"Best action anime" is one of the most-searched anime queries there is, and most lists just sort by one number. We don’t. Every title below carries two SenpaiRanks scores — a Consensus axis for how broadly it’s loved and a Quality axis for how well it holds up — so you can tell a crowd-pleaser from a craft piece at a glance. Here are the nine that top the board.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the top three action anime are Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (score 9.08), Hunter x Hunter (2011) (9.00), and Cowboy Bebop (8.72). The full ranked list below spans classics and modern MAPPA hits, each with its studio, episode count, and where it streams. Every score is the dual-axis figure — Consensus and Quality — not a single blended average.
The ranked list
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood — SenpaiRanks 9.08
Bones, 2009, 64 episodes. The gold standard: a complete, tightly plotted adaptation where the action always serves the story. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix in most regions.
2. Hunter x Hunter (2011) — SenpaiRanks 9.00
Madhouse, 2011, 148 episodes. Escalating stakes and the best-constructed power system in shonen. A long watch that pays off. Streams on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
3. Cowboy Bebop — SenpaiRanks 8.72
Sunrise, 1998, 26 episodes. Jazz, bounty hunters, and some of the cleanest fight choreography ever animated. The entry point for a whole generation. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
4. Attack on Titan — SenpaiRanks 8.54
Wit Studio / Production I.G, 2013 onward. Dread-soaked, kinetic, and structurally ambitious across its run. Streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
5. Jujutsu Kaisen — SenpaiRanks 8.46
MAPPA, 2020, 24 episodes (S1). Modern shonen with sakuga-grade fights and a sharp cast. Streams on Crunchyroll.
6. Chainsaw Man — SenpaiRanks 8.39
MAPPA, 2022, 12 episodes. Cinematic, grimy, and unafraid to get weird. Streams on Crunchyroll and Prime Video in most regions.
7. Demon Slayer — SenpaiRanks 8.36
ufotable, 2019, 26 episodes. The show that made "sakuga" a household word. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
8. Vinland Saga — SenpaiRanks 8.26
Wit Studio, 2019, 24 episodes. A Viking revenge epic that grows into something deeper. Full guide here. Streams on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
9. Mob Psycho 100 — SenpaiRanks 8.07
Bones, 2016, 12 episodes. Wild animation and an unexpectedly big heart under the psychic brawls. Streams on Crunchyroll.
How to use this list
Action is a broad tent, so cross-check the neighbors: the best sports anime, ranked, best mecha anime, ranked, and best Weekly Shonen Jump anime hubs share plenty of overlap. For single-title deep dives, our Death Note and Vinland Saga guides break down the "is it good" question the way this list can’t. And if you’re wondering why we run two scores instead of one, the MyAnimeList alternative breakdown explains the method.
Disagree with the order? Rate any of these on its ranking page — your votes move the board.
For the Korean-webtoon side of the same pipeline, see the best webtoon and manhwa anime ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best action anime according to SenpaiRanks?
A: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood tops the list at 9.08 on the Consensus and Quality axes, ahead of Hunter x Hunter (2011) at 9.00.
Q: Where can I watch these action anime?
A: Most stream on Crunchyroll, with Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video carrying several depending on your region. Each entry above notes its main platforms.
Q: Why are there two scores per anime?
A: SenpaiRanks separates Consensus (how broadly a show is liked) from Quality (how well it holds up), so a crowd favorite and a craft masterpiece don’t get flattened into one number.
Q: Is this list only old anime?
A: No — it spans 1998 (Cowboy Bebop) to modern MAPPA productions like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. Ranking is by score, not release year.
Q: How often does the ranking change?
A: It updates as votes come in. Rating a show yourself shifts its Consensus score, so the board reflects the community in real time.