10 Best New-Gen Anime, Ranked

As anime has become a global phenomenon, so, too, has the overall quality of the medium; not only is it far more common for an anime’s writing to be competent without relying on cliches, but the visuals in anime have also risen in kind, making it all too common for a show to have stunning animation from start to finish.

The past decade has been an amazing era for anime, with old and new fans alike having plenty of great content to choose from every season. There’s always been one show that was quick to take the world by storm, but whether it’s visually or narratively, it’s clear that a few new-gen anime have stood out far more than others.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

In Bibury Animation Studios’ The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You, after suffering 100 rejections of love, Rentaro Aijou is told by the God of Love that he’ll meet and fall in love with 100 soulmates in high school, and he’ll have to date all of them so they won’t die of a literal broken heart.

As controversial as harem anime can be, between the great chemistry of the cast and its absurdist, parody-laden humor, 100 Girlfriends is easily one of the best anime romcoms of the past decade. It’s a harem anime unlike any other, and with 100 Girlfriends season 3 coming in 2026, there’s plenty more in store for fans.

Pluto

Studio M2’s Pluto is a modern reimagining of the iconic “Greatest Robot on Earth” arc of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy. When the mysterious Pluto starts killing the world’s strongest robots one by one, it falls onto the robot detective Gesicht to solve the mystery, but the truth is far bigger than anyone could have imagined.

With a stellar combination of political commentary, engaging character writing, and all-around gorgeous visuals, Pluto does a perfect job of modernizing Astro Boy’s story for a more serious narrative without sacrificing the original’s charm. It took almost a decade for Pluto to come out, but overall, it was more than worth the wait.

Odd Taxi

OLM, Inc.’s Odd Taxi stars Hiroshi Odokawa, an anthropomorphic walrus who just wants to do his job as a taxi driver without causing a fuss, but when the disappearance of a high school girl somehow connects to Odokawa and his customers, Odokawa must slowly solve a mystery that only gets bigger with each reveal.

Despite its appropriately odd premise, Odd Taxi has a perfect combination of intriguing mystery and character writing, making it an undeniable breakout hit of the 2020s. Anime originals haven’t gotten much attention in recent years, but fortunately, shows like Odd Taxi make it clear that they still have plenty to offer.

The Apothecary Diaries

In the Imperial China-esque setting of OLM, Inc.’s The Apothecary Diaries, the apothecary Maomao is sold into servitude for the emperor’s palace, but with her quick wit and medical knowledge, she quickly makes a name for herself solving problems within the imperial court, all with the enigmatic eunuch Jinshi by her side.

The Apothecary Diaries is one of the biggest breakout hits of recent years, and with its clever mystery and character writing and gorgeous visuals, it’s easy to see why. There’s no other anime quite like The Apothecary Diaries at the moment, and with both The Apothecary Diaries season 3 and a movie in development, it’s only going to get bigger.

Gachiakuta

In Bones Film’s Gachiakuta, after being cast out of the heaven-like Sphere and into the toxic wasteland known as the Ground, Rudo becomes a superpowered being known as a Giver, and with help from the peace-keeping group of the Cleaners, Rudo will do whatever it takes to return to the Sphere and get back at everyone who wronged him.

Not only does Gachiakuta’s punk aesthetic give it a wonderfully retro vibe, but with its incredible animation, clever action, and surprisingly thoughtful writing, it’s an all-around incredible action story from start to finish. There’s been a major push for Gachiakuta to become the next big thing, and with Gachiakuta season 2 in development, that idea just might be realized.

Delicious In Dungeon

Studio Trigger’s Delicious in Dungeon follows the adventurer’s party of Laios Touden as they race through a deadly dungeon to bring Laios’ sister, Falin, back to life. With no time to buy food, though, Laios convinces everyone to eat the monsters they kill in the dungeon, something he’s all but stated to have been looking for an excuse to do.

With its incredibly stylish animation, impeccable comedy, and an all-around unique take on fantasy writing with masterful worldbuilding, Delicious in Dungeon is a truly standout fantasy series and one of Studio Trigger’s best shows in years. Delicious in Dungeon season 2 is still in development, but when it finally releases, it’s sure to be even better than the first.

Bocchi The Rock!

CloverWorks’ Bocchi the Rock! stars Hitori “Bocchi” Gotoh, a girl who’s spent her whole life trying and failing to make friends, but when she’s suddenly made the lead guitarist of the fledgling band Kessoku Band, she’ll finally get the chance to enter the spotlight and come out of her shell that she always dreamed of.

Slice-of-life anime have become increasingly common, but with a combination of gorgeous, creative visuals, hilarious comedy, and a heartfelt look into the struggles of dealing with social anxiety, Bocchi the Rock! stands far above most of its contemporaries. It’s a slice-of-life anime unlike any other, and with Bocchi the Rock! season 2 in development, it’s only going to get bigger.

Jujutsu Kaisen

In MAPPA’s Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji Itadori is thrown into the world of curses and sorcery when he becomes host to Ryomen Sukuna, the world’s deadliest curse, and while Yuji is content with using his new circumstances to help as many people as possible, doing so becomes a far harder task than he could have realized.

Jujutsu Kaisen was quick to become a global phenomenon with its dark writing, fun characters, and increasingly gorgeous and creative visuals, and the series never fails to show that it’s earned every ounce of praise. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the defining hits of modern anime, and even with the manga finished, it’s poised to get even bigger.

Dandadan

Science Saru’s Dandadan stars Momo Ayase and Okarun, two teens who find themselves imbued with supernatural powers after a deadly encounter with aliens and spirits. Said incident also robbed Okarun of his genitals, so he and Momo must work together to battle the supernatural and get them back, all while they slowly fall in love with one another.

The Dandadan manga has always been a hit with its fun characters, quirky writing, and gorgeously detailed artwork, and with how perfectly that was translated into animation, it’s become a flat-out worldwide sensation from day one. Few modern anime are as fun as Dandadan, and with Dandadan season 3 coming in 2027, that’s only going to become more apparent.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

In Madhouse’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, the eponymous Frieren is the elven mage who helped the hero Himmel save the world from the Demon King. It wasn’t until after Himmel’s death that Frieren realized how much she cared about him, though, and from there, Frieren decides to go on another adventure to learn how to better understand people.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End became an instant hit with its stellar combination of beautiful visuals, incredible direction, and thoughtful storytelling centered around grief and forming connections with others, and it’s only gotten better with its second season. There’s never been an anime quite like Frieren, and that makes it the biggest contender for a new-gen anime that’s pure art.