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Heroes, villains, and everything in between — these anime prove that capes and powers translate perfectly to animation! Join us as we count down our picks for the greatest superhero anime of all time! Our countdown includes "One-Punch Man", "Tiger & Bunny", "Sailor Moon", "Batman Ninja", "Suicide Squad Isekai" and more! Which superhero anime is your all-time favorite? Let us know in the comments!
Transcript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the best anime under the
00:05superhero genre.
00:19This CG animated anime takes Batman out of Gotham and into Edo period Japan, where his
00:25rogues gallery have become feudal lords which he must defeat in order to stop history from
00:30being changed.
00:41If you've ever wondered how a Batman isekai would play out, then look no further.
00:46And let's be honest, who wouldn't want to see Batman decked out in ninja and samurai
00:54gear?
01:04Batman Ninja is a whole lot of fun, blending Japanese history, awesome character designs
01:09and Batman lore to make for an exciting action-packed anime.
01:22Number 19 Suicide Squad Isekai
01:25Speaking of DC properties getting the anime treatments, the Isekai genre has never looked
01:31quite this dangerous.
01:41Amanda Waller's ragtag team of supervillains, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface,
01:47and King Shark are dropped into a high fantasy realm of orcs and magic.
01:52Suffice to say, these anti-heroes do not play well together.
01:56Watching them navigate another world while bickering and backstabbing is endlessly entertaining.
02:09Backed by Wit Studios' slick animation and brutal action, it's trashy fun that keeps the
02:15familiar genre tropes feeling incredibly fresh.
02:3218.
02:34Ultraman
02:40Few superhero franchises carry the cultural weight of Japan's Ultraman.
02:45Since 1966, this giant alien protector has been a pop culture cornerstone, but the 2019 Netflix
02:52CG anime flips the classic formula.
02:55Instead of a colossal giant, the story follows Shinjiro Hayata, the son of the human host of
03:01the original Ultraman.
03:03He inherits the biological Ultraman factor and dons a sleek, mechanized armor suit to
03:09fight alien threats.
03:16The result?
03:17A grittier, more grounded superhero story about legacy and responsibility.
03:22Despite initial fan skepticism over the 3D CG animation, its mature depth makes it a must-watch
03:29addition to the franchise.
03:42Shyness might seem like an odd superpower, but that's what makes the anime Shy so uniquely
03:47charming.
03:48The story follows Teru Momishiyama, a soft-spoken middle-school student chosen as Japan's superhero
03:54protector.
04:06In a world where every country has its own champion, Shy stands out by deeply exploring
04:12the psychological toll of heroism.
04:14Teru doesn't just fight villains, she fights her own crippling anxiety and self-doubt.
04:28It's a beautifully nuanced portrait of mental health wrapped inside colorful superhero action.
04:34For anyone who has ever felt not enough, Shy hits harder than any punch.
04:51The Red Ranger becomes an adventurer in another world.
04:55Right at the climax of his final battle, the dedicated super sentai-like warrior Togo Asagaki,
05:01known as Kizuna Red, is whisked away to a fantasy world.
05:05There, his battle-hardened skills and high-tech weapons feel comically overpowered.
05:16The series cleverly plays with the conventions of both the isekai genre and tokusatsu traditions.
05:22It acknowledges the inherent absurdity of a hero who once fought giant robots, now dealing
05:28with simple goblins.
05:40Rather than leaving his old life behind, Togo keeps his uniform on, treating his new fantasy
05:45surroundings exactly like a superhero show while figuring out how to pursue ultimate justice
05:51in a brand new world.
06:08If you're looking for a good shakeup of the usual superhero-supervillain dynamic, then this
06:14is the anime for you.
06:22In this ongoing battle of good versus evil, there's Sunred, the ally of justice, and the
06:28evil organization Florsheim, a group of villains led by General Vamp.
06:33The twist of Astro Fighter Sunred is that while Sunred is a hero of justice, he's got the
06:39personality of a villain, acting rude, crass, and violent, while the villains of Florsheim
06:44are polite and have gentle demeanors.
06:57It's an interesting contrast that makes for a great comedic spin on the superhero genre.
07:03Togo, do you want to go?
07:05Yes.
07:06Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,
07:11uh, uh, uh,
07:13uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh...
07:17What would happen if your favorite action hero came to life and make a real superhero?
07:27You'd get Hero Man, an anime created and written by superhero comic's legend, Stan Lee.
07:33Hero Man is the perfect childhood fantasy superhero story, combining wish fulfillment with classic
07:40superheroics and elements of anime like Gigantoor to make for an all-around unique series.
07:53Hero Man might not be everyone's favourite Stan Lee creation, but it definitely deserves
07:57a watch if you're in the mood for an untraditional take on superheroes.
08:1013.
08:12Super Crooks What if the villains were the most interesting people
08:16in the room?
08:17Netflix's Super Crooks, adapted from Mark Miller and Laniel Francis Hughes' comic, answers
08:22that with incredible style.
08:31Animated by Studio Bones, this slick spin-off shares the hyper-violent, morally ambiguous
08:37universe of Jupiter's legacy.
08:39The series follows a crew of small-time supervillains planning an ambitious final heist in a world
08:44crawling with dangerous, god-like heroes.
08:57It structures its episodes like a stylish crime thriller, telling a fun story from the perspective
09:02of people at the bottom of the superhero food chain.
09:05It's a propulsive, beautifully animated action ride.
09:1512.
09:16Gatchaman Crowds The original Gatchaman, known as Battle of the
09:20Planet in America, was more of a space-faring adventure anime than a superhero one.
09:26But the 2015 series Gatchaman Crowds took things in a different direction.
09:3313.
09:37These Gatchaman were heroes from all walks of life, who came together to face Bergkata, an alien
09:43who leaves destroyed planets in his wake and has set his sights on Earth.
09:5813.
09:59Using special suits that manifest their spiritual energy as superpowers, the Gatchaman must work
10:04together to protect Earth in one of the most exciting, well-written, and visually interesting superhero
10:10anime out there.
10:1613.
10:18Samurai Flamenco Warning, this anime will surprise you at every
10:22turn, since it starts out a lot like Mark Miller's Kick-Ass and quickly escalates into something
10:28much crazier and delightfully off the rails.
10:39The series follows Masayoshi Hazama, a male model who decided to become like the tokusatsu-styled
10:45superheroes he idolized as a kid.
10:47His fantasies soon become reality as supernatural beings show up and make the struggle between
10:53good and evil, very, very real.
11:02For an insanely written and wonderfully unpredictable superhero anime, look no further than Samurai
11:08Flamenco.
11:1610.
11:17Gogo Loser Ranger
11:18Gogo Loser Ranger asks the question that the tokusatsu genre has carefully avoided for
11:24decades.
11:25What if the monsters were right?
11:3713 years after the heroic Dragon Keepers defeat the villainous army, we learn the truth.
11:42These public heroes are actually corrupt, self-serving, and cruel.
11:47The story follows Foot Soldier D, a low-level duster who disguises himself as a human to infiltrate
11:54the Ranger Force hierarchy.
11:58This dark satire explores institutional corruption and complex moral ambiguity where nobody is purely
12:05good or evil.
12:139.
12:16Futo P.I.
12:18Kamen Rider Double is one of the most beloved entries in the long-running Kamen Rider franchise,
12:23and Futo P.I. continues that story in anime form without diluting what made the original
12:29so special.
12:30Set in Futo City, it follows detectives Shotaro and Philip, the two halves of the dual-identity
12:36hero Kamen Rider Double.
12:45Together they investigate crimes involving Dobans, humans transformed by memory-altering
12:50Gaia memories.
12:51The series confidently blends a hard-boiled noir detective story with superhero action.
13:08Futo P.I. proves how anime can deepen a live-action legacy rather than just repackage it, making
13:14it a must-watch for fans of both genres.
13:25Love After World Domination is a brilliantly clever romance anime wrapped inside a superhero
13:33show.
13:39The story follows Futo, the heroic Red Gelato, and Desumi, a deadly villain known as Reaper
13:46Princess.
13:47They are sworn enemies on the battlefield, but behind the scenes, they're hopelessly in
13:51love.
13:59Every episode hilariously flips between their explosive public fights and their
14:03adorably awkward secret dates.
14:05It's funny, incredibly sweet, and has way more heart than your average superhero story.
14:21Stepping away from the elite academies, this prequel spin-off explores everyday vigilantes
14:26stories fighting neighborhood crime.
14:39Set years before the main story, the series follows Koichi Haimawari, a young man with a
14:44humble quirk that goes by the name of The Crawler.
14:47Operating outside the official licensing system, he protects the streets alongside the bruising,
14:53knuckle-knuckle-duster, and aspiring pop idol, Popstep.
15:09While the main series offers grand escalating stakes, Vigilantes delivers intimate, street-level
15:15heroism.
15:15Whether you're looking for more hero academia or just something a little more grounded than
15:20the main series, you can't go wrong with Vigilantes.
15:316.
15:33Tojima Wants To Be A Kamen Rider
15:35Sometimes, the best superhero stories embrace our inner child.
15:39Tojima Wants To Be A Kamen Rider is a wild, action-packed comedy about Tanzaburo Tojima,
15:45a 40-year-old part-time worker obsessed with becoming a real-life superhero.
16:03When the fictional Shocker ends up being real, Tojima transforms by donning a cheap plastic
16:09mask and joins a group of other devoted adult fans to fight back.
16:21This series balances goofy, over-the-top action with laugh-out-loud humor.
16:27But beneath the jokes, it's a sincerely moving story about hope, resilience, and never giving
16:32up on your dreams.
16:405.
16:41Kinikuman Franchise Though it's not quite as well-known as other
16:45Shonen Jump franchises, Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada's Kinikuman is an equally epic,
16:52long-spanning tale that should pique the interest of both superhero and pro wrestling fans.
17:07The first saga followed Suguru Kiniku, a superhero from the planet Kiniku who must fight the Akuma
17:13Chojin in wrestling competitions to keep the world safe.
17:24Things only get more ridiculous and over-the-top from there, as the series eventually followed
17:30Suguru's equally cowardly son, Kid Muscle.
17:394.
17:40Tiger and Bunny Are you crazy?
17:42Huh?
17:43It's a basic rule.
17:45A hero's secret identity has to remain a secret.
17:48Secret, huh?
17:49Times are changing, old man.
17:51Better keep up.
17:52For a good buddy cop superhero story, this is a great series to check out, following the
17:57titular characters, a veteran hero and a rookie hero, as they compete on what's essentially
18:03a superhero reality show that follows the crime-fighting exploits and dishes out points for stopping
18:08villains and saving civilians.
18:16These heroes are also sponsored by various real-world companies, a decision that both made the reality
18:22show elements seem more realistic and helped to pay for the series production.
18:26The best part of Tiger and Bunny is its unique superhero world, but its overarching story and
18:32interesting characters also make it a must-watch.
18:383.
18:39Sailor Moon Franchise
18:41Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, never running from a real fight,
18:46she is the one named Sailor Moon, the pretty guardian of justice and easily the most well-known
18:51magical girl anime protagonist of all time.
19:04And like any magical girl, Sailor Moon is a superhero by any other name, using her magical abilities
19:10to ward off evil, doing so with the help of her friends and allies, the Sailor Guardians.
19:24A trendsetter of the genre, it's absolutely no wonder that it inspired so many anime that
19:30followed.
19:372.
19:38One Punch Man
19:39The best part of One Punch Man is that it's a satire of both superhero comics and shounen
19:45manga, parodying characters like Superman and playing with popular battle anime tropes to
19:50make for a brilliant and action-packed love letter to both genres.
20:00The series follows Saitama, a superhero for fun who doesn't actually have that much of
20:05it due to the fact that he is so immensely powerful that all of his opponents are obliterated
20:11in a single punch.
20:21But don't let the premise fool you, this setup is far from boring, as the series finds ways
20:27to make every fight as exciting and interesting as possible.
20:30And the same goes for the plots, just don't watch season 3.
20:49Before we continue, be sure to check out WatchMojo's 24-hour livestream.
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21:04Let's be honest, the superhero genre was growing a bit stale, but My Hero Academia gave it the
21:10breath of fresh air it so desperately needed.
21:18The series follows Deku, a non-powered individual who wants nothing more than to be a hero like
21:24his idol, All Might.
21:34Fortunately, All Might chooses to pass his power down to Deku, allowing him to attend
21:39UA Academy in order to become a hero along with a cast of interesting, deep, layered side characters
21:46that each provide their own unique spin on the superhero genre.
22:04What's your favorite superhero anime?
22:06Let us know in those comments below.