Summary
Some of the most popular and cherished anime of all time are based on either seinen or shonen manga. These stories could belong to any genre, but they are marketed to different audiences. While shonen anime targets adolescent boys, seinen anime is aimed at young men aged 18 and up.
Shonen anime includes notable shows such asAttack on Titan, Naruto, andDemon Slayer. Of course, whether a show is a shonen or seinen, fans of all ages, genders, and preferences can enjoy them. Get some popcorn ready, because here are a few incredibleseinen animethat are great choices for those who are already big shonen fans.
Updated on July 07, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Most shonen series tend to show battles on a ludicrous scale, with stakes as high as possible every single time. These battle shonen anime are all the rage, with some of the most popular series in this department becoming mainstream and attracting a ton of fans from around the globe. In comparison, while there are some seinen manga that have enjoyed their time in the spotlight, history has shown that most shonen series have a better chance of appealing to the masses. So, fans of battle shonen anime who want to diversify their interests and check out some fun seinen series that touch upon the same notes will be left spoiled for choice.
21Yamada’s First Time
MAL Rating: 6.85
Not all seinen anime have to be dramatic or gory — sometimes they’re super corny and hilarious comedies! That is the case withYamada’s First Time, a comedy anime following Yamada, a high school girl with a personal goal to have her way with 100 different guys before she graduates.
It quickly becomes very apparent that she has no game, no guts, and no ability to achieve her goal, as she gets stuck wooing her very first boy.It’s hilarious, adorable, and features mature humor that those who have already graduated high school can appreciate.
Gantzis one of the goriest and most messed-up anime of all time, and viewer discretion is highly advised. It’s a science fiction anime where a group of recently deceased people are resurrected by a mysterious black sphere known as Gantz.
They are forced to participate in a deadly game where they must fight various aliens using advanced weaponry. The anime’s graphic violence, mature themes, and moral ambiguity make it a thrilling and thought-provoking watch… which makes its harrowing moments even harder to stomach.
Btooom! could’ve been a fun short series for people to check out, but the tasteless nature of the manga’s content in certain instances took away a lot from what was a unique concept. The series focuses on people stuck in a real-life version of an online game where death can arrive at any second.
The stakes are high as ever, with the dark and gritty nature of the series working in favor of the show at times. Still, Btooom! lacks a lot of nuance that makes seinen anime truly great, but fans of bloody combat sequences and explosions will find a lot to like about this short series.
The concept ofAjin: Demi-Humanis pretty interesting, taking a look at demi-humans who can regenerate from any wound and are deemed a nuisance to the public by society. The government captures Ajin and forces them to go through some twisted experiments, causing a lot of them to escape and harbor feelings of hatred towards their captors.
While full 3D animation may not be the best thing to look at,Ajin’s engaging story, fun characters, and brutal battles make it pretty fun to check out. The social commentary present in this series is pretty engaging and elevates the show to the point where most people won’t even notice or care about the ugly animation.
Goblin Slayeris a show many people know for its shocking first episode, which garnered a ton of controversy for justified reasons.It chronicles the story of an adventurer known as Goblin Slayer, a powerful and brutal warrior who specializes in exterminating goblins.
The show was criticized across the board for its senseless depiction of graphic violence and its reliance on shock value instead of building up something meaningful and riveting. However,Goblin Slayeris a slow burn, and viewers who power through an admittedly slow and weak beginning will find the rest of the series to be quite riveting indeed.
After watching the first episode, it would be easy to dismissElfen Liedas nothing more than a mindless gorefest. However, this shocking opening settles into a rather thought-provoking show that poses several interesting questions.
Lucy serves as a great tragic protagonist inElfen Lied, with the show’s quality heightening due to the character’s fascinating personality. The anime might have a more rushed ending, but it’s a great watch nonetheless andthe manga is always therefor people who remained invested till the end.
Knights of Sidonia, a 2-season series from 2014, is a lesser-known anime that deserves more recognition. A boy who lived in seclusion his entire life emerges into a world where the last remains of humanity live on a traveling fleet in space, avoiding a deadly alien threat.
The animation style is different than most anime, with a more 3D style. The story is unique and keeps audiences engaged and eager to know what happens next. The characters are admirable, and the futuristic world-building is truly enchanting.
Set in a world where human-like creatures called Ghouls roam undetected in society, this dark thriller features dramatic action scenes, effective character development, and flesh-eating beings out to kill humans.
The protagonist, Ken Kaneki, ends up as a half-ghoul and must use his skills to handle living with both ghouls and fearful humans. It’s a classic seinen anime that has received plenty of praise since its release back in 2015.
A unique seinen manga with some supernatural elements,Bungo Stray Dogsis a fun series that fans can enjoy if they want to see characters engage in unique battles with powers that are as awe-inspiring as can be. It’s funny that the main character is the one with the most mundane powers in the series, but that is to be expected.
Viewers who want to witness some of the most unique powers in anime history will love whatBungo Stray Dogsbrings to the table. Most of the characters in the series are named after popular authors, which becomes an intriguing quirk after a point.
There is no doubt that this popular seinen series isinternationally successful, having so many remakes and sequels under its belt. The action-comedy follows the adventures of Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of the famous Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc’s novels.
Lupin III is considered the greatest thief in the world, being a pro at stealing valuable items and not getting caught. It’s a great series that is still going strong to this day.
