Best Anime By MAPPA Studio

MAPPA is no stranger to the pressure that comes with taking on series previously produced by other studios and maintaining their excellence. In both circumstances, whether with a show beginning with them or one transferred after many seasons, MAPPA delivers an experience that leaves a mark.

Founded in 2011 by major anime producer Masao Maruyama, the studio is loved for its track record of shows with top-notch animation and captivating stories. These shows are diverse in look and subject matter, showing off MAPPA’s great skills applied across a wide range of endeavors. From sports anime to historical stories, here are the ten best anime made by MAPPA Studio.

Updated January 15, 2024, by Emedo Destiny: Animation studios have very long shelf lives due to the immense difficulty of successfully establishing themselves as one of the best for animation projects. MAPPA, however, has come around and completely dispelled this myth. In under just a decade, they have more than cemented their place as one of the best and arguably the best animation studios on the scene for animation projects. The studio, founded in 2011 by Masao Maruyama, has made it a habit to leave outstanding marks on every project they get involved in. Be it projects the studio takes up from the beginning or one they continue, MAPPA has a habit of leaving a trail of excellence in these works, making instant hits within the anime community. Known for their diversity, from action-packed visuals to tear-jerking and delicately moving narratives, MAPPA delivers colorful and visual excellence in every project they take up. So, in examining projects the studio has taken up, here are some of the best of the best.

20 Takt. Op Destiny

• Where To Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Prime Video
• Release Years: 2021
• Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Music melds beautifully with science-fiction in this tale of extra-terrestrial invasions. Takt. Op Destiny tells a story of life without music in the United States of America following the sudden invasion of an alien species called the D2s, originating from a black meteorite that fell to Earth. The government bans the public from playing any melodies to combat the presence of the D2s and their immense hatred for music. The series' protagonist, Takt Asahina, a piano prodigy and an orphan, suddenly becomes a Conductor of a Musicart during an unexpected D2 attack.

A Musicart is the only thing capable of destroying the D2s, and it requires the life of a young woman who holds the power of music to create a pact. The incident also takes the life of Anne Schneider's younger sister, Cossette, the family Takt lived with. Cossette's death catalyzes the pact between Takt and his Musicart, Destiny. To stabilize the pact between Takt and his musicart, the trio must now make the dangerous D2-ridden journey to New York's Symphonica Headquarters before either or both Takt and Destiny die due to their pact.

19 Rage Of Bahamut: Genesis

Rage of Bahamut: Genesis takes place in the fantastical and ancient land of Mistarcia. A land home to all of the Gods, Demons, and Humans together. The old and powerful dragon, Bahamut, wreaked havoc on the land of Mistarcia and threatened the world's destruction. With the destruction of the world staring at them in the face, the rival races of Demons and Gods band together, with the humans having no sort of power capable of helping and are just barely able to seal off Bahamut, with the two races agreeing to split the key imprisoning the dragon between themselves to ensure Bahamut is never released.

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With the world safe from the rage of Bahamut and two thousand years later, life is relatively easy for the series' central characters, the amoral Favaro Leone, a self-serving and selfish bounty hunter, and the righteous and upright Kaisar Lidfard. With the two sharing a rather complicated relationship and co-dependent lives, their lives are thrown into chaos when Favaro encounters Amira, a mysterious woman with half the key protecting the world's fragile peace.

18 Altair: A Record Of Battles

• Where To Watch: Prime Video
• Release Years: 2017
• Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Altair: A Record Of Battles tells a tale of conquest and war, and the seventeen-year-old teenager is stuck at the center. The series is centered around the young Tughril Mahmut, the youngest military leader in the history of the Turkiye Stratocracy. With the country of Turkiye faced with an aggressive neighboring state in the Balt-Rhein empire, hellbent on expanding its empire, war drums are already beating on the horizon.

Mahmut finds himself in a council torn between warmongers and pacifists, with time not on his side. Mahmut, having experienced the true nature of war after being orphaned and losing his village to a massacre, is on the side advocating for peace. However, the march of war has begun and will not cease until blades clash. Mahmut must now find a way to build an alliance strong enough to defend his nation should the quest for peace fail and is no longer an option.

17 Garo

• Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime Video
• Release Years: 2014-2015
• Genre: Action, Fantasy

Garo is set in the fantasy land of the Valiante Kingdom, where an intense hunt to exterminate the users of witchcraft has begun under the name of the King. Fast forward to seventeen years later, the extermination is still ongoing and keeps growing both in size and intensity. However, unknown to citizens of the Valiante Kingdom, the real targets of the witchhunt are the Makai Knights and Alchemists, who are secret protectors of humanity granted immense powers to fight against demon horrors. The central character is one of these Makai Knights, the seventeen-year-old Leon Luis, who inherited the legendary armor of the Golden Knight, Garo, from his mother.

Despite inheriting immense power to help people, Luis finds it challenging to let go of the hatred he holds against the Valiante Kingdom for the death of his mother. Still training under his father, German, Leon's life takes a turn when he and his father are expected to investigate the frequent Horror incidents in the Kingdom's capital, and he encounters Crown Prince Alfonso San Valiente, who is on the quest to retake his kingdom after being backstabbed and exiled. Their fated meeting will forever change both their lives.

16 Inuyashiki: Last Hero

• Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime Video, Netflix
• Release Year: 2017
• Genre: Drama, Action, Sci-Fi

Inuyashiki: Last Hero examines the contrasting lives of two individuals living in the same city and impacted by the same incident and the decisions they make following the incident's aftermath. The series revolves around Ichirou Inuyashiki, a fifty-eight-year-old man experiencing a difficult patch in his life. Living through physical pain due to his constant back aches, the real pain in his stems from the indifference and disdain his wife and children have for him. Ichirou's life further worsens when he learns he has stomach cancer and has only three months left to live.

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In the same city, the series' other central character, Hiro Shishigami, is a high schooler who, although his family very much cherishes him, has an indignant attitude to life. The lives of both characters collide when, coincidentally, they are both present when an alien light hits the Earth, and both of them are killed. Both are restored to life by the aliens and, in the process, are granted superhuman abilities, forever changing their lives. With vastly contrasting personalities, their use of their newfound abilities ensures that the two will meet again in a matter of life and death.

15 Days

• Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
• Release Years: 2016
• Genre: Sports

Days is a sports anime series that revolves around Tsukushi Tsukamoto, a shy high school student that is unexpectedly scoured by the school’s soccer team. The series follows his journey as he embarks on a path of self-discovery, camaraderie, and growth through his involvement in the world of soccer.

Days showcase passion, dedication, and teamwork while capturing the spirit of soccer, delivering thrilling match sequences, and offering an enjoyable viewing experience for soccer enthusiasts and anime fans alike. MAPPA successfully brings the manga to life with vibrant animation and expressive character designs.

14 Kakegurui

is an extremely thrilling and intense anime series based on the manga written by Homura Kawamoto, which takes place at Hyakkaou Private Academy, an elite school where students’ social status is determined by their gambling skills and their ability to triumph in the face of extremely high stakes.

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Kakegurui comes to life with its dynamic animation, colorful visuals, and intense atmosphere. The series accurately captures the tension and the suspense of the gambling matches with the characters’ expressions accurately conveying their excitement, determination,

and cunning tactics.

13 The God Of Highschool

The action-packed world of The God of Highschoo l, based on the popular webtoon by Yongje Park, was brought to life in the anime series. Jin Mori is a high school student and martial artist who is invited to participate in a nationwide tournament called “The God of High School.”

In this tournament, participants from various schools and martial arts backgrounds compete in intense battles to determine the strongest fighter. As the story progresses, Jin Mori forms alliances, faces formidable opponents, and unravels the mysteries surrounding the tournament and his powers. The anime showcases breathtaking martial arts action sequences, combining hand-to-hand combat, supernatural abilities, and incredible feats of strength.

12 Hell’s Paradise

Gabimaru Shortly After Killing Several People – Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Episode 2

Hell’s Paradise is set in feudal Japan and follows the story of Gabimaru, who is a notorious ninja in service of the Iwagakure. He is captured and sentenced to death for treason by the village chief. Instead of being executed, he, like all other criminals, is given an opportunity to gain his freedom by embarking on a mission to find the elixir of life by order of the shogunate.

The criminals are assigned to a group of executioners called the Yamada Asaemon Clan, who oversee their actions. Gabimaru and Sagiri, his overseer, embark on a journey where they encounter an array of formidable opponents and god-like individuals with unique abilities.

11 Terror in Resonance

The plot revolves around two enigmatic teenagers known as Nine and Twelve, who orchestrated a series of terrorist attacks. Using their intelligence and advanced knowledge of technology, they leave clues behind in the form of cryptic messages challenging the authorities to uncover their true motives.

Terror in Resonance captivated viewers with its complex characters, psychological depth, and thought-provoking narrative. The series featured stunning animation that captures the atmospheric and gritty nature of the story and accurately depicts life in modern-day Tokyo.