It’s easy to overlook the fact that superheroes aren’t just found in DC Comics and Marvel, and that anime has a long tradition of heroism in both large and small screen media. To offer you more caped crusading to check out, we’ve compiled a list of the greatest superhero anime.
Many of you will be familiar with One Punch Man and My Hero Academia as two of the greatest anime series of the past ten years and stand-alone superhero franchises. However, if you delve deeper into shonen comics, tokusatsu films and television, and other media, you’ll uncover an incredible array of fantastic characters and worlds.
Many of them have the vibrant colors of Superman or Spider-Man, while some have the somber personalities of Batman or the gothic looks of Hellboy and The Crow. There are also a few that are just plain depressing, but that’s all part of the fun!
If you’re tired of the MCU or just want something fresh, our list of superhero anime covers all the bases, and probably a few you haven’t considered yet.
10. Darker than Black (2007)
As the title suggests, this one isn’t some multicolored blast of goodies and baddies. In the aftermath of a bizarre anomaly that altered major cities around the world, strange powers emerged in certain people.
The governments decided to keep these a secret, though, creating a black ops subdivision where superpowered agents tear each other down over different targets, and many of the episodes focus on Chinese protagonist Hei following a particular mission. There’s a nihilism running through Darker than Black that makes it deeply watchable, like watching CCTV of something catastrophic you don’t need to care about.
9. Tiger and Bunny (2011-2022)
Tiger and Bunny not only seem like the perfect moniker for a mysterious girl-themed tag team in professional wrestling, but they also kind of look like The Boys, without the sex and violence. Tiger is a skilled vigilante in a dystopian future where corporate heroism is highly prized on television watching. He must overcome Bunny, a less skilled combatant.
Eventually, they come together as a powerful pair and take us on a tour of this retro-futuristic New York City. The heroes serve as excellent anchors, but the location sometimes piques your interest more than the characters, much like many television programs do.
8. Ultraman (1979/2019)
Based on the enduring live-action property, two anime series have been created: one in 1979 and the other in 2019. Following two distinct heroes who can change into giants in order to battle kaiju and other threats to society, both are worthwhile endeavors.
A symbiotic extraterrestrial race provides them with this power. It’s all about the amazing combat scenes, sleek sci-fi technology, and interesting transformations, so don’t worry too much about that. The 2019 version was done by Production IG, who also gave the icon a sleek look to go along with his rebirth in Shin Ultraman by Hideaki Anno.
7. One-Punch Man (2015 – Present)
Has there ever been a superhero this simple?As long as you put in the appropriate amount of daily exercise, Saitama consistently demonstrates that all it takes to stop evil in its tracks is one wise move.
Through a universe where being a hero can mean anything from grandeur to mundanity and back again, depending on your level of skill, One-Punch Man humorously parodies DC and Marvel clichés. Like any successful fighter on a winning run, Saitama consistently puts on a show for everyone, and we keep coming back to see whether this time will be any different.
6. Devilman Crybaby (2018)
Masaaki Yuasa’s gruesome reimagining of Devilman revolves around a demon with a soul; if you’re not sure what to expect, this program may be rather unnerving. Akira and Ryo, the main characters, are up against a horde of demonic beings that want to rule Earth.
Leading a gruesome defense against the evil invaders, Akira merges with one. From then on, everything becomes worse, yet in the midst of all the destruction and bloodshed, Ryo and Akira’s love stays at the core. makes a lasting impact.
5. s-CRY-ed (2001)
Tokyo is split in two, with competing armies of superhuman individuals. Two adversaries, Kazuma and Ryuho, were involved in the conflict; the former was a mercenary and the latter an establishment agent.
In a startling turn of events, they discover that innate sectarianism isn’t as bad as it sounds, and they end up being buddies. Though many people haven’t heard of S-CRY-ed, it’s a vivid, colorful narrative with elements of Attack on Titan and the X-Men.
4. Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996)
Listen up: Dragon Ball Z is basically a long-term investigation of the growing danger that Superman’s arrival would bring. Goku, the final son of Krypton, gives himself up right away. then works out to get stronger so they can fight the Saiyans when they return.
Something larger, stranger, and more repulsive appears in every Dragon Ball Z tale, testing Goku and his comrades’ superhuman endurance. Killing Superman, or rather, Super Saiyan, is the unifying objective of space fascists, robo-fascists, and whatever the heck Buu is. Because Goku was such a skilled superhero, more and better supervillains were created. It seems sense that he finally decides to remain dead.
3. Sailor Moon (1992 – 1997)
If only to appease my rainbow-obsessed brain, they ought to combine Sailor Moon with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The platonic ideal of a teenage superteam, Sailor Moon is made up of a network of high schools connected by the shared potential to become Sailor Guardians, who are cosmic superbeings.
Their metamorphoses continue to be the gold standard, and the entire attitude and style are contagiously sparkly. Don’t miss a single Sailor Moon episode, even though the show’s modern incarnation is thriving because to fashion partnerships with brands like Vans. It’s an incredible experience, particularly when observed in the moonlight.
2. Chainsaw Man (2022 – Present)
The chainsaws sticking out of Denji’s flesh give you no doubt that Chainsaw Man will be prickly. Being such a strong body horror anime only served to increase the show’s appeal as viewers were drawn to MAPPA’s incredibly graphic version.
However, among those whirling blades is some true humanity. An examination of how poverty alters the body, mind, and spirit in ways that are beyond the comprehension of most people. Chainsaw Man yet has a charming side despite all of that. heroism in a time when the conventional tropes are beginning to look outmoded.
1. My Hero Academia (2016 – Present)
The best superhero anime, and one that truly deserves its renown. When Deku receives the One For All quirk, he transforms from a typical boy into Superman Jr., living out all of our dreams. He moves in with his classmates in Class 1-A, where they are all enmeshed in some of the most serious threats we have ever seen.
It’s X-Men: The Anime, endearing, joyful, and full of innocent laughter, but it also has a real darkness to it. I shall miss Deku and his friends’ determination and optimism, no matter how everything turns out for them. If you watch, you will too.
