These are must-watches for any returning anime fan.
Sometimes, people take breaks from anime — for one reason or another. When they come back, it can be hard to catch up with the fandom, as people are talking about many series that are seemingly unfamiliar to them.
So, here’s a list of the most iconic anime of the past decade, one series per year (and no sequels, of course)!
2014: Haikyuu!!
Haikyuu!! became commonly associated with the sports genre in anime at this point. While other series sometimes gain enough following, this is virtually the only one that is actually talked about.
It fully deserves its reputation, though: it’s very well-animated, has an interesting cast of many characters, and volleyball is a sport that is very fun to watch even if you aren’t familiar with it.
2015: One Punch Man
The first season of One Punch Man is basically a miracle. It looks so great that people put unrealistic standards on anime that came out way later, including the second season of OPM itself. What is even more interesting, though, is that the anime is a parody at its core.
Saitama can destroy anything and anyone with just one punch, as the title implies. Despite this, the action in the anime looks incredible — and the series is great in many aspects, not just as a comedy.
2016: Re:Zero
There are many great anime that came out in 2016 — honorable mention goes to My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), one of the most popular shounen series these days. That said, not many actually redefined their own genres.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu) has changed the way people look at isekai. It is often called a deconstruction of the genre, and while that claim can be argued, it is definitely a darker — and more realistic — take on it.
2017: Made in Abyss
Made in Abyss is great at a lot of things. It has gorgeous backgrounds, depicting a unique fantasy world — and the worldbuilding is one of the things that is praised the most about it.
However, the actual anime is very gruesome. It’s a thriller adventure series following a group of kids taking a journey into “the Hole” — a giant, seemingly bottomless crater. The further they go, the more disturbing it gets.
2018: Violet Evergarden
Studio Kyoto Animation has always been famous for their amazing visuals. Violet Evergarden might as well be their best-looking anime — but it’s more than just that. While some fans find it boring, it actually is anything but that.
Yes, the development is quite slow, but it shows a natural progression of how Violet herself learns to experience emotions once again.
2019: Demon Slayer
Okay, this one was very much expected. Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) has introduced an entirely new generation of fans to anime. The series is incredibly easy to follow and has memorable characters, and its animation is some of the best in the entire medium.
Gorgeous fight scenes attracted many new viewers to anime, and even though the series gets occasional criticism for being too simple, it is very much worth watching for the production values alone.
2020: Jujutsu Kaisen
If some new fans weren’t introduced to anime by Demon Slayer, they probably got in because of Jujutsu Kaisen. A new take on the battle shounen genre, Jujutsu Kaisen is a fast-paced action series set in a cruel world where nearly any character can die.
The second season, in particular, goes all-in on both amazing animation and unexpected plot twists and character deaths — and it’s glorious.
2021: 86
86 is in no way a unique take on the mecha genre — it still very much tells a story of horrors of war in a military setting — but it spices things up by adding themes of discrimination and dehumanization to it.
The characters forced to fight are treated as less than human by their own government, and have to deal with that while also figuring out their personal problems.
2022: Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man fans have finally got their anime adaptation. And yes, it’s only one cour long, but a sequel movie is coming. The anime follows Denji, who, after fusing with his demon dog, can now transform into a monstrosity with a chainsaw instead of a head.
He joins the organization that fights demons, but his motivation is to just get a girlfriend. Sounds dumb? Well, the premise is certainly strange, but the anime executes it exceptionally well — don’t miss out on it.
2023: Frieren
Want a fantasy anime, but are tired of the constant stream of isekais? Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) is seen by many as a revival of the classic fantasy genre.
The anime has something for everyone: while the main theme is Frieren’s perception of time and how she can’t experience emotions the same way humans can (she’s an elf), it actually offers much more.
Frieren is already considered one of the best anime of all time, and for many reasons. The visuals are amazing, and while action isn’t the main focus of the anime, there’s certainly enough of it to capture fans’ attention. There are also hints of romance if you want that — overall, it’s definitely a modern classic.