Action anime are extremely popular and have helped spread the culture of Japanese animation to the rest of the world, bringing lots of entertainment with stories full of adventure. The genre is renowned for having electrifying fights, characters that have marked generations and, of course, thrilling sequences. That's why today we're going to list the 11 best action anime of all time!
Our list will give you the best action anime, ranking them according to their popularity and critical acceptance. Check out the important details of the most famous anime below, a summary of their stories and the characters who captivate fans with their hero's journeys! Ready for the list?
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is an anime that adapts the work of Hrohiko Araki, a manga well known for its unmistakable style and design. The anime introduces us to the Joestar family, from the beginning of the rivalry between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando in the 19th century to the present day, where Jonathan's descendants still have to deal with the threat of Dio.
Filled with supernatural stories, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is among the best action anime not only for its heroic protagonists and their powerful stands, but also for its memorable villains such as Diavolo and the serial killer, Yoshikage Kira. Each season introduces us to a different Joestar and his journey discovering his powers, his stands and, of course, facing the antagonists in memorable fights!
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is available to watch in its entirety on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Chainsaw Man (2022)
Chainsaw Man is the anime adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's recent work, animated by MAPPA Studio, which has made a name for itself in recent years. The plot takes place in a universe where demons exist and need to be hunted down. What's more, it's also possible to make pacts with them! In this scenario, we meet Denji, a very poor young man who hunts these monsters with the help of a demon-dog called Pochita, all to pay off his debts to the Yakuza.
After an incident that could take his life, Denji returns, but in a new form: Chainsaw Man! Now the boy is half-human and half-demon, being recruited by a group of professional hunters to defeat the most diverse demonic creatures imaginable. Despite having been released recently, this is already among the best action anime due to its great popularity and public acceptance.
The first season of Chainsaw Man is available on Crunchyroll and the second season is already being adapted!
One Punch Man (2015)
One-Punch Man is by far one of the best action anime of all time, even though its story revolves around the standard superhero universe. The plot, which acts as a parody of the genre, was written by Yusuke "One" Murata and introduces us to Saitama, a hero capable of defeating any enemy with a single punch. If we have such a powerful protagonist, what's the fun in facing villains without any challenge in the confrontations?
The story is full of humor and is a satire on heroes, a genre that has been explored a lot in recent years. Saitama faces enemies and none of them are a match for him, but even so, the narrative manages to take this story far beyond its first season.
One-Punch Man is available on Netflix, but its manga has already been published in 114 chapters.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019)
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is the manga created by Koyoharu Gotouge, an author who has given us this captivating story. The anime was made by Ufotable Studio and tells the story of Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado, two brothers who lived in the mountains. A powerful Oni attacked their home and they ended up dying, including their mother.
From that day on, Nezuko is transformed into an Oni and Tanjiro searches tirelessly for a cure for his younger sister. Driven by revenge, the boy becomes an Oni hunter and meets other characters who will help him on this dangerous and exciting journey. Although he has a good heart and is extremely kind, Tanjiro will not forgive the demons that come his way and is willing to get stronger and stronger until he finds the great villain of this story!
This is one of the best action anime to have been released recently, between seasons with weekly chapters and blockbuster movies. You can find it in the Crunchyroll and Netflix catalogs.
Attack on Titan (2013)
Attack on Titan is an anime that adapts the original work by mangaka Hajime Isayama, which was an absolute success during its debut years. Many fans consider this to be the first of the best action anime, as it is a story full of exciting and extremely violent fights, with a very well-developed and consolidated plot.
In this universe, titans are a real threat: giant creatures that devour people! Eren, Mikasa and Armin live within the walls with the rest of humanity, a place protected from these monsters, until one day the largest titan ever seen destroys the walls and an overwhelming invasion begins. The three friends survive and join the Recon Troop in order to confront and rid humanity of this threat. They just didn't expect that Eren could turn into one of the monsters, the Attack Titan!
Attack on Titan is available with all its seasons in the Crunchyroll catalog.
Hunter X Hunter (2011)
Hunter x Hunter is the second successful anime created by the genius Yoshihiro Togashi. The series introduces us to a boy called Gon, who is willing to become a Hunter in order to find his father. His father is a legendary Hunter who abandoned his family to pursue this career, being hired by companies to complete extremely dangerous missions. Gon wants to follow in his footsteps and understand why his father left him.
Along the way, Gon meets Leorio, Killue and Kurapika, who become his friends and allies. The anime has two versions, one released in 1999 and the other in 2011, and is one of the best action anime in history and one of the main Japanese animations to introduce the shonen genre to the world.
Hunter x Hunter is available on both Netflix and Crunchyroll and is an anime that every fan of the genre should watch.
Dragon Ball Z (1989)
It's impossible to write a list of the best action anime and not include Dragon Ball Z. This is another story written by Akira Toriyama and follows on from Dragon Ball, which introduced us to a child Goku. Here, he is an adult and has to face alien threats that are much more dangerous than before. It is in this saga that we see the emergence of the Saiyans and, of course, the start of all the iconic transformations.
Dragon Ball Z is one of the most famous anime of all time and features not only the Z Warriors - who are unforgettable - but also iconic villains such as Freeza, Cell, the Androids, Babidi and Majin Buu. You certainly remember some of them, including Vegeta who, despite being one of the most beloved characters in the franchise today, emerged as a villain and Saiyan Prince!
Dragon Ball Z and all the other sagas are complete and available in the Crunchyroll catalog.
Naruto (2002)
Another favorite of Shonen fans, Naruto is one of the best action anime and many people became anime fans after watching the story of this boy who wanted to be a Hokage! Written by Masashi Kishimoto, the plot follows Naruto from his suffering childhood, where he is discriminated against by the whole village. Despite growing up lonely, Naruto is kind and determined, who dreams of becoming the Leader of Konoha so that he can earn the respect and admiration of all those who hate him.
With this, we are introduced to the world of ninja and, alongside Sakura and Sasuke, Naruto faces opponents and electrifying missions under the tutelage of his sensei, the legendary Kakashi Hatake. Will Naruto realize his dream? Will he be able to tame all the power trapped inside him? These doubts and the whole journey are what make Naruto one of the best anime of all time!
You can watch Naruto and Naruto Shippuden on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
Jujutsu Kaisen (2020)
Jujutsu Kaisen is the anime that has become the most popular in recent years, winning several titles such as "best anime of the year" by Crunchyroll in the years in which its seasons have premiered. The manga written by Gege Akutami is being adapted by MAPPA Studio and follows the story of Yuji Itadori, a teenager who lived his life normally until he found a sinister object. This object began to attract supernatural creatures and, consequently, the Jujutsu Wizards, who fight these monsters called Curses.
In the midst of all this confusion, Yuji ends up becoming the vessel of the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna. Now, the boy is forced to live in the world of Jujutsu, where sorcerers and curses constantly clash to maintain peace in the human world. Alongside Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki, Yuji is trained by Satoru Gojo, the greatest Jujutsu Wizard of the Modern Era.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available with its seasons and movie on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
One Piece (1999)
One Piece is acclaimed by otaku and it's impossible to meet an anime fan who hasn't heard of Eiichiro Oda's work. Many consider it to be one of the best action anime of all time, as well as one of the longest, with over 1000 episodes. This long story follows Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who dreams of becoming the King of the Pirates!
In his quest to find One Piece and become the greatest pirate of them all, Luffy assembles his crew - known as the Straw Hats - which currently consists of: Luffy D. Monkey (Captain), Zoro Roronoa (Swordsman), Navigator Nami, Sniper Usopp, Sanji Vinsmoke (Cook), Chopper Tony Tony (Doctor), Robin Nico (Archaeologist) and Carpenter/Builder Franky.
One Piece can be watched on both Netflix and Crunchyroll.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
The top one on our list of the best action anime could be none other than Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Written by Hiromu Arakawa, this is the highest rated anime of all time, acclaimed by critics and fans alike. The plot follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who, after losing their mother, try to bring her back, but everything goes wrong...
Alchemy is a common practice among the brothers, but Human Transmutation is extremely dangerous and can result in Alphonse losing his entire body, while his soul remains trapped in ancient armor, and Edward losing his lower limbs and left leg, requiring prostheses. After this tragic incident, the brothers become Federal Alchemists in an attempt to find a way to bring Alphonse's body back.
The whole plot is very well developed and you can find the complete anime on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
These are the 11 best action anime, ranked! They all stand out, either because of their story or because they have become a landmark in pop culture. Some of the characters who star in these anime will never be forgotten and their creators will continue to be honored as the geniuses they are, being the main people responsible for spreading anime in Japan and around the world!
If you like content about anime and the whole otaku universe, be sure to check out our articles on the 11 strongest anime characters, ranked e the 10 best-selling manga in history!
