20 Best Anime of 2021

As the past several years, hundreds of new anime series were created and broadcasted in 2021 as well. Some finest recent anime were made into international versions with subs and dubs almost at the same time as the original Japanese editions were released.

How many latest anime did you watch in 2021? And, what is the best anime of 2021? Here is a complete list of 20 best anime released in 2021 including the brand new titles and the following seasons of the popular current series.

For your information, this 2021 best anime list does not include one of the hottest series Jujutsu Kaisen, which started airing last year. I also refrained from adding Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 2, which just began in the end of 2021, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, which was pre-delivered exclusively on Netflix.

It is never too late to check the recent anime series of 2021 from now on!

The links to watch these anime on popular anime sites are listed below for you.

▽Check this new list of the best anime series of 2024, too!▽

*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.

20. To Your Eternity

To Your Eternity (不滅のあなたへ) is one of the top-rated anime series aired in 2021, adapted from the Yoshitoki Oima’s manga series serialized on Weekly Shonen Magazine since 2016. There are 20 episodes in the first season of the anime series, which tells a grand fantasy story of a young boy named Fushi. Fushi travels around the world as a substance that can transfigure itself into various things and people inspired by all beings.

▶︎Check To Your Eternity on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check To Your Eternity on Crunchyroll right now!

19. Fruits Basket: The Final

Finally, the well-known romance anime series released its last part as Fruits Basket: The Final (フルーツバスケット The Final) from April to June, 2021. The shojo manga series of Fruits Basket was serialized between 1998 and 2006, and all parts of the 23 volumes have been adapted into the three seasons of the anime series since the first season was broadcast in 2019. The 2022 new anime movie Fruits Basket: Prelude presents the following story of Tohru and Kyo.

▶︎Check Fruits Basket: The Final on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check Fruits Basket: The Final on Crunchyroll right now!

18. Sonny Boy

A new sci-fi and coming-of-age anime series Sonny Boy is one of the hot topics in the 2021 anime season in 2021. It aired with 12 episodes in the summer, made by Madhouse. The story of Sonny Boy begins when the middle schoolers are sent to a different dimension, where they get individual supernatural abilities. Some students rampage with the powers and others make efforts to escape from the weird world.

▶︎Check Sonny Boy on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Sonny Boy on Netflix right now!

17. Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 2

In 2021, the second season of Uma Musume Pretty Derby (ウマ娘 プリティーダービー) followed the first season that was released in 2018. The unique horse racing themed series is also famous for the smash-hit mobile game released at the same year as the season 2. The latest season centers on Tokai Teio and Mejiro Mcqueen set in 1991-1993 while the first season features Special Week set in 1998-1999. There are a variety of cute horse girls in the popular franchise.

▶︎Check Uma Musume Pretty Derby (Season 2) on Crunchyroll right now!

16. Beastars Season 2

The popular coming-of-age drama manga series Beastars was first adapted into the anime series in 2019, and the next season was broadcasted in the spring of 2021. It was originally serialized between 2016 and 2020, written by Paru Itagaki. There are anthropomorphized animal characters joining the drama club in the high school. And, the second season also focuses on what is happening to the gray wolf protagonist Legoshi and other club members.

▶︎Check Beastars on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Beastars on Netflix right now!

15. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2

The 2nd season of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime was welcomed by the fans of the first season and the original light novel, following the 1st season in 2018 and 2019. It was broadcasted with 26 episodes from January to September, 2021. It is expected to continue the popular Isekai anime series until it catches up with the story of the novel.

▶︎Check That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime on Crunchyroll right now!

14. Record of Ragnarok

The popular modern action manga Record of Ragnarok was made into the anime adaptation in 2021. The first 12 episodes were exclusively streamed on Netflix from June and aired on television from October. Record of Ragnarok presents the powerful battles between the strongest gods and humans around the globe. It was announced that the season 2 would be released in the near future.

▶︎Check Record of Ragnarok on Netflix right now!

13. Horimiya

A new romance and comedy anime series started in 2021: Horimiya. It was originally published as a manga series between 2011 and 2021, and its anime adaptation consisting of 13 episodes were aired in the winter of 2021. Horimiya follows a popular high school girl Kyoko Hori and an apparently gloomy boy Izumi Miyamura.

▶︎Check Horimiya on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Horimiya on Netflix right now!

12. Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song

A cutting-edge science fiction anime titled Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song was unveiled in the spring of 2021. The story was partly written by Tappei Nagatsuki, who is also famous for the famous Isekai light novel and anime series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World. Set in 2061, Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song focuses on an autonomous humanoid AI named Vivy in addition to other themes like music and alternate history.

▶︎Check Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song on Netflix right now!

11. SSSS.Dynazenon

Many mecha anime series are released every year, and a new quality title of the popular genre in 2021 is SSSS.Dynazenon. It was made by the famous Japanese anime studio Trigger as well as its previous mecha anime SSSS.Gridman in 2018. SSSS.Dynazenon consists of 12 episodes broadcasted between April and June. In addition to the intense battle of the large robots called Dynazenon, serious human dramas are also depicted in the anime.

▶︎Check SSSS.Dynazenon on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check SSSS.Dynazenon on Netflix right now!

10. The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬

The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬ is the second season of the The Quintessential Quintuplets anime series adaptation, which was first aired in 2019. Based on the original manga series serialized on Weekly Shonen Magazine between 2017 and 2020, the next 12 episodes were released in the winter of 2021. The modern romance and comedy anime presents the story of quintuplet sisters and their private tutor.

▶︎Check The Quintessential Quintuplets on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check The Quintessential Quintuplets on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check The Quintessential Quintuplets on Crunchyroll right now!

9. Shaman King

The new version of the top-rated action adventure anime Shaman King started in April following the first anime series broadcasted between 2001 and 2002. The original manga series was serialized between 1998 and 2005, and 3 more volumes were added in 2018. The latest anime series is based on the whole story of the completed manga series. Shaman King follows a young shaman named Yoh Asakura, who set out on an adventure to become the king of the shamans with his ghost Amidamaru.

▶︎Check Shaman King on Netflix right now!

8. Wonder Egg Priority

Wonder Egg Priority is one of the new anime series that has attracted the most attention from anime fans and experts in 2021, especially in Japan. Made by a Japanese renowned screenwriter Shin Wakabayashi, Wonder Egg Priority was released with 12 episodes from January to March and an extra story in June. The dark-fantasy drama tells the story of 4 girls who fight against enemies in a fantasy world for their important people.

▶︎Check Wonder Egg Priority on Funimation right now!

7. My Hero Academia Season 5

Some popular anime series continue to the next seasons, and My Hero Academia is one of the most successful long anime series. Its 5th season, which consists of 25 episodes, aired from March to September, 2021. Adapted from the original manga serialized since 2014, the high-quality anime series has been made by the anime studio Bones since 2016. My Hero Academia Season 6 has been already announced to be produced. In this season 5, there are powerful battles between villains and heroes and even between Class 1-A and 1-B.

▶︎Check My Hero Academia on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check My Hero Academia on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll right now!

6. Dr. Stone Season 2

The anticipated 2nd season of the recent sci-fi anime series Dr. Stone aired with 11 episodes from January to March, following the first season’s 24 episodes in 2019. The original manga series has been serialized on Weekly Shonen Jump as one of its front titles since 2017. Set in the far-off future, Dr. Stone revolves around a young genius scientist Senku Ishigami, who tries to improve the primitive situation in the early stages of civilization with rich modern knowledge of science.

▶︎Check Dr. Stone on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Dr. Stone on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check Dr. Stone on Crunchyroll right now!

5. Attack on Titan Final Season

Attack on Titan, one of the most popular modern manga and anime series is reaching the most interesting part now. The manga series just came to the end in April, 2021, and the final and 4th season of its anime adaptation began in the end of 2020. The first part of Final Season consists of 16 episodes airing from December, 2020 to March, 2021, and the second half will come from the beginning of 2022. Lots of mysteries related to the Titans and main characters are being unvailed.

▶︎Check Attack on Titan on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Attack on Titan on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check Attack on Titan on Crunchyroll right now!

4. 86

The trendy light novel series titled 86 is being welcomed by lots of modern anime fans, too. It has been published since 2017, adapted into the 2021 anime series. The first 11 episodes were aired from April to June and the second part started in October. The mecha and science fiction anime tells the story of low class people who are called 86 in the Republic of San Magnolia and fight with mecha weapons at the border.

▶︎Check 86 on Netflix right now!

3. Tokyo Revengers

As one of the much-talked-about anime in 2021, many people will choose the hot sci-fi and thriller series Tokyo Revengers. Firstly, its manga series launched in 2017, and the anime adaptation sparked the Tokyo Revengers boom not only in Japan but also overseas. There are 24 episodes in the first season which went on air from April to September. Based on Tokyo, the story follows a protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki, who can go back in time and repeat his middle school days with Japanese yanki.

▶︎Check Tokyo Revengers on Netflix right now!
▶︎Check Tokyo Revengers on Crunchyroll right now!

2. Mushoku Tensei

Mushoku Tensei is one of the greatest new anime series released in 2021, which consists of two parts: the first 11 episodes were broadcasted between January and March and the second half began in this autumn. The original top-rated Isekai light novel has been published since 2012, which has made into the manga series since 2014 and the anime series since 2021. A young talented magician Rudeus Greyrat, who a 34-year-old Japanese man is reincarnated as in the fantasy world, develops his magic skills and travels around the world with his party. There are unique characters, severe and humoulous stories and beautifully drawn landscapes in the anime series.

▶︎Check Mushoku Tensei on Amazon.com right now!
▶︎Check Mushoku Tensei on Netflix right now!

1. Odd Taxi

Odd Taxi is a worthy recipient of the best anime of 2021, categorized as mystery and thriller. It was aired on television as a brand new anime series that is adapted from nothing from April to June. The 13-episode unique animation was created by two studios P.I.C.S. and OLM together. Odd Taxi is set in Tokyo and focuses on a taxi driver named Odokawa, an anthropomorphized walrus character, and some shadowy incidents happening around him, which can also happen around you in the modern day. There are never intense battled with supernatural powers or heartwarming romance, however, you can enjoy the unpredictable story and the shocking last scene.

▶︎Check Odd Taxi on Crunchyroll right now!

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You can check the latest list of best anime of 2022 here, too!

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