Studio Pierrot: Best Anime Series, Ranked

Studio Pierrot is a Japanese animation studio that was founded in 1972, and it has produced dozens of anime series over the decades. It has also produced over a dozen anime films. The anime industry has evolved quite a bit since the 1970s, and Studio Pierrot has done a fantastic job of evolving with it. Not every series has been a home-run, but Studio Pierrot has produced a lot of great anime content.

Some studios prefer to produce the same genre because they are good at it, but Studio Pierrot has produced anime from multiple genres. Some the best Studio Pierrot anime are fantasy stories or historical epics, and one is an unorthodox sports anime. It should also be noted that Studio Pierrot has produced three of the most popular and most influential shonen anime of all time.

10 Yona Of The Dawn Centers Around A Strong Female Protagonist

MyAnimeList Score: 8.03/10; IMDb Score: 8.0/10

Yona of the Dawn is technically a low-fantasy period piece, but it is still considered a historical anime. Yona is the princess of Kouka, but she is forced to go on the run when her father is murdered by the man that she loves. She goes on to gather a group of legendary dragon warriors who are destined to bring peace to the land.

At its core, Yona of the Dawn is a coming-of-age story set during war. Yona starts off as a delicate princess, but she gradually learns to become a warrior. Yona is the definition of a strong female character, and the dragon warriors who join her help to elevate her even further.

Yona of the Dawn

After being betrayed and run out of her home, the red-haired Princess Yona searches for four legendary dragons to take back her stolen kingdom.

Release Date

October 7, 2014

Cast

Chiwa Saitô , Masakazu Morita , Junichi Suwabe , Nobuhiko Okamoto

Seasons

1

Studio

Pierrot

Creator

Mizuho Kusanagi

Main Characters

Yona,hak,son hak,kija,shin-ah,yoon

Number of Episodes

24

9 Twin Star Exorcists Is A Story About Love & Destiny

MyAnimeList Score: 7.3/10; IMDb Score: 7.1/10

2:06

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The Twin Star Exorcists manga is still ongoing, but that did not stop Studio Pierrot from finishing the anime’s story. The ending may not be part of the official canon, but it is a satisfying conclusion, nonetheless. Rokuro Enmado and Benio Adashino are the dual protagonists of Twin Star Exorcists, and they are both talented exorcists. One day, they learn that they are destined to get married. Their child is supposed to become the ultimate exorcist – a being who will cleanse every evil spirit.

Twin Star Exorcists has a good amount of action, and the power system is decent. The primary villain is also intriguing because he is connected to both protagonists. That being said, the relationship between Rokuro and Benio is the true heart of the series. At first, they cannot stand each other, but like a true love story, they grow to care for each other.

8 The Twelve Kingdoms Is An Epic Fantasy Series

MyAnimeList Score: 8.02/10; IMDb Score: 7.9/10

There were several popular Isekai anime in the late 90s and early 2000s, and Studio Pierrot wanted a taste of that action. That taste came in the form of The Twelve Kingdoms – which centers on a high school girl named Yoko Nakajima. One day, Yoko meets a strange man who pledges allegiance to her, and they are immediately attacked by demons. After taking an oath, she is transported to a medieval fantasy world.

Yoko starts off as a weak character who did not want to do anything notable, but she becomes more mature and empathetic as the story progresses. The Twelve Kingdoms

tends to be overlooked, but it is a good anime, and the story will appeal to shonen and shojo fans as well.

The Twelve Kingdoms

High school student Youko Nakajima is approached by a strange man who claims he’s been searching for her and that she is the rightful ruler of his kingdom.

Release Date

April 9, 2002

Cast

Mari Devon , Kate Higgins , Houko Kuwashima , Aya Hisakawa , Mela Lee , Dorothy , Elias-Fahn , Ai Satô , Kappei Yamaguchi

Seasons

1

7 Hikaru No Go Is A Unique Sports-Themed Anime

MyAnimeList Score: 8.1/10; IMDb Score: 8.2/10

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Most sports anime focus on basketball, boxing, or tennis, but Hikaru no Go takes a unique spin on the concept by focusing on Go. This board game is popular in Asain countries, and it rivals chess in terms of strategy.

Hikaru Shindo is a sixth-grader who discovers his grandfather’s ancient Go set. This set comes with a ghost who was once a Go master. The ghost convinces Hikaru to play Go in his stead. This of course gives Hikaru a funny and unfair advantage. Hikaru no Go may not be as physical as other sports anime, but the later matches are still intense.

6 Great Teacher Onizuka Focuses On A Reformed Yakuza Member

MyAnimeList Score: 8.68/10; IMDb Score: 8.5/10

Studio Pierrot released an anime adaptation of Great Teacher Onizuka in 1999. Modern audiences have likely not heard of this 43-episode series because it does not have an overpowered main character. That being said, anime fans should give it a shot because it combines aspects of shonen and seinen. It would also appeal to isekai fans and people who like school-based comedies.

Great Teacher Onizuka revolves around Eikichi Onizuka – a former Yakuza mobster who decides to turn his life around by becoming a schoolteacher. What makes the series so fun is the dynamic between Onizuka and his students. He teaches them important life lessons, and Onizuka gradually sheds his delinquent persona.

Great Teacher Onizuka

About Eikichi Onizuka, a 22-year-old ex-gangster member and a virgin. He has one ambition that no one ever expected from him. His sole life purpose is to become the greatest high school teacher ever.

Release Date

November 3, 2003

Cast

Wataru Takagi , Jun’ichi Suwabe , Kotono Mitsuishi , Hikaru Midorikawa , Ayako Kawasumi , Chō

Seasons

1

Writers

Toru Fujisawa

Number of Episodes

43

Directors

Noriyuki Abe

5 Tokyo Ghoul Is A Character Driven Horror Series

MyAnimeList Score: 7.79/10; IMDb Score: 7.7/10

Some anime fans believe that Tokyo Ghoul fell off halfway through because it deviated from the manga, but it is still a well-made character driven horror series. It is set in modern day Japan, and it follows Ken Kaneki – who becomes a human-Ghoul hybrid after being fatally wounded. Ghouls are a separate humanoid species who feed on human flash, and each Ghoul possesses a special predatory organ that can be used during combat.

These Ghouls are considered monsters that need to be eradicated, but many of them juts want to live in peace, and many go out of their way to avoid killing humans. Studio Pierrot’s adaptation may have deviated from the source material, but they still captured the complex societal and political dynamics.

Tokyo Ghoul

A Tokyo college student is attacked by a ghoul, a superpowered human who feeds on human flesh. He survives, but has become part ghoul and becomes a fugitive on the run.

Release Date

July 4, 2014

Cast

Natsuki Hanae , Sora Amamiya , Rie Kugimiya

Studio

Pierrot

4 Kingdom Is An Epic Historical Tale

MyAnimeList Score: 7.91/10; IMDb Score: 8.6/10

The argument can be made that Kingdom is the best historical anime of all time. Kingdom now spans five seasons, and Studio Pierrot has produced all of them. The series takes place 2,000 years ago, and it follows a series of conflicts during China’s Warring States Period. Kingdom focuses on Xin and Piao – a pair of war orphans who wish to become great military generals.

War is a daily occurrence in Kingdom, so there is a lot of action. More importantly, the series has great characters, and most of them receive proper development. For example, Xin becomes a skilled and deadly warrior, but he only fights because he wants to bring peace to China through unification.

Kingdom (2012)

In ancient China, a young boy dreams of becoming the greatest general of the Qin Kingdom.

Release Date

June 4, 2012

Cast

Masakazu Morita , Jun Fukuyama , Rie Kugimiya

Seasons

4

Studio

Pierrot

Creator

Yasuhisa Hara

Number of Episodes

129

3 Bleach Is An Action-Packed Shonen With Great Power Systems & Character Designs

MyAnimeList Score: 7.94/10; IMDb Score: 8.2/10

The Bleach manga debuted in 2001, and it had a 15-year run. During that time, it became part of the iconic “Big Three” – making it one of the most successful shonen series of all time. The original anime ended in 2012, but the animated version of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc released in 2022. Studio Pierrot has produced both series. The 2022 series has recieved a lot of praise for its darker tone and updated animation style.

Bleach follows a teenager named Ichigo Kurosaki, and it focuses on the conflicts between the Soul Reapers, Hollows, and Quincy. These factions are made up of spirits and spiritual beings. Bleach’s story is not that complex, but it rose to popularity because it has a ton of action, and it helps that each faction has its own power system. The series has also been praised for having some of the most unique character designs.

Bleach

Bleach revolves around Kurosaki Ichigo, a regular always-grouchy high-schooler who for some strange reason is able to see the souls of the dead around him.

Release Date

October 5, 2004

Cast

Masakazu Morita , Fumiko Orikasa , Hiroki Yasumoto , Yuki Matsuoka , Noriaki Sugiyama , Kentarô Itô , Shinichirô Miki , Hisayoshi Suganuma

Seasons

17 Seasons

Creator

Tite Kubo

Production Company

TV Tokyo, Dentsu, Pierrot

Number of Episodes

366 Episodes

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu , Prime Video

2 Yu Yu Hakusho Is A Classic Martial Arts Series

MyAnimeList Score: 8.45/10; IMDb Score: 8.5/10

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The Yu Yu Hakusho anime aired during the early 90s and it has managed to get better with age. It follows a young high school student named Yusuke Urameshi – who gains supernatural powers after his first death. He meets new friends along the way, and together they fight some of the world’s strongest demons and martial artists

Some viewers may think that certain aspects of Yu Yu Hakusho are outdated, but they will still be able to appreciate its story and characters. The action still holds up too. Thanks to Studio Pierrot, Yu Yu Hakusho became one of the most influential anime of all time. It popularized the battle-anime sub-genre, and it basically invented the concept of tournament arcs.

Yu Yu Hakusho

After a teenage delinquent is killed while saving a child’s life from an approaching car, the rulers of the underworld send him back to become an “Underworld Detective” investigating demons apparitions in the human world.

Release Date

October 10, 1992

Cast

Nozomu Sasaki , Justin Cook , Tomomichi Nishimura , Sanae Miyuki , Shigeru Chiba , Christopher Sabat

Seasons

1

Studio

Pierrot

Creator

Yoshihiro Togashi

Number of Episodes

112

1 Naruto & Naruto: Shippuden Are Two Of The Most Popular Anime Of All Time

MyAnimeList Score: 8/10; IMDb Score: 8.4/10

For more than a decade, the Naruto franchise was part of the Big Three, and it is still one of the most popular anime franchise’s in the world. It centers around Naruto Uzumaki – a knuckleheaded ninja who dreams about becoming the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. The original Naruto series does a fantastic job of setting up the world and characters. Naruto: Shippuden covers the second half of the manga, and it has a lot of action and emotional moments. Some of the payoffs may be a bit underwhelming, but most of them are gratifying.

The ninja battles are definitely a highlight, especially when multiple forms of ninjutsu are involved. At its core though, Naruto is a story about friendship and brotherhood, and it teaches young fans the value of never giving up.

Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village’s leader and strongest ninja.

Created by

Masashi Kishimoto

First Film

Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash In the Land of Snow

Latest Film

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

First TV Show

Naruto

First Episode Air Date

September 21, 1999

Cast

Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Dave Wittenberg

Video Game(s)

Naruto Ninja Council 3 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm , Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

Manga Release Date

August 6, 2003

Manga Volumes

72