Greatest Anime (Series & Films)
by nickallengaiger | created - 28 Mar 2013 | updated - 28 Mar 2013 | PublicA list of the greatest anime films and series of all time!
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The futuristic misadventures and tragedies of an easygoing bounty hunter and his partners.
Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Unshô Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Steve Blum
Votes: 138,750
2. When They Cry (2006)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Drama, Horror
The story of a group of young friends and the mysterious events that occur in the rural village of Hinamizawa.
Stars: Sôichirô Hoshi, Mai Nakahara, Satsuki Yukino, Yukari Tamura
Votes: 6,482
3. Bleach (2004–2023)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
High school student Ichigo Kurosaki, who has the ability to see ghosts, gains soul reaper powers from Rukia Kuchiki and sets out to save the world from "Hollows".
Stars: Johnny Yong Bosch, Michelle Ruff, Stephanie Sheh, Jamieson Price
Votes: 68,956
4. Death Note (2006–2007)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.
Stars: Mamoru Miyano, Brad Swaile, Vincent Tong, Ryô Naitô
Votes: 378,170
5. Darker Than Black (2007–2010)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
In Tokyo, an impenetrable field known as "Hell's Gate" appeared ten years ago. At the same time, psychics who wield paranormal powers at the cost of their conscience also emerged.
Stars: Jason Liebrecht, Kate Oxley, Christopher Sabat, Brina Palencia
Votes: 12,468
6. Monster (2004–2005)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. The boy, now a charismatic young man, reappears 9 years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders.
Stars: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Liam O'Brien, Mamiko Noto, Karen Strassman
Votes: 44,526
7. Hellsing (2001–2002)
TV-MA | 23 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
A British taskforce, lead by the daughter of the vampire hunter Prof. Van Helsing, battles the supernatural with the aid of two vampires.
Stars: Jôji Nakata, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Fumiko Orikasa, Steven Brand
Votes: 18,225
8. Hellsing Ultimate (2006–2012)
Not Rated | 50 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
The vampire Alucard, his master Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, and his newly sired ward Seras Victoria, try to protect England from a war-crazed SS-Major who seeks to start an eternal war with his vampire army.
Stars: Katie Gray, Crispin Freeman, Victoria Harwood, Ralph Lister
Votes: 26,718
9. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009–2010)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Two brothers search for a Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their deceased mother goes awry and leaves them in damaged physical forms.
Stars: Kent Williams, Iemasa Kayumi, Matthew Leonhart, Vic Mignogna
Votes: 197,317
10. The Twelve Kingdoms (2002–2003)
Animation, Adventure, Drama
High school student Youko Nakajima is approached by a strange man who claims he's been searching for her and that she is the rightful ruler of his kingdom.
Stars: Mari Devon, Kate Higgins, Houko Kuwashima, Aya Hisakawa
Votes: 2,199
11. Rurouni Kenshin (1996–1998)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a young wandering swordsman who stumbles upon a struggling martial arts school in Meiji era Japan.
Stars: Mayo Suzukaze, Dorothy Elias-Fahn, Richard Cansino, Rebecca Forstadt
Votes: 20,549
12. Dragon Ball Z (1996–2003)
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.
Stars: Doc Harris, Christopher Sabat, Scott McNeil, Sean Schemmel
Votes: 147,640
13. Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files (1992–1995)
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After a teenage delinquent is killed while saving a child's life from an approaching car, the rulers of the underworld send him back to become an "Underworld Detective" investigating demons apparitions in the human world.
Stars: Nozomu Sasaki, Justin Cook, Christopher Sabat, Cynthia Cranz
Votes: 16,040
14. Inuyasha (2000–2004)
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A teenage girl periodically travels back in time to feudal Japan to help a young half-demon recover the shards of a jewel of great power.
Stars: Kappei Yamaguchi, Richard Ian Cox, Sarah Hauser, Darren Pleavin
Votes: 17,905
15. Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989)
G | 85 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Each night, young Nemo goes to Slumberland and has adventures and befriends the king of Slumberland, Morpheus. But one night Nemo discovers Nightmare Land, and the evil nightmare king, throwing Slumberland and Nemo himself into danger.
Directors: Masami Hata, Masanori Hata, William T. Hurtz | Stars: Gabriel Damon, Mickey Rooney, Rene Auberjonois, Danny Mann
Votes: 8,259 | Gross: $1.37M
16. Vampire Hunter D (1985)
Not Rated | 80 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
When Doris Lang is chosen as the next bride for the vampire Count Magnus Lee, she will hire a mysterious vampire hunter known only as D in an attempt to escape her ill-gotten fate.
Director: Toyoo Ashida | Stars: Kaneto Shiozawa, Michie Tomizawa, Seizô Katô, Satoko Kifuji
Votes: 17,516
17. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)
R | 103 min | Animation, Action, Drama
A legendary dhampir competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to return a young woman, who has been seemingly abducted by a vampire, to her family.
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri | Stars: Andrew Philpot, John Rafter Lee, Pamela Adlon, Wendee Lee
Votes: 35,791 | Gross: $0.15M
18. Akira (1988)
R | 124 min | Animation, Action, Drama
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.
Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo | Stars: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tesshô Genda
Votes: 205,126 | Gross: $0.55M
19. Golgo 13: The Professional (1983)
Not Rated | 91 min | Animation, Action, Crime
After killing the son of a powerful oil tycoon, an infamous hit-man is targeted by American governmental forces and superhuman killers.
Director: Osamu Dezaki | Stars: Tetsurô Sagawa, Gorô Naya, Toshiko Fujita, Kôsei Tomita
Votes: 3,369
20. Black Lagoon (2006)
TV-MA | 25 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A Japanese businessman, captured by modern-day pirates, is written off and left for dead by his company. Tired of the corporate life, he opts to stick with the mercenaries that kidnapped him, becoming part of their gang.
Stars: Megumi Toyoguchi, Daisuke Namikawa, Brad Swaile, Maryke Hendrikse
Votes: 17,909
21. Ergo Proxy (2006)
TV-14 | 25 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
In a post-apocalyptic future humans live in peace with androids in a domed city. However, a strange series of murders has intruded into bored inspector Re-l Mayer's life.
Stars: Kôji Yusa, Akiko Yajima, Liam O'Brien, Rachel Hirschfeld
Votes: 16,396
22. Blood+ (2005–2006)
TV-MA | Animation, Action, Adventure
In present day Okinawa, a young amnesiac girl named Saya combats vicious, shape-shifting vampires. Her adoptive family and friends help her track down their source and uncover her past.
Stars: Eri Kitamura, Katsuyuki Konishi, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Akiko Yajima
Votes: 4,853
23. X (2001–2002)
Not Rated | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
Kamui Shirou and Fuuma Monou have been best friends ever since they were kids. Fate, however, separates them when Fuuma's mother died under a mysterious circumstances. Fast forward, 6 years... See full summary »
Stars: Ken'ichi Suzumura, Jun'ichi Suwabe, Mitsuaki Madono, Ryôka Yuzuki
Votes: 1,851
24. Claymore (2007)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A deadly breed of monster - the Yoma - has only one foe: Claymore. These warrior women, human-Yoma hybrids, can deliver salvation by the edge of a blade for a fee. This is the tale of the Claymore called Clare's solitary path to vengeance.
Stars: Todd Haberkorn, Stephanie Young, Houko Kuwashima, Cherami Leigh
Votes: 15,160
25. Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2004–2005)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Drama, Mystery
Trying to escape his uneventful life, Albert, the son of a renowned general from Paris, makes a journey with his friend Franz. During his travels, he meets an immensely wealthy nobleman ... See full summary »
Stars: Jôji Nakata, Johnny Yong Bosch, Beau Billingslea, Karen Strassman
Votes: 2,721
26. Elfen Lied (2004)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
Two university students come across a seemingly harmless girl named Lucy, unaware that she's actually a mutant serial killer with a split personality.
Stars: Sanae Kobayashi, Chihiro Suzuki, Mamiko Noto, Sam Saletta
Votes: 36,892
27. RahXephon (2002)
TV-14 | 25 min | Animation, Action, Drama
Kamina Ayato lives an ordinary life. He goes to school. He lives with his mother. He has schoolmates. But all of that changes one day when massive machines, known as the Dolem, attack the ... See full summary »
Stars: Chris Patton, Monica Rial, Tiffany Grant, Jason Douglas
Votes: 1,760
28. Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (2007)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
Dante, a superhuman son of a powerful murdered demon and human woman is a master of gun and sword who runs an "odd-job" agency. Despite financial troubles, he never loses his cool since work always comes calling sooner or later.
Stars: Toshiyuki Morikawa, Misato Fukuen, Akio Ôtsuka, Fumiko Orikasa
Votes: 5,640
29. Ninja Scroll (1993)
Not Rated | 94 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A vagabond swordsman is aided by a kunoichi and a spy in battling a demonic clan of killers - led by a ghost from his past - who are bent on overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri | Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Osamu Saka
Votes: 40,705
30. Metropolis (2001)
PG-13 | 108 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
Kenichi and his uncle Shunsaku Ban must find the mystery behind robot girl Tima.
Director: Rintarô | Stars: Toshio Furukawa, Scott Weinger, Yuka Imoto, Kei Kobayashi
Votes: 22,605 | Gross: $0.64M
31. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
PG | 119 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Chieko Baishô, Takuya Kimura, Tatsuya Gashûin, Akihiro Miwa
Votes: 449,037 | Gross: $4.71M
32. Princess Mononoke (1997)
PG-13 | 134 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Yôji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yûko Tanaka, Billy Crudup
Votes: 433,525 | Gross: $2.38M
33. Spirited Away (2001)
PG | 125 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Miyu Irino, Rumi Hiiragi
Votes: 848,905 | Gross: $10.06M
34. Castle in the Sky (1986)
PG | 125 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Mayumi Tanaka, Keiko Yokozawa, Kotoe Hatsui, Minori Terada
Votes: 182,276
35. Demon City Shinjuku (1988 Video)
TV-MA | 82 min | Animation, Action, Fantasy
A young swordsman and the daughter of a political Messiah enter a ravaged Shinjuku, Tokyo, to stop the man who killed the former's father from opening a portal to a world of demons.
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri | Stars: Hideyuki Hori, Hiromi Tsuru, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Kyôko Tongû
Votes: 3,676
36. Ghost Hunt (2006–2007)
TV-14 | 25 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
Shibuya Psychic Research Center investigates supernatural occurrences all over Japan.
Stars: Cherami Leigh, Travis Willingham, Todd Haberkorn, Colleen Clinkenbeard
Votes: 1,622
37. Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)
Not Rated | 48 min | Animation, Action, Horror
Saya is a Japanese vampire slayer whose next mission is in a high school on a US military base in 1960s Japan, where she poses as a student. She uses a katana/samurai sword to kill vampires.
Director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo | Stars: Yûki Kudô, Saemi Nakamura, Joe Romersa, Stuart Robinson
Votes: 13,299
38. Fate/stay night (2006)
TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Amateur mage Shirou Emiya gets involved in a fight between mages using mythological heroes.
Stars: Noriaki Sugiyama, Kate Higgins, Kari Wahlgren, Liam O'Brien
Votes: 6,492
39. Casshern Sins (2008–2009)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The world is falling apart and Casshern is to blame. He is said to have killed a robot named "Luna" and by doing so unleashed a plague referred to as "ruin".
Stars: Tôru Furuya, Eric Vale, Yûko Minaguchi, Trina Nishimura
Votes: 942
40. Highschool of the Dead (2010)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
High school students are overwhelmed with the start of the zombie apocalypse.
Stars: Jun'ichi Suwabe, Eri Kitamura, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Hitomi Harada
Votes: 15,468
41. Kaze no Stigma (2007)
TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Comedy
Yagami Kazuma was part of a family of fire users, the Kannagi family. But with no talent in fire magic he was banished and cast out from the family. After four years he returns to Japan as a powerful wind user.
Stars: Cherami Leigh, Jessie James Grelle, Kyle Hebert, Robert McCollum
Votes: 1,889
42. This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (2004– )
TV-14 | Animation, Comedy, Drama
It's a sweet but at the same time tear jerking story. It teaches you how the world can be hard and ugly at times but then again it could still be beautiful. It starts off with a high school... See full summary »
Stars: Ayako Kawasumi, Takahiro Mizushima, Fujiko Takimoto, Cynthia Martinez
Votes: 318
43. Hell Girl (2006–2007)
360 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Somewhere in the vast realm of the Internet, there is a message board called "Jigoku Tsushin (Hell Message),"which could only be accessed at the stroke of midnight. When grudges are posted ... See full summary »
Stars: Sayuri Iwata, Aya Sugimoto, Kazuki Katô, Hisahiro Ogura
Votes: 242
44. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom (2009)
TV-MA | 25 min | Animation, Action, Crime
The story of two brainwashed assassins, Ein and Zwei, who struggle to regain their memories as they work for the Inferno crime syndicate.
Stars: Miyu Irino, Newton Pittman, Ayahi Takagaki, Lindsay Seidel
Votes: 1,927
Tell Your Friends