| I was looking at the anime popularity ranking here and thinking "no way Death Note is more famous than Naruto". And it isn't, right? I mean, people that use MAL are already in a level of not complete casualness that they don't represent the actual general impact of an anime in pop culture. So I was thinking what are the most famous anime ever, accounting people who just know stuff by name or just saw a couple episodes in tv as kids and came up with this top 4: 1-Naruto 2-Pokemon 3-Dragon Ball 4-Saint Seiya (might sound weird but if you think about it pretty much everyone born in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s had some contact with it) After that it gets kinda confusing, maybe other really old mega hit like Akira or Sailor Moon, a classic like Evangelion, other big shonen like Bleach or Death Note or even more recent stuff like One Punch Man, SAO or Attack on Titan What do you think? Am I forgetting something? Do you agree this top-4 is kinda untouchable or would you change something in it, being the order or the members? I might be underestimating how much anime penetrate in mainstream pop culture, but I don't really think any other comes close to Naruto, DB, Pokemon and Saint Seiya in sheer fame |
| I would include one piece. I've lost count of how many one piece tattoos and bumper stickers I see every day. |
| MEA·MENTVLA·INGENS·EST |
| I would change to order to put Dragon ball at number 1,second place followed by pokemon,and then the rest.You're underestimating just how popular and influential dragon ball is. |
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| This would have been a decent list 10 years ago, even though you forgot two of the big three there These days Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online and BNHA definitely go up there, so does Death Note |
| MAL become popular site in like 2009-2010 so actual ranking could be true. Dragon Ball, naruto were hits before that. |
| Most popular anime are decided by total number of watching+completed+on-hold+dropped+plan to watch enteries so likewise 1.Deathnote 2. SnK......so on I don't understand what are you trying to say but this is how popularity is decided on mal. |
バンの一味 |
| Definitely not all time, but I can speak for my region, because People that don't normally watch anime still know these: -Heidi -Bee Maja -Pokemon -Naruto -Dragonball If you're into anime even a little, than this includes -One Piece -Tokyo Ghoul -Attack on Titan/ & maybe -Death Note too -just for my region, like I said- Also, people around here do not realise Heidi and Bee Maja are anime, but they all know them. Every child's watching these. |
  tysm iva-🐢💜 |
theDEMYSTIFier said: If it's about India DB is no. one and other popular titles are basically pokemon,mha,doraemon(there is no way any 2000 born haven't watched it) and shin chan(non anime viewers also watch it unknowingly)Dragon Ball Z is undoubtedly the most popular anime ever made. I'm from India where most of the people still consider anime as some sort of cartoon. Even these guys know Dragon Ball and Pokemon. So you can guess its popularity. |
バンの一味 |
Theo1899 said: I would include one piece. I've lost count of how many one piece tattoos and bumper stickers I see every day. I agree that it's more popular than Bleach, just forgot to mention it, but I don't think it is on the level of the 4 Missaliensan said: I would change to order to put Dragon ball at number 1,second place followed by pokemon,and then the rest.You're underestimating just how popular and influential dragon ball is. I'm really not underestimating it, I grew up on DBZ, but I feel like Pokemon is just too big and Naruto kinda surpassed it. Totally understand your point tho, DB is gigantic Ramy_Stereo said: This would have been a decent list 10 years ago, even though you forgot two of the big three there These days Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online and BNHA definitely go up there, so does Death Note The thing is that most people who existed 10 years ago still exist now, and they remember that stuff but aren't into anime anymore. I'm pretty sure that in sheer number of people who know this 4 are way more than the people who know more recent stuff. I did consider all this for the top 5 and lower spot, but I doubt they'll ever become as mainstream as the top 4, especially since anime isn't really being broadcasted in regular tv as much as it was Full_anime_Fan said: Most popular anime are decided by total number of watching+completed+on-hold+dropped+plan to watch enteries so likewise 1.Deathnote 2. SnK......so on I don't understand what are you trying to say but this is how popularity is decided on mal. My point was exactly how the most popular decided by mal criteria differ from the most famous in real life, I'm not criticizing MAL in anyway, just wanted to see what people from different countries and age groups think about anime popularity theDEMYSTIFier said: Dragon Ball Z is undoubtedly the most popular anime ever made. I'm from India where most of the people still consider anime as some sort of cartoon. Even these guys know Dragon Ball and Pokemon. So you can guess its popularity. It's the exact same thing in my country, I think what makes an anime explode in mainstream popularity is it being broadcasted alongside western cartoons all over the world, breaking out of the japanese culture sphere |
| I don't think you understand how popular anime has gotten in recent years compared to 20 years ago. |
Olivi125 said: Definitely not all time, but I can speak for my region, because People that don't normally watch anime still know these: -Heidi -Bee Maja -Pokemon -Naruto -Dragonball If you're into anime even a little, than this includes -One Piece -Tokyo Ghoul -Attack on Titan/ & maybe -Death Note too -just for my region, like I said- Also, people around here do not realise Heidi and Bee Maja are anime, but they all know them. Every child's watching these. That's interesting, I had never heard of heidi and bee maja, they're not a thing at all were I live |
Olivi125 said: Definitely not all time, but I can speak for my region, because People that don't normally watch anime still know these: -Heidi -Bee Maja -Pokemon -Naruto -Dragonball If you're into anime even a little, than this includes -One Piece -Tokyo Ghoul -Attack on Titan/ & maybe -Death Note too -just for my region, like I said- Also, people around here do not realise Heidi and Bee Maja are anime, but they all know them. Every child's watching these. today I learned that bee maja is an anime |
| One piece and Detective Conan are much more popular than Saint Seiya. |
My candies:  |
Ramy_Stereo said: I don't think you understand how popular anime has gotten in recent years compared to 20 years ago. I know it's way more popular, especially as a culture, I don't think non japanese otaku were really a thing 20 years ago. But I think that now you kinda have to be at least a little interested in anime or be in contact with some anime people or communities online to come in contact series such as OPM and MHA, while in the 90s and 2000s anime would just be broadcasted all the time alongside regular cartoons in open television or cartoon network, so pretty much everybody came in contact with some anime either by watching or through their kids. Even my grandma knows Naruto, Pokemon, DB and Saint Seiya, while the more recent anime seem like more restricted media |
SkydiverRed said: One piece and Detective Conan are much more popular than Saint Seiya. It could be either an age thing or a country thing. Were I live Detective Conan isn't known at all, and One Piece is kinda the most mainstream not mainstream anime, while Saint Seiya is pretty much as popular as He Man and the other massive 80s cartoons, and it was broadcasted all the way up to around 2010, so you either know it because you seen it or through your parents, and for what I understand it is something like this in the US |
| I'm kinda biased, but I think Sailor Moon should be in that list. It's one of the most popular anime/manga series of all time and still has increased readership worldwide. Im relatively new to anime, but I have never heard of Saint Seiya. Maybe even Yu-Gi-Oh! should be there, I don't know... |
| I don't think MAL stats should ever be used as a base to say what people think about anime, yes it has some say. But it's most certainly not accurate. I think you are more or less correct with that list. But I would say 1. DBZ 2. Pokemon 3. Naruto 4. Bleach and then your other stuff like Yu-Gi-Oh, Digimon, Beyblade. |
MakingTheMaouCry said: If you want to count children's show, then there is literally no competition between them and mainstream anime. I mean find me a kid who doesn't know pikachu. Undoubtedly : Pokemon Dbz Doraemon Shin chan Beyblade etc. These are insanely popular shows and like all time shows that kids watch. But if you're talking about mainstream then if you count all over the world : Sao One piece Naruto MHA OPM Tokyo ghoul AoT Fmab And such would be more popular. One could argue dbz is mainstream but I included in the other list so didn't add here. It would be on top though. But overall, Pokemon is the most popular. It is also the world's most sold jrpg with over 242 million copies sold. Ff don't hold a candle to it. Also do you guys remember the hype when Pokemon go was released? Almost every single person with a smartphone owned it albeit for a short time. Pokemon is a beast, but I think it's animated form isn't as famous as naruto, maybe dbz. Anyway, the top 3 is kinda exchangeable. I disagree on the other kids shows you listed tho, I don't see them competing with DB, Naruto and other huge anime, since they're too much for kids they kinda get forgotten as the children who watches them grow up maybe ganbariko said: I'm kinda biased, but I think Sailor Moon should be in that list. It's one of the most popular anime/manga series of all time and still has increased readership worldwide. Im relatively new to anime, but I have never heard of Saint Seiya. Maybe even Yu-Gi-Oh! should be there, I don't know... I was in doubt between Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya or both tied for number 4, but I think Saint Seiya is a little bit more famous, especially in my country. Yu-Gi-Oh is huge but not quite top 5 in my mind. Saint Seiya has a lot of different names in different countries translations, in mine they translated it to something meaning Zodiac Knights, maybe you just don't know it by it's original name |
| The most popular worldwide is either Dragon Ball or Pokémon. Naruto probably comes third. |
| You speak about the most well known series if I'm correct? There are many factors, that play a part here: Is the series successfull?, was it accessable everywhere (licensing)?, is the franchise also in other media (Games, Books, Memes etc.)? For example in my country, nearly no one knows Saint Seiya, since it was never licensed here. The ranking for most well known anime franchises imo: 1.Pokemon 2.Naruto 3.Dragonball 4.One Piece 5.Detective Conan |
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| Anime in general has become more popular, but I don't think any of the modern shows can measure up to the mainstream success of Pokemon and Dragon Ball. |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| Boku no Pico and Himouto Umaru-chan because Pewdiepie watched them |
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| 1.Naruto 2.Dragon Ball 3.One Piece 4.SAO 5.Attack On Titan 6.Jojo 7.Evangelion 8.Death Note 9.FMAB 10.Bleach |
| Хайде, хайде, хайде, това е първата зона, брато, първа зона, първа зона, добре, добре, добре, това става тук горе, отива тук горе, само спокойно, само спокойно... Ха, отдясно е, навсякъде отдясно отдясно къде е дясното ти о да добре добре добре тихо мълчаливо не успях да се съсредоточа върху това ЕХ ТЪПАК КОГАТО СИ БАВНО БАВНО ... ой е путката на моето момиче прасе куче, аз Чувствам се добре, о, мамо, *шамар*, какво е това госпожице татко- |
| I think Saint Seiya isn't that big of a thing in the Anglophone anime fandom but is much bigger in the Latin-American anime fandom. |
| Avatar character is Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut. |
GlennMagusHarvey said: I think Saint Seiya isn't that big of a thing in the Anglophone anime fandom but is much bigger in the Latin-American anime fandom. Yeah, sadly, Saint Seiya flopped in North America. Waiting until 2003 to bring it here probably wasn't the best idea. :P Maya the Bee aired here in Canada when I was a kid, but I didn't discover that it was an anime until many years later. |
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| This would me more accurate in my country (atleast in the southern half) Pokemon Naruto Shin chan Doraemon DBZ One piece Beyblade/Bleach/CCS/Death note (these r roughly same) |
| Pokemon DBZ One Piece Yu Gi Oh Naruto never surpassed DBZ and it never will. The DBZ franchise is still going strong because of the video games and movies, even still pushes out long running TV anime. DBZ is older but Naruto died at a younger age. |
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| If we are going of of the franchise as a whole, then I would say 1-Pokemon 2-Dragon ball 3-Naruto 4-One Piece Pokemon as solely anime might not be number one, but taking into account the franchise as whole, it definitely is surpasses all another anime. I mean, everyone knows Pokemon, remember when Pokemon go released, and how massive it became. I'm surprised how many people at my school would throw around names like dragonite, and snorlax. And of course if you mentioned pikachu to anyone, they would instantly know that its Pokemon. However taking into account only the anime, I would say that Naruto and Dragonball are above it, as it is the mainly games and the trading cards that really made Pokemon so widely known |
Seiya said: GlennMagusHarvey said: I think Saint Seiya isn't that big of a thing in the Anglophone anime fandom but is much bigger in the Latin-American anime fandom. Yeah, sadly, Saint Seiya flopped in North America. Waiting until 2003 to bring it here probably wasn't the best idea. :P Maya the Bee aired here in Canada when I was a kid, but I didn't discover that it was an anime until many years later. Damn I had no idea, pretty much everything here is also famous in the us, I just assumed Saint Seiya was too. Kaasfondue said: Pokemon DBZ One Piece Yu Gi Oh Naruto never surpassed DBZ and it never will. The DBZ franchise is still going strong because of the video games and movies, even still pushes out long running TV anime. DBZ is older but Naruto died at a younger age. It could be my age, since I'm in a generation just after gt ended and was roughly the same age as naruto was at the time, so we were far from the golden age of DB and had everything to connect with naruto, but I really think Naruto kinda became a bigger presence both in TV and later in the internet. Anyway, I think they're comparable, it's far from absurd to think DB is more famous. I do think that Naruto crushes Yu Gi Oh and One piece tho |
| It has to be Dragon Ball and Pokemon by a landslide. Pokemon has the larger appeal due to the games, cards, and reaching every new generation because it is targeted towards kids. Also, I feel Pokemon is more unisex, while Dragon Ball definitely appeals more to boys. |
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| I think that the first spot should be hold by DBZ. Let's be real here, literally everyone knows about it. Even my grandma tells me that I look like Goku when I have a bad hair day. |
| You forgot Doraemon i think its just as popular as naruto |
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| Actually the most popular anime are 1) Dragon ball 2) Doraemon 3) Pokemon 4) Shin chan 5) Probably death note or naruto. Doraemon and shinchan aren't big in north america or europe but those shows are biggest in asia. Most of the people are at least aware of what doraemon is. |
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| If we count in non-weeb people it's probably a classic like Spirited Away or even Captain Tsubasa |
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Fatefag said: I'm pretty Pokémon is better known than Spirited Away among non-weeb people, for starters.If we count in non-weeb people it's probably a classic like Spirited Away or even Captain Tsubasa |
| Avatar character is Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut. |
| that's a toughie for me... there are anime that are huge in Japan but didn't quite fall through in the west and vice versa... For me it's probably the big three and AoT. |
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GlennMagusHarvey said: Fatefag said: I'm pretty Pokémon is better known than Spirited Away among non-weeb people, for starters.If we count in non-weeb people it's probably a classic like Spirited Away or even Captain Tsubasa I don't really think that's true Pokemon is more known to those in 20-30s but Spirited Away is probably known to all Even on MAL Spirited Away has more users |
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| @drunklee you have to remove Seiya from that top 4. As a huge Seiya fan I can guarantee you it's not more famous worldwide and taking into account all generations than the likes of One Piece, Sailor Moon and Doraemon at the very least. Just in the Anglosphere alone Seiya simply doesn't exist. It's nothing, few people from that world even knows about its existence and those few who do, aren't even interested in checking it out. Just see for example how in this very same site (and every other English based anime site or Reddit) you don't see virtually anyone talking about it, discussing about it, making reviews about it, putting the show or its characters in their favorites, using one of its characters as profile pictures, and so on, as opposed to virtually every single other big fighting shounen series. Even something like fucking Blue Exorcist has way more traction. Also, just look how when someone starts a poll thread here to ask for "best battle shounen series" "best shounen protagonist", "best power system in battle shounen"... they literally include every battle shounen ever in the options… except Saint Seiya. Seiya is a huge show, but only in some European countries, in all of Latin America, China and maybe other few Asian countries, and most of the time only among people over the age of 25. For most of the other demos, you just have to dismiss it. |
| MAL is a decent representation of what anime fans watch, but ofc it's heavily biased. Dragonball and Pokemon are the only real contestants imo, and Pokemon wins that by a considerable margin. Pokemon isn't best known for its anime but it's literally the biggest media franchise in the world. Dragon Ball is up there but it's not close. From my personal experience, I don't know anyone who isn't aware of pokemon in some form, whereas I could name plenty that wouldn't even recognise the name "Dragon Ball." |
drunklee said: Seiya said: Yeah, sadly, Saint Seiya flopped in North America. Waiting until 2003 to bring it here probably wasn't the best idea. :P Maya the Bee aired here in Canada when I was a kid, but I didn't discover that it was an anime until many years later. Damn I had no idea, pretty much everything here is also famous in the us, I just assumed Saint Seiya was too. Kaasfondue said: Pokemon DBZ One Piece Yu Gi Oh Naruto never surpassed DBZ and it never will. The DBZ franchise is still going strong because of the video games and movies, even still pushes out long running TV anime. DBZ is older but Naruto died at a younger age. It could be my age, since I'm in a generation just after gt ended and was roughly the same age as naruto was at the time, so we were far from the golden age of DB and had everything to connect with naruto, but I really think Naruto kinda became a bigger presence both in TV and later in the internet. Anyway, I think they're comparable, it's far from absurd to think DB is more famous. I do think that Naruto crushes Yu Gi Oh and One piece tho DB recently had a popular long running anime from 2015 to 2018 and a movie that became the 12th highest-grossing world anime film of all time. Mobile and console games killing it too. Naruto might be close in terms of name recognition but it definitely doesn't have a bigger presence. Biggest thing Naruto had recently was the meme about taking over Area 51 xD One Piece is the highest selling comic of all time and still running. Yu Gi Oh is like Pokemons' little brother. I do think Naruto might be more known than Yu Gi Oh nowadays but idk about One Piece. |
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