Crunchyroll has the world’s biggest anime library. It’s perfect for watching ongoing series since the newest episodes arrive on the platform an hour after their Japanese premiere. In Spring 2022, Funimation merged with Crunchyroll, making its vast library even bigger.
It can be difficult to choose which anime to watch next since there are so many titles. Fortunately, Crunchyroll always adds new titles, whether they’re older classics or brand-new series from every anime genre. There’s an anime out there for everyone, and more likely than not, new viewers can find it somewhere in Crunchyroll’s extensive library.
Update on September 12th, 2023 by Louis Kemner: Crunchyroll’s library of top-tier anime is truly impressive, and every anime season adds even more wonderful titles to this expansive collection. By August 2023, anime fans can find practically anything on this juggernaut streaming platform. The best anime on Crunchyroll range from delightful romantic comedies to science fiction to horror and drama and much more. There’s something for everyone among the top anime on Crunchyroll in any anime season.
45 Mashle: Magic and Muscles (2023-present)
12 Episodes
Mashle: Magic and Muscles ranks among the best anime on Crunchyroll because of its stylish, comedic presentation and its surprisingly deep themes about self-worth, societal discrimination, and the power of hard work and perseverance. In fact, Mashle embodies themes even better than shonen anime like Naruto and My Hero Academia at times.
Mashle stars the quiet himbo bodybuilder Mash Burnedead, a Muggle in a world where magic means absolutely everything. It’s an uphill battle for Mash in this “magic makes right” world, but with the magic of strength, confidence, and friendship, Mash just might graduate from not-Hogwarts and prove the world wrong about its cruel misconceptions.
44 Horimiya (2021-2023)
24+ Episodes
Even if the Horimiya manga/anime franchise doesn’t break new ground with the “high school rom-com” concept, it still makes the most of this comforting formula, which makes it one of the best anime on Crunchyroll for fans of humorous, light-hearted teenage adventures. It also has a pleasant animation style and has strong appeal for both shonen and shojo fans.
Horimiya has an underlying theme about people hiding their true selves from everyone except their closest friends and lovers. Indeed, protagonist Izumi Miyamura may look gloomy and sad, but he’s actually a cool guy who can get along with anyone. His classmate-turned-girlfriend Kyoko Hori loves him for that, even if she’s a bit rough and hot-tempered at times.
43 Fairy Tail (2006-2017)
328 Episodes
Fairy Tail never truly competed with the original “big three” of shonen in its time, but it persevered until the very end, and became a delightful anime for fans of straightforward shonen anime series that generally embrace their clichés. It should appeal greatly to fans of the big three, Fire Force, and Hunter x Hunter, to name a few.
Fairy Tail‘s story focuses on the wizard guild Fairy Tail, whose magical members take on jobs for pay and explore the charming fantasy continent they inhabit. Co-star Lucy Heartfilia is the real heart of the show, a strong-willed teenage girl who ran from her oppressive widower father, so she could realize her potential and make many new friends — which she absolutely will upon joining the Fairy Tail guild.
42 Re:Zero: Starting Life In Another World (2016-2021)
50 Episodes
Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World may sound like a generic and formulaic isekai anime series based on its title, but this popular franchise found creative ways to make this escapism story far more. Protagonist Subaru Natsuki will find himself in a fantasy realm in an eyeblink, but this won’t be a power fantasy. Instead, Subaru is in for the fight of a new lifetime.
Subaru cannot die, though getting reset to previous checkpoints to try a certain story arc all over again will take its toll. Subaru will need his Groundhog Day-esque powers and help from friends like Emilia and Rem the ogre maid to survive and make a difference in this world, but it won’t be easy with multiple witches and a sinister cult in the picture.
41 Konosuba (2016-Present)
20+ Episodes + 1 Movie
Konosuba ranks among the best Crunchyroll anime because it does such a wonderful job satirizing the entire isekai subgenre, all while being a surprisingly good isekai anime in its own right, satire or not. Konosuba has delightfully dysfunctional heroes, gorgeous animation, and solid humor that even anime novices may enjoy.
This anime follows the anithero NEET Kazuma Sato and his misadventures in this new realm, with a bratty goddess, a selfish explosion witch, and a goofy crusader to back him up. Nothing ever seems to go right for this wacky party, but despite it all, they’ll come to rely on one another — at least somewhat — and just might become real friends.
40 One Piece (1999-present)
1,072 Episodes
By now, One Piece has cemented its position as not just one of the best anime on Crunchyroll, but one of the best and most popular anime series of all time. One Piece is the legendary story of the rubbery hero Monkey D. Luffy and his quest to roam the world freely, building his own pirate crew while searching for the fabled One Piece treasure.
One Piece has become a long-standing pillar of the anime community, with countless episodes and over a dozen movies to its name. Among all anime on Crunchyroll, it will, by far, take the longest to catch up on One Piece, but it’s worth it for shonen fans.
39 Hell’s Paradise (2023)
13 Episodes
Many anime fans consider Hell’s Paradise a member of the unofficial “dark trio,” alongside Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. All three of them rank among the best anime on Crunchyroll for action/horror fans, with their gritty characters and intense action sequences.
Hell’s Paradise is set in pre-modern Japan, where the seemingly immortal rogue ninja Gabimaru must take part in a perilous quest to the mysterious Shinsenkyo, a supernatural realm. There, Gabimaru and his fellow prisoners must risk it all to find the elixir of life.
38 Fire Force (2019-present)
48 Episodes
The hit anime Fire Force ranks among the best Crunchyroll anime series for fans of conventional but great shonen action stories. Fire Force takes place in the future, after a great Cataclysm burned the world down. The survivors rebuilt society on the remaining landmass, naming it the Tokyo Empire.
At first, Fire Force is a “monster hunter” anime where fire soldiers like Shinra Kusakabe are seen dispatching Infernals, but there’s more. This anime has strong elements of mystery and conspiracy to keep viewers engaged, including a sinister cult of people who want to burn the world down all over again.
37 Death Parade (2015)
12 Episodes
Death Parade may be short, but it’s still considered one of the best anime on Crunchyroll, and it’s a quick yet intense watch for new fans. In this short anime, a polite but emotionless bartender names Decim runs a closed-off bar where guests, who usually arrive in pairs, must take part in Death Games.
This isn’t a typical “death game” series like Squid Game, however. Death Parade isn’t about gore or horror, but the complex psychological states of everyone who visits Decim’s bar. They must face their inner darkness and learn to get over it, or face oblivion.
36 Zom 100 (2023-Present)
5+ Episodes
Zom 100 is one of best new anime on Crunchyroll, with five episodes and counting to its name. This creative anime uses a standard zombie apocalypse scenario as the backdrop for the protagonist’s final adventure before he will inevitably die. The male lead, Akira Tendo, was sick of his tedious office life, but now society is getting torn apart, so he’s finally free.
This isn’t how Akira wanted to find personal freedom, but he will make the most of it. Akira and his friend Kencho will have a blast roaming what remains of the world, seeing and doing all the things they meant to while they still can. It has elements of horror, comedy, and escapism in one bizarre package.
35 BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense (2020–Present)
24 Episodes
BOFURI follows Kaede Honjou after she’s invited to play a virtual reality game with her friend. Kaede creates “Maple,” her in-game character. Kaede hates pain, so she decided to survive in the game by prioritizing defensive statistics above all else.
Usually, many anime that take place in video games prioritize how many kills a character can get. In Kaede’s (or Maple’s) case, she had a creative approach by maximizing her defense to avoid conflict and make it out of the game alive. This isekai comedy is an excellent change of pace from others in the genre.
34 Chillin’ In My 30s After Getting Fired From The Demon King’s Army (2023)
12 Episodes
Chillin’ In My 30s After Getting Fired From The Demon King’s Army follows Dariel after, as the title suggests, being discharged from the demon king’s army because he doesn’t have any magic. Even though Granverza raised him, Bashubaza deemed him a stain on the army and kicked him out.
Now, Dariel’s homeless and unemployed. He spends his days roaming the forests until one day, he saves a girl getting chased by a monster. He now has a purpose to live again but comes to the realization that he was never a great fit for the demon king’s army since he’s a human, not a demon.
33 Kimi Ni Todoke (2009–2011)
38 Episodes
Kimi Ni Todoke is a classic shojo anime that follows Sawako Kuronuma. Unfortunately, her classmates nicknamed her “Sadako” because she looks like the ghost from The Ring. Constantly misunderstood and bullied, Sawako feels extremely lonely in high school.
Sawako’s always admired Kazehaya because people naturally gravitate toward him. She wanted to be like him one day but never imagined that he was interested in her as well. Kazehaya gets along well with everybody, so Sawako just assumed he was treating her like everyone else–but that may not be the case.
32 Nichijou (2011)
26 Episodes
Nichijou is a must-watch slice of life for those trying to get into the genre. Nichijou follows Mio, Yuuko, and Mai through their everyday activities. They’re childhood friends who always have each other’s backs.
One day, their lives change after meeting Hakase, Nano, and Sakamoto. Sakamoto is a talking black cat, Hakase is a genius, and Nano is a robot tasked with looking after her. The show has a fairly simple premise but brilliantly blends in charmingly whimsical elements so even the fantastical seems mundane.
31 Vinland Saga (2019–Present)
30 Episodes
Vinland Saga is one of the best modern seinen series. The first season was produced by Wit Studio, while MAPPA handled the second. Vinland Saga follows Thorfinn after he becomes a mercenary to avenge his father and kill Askeladd, his murderer. Thorfinn ended up going against his father’s pacifistic wishes in the process.
Vinland Saga explores the world of Vikings, but not in a way that fans have seen over and over again in the past. With brilliant, fluid animation and a compelling narrative, Vinland Saga is a must-watch for fans who want a darker story.
30 Demon Slayer (2019–Present)
44 Episodes & 1 Film
Demon Slayer‘s third season wrapped up in June 2023 and the Swordsmith Village arc did not disappoint. In Demon Slayer, Tanjiro Kamado’s entire family was killed by a vicious demon. His sister Nezuko, the sole survivor of the attack, became a demon herself.
Tanjiro vowed to heal his sister and avenge his family by joining the Demon Slayer Corps. Produced by Ufotable, Demon Slayer’s stunning animation, and impressive character designs will keep viewers captivated from beginning to end.
29 Bungou Stray Dogs (2016–Present)
72 Episodes & 1 Film
Bungou Stray Dogs’ fourth season was recently announced and is scheduled for January 4th. Bungou Stray Dogs is a supernatural seinen series with a dynamic ensemble cast. With a character-driven narrative and lots of fight scenes, Bungou Stray Dogs is the perfect gateway series for shonen fans who want something with a bit of an edge.
Atsushi Nakajima was kicked out of his orphanage and left to die on the streets. Unknowingly possessed by the tiger he thought was hunting him, the Armed Detective Agency recruited Atsushi to help them solve mysteries and carry out missions.
28 Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War
37 Episodes
Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War tells a love story between two high school geniuses—Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane—who are deeply in love with each other, but both of them are too prideful to confess. After all, love is war, and whoever confesses first in this high-stakes battle of wits loses.
Instead of confessing, Kaguya and Miyuki would rather put each other (and everyone around them) through hell via a series of elaborate mind games to draw a confession out of the other. This seldom works, but it’s equally entertaining and frustrating to witness. The sequel film, Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War: The First Kiss Never Ends, was released in the U.S. in February 2023.
27 Hunter X Hunter (2011–Present)
148 Episodes
Hunter X Hunter is one of the greatest masterpieces that shonen anime offers. It’s very formulaic but never feels contrived or like something fans have already watched a hundred times before. Hunter X Hunter follows Gon Freecs, a young boy who sets out on a mission to become a Hunter and follow in his estranged father’s footsteps.
Ultimately, Gon wants to reunite with his father eventually. Departing from Whale Island to take the Hunter Exams, Gon meets Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua. They all instantly hit it off and stuck by each other’s sides for the exam’s duration.
26 Attack On Titan (2013–Present)
87 Episodes
Attack On Titan‘s final episodes are looming over fans’ heads and anticipation is building to see how the series will end. Attack On Titan is one of the grittiest titles offered by the shonen demographic. A blood-soaked masterpiece, Attack On Titan follows Eren Yeager after his hometown is demolished by man-eating Titans.
Eren vows to join the Survey Corps and annihilate all of them. However, Eren soon learns that the waters are far murkier than he initially believed. Attack On Titan blurs the boundaries between heroes and villains, even arguing that one’s allies could just as easily become their enemies if the political tides shift a certain way.