Shōnen anime may bethe most popular in the entire art form.Series likeNaruto, Dragon Ball,and the 1,000+ episode sagaOne Pieceare known by people across the globe, but they’re not always the most accessible series. Each of the big three listed above has hundreds of episodes, different series within their franchise, and plenty of other reasons why they might not be the best starter anime for someone just getting into the genre.
The best starter shōnen anime have a lot of the same elements as the big three but tell their stories in a lot fewer episodes. To be a great starter shōnen, an anime needs to have a lovable main character,plenty of great fights, and set pieces that can define anime as a whole. Shōnen is a genre characterized by a main character who faces adversity better than most, never letting their limits put them into a corner they can’t get out of.
Fire Force
Cast
Fire Force is set in year 198 of the Solar Era in Tokyo, where special fire brigades combat spontaneous human combustion, transforming people into Infernals. Shinra Kusakabe, nicknamed Devil’s Footprints, joins Special Fire Force Company 8 and investigates a fire that killed his family, amid growing threats from a faction creating Infernals.
There aren’t many better shōnen series, oranime in general, with better sound designthanFire Force.It feels like the first anime series that wasmeant to be watched in a movie theater.EvenDragon Ballcan’t compare to the booming bass that comes fromFire Forceand its fights. The animation inFire Forceis also second to none. David Production, the animation studio behindFire Force,didn’t leave a single color out.
Each episode is a work of art, using bright, vivid colors to portray both fights and the characters' everyday lives.
Fire Forceshould be one of the first shōnen series any new fan watches thanks to its concise story and excellent fights. There’s no filler inFire Forcewhatsoever, a feat none of the big three can equal. The series has animated two succinct seasons at the time of writing, with another on the way in the summer of 2025. Arthur Boyle and Shinra Kusakabe’s tumultuous friendship is another great reason to watch the show. The pair might be at each other’s throats off the battlefield, but on it,they have each other’s backslike Goku and Vegeta.
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Hell’s Paradise delivers a harrowing narrative set in the Edo period, following condemned ninja Gabimaru and executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they journey to a mysterious island in search of the elixir of immortality, facing monstrous creatures and moral dilemmas along the way.
Hell’s Paradiseis another excellent starter shōnen thanks toits amazing visualsand incredibly interesting story. Gabimaru is a unique main character in the world of shōnen. He’s supposed to be executed, but he just can’t die. He’s not unwilling to die either, making his story even more captivating. He’s simply too strong to die thanks to his life as a famed assassin in the dangerous Iwagakure clan. His clan betrayed him after he chose to leave his role astheir strongest assassinto live a peaceful life with his wife, and he’ll do anything to get back to her.
Hell’s Paradiseis part of Shonen’s Dark Three, a fan term referring toJujutsu Kaisen,Demon Slayer, andHell’s Paradise.
Hell’s Paradisecurrently only has one season animated withseason 2 ofHell’s Paradiseslated to come out during January of 2026, according to Crunchyroll. It’s a series without a lot of complicated twists, but enough solid story elements to keep any fan of shōnen entertainment. The world Gabimaru has found himself in isfull of mysteries and unexplainable events, but thanks to his immense power and his new friend Sagiri, he’s plowing through unlike any other.
My Hero Academia
Anime series My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where most have them. Despite his lack of abilities, he enrolls in a prestigious hero academy, striving to learn the true essence of heroism and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.
My Hero Academiamight be one of thebest shōnen seriesto come out in the last decade. It’s a series unlike many others in that it tells a long, widespread story that sees several characters grow to nearly unimaginable heights. Deku, real name Izuku Midoriya, started the series as a weak, Quirkless person in a world that values Quirks above all else. By the end of the series, he’s quickly becomingone of the strongest people in the seriesthanks to his hard work, determination, and the usage of one of the strongest Quirks in the world.
My Hero Academiahas more than 150 episodes with at least one more season on the way. It also has several movies attached to the franchise, making it a much larger series than many other shōnen anime. While this can seem intimidating,My Hero Academiahas a lot fewer episodes than theDragon Ballfranchise, theNarutofranchise, and nearly a tenth of the episodes inOne Piece.It’s a great series for someone just getting into shōnen because ofDeku’s ability to persevere through any hardship, his incredibly forgiving attitude, and some of the most jaw-dropping fights in anime.
Haikyuu!!
Haikyuu!! is a Japanese anime series based on the manga by Haruichi Furudate that follows Shoyo Hinata, a high school student determined to become a top volleyball player despite his short stature. Through resilience and teamwork, Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball team and forms a dynamic partnership with former rival Tobio Kageyama. The series highlights their journey to national tournaments, emphasizing themes of perseverance and sportsmanship.
Haikyu!!isn’t just one of the best starter shōnen series - it’s one ofthe greatest sports anime of all time. While the show is entirely set around the game of volleyball, it couldn’t be more exciting. There aren’t many other series that can capture the highs and lows of competition quite likeHaikyu!!can.
The story has an incredibly simple premise, following main character Shoyo Hinata as he looks to becomeone of the greatest volleyball players inHaikyu!!‘sworlddespite his incredibly short height. His newfound friend and teammate, Tobio Kageyama starts the series as an arrogant player before mellowing out and becoming an even stronger force to be reckoned with on the court.
Haikyu!!is an excellent series with much more emotion than it initially lets on. The series is filled with incredibly hype moments both on the court and off of it, as Kageyama, Hinata, and the rest of Karasuno face the strongest schools in the nation on their way to glory. Fights define a shōnen anime, and while there’s no real violence or physical fighting inHaikyu!!,the seriesmore than makes up for itthrough its matches.
Hunter x Hunter
In Hunter x Hunter, young Gon Freecss discovers his long-lost father is a legendary Hunter, an elite class of adventurer with the license to go anywhere or do almost anything. Determined to find him, Gon sets out to pass the Hunter Examination, a life-threatening challenge that draws hundreds of hopefuls seeking fortune, fame, and adventure. Along the way, Gon becomes friends with other candidates, including the vengeful Kurapika, the ambitious Leorio, and the enigmatic Killua. Together, they face a world filled with bizarre creatures, sinister criminals, and unpredictable adventures.
Hunter x Hunterisa near-legendary shōnen anime. It’s gotten two solid animations, with the second receiving huge praise from fans around the world. LikeMy Hero Academia, Hunter x Hunterhas just around 150+ episodes, making it a lot longer than other starter shōnen anime. While this might seem like a heavy commitment for a newer fan to anime,Hunter x Hunteris one of the few series that’s absolutely worth it. The series follows Gon as he looks to find his father Ging, explore the world beyond his small town, and create some of the best friendships in anime at the same time.
Hunter x Hunter: A Complete History of Gon’s Character Arc and Abilities
Gon is one of the most beloved shonen protagonists of all time, starting Hunter x Hunter as a starry-eyed boy before growing into a mature young man.
Hunter x Hunterstands out as a starter shōnen series because of the world it’s set in and the characters within it. As the series progresses,Hunter x Hunter’sworld only gets more interestingand the characters grow to match their new environments. Gon starts the series as a naive, starry-eyed young boy before growing into a mature young man. He’s another character with a never-say-never attitude that makes him an extremely lovable character.
Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100 follows Shigeo Kageyama, a young boy struggling with self-expression while possessing formidable psychic abilities. As he strives for normalcy by suppressing his powers, he faces challenges from false psychics, malevolent spirits, and enigmatic entities, bringing his emotional and psychic thresholds to critical levels.
Mob Psycho 100is a beautiful anime. It has the most emotional depth out of any starter shōnen series by far. The series is focussed on the titular Mob as he looks to navigate life as a teenage boy and understand how to use his incredible powers as arguablyone of anime’s strongest psychics. He’s a sweet, thoughtful boy in a world filled with people who fear him, want to use him, and more. While a lot of other characters might succumb to the pressure of being the strongest, Mob never abuses his power and instead dedicates himself to self-improvement and helping others when he can.
10 Reasons Mob Psycho 100 is the Best Anime in Decades
Mob Psycho 100 isn’t just an incredible anime series, it has many qualities that qualify it for ranking among the best recent anime.
Mob Psycho 100isunlike any other starter shōnen anime, and unlike most other anime in general. It still has all the great fights that define the shōnen genre, but it’s willing to go to great emotional depths that other series don’t get anywhere close to. It’s a series with just as many tear-jerking moments as it has heart-pounding set pieces, a rarity in the genre. The result isn’t just one of the best starter shōnen, it’sone of best anime period.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Set in Japan’s Taisho Period, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows Tanjiro, a young boy whose family is killed by demons. With his sister Nezuko transformed into a demon, Tanjiro embarks on a quest to become a demon slayer, seeking vengeance and a cure for his sister’s condition.
Demon Slayeris easilythe best starter shōnen series of all time. It’s about one thing: action, and it’s perfect because of it. Tanjiro Kamado is set on the path of revenge after he comes home to his family’s slaughter in one of the most gripping premiere episodes in anime. He left his home life to become a titular Demon Slayer in an attempt to avenge his family and hopefully save his sister from becoming a fully-fledged demon herself.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Trainis still the highest-grossing anime movieof all time.
In a world of series about fights, determined characters, and amazing set pieces,Demon Slayerstands alone. Every time one of its movies is released, it breaks records across the globe. The movies are so successful that the only records they have left to break are their own. Tanjiro is not only easy to root for, but he’s an excitement every time he’s on-screen. His determination is second to none, and not even the Demon King Muzan Kibutsujican stop him from getting what’s his.
