Top Anime Series of All Time

You can call me a 'late bloomer' when it comes to anime. The reason: my dad didn't approve of it and thought some of them were too violent or graphic. Which is why, at age 19, I saw Naruto for the very first time. Although I was watching the Japanese version with English subtitles, I loved it to the core. I don't know what it was or why was I so into the whole thing, but I was hooked; and I never looked back. As the popularity of anime keeps growing in other countries, apart from the east, more kids and teens are becoming fans of the series. Which is why, we have put together a list of good anime series.

But I won't just start giving you a random list of best anime shows. I mean I can, but what will be the point. As these series are catering to such a huge audience and has various platforms to cover, the task is that much tougher. With genres like action, fantasy, magic, super power, Shōjo (female audience), violence, swordplay, comedy, romance, Shōnen (male audience), mystery, and many more, finding the best anime series is a big job. But let's see if we can try and get somewhere with this list.

Top Ten Anime of All Time

In the following list, we have given a short summary as well. So, those of you who have yet to catch these series, read through the summary to know what these greatest anime of all time are all about.

Dragon Ball Z
Known as Doragon Bōru in Japanese, Dragon Ball Z is a manga series about a boy with a monkey's tail whose name is Goku. He has a teenage friend called Bulma along with him in this series. The main plot of the series is for them to head onto a quest and find 7 magical 'Dragon Balls' along their path. As they move ahead, they meet several martial arts characters that eventually become their friends.

Naruto
This Japanese manga series follows a boy named Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. In the series, Naruto is shown to have a 'Nine-Tailed Demon Fox' trapped inside him. When he was born, this demon fox was sealed in him by the leader of Konohagakure and the ninja military. The plot of the series is to tell the story of Naruto who is an adolescent ninja, trying to become Hokage (a ninja that is considered as a leader of the village and is stronger than everyone).

Wolf's Rain
Known as Urufuzu Rein in Japanese, Wolf's Rain is an anime series that shows about the future. Earth, many hundred years from now, is in ruins where humans are living in cities made of domes called 'Freeze City'. The plot follows a pack of wolves, disguising themselves as humans, who know the way to paradise. But humans believe that wolves and other wild animals have been extinct for almost 200 years now. These human-wolves live in the slums of the cities but circumstances change for the better when a new wolf called Kiba comes to the city, getting attracted by the scent of 'Flower Daughter'. She is a mystical person who's kept in seclusion by some human scientists.

Death Note
Known as Desu Nōto in Japanese, this manga series is about a high school boy named Light Yagami. He comes upon a supernatural, mysterious, notebook named the 'Death Note'. Light Yagami despises crime, violence, and corruption, but when he discovers this book, his life changes completely. In this book, there are names of people who will die and has many other instructions as well. He experiments the book's instructions on some criminals and finds out that it in fact does do what it claims. Whoever has hold of the book has the capability to kill the people whose names are written in it.

One Piece
Known as Wan Pīsu, is a manga series catering to male audiences. The story follows a boy whose name is Monkey D. Luffy who is out to find a legendary treasure of Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates. To reach this legendary treasure, Red-Haired Shanks, he has to travel the ends of one of the most dangerous ocean in the world, The Grand Line. As the story develops, Luffy's crew keeps growing as well with interesting characters like Zoro, Nami, Franky, Nico Robin, Brook, Sanji, Tony Tony Chopper, and Usopp.

Vampire Knight
Known as Vanpaia Naito, is a manga series catering to female audiences. The series follows the main characters Yuki Cross, a 15 year old adopted daughter of Kaien Cross, Zero Kiryuu, a 16 year old vampire, Kaname Kuran, a 19 year old pureblood vampire, and Rido Kuran, a 3000+ year old pureblood vampire. Yuki Cross was a regular girl before she was attacked by an evil vampire, but Kaname Kuran saves her. Fast forward 10 years and you will find Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu at the Cross Academy (her father is the headmaster there) working as the school's guardians. And now the school will be making an experiment to show the world that vampires and humans can actually coexist alongside.

Neon Genesis Evangelion
Known as Shin Seiki Evangerio in Japanese, this is one of the most influential anime. The story begins in the year 2000 after the 'Second Impact'. This was a global cataclysm that threatened to destroy Antarctica as whole; it leaves only half of the human population on Earth. The first episode begins in the year 2015 where giant space creatures called 'Angles' are threatening to kill humans. And to save their race, humans have an organization called 'Nerv' that has built giant robots called 'Evangelions' which is navigated by 14 year old kids.

Fullmetal Alchemist
Known as Hagane no Renkinjutsushi in Japanese, is a manga series about a fictional universe where alchemy is a highly advanced proficiencies known to humans. The 2 main characters are Alphonse Elric and Edward who are brothers. They were trying to bring their mother back from the death with the help of alchemy. They are trying to find a legendary catalyst known as the 'Philosopher's Stone' that has the power to recover bodies. These brothers lost their bodies while they were trying to bring back their mother.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Known as Kōdo Giasu: Hangyaku no Rurūshu in Japanese, is an anime that concentrates the Holy Britannian Empire trying to conquer Japan on August 10, 2010, (Ascension Throne Britannia). They use strong robot weapons named the 'Knightmare Frames' that take away Japan's citizens' freedom; Japan is renamed as 'Area 11'. The story follows the Britannian prince Lelouch vi Britannia, who has been sent to Area 11 as a hostage by his own father (even his sister is sent with him). His mother was murdered which makes the prince take a vow to demolish Britannia. The prince gets power from 'Geass' and has 2 wishes he's like to fulfill. One, he wants to avenge his mother's death and two, he wants to build a kind of world where his sister, Nunnally can live peacefully.

Bleach
Known as Burīchi in Japanese, this manga series follows our main character Ichigo Kurosaki. He gets the powers of a 'Soul Reaper' and gives him powers to save humankind from evil spirits. Kurosaki also guides departed souls to move on to the afterlife. As a gifted teenage boy, Kurosaki can see spirits and after he comes in contact with 'Soul Reaper', his life changes completely.

And that's the end of our list on top anime series. I realize that there are tons of other anime that you may like and would want to have seen in this list. But as I have mentioned earlier, I listed only ten; so I stuck to the ones that I've watched myself and heard of. In that case, why don't you let us know which, according to you, are amazing series till date. Perhaps I may find some new series to watch for myself?!