10 Best Studio Mappa Anime (Ranked by IMDb)
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Created in 2011, Studio MAPPA has had a decade filled with iconic originals such as Banana Fish, Yuri!!! On Ice, and Kakegurui.
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Masao Maruyama has been a legendary figure in modern anime due to his association with Madhouse as a founder and producer. However, in 2011, Maruyama went on to found another animation studio known as MAPPA. With Manabu Otsuka serving as its current CEO, MAPPA has had a decade filled with iconic originals such as Banana Fish, Yuri!!! On Ice, and Kakegurui.
At the same time, the studio has received enough attention to even produce seasons of acclaimed animes from other studios, such as Hajime no Ippo and Attack on Titan.
10 Kakegurui (2017-): 7.2
A hyperviolent high-school anime centered on gambling, Kakegurui is a must-watch for its offbeat humor and stylized gore. The protagonist Yumeko Jabami is a talented gambler who changes the stakes at an elite school that’s run on such gambling games.
One can expect the unexpected with the way the tables turn in every episode. For instance, the gamblers seek a thrill out of betting on their own life or body when the stakes are too high. All in all, Kakegurui might not be for anyone but its overall weirdness is impressive enough to draw in niche audiences.
9 Terror In Resonance (2014): 7.9
With just 11 episodes, Terror In Resonance makes for a perfect binge for fans of underrated psychological anime series. The thriller starts off with a few youngsters stealing an atom bomb and threatening to destroy Tokyo until they get answers to some secrets. The attackers have had their own share of personal trauma which they wish to overcome, as they are the survivors of a covert operation to develop humans into weapons.
This dark version of the present forms the setting and asks questions about the extent to which government agencies can be authoritarian. It doesn’t shy away from its depiction of violence and terrorism to explore notions around what a perfect “modern society” would look like.
8 Banana Fish (2018): 8.2
Banana Fish is a must-watch single-season anime that relies heavily on tropes set up by not only its titular manga but also crime thrillers from the ’90s. The central friendship between gang leader Ash Lynx and journalist Max Lobo offers the emotional punch while a mind-control conspiracy related to the Iraq War adds to the thrills.
Even though the series was set in the 2010s (as compared to the manga that was based in the 1980s), the references and visual style still have a classic feel to them, setting Banana Fish apart from its contemporaries in the crime thriller genre.
7 Dorohedoro (2020-): 8.2
Dorohedoro is a hugely underrated Netflix anime that retains the dystopian style and goofy humor of the manga that it is based on. Revolving around a reptile-headed amnesiac’s quest to retain his memories, the post-apocalyptic backdrop is visually pleasing and interactive.
Despite the setting, the anime largely deals with sorcery and dark arts rather than sci-fi. After being converted into his reptilian form, the protagonist Caiman struggles to find the sorcerer behind his metamorphosis. A larger conspiracy is unearthed then involving humans being used as guinea pigs by the magical forces.
6 Kids On The Slope (2012)- 8.3
Kids on the Slope celebrates high-school friendships with polar opposites of characters The series focuses on the introvert Kaoru Nishimi who along with his rebellious friend Sentarō Kawabuchi develops a fascination for jazz music.
Highly regarded as one of the best animes of the last decade, Kids on the Slope was praised for its wholesome male friendships, the relatability of the characters, along with the narrative and music. Fans of “slice of life” anime should definitely try watching this MAPPA classic.
5 Yuri!!! On Ice (2016): 8.3
Yuri Katsuki is a seasoned veteran when it comes to ice skating. But in the face of a Russian pro and a rising talent, his competitive spirit is triggered and gets back in the game. The figure-skating sequences in the show are pretty realistic given how competitive ice dancer Kenji Miyamoto serves as the choreographer.
The series has garnered praise for not just its comedic tones and sports-driven story but also a sensitive portrayal of same-sex relationships and anxiety.
4 Dororo (2019): 8.4
The classic manga Dororo was famously interpreted in a 1969 anime. It was essentially a fantasy story revolving around the adventures of a young Ronin with prosthetic limbs called Hyakkimaru and an urchin called Dororo. The former’s body parts are stolen by demons prompting him to search all over for them.
This central storyline is retained in the 2019 MAPPA update although it does deviate majorly from the source material. All in all, it’s an engaging dark fantasy anime with multi-dimensional characters. Hyakkimaru’s quest isn’t to just find his body but to also find the purpose and identity of his life
3 Jujutsu Kaisen (2020-): 8.7
A shonen anime with elements of dark fantasy and adventure, Jujutsu Kaisen has garnered a huge following despite having debuted only in the last year. The plot largely follows a high school student Yuji Itadori and his adventures after he joins a secret organization of Jujutsu Sorcerers to kill a powerful Curse. Yuji also harbors a villainous monster within that he master control over.
The dark elements aside, Jujutsu Kaisen avoids familiar anime tropes and offers a healthy dose of bizarre humor and allusions to iconic shonen anime like Bleach and Naruto.
2 Hajime No Ippo: Rising (2013): 8.7
Hajime no Ippo (also known as Fighting Spirit) is a Japanese boxing anime that was developed by Madhouse but its third season titled Rising fell under the purview of MAPPA. It largely retained the original cast of boxers, chiefly the Featherweight Champion Makunouchi Ippo who must defend his title in the face of new opponents.
Boxing as a subgenre of sports fiction has become quite oversaturated with similar underdog themes and melodramatic bouts. However, Hajime no Ippo: Rising does show the introspective side of its boxer rather than just focusing on fast-paced action.
1 Attack On Titan: The Final Season (2020-): 9
Attack On Titan needs no introduction as it continues to be one of the biggest anime series of all time. Even though its initial seasons were developed by Wit Studio, MAPPA has stepped in for the final one. The first part ran from 2020 to 2021 with the sophomore chapter bound to release by next year.
As has been the premise of the series, the final season continues the post-apocalyptic war between humanity and Titans. However, unlike other dark fantasy and sci-fi anime, Attack on Titan benefits from an underlying philosophy behind its multi-layered characters as they discover their origins and history with every subsequent mission. It’s this nuance in the overall writing that definitely sets itself apart from its contemporaries.
Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.
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