In the anime world, the 2010s were a decade of stepping it up in the way of eye candy. For those who relish a great battle, intricate fights, and lots of explosions, the 2010s delivered. Yet anime of the era wasn’t just focused on looking good.
The emotional punch produced by some of the anime made during this time still rocks viewers today. Tales were tall and extravagant, but they were also deep, rich, and pretty much guaranteed to hit you right in the feels.
Here are our picks for the top anime from the 2010s.
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8. Bakuman
Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata – the dynamic duo that brought us Death Note – are also the creative team behind Bakuman. If you’ve ever wanted a peek behind the curtain at what it takes to become a mangaka (someone who creates manga), this is the series for you.
Bakuman takes a deep dive into the various trials and tribulations of Akito Takagi and Moritaka Mashiro as they struggle to become world-famous in the world of manga. While the tale was initially created as a manga, their odyssey was adapted into a 75-episode anime that proved to be both thrilling and surprisingly inspirational.
One might not immediately look to anime for inspiration or motivation, yet frequently they are inspiring shows. Bakuman is one such treasure. Following these two characters as they fight for their dreams, follow their passions, struggle with deadlines, compete for their careers, and clash with editors is incredibly inspiring. Particularly for creatives in the audience who also happen to be artists or writers.
The show effectively captures the many struggles of becoming a mangaka, which also shows why it’s such an alluring ambition to pursue.
7. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Watch on: Hulu
Witches are everywhere! Fortunately, Madoka Kaname has encountered a mystical creature who’s happy to grant her special powers to save us from them. With a supernatural contract binding her, Madoka and her friend, Sayaka Miki, are propelled into a new world of adventures.
On one level, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is just another ‘magical girl anime’ – a trope that essentially sees an everyday girl encounter a magical force that grants her mystical powers so that she can save the world. There’s a lot of transforming into cool heroes or creatures, all in an overblown show of feminine power. And while Puella Magi Madoka Magica is precisely that, in many respects, it also completely subverts the genre.
Familiar tropes of the ‘magical anime girl’ appear, yet they are never quite what they’re supposed to be. Horror elements begin as a simple aesthetic blend and develop into critical plot points that see the show become a complex and quite twisted exploration of morality, entropy, hope and despair, and the intricacies of utilitarianism. It’s also unique in that it was the first to really explore the psychological issues experienced by these magical girls, exposing the full horrors they experience while saving everyone else. This was so powerful it spawned an entire sub-genre.
The problem for Madoka, of course, is that all contracts come at a price…
6. Attack On Titan
Watch on: Hulu
When the Titans arrived, they reduced humanity to a fractured colony of wall-dwellers, constantly hiding from the threat posed by these gigantic, human-eating beings. Humans withdrew, hiding behind their walls, and as time passed, they became complacent. But humanity is reminded of its own fragility when the outermost wall is breached, and thousands are killed.
The Survey Corps is dedicated to discovering how to defeat the Titans once and for all while trying to discover how they appeared in the first place. Eren Jaeger is eager to face the Titan menace himself and joins the Corp with some friends.
Wackiness ensues on a scale never seen before in anime (and in some ways, never since). The original ran for three seasons before a ‘final season’ was released. That ‘final’ season already consists of two parts, with a third recently confirmed for release in 2023. The show’s durability is a testament to its unique expression of a fairly standard ‘humans face annihilation by giant aliens’ concept.
While the hype surrounding Attack on Titan is extreme – the latest season crashed Crunchyroll when it dropped – it’s also well-deserved. The show has some powerful themes and is a great watch.
5. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba
Watch on: Crunchyroll or Netflix
The tale of Tanjiro Kamado begins, as so many do, with a demonic slaughter that robs our protagonist of his family. While it’s a cliched concept, it’s the only thing about Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba that remains anything less than original for long.
With his family dead and his sister transformed into a demon, Tanjiro naturally becomes a demon slayer, set on ridding Taisho-era Japan of demonic activity. At the same time, he’s bent (dare we say… hell-bent?) on curing his sister, Nezuko, and returning her to her previous human form.
But we promised you originality, so as you can imagine, there’s more going on than first meets the eye. It’s a compelling yet contemplative series that will enthral you while making you think.
4. Fate/Zero
Following on from the original Fate/Stay night game, Fate/Zero was penned by master storyteller Gen Urobunchi. One of the more indelible series in the world of anime, there’s a complexity to the Fate world which sets it apart. On the one hand, it offers a fierce battle in the quest for a wish, but on the other it runs far, far deeper.
When the novel series of Fate/Zero was released in 2007, there was great excitement at the chance to finally explore Emiya Kiritsugu’s tragic past, including his involvement in the Fuyuki Holy Grail War. A deep dive into the politics surrounding the Holy Grail War, plus a chance to see the origins of other characters, including Gilgamesh and Artoria Pendragon, Fate/Zero is an exquisitely spun web of fresh material and things you always wondered.
Add to this stunning graphics and animation, and you have a grim yet heart-rending dark fantasy tale that’s an absolute must-watch.
3. Psycho-Pass
Watch on: Netflix or Funimation
With three seasons spawning a great franchise, many have forgotten Psycho-Pass began with a 2012 anime; it’s a tale of a young law enforcement officer in a futuristic world where everyone exists in peace and harmony, pending regular psychological evaluations.
Akane Tsunemori is a member of the Criminal Investigation Division. Her role is to handle citizens who develop violent tendencies, placing them under the control of the Sybil System. As one might expect, all is not as it seems, and we are rapidly plunged into a crime thriller set against the glorious backdrop of a cyberpunk dystopia.
As we all know, peace is fragile, and the Sybil System isn’t as magnanimous as it would like you to believe. As the conspiracy deepens, there are definite Ghost in the Shell vibes, coupled with exceptional writing and a stunning visual style.
2. Steins; Gate
Watch on: Hulu or Funimation
When it comes to time travel anime, Steins; Gate may have been the most impactful in the genre. It follows Okabe Rintaro (or Hououin Kyouma as he dubs himself), an eccentric and self-proclaimed mad scientist whose seemingly simple experiments start to affect his reality and the lives of his nearest and dearest.
A great one for sci-fi fans, the time travel concept at play here is very well handled, giving a unique spin on a classic trope. At the same time, the narrative is a complexly woven mix of conspiracy theories and a heart-rending reminder that playing with time has consequences. This one is for you if you’re a fan of secret organizations, peculiar phenomena, and characters who are well-meaning but flawed to devastating effect.
1. Violet Evergarden
Watch on: Netflix or Funimation
One of the most beautiful tales told in anime, Violet Evergarden follows an Auto Memory Doll (someone who helps others by writing for them – in Violet’s case, by recording their memories) after a devastating war forces her to serve as a soldier. The war has meant Violet has been a soldier since she was ten years old and has never really experienced the real world. As Violet struggles to reintegrate into society and is introduced to various people from all walks of life by a ghostwriter who shows her how to become a Doll.
Each meeting to record a person’s memories is its own little self-contained dose of magic, interwoven into the broader story arc of a very lost soul trying to reconcile her past while trying to understand what she may become.
On the surface, it’s a simple tale of someone’s journey toward self-actualization. Yet there are so many layers to it, and Violet’s encounters with such a range of different people – all with their own perspectives on life – create an incredibly complex social commentary.
It’s also just gorgeous to watch.
Looking for more amazing anime from previous decades? Check out the best of the 70s.
