From 2015 to the present, there has been a growth in the love, respect, and admiration that the animation industry receives. This extends to television, and as a result, the past decade has seenthe production of some of the greatest animated TV shows in history. From beautiful cartoons that the whole family can enjoy to Adult Swim originals that aredefinitelynot family-friendly, animated television is better today than ever before.
From anime to Hollywood animation, from cable to streaming, from the dark to the comedic, the late 2010s and early 2020s have proved that animation is a medium as worthy of respect and appreciation as live-action, and animated television is no exception. The last decade’s best animated shows are keeping the medium’s fans more than satisfied enough.
10’Love, Death & Robots' (2019–)
Created by Tim Miller
With each episode being a different story in a different animation style,dealing with tales of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and the most twisted comedy,Love, Death & Robotsis one of the best and most popular anthology shows in recent memory. Like any show of its nature, it isn’t without its ups and downs; but almost every single one of its episodes has at least a couple of things of value to offer.
Filled with endless creativity, delightful aesthetic variety, and some truly exceptional episodes, this show contributes to showing that Netflix is one of the companies at the forefront of contemporary television animation. There’s something here for absolutely everyone. Action, creepiness, philosophy, thoughtful messages, and pure sci-fi bliss are all offered in equal measure.
Love, Death & Robots
9’Primal' (2019–)
Created by Genndy Tartakovsky
Ever since he started his career by creatingDexter’s Laboratoryback in 1996,Genndy Tartakovskyhas been one of animated television’s most iconic legends. Projects of the caliber ofSamurai Jackand the originalStar Wars: Clone Warsnicely round out his resume, but there’s a more recent series of his that’s every bit as excellent as the rest of his work: the prehistoric buddy adventurePrimal.
Primalis one ofthe best-ever animated shows for adults, with some truly stunning visuals and, for the most part, absolutely no dialogue. Incredibly creative andmasterfully able to balance its ultra-bloody violence with undeniable beauty, it’s easily one of Tartakovsky’s most unique and emotionally compelling creations.
8’Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War' (2022–)
Created by Tite Kubo
One ofthe best anime series of the 21st century,Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warsports an impressive rating of 9.0 on IMDb. It’s a direct sequel to 2004’sBleach, both shows based onTite Kubo’s manga series. Watching and loving its predecessor is definitely a requirement in getting intoThousand-Year Blood War, but it’s absolutely worth the effort.
It manages to feel like both an evolution ofBleach(visually and narratively in equal measure) and a phenomenally faithful continuation.
The character writing is phenomenal, the pacing is great, and the animation is strong. It manages to feel like both an evolution ofBleach(visually and narratively in equal measure) and a phenomenally faithful continuation,which has made it remarkably successful with fans. It looks amazing, sounds amazing, and the story is a rush.
7’Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' (2022)
Created by Rafal Jaki
When it came out back in 2020, the action RPGCyberpunk 2077was a buggy mess with performance issues up the wazoo. Today, it has seen one of the biggest resurgences in the history of gaming. As such, it was no surprise when Netflix released the standalone anime miniseriesCyberpunk: Edgerunnersbased on the game.
The world ofCyberpunkis fascinating enough as it is, butEdgerunnersdoes a particularlyoutstanding job at expanding it and exploring it in ways that are consistently enthralling. Visually staggering and with some surprisingly engaging characters, it’s a non-stop wild ride that’s remarkably easy to binge in one sitting.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
6’Blue Eye Samurai' (2023–)
Created by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi
Yet another animated Netflix masterpiece that provesthe streaming giant knows what they’re doing when it comes to this medium,Blue Eye Samuraiis one of the platform’s best original shows in years. With a flawless balance between emotionally engaging storytelling and hypnotic animation, it’s one of the best anime of the 2020s so far.
The technical aspects of the series are fantastic, including some excellent voice performances and an animation style that’s bound to leave viewers with their jaws on the floor several times. But what makesBlue Eye Samuraiparticularly special is how much attention is paid to its storytelling dimension, with some fascinating world-building and especially strong character writing. It’s these elements that make a few of its episodes some ofthe best animated episodes in TV history.
Blue Eye Samurai
5’One Punch Man' (2015–)
Written by Tomohiro Suzuki
Based on a webcomic byOneand its manga remake,One Punch Manis one of the most iconic anime of modern times. With elements of fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and plenty of action, it tells the story of Saitama, a hero who heroes just for fun, since he can defeat his enemies with a single punch. It’s an unorthodox superhero story for sure, but the uniqueness works wonders.
As a whole, and even in spite of a somewhat underwhelming second season,One Punch Manis one ofthe most entertaining anime seriesout there. There’s plenty of awesome action, some really fun genre elements,and a surprising amount of genuinely profound character writingfor a series that’s ultimately a hilarious parody. It’s precisely comedies like this, which are willing to go deep in thought from time to time, that stand out as the best.
One Punch Man
4’Vinland Saga' (2019–2023)
Written by Hiroshi Seko
It’s hard to argue against the claim thatVinland Sagais thebest anime series of the past decade, and certainly the best of 2019. Based onMakoto Yukimura’s historical manga of the same title,it has incredibly complex character arcs and some really strong exploration of themesof violence and pacifism.
Vinland Sagais incredibly violent, which can definitely be daunting for those with less of a stomach for gore; but the main character’s journey is written with such emotional punch and such psychological complexity that it makes the journey worth every drop of blood. Masterfully paced, beautifully dramatic, and absolutely captivating, it’s one of the best stories that have been told on the small screen throughout the past 10 years.
Vinland Saga
3’Invincible' (2021–)
Created by Robert Kirkman
Created byRobert Kirkman, who also co-created the comic book series of the same name on which the show is based on withCory WalkerandRyan Ottley,Invincibleis one of the best superhero shows of all time, animated or otherwise. Throughout its three incredible seasons, it has remained consistently strong, and it even has a couple of thehighest-rated TV episodes on IMDb.
Invincibleis perfect for those who love superhero stories,with some adrenaline-pumping and delightfully bloody action, plenty of double identity drama, and some excellent world-building. It’s also perfect for those who don’t love superhero stories, thanks to its thoughtful thematic explorations, genuinely intelligently-written stories, and clever deconstruction of the genres it operates within. It’s an awesome, awesome show, even if its visuals aren’t always the most impressive.
Invincible
2’Bluey' (2018–)
Created by Joe Brumm
It has been proved on plenty of occasions that animated series don’t need to be aimed at teens or adults in order to be great,but no show proves this better thanBlueydoes. Loved by all who have seen it and hated by absolutely no one on Earth who has a beating heart, its target audience may be preschool children, but it’s a show that everyone in the family can sit down, watch, and enjoy thoroughly.
Perhaps it’s the cute visuals and charming characters. Perhaps it’s the fun, amusing, andsometimes even terribly sad stories. Perhaps it’s the way the series directs subtle plotlines and messages at adults, dealing with themes ranging from the difficulties of parenthood to postpartum depression, in the cleverest of ways. Whatever the case,Blueyis a masterpiece that everyone can fall in love with, no matter their age.
1’Arcane' (2021–2024)
Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee
Arcaneisn’t just the best animated series of the last decade. It isn’t just one of the best things that Netflix has produced in its history. It’s not even just one of thebest animated TV shows of the last 25 years. It’s a masterpiece of the televisual medium that achieved a titanic feat that no one could have imagined to be possible: to turnLeague of Legendsinto a respectable TV show.
All jokes aside,Arcaneis genuinely masterful. Its world-building mixes elements of sci-fi and fantasy in all the most entertaining ways, its storylines are all gripping from start to finish, its character arcs are enthralling, and the wayit sets up climactic events and then gives each and every one of them a satisfying pay-offis admirable. It may not be a perfect show, but the writing is exceptional, the voice acting is elite, and the visuals might just be the most impressive in the history of animated television as a whole.
