Whenever we make a list or ranking of the best anime, it is very easy for some of the biggest names in the industry to win. For example, no matter how good any modern shonen anime is, it will always be hard to surpass the big three. And no matter how good a new science fiction anime is, there are tons of anime from the 2000s that would win easily.
Hence, there is always a bias. So, we are ranking the top anime that were released after 2021, based on simply how good they were at the thing they tried to do. You can use this ranking as a recommendation guide, or to simply see how the landscape has changed in this decade. Let’s dive in.
6. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Is What Science Fiction Should Be
Lucy and David from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners | Credit: Trigger
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners goes hard – the animation is unreal, David’s arc is a gut-punch, and every single episode is the definition of perfection.
However, it ranks below Apothecary Diaries because Edgerunners is mostly emotional spectacle – a beautiful, brutal sprint with less room to breathe. Maomao’s world rewards patience: sharp mystery-solving, dry humor, and a slow-burn payoff that feels smarter the more you sit with it. Edgerunners makes you feel something instantly, which works well but only once.
Where to Watch: Netflix
5. The Apothecary Diaries Combines Shoujo With Mystery
Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries | Credit: OLM, TOHO Animation Studio
If you just look at the poster of this anime, it is easy to confuse it with a typical romantic anime set in Imperial China. However, that is simply not the case. The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, who is a young girl living her normal life as an apothecary.
One day, she gets kidnapped and now has to work in the rear palace. Her curiosity leads her to solve a mystery there, and she ends up attracting the attention of Jinshi, who is the overseer of the inner court. While technically it is still a shoujo anime, it breaks all the rules and gets creative with it. However, it ranks the lowest because it can betray the expectations of fans as well.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
4. Chainsaw Man Quickly Won Everyone’s Heart
Denji from Chainsaw Man | Credit: MAPPA
Chainsaw Man is straight-up chaotic good. Its unhinged action, humor, and Denji’s whole “just wants a normal life” character trait make him one of the best modern anime. MAPPA has done an amazing job of animating this masterpiece written by Tatsuki Fujimoto.
However, it ranks below Witch Hat Atelier because while its world-building is amazing, it is not as detail-oriented. It ranks above Apothecary Diaries though, since Chainsaw Man feels more and more fresh every episode, while Maomao’s story may feel repetitive.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
3. Witch Hat Atelier Showed Fantasy Like None Other
Credit: BUG FILMS
Credit: BUG FILMS
Credit: BUG FILMS
Witch Hat Atelier is about a world where magic is as easy as drawing, which makes it highly dangerous. Coco is fascinated by magic but doesn’t know anything about it. She ends up receiving a book full of forbidden spells, and after she learns the truth that magic can be drawn, she ends up drawing a dangerous spell that turns her mother into a crystal.
Now, she must learn more about magic in order to help her mother and go back to normal life. The reason this anime is considered such a masterpiece even with a single season is that there is perhaps no other anime that does fantasy like it. Recently, it even won a major anime award. The only reason it doesn’t rank higher is that the best is yet to come.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
2. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Revived the Fantasy Genre
Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End | Credit: Madhouse
When the term fantasy anime comes into conversation, most people think about stories of heroes who went on a journey and defeated the demon king. That has been a trope for a long time, after all. However, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End flipped the entire concept by focusing on what happens after that story is over, becoming one of the best fantasy anime of all time.
Frieren’s party defeated the demon king after a ten-year journey – a lifetime for the human hero Himmel, but barely a blink for the long-living elf Frieren. After losing Himmel without ever truly knowing him, she journeys onward, finally trying to understand humans. This genre-defying twist, executed perfectly, is why it ranks this high.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
1. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Is the Underrated Gem
Rafal from Orb: On the Movements of the Earth | Credit: Madhouse
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is very different. It follows Rafal, whose whole vibe is refusing to accept “just because” answers in a world that literally punishes people for thinking too hard. However, the story is not centered on Rafal himself; it is focused on the concept of Heliocentrism and what “truth” is. Honestly, it is hard to say if an anime like this even exists, which is why it ranks at the top.
This is the anime that proved that a good story can be told without over-the-top action or animation, as it does none of those. But it does have really pretty art, as it is made by Madhouse. But under all that pretty art is a genuinely heavy plot: science vs. blind dogma, inspired by real history. This anime is thought-provoking, emotionally devastating, and Rafal’s curiosity-over-everything mindset makes it impossible not to root for him.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Which of these anime is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
