I want to watch a show from every anime genre. So, I’ve decided to make a list of every major anime genre so that I can check them off my Anime Bucket List.
There are many anime bucket lists on the internet, but none of them have anime from all anime genres. That’s why I decided to create my own anime bucket list.
Read on for all the anime that every fan should watch once in their lifetime.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure for more information
RELATED POSTS
100 Movie Bucket List- The Best Movies Of All Time
Halloween Movie Bucket List: 60+ Movies (Free Printable)
The Ultimate Anime Bucket List
This anime bucket list includes anime from popular anime genres like horror and romance as well as anime that people think of when they hear the word “anime” like mecha and shonen.
I’ve included a brief description of each anime so that you know what you’re about to watch before clicking on it.
Many anime shows are similar, so if you don’t want to see other anime like One Piece, look for a different anime instead.
Because anime is such a big genre and anime is changing every day, this anime bucket list is just a personal anime bucket list so it might not include anime you love but there is something from everyone.
Oh and make sure to check out this Anime Scratch poster that you can use to mark off all the anime that you have seen.
5 Anime Everyone Should Watch
Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist tells the story of two brothers who want to restore their bodies after the first loses his arm and leg in an accident and the other loses his whole body to a failed human transmutation. There’s action, humor, drama, and everything else in between for all types of anime lovers.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is about teenage pilots who fight monsters called angels that threaten to destroy Tokyo 3.
The anime is full of mind-boggling questions like why do the characters have certain psychological issues or what will happen to the world if all of humanity becomes clones.
Code Geass
Code Geass tells the story of a young Britannian prince named Lelouch Lamperouge who tries to take over the world by making his sister, Nunnally Lamperouge, Japan’s new empress and getting Japan to join an alliance with him against Britannia.
It might not be realistic, but it has great action sequences and a great ending too.
Kiseijuu
The story is about a high school student named Shinichi Izumi who becomes infected by a parasite and tries to find out what it is and how to get rid of it before he completely transforms into one himself.
It starts off innocently enough since Shinichi just wants to save his life, but it’s a lot deeper anime than most anime fans think.
Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is about mutant humans who have dangerous special abilities and live in a research facility on an island.
When the anime begins, all of these mutants are experimented on until one escapes causing military personnel to search for her in Japan. This anime has mature themes which might be too much for some anime viewers.
Top Rated Anime For Your Bucket List
Here are anime series that anime fans think are the best anime ever. They’re not in any specific anime anime genre, but they’re all anime that anime fans enjoy:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaa is about a princess who has to stop her country from being destroyed by an evil demon. It’s a coming-of-age story with an exciting plot and rich world.
Kyousou Gig
Kyousou Giga is about Tomie whose mother dies unexpectedly. He then moves back to his hometown where he soon meets a girl named Tomie who is identical to his deceased mother.
This anime can be depressing because of its theme of not being able to let go of someone you love.
Kimi no Todoke
This is about a girl named Kurea who doesn’t make friends with anyone in her first year of high school and the boy next door to her, Shouta, tries to get close to her by giving her notes on how she should make friends with people.
Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
A young girl named Madoka Kaname wants nothing more than to make friends with anyone and everyone.
One day, she meets a strange creature named Kyubey who offers to grant her one wish and change the world for the better beyond her wildest imagination.
This anime anime has amazing visuals and music along with unique anime characters.
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
This anime is about an immortal alien called Kuuya that brings luck to Earth every time he visits it by doing chores for the humans who live there.
Here are anime series that anime fans say might be some of the best anime anime shows anime fans have ever seen:
The Tatami Galaxy
The anime is about the main character, who’s an otaku.
He wants to find a beautiful girl and have lots of luck within three years in college, but he struggles with finding what it is that he wants out of his life while everyone around him changes.
AnoHana
This anime is about a group of friends who were close when they were young until one day the group disbands and become estranged from each other.
During their high school years, Jinta Yadomi, one of them, sees a ghost named Menma who reminds him anime anime about anime anime them as a group.
This is an emotionally moving anime because of its themes on life, anime anime love, and loss.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
This anime is about Simon who’s an average boy until one day he meets a girl named Yoko who comes from the underground along with her drill-shaped robot called Lagann that saves his village from being attacked by enemies.
He then joins Yoko in fighting against the robots who invaded their world in giant robots known as Gunmen so they can live together again with other civilizations eventually reaching outer space where there are even more strange beings to fight off.
Funny Anime For Comedy Lovers
Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura is about aliens who come to Earth and harass Ataru until he marries his true love, Lum. This anime has some of the funniest scenes in anime history.
The World God Only Knows
The World God Only Knows is about Keima Katsuragi, who is the god of dating sims thanks to his unmatched skills in them, but he’s completely inept when it comes to interacting with girls IRL .
One day, Keima meets a girl named Elsie and pairs up with her to help capture runaway spirits who are hiding in the hearts of girls.
This anime is a great comedy that’s perfectly timed and allows for easy laughs.
One Punch Man
A guy named Saitama only wants to live a normal life, but after he becomes so strong from training all the time that he can defeat any enemy with one punch, he decides to become a hero-for-hire so he can make money.
This means going on all kinds of dangerous missions against some powerful foes like monsters from outer space or giant robot bosses.
There’s also an ongoing joke about his age since it changes every episode.
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
This is about Hair hero who fights against evil bald people with his nose hair.
This comedy anime has a unique art style and great color palette that makes it stand out among other animes.
The main character’s facial expressions during important scenes make this even more hilarious, especially when he hits enemies with his nose hair because they’re so goofy looking.
Even if some of the jokes don’t work for you, there’s still plenty to enjoy.
Oruchuban Ebichu
Oruchuban Ebichu is about a mature woman named Saitou Chamomile who ends up living with an immature girl named Ebichu, which means “rabbit,” after they both move into a new apartment together.
Chamomile tries to get her life back in order, but it’s difficult when she has to live with someone so immature who likes doing all the things that make grown women out of control like spilling food on herself and staying up all night.
This is one comedy you have to see for yourself to understand just how funny it can be since there are no really laughable jokes or scenes in this series.
Chobits
Chobits is about Hideki, an otaku boy who’s not good at socializing with girls because he always wears his headphones for manga instead of paying attention to them.
One day, he scrapes an old and abandoned persocom (a personal computer that looks like a human) off the side of the road on his way home from school.
After he brings it back to his apartment, Hideki discovers that she can’t remember anything about her previous life except for her name: Chi or “earth.”
Fantasy Anime Thats Kids Enjoy
One Piece
Monkey D Luffy eats the Gum-Gum Fruit which gives him special abilities and makes him immune to damage once every five minutes.
He’s on the search anime anime anime anime anime anime anime anime anime anime for a legendary treasure called “One Piece.”
This journey makes him friends and rivals with other pirates along the way.
Natsume’s Book of Friends
Natsume is a high school boy who has the ability to see youkai, which are essentially supernatural creatures that live as though they were humans, but in their own way.
He inherits his grandmother’s book, which contains names of some really powerful spirits he needs to seal for the sake of preventing them from causing trouble later on.
Death Note
A teenager named Light Yagami finds an old notebook lying around and learns that it belongs to a Shinigami or death god that gives him power over life and death.
With this new power, Light seeks out to fulfill his self-proclaimed mission of “cleaning the world” by killing all criminals.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Kyon is a smart high school student who is bored with life until he discovers that there’s a strange girl named Haruhi who’s a fun conversationalist.
She also happens to be the most unpredictable person that he knows since she’s prone to weird ideas like wanting to create an after school club for time travelers and aliens only.
Sport Themed Anime
Kids who love sports themes will like these titles:
Slam Dunk
Sakuragi Hanamichi is a delinquent high school boy, but he’s good at basketball.
He joins his school’s team with the aim of making it to the national championships.
His efforts ultimately pay off because although this series has a simple plot, it is one of the best animes for anyone who loves sport.
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Haruka Nanase is an experienced swimmer who goes to a school built around a swimming pool, called Aobecchi High School.
He’s close with his childhood friend Rin Matsuoka because of how similar they are, but when Rin moves away and transfers schools, Haruka finds himself wanting to join the swim club because of a girl named Makoto.
Prince of Tennis
In the world of this anime, tennis is like a religion and playing it is an honor for both students and teachers at schools in Japan.
Ryoma Echizen is really good at tennis and has been chosen to play against one of his family’s biggest rivals, but all he thinks about is defeating them so that they can use their power for good instead.
Kuroko no Basket
Tetsuya Kuroko is a junior high student who appears normal on first sight, but it actually just appears that way.
He’s a member of the “Generation of Miracles,” which is basically a group of online anime of students with exceptional skill in basketball who have never lost a game.
Tetsuya takes on the role of being their sixth man – he has to find different ways to beat them without using his own power, but will he be able to face all five players from Seirin High School?
Captain Tsubasa
Emi Banno is a young girl who has dreams of becoming a professional football player.
Girls are not allowed to play football so this sets her apart from the others, but she does not care and trains herself by having the same skills as guys do to play this game despite all the risks that come with it.
Anime Bucket List Ideas
I hope you enjoy this anime bucket list and discover some new titles in it. What other ones would you include? Comment below and let me know!
More Epic Bucket Lists
75+ Simple Bucket List Ideas That Anyone Can Do
60+ High School Bucket List Ideas to Do Before You Graduate
The Ultimate Winter Bucket List: 70+ Winter Bucket List Ideas
