Naruto has over 700 episodes aired, and it left a hole in the hearts of many fans after it finished its fifteen years of story. Fortunately, there is no shortage of anime. Whether it is Kurama or Zangetsu, the heroes from these forged a blazing path and each was, at one point, the best anime to watch.
Wanna know what’s all the rage in Japan? Our finely curated list will answer that question!
1. My Hero Academia
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
Imagine a world where everyone has some form of super power, or Quirk that makes them unique. Now, imagine you are one of the few people left in the world without a Quirk. That’s the origin story of the protagonist Izuku Midoriya in My Hero Academia. After a chance meeting with his childhood hero, Midoriya proves his mettle by throwing himself head first into danger to save the life of his childhood bully.
Midoriya is gifted a quirk, One For All, by All Might, the Number One Hero in the world. Much like Nine Tails was for Naruto, One For All is both a struggle to control, and also the source of his mightiest feats. With an incredibly well designed roster of characters and heroes, MHA has taken over in popularity from Naruto ever since it finished. It is among the best anime dealing with an underdog protagonist anyway.
2. Death Note
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
Light Yagami is among the top students in Japan when he stumbles upon a book. This book, the Death Note, allows an individual to kill others simply by writing their name on it. Skeptical, Light gives it an attempt and is horrified to find out that it actually works. Little by little, his horror turns into righteous vindication as he decides that this is what the world needs to be rid of evil.
Naruto had Kurama, the Nine Tails, helping and hindering him. Light Yagami has Ryuk, a Shinigami who dropped the Death Note Light uses. They are similar, as both of them are intrinsically attached to the main character, Kurama because he was sealed inside Naruto, and Ryuk because Light has his Death Note. It’s a change of pace too, because unlike Naruto, Light is not the hero of the story.
3. Tokyo Ghoul
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
One of my personal favorites, Tokyo Ghoul is a surprisingly intelligent story about cannibals. In a world where creatures known as “Ghouls” exist to consume human flesh, Ken Kaneki accidentally become a half-ghoul when he received a transplant from a ghoul.
Much like Naruto, Ken had an isolated upbringing, being very alone for most of his life. Becoming a One-Eyed ghoul (another name for a half-ghoul) further isolated him, even if it gave him powers. Sounds very similar to a specific hyperactive knucklehead ninja that we’re familiar with.
4. Bleach
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
The world of Bleach is immense and fascinating. Ichigo finds himself able to see spirits ever since he was born. However, in this world, evil spirits known as Hollows exist. They are able to interact with the living and even hurt them. One day, Ichigo finds himself face to face with a Hollow that is threatening the life of his sister, and made a deal with a Soul Reaper to save her.
With a far more focus on feats of immense power, Bleach is like the adrenaline fueled older brother of Naruto. Big, flashy fight sequences is its core strength, and they pull it off better than Dragon Ball Z.
5. One Piece
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
One Piece is about friendship, pirates, and devil fruits. Monkey D. Luffy is an aspiring pirate who happens to consume a special fruit known as the Gum-Gum Fruit. This gives him the power of elasticity, making him impervious to bullets and allowing him to punch people from a massive distance away.
Naruto and Luffy both share a love for their comrades. In the world of One Piece, they call crewmates “Nakama”, which just means people of your group. Just like how Naruto were willing to fight the Sound Four to find Sasuke, Luffy and his crew also go to great lengths to protect their fellow Nakama. If you needed more love for your friends in anime form, then this is your next fix after Naruto.
6. Attack On Titan
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu
Attack On Titan was a phenomenon. It has grown considerably since its onset, but in the beginning, everything was an enigma. Eren Yeager lived inside the walled off Shiganshina District, and outside his quaint home were mysterious humanoid creatures called Titans. They were massive, insurmountable forces of nature that hunted and ate humans mindlessly.
The Attack Titan inside Eren is this anime’s version of Kurama inside Naruto. They are both incredible sources of power, which when they’re originally learning to master, causes them to lose control and wreak havoc. It also, in the later parts of the story, become their biggest source of strength. The animation of the show is also top notch, so if you want Naruto but with giant meaty robots, this should be on top of your list.
Want more anime to watch? We have an excellent suggestion for this year’s releases!