Best years for anime

Key insights

• 2015 was marked by the rise of Saitama in One Punch Man, which cemented the anime's mainstream status.
• 2009 spawned iconic shonen like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, cementing it as one of the genre's best years.
• 2019 was a standout year with hits like Demon Slayer attracting new fans and offering a variety of gems to all viewers.

In the 90s, anime really gained popularity around the world when series like “Pokémon”, “Digimon” and others of this kind became known. Today, anime is one of Japan's greatest cultural exports, and there have been some truly special shows during this time.

However, certain years simply stand out more than others, and some of the series released during those years really solidified anime into the force it is today. Understandably, this can be seen as a subjective topic as some may disagree with what others label as such “The Best Years for Anime” but some are arguably better than others.

10 2015

The year of Saitama's rise

These days, anime is as mainstream as mainstream can be, but the 2010s were instrumental in this change, and one of the more influential years was 2015. For those who were already avid fans, 2015 brought with it the phenomenon that was One Punch Man. The first season of the series, which parodied the idea of ​​superpowered protagonists and heroes, was a huge success.

But that wasn't all. Isekai fans have Overlordwhich made its debut this year. There were the philosophically rich Death paradethe hottest cooking show of all time, Food Wars!and for the romance fans, My love story also celebrated its debut this year. The year 2015 was rich in gems and is still one of the periods with the best releases.

9 2009

2009 produced some of the greatest shonen of all time

Shonen is perhaps the most well-known anime genre with which anime is most associated. For this reason, excellent shonen should always be recognized and celebrated. Considering a time when fans were consistently treated to iconic shonen, 2009 is a notable example of one of the genre's best years.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was released this year and was the highest rated anime of all time on the fansite MyAnimeList until 2024. Not to be outdone, Fairy Tail also celebrated its debut this year. Sure, the series has its haters, but no one can say it's an iconic series. Inuyasha also first aired this year and is considered essential viewing for most anime fans. Other notable titles include: Pandora hearts And From me to you.

8 2019

The best year of modern times

Usually there is a show that attracts an influx of anime fans. Once upon a time Narutoand then Attack on Titan attracted a new wave. But recently, there hasn't been a better year for new fans than 2019. Demon Slayer first aired this year and was a huge success. It is the first film Mugen trainbecame the highest grossing anime film of all time.

But many may forget that this was also the year Vinland Saga appeared for the first time and Thorfinn was introduced to the world for the first time. It was also the year that the remake of Dororo was released and the controversial first season of Shield Hero also came out. There were also some underrated gems, such as Carole and Tuesday And Blade of the Immortal.

7 1988

The year of powerful anime films

Aside from the general series anime that fans get year after year, there are also some truly outstanding films in the anime realm. !988 was a year in which some of the greatest classics were released Akiraa film that is often mentioned in popular media to this day.

It was also the year of the harrowing drama of the Second World War. Grave of the Firefliesand all the more carefree My neighbor Totoro. But that doesn't mean there weren't some great series this year Legend of the galactic heroes and the niche is classic Crying Freeman were released.

6 2007

The year of the Trigger masterpiece

Studio Trigger is known for some outstanding mecha anime and over-the-top combat. One could argue that they truly established themselves at the heart of anime culture in 2007 with the release of the highly acclaimed anime Guren Lagann. The bombastic action show is still considered an essential watch for all mecha enthusiasts and potential mecha fans.

The release of the Odyssey, which comprised over 500 episodes, was also notable Naruto: Shippuden. In addition, there was also the infamous Claymorewhich ended in the worst possible place and hasn't returned since. There was also the underrated Darker than blackthe classic and yet confusing Baccanoand the visually striking Mononoke.

5 2014

A strong year for almost every anime genre

The 2010s were an amazing decade for anime, and following an incredible 2013, 2014 produced some roaring classics. The most prominent was probably the release of the thriller, Tokyo ghoul. The story of Kaneki Ken and how he became a blood-sucking monster captured the imagination of many at the time and was one of the most memorable shows of the year. Other blockbusters were Your lie in Aprilthe flow of tears that still makes people afraid of the month of April, Parasyte: The Maximan incredible thriller and harrowing Akame Ga Kill.

Additionally, there were so many great shows from different genres Noragamiwhich was a great Shonen No game, no life captured the imagination of isekai fans. Reverse harem fans had it Yona the DawnAnimation junkies have Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Worksand sports anime fans had Haikyuu. There really was something for everyone in 2014.

4 2012

The birth of Isekai

It would be wrong to call 2012 the year Isekai was born. It would be accurate to say that it was a groundbreaking year for this influential subgenre Sword art online was released. While many look back on the anime with some reservations, it would be dishonest not to recognize how influential it would become for the Isekai subgenre.

But in addition to this huge show, there were several others, including Psycho Passan anime that many still remember for its iconic villain. Even sophisticated fans may remember that this was the year High school DxD made its debut and the horror giant that it was Another also came into the spotlight.

3 2011

The start of an excellent series

2011-2015 were banner years for anime, but 2011 was the year it all began with nothing less than one of the greatest shonen series ever produced – Hunter x Hunter. Togashi's masterpiece is still unfinished, and while that's frustrating, it does add somewhat to the value of his amazing story.

Who could forget that this was the year of Steins; goal, Anohana, Fate/Zero, Deadman Wonderland, Puella Magi Madoka Magicaand the underrated Skettance. With such an extensive lineup, it's no wonder that 2011 will be remembered as one of the most successful The best anime years of all time.

2 1998

The year of the cool protagonists

There were many great anime shows in the '90s, but one of the most influential anime of all time debuted in 1998, and it was none other than Cowboy Bebop. The space western still boasts one of anime's greatest protagonists: Spike. This year there was also another really cool protagonist, Vash Trigun.

Also notable was the fact that the year was 1998 One piece was first brought to the screen with the OVA, One Piece: Defeat the pirate Ganzack!. The iconic, never-ending show itself began in 1999, but the foundation for it was laid a year earlier.

1 2006

The crucial year of anime

If 2014 was the year when there was an anime for everyone, 2006 was the year when many anime fans fell in love with different genres. The year 2006 brought fans two similar but different protagonists who later became icons. There was Light Yagami from Death notice and Lelouch out Code Geass. These two defined the anti-hero style that became increasingly popular in anime.

The year 2006 had greats everywhere, from action horror to Hellsing Ultimate to the romantic feelings of Ouran High School Host Club. Another anime that was huge this year was Gintamathe comedy show that perhaps has the most entries in MyAnimeList's top 50. There was also Ergo proxy, Black Lagoon, Reborn!, grannyAnd Fate/Stay Nightthe first entry in the Fate series back then.