Prestige T.V. shows like Succession and House of the Dragon are bigger than ever naturally leaving many viewers to wonder what the best prestige anime series are. Though the medium is famous for the breakneck action of series like Dragon Ball, that doesn’t mean there aren’t anime filled with the same literary themes, interesting direction, and stunning twists that keep fans of prestige T.V. hungry for more.
These prestige anime span several genres and lengths of show. From surreal fantasy to dramatic sports to psychological thrillers, these anime have been making a significant impact on viewers for years. They are some of the best of the best that TV of all media has to offer.
10 Attack On Titan (2015 – 2023)
The newest of the most popular prestige anime on this list, Attack on Titan was a smash hit from the day it first premiered. Despite the years-long hiatus between the first season and the subsequent seasons as the manga plodded on, the fan base stayed active.
Hot-blooded Eren Jaeger loses his mother and home when man-eating Titans break through one of the three walls protecting the last remnants of humanity. Determined to destroy every last Titan, Eren joins the Survey Corps to venture beyond the walls. But he and his friends discover that there are worse enemies than Titans out there. Just like Game of Thrones, Attack on Titan is practically bursting with character deaths, shocking deaths, and political intrigue. On a deeper level though, Attack on Titan stands out for its deep themes of nationalism and cyclical violence. This is one anime that is just as smart as it is thrilling.
9 The Tatami Galaxy (2011)
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The Tatami Galaxy is one of the best creations of director, animator, and writer Masaaki Yuasa. Yuasa’s preference for surreal storytelling meshes well with the story, which plays fast and loose with time and space. Its character designs and settings are a treat for the eyes.
The unnamed narrator, like many youths his age, is excited to attend college, believing that it will be the best years of his life. But finding himself caught in a time loop, his quest for perfection falls apart. If he wants to be truly happy, he’ll have to face some hard truths about himself first, namely what an unreliable narrator he’s been all this time. Fans of Netflix’s timeloop series Russian Doll will find this take on Groundhog Day’s classic concept wildly fresh.
8 Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
With her boy’s uniform, shining sword, and ambition to become a noble prince, Utena Tenjou starts to break the norms of Ohtori Academy just by being there. When she’s drawn into the school’s secretive duels for the hand of the Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya, and the revolutionary power she will unlock for her groom, Utena swears to protect Anthy from anyone who would take advantage of her.
One of the best anime series of all time, Utena uses its often-surreal and fantastical setting to tackle several very grounded topics, from coming of age to gender roles and performance to overcoming abuse and trauma. It perfectly handles its frequent tone shifts between absurdity and dead serious darkness. In addition, its most iconic images, such as the beautifully animated duels and multiple interactions between Utena and Anthy, have influenced many future anime and Western cartoons.
7 Berserk (1997 – 1998)
The chronically unlucky mercenary Guts has one of the worst reputations among anime heroes. Born from a hanged woman and considered cursed by the people who raised him, Guts grows up to be feared by the whole world for his terrifying power and the destruction he causes in his battles with the demonic Apostles. Even so, Guts continues to travel his desolate world, destroying evil wherever he finds it.
Based on the celebrated manga by the late Kentaro Miura, 1997’s Berserk is by far the better-known anime adaptation of the story. It is famous for its dark tone and outstanding scenes of action and body horror. The tragedy of Guts’ life is compelling, as he struggles to overcome both the horrors of his past and present in this intense and gritty fantasy.
6 Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995 – 1996)
As the otherworldly Angels bombard humanity, only NERV and their monstrously powerful EVA units have the power to fight them. Shinji Ikari, the estranged son of NERV’s director Gendo, is one of a handful of child pilots able to control the EVAs. Shinji absolutely did not ask for any of this, and he struggles to fulfill everyone’s expectations of him and become a stronger person.
Evangelion manages to be one of the most influential mecha anime of all time without technically featuring a single true mecha. Just when new fans who know of its reputation for terror and trauma start to think it’s been overhyped, the halfway mark hits and the pace ramps up immensely. Between Shinji and his fellow pilots’ fights to assert their own identities and the absolute nightmare their world is turning into, Evangelion is an experience not soon forgotten.
5 Ping-Pong The Animation (2014)
While it may not be the most popular or well-known sports anime around, this one is a critical darling good reason. High school ping-pong prodigies Peco and Smile rise through the national ranks, having their skills challenged the higher they go. Meeting other players on their level or even stronger forces them to grow as players and as people.
Also rating high on the best sports anime of all time, Ping-Pong: The Animation is another Masaaki Yuasa hit. The fluidity of the animation brings a beauty and intensity to the matches that many people would never have expected from the game of ping-pong. At the same time, its grounded depictions of the players’ strategies and strengths themselves adds an element of realism to the show.
One of the best anime for beginners is this classic about love, sacrifice, and the prevailing strength of humanity. When child genius alchemists Edward and Alphonse attempt to resurrect their mother, it goes horribly wrong, costing Ed two limbs and Al his whole body. Their quest to restore what they lost pulls them into a struggle for the fate of the world.
Brotherhood was preceded by a 2004 adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa’s original manga. Though the first anime is praised for its top-notch animation and its arguably superior takes on certain story arcs, such as the Shou Tucker incident, Brotherhood is beloved among fans for its thrilling and faithful adaptation of the manga’s story from beginning to end. Because it didn’t have to contend with filler, it was able to run longer and bring some of the manga’s most beloved characters and sequences to life onscreen.
3 Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Far from the typical sleek and shiny depiction of the future, the solar system of Cowboy Bebop is broken-down and used up. Its rusty tech may be advanced by our standards, but its society has regressed to Wild West rules. Spike Spiegel and the Bebop crew eke out their meager living chasing high bounties on a variety of galactic criminals.
The show is well known for its colorful characters and perpetual good humor, but most of Cowboy Bebop’s best episodes are the deadly serious ones. Every member of the Bebop crew have pain and tragedy in their backgrounds, and the prevailing question of the show is “Can they move beyond it? Can they leave it behind and forge new lives?” For some of them, the answer is maybe. For others, it’s a poignant and final “no.”
2 Nana (2006 – 2007)
Nana Osaki is going to Tokyo to recover from a fresh bad breakup and focus on her career as a rock singer. Nana Komatsu is going to Tokyo at her beloved boyfriend’s heels. When the two Nanas wind up rooming together, they form a strong friendship that carries them through the next phase of their lives.
Fans of Nana enjoy it for the realistic coming-of-age stories that both young women experience. The two Nanas support each other through hardships and triumphs alike, and they share one of the best female friendships in anime.
1 Monster (2004 – 2005)
The best prestige anime is this underrated psychological thriller, pitting a good man on the run against the world’s most dangerous killer. Disgraced surgeon Dr. Tenma is blamed for a series of murders committed by the mysterious Johan Liebert. Tenma must not only stop Johan but assuage the harm he causes everywhere he goes.
The show’s excellently done mystery and suspense alone would earn it its high esteem, between the origins of Johan and his twin Nina, the extent of Johan’s almost inhuman influence on others, and Tenma’s pursuit of Johan as detectives pursue him in turn. But its exploration of the nature of good and evil is one of the most intricate and moving in anime history.
Anime is a legitimate art form just as capable of deep and thoughtful stories as any other medium. Prestige T.V. gained popularity for sharp writing that invites readers to question larger themes, and the best prestige anime do exactly that.
