Anime provides a variety of settings for its heroes and heroines, and from school classrooms to historic Japan or fantasy worlds, the possibilities are endless. In fact, one of the most exciting and attractive parts of anime is its wide variety of genres and settings. Perhaps the most interesting of these, then, is when anime takes a Western staple and makes it its own.
The superhero genre is well-documented in the West, from the MCU to the DCEU to comics and animated series. But it also drew the attention of Japanese creators, who enjoyed it so much they took it and made it their own, with its unique anime flair. MyAnimeList (MAL) s have asked for recommendations for superhero-centric anime, and these are some of the best.
Ultraman - 6.43
A 1980s anime classic, the Ultraman collaboration with Marvel takes off. It tells the story of a hero who is possessed by an alien named Ultraman, who then battles with the alien monsters that come to threaten Earth.
The animated series is very '80s, and the story sat firmly in the "monster of the week" style for quite some time. Unquestionably, however, Ultraman is a classic for a reason and a superhero in his own right who has developed a cult following in the West too, with some extremely catchy opening and ending songs.
Heroman - 6.82
Another show with a Marvel connection, Heroman is based on a collaboration between Stan Lee and Ota Tamon from the early 2010s. The story is set in California, where Joey Jones, the down-on-his-luck main character, fixes and then becomes the controller of the eponymous robot, Heroman.
While the story in not completely original, Heroman provides an interesting idea from the mind of one of comic's greatest creators of how it might be possible to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western ideas of superheroes.
Zetman - 6.86
A more unique entry in the list, TMS Entertainment's 2012 Seinen entry into the superhero genre in anime is certainly worth a watch. Zetman is a story told backwards, beginning with the fallout between two good friends and taking the viewer back to see how it got there. Telling their story serves as a greater commentary on how difficult it really is to determine what justice is, at times.
Serving superheroics with a side of personal conflict, Zetman might harken back to the murkier Marvel and DC characters, the ones that have narratives centering on the outcomes of their decisions and their ripple effects as opposed to simply saving the day.
Samurai Flamenco - 6.89
Another early 2010s entry, and an underrated one anime at that, Samurai Flamenco focuses on Masayoshi Hazama, a man obsessed with superheroes to the extent that he takes up the mantle to be Samurai Flamenco once he's finished with his daily work of being a model. He does not have powers, but he wants to do good.
As a deconstruction of the superhero genre, Samurai Flamenco is an interesting take that might fall a bit short, but is nonetheless worth a watch. With a completely different premise that other anime out there, Samurai Flamenco has some of the deconstruction aspects that perhaps influenced some of the more contemporary entries here.
Punch Line - 6.94
Having been saved by a superhero, Yuuta Iridatsu find himself in the company of Chiranosuke, a cat spirit that might gain enough power to destroy the world if they see panties too many times. This is the premise of Punch Line, 2015 MAPPA product that somehow manages to unravel this premise throughout the course of its 12 episodes run.
A call-back to the Haruhi Suzumiya-style of storytelling, Punch Line does as many things right as it doesn't quite fully hit the mark. Its rating on MAL suggests it is worth a watch, if for nothing else to see everything from episode one come together by the end.
Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier - 7.26
Cyborg 009 is the story of nine powerful cyborgs with different powers that are attempting to stop the villain Black Ghost from starting a new world war. They each bring a different power and personality to the fight, and are an interesting take on a fusion between the likes of Astroboy and Western superhero teams ala Avengers or X-Men.
An early 2000s take of the original story, the anime does suffer from some filler episodes and not as crisp animation or character design as would be found today, but it is still a classic and deserving of its high rating. It is also worth watching for its ending, mentioned as one of the greatest endings out of any anime by fans.
Tiger & Bunny - 7.89
This anime debuted in the spring of 2011 and despite some of the animation showing its age, it continues to be quite popular. The strength of Tiger & Bunny lies in its main character, who is well-fleshed out and sympathetic. The story focuses on "Tiger" aka Kotetsu Kaburagi, a veteran hero in a fictitious American city who is forced to team up with the newest hero on the market, Barnaby Brooks Jr, or "Bunny."
The heart of the show is unquestionably Kotetsu and the ups and downs of his life as an aging hero, his new partnership, and his relationship with his 10 year old daughter. Tiger & Bunny was, at the time, a refreshing take on the superhero genre in anime, bringing in the concept of rankings and an aging hero a few years before My Hero Academia began.
My Hero Academia - 7.96
The shounen-ification of the superhero genre reached new heights in My Hero Academia. In a world in which everyone has some kind of power called a Quirk, which can allow them to become a professional hero, Midoriya Izuku is an anomaly and does not. At least until famous hero "All Might" declares him his successor and offers him his Quirk.
It's a premise straight out of a comic-book, perhaps, but the inclusion of a mentor figure, the additions of classmates, the professionalization of heroics as a career and school subject, and several other aspects as the story continues fully set it in the world of anime. As fans have pointed out, the series creator is not shy to it to the heavy influence Western comics has on his character designs and overall setting and premise. But it's since taken a life of its own, truly embracing its shounen qualities without stepping too far away from its Western roots.
One-Punch Man - 8.51
An unsurprising top spot for this superhero series, from Genos to Mumen Rider, all of whom struggled a lot more than Saitama.
Taking the idea of superheros and applying anime logic to it, with tournaments and ranking systems and everyday monster encounters, One Punch truly hit the nail on the head by taking the idea of a superman-esque powerhouse of a character who could absolutely beat everyone with just one punch. As the series progresses, fans are also treated to Saitama's depression around being so strong, and how that begins to affect his decisions going forward. Without a doubt, One-Punch Man is the most entertaining offering currently available in the anime superhero genre.