The Most Popular Genre of Anime, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the genre you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 3, 2024 06:39
In the dynamic world of anime, where new genres continually emerge and vie for attention, keeping track of which genre captivates the audience the most can be quite a puzzle. By ranking these genres based on popular opinion, fans are provided with a clear snapshot of what’s trending. This helps new viewers to easily find a starting point that aligns with viewer preferences and the pulse of the anime community.
Each vote cast in this ranking helps to more accurately reflect the collective appeal of each genre, making this list a valuable resource for both seasoned aficionados and newcomers. Participating in the vote not only empowers fans to influence this ever-changing leaderboard but also fosters a sense of community engagement. It’s a way for everyone to contribute to and stay connected with the wider anime culture.
What Is the Most Popular Genre of Anime?
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154votesShonen anime is the most popular anime genre, targeted towards young boys, and often features action-packed storylines and strong male protagonists. Examples of popular shonen anime include Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, and One Piece.Shonen is a popular genre of anime and manga that is primarily targeted towards young boys and teenagers. It often features action-packed stories, intense battles, friendship, and personal growth of the main characters. Shonen anime and manga tend to have a broad appeal, attracting viewers and readers of various ages and genders.
- Target audience: Young boys and teenagers
- Themes: Action, adventure, friendship, personal growth
- Storytelling style: Fast-paced with high-energy action sequences
- Character archetypes: Heroic protagonist, rivals, supportive friends
- Power scaling: Characters often gain new abilities and become stronger over time
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226votesSlice of life anime focuses on the everyday experiences of the characters, often with a comedic or heartwarming tone. Examples of popular slice of life anime include K-On!, Lucky Star, and Barakamon.Slice of Life is a genre in anime that focuses on everyday life and mundane activities of characters, often in a realistic or naturalistic manner. It typically portrays the ordinary experiences and emotions of individuals, without emphasizing on grand adventures or fantastical elements.
- Realistic Setting: Slice of Life anime often takes place in modern-day or historical settings, accurately depicting the environment and culture.
- Character-Driven: The stories revolve around a set of characters and their relationships, exploring their interactions, growth, and personal development.
- Everyday Situations: Slice of Life anime revolves around the ordinary activities and scenarios that people encounter in their daily lives, presenting them in a relatable and engaging manner.
- Emotionally Grounded: The genre focuses heavily on capturing the genuine human emotions and experiences, often addressing themes of love, friendship, personal challenges, and self-discovery.
- Lack of Plot-driven Narrative: Unlike other genres, Slice of Life anime does not rely on a central plot or overarching storylines. Instead, it unfolds at a slower pace, meandering through the characters' experiences without a major conflict to resolve.
Slice of Life in other rankings- Position 3 of 10 in Most popular MLP episode
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331votesFantasy anime typically features magical or supernatural elements, often set in a fictional world. Popular examples include Fullmetal Alchemist, Sword Art Online, and Attack on Titan.Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that typically involves supernatural elements, mythical creatures, and magical or fantastical settings. It often includes themes of heroism, quests, and epic battles between good and evil. It allows readers to escape into richly imagined worlds filled with enchantment and adventure.
- Magical elements: Fantasy stories often feature magic and magical abilities possessed by characters.
- Mythical creatures: Fantasy includes various mythical creatures such as dragons, elves, dwarves, orcs, and werewolves.
- Quests and adventures: The protagonists in fantasy often embark on quests or adventurous journeys, facing numerous challenges along the way.
- Epic battles: Fantasy narratives frequently involve grand battles between forces of good and evil.
- World-building: Fantasy authors create rich and intricate imaginary worlds with their own history, geography, and rules.
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411votesRomance anime focuses on the romantic relationships between characters, often with a comedic or dramatic tone. Popular examples include Clannad, Toradora!, and Your Lie in April.Romance is a popular subgenre that focuses on the romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. It often revolves around themes of love, passion, and the pursuit of deep emotional connections. Romances can be set in various settings, including contemporary times, historical periods, or even supernatural/fantasy worlds.
- Primary Focus: Romantic relationships and emotional connections
- Themes: Love, passion, deep emotional connections
- Settings: Contemporary, historical, supernatural/fantasy
- Character Development: Emphasizes character growth and personal transformation
- Conflict Resolution: Usually ends with a positive resolution and a happily-ever-after
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516votesComedy anime focuses on humor and often features parody and satire. Examples of popular comedy anime include Gintama, Nichijou, and Konosuba.In the realm of YouTube, comedy videos are among the most popular and entertaining content. These videos aim to elicit laughter and brighten up viewers' days with humorous skits, stand-up performances, parodies, pranks, and funny commentary on various subjects.
- Video length: Usually around 5 - 10 minutes
- Humor styles: Slapstick, observational, satirical, surreal, parody, dark humor, stand-up, etc.
- Engagement: High audience engagement through likes, comments, and shares
- Improvization: Often relies on spontaneous or scripted comedic moments
- Collaborations: Frequent collaborations between comedy YouTubers for variety and crossover appeal
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613votesMecha anime features giant robots and often involves battles between them. Popular examples include Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Code Geass.Mecha is a popular genre of anime that focuses on giant robots or machines controlled by humans. These robots are often central to the plot and play significant roles in battles, adventures, or solving problems. Mecha anime typically combines elements of science fiction, action, and often incorporates themes of warfare and the ethical implications of advanced technology.
- Size: Giant robots that can range from a few meters to hundreds of meters in height.
- Pilots: Usually operated by human pilots, either inside the robot's cockpit or remotely.
- Weapons: Equipped with an array of futuristic weapons, ranging from energy-based attacks to physical melee weapons.
- Armor: Typically features strong armor or shielding to withstand heavy damage or attacks.
- Transformation: Some mecha can transform into different forms, such as vehicles or alternate battle modes.
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78votesSports anime focuses on the competitions and personal struggles of athletes in various sports. Popular examples include Haikyuu!!, Kuroko's Basketball, and Hajime no Ippo.Sports is a physical activity or game conducted at a competitive level, requiring skills and physical ability. It is a popular form of entertainment, which promotes health, fitness, and socialization.
- Types: Sports can be categorized into various types, including team sports (e.g., soccer, basketball), individual sports (e.g., tennis, golf), and endurance sports (e.g., marathon).
- Equipment: Sports often require specific equipment, such as balls, bats, rackets, and safety gear (e.g., helmets, pads).
- Rules: Sports are governed by a set of rules and regulations, which are designed to make the game fair and safe. Violation of the rules can result in penalties or disqualification.
- Physical Fitness: Sports require high levels of physical fitness, including endurance, strength, speed, and agility.
- Strategy: Sports involve strategic planning and execution, requiring players to anticipate opponents' moves and adapt to changing circumstances.
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8-1votesHorror anime features elements of horror, often with supernatural or psychological themes. Popular examples include Tokyo Ghoul, Another, and Parasyte.Horror is a genre of literature, film, and other forms of media that aims to create a sense of fear, terror, and suspense in its audience. It often involves supernatural elements, psychological disturbances, and the exploration of dark and unsettling themes. Horror stories and movies typically aim to shock, disturb, and entertain the audience through suspenseful plots, intense atmospheres, and horrifying imagery.
- Emotional response: Fear, terror, suspense
- Themes: Supernatural, psychological disturbances, dark and unsettling
- Plot style: Suspenseful, often with twist endings
- Atmosphere: Intense, eerie, foreboding
- Tone: Disturbing, chilling, horrifying
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911votesEcchi anime features sexual themes and fanservice, often with comedic or romantic elements. Popular examples include High School DxD, To Love-Ru, and Prison School.Ecchi is a popular genre of anime that typically focuses on sexually suggestive or erotically appealing themes without explicit sexual content. It often involves risqué situations, comedy, and fan service. Ecchi anime tends to feature attractive characters, exaggerated visuals, and provocative scenarios.
- Content: Sexually suggestive or erotically appealing themes without explicit sexual content
- Themes: Risqué situations, comedy, and fan service
- Visuals: Exaggerated visuals emphasizing attractiveness of characters
- Scenarios: Provocative and often sexually charged scenarios
- Humor: Frequently includes comedic elements
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108votesHistorical anime is set in a specific period of history and often features fictionalized accounts of real events or figures. Popular examples include Sengoku Basara, Rurouni Kenshin, and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu.Historical is a popular genre of anime that focuses on stories set in the past, often incorporating real historical events, figures, or settings. It provides a window into different time periods and cultures, offering a blend of fiction and historical accuracy. The genre encompasses various sub-genres such as feudal Japan, ancient civilizations, war eras, and historical fantasy.
- Setting: Stories set in the past, with a focus on historical accuracy.
- Real Events and Figures: Incorporation of real historical events, figures, or settings.
- Cultural Exploration: Offers insights into different time periods and cultures.
- Sub-genres: Feudal Japan, ancient civilizations, war eras, historical fantasy, etc.
- Characterization: Protagonists often exhibit traits, skills, or roles relevant to the specific historical context.
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Ranking factors for popular genre
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Audience DemographicsConsider the age group, gender, and cultural background of the audience that the genre appeals to. A popular genre often appeals to a large and diverse audience.
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Viewership and RatingsAnalyze the viewership numbers, streaming data, TV ratings, and online engagement metrics of various anime shows in each genre.
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Financial SuccessLook into factors like box office figures, merchandise sales, DVD/Blu-ray sales, and franchise value. A genre's popularity can be gauged by how well its titles perform financially.
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Critical AcclaimConsider reviews, ratings, and awards received by various anime titles within each genre. A popular genre often has acclaimed or influential titles within its ranks.
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Online Presence and FandomEvaluate the presence and activity of a genre's fandom in online communities, social media platforms, fan websites, and forums. Look for fan-created content such as fan art, fanfiction, and discussion threads.
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Convention Attendance and CosplayObserve the popularity of certain genres during anime conventions, expos, and gatherings, especially in cosplay activities, panels, and discussions.
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Longevity and TimelessnessConsider the staying power of particular anime genres, including their ability to remain relevant and popular over time and across generations.
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Scope of the GenreA popular genre often contains numerous sub-genres or related genres, which cater to different audience preferences while still remaining connected to the central themes of the primary genre.
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Adaptation Success and Industry InfluenceEvaluate the genre's impact on the greater anime industry, including successes in adaptations from manga, light novels, or other source materials, as well as its influence on other mediums such as video games, live-action films, and music.
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Innovation and Cultural ImpactConsider the genre's capacity for breaking new ground and introducing fresh ideas into the world of anime, as well as its impact on popular culture and media. A popular genre often leaves a lasting impression on the audience and industry.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular genre of anime. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Genre is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 2083 views
- 172 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Genre once every 24 hours. The rank of each Genre is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular genre of anime
Anime, which is a Japanese term that stands for animation, has become a global phenomenon in recent years. With fans all over the world, the popularity of anime has skyrocketed, and it has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in many countries. Anime comes in a variety of genres, from action and adventure to romance and comedy, with each genre catering to different tastes and preferences. In this article, we will explore the most popular genre of anime and find out what makes it so appealing to fans.
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