Shonen Jump is the biggest name in anime, and for good reason; their manga are always among the most popular, critically and financially, and when they inevitably receive anime adaptations, they’re almost always of the highest visual quality, which, in turn, makes them incredibly popular worldwide for years on end.
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For decades now, Shonen Jump has essentially had a monopoly on quality anime adaptations, and it’s to the point that, for many people, the Shonen Jump brand is all but synonymous with anime itself. That’s an incredible amount of prestige attached to their name, but when looking at a few titles in particular, it’s easy to see why.
10) Death Note
Madhouse’s Death Note stars Light Yagami, a young genius who, one day, stumbles upon the Death Note, a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written inside. With the power of the Death Note, Light plans to become a living God, but under the new identity of Kira, he has to contend with master detective L at every turn.
As a psychological thriller, Death Note is unlike the vast majority of Shonen Jump anime to come before and after it, and with its clever and exciting writing, that comes out in the best of ways. Add in how much love Madhouse gave to the adaptation, and it’s easy to see why it’s held in such high regard.
9) Jujutsu Kaisen
MAPPA’s Jujutsu Kaisen stars Yuji Itadori, an abnormally strong boy who’s thrust into the world of curses and sorcery after being forced to share a body with history’s deadliest curse, Ryomen Sukuna, and as Yuji soon discovers, his new life is anything but fun for him and his new friends.
Jujutsu Kaisen has become one of the defining shows of modern anime culture, and with its great cast, clever writing, and gorgeous artwork and animation, it’s easy to see why. There’s never been an anime quite like Jujutsu Kaisen, and with Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 coming soon, it’s only going to get bigger.
8) Slam Dunk
Toei Animation’s Slam Dunk stars Hanamichi Sakuragi, a delinquent who claims to be a genius basketball player to impress his new crush, despite never even touching a ball. After joining his school’s team, though, not only does there end up being some truth to Sakuragi’s claims, but Sakuragi finds himself slowly growing to love the game all on his own.
With a great cast of characters and fun, emotional writing that captures the core aesthetic of sports anime, Slam Dunk is an all-time classic anime that embodies everything great about Shonen Jump stories. Few anime are as iconic or influential as Shonen Jump, and even after 30 years, it’s easy to see why.
7) Yu Yu Hakusho
Studio Pierrot’s Yu Yu Hakusho stars Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent who, surprisingly, saves a kid from being run over at the cost of his own life. As a reward for his actions, Yusuke is brought back to life, but now he must use his newfound spiritual powers as a spirit detective to protect humanity from the demons who threaten it.
As simple as Yu Yu Hakusho’s story may be, with its stellar combination of action, character writing, and fun dialogue, especially in its amazing English dub, the series is one of the best action anime around. Yu Yu Hakusho remains one of the most iconic anime of the ’90s, and even now, there’s plenty to love about it.
6) My Hero Academia
In Bones Film’s My Hero Academia, Izuku Midoriya dreams of becoming a hero, despite being born without any powers, and after a chance meeting with his idol, All Might, Izuku will finally get a chance to prove that he has what it takes not just to be a hero, but to be the greatest hero of them all.
Like Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia is one of the anime that defined modern anime, and between its clever action and fun take on the superhero genre, it more than deserves that honor. My Hero Academia’s final season just came to a close, but it’s sure to remain a legend for years to come.
5) Bleach
In Studio Pierrot’s Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki is given the power of a Soul Reaper to protect his loved ones from bloodthirsty monsters called Hollows, but it isn’t long before Ichigo is dealing with more than just simple monsters, with most of his biggest conflicts squarely putting him as the only person who can save the world.
As one of the “Big 3” of shonen, Bleach has always been a massive hit for its fun characters and stylish visuals, and thanks to Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the series is the best it’s ever been. That will be truer than ever when Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War season 4 comes out, and that’s something everyone can look forward to.
4) Naruto
Studio Pierrot’s Naruto stars Naruto Uzumaki, an aspiring ninja ostracized by his village for being the vessel of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Naruto seeks to become the next Hokage and earn everyone’s respect, and his quest to do so puts him at the center of one major conflict after another until it falls on him to save the entire world.
Another member of the “Big 3” of shonen anime, Naruto has always been a legendary anime thanks to its fun characters and stellar action, and over 20 years later, it’s as strong an anime as ever. Naruto’s direct follow-up, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, may be highly divisive, but fortunately, that doesn’t make Naruto any less iconic.
3) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
David Production’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an anthology series centered around the Joestar family, all of whom have names that produce the nickname “JoJo”. Every JoJo finds themselves caught up in appropriately bizarre adventures as they fight to protect the world from evil, most of which involve allies and enemies alike controlling supernatural entities called Stands.
With its creative battle system and a story structure that always allows its narrative to remain fresh, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the most creative anime a person can watch, no matter the installment. Steel Ball Run is finally getting an anime, and when it comes out, the series will arguably be at its best.
2) Dragon Ball
Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball tells the story of Son Goku, a boy with a monkey tail who goes on adventures with his friends, often in search of the titular wish-granting Dragon Balls. While Dragon Ball began as a martial arts fantasy story, the series gradually evolved into a massive sci-fi epic, with the action similarly expanding in scale.
Dragon Ball has consistently delivered masterful handling of action and comedy since its debut in the ’80s, and regardless of the story it tells, it never fails to outdo itself visually and narratively. Dragon Ball is one of the most popular and influential anime in history, and overall, it more than deserves that level of prestige.
1) One Piece
In Toei Animation’s One Piece, the world has entered a Great Age of Piracy following the death of Gold Roger and the hunt for his legendary treasure, the One Piece. That, of course, includes Monkey D. Luffy, and even with a rubber body, Luffy will gather a crew to travel through the Grand Line and become King of the Pirates.
Not only is One Piece also part of the “Big 3” of shonen, but thanks to its great characters, stellar worldbuilding, and constantly evolving animation, it’s also long been established as the biggest anime in the world. One Piece is the anime that the culture most revolves around, and there’s no better contender for the best Shonen Jump anime around.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.
