The best anime for Gen Z

Anime has an irresistible appeal to every generation and Gen Z is no exception. Below are the anime that Gen Z loves the most .

 

Hellsing Ultimate

Hellsing Ultimate isn't for everyone. However, for fans who love dark fantasy and can stomach the gore, this anime offers some of the most intense and lavish animation of its time. Airing from 2006 to 2012, this OVA series was a visual upgrade from the 2001 adaptation, sticking closer to the darker, more violent tone of the original manga. It's intense and gorgeous, and each of the 10 episodes reads like a short film.

 

The animation captures both fast-paced action and slow, creepy tension. Alucard's transformations are rendered in surreal detail, often turning entire scenes into living nightmares. Madhouse and the other contributing studios didn't cut corners. Every drop of blood and every gunfight was carefully animated. And unlike many anime of its era, Hellsing Ultimate never lazily reused frames of animation. The series raised the bar for what action anime should look like, and many Gen Z fans took notice.

Dennou Coil

Directed by Mitsuo Iso, Dennou Coil is a sci-fi anime that predicted a future filled with wearable technology and augmented reality long before those ideas became a part of everyday life. Its animation is as futuristic as its story, combining traditional hand-drawn techniques with digital effects in a way that still looks modern today. Set in a city where AR glasses allow children to interact with a digital world superimposed on the real world, Dennou Coil constructs two realities at once.

The city seen in Dennou Coil is filled with everyday imagery, but the digital layer is where the anime really shines. Everything is animated with surreal, shifting textures and vibrant lighting effects that bring the tech-based mystery to life. What's most impressive is how well the animation supports the storytelling. Emotion, tension, and surprise are all conveyed through the smallest details.

 

Tekkonkinkreet

Tekkonkinkreet is one of the most visually unique anime films ever made. Released in 2006 and produced by Studio 4°C, the anime combines surreal, raw cityscapes with deeply personal storytelling. The film follows two street orphans trying to survive in a city that is both vibrant and haunting. What makes this anime stand out is the way it bends traditional anime styles.

The colors clash and the action scenes switch between realism and surrealism. The city itself becomes a character in Tekkonkinkreet, full of winding alleyways and dreamlike architecture. Directed by Michael Arias, the first foreign director to helm a major animated feature, Tekkonkinkreet stands out in a striking way. Gen Z audiences appreciate the film's raw emotion and willingness to get weird.

The Tatami Galaxy

The Tatami Galaxy looks like nothing else in anime, and that's exactly why it works. Directed by Masaaki Yuasa and animated by Madhouse Studio, this 2010 anime series breaks all visual conventions. The anime features fast-paced dialogue, surreal cutscenes, exaggerated character designs, and settings that look more like modern art than landscapes. It's chaotic, but somehow, it all works.

Each episode features wild color palettes and quirky visual metaphors. Instead of relying on flashy battle scenes, The Tatami Galaxy's animation constantly plays with form and pacing, challenging how a story is told. The series proved that animation doesn't need a big budget or realistic shading to be impressive. The Tatami Galaxy has become a cult classic among Gen Z anime fans looking for something different, and its visual innovation has inspired a wave of experimental anime in the years since.

 

Cowboy Bebop

While the animated series Cowboy Bebop debuted in 1998, the 2001 film became a Gen Z favorite thanks to streaming platforms in the 2000s and 2010s. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie took the series' already iconic visuals and design to the next level, with smoother animation and more complex fight scenes. The fight between Spike and Elektra in the facility was a masterclass in choreography.

The cityscapes in Cowboy Bebop are dense and detailed, and the night scenes feel alive. The combination of hand-drawn animation and subtle CGI enhancements makes the show feel timeless rather than dated. Many Gen Z anime fans were first introduced to Cowboy Bebop through this film, which served as a visual gateway to a classic series. For fans who grew up with the polished visuals, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie showed that even older animation could be modern.