There are hundreds of new anime series that bombard audiences every year, and the wealth of content is both exciting and intimidating. So many rewarding anime series exist that audiences want to make sure that they’re not going to miss out on the next big hit. Some genres of anime are more naturally popular than others, and there’s always an extra amount of enthusiasm for action-heavy shonen series.
Shonen content excels because of its committed target demographic and its flair for serialization, but it’s frequently a genre that knows how to mix in comedy and other elements to better accentuate its action. At the same time, some shonen series are so caught up in high-stakes storytelling or kinetic combat that they’re void of humor and disposable gags.
10 Attack On Titan Gets Lost In A War That Has No Time For Laughs
Attack on Titan begins with its young characters thrown into disarray as monstrous giants ravage their homes and wipe out their families. The casualties of war only grow more intense and humanity is progressively stripped away from these characters, who begin to feel more like weapons than humans. Attack on Titan’s primary modes are tense, somber, or devastating. The few lighthearted gestures that do occur make such an impression since this world is so void of levity and humor.
9 Death Note Grapples With A Depressing Power Struggle That’s More Somber Than Silly
It should probably come as no surprise that an anime that’s titled Death Note is fairly lacking when it comes to humor. The tense series chronicles the corruptive nature of power when an egotistical teenager comes into possession of a special notebook with unbelievable powers. Death Note is more concerned with harrowing questions about humanity and the stressful cat-and-mouse game that plays out as a result. Death Note has a few moments that are more exaggerated in nature, like Light’s infamous potato chip monologue, but they’re more surreal than outright funny.
8 Deadman Wonderland Locks Its Hero Into Oblivion And Throws Away The Key
There are plenty of shonen series that are set in grim worlds, but the characters are bright and optimistic enough to rise above their dark surroundings. Deadman Wonderland is an anime that’s all about getting lost in a hopeless world where it feels as if a happy future is impossible.
Ganta Igarashi gets wrongfully convicted for a mass murder spree and is sent to live out his days in a morbid prison that treats torture as entertainment. Ganta desperately works to clear his name, but Deadman Wonderland never holds back with its extreme tendencies. Sadistic characters reign supreme, and Ganta’s innocence is progressively lost.
7 Monster Creates A Horrible Creature That Reflects Mankind’s Own Weaknesses
The Frankenstein’s Monster mythos has been around for more than 100 years, and it’s a story that’s persevered for so long because it remains a universal idea that’s able to change with the times. Monster is a gripping psychological anime that explores the tremendous guilt that an acclaimed surgeon wrestles with after one of his patients returns as a deranged serial killer. It’s a thoughtful examination of culpability and the nature of evil, and this tense murder mystery doesn’t have any time for gags. It quickly establishes a melancholic tone that it never strays away from.
6 The Ancient Magus’ Bride Tiptoes Through Risky Power Dynamics
The Ancient Magus’ Bride features a female protagonist, Chise Hatori, and it technically functions as a dark take on a love story, but it’s still technically a shonen property. The Ancient Magus’ Bride is an odd story of empowerment that slightly muddles its message. It does grow increasingly optimistic as Chise accepts her new lot in life and genuinely learns to love it, but these moments of peace aren’t the same as comedy. The Ancient Magus’ Bride feels cheerful but never humorous. Chise comes from a history of abuse and her new role, while more free, could be interpreted as another form of it.
5 Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Is An Edgy And Dark Mecha Adventure
The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is a foundational franchise for the anime industry, and it’s easily the most famous mecha property that’s out there. Gundam series are full of mecha stereotypes, but the various series and spin-offs also embrace many different genres and often have a heavy shonen influence.
The majority of Gundam series are bereft of humor, but Gundam Wing is particularly moody and emotional. Heero Yuy is an edgy, adolescent protagonist who’s the least likely Gundam pilot to crack a joke. These self-serious characters navigate through a volatile political landscape where the galaxy is on the precipice of war.
4 Rurouni Kenshin Stays True To Its Somber Wandering Samurai Roots
Samurai shonen series are incredibly popular and naturally cultivate thrilling showdowns between determined warriors. Rurouni Kenshin is often viewed as the apex of the wandering samurai genre and much of that has to do with the level of respect that it applies to its subject matter. The action and intense soul-searching that fills Rurouni Kenshin are quite serious in their presentation, but the series’ Japanese Civil War backdrop also guarantees that even the more muted moments hang heavy over the characters. Change and loss are being felt on a widespread scale that’s far bigger than Kenshin.
3 Black Lagoon Is Full Of Smugglers And Humanity’s Worst
There is no shortage of anime series that showcase unscrupulous mercenaries and bounty hunters who scrape by to make ends meet. Black Lagoon is in good company, but the series stands out from its peers with its strong female characters and with it being set in 1990s Southeast Asia. Black Lagoon embraces exaggerated gunplay and villains that make sure that each smuggling mission by the Lagoon Company feels both dangerous and distinct. Black Lagoon is a lot of fun, and its characters become more and more addicting, but its main interest is not to make the audience laugh.
2 Neon Genesis Evangelion Embraces An Existential Apocalypse Like No Other
Neon Genesis Evangelion has grown into one of the most talked-about anime series of all time, but its prolific reputation has a lot to do with the surreal and existential wave of depression that washes over the characters and story. On a surface level, the plot trajectory of Neon Genesis Evangelion is fairly standard. A put-upon adolescent protagonist is thrust into greatness as they’re trusted to pilot a powerful weapon against apocalyptic monsters. Granted, the first half of Evangelion is significantly lighter and it does present “fan service” in a comedic fashion. However, Evangelion’s hanging dread is just too substantial.
1 Code Geass Is A Reminder Of The Darkness That Lives In Everyone
Code Geass begins in a very familiar place as far as shonen and mecha anime are concerned, but the series’ greatest strength lies in the natural and gradual corruption of its hero, Lelouch. Much like the transformation that Eren experiences in Attack on Titan, Code Geass turns terrifying once it’s obvious that the series’ former savior is now the greatest danger. Small bursts of joy are few and far between in Code Geass, and the dark themes of oppression and brainwashing are ever-present and impossible to ignore.
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