After all, if they did it once, they might just do it again. And in this list we’re going to take a look at Studio Pierrot to rank the absolute best anime they have to offer!
10. Akudama Drive
Akudama Drive is one of those series that feels more like a movie. It only has a single season of 12 episodes and it’s pretty chaotic throughout. No real downtime, no fluff, all action. This is quite the welcome change if you’re currently only watching shounen shows. The world of Akudama Drive, although not too unique, is still pretty captivating. It’s like Cyberpunk but with less NPC T-posing. The neon futuristic style plus a lot of people running around trying to kill the main cast isn’t exactly the most optimistic view of the future – but it’s definitely a lot of fun. And the cast itself is incredibly likable. Even though they literally don’t even have names, each one feels very distinct and understandable. Overall, a strong cast, vibrant world, and danger around every corner – seems like a pretty safe bet if you just want to kill an afternoon.
9. Mr. Osomatsu
This show is just endearingly goofy. It’s one of only three notable comedies Pierrot has done (we’ll get to the other two later on) and it’s honestly a shame they didn’t have more IPs like this. The first thing you’ll notice is the art style – it’s incredibly vibrant and almost has a Wester cartoon vibe. And the art team uses it to its advantage – leading to some incredible slapstick humor. The plot of the show itself is pretty decent. The cast is comprised of six identical twin brothers who’ve all chosen the way of the NEET as their lifestyle. And in terms of character, they’re basically the seven dwarfs – with each of them expressing one central personality trait. This might seem like lazy writing, but it actually works to the show’s advantage. Plus, the story occasionally takes an unexpected turn and hits you right in the feels, which is always a welcomed strategy. If you want an easy-to-watch show with a lot of heart put into it, give Mr. Osomatsu a shot.
8. Beelzebub
This is the second comedy anime Pierrot has one – and it just has that undeniable anime charm. After all, in what other medium can you have a story revolving around Satan being a baby? And in case you were wondering, yes, he’s very much overpowered. So the show mostly boils down to Beelzebub’s caretaker trying to save the world by being a good father figure. Expectedly enough, things never go his way in the beginning and the little bundle of demonic power keeps getting into trouble. And that’s where all the comedy comes from. Overall, the show’s very simple but effective. And with sixty episodes under its belt, you wouldn’t believe how attached you get to some of the characters.
7. Yona of the Dawn
In terms of plot, Yona of the Dawn played it pretty safe. It’s a classic story of a princess who has to go out into the real world and better herself in order to reclaim her throne. And in order to get some fantasy into the mix, she follows the legend of the four dragons which will help her achieve her goal. Pretty straight-forward. However, you also need to keep in mind that this is a true shoujo! This means that it’s all about our princess MC and not some random dude with black hair and a nose susceptible to nosebleeds. But it also means that we have to go on a good-old husbando hunt! With one being there from the start and the dragons actually being hunks as well – the MC picks up quite a few along the way. Overall, the show doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way. But it does what it’s supposed to do rather competently. Plus, it has a jaw-dropping soundtrack and pretty decent animation.
6. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is the show everyone loves to hate and hates to love. But in case you’ve somehow missed it, here’s what it boils down to. I think that season one of Tokyo Ghoul was prime-time shounen. The show had a really nice grungy/edge lord aesthetic to it and the fights were extremely engaging. Add to this one of the most iconic soundtracks (where are my Unravel stans at?) and a brilliant season finale, and you get quite the first impression. However, it pretty much tapers off from that point on. The show starts using some really dull tropes (like amnesia) and hardly works on some of the side characters. I still don’t think the show’s that bad overall. However, if it stuck to the manga the entire time and kept up a similar vibe to the first season – it probably wouldn’t be so polarizing these days.
5. Kingdom
Kingdom is a show that probably would’ve been in a lot of people’s top ten list if our general attention span wasn’t so low. Let’s just be honest here – the first season (especially the first arc) is very slow and does a bad job at hooking you in. However, if you make it to season two, you’re probably going to go all the way. That’s because the focus moves away from certain characters just walking around and doing nothing to an actual battlefield. This is where Kingdom shines! The large-scale battles are incredibly hyped, and they somehow only get better as the series goes on. Even in terms of MAL rankings, you’ll see that every season has a better rating than the last one (while it’s usually the other way around). Therefore, if you’re sick of demon lords and high schools, and instead want a proper seinen, don’t miss out on Kingdom!
4. Bleach
If you were wondering why such a popular show like Tokyo Ghoul wasn’t higher up, this should clear things up. You see, Pierrot has some heavy hitters under its belt. Bleach is one of the Big Three when it comes to OG anime. It was loved to death back then and is even getting a reboot now – so its influence is still pretty present. It has some of the best fights you’ll find in anime (especially if you like swords) and some of the highlights from the show are rather iconic. However, being an old shounen show, you should also expect all the common pitfalls. From lots of filler episodes to power systems that get retconned every dozen episodes, it doesn’t have the best consistency. But that’s just what you signed up for when you started a shounen that’s a decade old. Overall, I still think it holds up rather well (as long as you skip all the filler) and I’m excited to see what they do with the reboot.
3. Black Clover
Now we get to the new-gen Big Three. Black Clover had one of the toughest starts I’ve ever seen. In fact, it took me three attempts before I promptly got into it. That’s mostly because the early episodes have way too many flashbacks and Asta’s voice had the qualities of a nail being driven across a blackboard. However (and I know this is a cliché thing to say), it does get better. By the mid-to-late point of the story, it becomes an amazing shounen. The fights are top-notch, and the hype train is constantly running at 300% capacity. Asta also becomes quite the lovable MC. Especially when you consider that his entire end-game goal is just to boink a nun. Overall, I’m excited to see where the story goes from here, and I have high hopes that it’ll only get better with time.
2. Naruto
I told you that Pierrot had an absolutely stacked roster. Naruto is one of the most well-known and influential shows in all of anime. And whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny it has a lot of charm. Some of the moments in Naruto are honestly beyond iconic – with Lee vs Gaara, Obito vs Kakashi, and Madara vs the rest of the world being just a few examples. It’s no wonder then that this show alone carried the AMV community for years! However, the show also has its downsides. With plenty of filler, even more retcons than Bleach, Boruto as a concept, and abysmal female character writing – it’s far from perfect. Nevertheless, I’m going to respect the GOAT and give Naruto the silver medal!
1. Great Teacher Onizuka
Although this anime is probably older than some of you reading this, I have to say that it’s the best show Pierrot has made. Sure, it doesn’t have the same reach as the shounen titans, but it also has a lot more heart put into it. It’s a very down-to-earth comedy with a simple premise – a dude who knows nothing about being a teacher trying his best to “reach these kids”. And you can simply feel the amount of passion put into this show. The comedy is rather goofy and never gets repetitive nor relies solely on tropes. And the plot points of the show aren’t watered down to just PG romantic issues. Some episodes carry a lot of weight and seeing how the MC tackles each problem is equal part wholesome and hilarious. Overall, I think Great Teacher Onizuka did what very few shows could do. Not to mention that it managed to hold up in terms of quality even after two decades.
