Anime has been prevalent in Japan since the early 20th century. By the 1980s, it already entered the international market and quickly became a dominant force in the entertainment industry. Today, anime produces a majority of the most popular animated television shows in the world.

This combination of hand-drawn and computer animation shaped the art style that most people instantly recognize nowadays. Big studios like Studio Ghibli, Toei Animation, and Aniplex have gained their own set of loyal fans due to their consistent mainstream success. Anime is often adapted from popular manga, such as the case for Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Hunter X Hunter.

Whether you are a first-time viewer or have watched anime before, check out our list of the 12 best anime series of all time.

1. Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is a very popular classic anime from 1998. Both hardcore and casual anime viewers will have at least heard of this one. It is a combination of science fiction, western, and neo-noir. This anime series was created by the animation studio Sunrise, a company that is also known for other popular anime like Gundam and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Set in 2071, it follows the story of several bounty hunters working inside a spaceship called the Bebop. It has been almost 50 years since a hyperspace gateway incident turned the Earth into an uninhabitable place of ruin. Mankind has already turned a lot of planets and moons in the solar system into colonies for the population.

This series only has 26 episodes, which makes it a great anime starter series for first-timers. It does not stretch out for too long but has enough of an impact to still remain popular 23 years later. It was originally broadcast on the TV Tokyo network in Japan and in a number of English and locally dubbed channels worldwide.