The last decade was one of the better decades for anime; not only did the niche medium become mainstream. We also get many titles that have gone down as classics. So it will be unjust not to have a top 10 of those action animes. But given how many action anime release each year, it’s hard to do justice to all of them in the top 10 action animes list. So to narrow it down, We made a list based on the best action in a year to narrow it down. However, some anime were toed to-toe with each, so we picked them both. If you are a newcomer or want to recommend anime to one, this list is just the thing you need.
CC: Parasyte Franchise
Top Action Anime From 2011 To 2020
2011
The year started strong with some of the prominent titles we have seen even today. But no one comes close to the two titles that took the crown. Hunter x Hunter and Fate Zero. You can not go with these two as your first animes. we would say watch one and continue with the other. Although you might Fate Zero first because of the short length.
2012
The year has some unique titles under its belt. It also gave us Magi: the Labyrinth of Magic, an underrated but superb show. But the highlights of this year were Sword Art Online and Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure. SAO has lost in popularity ever since its release but it opened the flood gates for isekai that continue to be popular today. Meanwhile, Jojo is everything you would expect from an action show. The Jojo franchise is one of the most famous ones out there, with each sequel having a unique identity.
2013
Perhaps the best year in anime from the last decade. It had Attack on Titan which brought the anime medium to the forefront and made it mainstream. Not only that, but the show also greenlit a lot of survival action anime for production. Although, no one does it better than AoT. Other than that, we also got Irregular at Magic High School and No Game No Life. The former was a unique show with interesting storytelling and characters. No Game No Life had a much stronger impact as it made Isekai appear in a new light. We are still waiting for its sequels (the movie doesn’t have Shiro and Sora), but our hopes are high now that Devil is a part-timer got a sequel.
2014
One of the years when the most popular shows were edgier than usual. Tokyo Ghoul and Parasyte have a similar premise but explore it differently. I would say Tokyo Ghoul season one has a much better ending but the seasons after are lackluster. Meanwhile, Parasyte tells the complete tale in one season and does justice to the source material. Besides them, there was also Noragami that brought freshness to the year.
CC: Noragami Franchise
2015
In this period, Superhero movies and shows were the rich kid in the town. One-Punch Man capitalized on that but with its take on it. The show stands above the rest and is one of the top action anime. However, the second season was lackluster and even enraged some fans. The anime still deserves to be in the top 10 action anime. Its season was that great.
CC: One Punch Franchise
2016
It is apt to have another superhero show after the success of One Punch Man. And My Hero Academia delivered on that. Bringing shounen’s take on the superhero genre was a great move. But that is not the only top action anime from that year. Mob Psycho is another hit that received an overwhelmingly positive response. It also happens to be the second series from the creator of One Punch Man.
Also read: Anime Like Ao Ashi You Must Watch
2017
After the excruciating wait Attack on Titan season, 2 finally made its round and hit the screen once again. But the show wasn’t hit with as much as the first season, leaving anime fans with a bit of worry. Those worries were unfounded as the third season broke every expectation of the show. But there was also a hidden gem in the rather damp year, Land of the Lustrous. The show’s premise is simple and gets you invested in the character dynamic. Do not be fooled by the animation, you will be reeled in by it before you know it.
2018
After the lackluster, 2018 gave us an array of shows to pick from. But among all of them, the one that stood at the top of action anime among others was Megalobox. It was less like an anime and more like an anime take on Hollywood. We also get ourselves TenSura or “That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime”. It was one of the best Isekai of that year. Not only did it have a good plot, but it also had relaxing vibes you don’t get to see often in Isekai.
CC: TenSura Franchise
2019
Just as Attack on Titan helped reach the mainstream, Demon Slayer took it to new heights. Part of the reason for its popularity was the studio behind it, UFOtable. The studio makes top-tier action anime whenever it picks an IP. It does so with the Fate series and its trilogy. And it has done the same with Demon Slayer. However, another anime deserved the spot at the top action anime, Vinland Saga. The manga was compared with Berserk before the anime release. The show has been greenlit for a second season in the fall of 2022. So, if you love Berserk, you are gonna cherish this.
2020
What better way to end the year than with Jujutsu Kaisen. The show has similarities to Demon in that it deals with demons. However, the more you watch the show, the more you realize how far away from the truth is. Jujutsu Kaisen has gained an international following after the release of the anime, giving us an intriguing plot and unique characters. Its first movie was the top-grossing movie, among all mediums, in the year it screened.
