The 25 Action Anime To Watch Now [Best Recommendations]

The action genre is one of the most popular genres of all time, and even excluding anime from the equation.

It may be the intense fights that keep you glued to the screen from start to finish, or the gun sequences and classic explosions, but the appeal of this genre is undeniable.

So, without a second thought, we have collected for you the best action anime for you to enjoy healthy hours of pure entertainment.

This list is based on our personal tastes and experience and is totally spoiler-free.

25. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is an anime that we have already discussed several times, such as in our list of the best anime set in the industrial revolutions.

The world of Kabaneri shows us a post-apocalyptic scenario, where the Kabane infects people, making them like zombies with the only weakness in their hearts.

But Ikoma, one of the survivors, manages to create a weapon that turns the Kabane back to normal without killing them, thus giving new hope to humankind.

A great dark fantasy setting and lots of action make this anime an easy recommendation, which goes on to combine classic shonen themes with a post-apocalyptic scenario.

Note should also be made of the excellent animation by Studio Wit, the same as anime such as Attack on Titan in the first 3 seasons and Vinland Saga, but also many others.

24. Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon is an anime series that aired in 2006 and it tells the story of a regular businessman named Rokurou Okajima.

One day he is tasked to take a business trip to the crime-riddled island of Roanapur where he is taken hostage by a mafia-pirate gang called Black Lagoon.

He won’t be saved by his employer who refuses to pay his ransom so Rokurou will join the gang and will turn from an average man to a ruthless criminal.

Black Lagoon is recognized by most as excellent and capable of combining action, interesting characters, and one of the best mature stories about the criminal world.

Don’t miss it if you are a fan of the genre and great soundtracks.

23. Claymore

A 26-episode anime set in a dark medieval fantasy-themed world where the inhabitants are forced to fight the threat of monstrous creatures that feed on humans.

Fighting these creatures, called the Yomi, are the Claymores, warriors with enormous power who can counter the terrible monsters with their swords.

The protagonist of the story is Claire, a low-level claymore who will increase her fighting power over time as she discovers the deceptions behind the Yomi and the society in which she lives.

A very good dark fantasy setting mixed with a lot of action and excellent characters make this anime one of the must-watch if you like mature stories.

The dark fantasy setting of Claymore is charming and gloomy, perfect to represent a sad world infested by Yomi. The anime isn’t really at the same level as the original source, the manga.

That’s because it aired before it finished so the last 3 episodes aren’t canon, but this adaptation is still a great introduction anyway.

22. Dragon Ball Series

Dragon Ball is a legendary anime that tells the story of Goku, a man who discovers to be part of the Saiyan race and decides to put use his powers to protect humanity and Earth.

This anime tells lots of stories with many compelling characters that make it stand out and be remembered as one of the most successful shonen adaptations of all time.

It’s impossible not to know one of the greatest expressions of Japanese pop culture in the world, destined to be one of the most celebrated fighting shows ever.

Its legendary fights, transformations, and power-ups are all accompanied by a cast of characters that you will gradually feel like extended family.

The problem with many of these adaptations is the sheer amount of filler content, and in this case, it’s not even that bad.

While filler episodes are decent to watch, some of you may just want to get to the point, and Dragon Ball Z Kai is perfect for that.

Kai only adapts the canonical events and comes with fresh OSTs and a slightly cleaner design.

21. Bleach

Certainly, no great introductions are needed either for Bleach, a very famous work by Tite Kubo that has earned the title of one of the Big 3 of anime in its category.

Indeed, we are unceremoniously talking about one of the most important battle shonen anime ever, especially involving samurai.

The protagonist is Ichigo, a boy like any other with all the classic characteristics of a protagonist in the genre. Generous, physically strong, and kind.

What sets him apart is his ability to be able to see spirits, reasoning that one evening like any other he will see Rukia, a Shinigami, grappling with a Hollow.

A series that is worth watching or reading in addition to its breathtaking fights, and especially for its villain, Aizen, regarded as one of the best ever.

20. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

One of the most underrated fighting anime of recent times, but with enormous potential in our opinion.

The plot stars Aladdin and Alibaba, 2 boys who meet by chance and end up forming a relationship of friendship and respect right from the start.

They decide to take on one of the many Dungeons, hostile structures that promise riches and power to those who emerge victorious.

Magi is a very complete and unique anime, with wonderful settings, combining fantasy and exotic locations, looking like something out of a fairy tale, with believable and very well-characterized characters.

Not to mention the action and fighting, with an interesting and innovative power system.

19. Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the modern fighting anime that is making the most success, born from the manga by Gege Akutami.

Its success is definitely due to its excellent story that runs smoothly and the wonderful animations by the Mappa studio.

The protagonist is Yuji Itadori, a young boy with off-kilter physical abilities who never misses a chance to help his friends to abide by his philosophy of life.

Following an accident at his school, he will find himself a receptacle for the most powerful dark spirit ever, Sukuna, eating one of its 20 fingers. But enemies will not think twice about trying to get their hands on the boy.

Jujutsu Kaisen owes a lot to Bleach, Naruto and Hunter x Hunter, as you will notice while watching it.

This anime is one of those new school battle anime that do it right thanks to its interpretation and reworking of past ideas.

18. FLCL

The series is set in a small Japanese town where the young protagonist Naota lives. His older brother has left for America to play baseball causing the protagonist to feel lonely and abandoned.

This loneliness will be broken by his brother’s girlfriend, Mamini, who develops a strange attachment to him.

One day, while Naota and Mamini are together, Haruto, a girl riding a Vespa, appears to them and runs over Naota at full speed and then hits him in the head with an electric guitar.

The young boy develops a bump that grows larger and larger and from which a robot called Canti emerges.

You will have already guessed from these few plot lines the bizarre atmosphere and that it takes itself a little seriously in the series, so there is no need to spend too many words.

This anime was born with a desire to experiment and differentiate as much as possible, in fact entrusting the direction of each episode to a different person working in Gainax Studio.

17. Gintama

Gintama is one of the most popular and unique anime in recent years, consisting of 357 episodes and based on Hideaki Sorachi’s manga of the same name.

The series follows the adventures of Gintoki, Shimpachi, and Kagura, three boys who make up the Yorozuya handyman agency.

The whole story is set in a world where an alternative ancient feudal Japan has been conquered by aliens and is now confronted with a major technological advancement imposed by the invaders.

Gintama makes demented comedy its strong point, basing entire sagas on utterly silly pretexts and never failing to throw in the laughs. But every now and then, to break the seriousness, we will also have serious, action-packed story arcs.

And trust us when we tell you that although it is 90% comic, when Gintama gets serious, it does it perfectly, with some of the best fighting scenes you’ll ever watch.

16. Kill la Kill

Ryuuko Matoi is on a quest to avenge her father’s death and the only lead she has is the other half of the sword he invented, the Scissor Blade.

She enrolls in Honnouji Academy, a competitive high school run by student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin. Satsuki gifts the best students with so-called Goku Uniforms which grant them unique powers.

Ryuuko, after losing a fight against one of the students in uniform will have a meeting that will change her life. She will become able to stand against Satsuki and her crew and uncover the culprit behind her father’s murder.

Kill la Kill is a true masterpiece of direction, with animation that extremely enlightens the action and a soundtrack of such a high standard that you are unlikely to find any around.

All this is combined with very well-characterized characters marked by spectacular design.

Not surprisingly, none other than the Studio Trigger, renowned for its portentous animations, worked on it.

15. Parasyte

A 24-episode anime created by Madhouse studio from Hitoshi Iwaaki’s manga of the same name, bringing it to the present day by debunking it from its vintage setting.

The work stars Shinichi Izumi, an ordinary student whose right hand is infested by a mysterious alien parasite interested in taking over his body. Migi, a nickname given to the parasite, is just one of a race of parasites intent on taking over human bodies to conquer Earth.

The forced coexistence between the two leads them to clash with other malicious parasites in an ongoing struggle for their survival and that of humankind.

But what seems like an almost bizarre and comical situation will soon turn out to be chaotic and bloody as the two realize how violent and bloodthirsty the other parasites are.

A lot of action, badass moments, and excellent animation and soundtrack, all combined with a simple but highly effective plot, especially the protagonists with excellent characterization.

14. Samurai Champloo

A masterpiece by master filmmaker Shinichiro Watanabe, former author of cult hit Cowboy Bepop, Samurai Champloo is a 26-episode work produced by Manglobe.

The work stars Mugen and Jin, 2 samurai warriors with opposing characters, and Kasumi, a girl who has hired the two warriors to search for the samurai who smells like sunflowers.

The story revolves around their adventures, and they are often self-contained, generally with a few elements present that drive forward the overall plot of the whole.

The highlight of the anime is having master Watanabe directing and the interesting mix of Edo with hip-hop vibes.

The setting, character design, soundtrack, action and more will be just perfect. This is a light-hearted but original and complete adventure that integrates music into it.

13. JoJo’s Bizzare Adventures

The Bizarre Adventures of JoJo started as a shonen manga written by Hirohiko Araki in 1987 and is currently ongoing.

Each arc has a separate protagonist, although some main characters appear in more than one. The plot revolves around the adventures experienced by the various members of the Joestar family over time, with a protagonist on each side.

While some arcs like Diamond Is Unbreakable are investigative, the focus on action is still preserved, and we will watch great battles and plenty of action.

One of the main advantages of this series lies in the use of Stands after Part 3, they are manifestations of a person’s power.

The rhythm of the adventure is dictated by battles between Stand Users, as they naturally draw each other. Even in the first 2 parts, where Stands weren’t introduced, the action follows a similar pattern.

JoJo is one the best action anime out there, especially if you love a balanced mix of comedy and drama.

12. Mob Psycho 100

An interesting series by Studio Bones based on the manga by ONE, the same author of One-Punch Man. The story follows Mob, an average high-school boy with tremendous esper powers.

He works with the con-man Reigen Arataka to control his special powers and keep them from exploding, causing possible collateral damage.

But fate will not exactly be on his side, and it will take every possible way to make him lose patience.

A perfect union between comedy and action, with a peculiar art-style that will for sure stick with you.

Mob Psycho is an adrenaline injection, and one of the most promising anime of the last few years.

11. Flip Flappers

Flip Flappers is an anime produced by Studio 3Hz and one of the most underrated ever.

The main character is Cocona, a young girl attending middle school. Quiet and judicious, however, she will make the acquaintance of Papika, a peer with an explosive personality.

The latter also unexpectedly invites Cocona to come along with her to a mysterious parallel dimension called Pure Illusion, where everything is possible, including magical powers.

The style and fluidity of the action scenes are very reminiscent of the quality of Studio Trigger, which is repeatedly paid homage to, along with other exponents of the genre.

The action is frantic and a continuous color explosion while the characters execute crazy moves on screen.

It’s so satisfying to watch Flip Flappers thanks to its magnific direction and color plays.

10. Trigun

Dating back to 1998, Trigun stars Vash the Stampede, also known by the dreaded title Humanoid Typhoon. He is a wanted man throughout Gunsmoke, the planet where the events are set.

This is because of the destruction of July City, of which he is believed to be the culprit.

Vash, however, is far from a criminal, but instead uses his keen skills to defend those in need, killing only on rare occasions and when strictly necessary.

Trigun is an excellent mix of action with a Sci-Fi twist, in which excellent characters fight strenuously for their ideals, Vash foremost among them.

And as we have already mentioned in the dedicated list, its gun-centered action also makes it without a shadow of a doubt one of the best anime with Wild West vibes.

9. Vinland Saga

One of the most interesting and followed works of recent years, animated in two seasons still running by Wit Studio and based on the manga of the same name by Makoto Yukimura.

The plot follows the life of the warrior Thorfinn, in a precisely Viking world inspired by real historical events.

Thorfinn is a warrior who became one to avenge the death of his father Thors, who was killed by the pirate Askeladd on behalf of King Sweyd because he had deserted years earlier to retire to a quiet life.

Vinland Saga dwells on the choices that must be made when on the battlefield mixed with realistic and believable action.

As a war anime, it manages perfectly to recreate that feeling of lingering regret and destruction.

8. Berserk

A masterpiece of the dark fantasy and sword and sorcery genres by the notorious mangaka Kentaro Miura, which changed the media forever. Its 1997 anime adaptation is famous for its vintage style and its fitting setting.

There are few other works that can match this one due to the complexity of its characters and for starring two incredible personalities: Gatsu and Griffith.

The story doesn’t start in the happiest of ways, but it gets even worse as the protagonist Gatsu has a fateful encounter with Griffith, the leader of the Falcons.

Berserk is a milestone in Japanese art and the progressive suffering of Gatsu is what makes it more realistic and relatable.

The anime relies mainly on its incredible world-building and its deep psychological side, but the action, when present, will also play its part.

7. Hellsing Ultimate

Here we are dealing with another work recognized as a masterpiece by the fan imagination. We are talking about Hellsing Ultimate, the main work of author Kota Hirano.

The anime tells the story of the bloody war between the English Hellsing association and the forces of evil. Among the ranks of the first faction, we find the vampire Alucard, the protagonist of the story.

The simple but effective plot and the high-level fast-paced action scenes, with an enormous level of blood and gore, are definitely the highlights of the anime that we are sure will leave you satisfied.

Besides that Alucard is one of those protagonists you can’t help but like.

6. Gurren Lagann

Also known just by Gurren Lagann, it’s a 27-episode series produced by Gainax in 2007.

The story is set in the distant future where Earth is dominated by the Beast Men, humanoid mutants with animal-like features and powers, while humans have been forced to live in underground villages.

Simon and Kamina are tired of living without ever seeing the sky. One day, while digging underground, they find the head of a robot, which they call Lagann.

Once they activate the mecha they manage to reach the surface and also take possession of the robot’s body.

Gurren Lagann incorporates a lot of homages to various mecha series and has robot-beastman action on its side that is epic and over-the-top.

5. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

An absolute masterpiece of the battle shonen genre and one of the best fighting anime of all time. Based on the manga written in 2001 by Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is the animated series that most faithfully deals with the plot told in the original work.

Edward and Alphonse Elric are 2 brothers who live in a world where alchemy reigns and is used for a variety of purposes, whether war, medical, or even related to everyday life. The siblings have a very specific purpose, which is to regain their lost bodies.

When they were young they tried to bring their late mother back to life using alchemy, and it went wrong, since as powerful as this magic is, it cannot go against the laws of nature.

One of the most complete and best anime in general, with a very good story, compelling characters, and enviable action scenes completed by psychological moments and even a romance with no harem.

If you have not watched it yet, this totally is your call to do so, as this is one of the anime that everyone should experience.

4. Katanagatari

Katanagatari is a masterful work by Nisio Issin about samurai and sword fighting, telling the story of a swordsman and a strategian to retrieve the most powerful 12 swords in Japan during the Edo period.

The protagonist Shichika Yasuri is the 7th head of the Kyotōryū family, renowned for its combat style which consists of being able to counter and fight against swords totally with bare hands.

However, Yasuri had to undergo a dark and painful past in order to learn this particular technique. He was viciously trained on a desert island, and even had to kill his father to protect his little sister.

A truly underrated anime, which has enormous potential, given his excellent action moments, stunning style and animation, and incredible OSTs.

Katanagatari is one of the best sword fight anime with the peculiarity that Shichika himself is the blade. This unusual but rather unique detail makes this anime a pleasure to watch.

3. Attack on Titan

Isayama’s Attack on Titan doesn’t need an introduction, it’s one of the goliaths of dark fantasy and boasts a solid story.

In an alternate world, humanity is hunted by Giants, huge humanoid life forms that feed on people, becoming a natural predators of them. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin will have to live with this threat, training to kill these life forms in order in order to get revenge.

Attack on Titan excels in almost every aspect an anime can wish for. The plot is captivating, the cast is memorable and the action-driven scenes are crazy and full of adrenaline.

If you are looking for a grim adventure, look no further. This anime is a perfect example of how one should do dark fantasy and build a convincing worldbuilding.

2. Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter is a masterpiece by Togashi, one of the most famous mangaka on Earth.

Many of its additions are still used today and have inspired the modern generation of battle anime, including big names like Jujutsu Kaisen and Naruto.

Hunter x Hunter follows the story of Gon Freecs, a young boy living in the wilderness. One day he will learn that his father, believed dead, is instead alive and well and is also one of the strongest Hunters in the world.

For this reason, he will take the test to become a Hunter and try his best luck to find him.

The 2014 adaptation is pure art, as the design is clean and the animations are smooth and pleasant to follow. These factors can only improve the high quality of many fights, including the epic confrontation between Gon and Hisoka in Heaven’s Arena.

Its original power system is still considered one of the most complete and efficient in the entire story of battle shonen.

The use of Nen, the energy that living beings have, is the foundation of this great system that gives birth to unique powers and combinations.

Hunter x Hunter is a full dose of action and punches, what are you waiting for?

1. Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop takes everything you can combine with action and gives its twist to it.

It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where Earth is uninhabitable and follows the story of some bounty hunters aboard a spaceship called Bebop.

This show is deep and focused on psychological elements like regret and thinking about your past. What makes it even more enjoyable is its worldbuilding, which encompasses almost all of the Solar System.

The adventures of Spike Spiegel and his fellow bounty hunters will show us what we can only dream of, accompanied by a soundtrack that many consider the best ever.

This anime literally has everything. Action, comedy, psychological, deep moments, and badass moments as well.

The crazy criminal chases and the gun fights show you how even simple things can create an amazing adventure in one of the best action anime without power of friendship stretches.