Who doesn’t enjoy captivating plots and intense battles featuring extraordinary characters? We all have a soft spot for shonen anime. However, it can be extremely disheartening when an anime is discontinued after just one season, especially if the finale leaves us with an open ending or a cliffhanger.
This shared sentiment of heartache and yearning is all too familiar. So, here’s a compilation of the Top 10 shonen anime that urgently require a second season—a list we can all agree on.
10. The God of Highschool
Various combat styles were allowed in the God of High School tournament, aimed at discovering the finest fighter among Korean high school students, with the winner earning one wish. Jin Mo-Ri, an expert taekwondo practitioner, enters the tournament and builds a friendship with swordswoman Yu Mi-Ra and karate fighter Han Dae-Wi, motivated by personal reasons.
While Mo-Ri looked forward to the thrilling matches, greater mysteries unfolded around the competition. A political figure, Park Mu-Jin, watched the battles for his own agenda, leading Mo-Ri, Dae-Wi, and Mi-Ra to uncover the true purpose of the tournament.
9. Highschool of the Dead
In Highschool of the Dead, the dead unexpectedly rise, plunging Japan into chaos and transforming it into a nightmare. After being bitten by a zombie, high schooler Takashi Komuro is forced to kill his best friend. He and a close ally make a desperate attempt to leave their school, only to find that society has already crumbled as they try to protect Rei Miyamoto, their friend’s girlfriend.
They soon ally with other survivors, including Saeko Busujima, Kouta Hirano, Saya Takagi, and Shizuka Marikawa.
8 . Gurren Lagann
Raised in a secluded underground village, Simon and Kamina are unaware of the outside world. While Simon is timid and lacks ambition, Kamina is bold and dreams of reaching the surface. One day, Simon stumbles upon Lagann, a powerful war machine. With the assistance of the fiery Yoko Littner, the trio launches a defense against threats from the surface.
United, Kamina, Simon, and Yoko soon confront the Beastmen, who terrorize humanity with their formidable Gunmen. Together with other survivors, they must tackle formidable challenges to reclaim the surface and unravel a cosmic mystery that will change their existence forever.
7. Samurai Champloo
After unintentionally creating chaos at a teahouse, waitress Fuu seeks the help of two samurai: the composed and skillful Jin, and the wild warrior Mugen. After accidentally killing the magistrate’s son, both are arrested, but Fuu intervenes, recruiting them as her bodyguards.
Throughout their journey, they encounter a variety of wild experiences while searching for a mysterious warrior with a scent of sunflowers, attempting to stave off a showdown between Mugen and Jin. The series deftly combines humor, action, and thrilling swordplay.
6. Trigun Stampede
On the desert planet Noman’s Land, reporters Meryl Stryfe and Roberto De Niro set out to find the infamous outlaw Vash the Stampede. They discover, however, that he is not the notorious criminal he is painted to be; instead, Vash is a tranquil wanderer. His notorious reputation stems from the heinous acts of his twin brother, Knives Millions.
When bounty hunters descend upon Jeneora Rock and its essential power plant, Vash, armed with incredible gunslinging skills, must defend the village and face off against the ultimate evil—his brother Knives and his terrifying forces.
5. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
A catastrophic virus leads to the emergence of vicious creatures called “Kabane” in a world ravaged by the industrial revolution. When bitten, these Kabane turn into zombies. One of humanity’s last enclaves is Hinomoto, an island surrounded by massive walls and fortified trains.
Ikoma, a skilled builder of these trains, develops a weapon capable of piercing the steel-coated hearts of the Kabane. Eager to prove himself in combat, Ikoma soon realizes that his moment arrives far sooner as the undead menace breaches their defenses.
4. God Eater
In 2071, the emergence of monstrous Aragami—resistant to conventional weaponry and intent on destroying humanity—threatens civilization. In response, the organization Fenrir creates “God Eaters,” individuals infused with Oracle cells for utilizing God Arcs, the sole weapon capable of defeating the Aragami.
Lenka Utsugi, a New-Type God Eater wielding a versatile God Arc, must hone his skills to battle the Aragami, the last hope for humanity’s survival.
3. Parasyte: The Maxim
In Parasyte, alien parasites invade Earth, taking over human minds and transforming their hosts into vicious predators. When 16-year-old Shinichi Izumi becomes host to a parasite that can only control his right hand, he forms an uneasy partnership with Migi, the parasite. Together, they must fend off other parasites who deem them a threat to their existence.
As they navigate this treacherous new world, Shinichi grapples with the alien presence within him while striving to save humanity.
2. Deadman Wonderland
Ganta Igarashi’s life takes a dark turn when the enigmatic “Red Man” slaughters his entire class. Wrongfully accused of the massacre, Ganta is sentenced to death and sent to Deadman Wonderland, a demented prison amusement park where inmates engage in lethal entertainment.
As Ganta meets violent prisoners and contends with a cruel collar that only slows down when he wins in deadly games, he must unravel the mystery of the “Red Man” and prove his innocence in this brutal environment.
1. No Game No Life
Tet, the One True God, rules the world of Disboard, where all disputes are resolved through games. Deprived of magic, the inhabitants, or Imanity, are the weakest beings. This changes when gifted gamers Sora and Shiro, who are siblings, are transported to Disboard.
Once the supreme online gaming gods on Earth, they discover that all conflicts in Disboard are settled through contests. Joining forces with Stephanie Dola, a young woman desperate to save her kingdom, they set out to restore Imanity’s rule and reclaim dominion over the game-driven world they once mastered.
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