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It’s 2025. The decade is already almost halfway through, making it a good point in time to take stock of how the decade is going so far. For anime, the 2020s might be remembered as the erawhen the medium gained true ubiquity; no longer being a niche source of entertainment for what has long been believed to be the target: overzealous Japanophiles (“weeaboos”) and individuals who shriek when light enters their dimly lit bedrooms.
After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world into isolation, many people who had never given the medium a crack wound up learning of its brilliance. With the decade now halfway through, it’s time to take a look back at some of the anime thatmay go down as the titles that defined the 2020sso far. The incoming list is based primarily on theauthor’s opinion.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
The Only Accepted Usurper of MAL’s Infamous #1 Spot
In Fall 2023, the world was graced with the anime adaptation that would go on to change anime history.Sousou no Frieren, translated directly to “Frieren, The Slayer” and titled"Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End", is a brilliant fantasy that follows the titular character, an elven mage who was part of the four-person party that defeated the Demon King and saved the world prior to the events of the series. Being set in the aftermath of the victory and not in the journey leading up to the Demon King encounter, the series subverted expectations of what a fantasy title should do, and its slice-of-life approach to the titular character’s journey as she remains relatively unchanged as time lurches forward.
It is a brilliantly animated series produced by Madhouse, a legendary studio loved by anime fans, and it contains some of the best character writing, and depictions of the flow of time around an immortal subject the medium has to offer.Frierenwas very popular when it was airing, and its single most shocking reality is perhaps the fact that the series is so good that fans ofFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood; the anime that hasunanimously been the highest-rated anime of all timeon MyAnimeList.net for over several years, who would normally downvote anything that threatenedFMA’spole position, simply didn’t do that this time.Frieren: Beyond Journey’s Endis an incredible series and a definite contender for anime of the decade, but right now what gives it a certain mythic status in the “cult” of anime is the fact thatFMA:Bfans accepted defeat for the very first time because of it. The cherry on top for older fans of the medium is the fact that such an amazing anime came from none other than Madhouse, a legendary production studio.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War
The Vindication of a Fanbase
The greatest comeback in anime history. After the original anime ended in 2012, and the manga in 2016, theBLEACHfandom was in a tough spot as the series' reputation suffered greatly over the years, with many even questioning its status asone of Shōnen Jump’s The Big Three, for some reason. Prospects for the series' future were bleak, and the fans craved an adaptation of the manga’s climactic final arc. The rumour mills were especially active about the return of the series in 2020, and by 2021, it was confirmed to be part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the manga’s serialization, and by October 2022; 10 years after the original anime ended,BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood Waraired, boasting a brand-new visual identity and incredible animation, a new director, and series author Tite Kubo’s close involvement in production. With three of the four cours done, the return ofBLEACHis almost over, and looking back, this will be remembered as the greatest comeback story in the history of the medium, andthe vindication of an entire fanbase.
Vinland Saga Season 2
The So-Called Farming Simulator
An adaptation that was actually incredibly late, as Makoto Yukimura’sVinland Sagahas actually been around since 2005, and has since garnered acclaim, but the first season of its anime adaptation by MAPPA would only become a reality in 2019, with the second season, which many disgruntled fans seeking a bloodbath have described as a “farming simulator”, becoming massively famous for its groundbreaking portrayal of one of anime’sgreatest examples of profound character developmentand writing. Thorfinn’s journey as a character being contrasted to Einar made for some truly incredible moments, and the fact that the series' far less action-packed second season is so greatly appreciated by fans is a testament to the overall brilliance of the series.
Fruits Basket Finale
The Proof That Reboots Can Be Better Than the Original
One of the most exemplary reboots of a classic the world has ever seen,Fruits Basketreturned in 2019, but the final episode ran in 2021 and was quickly rated one of the very best shows every year it aired. The original series ran in 2001, and it is already considered an influential title in anime and manga, but the reboot completely blew the original out of the water, showing that it is possible to have a brilliant reiteration of a beloved idea, especially one that, like a good deal of other anime of the 2000s, didn’t fully adapt the source material and thus left fans wanting more.The originalFruits Basket, while remembered as a classic, diverges from the story told in the manga, while this version, while it may have begun in 2019, the final season is especially deserving of acclaim for its darker and more faithful exploration of Natsuki Takaya’s manga.
The Apothecary Diaries
Easily One of the Decade’s Most Prominent Historical Fictions
One of Fall 2023’s prettiest shows,The Apothecary Diariesis an OLM production and incredibly well-made, while its medical, historical and mystery leanings rapidly turned it into one of the most-watched titles of Fall 2023, with its currently airing second season being highly anticipated after the end of its highly successful first season. The combination of its fictionalized Chinese setting, compelling mysteries and the brilliance of Maomao as a protagonist all come together to giveThe Apothecary Diariesthe potential to go down as one of the most important anime titles of the 2020s.
Attack on Titan: The Final Season
“Never Gonna Give You Up…”
Attack on Titantook the world by storm when the anime first hit the scene in 2013, but there was a major change in pacing and atmosphere in the 2020s asThe Final Season, the ending of which was beginning to feel nigh-asymptotic as it gained several new installments, each purported to be more “final” than the last. It would be three years before the finalAttack on Titan: The Final Seasonwould finally air, but each installment was an incredible addition to the franchise in a finale to a series that will go down asone of the greatest pieces of fiction, not to mention TV, ever made. The change in atmosphere brought on by the change in production studio from WIT to MAPPA didn’t initially go down well with the fandom; however, there was simply too much to celebrate about it as it progressed, unraveling Hajime Isayama’s incredible writing and capping off a series that was instrumental in the current ubiquity of anime and its establishment as a truly mainstream form of entertainment.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
The Litmus Test That Came Back Positive
Speaking of titles being instrumental to the current ubiquity of anime, there’s simply no talking about the sheer appeal of anime in the current era without bringing up ufotable’s adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’sDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, which might be singlehandedly responsible forthe rise in anime theatrical releases. Following the success of the first season of the anime, theMugen Trainfilm would be a theatrical sequel, something that wasn’t the norm for a major Shōnen Jump adaptation. The film was shown in theatres across the globe, and for many, it was the first time in a long time, if at all, that an anime film had been shown at their local movie theatre.
TheDemon Slayer: Mugen Trainmovie was a test to see just how embedded in the zeitgeist anime had become, particularly coming after the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many who hadn’t been exposed to the medium finally gave it a shot. The rest was history: the film went on to gross over $507 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2020. It was the first time a non-American film topped the annual box office, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, smashing the record previously set by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’sSpirited Awayin 2001. Veteran anime fans sawDemon Slayershowing in theatres, saw all the hype surrounding the event, and, after finding a moment of quiet, shed a silent tear atthe realization that anime isfinally, truly, undoubtedly mainstream.
Oshi no Ko
The Mystery of the Decade
Oshi no Kocan be described as a foray into various branches of the Japanese entertainment industry wrapped up in an incredibly well-written tale of an obstetrician-gynecologist’s reincarnation as one of the twin babies of his last patient: Ai Hoshino, one of the biggest idols in Japan, who sought to give birth in secret, while hiding the identity of her children’s father. In a disturbing twist of fate, Dr. Goro Amamiya is murdered by an overzealous fan of Ai’s the day before she was due, andhe finds himself reincarnatedalongside a patient whose loss changed him forever, the true identity of either unbeknownst to both of them.
They live a life of bliss as children of their favourite idol until that happiness is ripped away from them when Ai is murdered by the same fan who killed Goro.Oshi no Kois incredibly written, with the pen ofKaguya-sama Love is Warauthor Aka Akasaka and the artistic brilliance ofScum’s Wishauthor Mengo Yokoyari adapted by character designer Kanna Hirayama coming together on TV to go down as one of the best mystery anime of the 2020s as Goro, now Aquamarine Hoshino, dedicates his life to finding the one person most likely to be responsible for Ai’s murder: his father, whoever that might be.Oshi no Kofeatures cogent explorations of the dark underbelly of various aspects of the entertainment industry, while also delivering a brilliantly convoluted whodunnit set up by one of the best pilot episodes, andone of the most streamed openingsanime has ever seen.
DANDADAN
Shōnen’s First Big Hero of the 2020s
Science SARU’s adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu’s hit manga that famously blends sci-fi and supernatural elements was by far the most anticipated anime release of 2024. Despite having its first six episodes leaked in an unfortunate leak incident that might be the very worst in anime history,DANDADANabsolutely smashed it from week to weekin Fall 2024, doing more than just living up to fan expectations and being exemplary when it comes to animation production, not to mention having the catchiest song of 2024 as the opening. While the ending might have been a disappointment, it was more so in light of how good the series had actually been up to that point. Perfect adaptations are possible, and we are once again aware of this fact because of Science SARU’sDANDANDAN.
The First Slam Dunk
The Greatest Sports Team in Anime History Returns
Takehiko Inoue’sSlam Dunkis one of the main titles remembered as part of the greatest ever era in the history of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and shonen manga in general, with its 1995 anime adaptation hailed as one of the best sports anime of all time. The 2022 movie reboot,The First Slam Dunk, divided opinion with its 3D approach to animation, not to mention its completely fresh cast. However, any concerns were very quickly crossed up, and left with broken ankles as the film became known as an achievement in 3D animation in anime, with Toei Animation, who also released the3D animatedDragon Ball Super: Super Hero, showed once again that beautiful 3D animation can be done. It could even be said that Toei is the one studio that could give Orange (Trigun STAMPEDE) a run for their money when it comes to 3D animation.The First Slam Dunkwent on to gross over US$279 million, winning the 2023 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, the sixth-highest grossing Japanese film of all time, and the highest-grossing basketball film of all time. To top things off, series author Takehiko Inoue served as director.
