Shonen continues to be perhaps the biggest and most popular classifications of anime, so it's no wonder that so many huge anime shows this year were shonen. Full on epic action, high stakes, and even higher power levels, these shows are sure to get any viewer's blood pumping. Thankfully for action anime junkies, there's no drought of great shonen on the biggest streaming services.
From the final battles of Attack on Titan to the ghost tournament of Shaman King, 2021 has brought tons of new and returning shonen to Netflix and Hulu. These all offer different looks at the action-oriented world of shonen, with some being fairly traditional while others push the "genre" to new heights. Here's a look at some of the best shonen anime that Netflix and Hulu had to offer this year.
Shaman King
Rebooting the now-classic 2001 series, the 2021 Shaman King anime aims to be closer to the original manga source material. To accomplish this, it's showing its epic ghastly battles in a breakneck manner, all while giving familiar stories a modern polish. As with the original, the story follows the shaman Yoh, a mystical hippie slacker with a deep connection to the spirit world. With these powers, he aims to enter the Shaman Fight and become the Shaman King, remaking the world in his image.
Those wanting to relive their childhood or see a new version of a somewhat forgotten 2000s shonen should definitely check the series out. While some older fans have remarked that it might be telling its story a bit too fast, it's sure to please audiences all around, especially newcomers.
Shaman King can be streamed exclusively through Netflix.
Baki: Son of Ogre
Those looking for an over-the-top, all-out brawl should venture no further than Hanma Baki - Son of Ogre. An adaptation of the third Baki the Grappler manga, the series is essentially the third season of Netflix's Baki anime. Son of Ogre sees Baki more determined than ever to become the world's strongest fighter.
Standing in his way are unearthly opponents, including gigantic bugs and his own godlike father. Having faced defeat at his dad Yujiro's hands before, Baki trains to engage in the ultimate battle. Fist fly and mountains crumble in the wake of this series' grandiose battles, which represent everything that viewers love about shonen.
Baki Hanma: Son Of Ogre can be streamed through Netflix.
Platinum End
Platinum End is the shonen anime perfect for fans of shows like Death Note. Based on a manga from the same creator, the 2021 Platinum End anime has quickly put the series on the map and into the mainstream. The story follows a despondent young man named Mirai who is saved from committing suicide by his guardian angel. Afterwards, Mirai gains incredible divine powers of his own, using them to empower himself in his destitute life.
Unfortunately, these powers come at a cost, as Mirai is now one of several candidates who must compete to potentially replace God himself. The other angelic hosts who vie for this position will do anything for it, killing anyone who dares to stand in their way. Having just started in October, viewers looking for a borderline divine battle series of biblical proportions should have no problem getting caught up with Platinum End on Hulu.
Attack on Titan
All good things must come to an end, and that's the case even with Attack on Titan. A massively popular series that for many blurred the lines between shonen and seinen, Attack on Titan features a dystopian world where humanity's remnants were besieged by gigantic Titans. Though the manga has already ended, the anime is just about the begin the second half of its last season.
That first half, however, is fantastic enough, bringing the epic series to a climactic crescendo. Airing earlier this year, the beginning of the end for Attack on Titan is so good, it can be watched on both Netflix and Hulu.
