It’s been a weird year. There’s the overall state of the world (which, you know) and media and the entertainment industry continues to be redefined every few months as the business behind the scenes is impacted by audiences choosing to stay home rather than wade into a theater. Still, while the means in which it’s been distributed have varied, the art itself has yet to suffer. Last year, when writing about the pieces of media that got us through the tumultuos and trying 2020, anime was touched upon as being a perfect means of escapism, something that still rings true. This year alone gifted us plenty of new shows to keep up with each week along with ongoing favorites that either met their series finale or signaled a new, greater threat for upcoming seasons. As we continue to close out our year end coverage, here are out 25 best anime of 2021.
The Aquatope on White Sand
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
The Aquatope on White Sand is gorgeous, both in its presentation and its deceivingly simple premise. The series cleverly makes you grow attached first to its setting before even setting up the actual show—so when you learn this slice-of-life series centers around saving a failing aquarium, you’re already plenty invested. This mission also is a lesson in healing for the disgraced idol Fūka, who is presented genuinely and with familiarity for anyone who’s had to decide what they’re going to do next with their life. The series ends up a great companion piece to Remake Our Life’s looking back for a new direction and this show’s focus on moving forward. Really though, it’s the stellar visuals from P.A. Works that tie Aquatope together with the perfect symbolic and stunning opening and ending credits to deliver a stellar package for the 2021 season. Aquatope also stands out for having a pure agent of chaos character wandering in the background, keep an eye out for them, they’re impossible to hate. [Travis Hymas]
Blue Period
Where to Watch: Netflix
A love letter to artists and the creative process, the latest Netflix anime adaptation Blue Period is a meditative and curious examination as those who find their passions later than most. Based on the hit manga from Tsubasa Yamaguchi, Blue Period follows high-school student Yatora Yaguchi who, despite excellent grades, has been unable to find his path following graduation. One day though after stumbling across an art students latest piece, he’s stunned into inspiration and soon finds himself similarly following the art track, despite the odds facing him. This slice of life character study lures viewers into a safe bubble of escapism as we watch as he and his other fellow art students looking to win a spot at Tokyo’s most revered art school. Beyond following characters passion for art, it also does great work in exploring self-made anxiety as well as pressure that externalizes itself, along with sexuality and gender dynamics in an especially moving episode. While the character designs themselves don’t break the mold, the creations the characters make as well as the time they spend creating is animated with beautiful flourishes. [Allyson Johnson]
Dr. Stone Season 2
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
The first season of Dr. Stone was one of the surprise delights of 2020. Season two reunites us with Senku and friends as he continues to try and rebuild society through the power of science following an incident that left all of the world’s inhabitants petrified for thousands of years. Rivalries are reunited with thrilling results and while the the animation remains crudely drawn at times, especially in moments of overt humor, the world building, characterization, score and action remain top notch. Burning through the storyline quicker than most of its contemporaries, despite a shortened second season that left us with another cliffhanger, it’s built up enough good faith to keep us engaged until the next installment. [Allyson Johnson]
Digimon Ghost Game
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Advertisement
2021 feels like a weird time to be praising a Digimon series, but Ghost Game is easily the best the franchise has put forth in ages. A clever blend of traditional ghost stories with a precinct vision of what a “metaverse” might actually look like; Ghost Game takes the monster of the week stories the early parts of a Digimon series always lead with and punches them up into what may end up being formative horror for the younger audience it targets. While nostalgic millennials won’t get scared away, they’ll easily appreciate seeing the creepy visuals of familiar monsters. Ghost Game’s got new digital monsters too, and they’re easily some of the best in the franchise as well – especially new lead Gammamon, who is baby. [Travis Hymas]
Fena: Pirate Princess
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Adult Swim
The combined forces of Production I.G, Crunchyroll, and Adult Swim have delivered one of the year’s strongest visual presentations—a difficult club to join. After escaping the brothel she was trapped in, the titular Fena sets off with a crew of deadly warriors to explore the outside world and solve the mystery of her life before now, guided only by a clear stone left behind by her father. Fena has only aired a scant few episodes so a lot of the larger world and its mysteries are only beginning to show themselves, but Fena leans hard on the secondary cast and their resources to keep you from noticing too much. Being an original series, Fena benefits from keeping some cards close for now. Bonus points to this series for managing to avoid getting gross about the experiences Fena could be having at the start of the series – looking at you, Idaten Deities. [Travis Hymas]
Fruits Basket Season 3
Where to Watch:
Advertisement
If you were alive and an anime fan during the early 2000s, this entry might be giving you some serious “Mandela Effect” vibes. But no, we aren’t trapped in some sort of time loop. Well, maybe we are, I don’t know, but it probably doesn’t have anything to do with Fruits Basket. This 2019 anime is the second attempt at adapting Natsuki Takuya’s critically acclaimed manga of the same name.
Fruits Basket is a slice-of-life anime with a rather peculiar twist. When high school students Tohru Handa and Yuki Soma start to get close, a strange secret about Yuki’s family is revealed; whenever they’re hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they transform into one of the members of the Chinese Zodiac calendar.
While the original adaptation cut the story pretty short, the 2019 version boasts three seasons full of beautiful animation and the perfect amount of romance, drama and suspense. The perfect recipe for the perfect introduction to the slice-of-life genre. [Adonis Gonzales]
Godzilla Singular Point
Where to Watch: Netflix
Advertisement
In Godzilla SP, the combined work of studios Orange and Bones have crafted something that feels both unique in the vast canon of the King of the Monsters, but that also feels quintessential at the same time. Particularly worth highlighting is the unique Kaiju designs by former Studio Ghibli animator Eiji Yamamori that take familiar creatures and create something just as strangely recognizable. The series is a bit slow to build and dry at parts—this is much more Shin Godzilla than Godzilla vs Kong—but the weird science that makes up SP’s backbone is fascinating in its own right. [Travis Hymas]
The Heike Story
Where to Watch: Funimation
With an animation style that emulates classical styles with soft color pallets and even softer lines, The Heike Story directed by A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird director Naoko Yamada is a stunning tale of perseverance and tragedy. Adapted from Hideo Furukawa’s 2016 translation of The Tale of Heikie, a 13th-century historical epic depicting the rise and fall of the Taira clan, the series doesn’t fall too harshly into misery, with the first two episodes in particular displaying the magnetic humor, grief and light mysticism that plays into the series themes. However, the main draw (aside from an OP by Japanese indie-rock band Hitsujibungaku) is the work of Yamada who has proven with her work in her directorial features along with work on Violet Evergarden that she is one of the most exciting figures in her field today. Heike Story continues the trend of Yamada’s touch instilling empathy and other-worldliness to human stories. [Allyson Johnson]
Horimiya
Where to Watch: Funimation
The worst thing about the charming character study Horimiya is in how quickly it’s all over with only one season. Based on the shōnen web manga series written and illustrated by Hiroki Adachi, the series follows the burgeoning love story between the sensitive introvert Izumi Miyamura and the responsible and assertive Kyoko Hori. However, rather than delve into what some may find to be your typical character dynamics, Horimiya efficiently subverts them, not allowing their initial impressions of one another color the rest of their personalities. It’s a vibrant and sun soaked anime, with simplistic yet eye catching designs that grant each character their own place in the series. That, coupled with a terrific score and a heartfelt storyline at its center, makes for one of the more aesthetically pleasing series of the year so far. It’s truest strength though lies in the central two; it’s Miyamura’s need for self-acceptance and finding community through Hori that makes for such a winsome and empathetic story.[Allyson Johnson]
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Part 1
Where to Watch: Netflix
Once long promised at the beginning of David Production’s ambitious adaptation, the series has finally reached the first female JoJo, and Jolyne does not disappoint. The first portion of Stone Ocean has already gone to some – pun intended – bizarre places in only beginning to set up the larger story but through unique combat designs and great characters the series retains the excellence that’s always existed in JoJo. What stands out uniquely here is the primarily female cast doesn’t feel particularly lecherous or exploitative, much less reek of “men writing women” syndrome that plague a lot of material. Jolyne feels right at home among the Joestar line as both an equal and a unique member of the franchise. That promises to only continue when Netflix gets around to dropping the rest of the series, based on what we’ve seen so far. [Travis Hymas]
Jujutsu Kaisen Second Cour
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Jujitsu Kaisen went into its second half at the beginning of 2021 and did not miss a beat. While the first half of the season showed off what makes the series special, the second half is what shows how much gas this newer Shonen Jump grad has in the tank. Now that the groundwork for the rules and sides have been established, Jujutsu Kaisen can now expand both its roster and reveal the compelling intrigue and plotting happening just under the very Bleach-esque surface. That isn’t to say the gas has been let off on the action, in fact it could be argued the action in JJK is even more potent than in production studio Mappa’s other high profile work, such as the final season of Attack on Titan. [Travis Hymas]
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
Where to Watch: Funimation
If you too have mourned the loss of the marvelously odd The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, the similarly paced, cynical slice of life series Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan will perfectly fill that void. The series primarily follows Uramichi Omota, the gymnast Oniisan for a children’s television show along with his co-workers and their daily grind to keep up their faux enthusiasm for the sake of their young audience all the while enduring a grueling work schedule, demanding bosses, and a lifestyle that enables burnout over “quitting.” It’s frank and hilarious in its depiction of millennial ennui, especially in an unsatisfactory workplace environment. With the slice of life storytelling framework, it means we get to barrel through multiple snapshot plots for each episode and while there’s an abundance of situational humor and characters who are inherently there to be the butt of the joke, the show sneaks in just enough moments of wisdom or moments of friendship between characters that give it enough depth so that while we’re laughing at the characters and they’re hijinks each week, we also are growing to care about them. [Allyson Johnson]
My Hero Academia Season 5
Where to Watch: Hulu, Funimation, Crunchyroll
With all of the newly airing shows on the list, My Hero Academia may at first seem like a cheap pick (though we genuinely love it) but it’s on this list not for the entirety of season five—though solid—but because of the second cour which has largely been phenomenal. Though I’m sure there will be some manga readers frustrated with how little screen time certain threads have gotten so far, as a primary anime viewer it’s been fantastic amounts of fun to watch as pieces are being set in place to hint at the looming, destructive future for our heroes. From Hawks leaving hints for Endeavor regarding potential threats, to finally seeing what the villains lead by Shigaraki have been up to and to a truly stellar and season standout episode that dives into Eraserhead’s backstory and his friend from his past that met a seemingly untimely end, My Hero Academia with the back half of season five is once again upping the stakes. With how low stakes and easy-going the school festival and joint training arcs were, it’s both refreshing and foreboding to witness the tonal turn the series has once again taken, and we couldn’t be happier. The only downside is how long we will likely have to wait for season six. [Allyson Johnson]
Read More: The 15 best episodes of My Hero Academia
Odd Taxi
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
At first glance, the exact appeal of ODDTAXI can be a bit of a mystery, fittingly enough for this mystery anime series about a middle-aged walrus who drives a taxi in late-night, jazz-pop Tokyo. From the opening song credits, ODDTAXI clearly aims to establish a quirky, laid-back vibe that’s as layered and unpredictable as the cutting dialogue packed within each episode, all of it slowly, meticulously building this sprawling, yet intimate world where the characters happen to be animals, for reasons that only serve this show’s off-beat style and effortlessly cool atmosphere.
For a show where the characters look like adorable animals (usually), ODDTAXI is delightfully dark and wicked. There’s a reason the show brought in a huge following after only one season this past summer, which will apparently be its last, as well. On the one hand, it’s a shame to say goodbye to these characters, particularly Odokawa, so soon after just getting to know them. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine anywhere else for this show to go after that gut-wrenching finale. Here’s hoping that the legacy of ODDTAXI inspires many more creative anime and manga like it down the road. [Jon Negroni]
Ranking of Kings
Where to Watch: Funimation
Meet the most lovable anime character of 2021 (and, possibly, 2022) with Bojji, a prince born deaf who must try and reclaim power over his kingdom following the death of his giant of a father. Bojji, despite being ridiculed by his Kingdom, is a optimistic and kind, and it’s his perseverance that makes him such an excellent hero for this story, good in a way that inspires the characters around him to be better too. Ranking of Kings doesn’t look like many ongoing anime airing now, with less shine to its characters and backgrounds, playing instead with disorienting landscapes and character designs that shift and play within and against the parameters of the screen. It’s the unusual visual tricks plus the characterization – especially with Daida and Hiling who in any other show might’ve been written as one note – that makes it one of the most surprisingly engaging anime of the year. [Allyson Johnson]
Sakugan
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A victim of the great 2020 delay, Sakugan (a portmanteau of sacks and guns) feels like it has been flying under the radar this year. That’s a shame, since the series is definitely a blast. Centered around father and daughter team Gagumber and Memenpu’s adventures through a mysterious labyrinth while managing their own complicated relationship, Sakugan plays like an Odd Couple style comedy romp but contains a lot more under the surface. The series’ mysteries are only just beginning to unfurl, but they promise to complicate the family’s relationship in a way only this particular world can offer. This series is a great reminder that while certain troupes and elements can be common in anime, they can always be rearranged into something new and fun. [Travis Hymas]
Sk8 The Infinity
Where to Watch: Funimation
We all love a good sports anime and while few can be as wonderful as the popular series Haikyu!! that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty others to explore. Case in point? The engaging and beautifully animated original series Sk8 the Infinity. Produced through the studio Bones, the show simply looks terrific, with gripping, kinetic energy in the competitions between skaters which grow increasingly engrossing each time a character defies science to earn an advantage on the other character. The heart of the story is the friendship between Reki and Langa and the understanding that you’re able to enjoy something at your own pace, even if it looks like the people closest to you are moving out of reach. The voice acting is all superb, especially from Reki’s Tasuku Hatanaka and while the show tends to lean into certain…ludicrous situations (anything to do with Adam really) the core message of finding yourself through what you love to do outweighs any of the sillier moments. [Allyson Johnson]
Sonny Boy
Where to Watch: Hulu
From the mind of Shingo Natsume, the director of One Punch Man, comes Sonny Boy, one of the most thrillingly inexplicable shows of 2021. An original anime that doesn’t rely on existing material and is made all the more ludicrously genre-defying because of it, it begins with a group of students left afloat in time, confined by a black abyss. The premise promises a Lord of the Flies type of energy and while it does play within those confines, it’s greater still because it doesn’t linger there. Rather, Sonny Boy refuses to answer almost any of the questions it sets up by refusing to tell the story in a linear fashion. Instead, one week will focus on a murder mystery, the next a post-apocalyptic survivor story, and the next and entire episode dedicated to the history of “ape baseball.” The series challenges itself by deconstructing the “chosen one” archetype by having its lead character be the potential catalyst for the trouble they’ve found themselves in rather than a savior. It’s also simply uncomfortably beautiful to take in, with its thick, crude line art, the lack of score, and the considerable talent of Hisashi Eguchi, best known for working on Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue, on character art. It’s a triumph of a series thus far and we can only hope it sticks the landing. [Allyson Johnson]
Star Wars: Visions
Where to Watch: Disney+
Arriving just as the saga had grown stale, Star Wars: Visions was a prime example to both the studio and it’s fans that this iconic series needed an update through outside talent and storylines that weren’t just poached from the original trilogy. The anthology series was a showcase from some of Japans greatest talents, with directors from Science SARU, Trigger and Production I.G. all stepping up to create bite-sized compelling worlds within a well-known universe. The varying art styles and cast of colorful characters keeps the nine episodes from feeling stale and encourages the idea that, if Lucasfilm and Disney are determined to keep pumping out Star Wars related content, they should be looking for these sort of visionaries to take up the mantle and to allow the series to feel fresh and fun again with a release sense of adventure. While everyone will have their favorites – and I’m certainly always going to be drawn to a studio Trigger production such as “The Twins” from Promare filmmaker Hiroyuki Imaishi, the episode that leaves the greatest mark is the first, “The Duel.” Directed by Takanobu Mizuno, the installment is both a terrific visual callback to the works of legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (especially Yojimbo) while also expanding the lore of the world and stamping a disntict visual style that leaves a mark. [Allyson Johnson]
Takt op. Destiny
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
A general creative rule is that if you’re going to steal, you should steal from the best. Even then, that takt.op Destiny decided to try to capture the feel of Fullmetal Alchemist of all things sounds like a suicide run. To be clear, the series is playing with its own pretty unique elements, particularly an obsession with music itself, but the series feels like it’s doing its own cover of FMA. That’s not a negative criticism — even as the cover can’t match the original piece. The series has excellent production value to match its ambition, particularly in the sound design, which isn’t surprising given the subject material but does extend far beyond its dedication to iconic musical pieces. The biggest surprise is all of this is in service of tying into a gatcha game that is currently indefinitely on hold. That purpose does sneak in through a lot of the character design (very Genshin Impact vibes off this one) but the teamwork of MAPPA and Madhouse make them move and sound so good, it’s hard to complain. [Travis Hymas]
Tokyo Revengers
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
What a befuddling and at times off-putting show. Directed by Koichi Hatsumi and based on the manga from Ken Wakui, this time-traveling shōnen series manages to create instant intrigue through both its familiar and disarming story beats. There’s the well-trodden paths of an eclectic group of friends stuck in unfortunate circumstances, the girl who needs to be saved, and the character duos who act as one another’s foils for potential tragedy. But then, throwing it off-kilter, there’s also a somewhat unlikeable and feeble leading character, exaggerated facial animation, and protagonists that we’re not sure if we’re meant to root for or not. This isn’t even touching the time travel aspect which, with shows such as Erased aren’t so much a novel concept but the way it’s used here to show our lead character at his more pathetic modern version to his past, more assured self is to great comedic effect. It won’t instantly rope you in emotionally, but with each episode, you’ll find it harder and harder to not just binge what’s currently available. [Allyson Johnson]
To Your Eternity
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Unlike most of the series on this list, To Your Eternity really requires some heads up before recommending. Adapted from A Silent Voice creator Yoshitoki Ōima’s manga of the same name, To Your Eternity is a hard watch for reasons that should be clear if you’re familiar with that manga or film. However, it’s that same pedigree that raises this story of an immortal being left to learn about a mortal world far beyond its misery. While the overall production sits comfortably at a “passable” compared to the competition, Brain’s Base has deftly adapted the tone of Ōima’s work perfectly. [Travis Hymas]
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Where to Watch: Funimation
Straight from the minds one might call the Avengers of the anime scene for the past decade or so comes Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song. Produced by Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, Great Pretender,) written by Tappei Nagatsuki (most notably of Re:Zero fame) and Eiji Umehara (scenario writer for some more recent Pokemon movies & production on Ghost In The Shell: Standalone Complex,) Vivy has been picking up some traction amongst the scene since its debut but is still criminally underrated for all it brings to the table. Stunning visuals and choreography meet with an infectious soundtrack that you’re unlikely to detach from anywhere near your first pass. [Jordan Lee]
Wonder Egg Priority
Where to Watch: Funimation
Wonder Egg Priority is a magical girl shawarma filled with psych horror, action, and some good old fashioned shoujo. While traversing some rather fragile themes like gender identity, bullying, latchkey kids, and suicide with a refreshing degree of nuance, it never feels preachy or vapid with its delivery. With the subject matter at hand, it’s not hard for things to get unsettling at times, especially taken into account how young the protagonists are. That being said, there’s a special level of care taken when exploring these darker issues that deserves to be highlighted. On top of that, an impeccable voice cast, gorgeous animation, and versatile writing made this one of my favorite watching experiences this year.[Jordan Lee]
Yasuke
Where to Watch: Netflix
Yasuke is a tribute to both the culture of hip-hop and anime, a stylistic piece of evidence that the two worlds can collide with flair. Based on the life of the real-life first African samurai, Yasuke mixes historical events with fantastical plot lines involving demons, evil priests, and giant robots. With animation by MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaijen) and an original soundtrack by Flying Lotus, Yasuke is an instant bloody classic. [Adonis Gonzalez]
Click here to check out the rest of our end of the year coverage.
Advertisement