The 10 Best Anime Masterpieces of the 21st Century, Ranked

Image via Wit Studio Published Sep 25, 2026, 6:09 AM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Sign in to your Collider account The 21st century is home to some of the greatest stories in history, even if they aren't as influential as the classics. However, one medium that has really taken off this century is anime, with series such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End helping anime become more popular through their creative storytelling, gorgeous animation, relatable themes, and pure entertainment value. Anime is more enjoyable than ever, but some fans still doubt the new generation in terms of storytelling, which is why this list will rank the ten greatest anime masterpieces of the 21st century. Based on aspects such as writing, animation, influence, fan opinion, critical acclaim, originality, and overall quality, these shows prove that the new era of anime still has it, showcasing what two and a half decades of anime prestige looks like. 10 'Paranoia Agent' (2004) Image via Madhouse Satoshi Kon was a legendary anime director known for films like Perfect Blue. But before he passed away, he bestowed a gem of this century with Paranoia Agent. An overworked toy designer is feeling the stress of matching her one-time success when, all of a sudden, she is attacked. Multiple cases of similar assaults pop up around the city, all being committed by the Lil Slugger, throwing everyone into paranoia. Anime shows don't need to have deeper meanings, but it certainly helps their case as masterpieces, and Paranoia Agent is one of the most fascinating shows of the century. It tackles profound themes such as workplace stress, mascotization, and escaping reality with incredible storytelling techniques. It may be weird to some, but Paranoia Agent is a poignant story that was ahead of its time and is even relevant now. 9 'Hunter x Hunter' (2011–2014) Image via Madhouse Long-running battle shounen are undoubtedly the most popular form of anime, but they aren't often considered masterpieces; a few exceptions exist, including Hunter x Hunter. Gon had always wanted to learn more about his father, which is why he set out on an adventure to become a hunter just like him. However, this world involves constant danger that will rip the childlike wonder right out of him. Hunter x Hunter can exist as both a fun action anime and an incredible story with some of the best character development in the medium, proving it isn't just entertainment, but art as well. The manga is an absolute masterpiece, but the anime is even better, expanding the dialog, character dynamics, and intriguing power system to create one of the best and most complex shounen anime. 8 'The Tatami Galaxy' (2010) Image via Madhouse The modern day has moved past avant-garde anime, unfortunately, but at least the 21st Century, in the 2000s and 2010s, featured a handful, including The Tatami Galaxy. The protagonist has dreamt of a rose-colored college life with a raven-haired girlfriend, and each episode is set in an alternate reality where he tries something new to attain it, only to fail in the same way every single time. The fast pace may feel hurried, but it is deliberate and relentless in order to pack in all it wants to say. The Tatami Galaxy is a visually remarkable anime that boasts an impeccable art style, brilliant use of colors, and an experimental animation style. Outside its visuals, this anime is also a touching romance story with profound themes and messages about how everything is right in front of you, and all you need to do is reach out. 7 'Orb: On the Movements of the Earth' (2024–2025) Image via Madhouse Most of the anime on this list are from the 2000s and 2010s, since it is easier to tell their lasting legacy and influence, but some modern shows in the 2020s can already be considered masterpieces. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth takes place in medieval Poland, where multiple protagonists attempt to prove the theory of Heliocentrism, only to be challenged by the ruthless pursuit of the church. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was one of the biggest surprises of the 2020s, instantly becoming a modern classic because of its dazzling narrative. It somehow switches to multiple protagonists throughout the story and still manages to make them interesting and relevant. Plus, the story about humanity's endless pursuit of knowledge and truth is expertly handled, proving why it is the best anime series of the 2020s. 6 'Steins;Gate' (2011) Image via White Fox In terms of writing, this list features some of the best anime, including what many consider to be the pinnacle in the medium. Steins;Gate follows a self-proclaimed mad scientist who accidentally creates a time machine that can send texts into the past. When this invention draws the attention of a mysterious organization and threatens to tear reality apart, Okabe must fix it before he loses everything. Time travel is a tricky subject to handle without plot holes or inconsistencies, but Steins;Gate pulled off that miraculous feat to build a timeless plot. From building dread to sudden twists and jaw-dropping revelations, this anime is a fascinating exploration of time with unique concepts and a well-crafted mystery story. There aren't many better-written anime than Steins;Gate in history, let alone the 21st Century. Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one. 🚀Star Wars 💍Lord of the Rings 🧙Harry Potter 👑Game of Thrones 🖖Star Trek FIND YOUR UNIVERSE → 01 What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question. ABeing part of something larger than myself — a cause, a rebellion, a fight for freedom that outlasts me. BThe journey itself — the places I'll go, the companions beside me, the world I'll discover on the way. CLearning — unlocking what I'm capable of, understanding the world's hidden mechanics, growing into something more. DLegacy — the name I leave behind, the power I build, the mark I make before the world moves on without me. EUnderstanding — exploring what exists beyond the horizon and asking what it means to be alive in a universe this vast. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully. AA galaxy of planets, each with its own culture — connected by conflict, trade, and the Force. BAncient lands of breathtaking beauty, deep history, and a creeping darkness at the edges. CA world hidden inside our own — full of wonder, community, and magic waiting to be learned. DA brutal, beautiful continent where power is everything and every alliance is a calculation. EA future where humanity has reached the stars — and must decide what kind of species it wants to be. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world's conflicts tells you everything about its soul. AThrough sacrifice and courage — someone has to make the impossible choice so others don't have to. BThrough fellowship — the impossible becomes possible when the right people walk the same road. CThrough growth — confronting what you fear, understanding what you lack, and becoming equal to the challenge. DThrough strategy — outthinking, outmaneuvering, positioning yourself so the outcome was never in doubt. EThrough dialogue — finding the third option, the peaceful resolution, the answer that doesn't require a body count. NEXT QUESTION → 04 Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for. AA small crew — a pilot, a rogue, a warrior — each broken in their own way, unbeatable together. BA fellowship of different kinds of people, bound by purpose and deepened by the long road. CFriends who grew up alongside me — who knew me before I knew myself, and stayed anyway. DAllies whose loyalty I've earned — and tested — and whose ambitions align with mine, for now. EA crew of brilliant, curious, principled people from every corner of known space. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are. AI want to use it to protect — and I'm terrified of what I might become if I'm not careful. BI distrust it. The most important power in this story is the courage to give it up. CI want to earn it — through knowledge, through effort, through becoming someone worthy of it. DI want to wield it. Preferably before someone else decides to wield it against me. EI want to understand it — its structures, its limits, its ethical dimensions. Power without accountability is the real threat. NEXT QUESTION → 06 How does your universe treat good and evil? A world's moral architecture tells you more about it than any map. AThere is a dark side and a light side — and the choice between them is always present, always personal. BEvil is real and ancient and patient — and goodness, however small, is the only thing that can undo it. CGood and evil are real, but they live inside people — and people are complicated, always capable of both. DGood and evil are mostly a matter of perspective and proximity. Power is the only honest currency. EEvil is usually the result of ignorance, fear, or broken systems — and understanding it is the first step to solving it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying? AThe reluctant hero — ordinary origins, extraordinary moment, changed forever by the choice to act. BThe unlikely carrier — the one nobody expected to matter most, quietly bearing the weight of everything. CThe student — not yet who I'll become, learning through every mistake, growing into something the world needs. DThe player — sharp enough to see the game for what it is, ambitious enough to try to win it. EThe explorer — drawn to the unknown, driven by curiosity, most alive when standing somewhere no one has stood before. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you. AThat hope is real — that even in the darkest galaxy, a new hope is always possible. CThat even the smallest person can change the course of the future, if they have the courage to try. CThat love and friendship and doing what's right will matter in the end, even when everything says otherwise. DThat the wheel keeps turning — that power shifts, winters end, and what endures is those willing to fight for it. EThat humanity — or whatever we become — is capable of extraordinary things, if we choose to be. REVEAL MY UNIVERSE → Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose. Star WarsYou believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast. You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance. You'd find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources. Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story. The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is. Lord of the RingsYou understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world's beauty is worth protecting even at great cost. Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate. You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival. Tolkien's universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance. Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world. Harry PotterYou believe that love, loyalty, and doing what's right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise. The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle. You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete. Harry Potter's universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying. That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely. Game of ThronesYou see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it. Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation. You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don't confuse the world as it is with the world as you'd like it to be. Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer. Winter always comes. You are already prepared. Star TrekYou believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation. Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear. You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is. The Federation is the universe's most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better? You don't just hope that's possible. You think it's the only thing worth working toward. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 5 'Attack on Titan' (2013–2023) Image via MAPPA Some masterpieces are lesser known, like Paranoia Agent, but others are so good that everyone knows and loves them, such as Attack on Titan. After the Titans attack his village, Eren vows revenge, only to gain the ability to turn into a Titan himself. With his newfound ability, Eren leads humanity outside the walls to face their true enemy in a battle for freedom and vengeance. Attack on Titan isn't popular just because it is fun to watch, even though it is; it has become world-renowned due to its captivating narrative and mystery. From the initial setup to little worldbuilding details and building mysteries, this modern anime masterpiece became a juggernaut. Attack on Titan was meticulously planned, and while the ending was polarizing, it doesn't erase a historic legacy. 4 'Ping Pong the Animation' (2014) Image via Crunchyroll This list features a few avant-garde anime shows, a dying genre that deserves more love, because series such as Ping Pong the Animation prove to be masterpieces. Smile and Peco have enjoyed playing table tennis with each other since their youth, but when they decide to join the competitive scene, Smile gets bored because he is way better than everyone, and Peco can't handle the competition. Ping Pong the Animation is an engrossing story about winning, losing, sports, and dreams, following not just the protagonist, but the struggles, sacrifices, and troubles of the entire cast. The imaginative animation fits well with the magnificent story that features amazing character development. Ping Pong the Animation is a must-watch anime that tells an essential story that is also fun and relatable. Image via Bones Inc. There are so many essential anime series out there, but the definitive one that has everything all fans want is arguably Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. When brothers Edward and Alphonse lose parts or all of their bodies in a taboo alchemical experiment, they set out to find the philosopher's stone. However, all they uncover is a plot to consume the entire world if they don't gear up and stop it. Many people consider Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood to be the greatest anime series of all time, which naturally makes it a 21st-century masterpiece as well. It is an anime that doesn't need a remake because it perfected the manga's story with excellent worldbuilding, lore, character development, plot twists, drama, action, animation, comedy, and moments. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the complete anime package that defines this century. 2 'Monster' (2004–2005) Image via Madhouse Naoki Urasawa is one of the most prolific manga authors of all time, and his magnum opus, Monster, is also a 21st-century anime masterpiece. Dr. Tenma decided to save the life of a child instead of the mayor, but years later, that same child is now a serial killer. Tenma takes it into his own hands to kill Johan, but will he be able to pull the trigger when he learns of his dark and tragic past? Monster is one of the longer shows on this list, but it is 74 episodes of a thriller masterclass that starts as a slow burn but gets hotter the longer it goes on. The dynamic between Tenma and Johan is one of the best, and the latter in particular is regarded as one of the greatest anime villains. Monster knows when to take things slow and when to ramp them up, creating an excellent pace that is unpredictable and thrilling. 1 'Mob Psycho 100' (2016–2022) Image via Bones The greatest anime masterpiece of the 21st Century isn't so easily decided, but the honor ultimately went to the show that checks all boxes. Mob Psycho 100 follows Shigeo, the world's strongest psychic. However, he only wants to have a normal school life, but because he holds his emotions back, his psychic powers explode, making life difficult for him, his friends, and his enemies. If fans want to laugh, Mob Psycho 100 has it covered. If they want to be dazzled by animation, it has them covered. If they want endearing characters, an engaging story, epic action, and emotional moments, it has them covered. Mob Psycho 100 is only around a decade old, yet it is an anime series that has aged like fine wine because of its flawless coalescing of themes, writing, animation, and entertainment value. Mob Psycho 100 Release Date 2016 - 2022-00-00 Network Tokyo MX Cast Setsuo Ito Shigeo 'Mob' Kageyama (voice) Takahiro Sakurai Arataka Reigen (voice)