10 Best Toonami Anime That Made Everyone An Anime Fan

Anyone who became an anime fan in the ’90s or 2000s probably became one thanks to the anime programming block Toonami; before the advent of streaming and simulcasts, Toonami was one of the only ways to watch old and new anime alike, and even though it’s fallen off in relevancy, it’s still beloved for its place in anime history.

Whether it was one of Toonami’s classic shows or something from their revival era, they’ve always been home to some of the best anime a person can watch. That’s especially true when looking at their biggest hits, as with how great they all were, it’s easy to see why Toonami made an anime fan out of so many people.

10) Hamtaro

TMS Entertainment’s Hamtaro stars Hamtaro, the pet hamster of a young girl named Hiroko Haruna. When Hiroko goes off to school, Hamtaro plays with his hamster friends around the neighborhood, the group collectively known as the Ham-Hams, and the adventures they go on range from largely harmless to being occasionally serious, although there’s never an episode that isn’t mostly lighthearted.

Hamtaro is famously an outlier among Toonami’s typical line-up of action anime, but fortunately, it has more than enough comedy and charm to be just as fun to watch. As weird as it may be, it’s hard not to imagine Hamtaro as a vital part of Toonami’s history, and even after so many years, that hasn’t changed in the slightest.

9) Deadman Wonderland

In Manglobe’s Deadman Wonderland, after being framed for murder, Ganta Igarashi is sent to Deadman Wonderland, a prison that serves as a gathering place for people who possess Branches of Sin, a mysterious power to weaponize blood. Ganta is one of those people, and now Ganta must fight for his freedom to learn the truth about what happened to him.

Deadman Wonderland helped lead Toonami’s revival era, and that, combined with its fun action and delightful edge, has made it far more iconic than one would expect a show like it to be. Despite being an anime with an incredibly short run, Deadman Wonderland has an undeniable place in Toonami’s history, and that won’t change anytime soon.

8) Zatch Bell!

In Toei Animation’s Zatch Bell!, Kiyo Takamine’s life is turned upside-down when the mysterious Zatch Bell arrives to help him make friends, as not only is Zatch an annoying little kid, but he’s also a demon battling to become king of the demon world, with Kiyo the human who can call forth Zatch’s lightning powers in battle.

With its strong blend of creative action and writing that was equal parts comedic and heartwarming, Zatch Bell! was a phenomenal addition to Toonami’s line-up in the 2000s from day one. The anime was abruptly removed from Toonami during season 2, and its dub also ended prematurely, but that doesn’t make it any less iconic a Toonami anime.

7) Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

In Studio Trigger’s Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, humanity has spent ages living underground in fear of the Spiral King and his army of Beastmen, but when Simon the Digger uncovers a mysterious robot called a Gunmen, he’ll slowly but surely lead the charge in freeing humanity and the entire universe from those who would keep them down.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is often called one of the greatest anime originals of all time, and with its gorgeous, over-the-top animation and how it complements an equally bombastic narrative, it’s easy to see why. With a 2014 air date, Gurren Lagann wasn’t one of the more iconic Toonami anime, but its incredible quality more than makes up for that.

6) Attack on Titan

In MAPPA’s Attack on Titan, after man-eating Titans destroyed humanity’s last stronghold for the first time in a century, Eren Yeager’s family is caught in the crossfire, and he’ll dedicate the rest of his life to ridding the world of Titans, even if it ends up being far more complicated than he could have imagined.

With its great visuals and a cast and world with incredible depth that only gets better with time, Attack on Titan is nothing if not a masterpiece, even as its story drastically shifts away from its initial premise. Attack on Titan was probably the defining series of modern anime, and its Toonami run undoubtedly played a big part in that.

5) Mobile Fighter G Gundam

Sunrise’s Mobile Fighter G Gundam takes place in the Future Century, where the nations of the world decide their ruler with a Mobile Suit tournament called the Gundam Fight. Domon Kasshu enters as the representative of Neo-Japan, but he’s there not just to win, but to find his traitorous brother Kyoji and uncover the truth behind the mysterious Dark Gundam.

While G Gundam isn’t held in as high regard as other Gundam anime, between its campy writing and action and how it makes way for a surprisingly thoughtful and entertaining narrative, it’s still one of the best, by far. G Gundam wasn’t the first Gundam anime on Toonami, but it’s hard to imagine any that could ever top it.

4) 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.

Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the most iconic ’90s anime for its great action, engaging cast, and surprisingly great English dub, and decades later, it’s easy to see why it’s held in such high regard. Yu Yu Hakusho didn’t get to finish its run on Toonami, but that doesn’t make it any less an iconic part of its history.

3) 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.

With its great action, heartfelt storytelling, and an all-around fun story, Naruto embodies classic shonen in the best of ways to be one of the best action anime a person can watch. Naruto helped define Toonami and anime, as a whole, in the 2000s, and it’s no wonder that it’s become one of the biggest anime of all time.

2) Sailor Moon

Toei Animation’s Sailor Moon stars Usagi Tsukino, a crybaby who learns that her world is under attack from monstrous creatures from space. Usagi gains the power to become the eponymous Sailor Moon to fight them, and it’s up to her to find Usagi’s fellow Sailor Scouts so they can save the world from one threat after another.

Most Toonami anime leaned toward male viewers, but between its fun cast, engaging narrative, and the great animation that accompanied it at every turn, Sailor Moon more than earned its place there. Sailor Moon has long since been one of the most iconic of all time, and with how big it was on Toonami, it’s easy to see why.

1) Dragon Ball Z

Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball Z is the direct sequel to the original Dragon Ball anime. Five years after defeating Piccolo, Goku has settled down and started a family, but he and his friends are thrown right back into action to deal with deadly alien threats, with Goku even being revealed as a long-lost member of the infamous Saiyan race.

Between its incredible, over-the-top action and the fun writing accompanying it at, Dragon Ball Z is easily one of the most iconic anime of all time, and it’s still seen as a legend decades after the fact. There was no Toonami anime more iconic than Dragon Ball Z, and sure enough, there’s no better contender for the best Toonami anime.

Toonami Needs Its Own Channel Already