7 American anime that can be called masterpieces, ranked

While the term "anime" generally refers to animation from Japan, some of the best anime series of the last 30 years have come from other parts of the world, including America. Series like Avatar: The Last Airbender wouldn't exist without anime, and they're shining examples of what makes anime great.

There's a ton of variety to be found in American anime, from magical girl series that flew under the radar to anime that's based on video games, like Castlevania. These series stand out from typical Western animation, and no anime fan will want to miss them.

W.I.T.C.H Proves There Should Be More American Magical Girl Anime

Often overshadowed by its more successful competitor, Winx Club, W.I.T.C.H is an underrated classic that needs more eyes on it. Taking notes from classic magical girl anime like Sailor Moon, W.I.T.C.H follows five teenage girls as they become the Guardians of the Veil, tasked with using the power of the five elements to keep evil from escaping into their world.

The anime hits every note that an amazing magical girl series needs to, with lovable lead characters, powerful friendships between them, imaginative world building, and a solid balance of personal drama and mystical action. W.I.T.C.H balances a strong overarching storyline with smaller, episodic tales that explore the lives of Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin.

It offers genuinely shocking plot twists, a supporting cast nearly as impactful as the Guardians, and quality animation for its time. W.I.T.C.H sadly only ran for two seasons, but both the slower-paced first season and action-packed second season deserve more attention.

RWBY Is an Indie Anime That Became a Massive Franchise

Unlike most well-known American anime, RWBY was not initially created by a major animation studio, but by a handful of independent online creators. Over the past twelve years, though, it has grown into a massive franchise, with nine seasons and numerous spin-offs to its name across multiple forms of media, and a tenth season currently in pre-production.

It speaks to the underlying charm and heart at the center of RWBY that it's been able to enjoy as much success as it has, in spite of how clunky its writing and animation can often be. Initially, RWBY follows its titular team of huntresses-in-training as they train to battle against the menacing Grimm that threaten their society, before it eventually transitions into a globe-trotting adventure story.

RWBY's cast of characters is massive, with dozens being easy to love and root for, and on top of that, itts fight scenes are jaw-dropping. Even though RWBY isn't always the easiest anime to get into due to its unpolished roots but, if given a chance, new fans can get to see it bloom like a rose.

Teen Titans Is One of the Best Anime of the 2000s

Teen Titans was an incredibly important series, playing a major role in helping both anime and superhero stories to go mainstream. While many other animated superhero series have drawn small influences from anime, Teen Titans fully leaned into both the dramatic and comedic conventions of the medium.

Combined with punchy writing, endearing characters, and great action, the 2003 anime maintains a dedicated following to this day. For five seasons, Teen Titans followed a group of five young heroes, consisting of Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven, as they fought to protect the world from evil, and engaged in absurd hijinks.

The anime is primarily remembered for its serious and mature storylines, and it deserves all the credit it gets for how much depth it was able to give its cast, and how dark it was able to go. At the same time, Teen Titans deserves more credit than it gets for, more often than not, being a creative and hilarious comedy.

Samurai Jack Perfectly Balances Comedy, Drama, and Action

Ignoring its controversial final season, Samurai Jack is a nearly flawless series. Blending fantasy and sci-fi, Samurai Jack follows its eponymous stoic hero as he's flung into a dystopian future by the embodiment of evil, Aku, forcing him to wander the world, and attempt to find a way home.

Entirely episodic, the anime shifts focus from story to story, sometimes prioritizing awesome stylized action, and other times leaning fully into the more comical aspects of the strange world Jack inhabits. While Jack may not be especially talkative, he still manages to be an engaging protagonist, even when he isn't cutting down enemies in the flashiest way possible.

The villains Jack faces contrast the samurai by being filled to the brim with personality, the obvious stand-out being Aku, who's easily one of the most entertaining villains in any American anime. Samurai Jack's greatest strength is its consistency as, during its original run, it's difficult to find a single bad episode in the entire lot.

Castlevania & Castlevania: Nocturne Are the Best Anime Based on Video Games

American anime and animated series based on video games can both be very hit-or-miss, which is why the massive success of Castlevania came as a shock to many. Over the course of four seasons, the story of Trevor Belmont blew audiences away with its gritty, spooky atmosphere, its surprisingly likable heroes, and its brilliant fight scenes.

Instead of properly ending after four seasons, the anime shifted into Castlevania: Nocturne, which raised the bar of quality even higher. Castlevania may draw on lore from video games, but its story is wholly its own, and it's completely accessible to those with zero knowledge of the long-running franchise.

For those who are fans of the Castlevania games though, the anime regularly finds way to drop Easter eggs for them to find, without ever getting distracted from its main focus. Fittingly for a horror-inspired series, the biggest highlight of Castlevania is its villains, with Dracula, Carmilla, Isaac, and Drolta all stealing every scene they're in.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Is the Most Beloved Animated Series of All Time

Avatar: The Last Airbender is the face of American anime and, twenty years since it premiered, the franchise it spawned is still successful. Telling the story of Avatar Aang and his friends as he seeks to master all four elements so he can save the world from the imperialistic Fire Nation, The Last Airbender is commonly held up on a pedestal above all other Western animated series.

This can primarily be attributed to its fully serialized nature, its complex and nuanced characters, its deep themes, and its spectacular action sequences. Apart from its most commonly praised aspects, Avatar also succeeds in a number of other ways. It has an engaging sense of adventure, its world is rich and fascinating, and despite its story being a serious one, it never fails to be absolutely hilarious.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is often called perfect and, give or take "The Great Divide," it can be a difficult task to argue against this notion. Years later, it set a bar that most animated series struggle to reach.

Arcane is the Most Acclaimed Animated Series of the 2020s

It's a testament to the quality of Arcane Season 1 that, ignoring the disaster that is Season 2 entirely, it can still be viewed as one of the greatest pieces of media ever made. While it may be an adaptation of the ridiculous League of Legends video game, Arcane Season 1 takes itself completely seriously and, in the process, tells a rich, heartbreaking story about class and a pair of doomed sisters.

That majestic storytelling is complemented by an unforgettable soundtrack, an intriguing world, and awe-inspiring animation. Arcane's characters are masterfully written and voiced, the stand-outs being Jinx, Vi, and Silco, and the series' visual storytelling is close to peerless among American anime.

While the visuals are consistently incredible, they never shine more than during the anime's kinetic and carefully thought-out fight scenes. Arcane Season 1 is only nine episodes long, making it an easy binge-watch for any anime fan.