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Anime lovers always anticipate the next grand series of sword-fighting heroes and battles. As we enter 2024, the anime industry is full of new shows combining great storytelling with stunning swordsmanship. Whether you are a long-time fan or just starting, these top ten anime will give you unforgettable experiences and vivid combat sequences. So brace yourself and uncover the best this year’s sword-focused Anime can offer you!
Sword Art Online:
Sword Art Online (SAO) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by Abec. In it, Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki are central characters who navigate through various virtual reality MMORPG worlds and eventually join a simulated civilization much later on in the story. A web novel launched in 2002 concluded its run in 2008, transforming into a light novel series that continues to be published intermittently since 2009. The series has inspired twelve manga adaptations, multiple anime seasons including Sword Art Online II and Sword Art Online: Alicization, and three feature films. Additionally, over thirty million copies have been sold worldwide, and the story has been adapted into video games. The anime has received mixed to positive reviews.
Rurouni Kenshin:
Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story is a Japanese manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki. Set during the Meiji era of Japan in the year 1878, it chronicles ex-assassin Himura Kenshin as he now protects people without killing them anymore. Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine serialized the manga from around the spring or summer of 1994 until late winter of 1999, culminating in a total of twenty-eight tankōbon volumes. As an anime adaptation, it ran from April ’96 till Sept ’98 alongside additional OVA’s & films that followed after that. The "Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc" continues the story and has inspired both live-action movies and video games. This series is among the most popular works since NHK JAPAN began broadcasting in 2019, with over seventy-two million copies published.
Bleach:
Bleach is a Japanese anime based on Tite Kubo's manga series. Produced by Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe, it aired on TV Tokyo from October 2004 to March 2012, with 366 episodes. The show follows Ichigo Kurosaki, who gains Soul Reaper powers from Rukia Kuchiki and must protect humans from evil spirits while guiding souls to the afterlife. Alongside the manga's story, the anime features original plots. Viz Media handled its U.S. distribution starting in March 2006, and it aired on Adult Swim until November 2014. The sequel, *Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War*, began airing in October 2022, with further episodes scheduled through October 2024.
Sword of the Stranger:
Sword of the Stranger is a Japanese animated adventure film that was developed by Bones in 2007 and distributed by Shochiku. The movie plot features Kotaro, a young orphan who seeks refuge from Nanashi, a lost samurai, against Ming blade wielders. Masahiro Andō directed the film, while Fumihiko Takayama wrote the script. Tomoya Nagase and Yuuri Chinen provided voices for the characters, designed by Megumi Endō. Atsushi Morikawa supervised the art direction, and Naoki Satō composed the music. It premiered in Japan on September 29th, 2007 before its release in America on February 5th, 2008 where it has been praised for its animation style, action scenes, and soundtrack.
Afro Samurai:
Afro Samurai is a manga series authored by Takashi Okazaki and published between 1998-2002. The story depicts Afro Samurai’s journey to find his father’s killer Justice to seek vengeance against him. In 2007, Funimation Entertainment created an anime miniseries starring Samuel L. Jackson. The miniseries drew inspiration from soul music, hip-hop, and American movies. Two years later, Funimation Entertainment released a sequel film featuring Jackson in the same titular role. Two Emmys went to this anime show.
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku
Yuji Kaku wrote the manga Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, which Shōnen Jump+ published in thirteen volumes from January 2018 to January 2021. During the Edo period in Japan, the series tells the tale of ninja Gabimaru and an executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they are searching for the elixir of life. The English version was purchased by Viz Media for distribution within the United States. An anime adaptation by MAPPA aired from April to July 2023 with a second season coming soon.
Kimetsu No Yaba (Demon Slayer):
Koyoharu Gotouge wrote and illustrated the Japanese manga series, Kimetsu no Yaiba, from February 2016 to May 2020. The story follows Tanjiro Kamado, whose world is shattered when demons murder his family, transforming his sister Nezuko into one of them. Determined to save Nezuko and avenge his family, Tanjiro becomes a demon slayer. Viz Media brought the 23-volume manga to North American bookstores in English translation. Ufotable animated the series in 2019, and subsequent films and seasons have achieved great success. The work has sold more than one hundred fifty million copies making it one of top top-selling mangas ever created both in terms of visual media franchise; it is highly acclaimed for its art quality, storytelling abilities along complex characters.
Berserk:
Berserk is an anime that depicts a dark fantasy world based on medieval Europe which was written and illustrated mainly by Kentaro Miura (Ibid). Guts, a wandering swordsman who is followed closely behind Griffith, the leader of “Band Hawk” sellswords is a central protagonist in this story. The protagonist, Guts, spends the whole plot hunting after Griffith who deceived him and traded his friends’ lives for those of demons to become one of them. Miura launched a pilot version of Berserk in 1988, followed by the series' debut in 1989. Despite Miura's passing in 2021, Kouji Mori and Studio Gaga have continued the series. With over sixty million copies in print, Berserk is renowned for its gripping narratives and exceptional artwork.
Samurai Champloo:
Samurai Champloo (2004) is a Japanese anime that fuses the historical period of Edo Japan with hip-hop culture. Created by studio Manglobe and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, the show ran for 26 episodes from May 2004 to March 2005. A waitress called Fuu saves a hobbo named Mugen and meets Jin, who is a wandering warrior. After this occurrence, she leaves them to track down a samurai that smells like sunflowers.
Blue Eye Samurai:
Blue Eye Samurai is an animated adult action series by Michael Green and Amber Noizumi. Based on seventeenth-century Japan during the Edo period, it tells the story of Mizu (Maya Erskine), who is a mixed-race master samurai. Mizu lives in disguise seeking vengeance at times when there are no foreigners around due to border closure in Japan. She was born to a Japanese mother but her father was one among four white men living in Japan; hence she plans to kill him as he made her a “creature of shame”. However, this requires hiding both gender and blue eyes.
Conclusion:
In 2024, anime continues to thrill with its exceptional sword-wielding adventures. From the historical drama of "Samurai Champloo" to the intense action of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," these top 10 sword-centric anime offer gripping stories and stunning combat scenes. Each series brings a unique twist to swordplay, making them must-watch for fans. Dive into these trending titles to experience epic battles and unforgettable narratives that highlight the artistry of anime.