The best anime in the world are only made better when they include unique, otherworldly art styles. There are no rules when it comes to animating a series, and some franchises use this to their advantage when they bring amazing stories to the screen. There are a lot of wonderfully animated series out there, but few can use an art style so unique, it feels like nobody has ever done it before.
Great art styles don’t just add to an anime series: they take it to another level. An amazing story coupled with a fresh design gives a series a sense of originality that it needs if it wants to stand the test of time. These art styles can vary in their application, either coming in the form of vivid colors, unique character designs, or luscious landscapes that feel like a beautiful escape from the real world.
10
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Animated By Madhouse, Based on the Manga By Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has taken the world of anime by storm. The series currently ranks as the highest-rated series of all time on popular anime ranking site MyAnimeList.com, beating giants of the industry like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Attack on Titan, and Gintama.
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There are a few reasons as to why Frieren is so wildly succesful, and one of those is the series’ art style. Frieren feels like a breath of fresh air through every episode, creating an addictively calm atmosphere that viewers can’t help but gravitate towards. The characters in Frieren are designed masterfully, the enviroments they’re in are dense and filled with life, and even the most boring moments are made exciting through amazing animation.
9
Bocchi the Rock!
Animated By CloverWorks, Based on the Manga by Aki Hamazi
Bocchi the Rock! is one of the most underrated anime series of all time. It stars Hitori Gotoh as a shy, unassuming character who can play the guitar voraciously. She’s better than anyone around her, but due to her extreme anxiety, she keeps her overwhelming skill to herself for the most part.
Bocchi, as she’s referred to by her friends, is a nervous train wreck of a person when she’s in public, and the series brings it to life through hilarious animation. Bocchi is never too far away from an existential crisis and Bocchi the Rock! is more than willing to show it with great colors, amazing cuts, and one of the most adorable main characters in anime.
8
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Animated By Trigger, Based on the Cyberpunk 2077 Video Game By CD Projekt Red (Set in the Cyberpunk Universe Created By Mike Pondsmith)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is the perfect anime for anyone who wants to watch a great series with less than 15 episodes. The series features themes of love, hope, brutality, desperation, and more, as David Martinez looks to crawl his way from the bottom of Night City to the very top.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set in a dystopian city that Trigger brought to life perfectly. Visually, there aren’t many anime series quite like Edgerunners. David’s story is told through bleak colors, bright moments, and unique designs that make the series stand out from the very first episode.
7
Chainsaw Man
Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Created by
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Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Upcoming Films
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Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (2025)
Chainsaw Man is one of the best shōnen anime series of the past decade. It subverts an oversaturated genre with a unique premise that only gets better as the series progresses. Chainsaw Man puts Denji at the forefront of the action as the titular Chainsaw Man as Denji looks to find somewhere to call home, make a few friends along the way, and make his best friend’s death mean something.
MAPPA is a studio well-known for hit anime series, and Chainsaw Man is no exception. They hit it out of the park with the series, bringing Denji and his fellow Devil Hunters to life with a unique art style that fits the story’s dark premise perfectly.
6
The Elusive Samurai
Animated By CloverWorks, Based on the Manga by Yusei Matsui
The Elusive Samurai is another massively underrated series that should have got much more attention than it did. Not only is the story much more intriguing than it lets on, but the series’ art design isn’t seen anywhere else in the art form. The Elusive Samurai is a palette of amazing color and animation, showcasing the Hojo clan’s fall on an impressive level.
Out of all the amazing aspects of The Elusive Samurai, its art style stands out as one of its greatest strengths. Whether Tokiyuki is running from his enemies like the elusive samurai he is, the series is animating battles on a massive scale, or the scenery is taking center stage, The Elusive Samurai is a visual masterpiece.
5
Jujutsu Kaisen
Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Gege Akutami
Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the biggest names in shōnen anime, taking the torch from the previous generation dominated by the Big Three. The series stars Itadori Yuji as a newcomer to the world of Jujutsu Sorcery, trying to navigate his way through the interesting world while hosting one of the strongest villains in the entire series, Ryomen Sukuna.
Jujutsu Kaisen makes a name for itself not only through its amazing fights, well-written characters, and intriguing world, but through top-tier animation. Yuji’s struggles are brought to life with great color schemes, fresh, flowing frames, and an art style that just won’t quit.
4
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
Animated By Bones, Based on the Manga By Hideyuki Furuhashi
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a spin-off of the hugely popular My Hero Academia series with an art style that makes it feel entirely its own. Vigilantes stars The Crawler, Knuckleduster, and Pop Step as the titular vigilantes, handling crime in their neighborhood without going through the official channels.
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The story of Vigilantes already stands out from the main series, but the art style is where it really shines. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes has an amazing art style that makes the story feel like a comic book. The colors are bright with a major contrast against stark blacks, there are plenty of pop-up sound effects brought to life with neon, and even the characters’ vigilante costumes feel like something seen in the DC Universe.
3
Dorohedoro
Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Q Hayashida
Dorohedoro is an anime unlike most for a couple of reasons. The story feels like an animated fever dream in the best way possible; it’s centered around Caiman, a man with a reptilian head searching for the person who gave him his new head and took his memories. If that doesn’t seem crazy enough, the only way he can identify the man that took everything from him is by putting a person in his mouth where the man living inside of him can judge them.
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It’s an insane premise that looks exceptional thanks to MAPPA’s outstanding animation. Dorohedoro’s vicious world is brought to life through brutal blacks, stark contrasts, and an interesting art style that makes it feel original from the very first episode.
2
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Animated By A-1 Pictures, Based On The Light Novel By Takibi Amamori And Imigimuru
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! is one of the best romantic comedy anime series of the past decade, and it doesn’t feature romance in the same way as other series. The series shines a spotlight on the so-called “losers” of love, highlighting the people who don’t get their feelings reciprocated.
While the premise is interesting enough, A-1 Pictures knocked it out of the park in the animation department. The series has a great color scheme that makes the characters and their struggles feel realistic. MAPPA is one of the few studios that can really bring the most out of their source material, and they put on a clinic when they animated Makeine.
1
Tower of God (Season One)
Animated By Telecom Animation Film, Based on the Manhwa/Webtoon By S.I.U.
The first season of Tower of God was incredible. Before Solo Leveling told the world just how good manhwa could be when they get animated, Tower of God set the stage. It told an interesting tale, had an amazing twist at the end, and wrapped it all up with one of the best art styles anime has ever seen.
While the second season of Tower of God has abysmal animation, the first season shouldn’t be forgotten. The art style felt like the best parts of a manhwa and an anime combined, showcasing Bam’s journey up the tower with a strong color palette, great juxtaposition of dark moments against beautiful colors, and so much more.
