Top 49 Best Seinen Anime of All Time

Seinen is popularly described as a term for a sub-genre of storytelling, either manga or anime. This is a kind of sub-genre focused on youth or young adults. This classification follows any genre, from sci-fi (science-fiction) to politics to sports, apocalyptic romance, action, and many more. There is no set genre for seinen anime and seinen manga. We got the list of Seinen anime, Dive right into it!

Even though the age range of the seinen anime is young adults, the older ones can also enjoy the anime series without any guilt due to its complex characters, character development, and equally exciting storylines.

What Is Shonen and Seinen?

The difference between both sub-genre of anime is the age demographics. ‘Shonen’ targets teenagers, while ‘seinen’ targets young adults.

What Are Popular Seinen Animes?

Here we have compiled a list of the best seinen anime series, some based on seinen manga, some on light novels for seinen fans and anime fans alike. Before beginning, please keep in mind that the list follows the best to worst IMDb-rated seinen series.

49. Skip And Loafer (2023)

Director: Kotomi Deai
Writer(s): Kotomi Deai
Cast: Tomoyo Kurosawa, Akinori Egoshi, Yuka Terasaki, Maaya Uchida
IMDb Rating: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: N/A

A high school student from a small village relocates to Tokyo to fulfill a long-held dream. Although Skip and Loafer by Misaki Takamatsu appear to have a simple concept, it is important to remember that it is not your typical slice-of-life story. Since its release in 2018, the manga has been on a tear and has solidly established itself as one of the better ongoing seinen titles.

The girl in question is named Mitsumi, and despite the fact that she is completely unprepared for a frenetic city like Tokyo, she plunges straight into the challenge without pausing to catch her breath. Shima, a student, lends her a helping hand as well.

48. Insomniacs After School (2023)

Director: Yūki Ikeda
Writer(s): Rintarō Ikeda
Cast: Gen Satō, Konomi Tamura, Haruka Tomatsu, Seiichiro Yamashita
IMDb Rating: NA
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: N/A

Insomniacs After School may be the pinnacle of the romance subgenre in the coming romance season of spring 2023. Isaki Magari and Ganta Nakami, two adolescents who experience spells of insomnia, are the subjects of Makoto Ojiro’s manga. They happen to run into one other one day in the observatory at their school, which leads to a friendship that gives both of their lives some color.

A slice-of-life romance called Insomniacs After School features two wonderful protagonists who work wonderfully together. The comic is relevant, amusing, and entertaining, in addition to having stunning artwork. If the studio wants the adaptation to be accurate to the source material, LIDENFILMS must completely nail it.

47. Kingdom

Director: Shinsuke Sato
Writer(s): Shinsuke Sato
Cast: Masakazu Morita, Jun Fukuyama, Rie Kugimiya, Francesca Calo, Melissa Medina
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 97%
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV

Kingdom is an ambitious historical anime that takes place in the Warring States Period of China and is based on the well-known manga by Yasuhisa Hara. The narrative centers on the aspirations of two orphans named Xin and Piao to become generals. The anime eventually turns its attention to Xin, who ends up being one of King Zheng of Qin’s most devoted troops.

Because the anime combines 3D CGI with 2D backgrounds, the animation in Kingdom can be off-putting. The first season of the show has a presentation that causes a lot of controversies. However, the sequels do have better animation. Kingdom’s story and characters are good from the beginning and only become stronger as the anime goes on, despite the fact that the art style requires some getting accustomed to.

46. Golden Kamuy

Director: Hitoshi Nanba, Shizutaka Sugahara
Writer(s): Noboru Takagi
Cast: Chikahiro Kobayashi, Haruka Shiraishi, Fumihiko Tachiki, Kentarô Itô, Monica Rial
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, VRV

It’s a compliment to say that Golden Kamuy is odd. The anime, which is set in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War, revolves around a race between gangs trying to find the Ainu people’s hidden riches. To get this treasure, one must piece together a map that has been distributed across the skins of numerous prisoners. Saichi Sugimoto helps an Ainu girl named Asirpa as they work to prevent the wealth from falling into the wrong hands in an effort to atone for the blood he committed during the war.

45. Bungo Stray Dogs

Director: Takuya Igarashi
Writer(s): Yōji Enokido
Cast: Kaiji Tang, Mamoru Miyano, Max Mittelman, Yûto Uemura, Patrick Seitz
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV

Similar to Psycho-Pass, Bungo Stray Dogs centers on detectives with supernatural talents in a version of Yokohama that is set in the 1920s. Right, the emphasis on detective-like characters is the one aspect that unites them. Bungo Stray Dogs, however, offers a compelling substitute for viewers who didn’t enjoy Psycho-Pass’ gloomy atmosphere.

The main draw of Bungo Stray Dogs is its cast of characters. In a sense, the characters came first in the plot rather than the other way around. The series only provides a more nuanced understanding of character development in the supernatural genre as a result. It’s truly the ideal television show for those who appreciate developing relationships with all of the characters.

44. Mushi-Shi

Director: Hiroshi Nagahama
Writer(s): Hiroshi Nagahama
Cast: Yûto Nakano, Travis Willingham, Kôjun Itô, Jennifer Seman, Mika Doi
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV, Hulu, Tubi

Given that it combines slice-of-life, supernatural, drama, and even horror aspects, Mushi-Shi is a difficult series to categorize. In the anime, Ginko, a Mushishi on the hunt for Mushi—supernatural beings with ties to nature—travels around Japan. Ginko occasionally engages in action, but most of the time, he simply observes, taking in the lives of people and the Mushi that coexist with them.

Mushi-Shi transports viewers to a stunning realm full of awe, beauty, and tragedy. Although occasionally slow-moving, the anime has excellent writing.

43. Fate/Zero

Director: Ei Aoki
Writer(s): Akira Hiyama, Akihiro Yoshida
Cast: Ayako Kawasumi, Kari Wahlgren, Sayaka Ôhara, Jôji Nakata, Matthew Mercer
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV, Hulu

It’s challenging to argue that Fate/Zero, a part of the infamous Fate series, isn’t seinen. It has a significantly darker tone than earlier books in the Fate series because it was published as a seinen manga, which explores much more adult philosophical subjects than a shounen anime. There are several reasons why seinen anime is appealing. This anime stands out for its complex stories, extensive world-building, gorgeous artwork, stunning audio, and breathtakingly beautiful fight scenes.

Nonetheless, viewers should consider the order in which the Fate series should be seen. Of course, Fate/Zero can be seen successfully on its own. Yet, Fate/Zero serves as the precursor to Fate/Stay Night for those who want to watch the rest of the series.

42. Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War

Director: Shinichi Omata
Writer(s): Yasuhiro Nakanishi
Cast: Aoi Koga, Makoto Furukawa
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, VRV

A romantic comedy series set in a high school can be almost completely unlike Berserk. Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War, however, has more than demonstrated that it is a highly capable seinen series.

The protagonists of the novel are vice president Kaguya Shinomiya and president Miyuki Shirogane of the student council at Shuchiin Academy. They engage in psychological warfare and witty comments to try and persuade the other to confess. For anime fans looking for a fantastic comedy that also delves into some adult themes, Kaguya-sama is ideal.

41. March Comes In Like A Lion

Director: Akiyuki Shinbo, Kenjirou Okada
Writer(s): Yukito Kizawa
Cast: Kengo Kawanishi, Khoi Dao, Ai Kayano, Kana Hanazawa, Laura Post
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV

It’s true that March Comes In Like A Lion might not be as well-known as some of the other series on this list. The study of both hopefulness and dismal subjects, however, sets the series apart from others.

The protagonist of the tale is the reclusive professional shogi player Rei Kiriyama, together with the Koda family. It’s a little unusual for many seinen series, which tend to veer more toward tragedy, to have a plot that is actually heartwarming.

40. Working!!

Director: Yoshimasa Hiraike
Writer(s): Yoshimasa Hiraike
Cast: Jun Fukuyama, Kana Asumi
IMDb Rating: 7.3
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Souta Takanashi cannot turn down an offer from cute Popular Taneshima when she offers him to work for her family-run restaurant, Wagnaria, in Hokkaido.

The seinen anime is a unique comedy featuring a restaurant with no dull moments within Wagnaria. The characters create hilarious antics, making the anime viewers laugh aloud.

39. Jormungand

Director: Keitaro Motonaga
Writer(s): Yōsuke Kuroda
Cast: Shizuka Itou, Mutsumi Tamura
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

The gritty seinen anime Jormungand follows Koko Hekmatyar, an international arms dealer with his crew traveling from place to place in the guise of a shipping company, HCLI. She works illegally and thus is on the international crime list, with various agencies always following her. With danger all around them, Jonah and his crew must protect Koko and her dream of world peace with their lives.

38. Inuyashiki: Last Hero

Director: Keiichi Sato
Writer(s): Hiroshi Seko
Cast: Fumiyo Kohinata, Nijirou Murakami
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 60% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Ichirou Inuyashiki is a 58-year-old whose family is very indifferent toward him. He is revealed to have stomach cancer taken coldly by his family. Unable to bear this, he runs away to a nearby field.

Suddenly, he is enveloped in light and smoke, and he discovers that he is reborn as a machine wearing his old skin. He uses his powers to save lives, leading him to a life of happiness and hope.

However, some questions are not clear to him yet.

37. Drifters

Director: Kenichi Suzuki
Writer(s): Hideyuki Kurata
Cast: Yuuichi Nakamura, Naoya Uchida
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Hulu

Based on the seinen manga, the seinen anime Drifters follows Toyohisa Shimazu as the rearguard for his troops during the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He is critically wounded and is pulled into a modern hallway with hundreds of doors. He is pulled into the nearest door to reach a world different from his.

Toyohisa meets Nobunaga Oda and Yoichi Suketa Nasu in a strange world populated with strange creatures and warriors that he had only heard of in stories. From his new companions, he learns about the politics of the place and how they have been summoned as Drifters to fight against the Ends, the latter trying to eradicate the former.

The Ends formed the Orte Empire, which hunts people like them while persecuting elves and demihumans. It is not up to our heroes to protect the land and fight against the Ends.

36. K-On!

Director: Naoko Yamada
Writer(s): Reiko Yoshida
Cast: Aki Toyosaki, Youko Hikasa, Ayana Taketatsu, Minako Kotobuki
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Hulu, Peacock

The seinen anime follows Yui Hirasawa, who joins a Light Music Club, which she thinks will only play light instruments. However, with no knowledge of playing one, she tries to quit.

The Light Music Club is on the verge of disbandment due to fewer members. They are offering anything to Yui to join. But Yui has made up her mind to leave.

They perform before her in one last effort to convince Yui, which miraculously convinces her. From then onwards, there is no stopping them.

35. ReLIFE

Director: Satoru Kosaka
Writer(s): Michiko Yokote, Kazuho Hyōdō
Cast: Ai Kayano, Kensho Ono
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

One of the best seinen anime series ReLIFE follows the story of Arata Kaizaki, a subject of unique experiments, and his struggle to adjust to a new life while also avoiding repeating the same mistakes.

34. Detroit Metal City

Director: Hiroshi Nagahama
Writer(s): Kiminori Wakasugi
Cast: Yuuji Ueda
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll

Detroit Metal City is a death metal band with a twist. The lead singer of the group, Johannes Krauser II, is a demonic being who is said to have risen from the depths of hell.

What no one knows is what is actually behind the picture. Krauser is a person taken up by an average college graduate named Souichi Negishi, who is trying his best to survive in the world.

The seinen anime deals with Negishi’s strange life full of misadventures in band life, romance, and fans.

33. Grand Blue Dreaming

Director: Shinji Takamatsu
Writer(s): Shinji Takamatsu, Kenji Inoue
Cast: Chika Anzai, Yuuma Uchida
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Based on the popular comedy seinen manga, Grand Blue Dreaming follows Iori’s life and misadventures with numerous hilarious moments with his new friends throughout the series. With them, he is faced with the college life dream. He is also learning to scuba dive.

32. Master Keaton

Director: Masayuki Kojima
Writer(s): Tatsuhiko Urahata
Cast: Norihiro Inoue, Keaton Yamada
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
Where to Watch: NA

Taichi Keaton is a half-British and half-Japanese archaeologist. He is a veteran of the Falklands War. He has a job of solving mysteries and investigating the insurance fraud for Lloyd, traveling around the world.

Seinen series, Mater Keaton, follows his journey and adventures around the world.

31. Black Lagoon

Director: Sunao Katabuchi
Writer(s): Sunao Katabuchi
Cast: Megumi Toyoguchi, Daisuke Namikawa
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Hulu

Black Lagoon, a seinen anime, touches on human morality and virtue, where everyone is corrupt. Protagonist Rokurou, a businessman, must fight to keep his values and morality intact. He, by his surroundings, is turned from a businessman into a mercenary.

30. Dorohedoro

Director: Yuichiro Hayashi
Writer(s): Hiroshi Seko
Cast: Yuu Kobayashi, Wataru Takagi
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Netflix

Dorohedoro is a seinen anime set in the Hole, a rickety district where daily death and disaster occur. Managing a healthy blend of comedy with carnage, the anime is a story of Kaiman, a reptile-like man who hunts down the magic users for answers about his appearance. With his only companion, Nikaidou, he navigates his hellish life in the Hole. With many twists, the anime is a story of a unique world with strange occurrences.

29. Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou No Shichini

Director: Hiroshi Kōjina
Writer(s): Hideo Takayashiki
Cast: Rikiya Koyama, Shun Oguri
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: NA

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shinchinseinen anime follows the journey of seven cellmates in 1955 Japan who shares the same cell. They fight against the sadistic guard and doctor duo who grudge against the protagonist Rokurouta, a former boxer and take pleasure in violating boys. With seven complex characters, they have to work together to survive.

28. Hellsing Ultimate

Director: Tomokazu Tokoro, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Yasuhiro Matsumura, Kenichi Suzuki
Writer(s): Yōsuke Kuroda
Cast: Jouji Nakata, Fumiko Urikasa, Kaori Mizuhashi, Norio Wakamoto
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll

There are two sides to life, dark and light. Thus, in the seinen anime Hellsing Ultimate, also exist creatures of darkness that threaten humanity on one side, and the other is Hellsing, an organization headed by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing with a promise to exterminate these creatures.

Integra’s most potent weapon is the vampire Alucard, who works against his kind. With his trusted servant, Seras Victoria, he must battle everyone who stands opposed to Hellsing.

27. Ajin: Demihuman

Director: Hiroyuki Seshita
Writer(s): Hiroshi Seko
Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Houchuu Ootsuka
IMDb Rating: 8.6
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Netflix

In the seinen series Ajin: Demi-Human, Ajin is a group of mysterious immortals labeled as threats against humankind. They are to be taken into custody whenever sighted in society.

The anime follows the high schooler Kei Nagai, who is careless and does not pay attention to the news of Ajin. He knows less about the subject than any of his classmates.

One day he survives an accident that was supposed to take his life, only to know later that he is reborn as an Ajin. He is all alone in the journey against the world.

26. Monster

Director: Masayuki Kojima
Writer(s): Tatsuhiko Urahata
Cast: Nozomu Sasaki, Hidenobu Kiuchi
IMDb Rating: 8.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix

Dr. Kenzou Tenma has everything, job security, a social position, and a crisis conscience, leading to a career fall where he loses his social standing when he chooses to perform surgery on a young boy than the town’s mayor. He is given the position of the hospital director. But when the director and two other doctors die, his position is restored without any ramifications.

However, the past haunts him nine years later when he faces the monster he operated on while promising to make amends.

25. Berserk

Director: Shin Itagaki
Writer(s): Makoto Fukami
Cast: Hiroaki Iwanaga, Toa Yukinari
IMDb Rating: 6.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

Guts, a mercenary of young age who is branded for death and hunted by demons, is set on a journey to turn his fate around. For this, he takes up the blade of Dragonslayer. The young mercenary promises vengeance upon a man who once was his friend.

On his way to vengeance, he makes some friends, and the ragtag group joins Guts’ journey in the seinen anime of Berserk. The anime was praised for its storytelling style, which bagged it a second season.

24. Himouto! Umaru-chan

Himouto Umaru-Chan (TV show 2015) — Source: Reel good

Director: Masahiko Ohta
Writer(s): Takashi Aoshima
Cast: Aimi Tanaka, Kenji Nojima
IMDb Rating: 7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Seinen anime Himoto! Umaru-chan is the story of Umaru Dona and her older brother Taihei and their daily navigating of their lives. They do the best they can with their life while also showing their unbreakable bond with friends and family.

23. Utawarerumono

Director: Tomoki Kobayashi
Writer(s): Makoto Uezu
Cast: Ryouka Uzuki, Rikiya Koyama
IMDb Rating: 7.2
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Funimation

Eruruu finds a mysterious man who is injured. He is physically different, with no ears or tail but a mask he cannot remove. Eruruu is named Hakuoro by her family members and starts living with them.

He becomes part of the village and their efforts to overthrow the tyrannical emperor in the seinen series, Utawarerumono. Eruruu must save the villagers while also solving the mystery of his past.

22. After the Rain (Koi wa Ameagari no You ni)

Director: Ayumu Watanabe
Writer(s): Deko Akao
Cast: Sayumi Watabe, Hiroaki Hirata
IMDb Rating: 7.4
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Seinen’s anime After the Rain follows Akira Tachibana, a reserved high school student who works part-time in a cafe. She develops feelings for her 45-year-old manager as he is kind and concerned with his customers. They spend time together and grow closer, making her like him even more. Will he be able to reciprocate Akira’s feelings?

21. Shadows House

Director: Kazuki Ōhashi
Writer(s): Toshiya Ōno
Cast: Yuu Sasahara, Akari Kitou
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Funimation

The Shadows are a family of nobles who reside in a manor in the mountains, far from human contact. When Shadow children come of age, they are given a Living Doll as their attendant and partner.

Emilio is the doll created for Kate. She meets other dolls and learns of her duties and her purpose of existence. She is most dutiful even though there is a clash of their personalities.

Will she be able to uncover the mystery of the Shadows House in the seinen series?

20. Cells At Work

Director: Kenichi Suzuki
Writer(s): Kenichi Suzuki, Yūko Kakihara
Cast: Tomoaki Maeno, Kana Hanazawa
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50 % (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

Sekkekkyuu AE3803 has the essential job of transporting oxygen. Hakkekkyuub U-1146 has a more challenging job of eliminating foreign bacteria from entering a body and making it their home. While on the other hand, the platelets have a new job of a construction project.

Cells at work is a unique seinen series showcasing the daily lives of the cells at work and keeping the body healthy.

19. Goblin Slayer

Director: Takaharu Ozaki
Writer(s): Hideyuki Kurata, Yōsuke Kuroda
Cast: Yuuichirou Umehara, Yui Ogura
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Goblins are ferocious beings as they kidnap females of other species for reproduction. They are, however, not looked at as a threat as they are considered the lowliest of monsters.

To investigate the case of missing women, a 15-year-old priestess joins the group of rookies who get caught in an ambush and get killed, leaving the Priestess behind. She accepts her fate, but the Goblin Slayer saves her while destroying the goblin nest.

The priestess can accompany him throughout their adventures, where all Goblin-related matters ate sorted. She meets enigmatic personas that will not rest until the goblins are eradicated.

18. Alderamin on the Sky

Director: Tetsuo Ichimura
Writer(s): Shōgo Yasukawa
Cast: Nobuhiko Okamoto, Inori Minase
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll

The seinen anime follows the journey of Ikta Solork, who wants nothing in his life but relaxation and a female companion to keep him company. However, his dream world gets shattered as a war breaks out, and Princess Chamille of Katjvarna is taken hostage by Kioka.

Ikta, along with his friend, meets three other enigmatic people. Together, they embark on a journey to war. However, their vessel sinks and ends up being in the enemy outpost. But they manage to break out while also saving the abducted princess.

The five of them are bestowed the title of Imperial Knight with the expectation from the people of being their heroes. All of this, which Ikta never wanted for himself.

17. Poco’s Udon World

Director: Seiki Takuno
Writer(s): Natsuko Takahashi
Cast: Shiho Kokido, Yuuichi Nakamura
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Poko’s Udon World follows the touching bond between Souta Tawara and Poko, a shapeshifting tanuki whom the former takes under him. With the time they spend together, Souta recalls his past and childhood. He is pulled into the nostalgia of the place he left behind for his life in the city and his relationship with his father.

16. Somali and The Forest Spirit

Director: Kenji Yasuda
Writer(s): Mariko Mochizuki
Cast: Inori Minase, Daisuke Ono
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

In a world unimaginable, demons, cyclopes, and other strange creatures dominate the population, with few human beings left as outcasts. They only have a purpose: to be hunted down by the creatures and become their food.

Golem, the protector of nature, has a chance encounter with Somali, who is alone, whom he takes under his wing with one mission on his mind: to find her parents.

15. House of Five Leaves

Director: Tomomi Mochizuki
Writer(s): Tomomi Mochizuki
Cast: Takahiro Sakurai, Daisuke Namikawa
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Masanosuke Akitsu is a wandering ronin in Japan’s Edo period. However, he is often labeled as unreliable due to his being meek.

He meets Yaichi, who offers him his bodyguard. Masa is not innocent as he seems. He is drawn into Yaichi’s gang, Five Leaves; he struggles with his values. His curiosity leads him to uncover the mysterious band of outlaws.

14. Vinland Saga

Director: Shūhei Yabuta
Writer(s): Hiroshi Seko, Kenta Ihara
Cast: Naoya Uchida, Yuuta Umera, Kensho Ono
IMDb Rating: 8.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

The seinen anime is set in the middle of a war between England and the Danes, where Young Thorfinn gets involved.

He was born on a frozen island in Iceland and brought up listening to the stories of a legendary place, Vinland. He yearns to be in a place like that, where there is no war and only peace. However, he must take revenge upon Askeladd, who killed his father.

13. Knights of Sidonia

Director: Kōbun Shizuno, Hiroyuki Seshita
Writer(s): Sadayuki Murai
Cast: Aki Toyosaki, Aya Suzaki
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 91% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Funimation

The alien race of Guana has been relentlessly pursuing humanity after destroying the Earth. They are traveling across the galaxy to hunt them down.

Nagate Tanizake comes to the surface of his ship Sidonia when he needs food. Unbeknownst to him, something disastrous is happening.

Knights of Sidonia, a seinen series, is one such anime where Tanizake and his allies must become heroes to save humanity’s last hope of survival.

12. One-Punch Man

Director: Shingo Natsume
Writer(s): Tomohiro Suzuki
Cast: Makoto Furukawa, Kaito Ishikawa
IMDb Rating: 8.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

Saitama has a hobby that not everyone has, such as being a hero. It is a childhood dream that he tries to fulfill by training relentlessly. He trains for three years, and he loses all of his hair. But his training bore fruit as he can now defeat his enemies with one punch, making him one punch man.

However, he is unimpressed by being the only one that way and no one to match his skill, and he cannot enjoy the thrill.

A cyborg named Genos wishes to become his follower after witnessing his power. He tells Saitama about the Hero Association and suggests he become a certified hero. Agreeing with Genos, Saitama goes on a journey as a new member of the association to feel the excitement he once lost.

11. Bungou Stray Dogs

Director: Takuya Igarashi
Writer(s): Yōji Enokido
Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Yuuto Uemura
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

Based on the manga of the same name, the seinen anime follows Atsushi Nakajima, who is convinced that a mystical tiger plagues the orphanage he lives in. However, he is kicked out of his only home when he is wrongfully suspected of mysterious things.

While on the riverbank, he saves an odd man, Osamu Dazai, from drowning. Dazai has been investigating the same tiger that Atsushi has seen. They coerce him to join their firm to solve the case with his other enigmatic colleagues.

10. Tokyo Ghoul

Director: Shuhei Morita
Writer(s): Chūji Mikasano
Cast: Yurie Kobori, Sora Amamiya
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Hulu

Living in a threatening world where ghouls have intermingled with humans, Ken Kanecki is a reserved college student. One day he is asked out by Rize Kamishiro, an attractive woman, for a date.

While returning home, Rize attacks him. He is woken up in a hospital, only to know that her organs have been transplanted into him.

His body begins to change, making him a hybrid of human and ghoul. Now, he has to fight for his humanity and against the agencies which hunt monsters like him.

9. Elfen Lied

Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Writer(s): Takao Yoshioka
Cast: Sanae Kobayashi, Yuki Matsouka
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

Based on the seinen manga by Lynn Okamoto, Elfen Lied, a seinen series, follows the main character Lucy who is an extraordinary human, Dicloniuos, who was born with a pair of short horns and invisible telekinetic hands. This leads to experimentation on her by the Japanese government in the government institution.

She breaks out of her captive by using bloodshed as her resort. Due to the traumatic events that happened to her, she developed a split personality disorder.

She meets two college students whose kindness towards her will change their lives forever.

8. Land Of The Lustrous

Director: Takahiko Kyōgoku
Writer(s): Toshiya Ōno
Cast: Tomoyo Kurosawa
IMDb Rating: 8
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Seinen anime Houseki no Kuni follows Phos’ effort to protect the Gems while helping them fight against yeh Lunarians. Phos, while given a chance to compile an encyclopedia. He meets a Gem called Cinnabar, who patrols and decides to be helpful and finds a role that both can enjoy.

7. Space Brothers

Director: Ayumu Watanabe
Writer(s): Makoto Uezu, Yoichi Kato
Cast: Miyuki Sawashiro, Yuuko Sanpei
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

The science-fiction manga-based seinen anime focuses on Mutta Namba and his younger brother Hibito witnessing a UFO flying towards the Moon. After witnessing this, the two boys promise to become astronauts, with Hibito for Moon and Mutta aiming for Mars, one step ahead of his younger brother.

But life had different plans as Mutta is working in an automotive company and Hibito, an astronaut, will be the first Japanese to step on Moon. Mutta is given the opportunity of his life when JAXA accepts his application for the following astronaut selection. The seinen anime Space Brothers will take the viewers on a ride and answer the question: will Mutta fulfill his 19-year-old dream? Space Brothers’ realistic portrayal of everyday struggles marks its viewers.

6. Planetes

Director: Gorō Taniguchi
Writer(s): Ichirō Ōkouchi
Cast: Kazunari Tanaka, Satsuki Ukino
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

In the future year 2075, space travel will be a reality where. This advancement has led to the colonialization of the Moon. With also led to the commercial use of outer space and ample space corporations taking up the space in the markets.

Ai Tanabe works for Technora Corporation as a member of the Debris Section. Her job? To remove the dangerous space junk between Earth and Moon.

Planetes is a seinen anime series set in outer space while tackling the personal lives of ordinary people.

5. Ping Pong The Animation

Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Writer(s): Masaaki Yuasa
Cast: Fukujuurou Katayama, Kouki Uchyama
IMDb Rating: 8.7
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

Ping Pong, the animation follows two friends, Smile and Peco, and their journey to participate in Japan’s inter-high table tennis championship to get renowned.

The seinen anime is a story of dreams and ambition with obstacles in the way of the two friends. Whatever happens, Smile and Peco are together in this.

4. Parasyte The Maxim

Director: Kenichi Shimizu, Yang Byeong-Gil, Hitoshi Haga, Yoshihiro Kanno, Masayuki Mizutani
Writer(s): Shōji Yonemura
Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Aya Hirano
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93% (Audience Score)
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll

The seinen anime follows when parasitic aliens come down on Earth to infiltrate humanity. They burrow into the exposed brain and get into complete control of their host. They then transform into various forms to feed on their prey.

Shinichi Izumi is an exposed person, but the parasite ends up in his right hand instead of his brain. Now, Migi, the parasite, has to rely on him to survive and Izumi to continue living his everyday life.

3. Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Writer(s): Kenji Kamiyama
Cast: Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ootsuka, Kouichi Yamadera, Osamu Saka
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

Seinen’s anime series Ghost in the Shel takes the viewers to a future where humankind can transplant their body parts to machines. This increases the physical and cybernetics strength. However, it falls into the wrong hands, which leads to dangerous crimes. To curb that, the government establishes Section 9. Section 9 is an independent police unit.

The unit is led by Daisuke Aramakai and Motoko Kusanagi, who had a high success rate in solving such crimes. But a dangerous game begins when faced with ‘The Laughing Man.’

2. Made In Abyss

Director: Masayuki Kojima
Writer(s): Hideyuki Kurata
Cast: Mariya Ise, Miyu Tomita
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: NA
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu

The manga-based seinen anime follows the Abyss, where lies the mystery of the unknown. Here, only the best of the Divers have been able to explore. These White Whistles are the heroes of the surface world.

Riko is the daughter of a legendary White Whistle Lyza the Annihilator, a Read Whistle novice. However, she wants to explore the depths of the Abyss.

One day, Riko hits the jackpot as she meets an ordinary-looking boy. Named Reg by Riko, he is a robot who claims to remember nothing from before. Convinced he must have come from the Abyss, they decide to go deep into the place. The place which might not be the way she dreamt of being.

Anime fans will love anime for its complex characters, character development, and storyline.

1. Erased (Boku Dake ga Inai Machi)

Director: Tomohiko Itō
Writer(s): Taku Kishimoto
Cast: Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Aoi Yuuki
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll

Based on Kei Sanbe’s seinen manga series, the story of Boku Dake ga Inai Machi revolves around Satoru Fujinama and the mysterious deaths of his mother and childhood friends.

He was sent eighteen years back in the past to uncover the mystery of the abduction and killing of his classmate, Kayo Hinazuki, by getting his name cleared from the accusation of murder against him and to save many lives in the future.

Thank you for reading the list curated by us. Hope that every anime fan would have loved the list of fantastic anime from Ping Pong The Animation to Elfen Lied and many others.