Best Anime of 2018: 35 New Must Watch Anime Series You Have to Binge

Fans of great anime, rejoice! There has been a bunch of new additions to the lineup this year. We already hit you all up with the best anime of 2017, well here’s 2018’s must watch anime. These are the best anime of 2018! We tried to choose from different genres so there’s a bit for everyone.

Enjoy our list of the best anime of 2018 and leave a comment down below with your favorites! Oh, and if you want the best anime to watch on Netflix, check that out over here!

Banana Fish

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Starting off our list of the best anime of 2018, Banana Fish. The show tells the story of Ash Lynx, a runaway brought up by a crime lord. When a disastrous secret falls into Golzine’s hands, Ash meets a pure-hearted young photographer named Eiji Okamura, and their fates begin to change.

The biggest change for the anime comes with its setting, now taking place in a modern New York City. The anime comes from the same studio responsible for Yuri on Ice, and the director of Free!

The animation quality is quite good, and the subject matter is brutal, emotional, and mature. The relationship between the two main leads is absolutely fascinating.

If you’re looking for a good drama, look no further than Banana Fish which is available exclusively on Amazon.

Violet Evergarden

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Violet Evergarden‘s charm doesn’t rely much on words. It’s a soft-spoken show that lets its animation and art style consume you instead. Protagonist Violet bears little to no clue as to how to interact act with the world around her now that a long war has finally ended. She knows nothing but pain and suffering.

Yet her universe almost always tells her that there’s much more to life than that. It’s hard not to notice the sun gleaming through the window of the post office. Or the waves of water that push by feet on the sand.

It’s a show that certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s pacing is very slow and deliberate, and Violet can sometimes feel as if she lacks too much heart, despite being a robot. The supporting cast and overarching story feel bland and generic from the outset, though once viewers get past episode 3, they’ll definitely see the show pick up the pace.

You won’t find the spectacle of Attack of Titan or Gurren Lagann in Violet Evergarden, but the thrill of seeing something come to life before your eyes is definitely there.

Darling in the Franxx

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Speaking of Gurren Lagann, Darling in the Franxx is the product of Studio Trigger and A1 Pictures, the former of which is responsible for some of the best action scenes the medium has to offer.

Set in the distant future when Earth’s land is almost entirely gone, the last slivers of humanity reside in a mobile fort city named Plantation. Children born here are kept inside, forbidden to never learn of the outside world.

They’re tasked with carrying out combat missions to the point where piloting robots called Franxx give them meaning to live.

These giant mechs are used to do battle against huge lifeforms called Kyouryuu, who constantly threaten what remains of the human race. As grim as all of this may sound, Darling in the Franxx is actually pretty lighthearted in nature.

The way in which these Franxx are piloted, for instance, will leave you scratching your head for days. It’s silly, fun, and delivers on all the action you’ve come to expect from Trigger after all these years.

Devilman Crybaby

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

The Netflix original show Devilman Crybaby stays true to Go Nagai’s manga from decades ago and succeeds in delivering on just about all the hype in had accrued up until release.

Starring an innocent young man named Akira who’s suddenly possessed by one of Satan’s servants, Devilman is a show that expertly lays out the trials and tribulations of becoming an adult through a series of metaphors and surprisingly graphic images.

It culminates in a battle that pits the purest of human instinct against the sanctity of human intellect, resulting in something that’s far from perfect.

If you’re a person that’s easily turned off by gore and sexual content, Devilman Crybaby certainly isn’t for you. If you’re willing to push past that to discover the themes that the show lays out before you, you won’t be disappointed with what you find.

Oh, and that’s not even mentioning all the great hip hop tunes you’ll get to listen to.

Kokkoku

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Kokkoku stars a young woman named Juri Yukawa who’s pretty disappointed with her life. Having failed 19 job interviews in just one day, she’s forced to live with her working mother Nobuko, NEET brother Tsubasa, laid-off father Takafumi, single-parent sister Sanae, and cousin Makoto, the last of which is the only one in the family who actually has any potential to be anyone decent in life.

When Makoto is kidnapped alongside Tsubasa, Juri’s grandfather reveals a way in which the Yukawas can get their missing family members back: a blood sacrifice.

Together with her father, Juri enters a similar version of our world named Stasis where time is stopped for everyone but the people who’ve offered their blood. Lots of twists and turns beset the family in an attempt to rescue their loved ones.

Kokkoku is intricate in the way it plays out. This is a real treat for fans that love to be kept on the edge of their seat.

Overlord (Season 2)

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

The second season of Overlord continues all the badassery that fans first experienced when the series debuted in 2015. Ainz Ooal Gown is as powerful as he’s ever been, schooling enemies with a flick.

This time around, the spotlight is cast on some of the supporting characters the show has to offer.

Season two treats us to the lizard arc that readers of the manga have long reviled.

Despite expectations to the contrary, the anime adaptation tackles the story exceedingly well, indicating that subsequent seasons of the show will no doubt be even better than what we’ve seen already. Overall, it sets up the future of the series very nicely.

Pop Team Epic

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Pop Team Epic is a triumph of Japanese animation. Starring the short and angry Popuko and the tall and calm Pipimi, the show bares nothing from its viewers.

Swear words, crudely drawn caricatures, haphazard explosions, pop culture references, and nerdy shout-outs to RPGs can all be found in this soaring masterpiece. Truly, Pop Team Epic is the dank meme anime we all never knew we needed.

To say more about the adventures of Popuko and Pipimi would spoil all the fun, though it should be noted that each episode is really only 12 minutes long. You see, the show is expertly voiced by two different pairs of actors each run.

The first half stars two female actresses while the second, arguably more enjoyable half stars two deep-voiced men. You’ve got to hear it for yourself to experience how ridiculous it truly is.

A Place Further Than The Universe

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

A Place Further Than The Universe is an anime that you can be quick to judge. Starring four cute girls who try to embark on a journey to Antarctica just to do something interesting in their lives, it seems as though a regular synopsis will have one believe that the show ends up falling flat on its face, as going to a frozen continent sounds like the most boring thing imaginable.

You couldn’t be more wrong, however, as A Place Further Than The Universe has some of the best character development that the year as a whole has to offer. Each girl feels very grounded and believable.

None of them are perfect, yet they try to see the best in each other. It’s solemn yet emotional to the point where you’ll laugh and cry all within the short time frame of roughly 20 minutes. You have to see it for yourself to understand why the show deserves more attention.

After the Rain

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

After the Rain’s premise is a little out of the ordinary, even when it comes to anime’s standards. To put it very bluntly, 17-year-old Akira Tachibana falls in love with a man that’s over twice her age while working at a restaurant part-time.

I assure you, as strange as that may sound, there’s plenty more than just questionable relationships in this show.

Akira is a terribly flawed character who once loved running track and field, yet can no longer perform the way she used to thanks to an injury she sustained. Akira’s crush is a 45-year-old divorcee who’s barely getting by in life and whose colleagues think he’s a complete moron.

After the Rain certainly makes viewers wonder what love truly is, and if society can really put up distinctions as to what is or isn’t permissible in love.

Is Akira’s attraction for an older man something to condone, or does she just see a lot of herself in him?

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

The joy that is Cardcaptor Sakura is back and better than ever in the Clear Card saga. Everyone’s favorite magical girl returns alongside all her friends nearly two decades since we last saw her.

Equipped with modern technology like a smartphone, Sakura feels as if she transcends time itself, as there’s no noticeable difference between the show that aired in the 90’s and the show that’s airing right now. All of that innocent charm remains, too.

In the new Clear Card arc, Sakura is tasked with finding out how all of her cards have mysteriously turned blank and powerless.

In trying to find out the cause, she uncovers a whole new set of transparent cards. It’s all basically a repeat of what we’ve seen before, yet it still warrants a watch to witness everything come to life in a modern atmosphere.

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

You’ve probably seen this one floating around on the internet. The picture of Takagi above will undoubtably follow you into your nightmares, if only because the title of this show roughly translates to “Skilled Teaser Takagi.”

Indeed, this anime follows the titular girl as she teases a young man named Nishikata. He’s struggling with coming to terms with his adolescence.

The main draw of the show lies in how its two protagonists develop a relationship with one another. Nishikata is bashful and far from perfect, and it’s endearing to see Takagi make fun of him in a sweet way for that.

It’s obvious that the two have feelings for each other, and the way in which each character handles these emotions is something that will surely make you smile.

Grancrest Senki

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

My Hero Academia (Season 3)

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

My Hero Academia rocketed up as one of the most popular anime series out there, and the highly anticipated season 3 is finally here. If you haven’t jumped onboard with the show, now’s the perfect time to do so.

Izuku and the other students of Class 1-A and 1-B face their toughest challenge yet, at a summer training camp.

A group of pro heroes are putting everyone’s quirks to the test, but as you might expect things take a turn for the worst when villains crash the party. My Hero Academia Season 3 still features some charming character moments, and plenty of dazzling action scenes.

It’s easily one of the best Shonen animes out there right now, and if you aren’t up to speed there’s two whole seasons for you to marathon on either Funimation or Crunchyroll.

Caligula

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Caligula in many ways resembles Persona, and that’s for good reason. It’s based on a game called The Caligula Effect, which is written by the scenario writer of the first two Persona games. While the game suffered from some pretty substantial gameplay and technical issues, it had a fascinating story.

The anime takes place in a virtual reality program known as Mobius that has attained self-awareness.  The program lures people who are suffering in, forcing them to relive an idyllic high school life over and over. The protagonist and a group of other begin hatching a plan to escape.

There’s definitely similarities that the show has with the likes of Persona and Sword Art Online.

The anime’s title actually stems from the term Caligula Effect, which means the want to see and do prohibited things. As you might expect things get pretty dark and twisted early on, and this is the best way to experience the original story of Caligula.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Season 2)

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is a bit like One Punch Man, but with a much more comical tone. Kusuo Saiki is a young high school student attending P.K. Academy, who just so happens to possess all manner of powerful psychic abilities like telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation.

Saiki is essentially an unbeatable hero, and he finds himself bored with a mundane high school life where no one can challenge him.

Saiki K plays the invincible protagonist to extreme comedic effect, constantly contrasting Saiki himself to the classmates around him. Both seasons of the show are currently on Netflix, making them easily bingable over a weekend or two.

Kakegurui

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Gambling anime isn’t exactly the most well known of genres, but there’s some quality shows that fall into it. Kakegurui is one of those, blending together gambling and high school slice of life.

The show takes place at Hyakkou Private Academy, where many privileged students and future leaders are enrolled. The school’s hierarchy is decided by an incredibly intricate gambling system, and a tyrannical Student Council oversees all aspects of the student body.

This system is thrown into absolute disarray when a new student appears, who only gambles for the thrill of it. Kakegurui is a strange anime, with an even stranger cast of characters, but there’s something charming about all of it. You can find the show on Netflix currently.

Children of the Whales

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Children of the Whales biggest strength is its gorgeous animation, which definitely has a Ghibli-esque vibe to it. The show takes place in a world entirely covered by a sea of sand, where an island known as the Mud Whale swims.

Inside the whale is an ancient city where its inhabitants are known as “Marked,” granted supernatural abilities at the cost of an early death.

When another mysterious island crosses the Mud Whale’s path the main character, Chakuro, and his friends join the scouting party to investigate. If you can get invested in the show’s utopian themes and psychological drama there’s a satisfying story to be found here, although Children of the Whales might not be for everybody.

Either way, however, its animation and music make it an experience worth having. You can see all 12 episodes on Netflix.

Persona 5: The Animation

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Being avid gamers around these parts, you know we had to add this one into our best anime of 2018 list. Persona 5 was one of the best games of 2017, and its anime adaption is finally here.

The 24-episode anime will cover the events of the game, and so far it’s just as stylish. Each episode of the anime ends with a slick “next time” message, and characters summoning their Personas are especially impressive.

Just like the Persona 4 anime, the protagonist is voiced this time around, providing more insight on the character.

Obviously, much of the story is going to end up getting cut in the Persona 5 anime; it’s impossible to translate a 100-hour game into one anime series. However, it seems like the anime could be a good way to experience the core story, or for those that beat the game to simply return to it again.

You can marathon the current episodes on Crunchyroll, and watch any future ones in simulcast.

School Babysitters

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

School Babysitters is a welcome change from the flood of action-packed and dramatic anime. It’s a show all about the innocence an quirkiness of children, and even though it starts on a rather depressing note, it becomes heartwarming quickly.

Ryuuichi and his young brother Kotaro are taken in by the chairman of an elite academy after their parents are killed in a plane crash. Ryuuichi becomes the school daycare’s new babysitter, and as you can imagine all manner of hijinks start from there.

School Babysitters is lives up to its namesake as a slice of life anime almost entirely focused around the daycare aspect. It’s unique in the fact, however, that it doesn’t just portray the toddlers of little bundles of joy, but actually shows them creating hell for Ryuuichi at times.

Laid-Back Camp

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Laid-Back Camp is another, well, laid back type of anime, and a great take on the typical “group of high schoolers” storyline. Rin is a high school student that’s moved from Shizuoka to Yamanashi, and in a chance encounter meets one of her new classmates, Nadeshiko, in the wilderness.

It’s a slice of life anime with a big focus on outdoorsy activities, camping, and the like.

There’s a lot of love put into the character development and relationships that develop, even if certain aspects of the show’s animation aren’t the strongest.

It’s calming, almost, to watch Laid-Back Camp, and the show manages to avoid tropes, feeling like it’s simply telling the daily high school lives of girls doing what they enjoy. If you need to kick back for a bit and just relax, Laid-Back Camp is a great choice. You can catch it on Crunchyroll.

Golden Kamuy

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Golden Kamuy brings a lot to the table with quality animation, tons of action, and a fascinating historical setting. This really is a show for that can bring in anyone with multiple interests, from those wanting a good historical anime to those wanting a drama.

The anime takes place in the late Meiji Era in Japan, in the harsh northern field of Hokkaido.

The story revolves around Sugimoto, a renowned post-war soldier known as “Immortal Sugimoto.” In need of a large amount of money, Sugimoto joins the Hokkaido Gold Rush seeking riches, but he has no idea what awaits him.

In the northern fields he meets an indigenous Ainu girl named Ashiripa, and find a cryptic treasure map printed on the bodies of prisoners from Abashiri Prison.

With fascinating multi-faceted characters, plenty of action, and an oppressive tone that matches the harsh winter of Golden Kamuy’s setting, it’s an anime that any fan needs to check out and easily makes it to our best anime of 2018 list.

Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Full Metal Panic first got an anime adaption all the way back in 2002 and it quickly became a hit with fans due to a quirky sense of humor, some strong animation, and intense mecha action.

The last time we saw the series was in 2006, and finally after all that waiting a continuation has arrived with Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory.

Invisible Victory picks up right where the last series, The Second Raid, left off and follows Kaname, Sousuke, and the rest of the characters fans know and love.

The voice acting might be a bit different, but the animation style sticks to the original, and Invisible Victory plays out at a breakneck pace. After the first couple of episodes the show really layers on action and drama, sticking to the spirit of the original Full Metal Panic.

Steins;Gate 0

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

The original Steins;Gate was a surprise hit, a dramatic anime with a phenomenal time travel story that does a better job of covering its plot holes than most. The series tells the story of Rintaro Okabe, a self-proclaimed “mad scientist” who accidentally discovers the secret to time travel using a phone and a microwave.

In order to stop the death of a loved one he continuously jumps between world lines, finding out a dangerous secret and altering his mental stability along the way.

Steins;Gate 0 explores an alternate story from the original anime, one where Okabe completely gives up on time travel. While he tries to forget the scars of his past, an advanced AI known as Amadeus begins to open up old wounds.

Steins;Gate 0 piles on the emotion and drama just like the original, and its likable characters help keep the story surging forward.

There are some surprising links to the original, and it can be enjoyed by both fans of the original and newcomers alike.

Megalo Box

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Megalo Box is like a blast from the past, encapsulating everything that was great about 90s anime like Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion. The show sports a nostalgic art style, and is actually a reimagining of the classic anime and manga series Ashita no Joe.

The show takes place in a somewhat dystopic future where athletes use powerful body frames to compete in deadly Megalobox matches. It’s the ultimate underdog tale as a young man only known as “Junk Dog” or JD rigs these matches with the help of his friend Gansaku Nanbu.

Bored with his life, JD hungers for something more which as you might expect, he ends up finding. Gorgeous animation, a fascinating world and story, and some seriously retro anime vibes.

Black Clover

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Black Clover may have started in 2017, but the continuing anime series is definitely worth checking out, especially for fans of high-action shonen series like Fairy Tail or One Piece. The show is quite similar to the previously mentioned anime, sporting over-the-top action and characters that have their own special moves and abilities.

Black Clover takes place in a world where magic is everything. The show’s main characters, Asta and Yuno, were abandoned at an orphanage as babies, and the pair both dream of one day becoming the Wizard King, the most powerful and influential wizard in the world.

Unfortunately for Asta, he possesses absolutely no magic power, while Asta has overwhelming bounds of energy. In a chance encounter one day Asta received the legendary four-leaf clover Grimoire, while Asta stumbles upon a black clover Grimoire, that grants him the ability to cancel magic.

Black Clover’s dual protagonists paint an interesting parallel, and there’s an incredibly quirky cast of supporting characters that help things along. The show has all the makings of being a long-running shonen anime, so it’d be a good idea to jump on while it’s still fresh.

Aggretsuko

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Hello Kitty has become an icon the world over, but Sanrio was clearly ready to try something drastically different from their mascot, that’s where Aggretsuko comes in.

The show sports the same adorable chibi art style as Hello Kitty, but this time it’s about a red panda with a boring office job, who releases stress at night by singing death metal.

Aggretsuko pretty much nails how awful having a job can be in 2018, especially with terrible bosses. It’s also a pretty wonderful story of a woman finding her place and what she really wants to do with her life, while trying to make friends along the way.

Aggretsuko is equal parts charming and hilarious, and is a must-watch anime of the year.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Wotakoi is one of those surprisingly self-aware animes, one that’s almost about the act of liking and watching anime itself. In Wotakoi Narumi is a normal office worker, who desperately tries to hide her nerdy interests and otaku tendencies from her coworkers.

Her efforts get turned around, however, when her childhood friend Hirotaka, who’s obsessed with video games, begins working at the same company.

Wotakoi is  a self-referential show that constantly deals with loving anime itself, video games, and all manner of entertainment. It’s a relatable show for anyone that watches anime as a hobby, but has ever been nervous to share that information with people they work with or interact with.

Food Wars! The Third Plate

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Food Wars is a wholly unique anime, and it’s easy to see why it’s gained a dedicated fan following as of late. The series tells the story of Yukihira Soma, a middle school student who’s determined to surpass his father’s extraordinary cooking skills.

Cooking is the game as you might expect with Food Wars. And the show has some interesting ways of displaying culinary battles.

With fantastic animation it displays people eating food in grandiose ways, eliciting highly overdramatize, and often suggestive, reactions. It’s a show that certainly embraces the more ridiculous side of anime, and is bound to make you hungry from just watching.

Hinamatsuri

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Hinamatsuri is yet another anime that really leans into that strange factor, with just its general setup being odd. Nitta Yoshifumi is a smart young member of the yakuza, who can basically be seen as a “nice guy” yakuza.

One day, a mysterious girl named Hina uses her telekinetic powers to force Nitta to let her live with him. And so starts a precarious coexistence between a nice guy gangster and a strange girl with psychic powers.

Hinamatsuri takes its strange setup and runs with it, proving to be a funny comedy anime. Considering the show revolves around organized crime, it can occasionally dip into dark storytelling and emotional moments.

But even so, it manages to blends its disparate tones quite well. Hinamatsuri always takes itself seriously, and high production values help solidify its place among 2018’s standout animes.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a, well, legendary anime that started in the 1980s and had a huge run of 110 episodes. Die Neue These, of course, won’t have quite as high of an episode count, but it does function as a reimagining of the original series.

So far things are off to a pretty great start, as the show is filled with the same drama, political intrigue, and tense battle tactics that the original was.

Die Neue These focuses on the lengthy war between the autocracy of the Galactic Empire and the democracy of the Free Planets Alliance. This is all after humanity has ventured and settled into space. The emergence of a genius strategist on each side completely changes the war.

And the characters are destined to face each other time and again on the battlefield.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes is certainly a slow burn, but for anyone looking for an anime with lots of intrigue it’s a great choice.

Cells at Work

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Cells at Work is like if you took Osmosis Jones and sprinkled in a generous helping of anime style and quirkiness, and the result is fantastic. The show tells the story of the human body, if the inside of your body was a weird anime society.

Cells at Work follows a specific Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell as they encounter various threats to the body. The show is incredibly imaginative in its representation of bodily functions, and there are even detailed explanations given as events play out.

Some top-notch animation only helps to make this one of the most unique, best anime of 2018.

Attack on Titan (Season 3)

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Attack on Titan is the anime that needs no introduction, as it took the world by storm years ago to become one of the most popular series of all time. After an agonizing wait, Season 3 is finally here, and it promises to be just as dramatic and action-packed.

The new season really starts to move along the series. It provides some much-needed revelations on the state of humanity and how the world became the way it is. There’s also a much larger emphasis on conflicts with humans.

And the scouts will have the crazed villain Kenny to deal with on top of everything else. Attack on Titan Season 3 feels like a natural advancement of the series. If you aren’t caught up with the show yet, you need to.

Angels of Death

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

Angels of Death is based on an indie horror game, and manages to be quite the good adaption. In the show a 13-year old named Rachel wakes up in the basement of an abandoned building.

While searching the building she comes across a man who wields a massive grim reaper-like scythe, and whose body is completely wrapped in bandages.

The unlikely duo have to team up to survive and figure out who they are.

Angels of Death has quite a few twists and turns. And the amount of character development put into the show makes it worthwhile.

Gegege no Kitaro

Best Anime of 2018 (Must Watch Anime)

GeGeGe no Kitaro is actually an old anime series that has had multiple series dating back all the way to 1968. The series is similar to Yo-Kai Watch in that each week it introduces a new Yokai.

And the show is centered around the last surviving member of the Ghost Tribe. They’re responsible for creating peace between the Yokai and the humans.

While GeGeGe no Kitaro is a show for all audiences, each and every episode has a lesson. Many of these can be quite mature.

Add in the fact that it has some stunning animation, and you have an instant classic in the making.

That does it for the best anime of 2018! Let us know your favorite in the comments down below.