Subject to change:
1. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
2. Hunter X Hunter
3. Kinnikuman
4. Fullmetal Alchemist
5. InuYasha
1. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
2. Hunter X Hunter
3. Kinnikuman
4. Fullmetal Alchemist
5. InuYasha
Last edited:
Favorite Shonen Series
- Thread starter Yoshi
- Start date
Bleach
One Piece
Fairy Tail
Dragon Ball
Hunter x Hunter
My Hero Academia
Fullmetal Alchemist
Naruto
One Piece
Fairy Tail
Dragon Ball
Hunter x Hunter
My Hero Academia
Fullmetal Alchemist
Naruto
One Piece
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Hunter x Hunter
Yu Yu Hakusho
Detective Conan
Shokugeki no Souma
Haikyuu
Kuroko no Basuke
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Hunter x Hunter
Yu Yu Hakusho
Detective Conan
Shokugeki no Souma
Haikyuu
Kuroko no Basuke
I'll keep myself to ten.
I. Hunter x Hunter. Favorite series ever, primarily but not entirely for Chimera Ant, which I consider the greatest story ever told (that I've seen at least). Almost feels like Chimera Ant was tailored made for me. The surrounding bits are very excellent too, love Yorknew and the current arc in the manga may be the most complex thing I've seen tackled, at least in terms of plot. There was a point in it's last run where I thought it was done establishing new characters then a new chapter releases & introduces like twenty new characters. Nowhere near as thematically dense as Chimera Ant, but the Succession War arc is incredibly ambitious and I hope it doesn't take ten years to finish but life is suffering and I'm sure it will.
II. Fullmetal Alchemist. One of the best overall stories told in Shonen, I love how wide-sprawling it is, feels truly like an epic. I like how everything builds to the final confrontation, and the conclusion to the story is one of the demo's most satisfying resolution. The emotional core of the series is really strong too, a bit more in the original series with their take on Night of the Chimera's Cry but the series can hit hard regardless. One of the best worlds created, probably the best world building in shonen after One Piece, and I'm in love with the general aesthetic of the world and series.
III. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. A nice counter-point to Hunter x Hunter, being it's generally a lighter affair, more simplistic in plot beats being largely Stand Battle of the Week in structure, but still being stop class. Best battles in Shonen history, if just for the sheer volume of excellent encounters. The switch to Seinen was definitely for the best considering how much Steel Ball Run benefited from it (in fact, might've been II. if I counted it), but the first six parts are fantastic except for Phantom Blood which sucks.
IV. One Piece. One of the most impressive things ever written. The world-building is on another level, how far things are seeded in advance. Things have been foreshadowed literally 100's of chapters in advance, and they always feel naturally integrated properly. The series island by island structure is fantastic too, since every arc is able to simultaneously function as a self-contained narrative and part of a lengthy epic. Skypiea arc (probably the series best arc, at least the most quintessentially One Piece arc), is fantastic because it's an excellent multi-faceted adventure story that nails all it's plot beats and feels like a self-contained epic. And it is, definitely at the time it comes across as almost an unrelated tangent to the overall story of One Piece. But the further the story progresses, you begin to realize just how much elements from that arc ended up mattering, how they established stuff about the world or gave insight into some of the series subplots, it's a brilliant structure that Oda utilizes to perfection time and time again. The actual quality of the arcs themselves can vary greatly though, and there are several annoyances within it, but it's the most successful manga ever for a reason.
V. Rurouni Kenshin. I have a Samurai bias but aside from that bias, Rurouni Kenshin has two of the best arcs in shonen, with the Kyoto and the unfortunately never properly adapted Jinchuu arc. The Kyoto arc is the real peak, and if you want to see how a shonen arc should be done, watch/read the Kyoto arc. The Kyoto arc is my favorite traditional shonen arc ever (HxH has better arcs, but they're pretty unconventional in structure, with many not even featuring a climactic battle for the resolution, & FMA is so interconnected that while you could separate it into arcs, it feels disingenuous to do so). Shishio is one of the strongest antagonists too.
HEY, it's 3:30 am and I don't want to spend too much more time on this post so lightning round.
VI. Yu Yu Hakusho. Too many tournament arcs but otherwise a really good time with a great cast of characters and maybe the best first episode in shonen.
VII. My Hero Academia. Probably like this more than Kenshin but I forgot about it until now. One of the best in terms of hitting those Shonen highs, has provided two of the best episodes in the history of anime.
VIII. Death Note. When L is on it, it's fantastic. One of the greatest characters out there.
IX. Haikyuu!! No series, not even One Piece, better encapsulates the pure enthusiasm, fist-pumping yeah, moments that make shonen anime so exhilarating. Watch the first episode if you enjoy Shonen, it's the best sales pitch in anime. If it works for you, the whole series will. If it doesn't, the series is never going to work for you. It does get better mind you, but the appeal of the show is so expertly showcased in the premiere. Love it.
X. Medaka Box. Sorry JoJo, this is probably the most bizarre series on here. It doesn't always work, and it's genre shifting can be a turn off but it gives as Misogi Kumagawa, and his introduction arc is one of the best arcs out there. It's a damn shame the anime stopped right before his arc began, since the first two arcs are kinda basic (a basic slice of life and then a basic battle shonen but still). Kumagawa is another one of the greatest characters out there, and one of the best antagonist out there.
No Dragon Ball because I'm already on a Dragon Ball forum so it's clear I like it, and I wanted to represent some other stuff like Medaka Box. Shout-outs to The Promised Neverland and Deadman Wonderland as well.
I. Hunter x Hunter. Favorite series ever, primarily but not entirely for Chimera Ant, which I consider the greatest story ever told (that I've seen at least). Almost feels like Chimera Ant was tailored made for me. The surrounding bits are very excellent too, love Yorknew and the current arc in the manga may be the most complex thing I've seen tackled, at least in terms of plot. There was a point in it's last run where I thought it was done establishing new characters then a new chapter releases & introduces like twenty new characters. Nowhere near as thematically dense as Chimera Ant, but the Succession War arc is incredibly ambitious and I hope it doesn't take ten years to finish but life is suffering and I'm sure it will.
II. Fullmetal Alchemist. One of the best overall stories told in Shonen, I love how wide-sprawling it is, feels truly like an epic. I like how everything builds to the final confrontation, and the conclusion to the story is one of the demo's most satisfying resolution. The emotional core of the series is really strong too, a bit more in the original series with their take on Night of the Chimera's Cry but the series can hit hard regardless. One of the best worlds created, probably the best world building in shonen after One Piece, and I'm in love with the general aesthetic of the world and series.
III. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. A nice counter-point to Hunter x Hunter, being it's generally a lighter affair, more simplistic in plot beats being largely Stand Battle of the Week in structure, but still being stop class. Best battles in Shonen history, if just for the sheer volume of excellent encounters. The switch to Seinen was definitely for the best considering how much Steel Ball Run benefited from it (in fact, might've been II. if I counted it), but the first six parts are fantastic except for Phantom Blood which sucks.
IV. One Piece. One of the most impressive things ever written. The world-building is on another level, how far things are seeded in advance. Things have been foreshadowed literally 100's of chapters in advance, and they always feel naturally integrated properly. The series island by island structure is fantastic too, since every arc is able to simultaneously function as a self-contained narrative and part of a lengthy epic. Skypiea arc (probably the series best arc, at least the most quintessentially One Piece arc), is fantastic because it's an excellent multi-faceted adventure story that nails all it's plot beats and feels like a self-contained epic. And it is, definitely at the time it comes across as almost an unrelated tangent to the overall story of One Piece. But the further the story progresses, you begin to realize just how much elements from that arc ended up mattering, how they established stuff about the world or gave insight into some of the series subplots, it's a brilliant structure that Oda utilizes to perfection time and time again. The actual quality of the arcs themselves can vary greatly though, and there are several annoyances within it, but it's the most successful manga ever for a reason.
V. Rurouni Kenshin. I have a Samurai bias but aside from that bias, Rurouni Kenshin has two of the best arcs in shonen, with the Kyoto and the unfortunately never properly adapted Jinchuu arc. The Kyoto arc is the real peak, and if you want to see how a shonen arc should be done, watch/read the Kyoto arc. The Kyoto arc is my favorite traditional shonen arc ever (HxH has better arcs, but they're pretty unconventional in structure, with many not even featuring a climactic battle for the resolution, & FMA is so interconnected that while you could separate it into arcs, it feels disingenuous to do so). Shishio is one of the strongest antagonists too.
HEY, it's 3:30 am and I don't want to spend too much more time on this post so lightning round.
VI. Yu Yu Hakusho. Too many tournament arcs but otherwise a really good time with a great cast of characters and maybe the best first episode in shonen.
VII. My Hero Academia. Probably like this more than Kenshin but I forgot about it until now. One of the best in terms of hitting those Shonen highs, has provided two of the best episodes in the history of anime.
VIII. Death Note. When L is on it, it's fantastic. One of the greatest characters out there.
IX. Haikyuu!! No series, not even One Piece, better encapsulates the pure enthusiasm, fist-pumping yeah, moments that make shonen anime so exhilarating. Watch the first episode if you enjoy Shonen, it's the best sales pitch in anime. If it works for you, the whole series will. If it doesn't, the series is never going to work for you. It does get better mind you, but the appeal of the show is so expertly showcased in the premiere. Love it.
X. Medaka Box. Sorry JoJo, this is probably the most bizarre series on here. It doesn't always work, and it's genre shifting can be a turn off but it gives as Misogi Kumagawa, and his introduction arc is one of the best arcs out there. It's a damn shame the anime stopped right before his arc began, since the first two arcs are kinda basic (a basic slice of life and then a basic battle shonen but still). Kumagawa is another one of the greatest characters out there, and one of the best antagonist out there.
No Dragon Ball because I'm already on a Dragon Ball forum so it's clear I like it, and I wanted to represent some other stuff like Medaka Box. Shout-outs to The Promised Neverland and Deadman Wonderland as well.
one piece my favorite now, and dragon ball super/z I haven't really read Naruto oh and beet the vandal buster.
only manga^ except I watch dragon ball z.
only manga^ except I watch dragon ball z.