spawn with dangerous dungeons. Hunters take care of them before they threaten humanity, but Sung Jinwoo is too weak to make a difference. However, after gaining the ability to level up, Jinwoo becomes a new man with a purpose.
While there are anime series better than Solo Leveling, this anime is popular for a reason. It oozes style and coolness, demanding that fans witness its incredible action sequences. Despite a lacking side cast, Solo Leveling solely focuses on the protagonist, who has become a fan favorite because of his aloof personality and epic battles. This anime promises to entertain fans with action and action alone, but that’s enough to be one of the best modern shōnen anime.
8
‘Dandadan’ (2024)
Studio: Science Saru
Aliens and ghosts are two completely different realms of the supernatural, but Dandadan merges them into a love story that sweeps everyone away in 2024. Momo and Okarun are two completely different personalities, but when they investigate the occult, a demon possesses Okarun, and Momo awakens psychic powers. Together, they try to battle the supernatural and recover Okarun’s golden balls.
Dandadan has many shocking moments, but it isn’t just a shock factor series: it also delivers profound and emotional moments. The budding romance and character dynamics are a charming part of the series, but equally intriguing as the supernatural plot and riveting action. While some sexual content can be disturbing, Dandadan is a unique breath of fresh air that fans won’t want to stop breathing.
7
‘My Hero Academia’ (2016)
Studio: Bones
With the manga over and the final season ending in late 2025, fans will have to say goodbye to My Hero Academia soon. This anime is one of the most recent long-running shōnen that proves superheroes are still cool and can work in an anime format. Despite not having any superpowers, Deku works hard and finally gets his chance when All Might bestows him his inherited strength.
While the anime has its ups and downs, it is still a legendary series that is a notable addition overall. Perhaps it was better early on, but My Hero Academia switched gears to deliver a more serious plot with larger stakes. It is a textbook shōnen, from its plot to its fights to its underutilized side characters. Still, My Hero Academia separates itself through a fresh concept of superhero fun, making it one of the best modern anime series.
6
‘Delicious in Dungeon’ (2024)
Studio: Trigger
2024 was a stacked year for anime, as Solo Leveling and Dandadan proved. However, one more show from the year makes it onto this list: Delicious in Dungeon. After a dragon eats one of their members, Laois and his remaining party go back down to kill the dragon before it digests her. However, without any food, they must eat the monsters they kill.
While it is only halfway done, Delicious in Dungeon has shown more than enough to sit at the grown-up’s table. Through its unique world-building and monster biology, this anime creates a synergetic ecosystem and lore. The gourmet creations look surprisingly tasty and offer a bit of fun before delving into more serious plot points. With imaginative designs, endearing characters, enjoyable moments, and a captivating story, Delicious in Dungeon is 2024’s best anime.
- Release Date
-
January 4, 2024
- Directors
-
Yoshihiro Miyajima
- Writers
-
Ryoko Kui, Kimiko Ueno
5
‘Demon Slayer’ (2019)
Studio: ufotable
This list wouldn’t be correct without Demon Slayer, the anime that introduced countless new fans to the medium. With his family dead and his sister turned into a demon, Tanjiro sets out to become stronger as a demon slayer. Mastering his breathing style, he goes through many dangerous missions in order to find Muzan, the one who cursed his sister, and defeat him in hopes of reversing her situation.
Demon Slayer has its fair share of flaws, which restricts it from being any higher on this list. However, the anime is too popular and entertaining to be any lower. With an interesting power system, fun characters, and a dark world, Demon Slayer utilizes these aspects to create one of the best action shows possible. With some of the best animation in anime, Demon Slayer is a landmark Shōnen series with all its strengths and weaknesses.
4
‘Dr. Stone’ (2019)
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Anime isn’t the first place fans think to go to get their dose of science, but Dr. Stone changes that by making the subject an enjoyable series. After a mysterious green light petrified humanity, Senku, a genius high schooler, wakes up thousands of years later and starts rebuilding humankind. However, he encounters multiple threats, including political and philosophical differences in how they should build humanity.
While some fans may think this placement is a bit high for Dr. Stone, it proves to be one of the most consistent shows with no bad episodes. This excellent dystopian anime will restore viewers’ hopes in humanity and demonstrate how much good science has done. The makeshift inventions establish an entertaining plot with feel-good moments and a fascinating premise that makes Dr. Stone the most original shōnen on this list.
3
‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ (2020)
Studio: MAPPA
Everyone expected Jujutsu Kaisen to be a great anime before it even aired, but after its first episode, fans knew it was in good hands. This dark urban fantasy follows Yuji after swallowing a demon’s finger. Needing to eat the remaining ones, Yuji is now part of the supernatural world and must get stronger to stop the plans of heinous villains.
Like many of the anime on this list, Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t without its flaws since Shōnen anime focuses on entertainment instead of quality writing. While it does have some philosophical themes and character development, the excitement comes from its stunning animation and magnificent fights. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the best anime series of the decade, and it excels through remarkable animation and tremendous fights.
2
‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ (2023)
Studio: Madhouse
2023 was highlighted by Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, an anime set after the defeat of the demon king. As an elf, Frieren outlived her party but never said her true feelings, prompting her and her friends’ disciples to go on a nostalgic journey. While it is the same path, the adventure is full of unexpected events.
While its mature feeling and essential themes make Frieren feel like a seinen, it is actually a shōnen. While most shōnen dazzles with glamorous fights and mindless entertainment, this remarkable anime knows when to take things slow, reveling in the downtime that makes a journey memorable. Frieren is a modern classic that proves that shōnen anime needs to be flashy but can still deliver a meaningful experience through characters and a slow plot.
1
‘Mob Psycho 100’ (2016)
Studio: Bones
Finally, earning the top spot on this list is Mob Psycho 100, an anime by the creator of One-Punch Man, which surprisingly isn’t a shōnen. Despite being the world’s strongest psychic, Shigeo, also known as Mob, tends to hold in his emotions and only wants an everyday life. However, when other espers threaten his peace, his emotions burst in waves of psychic power.
What makes Mob Psycho 100 a great shōnen isn’t that it does tropes the best or reinvents the demographic, but it mixes those two things to create a universal and definitive shōnen that everyone should watch. The character development is the story’s heart, but the animation and fights are equally impressive. Mob Psycho 100 is a masterpiece and a vibrant show that proves to be a timeless classic and a staple shōnen anime.
