Summary
- Many successful anime are based on manga, but original ideas like Star Wars: Visions and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are also thriving.
- Sword Art Online and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing prove that anime can be inspired by light novels or original ideas.
- Cowboy Bebop stands out as an exceptional anime that began as an original idea and has had a lasting impact.
A lot of the top anime out today are all based on manga. This includes the various Dragon Ball adaptations, My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, and many others. They are all great, but it’s also fun to see creators and studios come up with original ideas that then go on to be successful.
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There are also other sources anime can be based on besides manga, including video games and light novels. Let’s go through all of the best original anime ideas, along with a few other adaptations that are not based on manga. They will be included based on the idea and quality of the anime.
8 Star Wars: Visions
An Anthology Series Based On The West
Star Wars: Visions
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- Release Date
- September 22, 2021
- Seasons
- 3
Star Wars: Visions is an anthology series that debuted in 2021. Each episode was a standalone story made by an iconic anime studio or director like Studio Trigger.
The first season focused on just Japanese influences, the second season had a more global approach to its episodes, and the upcoming 2025 season looks like it is going to focus on Japan again. It’s based on the giant Star Wars franchise that began in 1977 with the release of Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope.
7 Welcome To The N.H.K.
A Look Into Japan’s Secret Society
Welcome to the N.H.K.
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- 2006 - 2006
- Directors
- Yūsuke Yamamoto
- Writers
- Satoru Nishizono
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Gonzo
- Creator
- Tatsuhiko Takimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 24
Welcome to the N.H.K. Began as a novel in 2002, and was later adapted into a manga series in 2003, which ran until 2007. The same creator, Tatsuhiko Takimoto, wrote both versions, and then the anime launched in 2006 in Japan.
The story explores the world of recluses in Japan, often referred to as NEETs, and anime fans have probably seen a similar character or two pop up in their favorite shows. It’s a one-season comedy anime that’s both informative and hilarious as the characters keep getting put into wackier situations.
6 The Heroic Legend Of Arslan
A Classic Epic
The Heroic Legend Of Arslan
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- 2015 - 2016-00-00
- Network
- TBS, MBS
- Directors
- Hidehiko Kadota, Matsuo Asami, Fumio Maezono
- Seasons
- 2
The Heroic Legend of Arslan also started as a fantasy novel in Japan, but its legacy is much greater than Welcome to the N.H.K., as it started out being published in 1986 and ran until 2017. Over the years, various manga and anime adaptations were made, with the 2013 version being the most notable example.
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Hiromu Arakawa, the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist, started adapting the story, and her take on The Heroic Legend of Arslan is still going strong. The most recent anime, spanning about a season and a half from 2015 to 2016, has left fans eagerly awaiting more seasons to see how Prince Arslan can reclaim his home after a bloody war. There was even a Musou game made based on the anime adaptation, which should show how popular it was, at least in Japan.
5 Sword Art Online
Trapped In An MMO
Sword Art Online
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- 2012 - 2020-00-00
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Creator
- Reki Kawahara
- Number of Episodes
- 96
Sword Art Online began in 2002 as a series of light novels. This original series ended in 2008, but many light novel sequels were made because the core gimmick had the characters jumping around to different games online.
The anime adaptation's first season, also just called Sword Art Online, is the most beloved version of the story. It was adapted in 2012 and featured thousands of players getting trapped online in an MMO, which is a trope in a lot of anime, but still compelling in this case.
4 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Living On The Edge
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
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- 2022 - 2022
- Network
- Netflix
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Trigger
- Number of Episodes
- 10
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an original story told in the Cyberpunk universe. The series began as a tabletop RPG in 1988, which later got a video game adaptation, Cyberpunk 2077, in 2020.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was made in collaboration with CD Projekt Red’s video game, but again, it is an original story that just takes place in the same world of Night City. A second season was recently announced, but there aren’t a lot of details about it right now.
3 Pokemon
A Global Phenomenon Is Born
Pokémon
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- 1997 - 2023
- Seasons
- 25
- Studio
- OLM
- Creator(s)
- Naoko Takeuchi
Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green were released in 1996 for the Game Boy, which were popular in Japan, but the games seemed to blow up even bigger when Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue were released in 1998 in North America. At the same time, the Pokemon anime was released, which had previously started airing in 1997 in Japan.
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It was a brilliant move by Game Freak and Nintendo, who cornered the market with piles of merchandise to go along with both the anime and the games. Even though it was all a big marketing stunt, the first few seasons of the anime are beloved by fans for their funny, charming, and action-packed moments between Ash, Pikachu, and Team Rocket.
2 Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
An Original Mecha Series
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
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- 2000 - 1996-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 1
As big a franchise as Gundam has become since the first anime debuted in 1979, it’s amazing that it didn’t begin as a manga. Sometimes, there are tie-in manga to promote upcoming seasons or manga released after the fact, but for the most part, seasons of Gundam start as anime before anything else.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing was the first entry that many fans saw in North America when it began airing on Toonami in 2000, years after its 1995 debut in Japan. It was the perfect place to start, as it removed itself from the 1979 timeline to create something more action-based with tons of cool mechs and characters.
1 Cowboy Bebop
The One Anime Everyone Should Watch
Cowboy Bebop
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- 1998 - 1999
- Network
- TV Tokyo, WOWOW Prime
- Showrunner
- Shinichirô Watanabe
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Sunrise
- Creator
- Hajime Yatate
- Number of Episodes
- 26
Cowboy Bebop is an astounding anime that has been going strong since it debuted in Japan in 1998 as an original idea. Manga adaptations were made, but it started as an anime first, like many Gundam seasons. It helped launch Adult Swim in 2001 and has been a constant presence with the network ever since.
The stellar animation, gritty storytelling, and comedic moments all make this series something worth showing others who aren't familiar with anime, plus Cowboy Bebop is mostly comprised of standalone episodes. Even though it’s set in the far future, it’s also down to earth, which is likely why it appeals to so many.
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