With over 80 shows airing, anime fans have had an incredible selection of shows to choose from in the Spring 2021 season. From epic comebacks like the Shaman King reboot to more obscure shorts like Dinosaur Biyori, there was something to watch for everyone.While some shows were smashing hits others failed to meet fan expectations. Fans looking for the absolute greatest anime of Spring 2021 have plenty to pick from but a few gems sparkle brighter than the rest.Updated on November 2, 2021 by Mark Sammut: The Fall 2021 anime season is currently underway, bringing with it some of the best anime of 2021. Overall, this year has been one to celebrate for anime fans, as the industry has produced dozens upon dozens of shows that are entertaining, unforgettable, and brilliant. In fact, this year produced so many good series that it is almost impossible to keep up with everything. So, while waiting for new episodes of Komi Can't Communicate and Takt Op. Destiny to drop, people can go back to previous seasons to catch up on what they missed. Spring 2021 was particularly strong, so a couple of other memorable anime from that season have been added to this collection.
14 SSSS.Dynazenon
Any anime by Trigger will attract some attention, but SSSS.Dynazenon flew somewhat under the radar by the studio's standards. This was especially surprising considering it is a sequel to 2018's SSSS.Gridman, a polarizing anime that still amassed a passionate fanbase.
SSSS.Dynazenon isn't as exceptional as its predecessor, predominantly due to none of its characters leaving quite as big of an impression as Gridman's Akane. A sequel in name only, Dynazenon is very much its own beast, and its eponymous mecha is a sight to behold. The characters are fine but underdeveloped as most of the focus is squarely on the action. Unsurprisingly, the animation is fantastic, as is the music.
13 Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro
Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro's opening episode will put off quite a few people as it largely revolves around Hayase Nagatoro bullying her introverted senpai, Naoto Hachioji. It is not an easy sit since the anime fully showcases Naoto's discomfort; thankfully, Hayase does tone down her mockery quite quickly, opting for a more playful style. Be that as it may, the teasing never fully subsides, so that might still be a dealbreaker for some viewers.
Eventually, Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro slowly begins to redeem Hayase as it becomes more of a standard romance.
12 Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 2nd Season
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun was one of the best surprises of 2019, and its sequel is even better. Iruma, a human, is sold to a demon by his parents. His new caregiver enrolls Iruma in a demon school, Babyls, which is naturally not the greatest place for a human with terrible luck.
Like its predecessor, season 2 is just a whole lot of fun. Iruma's misadventures are wild, comedic, and creative, while the anime also allocates time to develop its overarching plots and romances.
11 Zombieland Saga: Revenge
Zombieland Saga opened up the idol anime genre to a wider audience, delivering a lovable cast of characters along the way. The sequel delivers more of the same in terms of banter and songs, all the while diving deeper into the mythos surrounding this universe. While the anime keeps certain things close to its chest, this season does slightly pull back the curtain on why these girls have been brought back to life (sort of).
Zombieland Saga: Revenge has far better musical sequences than its predecessor, and the show is still as funny as ever.
10 Tokyo Revengers
A lot of people would love to relive their glory years, especially if their current life wasn't going according to plan. That's exactly what happens to Takemichi Hanagaki who slowly discovers he can manipulate times and uses this power to change the worst events of his life. Directed by Hatsumi Kouichi, the director of Deadman Wonderland, Tokyo Revengers is incredibly engaging for a time travel story.
9 Moriarty The Patriot (Yuukoku No Moriarty)
With the original season being highly regarded, Moriarty the Patriot had a lot to live up to and managed to without a single issue. While there are many stories from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes, there are far too few from the viewpoint of his arch-nemesis James Moriarty. It's the perfect show to tune into for any fans of psychological thrillers.
8 Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved And Took In A High School Runaway
A show with a mouthful of a title, Higehiro focused on the drama surrounding a traumatized teenage girl that ran away from home before meeting Yoshida. His life begins to significantly improve as he takes her in and keeps Sayu safe despite the dangers of taking in a young runaway.
The wholesome moments of Yoshida standing up to do the right thing and Sayu slowly finding her way towards happiness resonated with many anime fans. The show is perfect for anyone wanting a story packed with character growth.
7 Fruits Basket: The Final
The original Fruits Basket anime aired all the way back in 2001 so fans were excited to see the romance series get a reboot in 2019. The animators seriously improved the visuals compared to the original making this retelling wonderful to experience. As implied by the title, The Final was the last season of the reboot and was one of the most-watched shows of the season.
6 Nomad: Megalo Box 2
Joe's original adventures battling his way to the top of the Megalo Boxing world with no gear was incredibly compelling and the sequel is even more so. Nomad shows what happens after the ultimate dream is achieved and the hardships that befall Team Nowhere after.
The final match and everything building up to it are incredibly emotional so make sure to keep tissues nearby when watching this one.
5 My Hero Academia (Boku No Hero Academia)
It's hard to not love My Hero Academia as its fifth season kept building upon the impressive story that came before it. There's a reason it continues to be one of the most-watched anime on television after all!
The majority of MHA's showing in the Spring 2021 season followed a tournament arc of sorts as Midoriya tries to grapple with the new powers granted to him thanks to his quirk One For All.
4 86 (Eighty Six)
86 is more than just another military mecha anime — its themes on othering groups of people hit uncomfortably hard in the wake of renewed conflict in the Gaza Strip and various political propaganda campaigns misinforming people on current events.
Vladilena Milizé is assigned to be a handler for a squadron of young combatants as they are forced to battle to defend the republic from automated mecha. With the rest of the world being told no human casualties are taking place, this rests heavily on her heart and she does everything she can to protect them while getting to know them more.
3 Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi is more than just a show with an anthropomorphic Walrus driving taxis — it's an incredible mystery that unfolds on screen and throughout the internet. The show's creators placed several bits of hidden lore online like a special audio drama that viewers can use to help piece together the story.
Odakawa's adventures have him dealing with gang leaders, idol groups, and more. With a colorful cast of characters, Odd Taxi is the perfect show for fans that want something deeper to explore.
2 Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
Tappei Nagata of RE: Zero fame and Eiji Umerhara of Chaos Child both working together on an original anime? It seemed too good to be true but Vivy turned out to be as amazing as any fan could have hoped for.
This story of time travel and AI didn't hold back its emotional punches to the gut and the animation was stunning to boot. Watching to see if Vivy and Matsumoto can save the human race will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
1 To Your Eternity (Fumetsu No Anata E)
To Your Eternity hit the scene and quickly became one of the best shonen anime to premier in recent memory. Its source material was written by Yoshitoki Ooima who also wrote A Silent Voice. Viewers had better be ready to cry as just like that movie, To Your Eternity is a heartwrenching affair.
Fans will be watching closely as its remaining episodes air during the Summer 2021 season.