5 Best Anime That Any Fan of ATLA Should Add to Their List

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A beloved series that ended nearly two decades ago is Avatar: The Last Airbender, airing until 2008, and is often regarded as a staple in many childhoods. The draw to the show probably stems from how well the show holds up all this time later in terms of animation, character design, power systems, and overall plot. Enough so that it had a bit of a revival in the last decade with another small surge in popularity, especially among younger audiences who might not have been watching during its initial run. It’s pretty hard to find anything exactly like Avatar: The Last Airbender due to how unique the premise and setting felt, especially during its release; however, there are plenty of anime series that give off similar vibes to the show that you should check out as soon as possible.

5) Cowboy Bebop

Image Courtesy of Sunrise

A complete classic within the anime community is Cowboy Bebop, an epic space neo-noir adventure series that redefined the sci-fi genre in the medium. The series originally aired back in 1998 and had a total of 26 episodes, giving it a relatively short run time compared to other popular series of the time; additionally, the series has an animated movie and a live-action Netflix series available to watch that explore a bit more of the show’s background and plot. Cowboy Bebop tells the tale of a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters traversing the solar system on their spaceship, while attempting to heal or move on from their own personal traumas and pasts. It’s a story of redemption, found family, healing, and facing your past instead of running from it.

4) Inuyasha

Image Courtesy of Sunrise

Another absolute classic on this list that isn’t often spoken about much by modern audiences is Inuyasha. This series is considered one of the most successful and well-adapted isekai anime, heavily praised for its unique blend of fantasy, historical, and adventure genres. The show first aired back in 2000 and had just over 150 episodes; a sequel series, titled Inuyasha: The Final Act, added to and completed the series’ storyline. Inuyasha’s story focuses on Kagome Higurashi, a high schooler who is transported to feudal Japan, where she meets Inuyasha, a demon-hybrid who needs her help to find the powerful Shikon Jewel. This nostalgic series features a great cast of characters, along with an exploration of love, identity, and connection.

3) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood remains one of the best modern anime and is a complete masterpiece in terms of storytelling. It was originally released back in 2009 and had a total of 64 episodes before drawing to a close; it’s often considered one of the best remakes in anime, as this series is a reboot of the original Fullmetal Alchemist series from 2003. The plot focuses on two brothers who aim to become alchemists to restore their own bodies after a tragic accident in their hometown. It explores themes of family, societal corruption, the consequences of immortality, and science versus belief. This series embodies the best of philosophical ideation with high-stakes battle scenes that create an incredibly satisfying pay-off until the very end.

2) Naruto

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If there are any anime that were well known among Western audiences even before anime’s big global spread within the mainstream, Naruto absolutely is on that list. This series is considered one of the most iconic anime of all time, and is often cited as part of shonen’s Big Three, including other titles such as One Piece and Bleach. The series first aired back in 2002 and had 220 episodes in total; after that, Naruto: Shippuden was released, adapting the second half of the manga series with 500 episodes. Since then, the franchise has gone on to influence a heavy amount of modern battle shonen series and is heavily referenced in pop culture. Naruto navigates themes of power, identity, redemption, friendship, and the consequences of war.

1) Samurai Champloo

Image Courtesy of Manglobe

Samurai Champloo might just be one of the most underrated anime series of the last couple of decades, despite its incredibly unique tone and aesthetic. The series first debuted back in 2004 and had a total of 26 episodes before coming to an end, meaning it’s a low-investment watch that won’t eat up your time. Samurai Champloo still manages to explore one of the most iconic anime rivalries of that time, while portraying themes of identity, creativity, discovering your purpose, and teamwork. Two rival swordsmen must work together in Edo-era Japan to find a mysterious samurai for the woman who saved them both from execution. If the plot doesn’t completely sell you, it might be worth mentioning that Samurai Champloo is also known for its incorporation of hip-hop into the sound and story of the series.

Have you watched any of the anime on this list? Tell us which anime series was your favorite of 2025 in the comments below.