4 American Anime Series That Are 10/10 Masterpieces

Anime is an infinitely creative storytelling medium that tackles a wide range of genres, themes, and ideas where anything seems possible. Between tried and true storytelling tropes, but also original subgenres like magical girl, isekai, mecha, and sports, it genuinely feels like there’s an anime out there for everyone. There are certain aesthetics that are often present in anime, but there are no firm conditions that need to be present in order for an animated series to qualify as an anime other than the fact that it’s made in Japan.

Anime isn’t a genre, but a whole subset of animation. That being said, anime’s popularity and the certain expectations that accompany these titles have led to attempts to imitate the medium’s energy. Animated series that are made in North America and outside Japan aren’t truly anime in the technical sense. However, there are still some genuinely impressive “American anime” that can hold their own with Japan’s best animated series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is celebrating a bit of a renaissance right now with the animated series' live-action adaptation on Netflix, the release of the Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender feature film, and the upcoming Avatar: Seven Havens animated series. Paramount has gone all in on the beloved franchise that first changed the shape and scope of children's animated programming back in the 2000s. Avatar: The Last Airbender ran for three seasons on Nickelodeon and was followed by its four-season spin-off, The Legend of Korra , which helped show broadcasters that children's programming can also be geared towards adults and broach more mature themes like war, imperialism, gender discrimination, and even genocide.

It's an animated series that never talks down to its audience, which is why it's become such an evergreen animated hit. Avatar draws influence from Chinese mythology and other East Asian practices, like Hinduism and Taoism. Avatar 's creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, were also deeply inspired by the works of Hayao Miyazaki, which is very clear from Avatar's unique worlds and creatures. The animated series focuses on Aang, the 12-year-old Avatar who has the powerful privilege of bending all four elements, Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, as a way to safeguard peace in an increasingly fractured world.

Avatar is a densely serialized work of art that feels more like a series of novels brought to life than the average animated series. Its stakes, action, and character development grow more complicated and rewarding with each passing episode. In addition to its creative combat sequences and intricate plotting and world-building, Avatar: The Last Airbender presents important themes that can teach its audience, children and adults alike, important lessons about empathy and morality.

There used to be a long-standing stigma regarding video game adaptations, but Netflix has properly broken this curse and truly embraced animated series that are based on popular video game franchises, such as Devil May Cry , Tomb Raider , Splinter Cell , and Cyberpunk 2077 . Netflix's Castlevania helped break down barriers and completely change the narrative around animated video game adaptations. Produced by Frederator Studios, Powerhouse Animation, and Adi Shankar Animation, Castlevania 's visual style is heavily influenced by both anime and Ayami Kojima's iconic Castlevania illustrations.

Berserk , Ninja Scroll , and Vampire Hunter D were all explicitly cited as reference points and it also doesn't hurt that several seasons included staff who had worked on various Madhouse anime productions. Castlevania is such a success because the video game franchise has dozens of games with rich lore and characters to pull from. The animated series has such obvious respect for its source material that it does the franchise's dark story justice, but is also full of rewarding Easter Eggs for die-hard fans.

There are plenty of dark fantasy animated series that tackle vampires. However, Castlevania is careful to portray the nuance of these "monsters" and even humanizes Dracula so that he's not just a one-note villain. The endearing chemistry between Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard is Castlevania 's secret weapon and the heart of the franchise. However, Castlevania is also rich in remarkable action sequences with inspired battle choreography that combine eclectic forms of magic with gritty weapon-based combat against unique monsters. After running for four seasons and a two-season spin-off, Castlevania: Nocturne , it's unclear if Netflix has plans for more Castlevania in its future.

Cartoon Network's Toonami is a groundbreaking programming block that introduced many North American audiences to anime for the first time. Anime makes up the majority of Toonami's programming, but there are still some exceptions for American animated series that carry the same ethos. Megas XLR is a passionate love letter to the mecha genre, specifically Voltron and Mobile Suit Gundam , while it also peppers in some Sailor Moon for good measure. Megas XLR 's creators, Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic, both grew up watching mecha anime, and they wanted to homage these series while also poking fun at their tropes and incorporating a Western animation sensibility.

Megas XLR focuses on two slackers from New Jersey, Coop and Jamie, who find a mecha from the future in a junkyard. Coop modifies the MEGAS mecha's architecture so that they, along with the mecha's original pilot, can use it to protect the Earth from evil alien invaders known as the Glorft. Megas XLR consistently rises to the occasion, whether it's with its exciting action sequences or ludicrous slapstick comedy. It's a perfect fit for Toonami and it ran for two seasons, resonating with both dedicated mecha anime fans and acting as a successful gateway title for those who have never seen a giant robot series before.

Megas XLR was ultimately canceled after two seasons because of declining ratings, but it's maintained a passionate cult following ever since. Various efforts to revive Megas XLR have happened in the following decades and actually received the green light for a proper reboot in the 2020s. Unfortunately, the Warner Bros. Discovery merger led to this new version of Megas XLR becoming one of the many scrapped casualties. At this point, it looks like Megas XLR might finally be gone for good. If nothing else, the animated series' theme song, "Chicks Dig Giant Robots," is still an absolute banger.

Netflix's Arcane is based on Riot Games' extremely popular online multiplayer battle arena video game, League of Legends . Announced to celebrate League of Legends ' tenth anniversary, Arcane completely surpassed expectations and is regarded as one of the decade's best animated series. Not only has Arcane resonated with audiences in a big way, but both seasons won the Outstanding Animated Program Emmy Award. Produced by Fortiche and Riot Games, Arcane is a steampunk action-adventure dystopian masterpiece that chronicles the struggle between two sisters, Vi and Jinx , who are pulled between two worlds.

Arcane uses a unique approach to adaptation: set in the League of Legends universe and prominently featuring familiar locations, weapons, and arcane technologies, rather than being a direct recreation of the game's events. This ultimately works in its favor and turns Arcane into a much more accessible animated series that's connected just as much to those with zero frame of reference for its source material. Arcane goes for broke with all of its production elements and there's a powerful score that features musical contributions from Imagine Dragons, Pusha T, and Sting that make sure to get the most emotion possible out of every scene.

Fortiche's art style for Arcane is breathtaking and has helped it stand out from Netflix's many other animated video game series. Every frame is a work of art, but Arcane is hardly a case of style over substance. There's an intricate narrative and world-building that's just as engaging, works hard to avoid one-dimensional tropes, and makes sure that every single character contains multitudes. Vi and Jinx's tragic dynamic becomes Arcane 's narrative engine and a conduit to dig deeper into the animated series' rich exploration of class inequality, oppression, and power's corruptive nature.