Sunrise is turning 50, and it's marking the milestone the most on-brand way possible: a brand-new Armored Trooper Votoms — Soukou Kihei Votoms: Haiiro no Hexe — premiering November 20, 2026 as a Sunrise 50th Anniversary project. Good excuse to do the thing people actually search for: rank the studio's best. Here's the Sunrise catalog ordered by SenpaiRanks's dual-axis board, newcomers welcome.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best Sunrise anime by adjusted score are Gintama (adjusted 8.99), Cowboy Bebop (8.72), and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (8.68, with its R2 sequel climbing to 8.89). The studio behind them — Bandai Namco's Sunrise — turns 50 in 2026 and is launching a new Armored Trooper Votoms: Haiiro no Hexe on November 20, 2026. Most of these titles stream on Crunchyroll, with Cowboy Bebop and Code Geass also carried on additional platforms in many regions. This ranking reads Consensus and Quality separately instead of collapsing them into one number the way MAL and IMDb do.
The ranked list
1. Gintama — adjusted 8.99
Sunrise, 2006 onward (this Gintama' run: 51 episodes). The samurai-comedy juggernaut that swings from gag reel to genuine shonen gut-punch without warning. It sits at the top of the Sunrise board for a reason — the payoff arcs are some of the most beloved in the medium. Streams on Crunchyroll.
2. Cowboy Bebop — adjusted 8.72
Sunrise, 1998, 26 episodes. The jazz-scored space-western that broke anime into the Western mainstream and still tops "best anime of all time" lists 25+ years on. Widely available — Crunchyroll, with additional streaming in many regions. If you watch one Sunrise show, this is the one.
3. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion — adjusted 8.68
Sunrise, 2006, 25 episodes. Mecha-plus-political-chess with one of anime's sharpest antihero arcs. Start with the 2006 first season; the R2 continuation climbs to an adjusted 8.89 on SenpaiRanks. Streams on Crunchyroll and other platforms depending on region.
4. Planetes — adjusted 7.95
Sunrise, 2003, 26 episodes. Grounded hard-sci-fi about orbital debris collectors — quiet, humane, and criminally underseen. The deep cut that longtime fans push hardest.
5. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 — adjusted 7.93
Sunrise, 2007, 25 episodes. The modern-era Gundam entry point: sleek, politically dense, and the cleanest on-ramp to the franchise for newcomers who don't want to start in 1979.
6. Tiger & Bunny — adjusted 7.67
Sunrise, 2011, 25 episodes. Corporate-sponsored superheroes and a buddy-cop odd couple — a genuinely fresh spin that spawned films and a Netflix-era second season.
7. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury — adjusted 7.55
Sunrise, 2022, 12 episodes. The first female-led mainline Gundam, and the franchise's biggest new-fan magnet in years. The most beginner-friendly recent entry on this list.
8. Armored Trooper Votoms: Haiiro no Hexe — adjusted 6.5
Sunrise / Production I.G, premiering November 20, 2026. The 50th-anniversary revival of the gritty 1983 real-robot classic. The score is provisional — it's an unaired new entry — but it's the reason this list exists today. Here's the trailer:
What to watch for
Sunrise's 50th year is stacked: the new Votoms in November, an ongoing Gundam pipeline, and a back catalog that anchors half the mecha canon. If you want the genre view rather than the studio view, our best mecha anime, ranked covers the field across studios. For everything landing this season, see what to watch, fall 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best Sunrise anime?
A: By SenpaiRanks's adjusted score, Gintama (8.99) tops the studio, followed by Cowboy Bebop (8.72) and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (8.68).
Q: What new Sunrise anime is coming in 2026?
A: Armored Trooper Votoms: Haiiro no Hexe, a Sunrise 50th Anniversary project co-produced with Production I.G, premieres November 20, 2026.
Q: Where can I watch Sunrise anime?
A: Most of these titles stream on Crunchyroll; Cowboy Bebop and Code Geass are also available on additional platforms in many regions.
Q: Which Sunrise anime is best for beginners?
A: Cowboy Bebop (standalone, 26 episodes) and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (a modern, beginner-friendly Gundam) are the two easiest starting points.
Q: How does SenpaiRanks rank studios?
A: Each title carries a dual-axis score — Consensus (how broadly liked) and Quality (how well it holds up) — so a studio's catalog is read on two honest axes instead of a single blurred average.