10 Anime Shows Without a Single Flaw

Nothing in this world is perfect, or at least that is what everyone says, but there are a select few anime that most fans agree are flawless masterpieces. Titles such as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and One Piece are known to be revolutionary anime with great writing, but they also contain a handful of issues and flaws. But what makes an anime flawless?

This list will highlight ten anime series that don’t have any flaws based on writing, animation, originality, influence, critical acclaim, consistency, lack of flaws, pacing, and overall quality. Some of these shows might have one or two things wrong with them, or viewers will have personal grievances, but for the most part, these ten anime series are flawless sensations that deserve recognition.

‘Steins;Gate’ (2011)

Image via Whit Fox

In order to be flawless, an anime must be consistently good, and Steins;Gate did it better than most. When a self-proclaimed mad scientist accidentally creates a machine that can send texts into the past, he tears holes in reality, threatening to change the events of history. Now he and his friends must fix it before the world becomes irreversibly screwed.

Some fans complain that the beginning is too slow and boring, but that was necessary in order to set up the events throughout the rest of the story. Steins;Gate is a meticulous anime that paces its story deliberately, and when things kick off, it kicks off. Time travel is a hard subject to write about, but this series somehow wraps everything up nicely, where there aren’t any plot holes, truly making its writing flawless.

‘Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju’ (2016-2017)

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All the anime on this list are well-known masterpieces, but perhaps the most unknown show is also the best written: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju. When a young yakuza member gets out of prison, he wants a fresh start, and inspired by what he saw inside, he wants to pursue a career in rakugo, a form of traditional comedic storytelling.

Speaking of well-written anime, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju features some of the greatest dialogue and story progression in the medium. By telling the narrative through the past and future, it shows the audience how the tradition evolved, not to mention the way the characters perform their routine tells fans more about their grief than the writing does.

‘Vinland Saga’ (2019-present)

Image via Wit Studio

Historical anime series are getting increasingly popular, and that all started with Vinland Saga, one of the most acclaimed anime of recent years. After the Vikings kill his father, Thorfinn joins their crew in order to enact his revenge, but first, he needs to be strong enough to kill them. However, after spending years with the Vikings, he slowly loses his purpose, now needing to realize what is actually important to him.

Everyone knows and loves Vinland Saga because it is a deconstruction of the revenge trope. What starts as a typical revenge story with some philosophical themes evolves into a character study of how anyone can change for the better. Its themes of pacifism, revenge, guilt, and redemption are incredibly profound and well-handled, proving Vinland Saga is a masterful anime.

‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998-1999)

Image via Sunrise

Shinichiro Watanabe is a legendary anime director known for some of the greatest anime series, including his magnum opus, Cowboy Bebop. Spike Spiegel and his group of bounty hunters travel the galaxy and clean up the planets from filth. However, when his dark past resurfaces, he must face it head-on or risk putting himself and his friends in danger.

Cowboy Bebop is one of the most unique anime series of all time, and it achieves this through its blend of sci-fi, neo-noir, jazz, and 1980s action. This anime is a stylish combination of unrelated aspects to create a succinct experience that is more than just cool. The episodic structure plays into the themes of the story, and with each episode entertaining in itself, paired with the overall connection, Cowboy Bebop is a brilliant anime.

‘FLFL’ (2000-2001)

Image via Gainax

The avant-garde genre isn’t as popular as it used to be, but it still contains a handful of perfect gems, including FLCL. With his brother gone, a young boy takes it upon himself to do everything, not giving himself the chance to be a kid. But when a vespa-riding woman hits him in the head with a guitar, his world flips upside down, even if she is using him to summon her interdimensional lover.

It may only be six episodes, but that just means it has a better chance of being perfect, which it is. The later seasons are awful, but the first season of FLCL is a wacky adventure with coming-of-age themes and bizarre sci-fi madness. Outside of having the best music in anime, FLCL also uses its chaotic and surreal animation alongside its aggressive storytelling to tell a relatable story to masterfully convey the simple difficulties of life.

‘Monster’ (2004-2005)

Image via Madhouse

Naoki Urasawa is a prolific manga author responsible for the greatest mystery stories ever, including his most well-known masterpiece, Monster. Tenma is a doctor, and when he chooses to save the life of a child over the mayor, that same child grows up to be a serial killer. Tenma now takes it upon himself to kill Johan before he does anything worse, but will he be able to do it after seeing Johan’s dark past?

Monster starts off as a slow-burning that tumbles into a domino effect of plot points and shocking moments until the final arc, which is the ultimate conclusion. Despite being on the longer side, Monster maintains its perfect pace and handles its characters well, knowing what to do with them and when. Ultimately, there isn’t a better anime mystery that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

‘Haikyuu!!’ (2014-present)

Image via Production I.G

This list features a couple of sports anime, and while the genre is filled with riveting series, one of the best and most popular is Haikyuu!! Hinata may be undersized, but he has big dreams of becoming an ace striker on his high school volleyball team. However, he will need to learn to work together with an arrogant rookie setter if he wants the team to succeed and make it to nationals.

Haikyuu is a beloved anime because of its underdog story that made it easy to root for every character, even the antagonists. With personal stories, growth, new things to learn, and consistent improvement, this anime kept viewers emotionally invested. Haikyuu achieved everything it aimed to accomplish, creating an exhilarating anime in the meantime.

‘Mob Psycho 100’ (2016-2022)

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Having an overpowered protagonist limits the story a lot, but one of the best ways to handle it is the way Mob Psycho 100 deals with the issue. Shigeo is the world’s strongest psychic, but he only wants a normal school life, which is difficult with his powers. Because he suppresses his emotions, his abilities burst out of control, making life challenging for him, his friends, and his enemies.

Mob Psycho 100 does have some tame moments where it takes focus off the main narrative, but that was to simply showcase the daily life Mob strived for. Excelling with animation, art, and creativity, this anime was an explosion of innovation that can be seen in the action, style, and narrative. Mob Psycho 100 is an emotionally complex series with some of the best characters in the medium.

The greatest anime of all time is an endless debate, but the closest series to that crown is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. When brothers Edward and Alphonse lose parts or all of their bodies in a taboo alchemical experiment, they set out on a quest to find the philosopher’s stone. However, all they uncover is a government conspiracy that threatens to engulf the world if they don’t do something.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has incredible worldbuilding, lore, drama, action, comedy, animation, characters, writing — the list of its many strengths goes on. This show has a little bit of everything for everyone, and despite achieving all of it, it doesn’t spread itself too thin, still retaining a balanced scope. The buildup is slow, but everything that comes after is perfect from start to finish.

‘Ping Pong the Animation’ (2014)

Image via Tatsunoko Production

Table tennis isn’t the most exciting sport, but Ping Pong the Animation will change viewers’ minds. Smile and Peco have played the sport together for as long as they can remember, but everything goes wrong when they decide to go pro. Smile doesn’t find the joy in playing competitively, and Peco struggles to keep up with the competition.

As mentioned, avant-garde anime don’t get proper recognition, even when the series are as good as Ping Pong the Animation. The art style is messy, but not flawed, using its rough aesthetic to portray the mental state of the characters. Everyone has an arc and a purpose, and through the sport of table tennis, they discover themselves in unique and satisfying ways. Ping Pong the Animation is simultaneously thought-provoking and entertaining, leaving no room for any flaws to ruin this masterpiece.