10 best completed anime series that you should try

Anime has exploded into mainstream entertainment, captivating viewers globally with stunning visuals and storytelling that challenges conventions. While endless series allow getting invested for the long run, completed anime enable fully enjoying intricate stories with proper closure.

Let's explore masterpieces covering diverse genres – from action extravaganzas, and sci-fi mind-benders to emotional dramas about the human spirit. Whether you're discovering anime or a longtime enthusiast, these completed anime series deliver start-to-finish exhilaration showcasing the best of Japanese animation.

10 must-watch completed anime series for every fan

1) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Image via Bones)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, a 64-episode action-adventure series, stands as a gold standard for anime adaptations. Faithfully following the manga's epic storyline places it miles ahead of its 2003 predecessor.

Alchemists with extraordinary abilities, secretive organizations, and 'father' figures with devious agendas only touch the surface of its creative depth. The heart lies with the Elric brothers - adolescent hothead Edward and gentle soul Alphonse – tragedy forged an unbreakable bond between them.

But strip away the magic and larger-than-life battles, and you find a story about two children shouldering the crushing burdens of guilt, hope, and redemption. Its deft blend of swashbuckling steampunk action with resonant emotion demonstrates a masterwork firing on all cylinders.

2) Cowboy Bebop

Shinichirō Watanabe's trailblazing 26-episode masterpiece stands as an undeniable instant classic. Its sheer stylistic brilliance almost overshadows its noir-flavored sci-fi narrative.

A varied crew of bounty hunters aboard the spaceship Bebop make their way in a future resembling our solar system. Tracking fugitives leads this ragtag group into misadventures highlighting their tragic histories. Terrorist plots, biological threats, and hyper-intelligent hackers upend their plans.

While the futuristic setting brims with creativity, melancholy permeates the jazzy atmosphere. Atmospheric visuals complement characters wrestling with loneliness, broken dreams, and inescapable pasts. Its genre-bending innovation and emotional depth cement its iconic status.

3) Steins;Gate

Time travel's mind-bending complexity gets woven into this sci-fi thriller centered around 'mad scientist' Rintarō Okabe. While experimenting with a modified microwave and cell phone, he discovers that sending text messages to the past alters the timeline, leading to profound and dangerous consequences.

What elevates Steins;Gate are the risks in altering past events no matter how noble the intention. Okabe's companion Mayuri meets tragic fates in multiple timelines, forcing him to rectify his tampering. Malign organizations threaten loved ones, further destabilizing the space-time continuum.

Its labyrinth of shifting timelines coils towards a climax balancing scientific speculation with emotion. Is preserving reality worth innocent lives? Finding the solution leads to characters undergoing poignant transformations in this one-of-a-kind classic.

4) Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan (Image via Wit Studio/MAPPA)

This brutal, exhilarating anime chronicles humanity's plight inside concentric walls protecting them from grotesque, man-eating giants called Titans. After young Eren Yeager witnesses the horrors firsthand, he dedicates himself to their extermination.

While it brings fresh energy to its post-apocalyptic setting, Attack on Titan sinks its hooks through its relentless, edge-of-the-seat intensity. Bloody Titan encounters fueled by vertical maneuvering action linger in memory. Still, it surprises by revealing the mysterious connection between humans and their sworn enemies.

Political conspiracies, military coups, ethical dilemmas, and ideological clashes supplement the visceral struggles for survival. Resonant themes highlight difficult choices made when confronting total annihilation. This completed anime delivers relentless large-scale action spectacle across its four seasons.

5) Code Geass

Sunrise's hit two-season mecha thriller captivated fans with its morally complex protagonist, Lelouch Lamperouge. After the conquering Holy Empire of Britannia causes the death of his mother and leaves his sister blind and crippled, he gains a supernatural power to compel others into obeying his orders.

What follows is a stimulating battle of wits between Lelouch's alter ego Zero commanding a populist revolt against Britannia's global domination. Using his strategic genius to organize a paramilitary resistance, Lelouch pursues justice while seeking retribution.

But his ideals get tested by geopolitical complexities and ethical dilemmas. Means define ends, and Lelouch risks losing sight of his principles. Code Geass remains provocative not just for its mecha action, but for the vigorous debates it inspires regarding morality in times of war.

6) Monster

This chilling psychological thriller spanning 74 episodes follows Japanese neurosurgeon Dr. Kenzo Tenma. His decision to save a young boy named Johan Liebert instead of operating on the town mayor leads to unforeseen consequences.

When a string of mysterious murders happens around him, Dr. Tenma investigates Johan's past to unravel the truth. Monster is unique for having no supernatural elements. The central villain, Johan, is more terrifying for his sheer ruthlessness, cunning mind games, and complete lack of empathy. An intriguing cat-and-mouse battle between good and evil unfolds in a gripping narrative.

7) Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden (Image via Kyoto Animation)

An emotionally powerful drama set in a fictional country inspired by post-World War I Europe, this completed anime chronicles the journey of former soldier Violet Evergarden.

Struggling with integrating back into society after the war's end, she learns the meaning of human emotions by working as an Auto Memory Doll, writing letters for clients. Through helping various people put their emotions into words, the initially emotionless Violet herself starts understanding feelings like love and grief.

Backed by top-tier visuals from studio Kyoto Animation, this poignant anime explores grief, PTSD, empathy, and the power of words to connect people, with its story concluding in the subsequent films.

8) Death Note

One of the most popular completed anime, this dark fantasy thriller instantly hooks viewers when ace student Light Yagami discovers a supernatural notebook that can kill anyone whose name he writes in it.

As crime rates drop significantly, a talented yet eccentric detective L starts suspecting the serial killer 'Kira' and tries tracking him down. The mind games between Light and L have remained a hallmark of this classic cat-and-mouse series spanning 37 episodes. It has set the benchmark for dark psychological anime through its exploration of morality and ethics.

9) Gurren Lagann

A coming-of-age mecha anime classic produced by legendary studio Gainax, Gurren Lagann delivers an inspirational story about two young boys, Simon and Kamina, who rise up to challenge the oppressive Beastmen ruling humanity's underground tunnels.

It skillfully combines giant robot action, brotherhood, romance, and grief with creative animation styles into a truly epic saga. This 27-episode masterpiece has moved countless viewers through its passionate themes of fighting oppression through believing in one's hopes and ideals.

10) Odd Taxi

A completed anime set in a city of anthropomorphic creatures may seem an unlikely candidate, but this micro-budget series has surprised critics and viewers alike through its clever writing.

Centered around an eccentric taxi driver named Odokawa, each episode slowly unravels an intricate web of interlinked stories spanning gang disputes, police investigations, and dilemmas of ordinary citizens.

Despite featuring talking animals, at its core, Odd Taxi remains profoundly humane. Its 13 episodes deliver an offbeat yet hard-hitting commentary on modern urban discontent through a bittersweet finale. This sleeper hit has earned praise for packing a compact yet powerful punch.

Conclusion

These 10 completed anime showcase the best of Japanese animation through their captivating storylines, multidimensional characters, high-stakes drama, and poignant humanism.

For anyone looking to dive into the medium, these classics offer the full range and depth of anime's storytelling powers guaranteed to connect with viewers at a deeper emotional level.

Their conclusive endings avoid frustration from unfinished plot threads in ongoing adaptations. Completing these series leaves the audience with a profound sense of enjoyment and closure that lingers long afterward.