The shonen anime Big Three, being One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, are monumental titles that revolutionized the shonen landscape in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They effectively set the standard for the demographic over several years, holding an undeniable monopoly on mainstream anime with no other series coming close.
Their massive success created an enormous shadow, making it incredibly difficult for newer series to find their identities without drawing comparisons to the three titans. Nonetheless, multiple series have emerged capable of rivaling their quality. They feature unique stories that are just as exciting, and many subvert the popularized tropes in brilliant ways that draw endless intrigue from fans.
Blue Exorcist
Set in a world split between the human realm of Assiah and the demon realm of Gehenna, Blue Exorcist follows twin brothers Rin and Yukio Okumura. They are the biological sons of Satan and were raised by the exorcist Shiro Fujimoto. After Shiro’s death at the hands of Satan, Rin and Yukio are forced to confront their true heritage together.
Rin joins the True Cross Academy, boasting unique blue flames, wielding a demon-slaying sword, and vowing to destroy Satan. Unbeknownst to him, Yukio was already a tutor at the academy, joining at a young age to protect his twin. The story brilliantly depicts the relationship between the brothers, who are also joined by a group of other interesting exorcist trainees.
Noragami
Noragami is an anime also set in a universe that features a clear divide between the realm of living humans and that of spirits, labeled the Near Shore and Far Shore, respectively. It also features humanoid deities whose status is determined by their reputations among humans, wielding sentient weapons called Regalia to fight corrupted phantoms.
The story centers on the human Hiyori Iki and the minor god Yato, the two whose fates become linked after an accident gives Hiyori half-phantom characteristics. They are joined by Yato’s Regalia, Yukine, and together they embark on quests to help improve Yato’s following. The series has received two seasons so far, with fans eagerly awaiting a third since 2015.
Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail could have easily been a part of the Big Three thanks to its length and popularity. It spans over 300 episodes and has left a profound cultural impact on the space. The story takes place in the world of Earth Land, where wizards manipulate magic and band together in guilds to take on paid jobs.
The story follows Natsu Dragneel, a fierce fire-wielding mage belonging to the infamous Fairy Tail guild. He is joined by friends and guildmates like Lucy, Gray, and Erza to take on powerful threats throughout the series. The anime notably places a large emphasis on familial themes, as characters constantly draw strength from their found family and the power of friendship.
Hell’s Paradise
Hell’s Paradise is a modern shonen title set in a fictional Edo Japan. The protagonist, Gabimaru, hails from the village of Iwagakure, where he was raised as a peerless shinobi but ultimately betrayed by his village and sentenced to death. To gain a full pardon, he joins an expedition to the mysterious island, Shinsenkyo, to obtain the Elixir of Life.
He is accompanied by executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, with other participants who arrive in similar criminal-executioner pairs. They are faced with formidable supernatural threats, necessitating the mastery of the series’ profound power system, Tao, in order to survive. Gabimaru’s ultimate goal is to return home safely to his beloved wife, hoping to preserve his humanity along the way.
Soul Eater
Soul Eater is one of the standout works of the 2000s, created by the legendary Atsushi Ohkubo and adapted by Studio Bones. It centers on weapon-meister pairs featuring living weapons and proficient users enrolled at the Death Weapon Meister Academy. Their main goal is to capture a specific number of souls to create a weapon fit for Lord Death’s use.
Beyond this, they are faced with malicious antagonists aiming to awaken the terrifying Kishin and usher in an age of madness. The characters must also confront deep psychological struggles resulting from their personal conflicts. Premiering just four years after the manga, the anime adaptation caught up too soon, which meant it required an original ending diverging from the source material.
Radiant
Radiant is an entertaining adventure story set in a world plagued by Nemeses, terrifying creatures that fall from the sky and wreak great havoc. Encounters with Nemeses are usually fatal, but individuals who survive gain special powers and are referred to as Sorcerers. These sorcerers are feared by the populace and hunted down by the anti-sorcerer agency, the Inquisition.
The protagonist, Seth, is a young sorcerer who seeks to destroy the nesting ground of the Nemeses, Radiant. He is accompanied on his travels by companions such as Doc, Grimm, and Melie, each with a unique personality. The series notably explores the fear and hatred directed towards all sorcerers regardless of allegiance, addressing relevant themes of segregation and prejudice.
My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia stands as one of the longest-running modern shonen series, adapted over eight seasons with tremendous success. It is a superhero story where distinct superpowers called Quirks shape a society filled with heroes and villains. Though born quirkless, the main character, Izuku Midoriya, inherits the quirk of the greatest hero, All Might, thanks to a fateful encounter.
As a result, he gains entry into the prestigious Hero Academy, U.A., honing his powers at every opportunity. The show’s main antagonists are the League of Villains, powerful criminals intent on destroying society for their own ends. The anime is characterized by the struggle between the heroes and the League, regularly showcasing exceptional battles between titans from both sides.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is another modern shonen that boasts incredible cultural impact, at the moment featuring three standout seasons and a highly successful movie. The setting is built on cursed energy, a power born from negative human emotions that manifests cursed spirits and can be weaponized by Jujutsu Sorcerers in the form of cursed techniques.
It centers on the upbeat Yuji Itadori, who ends up sharing his body with the legendary evil sorcerer, Sukuna. As this transformation makes him into a high-level threat, he is taken under Satoru Gojo’s wing and enrolled in Jujutsu High. While there, Yuji learns to wield cursed energy, make genuine friends, and face catastrophic events with ghastly consequences.
Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer follows Tanjiro Kamado, a kindhearted boy whose family is murdered by the demon progenitor, Muzan. His only surviving relative, Nezuko, was transformed into a demon but miraculously retained a large part of her humanity. To restore his sister’s mortal state and prevent future tragedies, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayers and sets out to slay Muzan.
The siblings initially complete missions together, but are eventually joined by the eccentric but lovable duo of Zenitsu and Inosuke. Together, they confront powerful demons boasting special supernatural skills, using visually stunning breathing styles enabled by total concentration breathing. Animated by Studio Ufotable, the series is famous for its impressive visuals, consistent over multiple seasons, and record-breaking cinematic entries.
Black Clover
Black Clover centers on two young and ambitious foster brothers, Asta and Yuno, who both hope to become the Wizard King, the strongest wizard in the kingdom. While Yuno is a prodigy with immense talent for magic, Asta was born with a complete lack of mana. Nonetheless, he trained his body rigorously, giving him exceptional physical strength.
Asta eventually receives an extraordinary five-leaf grimoire, presenting him with anti-magic swords that both his strict regimen and lack of mana enable him to wield. He is subsequently accepted into a Magic Knight group of misfits called the Black Bulls, finding his place, making dear friends, and edging ever closer to his ultimate goal.
- Release Date
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2017 – 2021
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Matsuo Asami, Rokou Ogiwara, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Akira Shimizu, Fumio Maezono, Daisuke Chiba, Toshihiro Maeya, Yoshimitsu Tsuda, Toshiaki Kanbara, Takahiro Enokida, Yasumi Mikamoto, Kenichi Maejima, Chihiro Kumano, Naoki Horiuchi, Yoshino Miwa
- Writers
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Kanichi Kato, Mio Inoue, Masanao Akahoshi, Momoko Murakami, Kunihiko Okada
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Gakuto Kajiwara
Asta (voice)
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Nobunaga Shimazaki
Yuno (voice)