10 Shonen Anime That Deserve “Legendary” Status

While popular new shonen anime like *Chainsaw Man* and *Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End* are getting a lot of attention, it’s still too early to say if they’ll become true classics. Legendary shonen anime need time to prove their lasting impact, and the most recent ones generally gained that status around the early 2010s. In fact, some of the biggest names in shonen anime first aired way back in the 1980s.

When it comes to shonen anime, everyone has their personal preferences, but only a few series truly achieve legendary status. This is usually because they’ve had a huge impact on the genre or have become incredibly well-known. While shows like *JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure* and *Devilman* deserve recognition, many other titles are considered iconic and are at least familiar to most anime fans, even if they haven’t seen them.

Fist of the North Star Pushed Martial Arts Into New Territory

Fist of the North Star is one of the first truly popular shonen anime, and it remains well-known today. It became a hit before manga and anime were widely popular in the West, so many Western fans are only now discovering how important it is to pop culture history. In fact, the final volumes of the original manga are just now being released in Western countries.

Visually striking and often intense, *Fist of the North Star* combines brutal martial arts with a post-apocalyptic world reminiscent of *Mad Max*, where gangs prey on the helpless. The series is full of 1980s-style bravado, but it’s presented with a playful energy and a unique flair. Like *Dragon Ball*, it was incredibly influential in shaping the future of action manga, paving the way for more imaginative and creative storytelling.

Dragon Ball Z Helped Make Shonen Anime What It Is Today

When it comes to legendary shonen anime, *Dragon Ball Z* truly stands above the rest. It’s an obvious and well-deserved choice as one of the most iconic series, having profoundly shaped the shonen genre as we know it today. *Dragon Ball Z* essentially created the formula for many modern shonen anime, and you can still see its influence in the characteristics of current shonen heroes, who often share traits with Goku.

While *Dragon Ball Z* definitely shows its age and isn’t perfect, its legacy lives on through newer anime like *Dragon Ball Super* and *Dragon Ball DAIMA*. *Dragon Ball Z* remains incredibly popular and is still considered a classic shonen action anime, with ongoing support through new games, movies, and other content that keeps Akira Toriyama’s world thriving.

Yu Yu Hakusho Helped Set the Stage for Tite Kubo’s Bleach

While *Dragon Ball Z* was becoming a hit, *Yu Yu Hakusho* also played a significant role in shaping the popular anime scene of the 1990s. Although *Yu Yu Hakusho*’s impact wasn’t quite as massive as *Dragon Ball Z*’s, it was very popular then and still has a dedicated fanbase today.

*Yu Yu Hakusho* successfully used many common themes found in action-adventure manga (shonen), but also mixed them together in unique and imaginative ways, making it a very influential series. The story follows a rebellious teenager who gets caught up in exciting, fantastical battles against supernatural enemies – a plot that will likely remind fans of *Bleach*. *Bleach* then went on to inspire *Jujutsu Kaisen*, demonstrating how effective this type of shonen formula can be.

Slam Dunk Was the Haikyuu!! and Blue Lock of the 1990s

It’s no surprise that many popular shonen anime are filled with action, but the genre isn’t limited to it – sports anime are also a great fit. Sports stories naturally focus on personal growth, achieving clear objectives, learning to work as a team, and overcoming obstacles. This is a key reason why *Slam Dunk* is considered a shonen classic.

Released in the 1990s, *Slam Dunk* is a highly regarded and impactful sports anime that even inspired a generation of young Japanese people to take up basketball, reflecting the author Takehiko Inoue’s own passion for the game. Though it premiered decades ago, *Slam Dunk* remains a classic and continues to be popular alongside newer sports anime.

Attack on Titan Is a Recent Legend That Everyone Has Heard Of

Attack on Titan quickly became a modern classic among action-adventure anime, despite its final season being relatively recent. Debuting in 2013, the series immediately stood out for its unique combination of giant robots, scary moments, and a dark, historical setting, all wrapped in a gritty and intense package. What really set it apart was how it portrayed its heroes – not as invincible champions, but as flawed and often defeated underdogs.

The real strength of *Attack on Titan* wasn’t just the surprise of Eren Yeager’s Titan abilities, but the incredibly compelling mysteries woven throughout the story. From the very beginning, viewers were hooked, desperate to learn what lay beyond the walls and the truth about the Titans within them. Even now that the series has ended, fans are still passionately discussing the moral implications of events like Eren’s Rumbling, which is a testament to the story’s lasting impact and complexity – only a truly exceptional narrative could spark such debate.

Death Note Challenged the Moral and Intellectual Limits of Shonen Anime

Death Note quickly became a classic shonen anime, standing out for its dark themes and complex ideas. Even fans who typically enjoy more mature anime like Monster will likely appreciate what it offers. Unlike many shonen series focused on action, fantasy, or sports, Death Note is a gripping crime thriller that dares to ask difficult questions about power and how far people will go to obtain it – much like the story itself.

The anime *Death Note* captivated audiences with its thrilling and clever psychological conflict, and viewers continue to debate the actions of its main character, Light Yagami. *Death Note* is a uniquely thought-provoking and well-written series that pushes viewers to consider the limits of pursuing even admirable goals, such as eliminating crime or achieving justice, regardless of the consequences.

Pokémon’s Anime Is Part of the Biggest Media Franchise of All Time

Wow, when you look at the stats, it’s clear that *Pokémon* is just the biggest, most successful media franchise of all time! And when we talk about shonen anime, *Pokémon* is so much more than *just* an anime – though that’s a huge part of it, of course! The games were how so many of us first discovered the *Pokémon* world and got hooked on battling, and then the anime gave it that universally appealing face we all know and love. It really brought everything to life!

The *Pokémon* anime, starring Ash Ketchum and his partner Pikachu, is what truly launched the franchise to success and inspired countless fans to become Pokémon Trainers. While other characters have joined or even replaced Ash in battles, no one can diminish the impact Ash and Pikachu had on making *Pokémon* a dominant force in the action-adventure genre – a position it’s likely to hold forever.

One Piece Helped Define Two Different Generations of Shonen Anime Fans

During the 2000s, three popular manga series – often called the “big three” – were incredibly successful, selling massive numbers of volumes and gaining huge anime followings. *One Piece* stands out as the most popular series inspired by *Dragon Ball*, taking what fans loved about Goku’s story and expanding upon it to create a fresh, updated experience.

At its core, *One Piece* is a classic action-adventure anime, but it stands out with its incredibly detailed world and a huge cast of characters. This gives the series an unmatched epic scope, which it’s well-known for. However, it’s also notorious for being very long, which can be a challenge for viewers. Luckily, the original manga offers a better-paced experience.

Naruto Explored New Possibilities for Action and Storytelling in Shonen Anime

Along with classics like *Dragon Ball* and *Cowboy Bebop*, *Naruto* is one of the major anime series that helped popularize the medium in Western countries. While it shares similarities with *Dragon Ball*, *Naruto* successfully built upon that established formula, adding its own unique elements to become a standout series.

Naruto significantly impacted action in shonen anime. While it wasn’t the first to combine martial arts with supernatural abilities, it did so exceptionally well. Its combat system, featuring techniques like the Sharingan, Shadow Clones, and the Rasengan, remains one of the most memorable and effective in the genre. Beyond the action, Naruto also raised the bar for emotional storytelling, focusing on the journey of Naruto Uzumaki, a lonely orphan, and the surprisingly powerful impact of his motivational speeches.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Is Still the Apex of Shonen Anime

The incredible quality of *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* is a major reason it’s become a legendary shonen anime that’s hard to miss. It’s a significant improvement over the 2003 *Fullmetal Alchemist* series in almost every aspect. The show boasted impressive production values for its time, which still look great today, combined with strong writing, well-developed characters, and surprisingly complex themes and symbolism.

Many fans believe *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* is a prime example of a well-made shonen anime. It tells a captivating and intricate story with exciting action, but avoids the common pitfalls of power levels getting out of control or storylines becoming stale. Because it appeals to a wide audience, *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* is also a fantastic anime to recommend to newcomers, whether they’re just getting into shonen or anime in general.

2025-10-10 05:17