Grab some snacks and prepare for a binge-watch session, because we’re listing the 10 best anime you can watch in their entirety.
We live in a unique time with televised entertainment from all over the globe, both new and old, available at our fingertips – so naturally, this means we should use it to watch as much anime as we can! Of course, there’s much to choose from and plenty of ongoing ones, too, so let’s look at shows that you can both start and finish.
There are plenty of anime series out there, but only a few are worth watching and have met a conclusion worthy of putting the work of watching the whole series into. This list contains a fair amount of older anime, so let’s call this some required reading for all you new anime fans. Without further ado, here are the best anime that you can watch from start to finish.
Best anime that you can completely watch
These are our picks for the best anime series you can watch all-in-one today; of course, some of these are so long you wouldn’t come close to finishing them within a day. There’s a good mix of length here for fans who want something short and sweet and something new to get fully invested in the long run.
10. Naruto Shippuden (2007-2017, 500 episodes)
Naruto Shippuden follows the adventures of the namesake ninja Naruto on his journey to become Hokage, the leader position of his village. His friends Hinata, Sakura, and rival Sasuke accompany Naruto on his journey. Expect many ninjitsu-filled fights in Naruto Shippuden because it has many to offer.
Naruto Shippuden is the second part of the Naruto series, with part one, titled “Naruto,” being so infamous for filler episodes that fans often follow a strict episode guide on their way to watch Naruto Shippuden. So, fair warning when approaching the Naruto series: if the 500 episodes weren’t enough warning, you’re in for a very long binge-watch session.
9. Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999, 26 episodes)
You may have already heard of Cowboy Bebop, as it has a reputation for being one of the greatest anime to bless the Earth with its presence. It takes place in the future, where humanity has colonized our solar system long after an incident that renders the Earth uninhabitable. Following a rise in crime, the government legalizes bounty hunters to reign in any evildoers.
The story follows a group of bounty hunters, Spike and Jet, living aboard their ship, the Bebop, with a pair of newcomers, Faye and Ed tagging along on the journey to earn money to live off of while elements from Spike’s old life come back to haunt him. Cowboy Bebop received the live-action treatment with a show on Netflix. While they kept the awesome opening music, we, and probably everyone else you’d ask, would recommend sticking with the anime.
8. Trigun (1998-1999, 26 episodes)
In Trigun, we follow the misadventures of a heavily armed pacifist known as Vash the Stampede in the far-off future. While he seems silly, Vash holds a mysterious past behind him with a large bounty placed on his head for a disastrous incident he can’t remember. Vash is accompanied by two insurance agents who make note of the damages made on his adventures, often caused by those after his bounty.
Trigun has that strange X-factor anime quality that balances the serious story, dramatic action, and cartoonish comedy exceptionally well. While a new Trigun anime has been released, we recommend starting with the classic 1998 one that’s all about “Love and peace!”
7. Code Geass (2006-2007, 25 episodes)
In an alternate timeline where the kingdom of Britannia has taken over the majority of the Western world and, after a bloody conflict involving giant mechs, Japan, we follow Lelouch Vi Britannia, the exiled son of the king who lives with his disabled sister in Japan vows revenge on their father and aims to destroy the kingdom of Britannia.
Lelouch gains powers to influence whomever he looks at, but only once, from a mysterious girl. He uses it to lead a rebellious group within Japan against the occupying Britannia forces. However, things turn for the worse when he discovers his best friend joins the other side. Code Geass has many moving parts and contains some strange teenage moments, but the meat of the series is in the story of the rebellion and the giant, fast-paced mech fights.
6. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996, 26 episodes)
Neon Genesis Evangelion is another famous anime with a cult fanbase, that sings its praises. Evangelion contains a very complex cast of characters and an equally complex story that’s often determined as up for interpretation by the viewer. The series is full of incredible feats of animation and iconic imagery, and the theme tune is extremely catchy, too.
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Based in the far-off future year of 2015 (oof), humanity fights against giant monsters called Angels using equally giant bio-mechanical robots called Evangelions. We follow Shinji as he is brought into the service by his father and forced to pilot Evangelion with no training – leading to disastrous events. Alongside Shinji are Asuka and Rei, who form an awkward allies-in-arms bond in their fight against the Angels.
5. Death Note (2006-2007, 37 episodes)
Despondent high schooler Light Yagami finds a notebook where if you write someone’s name inside, they’ll mysteriously die. The god of death, Ryuk, starts hanging out with Light and eggs him on to keep using it. The media dubs this mastermind killing criminals “Kira,” and the government hires “L,” a brilliant but strange detective and a massive investigation ensues to uncover who’s performing these killings.
Death Note’s horror undertones carry it very far, but you’ll be hooked on the detective angle with Light trying to cover up his activities as best he can, all while Ryuk is over his shoulder cracking jokes and eating apples. Did we mention it’s also weirdly hilarious?
4. Hellsing Ultimate (2006-2012, 10 episodes)
Not to be mistaken for “Hellsing,” the original series loosely based on the manga, Hellsing Ultimate is a dark vampire story taking place in the modern day where secret religious groups house significant influence over the world and aim to protect it from otherworldly threats seeking to bring ruin the world.
The main character, Alucard, a fully-fledged gun-toting vampire in service to the Hellsing estate, turns Seris Victoria, a police officer, into his ward. They and their master, Integra, lead an investigation of supernatural incidents, leading to them unveiling a massive conspiracy. Hellsing Ultimate contains gruesome violence and a provocative story that’s always worth returning to.
3. Attack on Titan (2013-2023, 94 episodes)
Humanity runs scared and hides away in small, corrupt, walled-off kingdoms to escape from the giant humanoid monsters called the Titans. We follow Eren Yeager, a young and angry man who lost his mother to a Titan attack, as he rises through the ranks of the Survey Corps, looking for a way to end the Titan threat once and for all.
Attack on Titan just barely makes this list, as it only ended in November of 2023, but if you’re looking for a newer anime with an intense, action-packed, and dramatic story full of deep characters, twists, and heartache, look no further than Attack on Titan.
2. Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996, 291 episodes)
Not much needs to be said about Dragon Ball Z; household name status is difficult to achieve, much more so for an anime. That alone should infer the sheer popularity of Dragon Ball Z. Still, for those not in the know, This series follows the original Dragon Ball series and its titular character, Goku and his allies, the Z Warriors.
The sequel series to Dragon Ball takes things to the realms of science-fiction compared to its predecessor. The Z Warriors face off against powerful aliens, androids, and demons as they try to preserve the fragile peace they maintain on Earth, one planet-shattering energy blast at a time.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010, 64 episodes)
Two brothers attempt to resurrect their mother in a world of science-based magic. Failing, one loses their leg, the other loses their entire body, and is now a soul attached to a suit of armor at the cost of the brother’s arm. They travel the land searching for a way to recover their bodies but, on the way, make new allies and uncover a massive conspiracy that will change the fate of their entire country.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is in a similar situation to Hellsing, where another series was created down the line to be one-to-one with the manga. While the more original series is appreciated with its unique take on the franchise, no one can deny the quality of the show when where they’re a faithful recreation of the source material. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is considered one of the best anime and is available to watch in its entirety right now.
Those are our picks for the best anime that you can watch from start to finish right now, best order some takeout for that watch session. If you’re still in the anime mood, we recommend checking out our rankings of the best fights in One Piece, because that one isn’t ending any time soon, and the most satisfying moments in anime to scratch that anime itch.
