---
title: 'Top 20 Best Action Shonen Anime of All Time'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9OtT1HNm20'
video_id: 'Y9OtT1HNm20'
date: 2026-06-18
duration_sec: 0
---

# Top 20 Best Action Shonen Anime of All Time

> Source: [Top 20 Best Action Shonen Anime of All Time](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9OtT1HNm20)

## Summary

In this video, the creator counts down their top 20 favorite action shonen anime, defining an action shonen as a title with battles and adventure as its primary hook. They discuss each entry’s strengths and weaknesses, from modern hits like 
Noragami to classics like Dragon Ball Z and Hunter x Hunter.

### Key Points

- **Noragami (#20)** [00:54] — A modern, short but sweet urban fantasy with strong character development; first season ending had more closure than the sequel's cliffhanger, which made the creator wish it had been a one-and-done anime.
- **Dragon Ball Z (#19)** [02:00] — Massively influential but the fights aside, it's barebones compared to modern shows and has not aged well.
- **Claymore (#18)** [02:55] — Underrated, niche title where the anime adaptation feels unfinished and production values have not aged well.
- **Black Clover (#17)** [03:37] — Strong world and magic system; early criticism but fans stuck with it and were rewarded with a great long-runner anime.
- **Dororo (#16)** [04:30] — Oldest series on the list (1960s original); modern version (2019) beautifully captures emotional journey and demon fights, but overshadowed by other hits in its season.
- **World Trigger (#15)** [05:29] — Starts slow with a middling first season but the sequel (season 2) shows high-octane fights, great world-building and character attachment; recommended to read the manga for the first arcs.
- **My Hero Academia (#14)** [06:22] — Modern equivalent to classic 2000s shonen archetype, with creative powers and strong villain development; not the best critically but undeniably influential.
- **Demon Slayer (#13)** [07:08] — Massive cultural impact driven by eye-opening animation and art; plot is simple but effective; more violent than typical shonen.
- **Rurouni Kenshin (#12)** [07:54] — Timeless classic with a pacifist protagonist seeking redemption, focus on character drama over superpowers; peak was the Shishio arc; anime filler hurt its momentum.
- **Magi (#11)** [08:50] — Arabian Nights theme with anime powers; combines fantasy adventure with politics and philosophy, but remains bright and idealistic.
- **Bleach (#10)** [10:25] — Creator's personal favorite; maturer presentation with relatable characters; top-notch designs (Shinigami, Hollows, Quincy); influential but had flaws and pacing issues in later arcs.
- **Yu Yu Hakusho (#9)** [11:32] — Considered a spiritual predecessor to Bleach; well-constructed fights, outstanding humour and depth; not as flashy as Bleach but just as rounded.
- **Naruto (#8)** [12:22] — Most influential shonen of the 2000s, with a plucky underdog story and unique ninja concept; narrative resonates as a coming-of-age journey.
- **Jujutsu Kaisen (#7)** [13:21] — Embodiment of edgy and cool with top-notch fight sequences; middle-of-the-road plot elevated by incredible production from MAPPA; very accessible.
- **One Piece (#6)** [14:16] — Represents endless possibilities; massive world with surprising emotional depth; suffers from inconsistent animation and pacing (filler); creator recommends 'One Pace' version.
- **JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (#5)** [15:31] — Became ubiquitous with meme culture; well-thought-out battle shonen connecting generations of characters; poster child for 'wild dumb fun' but also delivers memorable moments.
- **Gintama (#4)** [16:24] — Master of multiple genres, excelling at both intense dramatic moments and comedy/parody; great villains and side characters; finished story with an epic movie; not suitable for anime newcomers due to references.
- **Fullmetal Alchemist (#3)** [17:18] — Classic recommended to death for a reason; profound themes with morality, slow-burn storytelling, and epic fights; not as normie-friendly as bigger shonen but excellent writing.
- **Attack on Titan (#2)** [18:08] — 2013 sensation; looks like a survival horror but is actually a shonen with deep social commentaries and characterization; thrilling setup and epic moments; it earned its hype.
- **Hunter x Hunter (#1)** [19:13] — Best action shonen according to the creator; deceptively simple appearance but unorthodox in its approach, integrating dark moments and deconstructing shonen tropes; despite hiatus memes, its influence remains strong for two decades.

## Transcript

[Music]
i've been looking at my views and it's
no doubt that action anime is a favorite
for you guys it's all cool i'm one of
you too so instead of counting down the
top 10 this time i'm going to go for 20
titles 20 of my favorite action shonen
yep you heard that right it's the
biggest vinnie tube video yet and we're
gonna have double the fun today after
all we're fast approaching a million
subs so here's something for a
pre-emptive celebration perhaps what i
define as action showdown it's a title
that has battles and a bit of adventure
as its primary hook which is why some
titles that i feel could belong in this
list don't exactly make it due to
technicality
[Music]
[Music]
we start off with something modern
noragami is what i'd call short and
sweet and it's one of my favorite anime
in early 2014. it has a lovable cast of
characters set in an urban setting that
heavily intersects with the spiritual it
was quite the hit back in the day not
mainstream popular but yato hiyori and
yugine's antics endeared them enough to
get the show a sequel no nagami aragoto
and how could it not it's an urban
fantasy action show that places
surprisingly heavy emphasis on character
development we really get to feel for
the characters and grow attached to them
as they go through their interpersonal
drama that heavily characterizes most of
the series from yato to hiyori to side
characters like bishomon the characters
are very fleshed out this thing sorely
needed another sequel and it's mainly
the reason why it's rated at only number
20. especially after the way aragoto
ended it's one of the curious cases
wherein the season one ending had more
closure so it makes me think that if it
just ended up being a one-and-done anime
i would have been perfectly fine with it
but the stopping point for season two
changed my mind
number 19 we go to a classic favorite
dragon ball z
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
dragon ball as a franchise needs little
explanation even if you're someone new
to the whole anime thing there would
surely be an anime boomer out there
telling you about how great the exploits
of goku and his pals were back in the
day it's just a testament as to how big
of an influence the series had in
shaping the childhoods of 90s kids if
you're gonna let me have a biased
opinion i really love it it's got a lot
of cool moments and fights and i feature
it in so many of my videos but i have it
just at number 19 because taking those
fights away and you have a shonen that's
somewhat barebones especially compared
to a lot of the more modern shows it's
not aged very well in my opinion even
compared to the 2000s shonen but that's
what super's for right to keep the show
up to speed with the modern era
[Music]
here's a niche title for the number 18th
rank claymore
i legitimately wonder how many people
have watched claymore in 2022 not a lot
i assume even back in its day it was
quite the niche title even as it's a
product of shonen jump it takes place in
a medieval land that's plagued by
shape-shifting demons called yoma and
the ones standing in their way are
female warriors who are also part yoma
called claymores by the public it's a
show that i enjoyed and i think a lot of
people would like it it has an
interesting premise strong characters
like the claymores who have their share
of action scenes to shine in and a lot
of great fighting too however i take
points away from the anime because of
how it seems so unfinished as an
adaptation the production values haven't
aged too well either
black clover bursts its way into rank
17.
here's something most of you are
familiar with i feel that the mystique
in black clover has a lot to do with its
world and magic system it's always
interesting to watch a battle shonen
with such a particular edge with its
characters its spells and the overall
way it handles its fights it's very
immersive when the ball got rolling and
while the production quality has been
inconsistent due to its long run of
nature it hits the mark when it comes to
moments that matter sorry dean seven
deadly sins i personally admire black
clover and his fans the anime is the
subject of much criticism early on in
its run but the fans have stuck with it
and got rewarded with one of the better
new gen and immersive shown in long
runners it's the true embodiment of a
journey that pays off a meta parallel to
arsenal's underdog story from
laughingstock to hero ironically
[Music]
in 16th place we go back to the sengoku
period with doraro
doraro isn't a new series in fact if we
take everything i've talked about so far
doraro is the oldest series its first
anime dating back to the end of the
1960s it's also one of osamu tezuka's
popular works which is why it got a
modernized version among the modern
remakes of old titles such as bim it's
the one that ended up being the best for
me the story of yakimaru fighting demons
and fighting his humanity through the
journey has been beautifully captured in
the modern version crisp fighting scenes
pretty visuals that capture the essence
of the rural sengoku era a lot of
emotional moments and a story that keeps
you wanting more i didn't hear much
noise on doraro when it was first airing
and i think that a lot of people missed
out on a great 2019 show then again it's
a show that had the first garguya quince
and shield hero in it not to mention the
only promised neverland anime yeah the
only one
rank 15 is world trigger
world trigger is in a weird spot it
started out with its first season right
at the first half of the 2010s and it
was barely talked about some blame the
approach in the adaptation while others
blame the art me i think the show is
underrated and it does take a while to
rev up thankfully we did get our sequel
last year and it's where the series
starts to show its metal with a lot of
high octane fights that are just filled
with exciting moments and epic animation
a contrast from the middling first
season a true example of a show getting
better as it goes on both in terms of
presentation and plot oh and let's not
forget the world building and the
ability to make us feel attached to the
characters and development world trigger
needed over 70 episodes to get to this
point which is why i'd usually recommend
someone to read the manga when it comes
to this series well at least for the
first few arcs
in 14th place is my hero academia
my hero academia is probably the closest
we can get to a modern equivalent to the
classic 2000 shonen archetype underdog
hero in a bright idealistic world with a
setting that appeals mostly to the
younger demographic it feels like the
stock's shown in but given the plot
developments we've had so far i'd say
that it also has a lot to offer to older
fans i like the creativity on display
with the powers and i like how it also
goes out of the way to give the villains
some shine the show also has several
compelling characters that get developed
as the story progresses from a critical
standpoint it may not be the best shonen
out there but there's no denying its
influence and that's why it's right here
at number 14.
speaking of cultural influence demon
slayer is 13th on my list
by far the show that gave the most
impact in the past couple of years in
the world of anime is demon slayer it
just blew up in a way that's
unprecedented since the days of uh
attack on titan season one that's just
how big it got and it mostly did it on
the heels of eye-opening animation and
art there's just a signature flair to
how the art was done for the series and
i'm not just talking about the rui fight
the attacks the character presentation
and even the backgrounds and so all
contribute to the appeal of the story so
much the plot's simple and i stand by
what i said that it's no 10 out of 10
masterpiece however it's still a damn
good shonen to watch and introduced to
your pals it's also quite dark and
violent for a shonen title and i bet
that helps improve its popularity
[Music]
almost entering the halfway point we
look at rurouni kenshin in 12th place
another timeless classic ruroni kenshin
feels different for its time instead of
having a spitfire of energy we have an
introverted pacifist for a protagonist
seeking redemption kenshin embodies a
kind of inner strength that we rarely
saw emphasizing the protagonists of the
90s that alone makes the title notable
in its heyday and there's also the lack
of focus on superpowers and such that
have become synonymous with the popular
shonen titles instead delving more on
character drama and buildup but that's
not to say that the fights aren't good
as it also has some of the best sword
fights that the 90s could give us those
things really gave roroni kenshin a
unique edge over its peers it was one of
my favorites amongst the classics with
the shishio arc being the peak of its
popularity it's got a unique approach
that helped it reach heights but anime
filler hell unfortunately cut its
momentum short this is a show that could
have benefited from the throttled
releases that my hero academia does from
ancient japan we take to the arabian
desert for maggie
[Applause]
the interesting thing is that statement
only really holds true for select parts
of this fantastic adventure margie
starts off giving us a new take on the
whole arabian nights theme but with
anime powers akin to something like
bleach we then go on a trip that takes
us through the various corners of the
world a world that happens to mirror
parts of the real world actually like
ancient rome china or the indian islands
magi for all the fantastical elements
does feel like a shonen that hits closer
to home the main appeal is the powers
and the adventure for me but it's also
got its chance to show off its metal in
other aspects that we rarely see get
this much focus in shonen such as
politics and philosophy not to say that
the anime is some too deep for you show
because it talks about politics at the
end of it all it's mainly just a bright
idealistic shonen that's mainly about
the trip the riders alibaba and aladdin
learn more about the worlds and grow
through their interactions with people
from all backgrounds it's a definite
recommendation for me
we're at the halfway point now and this
is usually where i tell you to subscribe
subscribing helps the channel reach its
goal so if you like what you've been
seeing and what more then please make
sure you go ahead and hit that subscribe
button however i'd actually also like to
take this moment to name a lot of
honorable mentions that didn't quite
make it to this list we only have slots
for 20 titles after all so here they are
and they're in no specific order shaman
king nura rise of the yokai clan fairy
tale rave d grey man soul eater hitman
reborn seraph of the end blood blockade
battlefront now do you have any other
honorable mentions that you've got in
mind so far stay tuned for the next half
of this exciting list
[Music]
coming off the break we've got a
personal favorite of mine bleach
i know it's not impossible to talk about
bleach without mentioning the 2000s and
the big three so i'll talk about what
sets it apart from the other two if
you're asking me why i love bleach so
much and why some people like it the
best amongst the hits shonen of the
2000s i'd say that it's the one that
seems the most mature in its
presentation the characters feel like
they're part of our world more and as
teens looking to break into adulthood
then people especially connected with
the struggles of the characters whereas
the worlds of something like naruto just
felt a little bit distant bleach is a
very influential title that it helps
spurn in a new generation of anime fans
in the day it's also got some of the
best aesthetics from the shinigami to
the hollows quincy's and aaron carr the
designs are top-notch all coming with a
flavor that's uniquely theirs that's not
to mention the powers and how full of
stakes the early fights seem sure the
series has its flaws and it's almost
worn out it's welcome by the time the
full bringer arc came around but there's
a reason that there's clamor for more
bleach and quite some buzz for the
upcoming sequel one that's been a decade
in the making we can't talk about bleach
without the show that it feels like a
spiritual successor to you you huckle
show
[Music]
urban fantasy setting ragtag group of
comrades that fight and have adventures
in the spiritual realm and a protagonist
who gets involved in the spirit realm
thanks to contact with the supernatural
yeah it's easy to see why people call
bleach a spiritual successor to yu yu
hakusho in a lot of ways the two are the
same yet they are quite different yuyu
hakusho does have a lot of merits the
fighting feels well constructed and it's
got outstanding humor and depth for what
people could easily pass off as your
everyday supernatural battle shonen it
may not have the same level bleach has
in terms of flashiness the stylishness
and complicatedness of the fights and
powers later in the story but yuyu
haku's show feels just as rounded as a
series it has arcs that feel simpler but
philosophical and just as engaging and
enjoyable if you like one of the two
chances are you like the other as well
we then moved to eighth place where the
second member of the jump big three is
[Music]
it seems to me that among the anime fans
of the 2000s there's no title as
influential to them becoming aware of
the medium than naruto it was big back
in the day back when there wasn't much
internet access and online communities
to grow it felt like the flagship title
of that era and for good reason too
what's not to like about naruto assuming
you're someone who's clueless about the
medium it's got plucky underdog story a
unique take on the concept of ninjas for
its time some very nice life lessons to
be learned even though broader more
idealistic than realistic it's no
surprise that the show has influenced a
whole generation of fans as for me i
found myself captivated by the
interesting world and the growth of our
protagonist following orange jumpsuit
era naruto through his journey into the
world's greatest hero by the time the
story ends is an ode to the journey that
we all take growing up and the way
naruto the series presented it is very
satisfying
right after that we have the hottest
member of the new generation in town
jiu-jitsu kaizen
if there's an embodiment of style in the
world of battle shonen the same way
bleach was in its day it's got to be
jiu-jitsu kaizen the series just screams
edgy and cool and there's no better way
than to show that than to have some of
the best fight sequences in modern
shonen it's got a lot of moments to
remember thanks to the superb production
quality and we can tell that mappa gave
their all with this it's a very fun
experience watching jiu jitsu kaizen
overall like demon slayer i call this a
middle-of-the-road show that's
infinitely elevated my production
quality but it's got a lot of great
moments to remember it for almost
everything gojo does a lot of the fights
in the kyoto goodwill arc the main
character's personal highlights like
megumi's moment in the last few episodes
it's a show that's very accessible for
everyone and there's a lot to like and
at the end of the day if you're gonna
ask a casual watcher or someone looking
to get into the medium that's what
matters the most for showed an anime
right
sixth place is one piece the biggest
action shonen in japan
[Music]
one piece to me is the show that
represents endless possibilities just as
it has a setting tailor made for the
series to go on indefinitely one piece
is the action shonen that is made to be
full of surprises there's just so much
that can be done in the world of one
piece and through several arcs and
adventures that luffy and the group have
gone through i found myself cherishing a
lot of them those excited cheers of
triumph in the heat of epic battles
those dramatic moments that pull both
mind and the characters hearts and the
sheer anticipation of what comes next
i'll never forget them watching it all
can be a daunting task but i promise
that the journey is worth it when you
get to the key moments make sure to let
it all sink in and be amazed at how
powerful a title that looks so cartoony
can be in touching the hearts of
millions of people in the world oh and
trust me if this was a manga list it
would have been a lot higher
unfortunately like some other
long-running anime on this list it
suffers from inconsistent animation and
pacing issues due to the addition of in
canon fillers that's why i recommend you
watch the one pace version which will
save up a lot of your time
my fifth best action shonen is none
other than jojo
jojo is an anime that's been helped by
the internet i mean the series has
become quite ubiquitous with meme
culture and the internet side of the
anime fandom without the help of those i
doubt the franchise would have exploded
the way it did but i am very thankful
for that because for all the craziness
and the over-the-top elements that's in
it jojo is a well thought out battle
shonen the way the seasons connect with
each other and take us through
generations of characters is something
that amazed me when i first stumbled
upon it it's also the poster child for
wild dumb fun in the world of anime
almost nothing indicates that the series
takes itself seriously but it's what
makes it special and allows it to
deliver some of the most memorable
moments in anime such as the seven page
mudder amongst others
rank number four is gintama
gintama i can say is the master of
multiple genres fans love it for its
very intense and dramatic moments but
they also love how it can go all in on
the comedic and parody aspects i say
that's the big appeal of gintama it's
propensity in switching gears and giving
you the best of the two ends of the
spectrum all without inducing mood
whiplash one moment you'll be laughing
along within toki and the gang and the
next moment you'll be at the edge of
your seat while watching an extremely
gripping segment helped by great sound
and art direction one that's evolved
alongside the years it also helps the
gintama has some of my favorite villains
and side characters and actions shown in
bonus points for finishing the story in
one of the best possible ways a banger
of a movie featuring some of the most
epic fights the series has to offer on
another note it's not an anime i'd
recommend to someone who's new to the
world of anime as it's got a lot of
references and parodies of other anime
which a newcomer might not be familiar
with the honor of being the third best
action shonen goes to full metal
alchemist
here's another classic for you fma has
been recommended to death by people it's
just that good it's a series rife with
action but also filled with a lot of
story lines that make you ponder it's
quite the profound shown and that deals
a lot with morality and the like all
while packaging the whole thing
excellently in an exciting series full
of epic fights and adventures it didn't
quite penetrate the normie consciousness
the same level as the bigger battle
shown and animated that's more to do
with the fact that this is a show that's
not as easy to consume things move a
slow burn at times much to the benefit
of its themes and messages that's
certainly a reason this show is still
getting recommended by people this 2022
compared to a lot of the more popcorn
entertainment peers in terms of writing
and thematic meaning and shown in anime
it's hard to trump fma in second place
is the 2013 sensation attack on titan
yeah i know what you're thinking attack
on titan at first glance looks nothing
like a showdown manga turned anime heck
even after watching it and seeing the
violence the convoluted plot lines the
depth of characterization of
relationships as well as the social
commentaries you wouldn't think that
it's something that belongs with the
likes of fairy tale but it is indeed
published in a shonen magazine and
that's beautiful it's something like
death note in that the heaviness of the
subject matter creates a fake out
overall attack on titan is worth the
hype it starts off catching everyone's
attention by giving us a thrilling setup
of humans fighting for survival one
that's devoid of the usual shonen plot
armor or other usual tropes giving us
something that looks so unique in the
world of anime for its time back in 2013
then once it's gone our attention it
starts talking to us showing us the
depth of humanity's derangement and a
lot of other social problems we face all
while not letting go of the action as
some of the epic moments in the latter
seasons like levi fights or the
cinematic clash at the end of season
three prove finally i have hunter hunter
as my best action shown in anime
ah hunter hunter there's just a lot of
ways to express why this is my favorite
shown in anime and why i think it
deserves recognition for being one of
the best ones out there a lot of people
lord hunter hunter for his generalist
appeal and lack of reliance on shonen
tropes it's not as in your face
subversive as attack on titan tribes can
be but it doesn't need to be it shreds
the standard shown in fear while
integrating some dark and mature moments
that truly showcases the power of the
medium despite having the appearance of
a simplistic shonen for young people it
gets rather unorthodox in its approach
to battle powerups character arcs and
such and people eventually realize that
there's much to this show than
appearances first suggest truly a
masterpiece in the realm of shonen
storytelling hunter hunter deserves all
the acclaim it's been getting the memes
about the mangas hiatus have
overshadowed the actual content at times
but the fact that people still eagerly
await the series even after two decades
is proof of how much it touched the
hearts of millions worldwide
and that wraps it up this has been one
of my longest videos so far and i hope
that you enjoyed this new format i'd
love to know your top 20 or top 10
favorite shonen so please feel free to
comment down below if you're up for some
more interaction with the community you
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you enjoyed the video and i'm looking
forward to seeing you next time see ya