When it comes to shonenanime,Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodis a masterclass of both compelling narrative and amazing action sequences. In thisanimeseries, alchemist brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric go on a journey to find the fabled Philosopher’s Stone in order to bring back their deceased mother. Unfortunately for them, their journey ends up involving them in a grand conspiracy not just involving their membership in the Amestrian State Military but also the world at large.
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It’s not often that fans are able to witness ashonen animetake their world as seriously asFullmetal Alchemist, but this doesn’t mean there’s an absence of these shows entirely. Fans curious about otherFMA-like anime may find themselves clamoring for more similar shows with a similar impact.
9Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba (2018)
It’s one thing to say thatDemon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaibaboasts an engrossing story,that of Tanjiro Kamadoand his membership in the Demon Slayer Corps to find a curse for his sister Nezuko, who has been turned into a demon after a horrific attack. However, it’s another thing entirely to see Tanjiro and his companions work towards their personal stories in extremely flashy combat, showing off colorful techniques empowered by solid animation.
Unlike other supernatural anime,Demon Slayertakes place in Taisho-era Japan, where katana-donning samurai and warriors of the Demon Slayer Corps exist to wage a secret war against Demons. And unlike other shonen anime where they have rather ordinary-looking techniques, Demon Slayers use Breathing Styles, which not only empowers their physical bodies but also imbues them with unique elemental abilities.
8Attack On Titan (2013)
Aside from its approach tohope amid sheer terror and despair,Attack On Titanhas become appealing to shonen fans for its ambitious approach to both its narrative and combat. Taking place on the island of Paradis,Attack On Titancenters around the Survey Corps and their efforts to protect the three-walled city and humanity’s last bastion against hulking Titans, seemingly-undefeatable man-eating humanoids. The story begins after Eren Yeager is drafted into the Survey Corps, training eagerly and swearing vengeance against the Titans responsible for the brutal murder of his mother.
Unfortunately for Eren, this quest isn’t easy. The only hope the Survey Corps have against the Titans are their specialized training through Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, specially-crafted gear that grants them incredible mobility in all three-dimensions. It’s this man-against-giant approach, as well as the anime’s fast-paced and thrilling combat, that makesAttack On TitanrivalBrotherhoodin terms of amazing fight scenes to match an equally-engrossing story. The show’s later seasons also challenge the status quo introduced in the opening arcs.
7My Hero Academia (2016)
It’s perhapsMy Hero Academiathat best matchesBrotherhoodwhen it comes to a flexible combat system that matches a deep narrative, as this is exactly what the series is about. The anime tells the story of Izuku Midoriya, a youngster living in an alternate history where a majority of humans have developed superpowers – to the point where Pro Heroes are taught and trained to fight villains who misuse them. Izuku has always dreamt of becoming a hero himself, despite lacking powers.
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That is, untilAll-Might, perhaps the best hero of all time, shares his own powers with Izuku. In order to become the hero he’s always wanted, Izuku enrolls in UA High School, meeting friends, rivals, and fighting villains along the way. The anime has its fair share of interesting fights, especially when characters have to maximize the creative uses of their Quirks to outwit each other.
6Bleach (2004)
WhenBleachaired in 2004, it floored fans with its edgy and punk approach to fighting monsters. In its story, Ichigo Kurosaki is lent the powers of a Soul Reaper and is brought to the world of the Shinigami, Quincies, Hollows, and creatures in between. And whileBleachcertainly boasts quite a long storyline, the way it blends its fight scenes with Ichigo’s overall growth is nothing short of awesome.
ThroughoutBleach,Ichigo is slowly taught how to control his powersand unlock evolutions of his abilities, something both his companions, rivals, and villains share, in unique ways. And instead of overwhelming viewers with different concepts,Bleachmanages to blend everything together in a way that just makes power scaling, theoretical rivalries, and fight scenes make all the more sense.
5Soul Eater (2008)
Fans ofFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodthat loved how the anime’s technical concepts meshed into its narrative will likely appreciate the depth put intoSoul Eater. WhereasBrotherhoodfocuses on Alchemy and its impact in the lives of Amestris,Soul Eaterbrings viewers to the underworld and how Death himselftrains Weapon Meisters and Demon Weaponson how to work together to fight Witches and other supernatural creatures.
Sporting a supernatural punk aesthetic,Soul Eatertalks of the adventures of Maka Albarn and her scythe Demon Weapon, Soul Eater, as they protect the underworld. Accompanied by the likes of a self-absorbed ninja and the son of Death himself, viewers will love the anime’s shared musical themes alongside its engrossing story.
4Fire Force (2020)
Spoiler alert for the end ofFire Force.When theFire Forcemanga ended in 2022, it revealed that it was actually a prequel toSoul Eater, which came as quite a surprise since there wasn’t too much indication that this connection existed. However, what is consistent between the two is their dedicated approach to combat and concepts, and the way they mesh well with the plot.
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At its core,Fire Forcetalks of the adventures of the Special Fire Force, a spec-ops team in the Tokyo Empire designated to fight Infernals, humans that self-combust into monsters. Thankfully,Shinra Kusakabe and his team, all First-Generation Infernals that can control their fire-based powers, fight to defend the world from various beasts. And what’s awesome is that they all approach combat uniquely, even when they all control fire in different ways!
3Witch Hunter Robin (2002)
Unlike other hit anime with multiple seasons,Witch Hunter Robinis a one-season hit with 26 episodes, each packed with quite an intriguing narrative in a grounded setting. Taking place in the world,Witch Hunter Robinfollows the adventures of Robin Sena,a witchcraft userwho is a member of the Solomon Executive Organization, a secret witch-hunting organization that chases full witches that have become mad with power.
While Robin herself is a fire craft user, she and her team at Solomon use unique methods to capture other powerful witches. They carry a special liquid called Orbo that can dampen a witch’s abilities, which means Robin and her companions need to use unique methods to outsmart and outwit the villains they encounter. It’s this approach to combat, alongside each episode’s police procedural setup, that makesRobinquite a classic that deserves revisiting.
2Flame Of Recca (1997)
Banking on the popularity of the tournament setup shonen anime,Flame Of Reccais a memorable series known for its unique powers shared by its equally-intriguing cast. Set in modern times, ninja-obsessed Recca Hanabishi learns that he is, in fact, a ninja from Japan’s Sengoku Era. Not only that, but the metal arm-guard he’s always worn is inhibitinghis unique flame-based powers. When a girl he’s saved demonstrates healing abilities coveted by the malevolent Koran Mori, Recca starts meeting unlikely allies in his journey to protect his Princess.
Aside from its rather typical shonen premise, what makesReccaunique is its approach to its concepts. Recca not only generates and controls fire, but can access eight Flame Spirits with unique abilities, all of which he needs to befriend and master. Not only that, but his allies and rivals also get access to Madogu, mystical ninja artifacts that bestow unique abilities. As such, Recca and his allies not only need to master their own skills, but also develop unique fighting techniques against various opponents.
1Claymore (2007)
Despite the rather classic ambiance and rather ordinary medieval premise ofClaymore, it boasts both quite the compelling narrative and grounded combat system. As such,Claymoreis fit for those who want a more serious take on the shonen genre, or those who want a simple tale of a traveling warrior that grows complex after each episode.
The anime is set on a medieval island where Yoma or monstrous shape-shifters exist as a constant threat to villages. Fighting the Yoma are Claymores, silver-haired, silver-armoredclaymore-wieldinghalf-Yoma hybrids created by the mysterious Organization. Protagonist Claire, one of 47 Claymores, is eventually dragged into a conspiracy that could change the way the world works. However, her adventures are plagued with combat against Yoma and even her fellow Claymores. What’s interesting here is how all Claymores share a similar powerset, with their signature techniques being the only things that set them apart. This makes combat all the more interesting, given their equal stature.
Two live-actionFullmetal Alchemistfilms are about to arrive in 2022, each chronicling different parts of the manga. The first one, “Final Chapter – The Avenger Scar” introduces the alchemist killer Scar, while “Final Chapter – The Final Transmutation” chronicles the final arc in the story.
