10 Best Years For Anime, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• 2015 was highlighted by the rise of Saitama in One Punch Man, solidifying anime’s mainstream status.
• 2009 produced 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 providing a variety of gems for all viewers.

Anime really started gaining traction around the world during the 90s when shows such as Pokemon, Digimon, and others of that ilk became well-known. Today, anime is one of Japan’s biggest cultural exports, and there have been some truly special shows that have come around in that time.

However, certain years just stand out more than others, and some of the shows released in those years really came to cement anime as the force it is today. Understandably, this can be considered a subjective topic, as some might not agree with what others will refer to as “the best years for anime,” but some are arguably better than others.

10 2015

The Year Of Saitama’s Rise

Today, anime is as mainstream as mainstream can be, but the 2010s were very instrumental in this shift, and one of the more influential years was 2015. For those who were already avid fans, 2015 brought about the phenomenon that was One Punch Man. The first season of the show, which parodied the idea of overpowered protagonists and heroes, was a huge hit.

But that was not all. Fans of isekai got Overlord, which made its debut that year. There was the philosophically rich Death Parade, the hypest cooking show ever, Food Wars!, and for the romance fans, My Love Story also made its debut that year. 2015 was rich with gems, and is still one of the periods with the best releases.

9 2009

2009 Produced Some Of The Greatest Shonen Ever

Shonen is perhaps the genre of anime that is most well-known and is the one that most associate anime with. This is why excellent shonen should always be recognized and celebrated. In terms of a time when fans got consistently iconic shonen, 2009 is a remarkable example of one of the genre’s best years.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was released that year and, until 2024, was the highest-rated anime of all time on the fan site, MyAnimeList. Not to be outdone, Fairy Tail also made its debut that year. Sure, the show has its haters, but no one can argue that it is an iconic show. Inuyasha also first aired that year and is considered essential watching for most anime fans. Other notable titles include Pandora Hearts and From Me To You.

8 2019

The Best Year Of The Modern Era

There’s usually a show that brings in an influx of anime fans. Once it was Naruto, and then Attack On Titan attracted a new wave. But in recent times, there has been no better year for new fans than 2019. Demon Slayer first aired this year and was a smash hit. It’s first movie, Mugen Train, went on to become the most successful anime movie of all time.

Yet many might forget that this was also the year Vinland Saga first came out, and the world was introduced to Thorfinn for the first time. It was also the year the remake of Dororo was released, and the controversial first season of Shield Hero came out, too. There were also some underrated gems, like Carole and Tuesday and Blade of The Immortal.

7 1988

The Year Of Heavy-Hitting Anime Movies

Apart from the general serial anime that fans get year by year, there are also some really stellar movies within the anime space. !988 was a year when some of the greatest classics came out, most notably Akira, a movie that is often referenced in popular media to this day.

It was also the year of the harrowing World War II drama, Grave Of The Fireflies, and the more lighthearted My Neighbor Totoro. This doesn’t mean that there weren’t some awesome series from that year, as Legend Of The Galactic Heroes and the niche yet classic Crying Freeman were released.

6 2007

The Year Of The Trigger Masterpiece

Studio Trigger is well known for some stellar mecha anime and over-the-top fights. One could argue that they really cemented themselves in the heart of anime culture in 2007 with the release of the highly acclaimed Guren Lagann. The bombastic action show is still considered an essential watch for all mecha enjoyers and potential mecha fans.

Also worthy of attention was the release of the 500+ episode odyssey that was Naruto: Shippuden. On top of that, there was also the infamous Claymore, which ended at the most inconvenient spot and hasn’t returned since. There was also the underrated Darker Than Black, the classic yet confusing Baccano, and the visually striking Mononoke.

5 2014

A Strong Year For Almost Every Genre Of Anime

The 2010s was an amazing decade for anime, and following hot on the heels of an unbelievable 2013, 2014 provided some roaring classics. Probably most prominent was 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 April, the tearjerker that still causes people some trepidation for the month of April, Parasyte: The Maxim, an incredible thriller, and the harrowing Akame Ga Kill.

Beyond that, there were so many great shows from multiple genres, like Noragami, which was an awesome shonen, while No Game, No Life attrected the imagination of Isekai fans. Reverse Harem fans had Yona Of The Dawn, animation junkies got Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, and sports anime fans had Haikyuu. There was truly something for everyone in 2014.

4 2012

The Birth Of Isekai

Referring to 2012 as the year in which isekai was born would be false; what would be correct is saying that it was a seminal year for that subgenre, as the influential 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 alongside that massive show were several others, including Psycho Pass, an anime that many still remember for its iconic villain. Also, cultured fans might remember that this was the year that Highschool DxD made its debut, and the horror giant that was Another also came into the limelight.

3 2011

The Start Of An Excellent Streak

2011-2015 were stellar years for anime, but 2011 was the year that started it, and it did so with none other than one of the greatest shonen series ever produced — Hunter x Hunter. Togashi’s masterpiece is still unfinished, and while that is frustrating, it does add somewhat to the value of its amazing story.

Who could also forget that this was the year of Steins;Gate, Anohana, Fate/Zero, Deadman Wonderland, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and the underrated Sket Dance. With a lineup as loaded as that, it is no wonder why 2011 is fondly remembered as one of the best years of anime ever.

2 1998

The Year Of The Cool Protagonists

There were a lot of great anime shows from the 90s, but one of the most influential anime ever created debuted in 1998, and this was none other than Cowboy Bebop. The space western still boasts of one of anime’s greatest protagonists, Spike. This year also featured another really cool protagonist in Vash from Trigun.

Also of note was the fact that 1998 was the year that One Piece was first adapted to the screen with the OVA, One Piece: Defeat the Pirate Ganzack!. The iconic, never ending show itself would start in 1999, but the seeds were laid the year prior.

1 2006

The Defining Year Of Anime

If 2014 was the year where there was an anime for everyone, 2006 was the year when many anime fans fell in love with different genres. 2006 brought fans two similar yet different protagonists who would go on to become icons. There was Light Yagami from Death Note and Lelouch from Code Geass. These two defined the anti-hero trope that started becoming more popular in anime.

2006 had greats everywhere, from the action-horror of Hellsing Ultimate to the romantic feels of Ouran High School Host Club. Another anime that was huge during this year was Gintama, the comedy show that perhaps has the most entries in the top 50 of MyAnimeList. There was also Ergo Proxy, Black Lagoon, Reborn!, Nana, and Fate/Stay Night, the first entry into the Fate series at the time.