My Top 10 Best Action Anime

Who doesn’t love a good action anime? With their violence, heart-pumping battle scenes, bad-ass weaponry, trigger happy psychopaths, and unique story lines, action anime series set us up for hours of entertainment. Here, are my top 10 action series.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist not only has tons of amazing action scenes, but also contains fun, memorable characters, tear-jerking scenes and beautiful music. This is a must watch anime series for anime fans alike.

Set in a land where alchemy is considered a highly skilled profession, Fullmetal tells the story of two brothers who live every day repaying for their childhood mistake. They forgot the greatest rule in alchemy: equivalent exchange. In the aftermath of their botched attempt at reviving their dead mother, Ed lost an arm and a leg, and Al lost his entire body. They hear that a mysterious stone named the Philospher’s Stone can solve all their problems, and so begins their adventure in an attempt to restore what was lost.

2. Soul Eater

No other series has been able to incorporate awesome characters, music, story, battles and a Halloween-like, yet cheery premise as well as Soul Eater. Admit it, after watching this series everyone was stuck sitting in front of their couch wishing they could wield a scythe with the same precision and accuracy as Maka Albarn. Soul Eater helped define a genre of action anime; it is a classic all anime fans should take the time to watch.

Death City, Nevada is home to a school of weapon wielders and weapons, Death Academy. The human weapon and wielder partners learn here how to synchronize, and accomplish various missions for the Death God. In order to transform the weapon partners into Death Scythes worthy of being wielded by the Death God himself, the teams must hunt down 99 bad humans and one witch in that exact order for their souls. Will Maka and Soul succeed, or will they be bested by their teammates or enemies?

3. Gurren Lagann

Gurren Lagann is an anime featuring epic battles, controversial characters, humor, and… busty female leads? Yes, please! Gurren Lagann is probably one of the more entertaining on this list, and is not something you should miss.

Digging is the only way of life Simon knows－humans have been forced underground by the tyrant King Lordgenome, who guns down any who dare poke their heads to the surface. Simon spends the first 14 years of his life going further and further underground until a red-haired girl named Yoko crashes down, fighting several enemy Gunmen. Seeing the sky for the first time, Simon is determined to never again hide away, and fights for the right to live under the sun.

4. Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is known as one of the greatest anime series of all time. It excels in absolutely every area imaginable, and the action is no exception. The fight scenes can range from badass to comical to stomach-dropping. If you have not watched Cowboy Bebop, then you are depriving yourself of one of the best experiences out there.

In 2071, humans have moved off the now unfit-for-life planet Earth and onto the other non-gaseous planets of the Solar System. The ragtag crew of the spaceship Bebop travel the stars on various missions!

5. Berserk

Berserk is an anime classic that you can’t really avoid seeing, action anime fan or not. With epic sword fights, compelling characters, and glorious ’90s gore, Berserk is one of the best action anime ever.

6. Noir

This anime series centers around a young woman who just happens to be a professional assassin. Noir seems like a pretty straight forward series doesn’t it? That is where you are wrong. The series actually has a deeper, more complicated plot. When given the time, Noir proves to be a show that is both interesting and action-packed. What more could you possibly ask for?

The assassin duo of Mireille Bouquet and amnesiac Yuumura Kirika are known to the public as Noir. Together, they try to uncover Kirika’s past, and discover why it has so many connections with Mireille’s. This is all complicated, however, by the shady organization named Les Soldats…

7. Claymore

Claymore is another fantasy/action anime, but unlike Fairy Tail, it is filled with intensity, demons, sword fighting, and, well… lots of death!

In a land infested by man-eating yoma, only half-yoma half-human hybrid warriors can defend the humans. Feared by all due to their half-yoma nature and distinctive appearance, the all-woman army known as the Organization, but more often called Claymores, or Silver-eyed Witches, travel across the land to sniff out the yoma who often pose as regular humans. Clare is the weakest of all the Claymores, possessing only 1/4th yoma blood, as opposed to the usual 1/2. She rescues a young human male, and takes him on her travels.

8. One Punch Man

This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning One Punch Man! Fans of the action genre should definitely give One Punch Man a shot… or at least one punch!

Saitama became determined to be a superhero after experiencing the thrill of fighting an evil baddy. He puts himself on a training regimen, only to lost all of his hair and accidentally become the strongest human who ever walked the Earth. It’s actually a problem－he doesn’t get to experience any heart-pounding fights, as any conflict with Saitama ends with a very standard punch.

9. Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan took the anime community by storm. It definitely deserves credit for being one of the best anime series within the past five years. Amazing battle equipment, badass soldiers, cliff-hangers, and some pretty epic sparring matches, this is a truly superb action series.

In a world terrorized by giant man-eating humanoids known as titans, mankind hides behind gargantuan walls in constant fear. The only way they have to fight back against the Titans is the military. Eren Yeager, who witnessed the death of his family and friends as a child, is determined to fight back in the only way he can: by joining the service! Little did he know: the story behind the Titans are much more convoluted than they appear.

10. Black Lagoon

Ah, Black Lagoon. A show featuring modern day pirates, Black Lagoon is another one of the best action anime series available. With outrageous, yet amazing action scenes, foul, yet entertaining language, and kick-ass characters, Black Lagoon is one heck of a thrill ride! Of course, I have to mention Revy, the trigger-happy femme fatale, who truly ties the entire series together.

What’s your favorite action anime? Let me know in the comments!