45 Shounen Anime That will Make your Adrenaline Rush

By:

Published:

25/05/2019

Updated on: 01/09/2022

Shounen anime, the most popular genre in the anime universe. It is generally targeted toward young boys between the age group of 12 to 18. However, not just teen boys, but fans of all ages and life are also greatly fascinated by this genre.

It has shown us numerous legendary series throughout its generations, and now they are deeply embedded in our hearts. So, after much deliberation, we have selected some of the best ones in this top 40+ shounen anime list.

Best Shounen Anime

Fire Force - anime similar to My Hero Academia

45. Fire Force

7.71

Fire Force is a shounen anime set in a fantasy world where ordinary people randomly transform into flaming violent creatures known as Infernals. This phenomenon is Spontaneous Human Combustion: a chaotic phenomenon that has plagued humanity for years. First-generation accounts of Human Combustion are Infernals and the second and third generations became known as Pyrokinetic. People who are Pyrokinetic can manipulate and control their flames while remaining human. A Special Fire Force is made to combat the Infernal threat and discover its cause.

One of the third-generation pyrokinetic, Shinra Kusakabe, aka Devil’s Footprints, becomes a Special Fire Force Company 8. Shinra is determined to become a hero by saving the lives of those threatened by the Infernals. However, Shinra gets himself into a pool of mysteries and concealed truths that he will fight within and outside the Fire Force.

44. Dr. Stone

8.35

Several thousand years before, a mysterious phenomenon occurs that turns all of humanity to stone. After several thousand years, Senku Ishigami, a brilliant and science-driven boy, awakens from this petrification. In front of him was a world of stone where civilization collapsed, and nature has flourished. Senku makes up his mind to use science to rebuild the world and find how he can revive others. Meanwhile, his childhood friend Taiju Oki also awakens. Now together with few others, they will craft the adventure to establish a civilization. But, they must fight hard because some awakened people may create obstacles in the way.

Promised Neverland - Best Mind game anime

43. Promised Neverland

8.66

In the Grace Field house, orphans lived together as a family with their guardian ‘Mama’ Isabella. Children were required to take tests daily and free to spend their time as they see fit afterward. But they need to follow the rule of not going too far from the orphanage. Every few months, a child is adopted and sent to live with their new family. Everything is normal except that the kids in the orphanage never heard anything from the adopted children again.

This suspicious occurrence creates doubts for the three oldest siblings of the house. And they set their minds to discover the cruel fate that awaits the children living at Grace Field, including the twisted nature of their beloved Mama.

42. Jujutsu Kaisen

8.49

This shounen anime was a great hit of 2020. Yuuji Itadori is a highschool student who spends his day either in school’s Occult club or in the hospital beside his bedridden grandfather. However, his lifestyle soon changes when his friend unsealed a talisman in their occult club. This talisman is a rotting finger, belonging to the demon Sukuna Ryoumen, the “King of Curses.” It attracted Curses to the school. Yuuji swallowed the talisman to protect his friends from the cures and became a host of Sukuna, a mighty Curse host.

Despite being possessed, Yuuji is still able to retain control over his body for the most part. Seeing this, a sorcerer Satoru Gojō decides to take him to the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School to walk down a path he cannot return.

Demon Slayer

41. Demon Slayer

8.56

Kimetsu no Yaiba or Demon Slayer is a very popular shounen anime currently among anime lovers. It is highly action-packed in comparison to other anime of a similar genre.

Its story starts when Tanjirou Kamado has to take care of his family after his father passed away. They moved to a remote mountain to live in peace. One day Tanjirou decides to go into a nearby village to earn money. On his back, he takes shelter in the house of a man due to nightfall. The man warns him of the flesh-eating demons that lurk in the woods at night. In the morning, he comes back home to see his whole family has been slaughtered except his sister Nezuko who has become a monster. He promised to avenge the killings and to take care of his sister. In this, he gets the help of a mysterious group calling themselves the Demon Slayer Corps.

40. Pokemon

7.42

A world where peculiar creatures with supernatural powers exist, commonly known as pokemon. Many people with the desire to become a pokemon trainer have emerged. They capture, train them, and usually use them within the battle against other trainers. However, some individuals want to research their existence or befriend them.

Satoshi is a 10 years old kid who dreams of becoming the pokemon master. So finally, the day arrives where he can realize his dream and get his first-ever pokemon. However, on such an important day, he ends up waking late. Now his only choice is a rebellious Pikachu, an electric type pokemon. Little did Satoshi know how this chance meeting will lead to a friendship that will last lifelong. Follow Satoshi, Pikachu, and his friends, who will acquaint him as they travel across the vast region. While also avoiding dangers lurking around in the form of a team rocket who wants to steal powerful pokemon.

Pokemon, an anime that has been a part of everyone’s childhood. It has come a long way since its premiering, and most of us know Satoshi as Ash Ketchum. Though it’s still popular with teenagers, the show’s rating has declined majorly due to its inconsistency in the characters. But if you feel quite nostalgic and want something to reminisce the old classical anime days, then pokemon is for you.

39. Hajime no Ippo

8.79

Ippo Makunouchi is a shy high school student who is unable to make any friends. And it is because he is always busy helping out his mother in their family business. However, his quiet nature led to him getting excessively bullied at school every day. One day, the bullies crossed their limits and gave him a serious beating. Fortunately, he was saved by a professional boxer named Mamoru Takamura, who brought him to the Kamogawa Gym to treat his injuries. After this fateful encounter, everything in Ippo’s life changed for the better as he decides to follow in the footsteps of Takamura and become a professional boxer. Follow Ippo in his journey as he strives hard to overcome all the obstacles and ultimately become the world champion.

An anime that will make you truly excited, where you will feel like shouting when the fight intensifies and concludes, and you don’t want it to finish. Hajime no Ippo is one such show where you don’t need all those robots or magic fights to make your adrenaline rushing. The plot and its unique character really make this shounen anime a great watch.

dgray man - 38th shounen anime

38. D.Gray-Man

8.06

The story is set in the alternate 19th century, with the central character being Allen Walker. He joins the black order to train his innocence better. Innocence is a holy artifact with the help of which the exorcists can destroy the Noah clan and the Akuma. Together with exorcists from the black order, Allen leads the battle against the Millennium Earl, the Noah clan leader who is out to annihilate humanity. But what will happen when the hidden conscious inside Walker begins to take over his body?  And with that conscious being the member of Noah’s clan, will he be able to find a way to overthrow this danger?

The D.Gray-Man plot is really unique, and with such interesting characters, you are sure to enjoy this long shounen anime. Unlike other long series, even the fillers served well as comedy relief against the anime’s serious setting. So if you want to watch some dark anime with serious depth, then D.Gray-Man is for you.

kurokos basketball - shounen anime

37. Kuroko’s basketball

8.33

The ‘generation of miracles,’ the strongest basketball team from Teikou High school, has won three consecutive wins in the championship. No one was able to overpower this team of five players with their exceptional and unique skills. However, after graduating, they all go their separate ways and eventually end up becoming rivals.

In Seirin High school, from the freshmen, Taiga Kagami and Tetsuya Kuroko join the basketball team. And we soon come to know that these two are not ordinary basketball players. Taiga, who returned from the US, is a talented player. Whereas Kuroko, even though he looks rather ordinary, was the hidden sixth member of the ‘generation of miracles’ who could erase his presence while on the field. This strange ability is his strongest card against the rival teams, which earned him the nickname of ‘Phantom man.’

Follow the Seirin high school team’s journey as they strive to win the inter-high championship while overcoming several powerful teams, with some even having five players with extraordinary abilities.

Kuroko’s basketball is one of the most popular sports anime. Even if you don’t like or know anything about this sport, with the thrilling action, comedy, and amazing characters of this anime, you will come to love it.

ueki

36.Ueki no Housoku

7.84

The battle of superpowers, a tournament organized by the superior God. His reasons? Because he wants to choose a God that will take his place as the next ruler of the heavens. Now all 100 God candidates must pick an individual who will fight in their stead in the tournament. Moreover, the person chosen by the God candidates will be given a unique but strange power. The winner will become God, and their fighter will be awarded the talent of the Blank. The talent of the blank can give any desired power to the winner.

Ueki no Housoku follows the story of Kousuke Ueki, a student of Hinokuni Junior High School. He is chosen as the fighter by one of the God candidates and is granted the power to turn garbage into trees. Will he be able to hold his wits and determinedly fight against others to win this tournament?

It is one of the best classic shows in the shounen universe, but its glory has been forgotten by many with time. It’s a unique anime as it has smartly able to execute those cliches that most shounen anime seems to have and made it the most enjoyable for us. Pleasing visuals, good soundtracks, amazing seiyuu, and strong characters make for a fascinating watch.

code geass - shounen anime

35. Code Geass- Lelouch of the Rebellion R2

8.94

Masked vigilante Zero, who led the failed black rebellion against the Holy Britannian Empire, goes missing. Now without their leader, the black knights are powerless against the brutality of the Britannia. Whereas the missing Lelouch aka. Zero has lost all his memories. He is also living peacefully as a normal high school student at Ashford Academy, away from all the upheaval of Area 11. Unable to accept this turn of events, now it up to C2, his former partner, to make Lelouch remember his past purpose. Thus, begin the game of democracy again with the return of mastermind Zero.

This shounen anime is the sequel to the masterpiece Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch. Jaw-dropping plot-twists, incredible animation, and soundtracks while also able to skillfully relate with the first season. The anime will make you engrossed in its universe. However, I would recommend watching the Code Geass season 1 before picking it, as you might get confused with the plot and characters.

detective conan

34. Detective Conan

8.25

Shinichi Kudou is a high school student with exceptional detective skills who have solved various challenging cases. One day, Kudou witnessed an illegal trade by some men in black and, unfortunately, is caught by them. The men dosed him with a drug intending to kill him. However, he wakes up soon enough and finds that the drug didn’t kill him. Instead, it shrunk his body into that of a seven years old kid.

Perplexed by this event, he confronts the crazy scientist Hiroshi Agasa. And he warns him not to tell anyone else about this or else they might be in danger. Hiroshi also provides him with many gadgets to help him around. Now Shinichi lives as a surrogate brother of Ran and helps out her father, a mediocre detective, while under Conan Edogawa’s alias. Will Shinichi be able to find that mysterious organization responsible for his current state and hoping to reverse the drug’s effect someday?

Detective Conan illustrates the mystery/ detective genre at its best. The cases and mystery in this shounen anime are really mind-blowing and are perfectly able to captivate you. The series has also blended nicely with comedy and romance elements. And with the soundtracks, you will be surely drawn into its classical detective drama feels.

magi kingdom of magic

33. Magi: The kingdom of magic

8.41

The plot is set after Alladin, and his friends defeated AI-Thamen. After celebrating their victory, they all depart from the land of Sindria, with each of them going separately. Hakuryuu and Kougyoku are ordered to go back to their home country, the Kou empire. Meanwhile, Alladin decides to head to the country ruled by magicians- Magnostadt. Where he will investigate the mysterious events happening in the new empire and also get more experience as a magician. Inspired by Alladin, Alibaba and Morgiana also set off to pursue their own goals to train more and go to her homeland, respectively.

Follow Alladin and his friends as they adventure separately to develop their own strengths, make new friends, and prepare for what is coming.

This shounen anime is more than just about magic. The series is unique with its world-building concept, darker elements than its first season, and its ideologies on humanity. It’s an excellent show that will impress you with its visuals, soundtracks, and character development. And it also reminds one of the classical ‘Aladdin’ tale.

sao - shounen anime

32. Sword Art Online

7.57

The plot is set in the year 2022, where technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. With this progression, virtual reality games have come around as a new way of enjoyment. One such game is Sword Art Online, and with the use of nerve gear tech, the players can control their characters through just their minds.

Among many other players is our protagonist ‘Kirito’ Kazuto Kirigaya, who is lucky enough to be chosen as the beta tester for SAO. On November 6, he logs in with 10,000 other players into the game and finds himself surrounded by an amazing fantasy setting of this VRMMORP game. However, his amazement is soon turned to horror when he discovered that they couldn’t log off from the game. The creator of SAO, Akihito Kayaba, subsequently appears and announces that they can’t go out of SAO until someone clears all of the 100 floors of Aincrad, the floating castle. He disappears with a warning that if they die in Aincard, they die in reality. With that, the adventure of Kirito begins as he fights to break free from this in-game hell while also ensuring his survival.

Want to know how it feels being trapped in your favorite game and if it is enjoyable or not? Then you should check out Sword Art Online. The phenomenal animation and soundtracks of this shounen anime are sure to get you entertained.

no game no life

31. No Game No Life

8.37

Sora and Shiro are the shut-in NEET siblings known in the online gaming world as ”Blank”. One day, they are challenged to a chess game by Tet, a God from another reality. Little did they know that their lives would completely change as they score a win against Tet and are summoned to a reality known as Disboard. In this world, everything from petty squabbles to kingdom discords is settled with the high-stakes games. Moreover, no one can harm anyone physically because of the existence of the Ten Pledges spell.

Sora and Shiro finally find the reason to keep playing the games they so desired after coming to this gaming-is-everything world. Follow this legendary duo as they try to conquer all the sixteen species of Disboard. Then challenge Tet to a game, and ultimately become the God of this world.

‘No Game No Life’ is one of the most popular Isekai anime. And for the game lovers, it is definitely a treat. It is a must-see anime with impressive visuals, pretty comedic scenes, and a gaming plot with enough fan service.

trigun - shounen anime

30. Trigun

8.30

Set in a wasteland of planet Gunsmoke where we are greeted with ‘Vash the Stampede,’ a wanted gunman with a bounty of $60,000,000,000 on his head. The destruction he brought upon the city of July in the past was huge. But due to his amnesia, he happens to have no recollection of such an event. The world cowers in terror from his presence even though he doesn’t want to use violence. And the others don’t seem to leave him alone. Will Vash, as he traverses this land can fight against all those opponents who come after his life? Will his morals and principles remain unchanged when he comes to know about his past?

It is a revolutionary anime that flawlessly mixed comedy and drama and with Vash as its protagonist, one of the coolest, toughest, and funniest characters ever created. Also, the show’s art is good enough considering its release period, so don’t let it deter you from watching it. It is definitely one of the must-see anime shows.

gurren lagann - shounen anime

29. Gurren Lagann

8.72

Terrifying Beastmen invaders under the rule of the spiral king have forced humanity to go deep underground. Now the humanity lives in these subterranean villages constantly in fear and with the new generation never hoping to see the surface light.  One day, while excavating the earth, Simon and Kamina discover an ancient artifact just like the Beastmen’s Gunmen mecha. This is a key they all need to fight back against these invaders.

Follow Simon and the Gurren Lagann and his friends to combat these alien invaders and save the humans from becoming extinct while also unraveling a huge intergalactic mystery.

There is no doubt in believing that Gurren Lagann is the strongest robot in the mecha anime universe. With just its 27 episodes, it is perfectly able to capture your interest. It is like a small package with a big bang where you will get amazing mecha battles, comedy, space adventures, and you name it; it has everything which can make your time worthwhile.

gintama

28. Gintama

8.99

The story is set in an alternative late-Edo period, an era where the aliens known as Amanto have invaded the earth. The Shogun has betrayed the samurai and joined hands with the enemy aliens. Consequently, a no-sword law is established so that the samurai can’t resist them.

However, there are still men out there who possess the heart of a samurai, and one of them is Gintoki Sakata. He is an eccentric samurai who runs a Yorozuya where he takes on any odd job to pay off his rental and buy his favorite shounen jump. The jobs are not always simple, though, from arguing with Shinsengumi to fighting aliens and trying to make the world a better place, Gin with his companions does it all.

Gintama is one of the best series in the shounen universe and the greatest comedy anime show of all time. It perfectly blended different genres, music, art style, characters, scenarios, and comedy into one flawlessly made samurai-alien series. While the episode might make some of us bored initially, but if you are patient, the unconventional way Gintama delivers its humor is sure to give you an amazing experience.

27. Code Geass

8.77

After the Holy Empire of Britannia’s conquest of Japan, the story takes place, renaming it Area 11 in the year 2010. Japan has tried to resist with all its power; nevertheless, it was still futile. Their final hope comes in the form of Lelouch Lamperouge, who is an ex-Britannia citizen. After their mother’s death, he and his sister were sent to Japan to create a false sense of security. They soon find themselves caught in the crossfire between the Empire and Area 11’s rebel force.

One day, he was confronted by the guards of Britannia; fortunately, he saves himself with the timely appearance of a mysterious girl named CC, who gave him the contract of ‘Geass.’ Given the power of kings, we will see how Lelouch will go about safeguarding his sister’s life, finding the secret of his mother’s death. Ultimately, this all steered him on the path of world dominance as he takes revenge against the Empire of Britannia.

The series ran for 2 seasons, with both gaining immense popularity. Most of all, people normally do not expect 2-D animation to view philosophical matters in such an earnest way explicitly, but Code Geass does just that. It is definitely a worthwhile pick with the perfectly crafted drama, exciting mecha fights, and unique characters.

dbs - shounen anime

26. Dragon Ball Super

7.70

The plot takes place after Dragon Ball Z’s events, and the earth is at peace, and Goku has settled down while working as a farmer. However, this peace is short-lived as a new threat appears in Beerus who is considered the most terrifying and strongest destruction God of the universe seven.

After decades of being in slumber, Beerus, excited to fight the legendary Super Saiyan God from the prophecy, tells his angel assistant Whis to start searching for this mysterious being. After traveling around the universe, they finally arrive at Earth, encountering the planet’s strongest warrior Goku and his similarly powerful friends. Follow Goku as he battles against even more powerful foes while adventuring around the universes and making new friends.

Who doesn’t love the Dragon Ball series? It has been the greatest show and an unforgettable part of our childhood. The Dragon Ball Super is a sequel to Dragon Ball Z, and we will get to watch even more exciting and magnificent battles with, of course, Goku being our mightiest hero. You will also love the new powerful transformation of Goku as he always strives to become more powerful, and that’s what we all love.

haikyuu - shounen anime

25. Haikyuu

8.64

After watching a thrilling championship match on TV, a junior high school student Shoyo Hinata is greatly inspired by the ‘The little giant,’ a short stature player like him, and thus comes to love the sport of volleyball. He decided to form a new volleyball team at his school and was really excited for his first inter-school match. However, his team suffers a crushing defeat in their first official game against the all-powerful ‘ King of the court’ Tobio Kageyama. But that still didn’t deter our Hinata from his vow to follow in the footsteps of ‘the little giant.’ After graduating from middle school, he joins the Karasuno High school and enters its volleyball team to find out that Kageyama is his new teammate.

Follow Karasuno boy’s journey to win the championship as the past rivals now close teammates to compete against the other strong teams.

“In the path to success, we encounter many failures that we need to learn from and overcome with hard work.” This saying has truly been presented in this anime fantastically. The Karasuno boys suffer losses in many games, but still, they strive hard to train their skills and come up as the winner. The series is of realistic nature and with good character development. And the fine artwork, coupled with an amazing soundtrack, will make you greatly invested in this shounen anime.

inuyasha - shounen anime

24. Inuyasha

7.91

Kagome Higurashi is a normal high school student who lives on the grounds of her family’s Shinto shrine. One day, she was trying to look for her cat near the old enshrined bone eaters well. Suddenly a centipede demon appears out of nowhere and drags her inside the well. However, instead of hitting the bottom, she finds herself transported 500 years ago in the past during Japan’s Sengoku period.

Many demons now chase after her. And their goal is the all-powerful-wish-granting Shikon Jewel that resides inside her. But accidentally, while trying to save herself, Kagome ends up shattering the jewel into many shards. Now it is up to Kagome, her half-demon friend Inuyasha and the other companions, who join them later in their hunt for the shards while also warding off all the demons after the Shikon jewel.

Inuyasha is one of the best fantasy shounen anime. You will find it very enjoyable with the plot playing out to be quite appealing. You also come across various unique characters, the historical Sengoku period scenes. The good art style considering its premiering time, and delightful music tracks. I personally like the ‘Futari no Kimochi by Kaoru Wada ‘ OST.

food wars

23. Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma

8.44

The story is about Soma Yukihara as he aspires to become the head chef in his father Joichiro’s restaurant and surpass his culinary skills. However, Joichiro decided to close his restaurant to travel around the world and test his cooking abilities. Therefore,  he sends Soma to the most elite cooking institute in Japan, known as Tootsuki Culinary Academy. But Soma soon finds it hard to even graduate in this academy as the students have to compete in many food wars. Follow Soma in his adventure as he challenges Tootsuki’s students to food wars to be the best in the academy.

Are you looking for a food anime which have many drool-worthy dishes that can make you hungry? Then you have found it!! With brilliant animation, pleasant soundtracks, and delicious looking dishes, you should definitely check out ‘Food Wars.’

samurai champloo

22. Samurai Champloo

8.50

The plot is set during the Edo period. We come across a young and clumsy waitress named Fuu, who works at the tea shop. One day, she is abused by a group of samurai when she accidentally spilled tea on them. Fortunately, she is saved by a mysterious rogue Mugen and a young ronin Jin. However, after finding that Jin is a worthy opponent, Mugen suddenly starts attacking him for a thrilling fight. But inadvertently, in their hustle-bustle, they kill the Magistrate’s son. Leading them to be prisoned and set to be executed. With the help of Fuu, though, they are rescued and are hired as her bodyguard. Subsequently, she asks them to travel with her and look for a ‘samurai who smells of sunflowers.’

A shounen anime that was able to mix the western hip-hop and eastern samurai swordplay brilliantly. It is fueled by action, comedy, and drama genres, making it really enjoyable to watch. So if you are a fan of all those samurai fights and swordplay, then you should try ‘Samurai Champloo.’

rurouni kenshin

21. Rurouni Kenshin

8.39

Hitokiri Battosai was the most feared and legendary assassin who fought in the Bakumatsu war. He was believed to be merciless and has slain many with his reverse-blade Katana. But mysteriously, one day, he just disappears when the battle was at its peak.

Unbeknownst to others, the legendary assassin is now living a life of wandering swordsman. And he travels around the countryside of Japan while saving others in their time of need. He has long left behind his bloodstained lifestyle and wants to atone for all his sins. When he arrives in Tokyo during the Meiji period, he comes across a woman called Kamiya Kaoru. She was being threatened by a fake Battosai who was tarnishing the name of her Dojo. Kenshin decides to help her and defeat the fake Battosai. After learning that Kenshin is the real Hitokiri and not like his infamous reputation, she offers him to stay at her dojo. Thus he ceases his wandering life and starts to live there peacefully, but this peace wouldn’t last long with all his past and present enemies coming after his life.

The Rurouni Kenshin is one of those amazing classical swordplay anime. And it has everything from romance, action, comedy, suspense, and even thriller that makes it immensely enjoyable to watch. If you are not bothered with fillers at the ending episodes, you can definitely choose this series.

magi labyrinth of magic - shounen anime

20. Magi: The Labyrinth of magic

8.19

The plot takes place in an alternative world with an ‘Arabian Nights’ setting. The energy known as Rukh exists in this world, which can be found in almost all living beings here. There are also several magic castles full of treasure and traps, which are known as dungeons. And each dungeon is a lair for mighty magic being called Djin. Among the others who possess rukh, there is a special rare class of magicians known as magi. And they can create Magoi by using the rukh of their environment.

The story follows a young boy named Aladdin who is a magi. After being secluded all his life, he finally goes on a journey to the outside world with the company of his friend Ugo, a djin. He eventually meets with Alibaba and many others in his adventures to understand the world better and know more about his power as a magi.

This shounen anime is the first series in the Magi franchise. It really gives off the original Alibaba and Aladdin tale’s nostalgia feeling just with a unique element that we get to see in an anime. It offers a well-developed plot that’s backed by great sound, art, and characters. So, on the whole, it’s a really amazing shounen anime show that should not be missed out at all.

Before you dive into watching Magi you might want to check out this guide to Magi watching order

noragami

19. Noragami

8.13

Hiyori Iki is a normal middle school girl and is an angel hearted girl. But due to it, one day, she got involved in an accident to save a stranger’s life. Moreover, this incident caused her soul to have abnormalities where her soul would frequently leave her body. The stranger, though, happened to be Yato, who is a nameless God and doesn’t even have a shrine. He desires to have millions of worshippers one day. Therefore, he works as a ‘Delivery God’ who will grant any wish for only 5 Yen. After meeting him through her soul, she asks him to get her back to normal.  But first, he might need to find new regalia, a weapon from a dead human’s soul. And with Hiyori’s help, his luck may finally be turning around for the better.

If you are looking for a show with a handsome God who lives among humans and grants their wishes for only 5 yen, then you have found it!! Although this shounen anime might not be that unique, with its great blend of comedy, a supernatural element, and good characterization, you will really be able to enjoy this show.

soul eater - shounen anime

18. Soul Eater

8.01

The story is set in a Death Weapon Meister Academy, located in a fictional Death city. This academy is run by a shinigami who is known as Lord Death. And its objective is to transform ‘Death Scythes’ for the Shinigami to fight against evil beings. However, death scythes are not easy to be raised, as they require 99 evil souls and one witch’s soul to be consumed by the human hybrid who can transform into a weapon.

In this academy, we will follow Maka Albarn’s adventures, who is a meister and her weapon scythe partner Soul Eater and her two other companions, with each having their own weapon. They will take on missions to collect souls and protect their city from the evil beings running amok there.

If you like Full Metal Alchemist, Ouran high school, and Wolf’s Rain, then you will for sure enjoy this shounen anime as the same studios ‘ Bones animate it’. They have again done a great job by coming up with this series. You are fully expected to go on a fun ride with this anime’s great animation, soundtrack, and interesting plot coupled with a good mix of creepy and surrealness.

fmab

17. Fullmetal Alchemist

8.27

This fiction story revolves around two brothers who, in their childhood, tried to use the restricted alchemy spells with the hope to revive their mother. Still, it all ends in a miserable failure when Edward loses half of his body, and younger brother Alphonse loses his whole body leaving behind just his soul in an empty metallic robot.

Realizing their heavy mistakes, both now embarks on the journey to find the truth about the philosopher’s stone and how it can help them return to normal.

The series adapted from the manga with the same name by Hiromu Arakawa is animated by the famous studio called ‘Bones.’ A classical shounen anime that delves deep into Obsession, a human trait, and for its fulfillment, we sometimes tend to take extreme measures. In a nutshell, this is a really great show with an intriguing plot, fantastic animation, and wonderful music, so I would highly recommend this anime.

Blue Exorcist - anime similar to My Hero Academia

16. Blue Exorcist

7.79

Blue Exorcist consists of two worlds. The first world is the home to the human species known as Assiah. At the same time, the second one is Gehenna, which is a world where demons reside. Gehenna is ruled by Satan, who wants to conquer Assiah. But without a suitable host to possess, a demon can’t invade the human world. Therefore, he decides to send his son, who will become a great link for the demon army, to invade Assiah. However, after learning about this, Rin, who is the son of Satan, decides to become an exorcist so that he can defend Assiah against the demons alongside his brother, Yukio.

Blue Exorcist is an anime that can give you an aesthetic feeling and quite a good comedy to follow. Even though this show’s concept is nothing new in the shounen universe, if you want to enjoy a decent anime, you can surely give this anime a watch.

yu yu hakusho - shounen anime

15. Yu Yu Hakusho

8.48

The plot follows the life of Yusuke Urameshi, a 14 years old delinquent who died in his uncharacteristic act of saving a young boy from an accident. Fortunately, Koenma, the son of the underworld’s ruler, King Enma, gives Yusuke another chance to live after his surprising act of kindness. However, there is a condition that he has to complete, a series of tests which earned him the title of the ‘Underworld Detective.’ Helping him in his adventure are his three friends who will fight against all the enemies that threaten humanity’s existence.

It is an old classical shounen anime. And despite having over 100 episodes, it was still able to stay fresh the whole way through—a show filled with action, comedy, supernatural, and balanced dark genre without any filters. So if someone does pick this shounen anime up, I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience.

assassination classroom

14. Assassination Classroom

8.21

The series is narrated by Nagisa Shiota, one of the students in the 3-E class of Kunugigaoka Middle School. These students are assigned with the nigh-impossible task of assassinating their teacher, who is known by Koro-sensei’s name. Assassinating their teacher? You would ask. Well, Koro-sensei is not your typical teacher. One day, with the sudden appearance of a powerful monster, the moon was left in a crescent shape with its attack. And that monster was found to be Koro-sensei, who gave humanity an offer of saving themselves from the same fate of the moon. And that was how he became a middle school teacher with his students always on their feet to kill him. Will the students be able to succeed in assassinating him? What’s with him having such extreme superpowers and not only that, but he is also the best teacher anyone could ask for.

A completely different school, where even weapons are allowed, is also a powerful monster as a teacher. This much is enough to make one interested in this amazing shounen series. You have craziness mixed in with school life and the comedy spiced with enough seriousness.

fairy tail

13. Fairy Tail

8.02

Earth where magic exists and has become an essential part of everyday life. Numerous guilds have emerged where the wizards are hired to take on various jobs. And one such guild is Fairy Tail, located in the kingdom of Fiore. We will be following the story of Natsu Dragneel. He is a wizard of Fairy Tail who, with his Exceed partner Happy, is searching for his missing adoptive Father, the dragon Igneel. He will become friends with Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Wendy, and she exceeds Carla on his adventures. Together as a family and a team, they will embark on numerous missions and fight against many evil foes who are endangering their guild’s existence.

A tale of a family who always stayed together and helped each other in their time of need. Fairy Tail is an epic fantasy and shounen anime that gave us many unforgettable tales to remember. Although we all enjoyed the starting seasons, some fans were disappointed that the writer took on the repetition and ending. The greatest plus point for this anime is surely its exceptional animation and amazing soundtracks.

black clover

12. Black Clover

6.99

The plot follows the story of Asta, a young boy who was abandoned and raised at a church orphanage on the outskirts of the Clover Kingdom. Together with Yuno, his friend, he grew up listening to the first Wizard King’s great tales. This led to them both desiring to become the next Wizard King. Moreover, they promised that they would compete with each other in the future for this title. In this world, everyone is born with the ability to use magical powers. However, Asta is an exception who doesn’t even have an essence of mana. Now, to get at par with Yuno, a magical prodigy, Asta works hard to train himself beyond his limits physically.

Despite no magic powers, Asta can still get the Five Leaf Clover Grimoire after confronting an enemy who tried to steal Yuno’s Grimoire. With this Grimoire’s appearance, Asta finally can pave the path for his wish to become the Great Wizard King.

If you want to see how Naruto will be like with magic powers, this anime gives you exactly that. With its magic, action, comedy, and fantasy elements, you are sure to get a good adventure treat.

horror anime - death note - shounen anime

11. Death Note

8.66

Shinigami are the mysterious being from the underworld and are known as the God of Death. Ryuk, who a shinigami, is quite bored with his life. Therefore, for just a fun of it decides to drop his Death Note into the human world. Death Note is a powerful notebook that can kill anyone if the owner knows both the target’s name and face.

A genius high school student named Light Yagami is the first human who unknowingly comes across the Death Note. Subsequently, he confirms the true power of it. And although he is hesitant initially, his desire to create a utopian world without any criminals and rule it over greatly supersede his fear.  However, this led to him being pursued by the police forces of the world. Moreover, they have employed the assistance of the best detective in the world: a young and eccentric man known only by L’s name.

Death Note is one of the best Shounen in the anime universe. It has a deeply unique and compelling plot that can make anyone intrigued and on edge while anticipating the next scene. Interesting characters, brilliantly done animation and appealing soundtracks give Death Note an extra flair, making it even more enjoyable.

bleach - shounen anime

10. Bleach

7.88

The story starts in Karakura town, where we will follow the life of a normal high school student, Ichigo Kurasaki. One day, a powerful hollow attack his family, and a soul reaper named Rukia Kuchiki tries to fight it but got injured in the process. To save his family, now the responsibility falls on Ichigo, who transforms into a soul reaper after Rukia passes her powers to him. Thus began the journey of a substitute soul reaper who will battle against numerous enemies with his comrades, both hollows and soul reapers alike.

A shounen anime that showed us the power of humans with the twist in a supernatural way. Although I agree that the series has some flat characters and cliches moment, the fans do no lie, and it has surely managed to gain an enormous fanbase.

09. Naruto

7.9

A powerful nine-tailed fox one day attacks Konoha, the hidden leaf village bringing great destruction onto it.  Therefore, to end this rampage, the Fourth Hokage of the village decided to seal the fox inside his newborn son and sacrificed his life while trying to fight it.

Years later, Naruto is now an orphan and is often ridiculed because he is the beast’s host. However, this didn’t deter him from following his desire to become the next Hokage of Konoha. Follow Naruto in his adventures as he fights against those who are after his village and makes many friends.

There would be no doubt in accepting the fact that Naruto is the best Ninja anime in the shounen anime universe. The series has come a long way since its debut and has seen a drastic change in its fanbase. But this doesn’t mean that the anime has gotten poor in quality or anything. The action, comedy, adventures, and the unique Ninja techniques still can bring that excitement and thrill into anyone.

attack on titan - best war anime

08. Attack on Titan

8.47

Humanity has been forced to take refuge behind the enormous walls. This happened after the Titans and the merciless humanoids nearly annihilated their population into extinction. The humans thought that these walls could protect them forever. Unfortunately, after one hundred years of no Titan invasion, a Colossal Titan’s appearance once again reignites the fight to survive against the man-eating abomination.

The story will follow Eren Yeager’s life, who joins the survey cop after losing his mother in a Titan invasion. With his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, Eren will now battle against the monstrous Titans. Moreover, they have to stop them before the last wall is breached.

A landmark anime that swept away every shounen anime fan in its sensational and mesmerizing tsunami. It has everything that we desire to have in all series. From the intriguing story and characters to exceptional animation and soundtracks, it’s truly a masterpiece.

dragon ball z

07. Dragon Ball Z

8.29

Dragon Ball Z picks up five years after the events of Dragon Ball. Goku is now living a peaceful life with his wife and son, but little did he know that this peace is just the calm before the storm. And this storm comes in the form of a humanoid alien named Raditz as he arrives on Earth and tracks down Goku, revealing to him that he is his long-lost brother. He also tells him that they are the members of a nearly extinct race called Saiyans. When Goku was sent to Earth as a baby, his sole purpose was to conquer and destroy it, but due to his head injury, he forgot all that and instead became a hero who protected others.

Raditz schemed against Goku by kidnapping Gohan, his son, but even then, he fails in his attempt after the arrival of Goku’s friends. After being defeated, he warns them about a new threat that might plunge the Earth into everlasting despair. Will Goku be able to defeat this enormously powerful monstrous being?

The Dragon Ball Z is epic. This is one such series that greatly helped to spread the art of anime around the world. With such an amazing plot, characters, animation, and music, it makes the show grand and exceptional, and we as a fan love it.

seven deadly sins

06. The Seven Deadly Sins

8.23

The Seven Deadly Sins were a mighty group of knights who once protected the kingdoms in Britannia. But they became a wanted group after they supposedly tried to overthrow the ruler of Liones Kingdom. Subsequently, they were defeated by the Holy Knights’ hands or is it all just a fabricated truth. Ten years later, the Holy Knights themselves staged the coup d’état and became the new tyrannical rulers of the empire.

The plot follows the adventures of Elizabeth, the third princess of the Liones Kingdom. To save her kingdom from the clutches of the Holy Knights, she sets on the journey to find the Seven Deadly Sins.

The anime is by no means perfect. But even with these flaws, it was able to win the hearts of many Shounen Fans worldwide. The animation work of Seven Deadly Sins is of high quality, and the soundtracks really exceptional. The colorful cast of characters unites a variety of personalities in a classic, adventurous journey. It is also one of the highly recommended shounen anime series.

boku no hero academia - shounen anime

05. My Hero Academia

8.41

The world has been divided between two classes Quirk and Quirkless peoples. And many Individuals with powerful Quirks have joined the league of heroes. Moreover, they protect the nation against the criminals running amok society.

In ‘My Hero Academia,’ we will follow Izuku Midoriya, who is born Quirkless. And when he comes to know of this ugly truth, he was extremely broken because he really wanted to become a hero. One day, however, his fate takes a complete turn after All-Might’s appearance, the most powerful Hero. When Izuku was desperately trying to save his friend Katsuki Bakugo from a villain, it was All-Might who came to rescue them. After seeing the determination of Izuku, All-Might decided to bestow onto him his Quirk, One for All. Thus begins the Journey of Izuku Midoriya as he overcomes many obstacles to become history’s greatest hero.

If you love the Shounen genre, then My Hero Academia will deliver a delightful series. The thrilling hero-villain fights with superpowers are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. And if you like the Hero genre, you might like this list of best anime similar to My Hero Academia.

One Piece

04. One Piece

8.53

After the Gol D. Roger’s execution, known as the Pirate King by the government, the world of pirates took a complete turn. Before his death, his last words revealed One Piece’s existence, a treasure that promises an unlimited amount of fame and glory and, most importantly, the Pirate King’s title. This revelation brought the Pirates’ Grand age as they all sailed through the seas to unknown islands and confronted mysterious monsters.

The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate inspired by his childhood idol and a powerful Pirate “Red-Haired” Shanks. After coming of age, he finally gets to set out on the journey to find the One Piece. And ultimately, desire to become the Pirate King. Accompanying him on his journey are his comrades, and together they will experience crazy adventures and unveiling dark mysteries, and battle many powerful enemies.

An anime that has now surpassed plus 800 episodes and is still going strong. Moreover, some Fans even wish for it never to end. It also has those cartoon type animation. But if you stop yourself from picking it up just because of these reasons, then you are really missing out on one of the greatest shounen anime of all time.

fmab

03. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

9.24

 One day, Hohenheim, father of Edward and Alphonse Elric, leaves them alone in their mother Trisha’s care. However, she soon dies of an illness. In a desperate effort to bring her back, Edward and Alphonse tried to use alchemy’s forbidden spell. Unfortunately, this resulted in a failed attempt, which cost Edwards half of his body. Where Alphonse lost his whole body, and his soul is trapped inside a metallic robot. Now they have to go to great lengths to get back what they have lost.

It is the remake of the original ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ anime, and this time, it sticks to the manga all the way through. The animation in this series is also really well-done. The pacing of the plot and the epilogue just made the series very epic compared to its predecessor. One of the many good things about this series is that there are no filler episodes, and it stays on the main story. So, you should really try out this amazing shounen anime if you haven’t yet.

naruto shippuden - shounen anime

02. Naruto Shippuden

8.20

Two and a half years later, Naruto returns from his training back to Konoha village. Although he has grown up, he is still rather childish. However, his desire to protect his friends and village is still strongly igniting inside him.

While Naruto was having a get together with his childhood friends,  a new threat seems to be brewing under the shade. Akatsuki, a mysterious organization of elite rogue ninja, has been scheming for a long now, and their grand plans are almost on the verge of completion. Naruto confronts them one day and gets to know of their nefarious plans. Now it is up to him and his comrades to stop them before destroying the great  Shinobi world.

Shippuden is the epilogue to the Naruto series. It has many great plotlines that will be enough to make you really interested in the series. The animation and sound are amazing and works really well with the story. So you wouldn’t want to miss out on this epic tale of a Ninja that will make you enjoy every episode of this shounen anime.

Hunter x Hunter - anime similar to my hero academia

01. Hunter X Hunter

8.47

It is set in a world where Hunters exist to carry out all kinds of dangerous tasks. We follow the story of Gon Freecss, a twelve-year-old kid who desires to be a Hunter so that he could find his father. His father long ago left him alone with his aunt to become the Hunter.

To follow in his footsteps, Gon decides to take the official Hunter exam. Now he will have to overcome many great obstacles in the form of enemies and monsters alike. Joining him in his endeavor are his three comrades who will go through life and death situations together.

There are two versions of hunterxhunter, and the 2011 adaption of it is my personal favorite. The series boost one of the finest pieces of writing in the world of shonen. The story’s depth and flow, enthralling characterizations, strong dialogue, and impressive world-building are all crafted into a fascinating tale that can absorb viewers into its own universe. It is also some of the most amazing villains that will make you completely intrigued by their characters.

You might also be interested in this Hunter x Hunter review

With this, I conclude our list. So did these anime made you fascinated? Which one would you like to pick up? Please do comment down below.

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  1. I love Shounen Anime genre! My favorite from this list is Sword Art Online. I can relate to the character because I play a lot of RPG games and I always imagined what it would be like if I was really inside the game. This show brings my fantasy to reality =)