10 Groundbreaking Anime Series That Aged Well
From Attack on Titan to Serial Experiments Lain, some anime series are so avant-garde that they seem doomed to fail but stand the test of time anyway.
Anime is one of the most limitless storytelling mediums, and it's truly impressive to look at the many formative series that fill it. Each new year introduces plenty of ambitious and inventive anime, but it's sometimes difficult to tell if a modern classic will last the test of time or if it's the subject of some variety of recent bias.
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There are decades of compelling anime content to pull from, many of which are series that are even more popular today than when they first made their debuts. Audiences who are interested in evergreen anime hits that are never going to go out of fashion should look no further than these groundbreaking series that have only gotten better with age.
10
Neon Genesis Evangelion
26 Episodes, 7 Movies
Hideaki Anno and Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most important anime series of all time; it's a powerful gateway series to introduce newcomers to both the mecha genre and anime as a whole. Evangelion's broader premise where a shadowy organization uses giant mechs to fight against extra-terrestrial "Angels" to prevent the apocalypse is nothing new for anime.
However, the series' ability to balance devastating melodrama and stark questions of identity is where it truly signs. The dense ideas and evocative cinematography in Evangelion have been endlessly referenced in pop culture in everything from Kong: Skull Island to Jordan Peele's Nope.
9
Cowboy Bebop
26 Episodes, 1 Movie
Shinichiro Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop is one of the few series to transcend the medium and there are plenty of people who typically avoid animation but still made time for this fantastic space opera. Spike Spiegel and his crew of misfit outlaws travel the galaxy in search of their next big score while they wax philosophical on the nature of existence.
While a stunning deconstruction of science fiction, Cowboy Bebop gleefully embraces other stylized sensibilities like Westerns, comedy, and even horror, all against an adrenaline-pumping jazz soundtrack from Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts. Cowboy Bebop is a heightened blend of everything that anime can be.
8
Monster
74 Episodes
Some of the greatest anime dwell on heavy questions of guilt, regret, and responsibility. Monster is a psychological drama that elegantly evolves the Frankenstein's Monster mythos through a haunting tale that ties together a renowned surgeon and a vicious serial killer.
Dr. Kenzo Tenma's pledge to his trade leads to him saving the life of an individual who later goes on to leave a slew of bodies in his wake. Feeling responsible for these deaths, Dr. Tenma is determined to find and stop the man whom he's given life before he causes more death. Monster has the luxury of digging deep into its ideas, but without wasting the audience's time.
7
Excel Saga
26 Episodes
Fast-paced gag anime are pretty common, but Excel Saga runs circles around the competition. Excel Saga is now two decades old, but its pop culture parodies are just as relevant as ever. Excel Excel is optimistic and enthusiastic to commit herself to the terrorist organization ACROSS, which strives for city-wide domination before expanding its sights to take on the entire world.
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Excel Saga seamlessly transforms itself into a different anime genre in each episode, whether it's shonen, magical girl, sports, or mecha. Excel Saga must be watched multiple times in order to catch every joke, but the humor continues to land and it's a testament to the power of gag series.
6
Attack On Titan
89 Episodes
Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan has surpassed expectations, as it's evolved from a man-versus-monster series into infinitely more complex material. Ultimately, AoT emphasizes how man is the greatest monster of all.
Attack on Titan bides its time and juggles many balls at once, only for its twists and thematic turns to elegantly dovetail together in the ferocious final season. Attack on Titan still has to air its epic grand finale. However, it's unlikely that this super-sized farewell will undo seasons of careful, meticulous character development and storytelling.
5
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
190 Episodes
Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure tells the multi-generational saga of the Joestar bloodline. JoJo's has stayed fresh for so long because it continually changes its setting, characters, and story. However, even the earliest chapters of the series like Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency still receive lots of acclaim.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is far from finished, and it's presumed that David Production will eventually animate Part 7, Steel Ball Run, and beyond. If future JoJo's anime receive the same level of passion then there shouldn't be any concerns of the series ending on a sour note.
4
Serial Experiments Lain
13 Episodes
Serial Experiments Lain tells a grim psychological story where Lain Iwakura increasingly loses herself in the online world of "The Wired" after she begins to receive e-mails from a former classmate who took their own life. Serial Experiments Lain sticks its landing and doesn't overstay its welcome at only 13 economical entries.
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However, it's genuinely impressive that Lain came out in '98, far before the Internet has become a mainstream fascination. Lain's ability to get in ahead of the curve has given the series a timeless quality and society has fallen even deeper into an identity crisis when it comes to online avatars and digital martyrdom.
3
Yu Yu Hakusho
112 Episodes
Battle shonen series make up a lot of anime, but there's a delicate balance when it comes to finding the right pacing and narrative drive so that these action-packed stories don't get stale. Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece are all celebrated anime that have more good episodes than bad—however, they still become lengthy slogs.
Yu Yu Hakusho is a tight 112-episode alternative that boils down the demonic duels of Yusuke Urameshi and friends to their strongest elements. Constant tournament battles, an eclectic cast of characters, and a retro look that conjures nostalgia for the '90s all help Yu Yu Hakusho thrive.
2
Death Note
37 Episodes
Death Note immediately grabs its audience through a simple, suspenseful premise where a special book holds the power to kill anyone whose name gets written in it. What follows is a moving deconstruction of power and corruption with an unpredictable supernatural edge to it all.
Understandable criticism is launched at the second season of Death Note that moves beyond L and Light Yagami's murderous game of cat and mouse. Near, Kira, and Mello's entanglement lacks the same impact, but it's still powerful and ends on its own terms. The only reason it's looked down on is that Death Note's first season is so exceptional.
1
Gintama
371 Episodes, 3 Movies
Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama finally ended its prolific run after more than 15 years. The series chronicles Gintoki Sakata and the rest of his Odd Jobs Crew as they take on tasks to pay the rent while also fighting to save the universe.
Some fans argue that the initial batch of Gintama episodes are the weakest, but they're hardly unwatchable, and they play much better when the series' entire journey is taken into consideration. Gintama actively gets funnier and more confident with each episode. This is no small feat for a series that's produced more than 370 episodes, so any growing pains are excusable.
