Founded in 1998, Bones has been a reputed anime studio with several leading titles under its belt, including Bungo Stray Dogs and Cowboy Bebop that was conceived by Sunrise staff Masahiko Minami, and Toshihiro Kawamoto. Following the fame of the space-Western, they planned to start their own studio, leading to the Bones original Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.
Within the following years, Bones churned out heavily-acclaimed anime series and films. With Minami serving as President, the team’s latest projects include the fifth season of My Hero Academia and Godzilla Singular Point.
Bungo Stray Dogs (2016) – 7.7
At the center of Bungo Stray Dogs’ narrative is the shapeshifting ‘weretiger’ Atsushi Nakajima. A social misfit and an orphan, he finds a new purpose with the Armed Detective Agency, a crime-fighting collective specializing in supernatural cases that the police cannot handle otherwise. The episodes also delve into Nakajima and his peers’ experiences with business decisions and missions on behalf of the Mafia.
Based on the manga of the same name, the mystery anime series was directed by Takuya Igarashi, whose previous trysts with Bones resulted in Captain Earth and Ouran High School Host Club.
TIE: Carole & Tuesday (2019) – 7.9
In a futuristic society set in a colonized version of Mars, a rich girl called Tuesday Simmons abandons her political family to pursue a career as a singing and guitarist. Her artistic pursuits unexpectedly bring her closer to Carole Stanley, an orphaned refugee from Earth who plays the keyboard.
Released during Bones’ 20th anniversary, the show received praise for its heart-warming tone, voice acting, and diverse soundtrack. In its essence, Carole & Tuesday’s underdog story is a tribute to musical dramas of the post along with classic rock n’ roll. Even each episode’s title is based on a classic pop/rock tune ranging from With Or Without You to Don’t Stop Believin’.
TIE: Noragami (2014-2016) - 7.9
Noragami, aka Stray God, is a supernatural and urban fantasy anime featuring character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto (of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo fame). With just 13 episodes and 2 films, it makes for a quick binge.
Like many other fantasy and shonen anime characters, Noragami’s protagonist Yato is a dissatisfied youngster who only wants to rise further in life. Yato is a poor god in a world dominated by deities and spirits. Accompanied by a human girl and a wandering spirit, Yato aims to become a famous god, desiring devotees and shrines for himself.
TIE: Eureka Seven (2005-2006) – 7.9
Set 10,000 years in the future where humans have settled in outer space, 14-year-old Renton dreams of ing a heroic renegade group called Gekkostate. When a mecha robot accidentally crashes in Renton’s room, the robot’s pilot and Gekkostate member Eureka offers him a chance to their faction. As new secrets are revealed, Renton figures out the true nature of Gekkostate beyond all the glamorous heroics.
Eureka Seven might be categorized as a mecha-anime, but with enough character building, the anime doesn’t fall prey to the overdone mecha elements like giant robot fights.
Space Dandy (2014) – 8.1
Space Dandy is a sci-fi comedy that doesn't shy away from its crude humor. The two-season anime’s over-the-top writing and nostalgic flashiness bear testimony to this. The title refers to the alien hunter known as Dandy, as his search for rare creatures drives him towards intergalactic misadventures.
With his brash nature and Elvis Presley-like pompadour hairstyle, Dandy makes for a memorable lead character. In his missions, he’s assisted with sidekicks like the robotic assistant QT and the space feline Meow. All in all, Space Dandy serves as both a homage and parody of preceding space animes like the aforementioned Cowboy Bebop.
Ouran High School Host Club (2006) – 8.2
A satirical look at rom-com and high school comedy tropes, Ouran High School Host Club revolves around scholarship student Haruhi Fujioka who newly arrives at the titular school. Mistaken for a boy by her classmates, she eventually stumbles upon a Host club. This club includes several of the school’s boys who entertain and serve the girls in exchange for money. As Haruhi unintentionally becomes a part of the male staff, comedic situations arise.
The anime was praised for its depiction of elite caricatures and subversion of gender roles. It ended up inspiring a live-action TV series and film sharing the same title.
TIE: My Hero Academia (2016-) - 8.5
One of Bones’ most popular productions, My Hero Academia focuses on Izuku Midoriya, a high-schooler growing up in a society that’s populated by superpowered beings. Eager to walk in the footsteps of his favorite hero All-Might, Midoriya gives his best to be the next best superhero. For this purpose, he ends up enrolling in the highly competitive UA Academy that trains heroes for the future.
Midoriya’s journey in unleashing his true power leads to an amalgamation of drama and comedy that subverts familiar cliches from the superhero genre. The anime also emphasizes the character development of his peers, along with introspective subplots that dwell on the moral responsibility of such heroes.
TIE: Fullmetal Alchemist (2003-2004) – 8.5
While Fullmetal Alchemist’s source material is a manga series, the anime differs greatly in its second half and relies on an original ending. With this originality and its own creative merits, this Bones anime stands the test of time as one of the most popular anime franchises of all time.
In its initial 51-episode run, the mythical Philosopher’s Stone becomes a bone of contention between the antagonistic immortal Dante and brothers Alphonse and Edward Elric. The latter try using the Stone to revive their dead mother back to life. When the alchemical ritual fails, they end up changing not only their bodies but also their entire lives.
Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2019) – 8.6
Kageyama Shigeo is a psychic eight-grader who doesn’t wish to use his powers for the unwanted attention that it can bring him. Instead, his only priority is to befriend a girl that he fancies in class. But one problem after the other distances him away from the life of an ordinary teenager.
Also known as Mob, Shiego makes for an unconventional protagonist as, unlike other shonen heroes, his powers don’t amuse him. In this manner, his deadpan mannerism resembles that of Saitama from One Punch Man. In fact, both anime productions were based on webcomics by manga author ONE.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) - 9.1
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood largely follows the same approach as its predecessor. Rather than a sequel, it can be seen as a spin-off with a more manga-accurate narrative. While the Elric brothers still serve as the protagonists, the ending takes an extremely tragic turn in a nod to the manga.
The initial episodes are bound to lack suspense as they are largely similar to 2003’s Fullmetal Alchemist. However, the series slowly shifts towards unchartered territories for the anime’s fans. The high-octane action sequences also generated a universally positive response. A landmark shonen anime, Brotherhood, was followed by a film titled The Sacred Star of Milos.