The title of bestselling manga series of all time belongs to One Piece. Created by Eiichiro Oda in 1997, One Piece depicts the saga of Monkey D. Luffy, a young man who unknowingly ate a Devil Fruit and turned his body into rubber. In a world of pirates, Monkey forms his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, to search for the “One Piece,” the signature treasure belonging to the former King of the Pirates.
The manga series spawned a popular anime series of the same name. With over 1,000 episodes, One Piece has become a legendary anime, especially in the shōnen genre. It’s even spawned a highly anticipated Netflix series, which is now streaming. If you enjoy One Piece, check out these five other anime shows.
Naruto (2002)
On the day of his birth, Naruto Uzumaki becomes the host of Nine-Tails, a powerful and demonic fox. Because he possesses Nine-Tails, the village shuns Naruto and views him as an outcast. As a young teenager, Naruto dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village’s leader. To do this, he must first learn the ways of the ninja.
Thanks to his hard work and determination, Naruto eventually becomes a prominent ninja and earns the villagers’ trust. Like One Piece, Naruto is a shōnen from the same publisher, Shueisha. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to run like Naruto after watching the series.
Stream Naruto on Prime Video.
Dragon Ball (1986)
Dragon Ball is credited with popularizing the shōnen genre and influencing future mangas, including One Piece. Based on the manga by Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball introduces audiences to Son Goku, a young monkey-tailed boy with a love for martial arts. Goku and a teenage girl named Bulma embark on a quest to find and collect seven Dragon Balls.
These supernatural Dragon Balls will summon Shenron, a magical dragon that grants wishes. However, Goku is not the only one after the Dragon Balls, leading to battles that will test his skills as a fighter. Dragon Ball and the sequel series Dragon Ball Z became hits in the U.S. thanks to their runs on Cartoon Network.
One-Punch Man (2015)
What does a superhero do when faced with no challengers? That’s the question at the heart of One-Punch Man, the anime adaptation of the manga series created by One. The featured character in One Punch Man is Saitama, an all-powerful superhero who can easily defeat his enemies with just one punch.
Because Saitama is so powerful, he becomes bored over the lack of challenges, leading to an existential crisis. One-Punch Man is arguably the funniest anime on this list, as the series intertwines humor with beautiful visuals to explore the inner workings of a hero.
Stream One Punch Man on Netflix.
My Hero Academia (2016)
In My Hero Academia, Izuku Midoriya is a young boy who lacks superpowers known as Quirks. Without a Quirk, Izuku is frequently bullied by his friend, Katsuki Bakugo. Nevertheless, Izuku never gives up hope as he wishes to become the world’s greatest hero. As fate would have it, Izuku meets All Might, one of the top heroes.
All Might deems Izuku worthy of becoming a superhero and passes down his Quirk, One For All, to him. Those who possess One For All can steal Quirks from other heroes and villains and pass them to others. With his new Quirk, Izuku attends U.A. High School to learn how to control his new powers. Like Luffy in One Piece, Izuku is the true embodiment of an underdog and a hero worth rooting for.
Watch My Hero Academia on Hulu.
Bleach (2004)
Within the shōnen genre, there is a group of shows called the “Big Three.” It consists of Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. Based on Tite Kubo’s manga series, Bleach follows the adventures of high school student Ichigo Kurosaki, who becomes a replacement Soul Reaper for Rukia Kuchiki.
Soul Reapers protect souls and ensure their peaceful rest. Soul Reapers also fight against hollows, or the menacing lost souls that refuse to rest. With his newfound powers, Ichigo becomes one of the world’s strongest heroes, protecting his friends from the dangers of both worlds. Bleach has been praised for its ability to follow the source material, as well as create new characters and plot points for the anime series.
Stream Bleach on Hulu.
