Many Shonen anime arcs could easily qualify for big storytelling awards.
From villains on the rise to commentary on the horrors and injustices of war, many arcs have given fans much to ponder. Some are heartbreaking and some are fast-paced action, but all stand out in the minds of fans to define their series.
These are just 10 of the most iconic shonen anime arcs of all time.
Note: This article contains spoilers and only expresses the author’s opinion.
10 Of The Most Iconic Shonen Anime Arcs
1) the one year war – Gundam Mobile Suit
the one year war is considered the defining narrative arc for all of the stories set in the shonen anime Gundam mobile suit world Century, from the original Mobile Suit Gundam and zeta-gundam to the recently released Hathaway film. It is narrated in multiple mediums, from television series to OVAs, video games, and theatrical releases.
The One Year War represented the war between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon and debuted many concepts and personas, such as spacenoids, space humans, and new types, humans with psychic abilities. The resulting victory for the Earth Federation created shock waves that resonated even 26 years later.
The epic rivalry between rookie pilot Amuro Ray and the two-faced Char Aznable started here and wouldn’t stop until Char’s Counterattack more than 14 years later. The RX-78-2 Gundam (aka Mobile Suit Gundam) and MS-05B Zaku (aka Zaku) debuted here and have remained iconic parts of the series ever since.
two) The Frieza Saga – Dragon Ball Z
When people think of shonen anime Dragon Ball Z, What do they normally think about? Long load times, mostly strong villains, and Goku getting a new transformation sequence and breaking another power ceiling. All of this, including the Super Saiyan state, started here.
After Saiyan Saga, the Z Fighters/Dragon Team was in disarray. With many lost to the Saiyans and no Dragon Balls available thanks to the deaths of Piccolo and Kami, Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma traveled to Namek to get their Dragon Balls and wish them all back to life.
This arc introduced many basic elements of Dragon Ball Zand shonen anime as a whole, from villain escalation with Frieza to the start of Vegeta’s change of heart, to Goku constantly having to show up to save the day and the iconic Super Saiyan transformation that would affect forever. Dragon Ball.
It’s also home to the infamous “Five Minutes Longest,” which starts a Dragon Ball trend of having long clocks that seem to last forever.
3) Soul Society Arc – Bleach
While fans have argued over the quality of bleach introductory arc and if it technically counts as typical shonen anime dreaded filler, the Soul Society Arc is undoubtedly the most iconic. When Rukia Kuchiki is captured and sentenced to death by her former comrades, Ichigo and her friends must rescue her from her.
This arc offers an in-depth look at the politics that govern the afterlife, showcasing the caste system. It also allows Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends to develop his powers, such as having to deal with Hollow Ichigo and overpowering his bankais. There are also many twists and turns.
The story arc raises the stakes for the series and has one of the smartest anime villains of all time as a shocking twist. It’s a rich narrative full of twists and turns that keeps fans guessing until the very end.
4) Egypt Arc – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
This is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure longest arc to date. This iconic shonen anime arc was responsible for catapulting the series into the mainstream, with the introduction of Stands quickly overtaking Ripple/Hamon’s Power System. Launched a veritable source of inside jokes, memorable quotes, and memes.
When Jotaro Kujo’s mother, Holly, contracts a mysterious illness, Jotaro must travel with his grandfather Joseph Joestar and a group of comrades to fight the return of the vampire lord DIO. Arriving in Egypt is not an easy picnic, nor crossing the sands to finally face DIO.
This arc, more than the previous ones, has had a domino effect even in stone ocean. From Dio’s actions affecting the likes of Giorno Giovana and Father Pucci, to Jotaro’s help in the events of diamond is unbreakable and stone oceanit all starts here.
5) The Arc of Pain – Naruto
Naruto Shippu den’s Pain Arc can be seen as a re-exploration of the second half of the Chūnin Exams, with a lot riding on it. The Hidden Leaf Village is attacked by Akatsuki and their leader Pain/Nagato, who causes untold destruction in their wake.
The battle between Naruto and Pain is one of the most intense showdowns in shonen anime. This saga also describes the origin of Akatsuki. Big events like Jiraya’s death and the reinforcement of Naruto’s path to peace happen here.
More importantly, the arc’s aftermath ultimately sees the series’ protagonist Naruto receive the love and admiration of his fellow villagers. He’s been dreaming of social acceptance his whole life, so he was a great finishing note. He also leads to darker things in the future.
6) Duelist Kingdom – Yu-Gi-Oh!
When fans think of the Yu-Gi-Oh! shonen anime, this is the season on their minds. It marks the introduction of all the main characters that fans love over the 200 episodes of the series, the card game aspect that still continues to this day, and the beginning of the main character arcs.
After his grandfather’s soul was stolen by the villainous Pegasus, Yugi and his friends were forced to travel to Pegasus Island to participate in his tournament and claim it. While there, they discover that in the “Duelist Kingdom”, the rules work differently than they are used to, where loss and damage mean real damage.
Joey, Yugi, and even Kaiba must win as many duels as possible to even think about saving their family members. It has drama, memes, and some of the most entertaining duels in the series. Kaiba’s change of heart, Joey and Yugi’s friendship, and even the concept of the Millennium Items premiere here.
7) Paranormal Release War Bow – My Hero Academia
It was a difficult decision for shonen anime. my hero academiaUSJ’s most iconic arc, the Hideout raid and this one. However, since this is the penultimate arc, it more than shows why it belongs on this list. This shonen anime arc can be summed up as “the victory of the villains”.
After the formation of the Paranormal Liberation Front, the heroes gather to confront them before the situation escalates. This arc can be divided into parts: defeating Kyudai, Shigaraki’s awakening, the clash between the villains and the professional heroes, and the fall of the hero society.
As if the deaths of heroes like Midnight weren’t bad enough, the consequences of the war are even worse as people lose hope in the system and the hero system ends. The conclusion cements it as one of the best arcs in the series thus far, with much more dark to come along the way.
8) The Battle for Trost Arc – Attack on Titan
When attack on titan was released, the sense of dread that the Titans brought to viewers was never too far away from rookie explorers. the Arch of Trost ultimately brought that to a head, as many died during it. However, despite the death, a ray of hope resided in the young Eren Yeager.
This arc started everything that was shonen anime and played a huge role in how it ended. From the desperation of the scout division to Eren’s epic roar of defiance when he changes into a Titan for the first time, this arc began attack on titan in the public consciousness and has never stopped. Many mysteries and character arcs started in this arc.
Not only that, but it marks humanity’s first victory over the Titans and the first appearance of Captain Levi Ackerman. It helps that the iconic image of Eren holding the rock will always be in the minds of fans.
9) The Dark Tournament Saga –Yu Yu Hakusho
the dark tournament It is the second saga of the shonen anime Yuyu Hakusho, but somehow manages to outshine all the others. In terms of being a shonen anime story arc, this tournament is pretty memorable for being, well, darker than average.
The tournament is run by a group of corrupt humans looking to get rich, and the contestants are some of the vilest from the spirit world looking to bathe in their opponents’ blood. It’s a given that it would be darker than the average arc due to the number of deaths that are dished out.
As for their iconic status, this is where they all shine. Kuwabara’s spirit sword comes into play, Hiei goes all out with the Darkness Flame Dragon, Kurama practically sacrifices himself with his plants to stop his opponent, and Yusuke faces his toughest challenge yet in the form of young Toguro.
10) Chimera Ant Bow – Hunter x Hunter
Of all the stories in shonen anime hunter x hunterthe Chimera Ant Bow it’s the darkest, but also the most emotionally satisfying. He tackles heavy topics like life, death, and nuclear war, and even sends Gon into a rage from which he never fully recovers.
The main antagonist of the story, Meruem, the king of the chimera ants, begins to question his cruel and pessimistic outlook on life when he befriends a human girl named Komugi. Their relationship set a sad tone for the saga, growing and blossoming into something more even as they faced her demise.
It’s an emotional story arc that pushes the heroes into situations they’ve never been exposed to before, like hostage situations, complex characters, and angry heroes. Gon himself even becomes increasingly battle mad as the arc progresses, ending on a bad note for him.