Anime fans love to try out different anime shows for different reasons. While some people love to experience unique stories, others admire great action scenes, funny sequences, or psychological brilliance. Similarly, a vast majority of the audience appreciates anime shows for their spectacular animation and is always hunting down some of the best hair-raising visuals.

But, with so many great shows, each one promising better animation than the other, it's hard to choose which anime to watch and which one to leave behind. Here are a few shows that feature the greatest animation ever done in anime.

Updated by Daksh Chaudhary on November 30, 2023: We've updated the content as per our new formatting standards, making the list more informative and enjoyable for the readers. We've also included more useful links in the article.

15 Hellsing Ultimate

A Unique Take On The Vampire Genre

Why watch Hellsing Ultimate?

• A show with a vampire protagonist.
• Intense action scenes.

Kouta Hirano introduced the concept of mythological creatures known as vampires to the anime world with his highly loved series, Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate. While the original series also had a fascinating animation, Hellsing Ultimate pushed the limits even further. It would be surprising for many fans that Hellsing Ultimate was animated by three different studios. The first four episodes were animated by Satelight, episodes 5 to 7 by Madhouse, and the remaining three episodes by Graphinica.

This story is all about Alucard, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, and Seras Victoria, who work to protect England from The Major, a maniac who wants to start the war in England with the help of his vampire army. But with Alucard and his gang in action, succeeding in his plans is quite impossible for The Major.

14 Land Of The Lustrous

Better CGI Than Most Shows With CGI Animation

Why watch Land of the Lustrous?

• Better CGI animation than most shows.
• Unique concept based on jewelry and gems.

Land of the Lustrous is not a big name in the anime world, and it doesn't get enough appreciation for its spectacular animation. The series is not just pleasing to the eyes because of its flashy animation, but its story and setup in the post-apocalyptic world make fans ask more of it.

The unique story of the series runs on the land where the lifeform called Lustrous resides. They are popular for being the embodiment of precious gemstones. But their precious gem body is not safe as they are attacked by the Moon Dwellers, who use their shattered body for decoration.

13 Tokyo Ghoul

Explores The Dark Side Of Human Psyche

Why watch Tokyo Ghoul?

• Different ending than the manga.
• Good development of main as well as side characters.

Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida is one of the most popular supernatural thriller series, known for its several great elements, including marvelous animation. If shows with a lot of bloodshed and slaughter make you feel alive, then Tokyo Ghoul should be on the top of your watchlist. Of course, some would say that the animation quality in Season 3 dropped significantly, but it's hard to deny that the first two seasons were nothing short of spectacular in terms of animation and action sequences.

Tokyo Ghoul is set up in a world where creatures called Ghoul feed on humans. When a Ghoul attacks the main character of the series, Ken Kenaki, he survives and becomes part Ghoul. The twist? While Ken gains Ghoul's powers, he retains his human side, and now he uses his newly gained powers to save humanity.

12 God Eater

Based On A Popular Video Game

Why watch God Eater?

• Based on a videogame instead of manga.
• Some people call it a fancy version of Attack on Titan.

Ufotable has the most remarkable skills when it comes to animation. The studio has proved its worth several times, and God Eater is one of its unforgettable works. The 13-episode anime series was released in 2015 and became highly popular among fans. The anime series is based on the videogame of the same name. While many new fans avoid watching the anime adaptation of the Fate franchise, video game lovers find themselves drawn to the new releases.

In the year 2071, the peace on Earth was ruined by the terrifying monsters who could easily survive modern weaponry. Humanity's only hope lies with an organization named Fenrir, which has weapons that could kill these monsters.

11 Beyond The Boundry

A Mix Of Multiple Genres

Why watch Beyond the Boundry?

• Instantly lovable characters.
• Good for fans who love light action and a mix of everything.

From action, comedy, and romance to supernatural stuff, this series has a little bit of everything. The characters are instantly likable, and the story is heartwarming. But what amazes us is how a series from 2013 brings such flamboyant visuals that most anime of recent times couldn't catch up with it.

Akihito Kanbara is a young high school boy with the ability to heal his wounds instantly. One day, he meets a new girl named Mirai Kuriyama in the school. She had the ability to manipulate blood, which was considered taboo. Due to being isolated by others, Mirai attempts suicide, but Akihito saves her. Mysterious events start to take place after their first encounter.

10 Mob Psycho

A Show With Lot To Teach About Humanity

Why watch Mob Psycho 100?

• A show with a lot to learn from.
• Mob's character is compared to Saitama.

Studio Bones has animated Mob Psycho in a bit of a comical way. Unlike other anime, the characters in Mob Psycho don't look very attractive; the colors look pale, and everything else seems average. But, once the action starts, that's when Studio Bones shows us their true potential. Every single action scene looks quite detailed and colorful. It's hard to turn your eye away from the action scenes, especially when Mob powers up.

Mob Psycho is the story of an overly powerful psychic named Shigeo Kageyama, who lives in a world where a few selected individuals have psychic abilities. While some people try to use their powers for world dominance and to hurt others, a few people, like Mob, save humanity from those evildoers.

9 Blue Lock

A Psychological Show Using Soccer As A Medium

Why watch Blue Lock?

• Best sports anime with psychological thriller elements.
• Good focus on side characters as well.

Blue Lock is worthy of all the praise it gets. From the story to the development of characters, the use of football elements, and the animation, each piece seems to fit in the right place. The name Eight Bit hides behind industry giants like Wit, MAPPA, and Ufotable, but Blue Lock is proof that if given the right projects, lesser-known studios can prove their potential. The moments of awakening in the characters are so professionally animated that they ignite a strange excitement within fans.

Blue Lock follows elite strikers gathered to revolutionize football. Talented players compete in a unique program called Blue Lock, which aims to create Japan's ultimate striker. The protagonist, Yoichi Isagi, faces fierce rivals, each hungry to be the national team's ace. Undercutting teamwork, the program focuses on individual brilliance, challenging players' skills and mentality.

8 Chainsaw Man

Unexpected Twists, Including The Deaths Of Main Characters

Why watch Chainsaw Man?

• Very unpredictable story.
• Some really hilarious moments despite being a dark show.

All those blood-bathed chainsaw moments, bone-chilling screams and maddening moments of Denji in his Chainsaw Man form, the summoning of the insane Fox Devil by Aki, solidified blood weapons by Power, and not to forget the crazy showdown between Chainsaw Man and Katana Man would have given serious trouble to MAPPA. But this studio means business when it comes to delivering top-notch animation, and that's what we experienced in the series.

Denji leads a poor life, all thanks to his father for leaving his son under a hefty debt. While on the verge of death, Denji merges with his pet devil, Pochita, to become Chainsaw Man, a dude with chainsaws for limbs. He fights devils for cash to pay off his debts. Denji joins the Public Safety Devil-Hunting Division and lives the best life he could ever dream of.

7 Bleach: TYBW

The Best Arc Of The Bleach Franchise

Why watch Bleach: TYBW?

• Introduced the greatest villain of the Bleach universe.
• Side characters are more developed than the original series.

Don't mistake Bleach: TYBW for the original Bleach series when it comes to the animation quality. It's like comparing a fireworks show to a glow stick. The original Bleach might sparkle, but TYBW shines like it's the Fourth of July. They have the same power systems, the same Bankai and Shikai abilities, and equally powerful opponents, but everything looks so flashy and lively in the Thousand-Year Blood War.

Giving the anime adaptation to the last remaining part of the manga, Bleach: TYBW brought the enigmatic Quincy King into the play alongside his whole squad of Quincy. With Yhwach back in the story after a thousand years and more powerful than ever, he poses the greatest threat to the Soul Society.

6 One Punch Man

Overly Powerful Character But Down To Earth And Fun To Watch

Why watch One Punch Man?

• Really funny despite being an intense action series.
• Saitama's character is instantly lovable.

The biggest credit for One Punch Man's success goes to its overly powerful character, Saitama, including the fun and clever writing showcased throughout the series. But, it shouldn't be overlooked how hard Madhouse and J.C Staff have worked on animating the action scenes. Every fight in the series brings out the supremacy of Saitama perfectly. The fight between Saitama and Boros in Season 1 is one of the major highlights of the entire series.

Where all the other characters lust for more power, Saitama can't find an opponent who can stand against him for more than a single punch. He also joins the Hero Association to meet powerful villains, but no one meets his expectations. While Saitama remains the strongest one around, no one realizes his potential aside from his disciple, Genos.

5 Fire Force

A Unique Take On The Shonen Genre

Why watch Fire Force?

• Not your usual shonen anime.
• The side characters are equally good as the main character.

From animation to the storyline, character development, and soundtracks, there's nothing this series misses from being a masterpiece. There are two seasons of Fire Force, each one consisting of 24 episodes, and a third season is currently in the works. While critics criticize Fire Force for a few elements, including the unnecessary fan service, no negative comments can be seen regarding its animation.

Humans are becoming victims of Spontaneous Human Combustion, a plague known to turn them into mindless monsters known as Infernals. To deal with them, a team of people known as the Special Fire Force is prepared, which is also joined by the main protagonist of the series, Shinra Kusakabe.

4 Fate/Stay Night

Actions Scenes Are Unforgettable

Why watch Fate/Stay Night

• Considered the best adaption of the Fate franchise by many.
• Really satisfactory ending for franchise lovers.

From the expressions of the characters to the surrounding locations, the creators have tried to give originality to every scene. The detailing in the background looks authentic, and the action scenes are beyond anything you've experienced before. Despite being a 2006 series, Fate/Stay Night surpasses the animation of most anime shows out there.

This is the story of Shirou Emiya, a teenage boy who enters the deadly tournament known as the Fifth Holy Grail War, where fighters from all around the world enter and fight using deadly weapons and magic in order to win the competition and get their wishes granted by the Holy Grail.

3 Jujutsu Kaisen

Another Feather In The Cap For MAPPA

Why watch Jujutsu Kaisen?

• Totally unexpected plot twists.
• Villains are equally lovable as the heroes.

Whether this was a list of the best anime shows or the ones with the best animation, Jujutsu Kaisen deserved a place on this list. With so many different characters with distinctive Cursed Techniques and Domain Expansions, it must have been difficult for studio Mappa to animate the series, but they pulled it off perfectly.

In the Jujutsu Kaisen world, people's negative emotions give birth to curses. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the curse. The king of these curses is Ryomen Sukuna, and Yuji Itadori becomes his host. Yuji is made to join the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School, where great sorcerers work to eliminate Curses.

2 Attack On Titan

Anime With One Of The Greatest Plots

Why watch Attack on Titan?

• features some of the greatest plot twists in anime history.
• Compared to the greatest shows of all time.

There's nothing bigger than Attack on Titan for anime fans in recent years. The series is one of the most awarded anime shows of all time, which also includes several awards for best animation. The first three seasons of AOT were animated by Wit Studio, while Mappa took over the animation for the last season. But, there's nothing to complain about the job done by both the studios. Of course, several fans missed the old-school animation done by WIT Studio when MAPPA took over, but the studio did indeed improve the animation quality in the final parts.

Attack on Titan is the survival story of Eren Yeager and hundreds of other people like him who live in a world where giant humanoids known as Titans attack humans and kill them mercilessly. To free the people from the Titans, Eren and his friends join the Survey Corps, who kill them using special gear.

1 Demon Slayer

Entertainment District Arc Was Pure "Cinema"

Why watch Demon Slayer?

• No anime has matched the greatness of Demon Slayer's animation so far.
• All the characters feel like the primary antagonists and protagonists in their respective arcs.

What Ufotable has done with Demon Slayer still feels unbelievable. After watching the first season, fans appreciated the show for its marvelous animation. Then came the Mugan Train Arc, and everyone believed the animation couldn't get any better. Then, fans witnessed the Entertainment District Arc, and every single frame looked like a piece of art. The animation in Swordsmith Village Arc was also good, but not as good as what we saw in the Entertainment District Arc. The final confrontation between the Demon Slayers and Gyutaro had several fans in tears because of its "flamboyant" animation quality.

The world has become a place where human life is threatened by Demons. Someone has to save humanity, and the Demon Slayers have taken this responsibility. They fight demons of different levels, while their ultimate goal remains to kill the Demon king Muzan Kibutsuji. Tanjiro also joins the wagon with the Demon Slayers, hoping to turn his Demon-turned-sister back into a human.

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