That may not gel well with every anime fan out there or might not be what somebody is looking for at this exact moment. Some may want to skip ahead to the action and don’t care as much about intricate plot lines. If that is the case, these shows offer more distilled experiences. It’s hard to get completely away from downtime but these anime selections are pretty close.
Updated on January 3, 2023 by Levana Chester-Londt: While many anime may namedrop the action genre in their descriptions, more often than not, they are more bark than bite and fail to deliver the blood-soaked goods. Other series, however, refuse to be bogged down by sentimentality, focusing instead on the carefully choreographed fight scenes and overpowered otherworldy weaponry instead.
The relationship between the anime community and the gaming industry has also benefitted substantially from these epic, action-packed shows, as the integration between the two media is seamless (and conveniently comes with a pre-established fanbase to boot!) While adaptations such as Tekken: Bloodlines and Spriggan may have been short-lived, most of the following anime have a decent amount of content to contribute to the anime action genre.
15 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Best believe that an anime based on a fighting game has countless action sequences, and is far from the standard issue combat, this is JoJo’s Bizarre Universe, after all! With five seasons to choose from, each unique arc focuses on a different aspect of the Joestar Clan as they master their Stand abilities and artfully eliminate the enemy while attempting to lift the family’s curse.
The most recent addition to this franchise is the Stone Ocean chapter, which follows Jotaro’s daughter, Jolyne Cujoh, as she navigates through the prison system while a mysterious mastermind tries his hand at playing God. The fact that the girls take the lead this time around does little to dampen the bloodshed and instead offers back-to-back battles as Joylne and her crew fight for their lives.
14 Chainsaw Man
Denji took the world by storm after he merged his dying form with an adorably demonic dog, and received bonus chainsaw accessories and a new purpose in life as a result. There are no holds barred depicting how much damage Denji’s hardware can inflict, and amazingly, he’s not even the strongest guy around!
The ladies are a force of nature in their own right and dominate on the battlefield with their hardcore assaults (and refusing to allow the ecchi factor to deprive of the fight scenes’ quality.) Funny, ferocious, and surprisingly sentimental, Chainsaw Man ticks all the boxes for most anime fans out there.
13 Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
While the older seasons of Bleach often get bogged down with torturous filler episodes, the Thousand Year Blood War has caught up with the times and subsequently jammed exciting action scenes into each episode (so far.) Chaos reigns upon Ichigo and his friends from the very beginning and they barely get a moment to catch their breath as humans, Soul Reapers, and Hollows team up against an all-new foe (or rather, a really old one!)
Set not long after the Arrancar Arc (approximately 1.5 years), both Sereitei and Hueco Mundo are in desperate need of the Substitute Soul Reaper’s assistance, and the team is spread thin as the believed-to-be-dead Quincy attack on all fronts. The Shinigami find themselves helpless for the first time and the Espada are desperately missing their Queen; meanwhile, the fate of the Universe lies in the balance.
12 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
If Cyberpunk: Edgerunner’s artwork doesn’t captivate viewers then the jaw-dropping battle mechanics will; this RPG-inspired show blows the term ‘cyborg’ right out of the water! While genetic enhancements are the norm in the dystopian Night City, some extremists take things to the next level, turning themselves into deadly machines (while putting their own lives on the line in the process.)
Battling the internal demons of Cyberpsychosis while struggling to survive against the nefarious forces of Arasaka and Millitech is guaranteed to keep anyone on their toes. The veterans may have some experience in the matter, but does a novice like young David have what it takes to live another day?
11 My Hero Academia
Training to become a Hero, without possessing natural-born superpowers is a tall task indeed, but Izuku Midoriya’s determination can overcome any obstacle. The Villains, however, are discontent with the distribution of power in society and wish to dethrone the false Heroes, while the UA students somehow end up entangled in their schemes at every turn.
There are a few brief moments of inactivity sprinkled through My Hero Academia’s timeline where things are toned down; however, the first cours of Season 6, in particular, dishes out a consistent supply of combat and intrigue. Awesome worldbuilding combined with captivating Quirks and a debatable moral code (for Heroes and Villains) provides enough suspense to keep viewers glued to the edge of their seats.
10 Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan should need no introduction. It’s about the last remnants of humanity holding out in various walled cities, safe from the terror of giant human-like monsters known as Titans. That is until the peace is disturbed.
There is some political intrigue and quieter moments, especially in season 2, in-between the heart-pounding action, but more often than not, every episode is a thrill ride. No one is safe even characters that seem like a big deal.
9 Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress was actually directed by the same man behind a majority of Attack on Titan, Tetsuro Araki. It has a similar concept in that humanity is on the brink of extinction. The big differences are that zombies (called Kabane) are killing people and the setting is in a steampunk version of samurai-era Japan.
The anime is very short, but there is a sequel movie as well that is worth checking out. The anime delivers near-constant action that is well-animated. As soon as viewers are able to get past the AOT similarities and take a moment to appreciate the gruesome, twisted content before them, jam-packed with intricately detailed and beautifully choreographed confrontations, they will understand what makes Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress so epic!
8 Kill La Kill
Kill la Kill was the premiere anime for Studio Trigger and they hit it out of the park. The plot follows Ryuko, a girl who is looking for her father’s killer. The city she travels to operates on a class system which she is also trying to bring down with her iconic scissor blade.
Ryuko also has a talking outfit that boosts her strength; unfortunately, the enemy students also have their own useful clothes in the form of the Goku Uniforms. The animation is without rivals, which makes the action an absolute treat to watch.
7 Hellsing & Hellsing Ultimate
Hellsing has two anime adaptations from the manga. The first veered off course heavily but is still worth a watch just for the music alone. The reboot, Hellsing Ultimate, follows the manga closer and is considered the better of the two iterations. Both anime have a ton of action in them and are relatively short.
On the downside, the character development leaves a lot to be desired in this bloody vampire festival of gore and sarcasm. Hellsing Ultimate is perfect for the hungry action fans out there who want over-the-top characters, vicious action, and great animation.
6 Castlevania
Although technically not an anime, Castlevania seems to take inspiration from Japanese animation, and it also has classic roots in gaming. The story follows Trevor Belmont and is a loose adaptation of the third game as well as Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.
The Netflixshow includes some other nods to the franchise’s legacy as well, and it might be the best adaptation the gaming industry has seen. The first season is a bit slow, but Castlevania picks up more and more as the story goes on. The first series has now wrapped up with four seasons.
5 Star Wars: Visions
Star Wars: Visions is the newest anime on here which also adds to another classic franchise. This is an anthology anime with each episode being directed and helmed by a different anime studio. There are some repeat studios in there but even those episodes look different from their counterparts. That’s what’s great about this collection besides the majority of the episodes featuring cool lightsaber duals that rival even the films.
Star Wars: Visions returns for more action with a second installment, expected for international release on Disney Plus sometime during their Spring 2023 lineup. The imagery allegedly draws inspiration from artistic styles from across the globe and is bound to be as enthralling as Volume 1’s successful start.
4 One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man is like a parody of superhero shows. The main character, Saitama, trained “super hard” and now he can defeat any enemy in a single punch. His appearance looks silly so people don’t take him seriously, a mistake many villains come to regret.
The comedy comes into play best when villains monologue about how strong they are only to be defeated with barely a tap from Saitama. It’s a great takedown of the genre but also has some exciting fights with other characters.
3 The God Of High School
The God of High School is a tournament show that has everyone signing up to win big. There’s more to the anime than just nonsensical brawling but most episodes have a lot of combat in them. It looks great too.
This show is based on a South Korean manhwa by Yongje Park, which released its third volume early this year. While not Japanese in origin, The God of High School still looks the part and is epic all the same for those really craving some well-choreographed fist to fist action.
2 Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell started off as a manga but became more famous after its anime adaptation came out in 1995. The movie still looks great and has some amazing action, ideas, and music; however, it doesn’t have the time to explore the characters in a significant way.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, which consists of two full-length seasons and a movie, manages to strike a better balance. Characters seem more human, especially the Major who doesn’t come off as a total robot. Don’t worry as there is still plenty of cool cyberpunk action.
1 Btooom!
Btooom! is like a Battle Royale clone in that the main characters are all sent to a mysterious island. They wake up with bombs and are urged to kill each other in order to survive and get supplies. It’s a dark anime that unfortunately was only one season long.
Sadly, Btooom! ended with a lot of questions still up in the air. Although its lack of a continuation is a little disappointing, the anime’s action is still great. Plus the manga is much longer for those who do actually want to get some answers.
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