Hello and welcome to Project Nitsuj. Anime reboots have been a staple of the industry for a long time now. Taking an anime from the past and rebooting it for today’s audience to enjoy. It’s always nice to see something from the past get the respect it deserves and reach a new audience or a fan favorite return after a long hiatus. There’s been a lot of reboots over the years but the following 11 are what I consider to be the best. I’m Nitsuj and these are The Top 11 Best Anime Reboots.
#11. Kino’s Journey (2017)
An underrated gem in the early 2000s. Kino’s Journey follows the story of Kino who travels around endlessly from country to country with her trusty motorbike Hermes at her side. The anime provided excellent philosophical stories and themes with its characters that made the anime stand out and leave a lasting impact on people who watched it. In 2017 the anime came back (again, I may have played a part in this happening) where it received a fresh coat of animation, new stories, and more action scenes as Kino’s journey continued. We also got a chance to focus on more side characters and follow their journeys. Some people have said the anime was bad as it didn’t have nearly enough philosophical themes and stories as the previous season and was a collection of Kino’s greatest hits but hey those hits were called the greatest for a reason and in my opinion both this anime and the one from the 2000s are worth checking out when you get a chance.
#10. Trigun Stampede
The classic hit from the 90s was universally loved for its great action, comedy, and drama as we followed the criminal Vash on his quest of retribution and finding a place in the world. While the anime took some liberties and didn’t follow the manga exactly no one really seemed to mind as it was still entertaining and provided an alternate take on the characters from the manga. Many years later Trigun would return with Trigun Stampede, a completely different take on the series that reimagines the characters, brings in new characters, new action scenes, and was completely CGI. Many fans were worried as CGI is usually the sign of death for most animes but thankfully the CGI in this anime was brilliant. The story was also great as everyone enjoyed the new take on the series. It got a more sci-fi/darker edge over the original anime, explored more of Vash’s past, and put his relationship with Knives at the center of the story making it all the more interesting. While I’ll always treasure the first anime this anime showed us that Trigun is timeless and can work in any era of anime.
#9. Urusei Yatsura (2022)
Rumiko Takahashi’s most popular work is Inuyasha. However, her most important work in my opinion is Urusei Yatsura. This was one of the first harem stories to get popular and would go on to inspire a multitude of harem animes such as Tenchi Muyo and To Love-Ru. It got an anime adaptation in the 80s which was one of the most popular animes at the time before finally coming back in 2022 with an all-new anime reboot. Just like another anime on this list this was a series that everyone was skeptical about whether it could work in today’s world and it proved all the doubters wrong. The characters looked better than ever (I just love Lum’s hair in this version. She looks so beautiful), it does a better job at following the manga and its retro style of storytelling, animation and character dynamics help it stand out from other romantic comedies airing. With a sequel to the 2022 version now airing it’s clear that this reboot has an audience both young and old and proves that iconic shows from the 80s deserve a possible reboot down the line.
#8. Lupin the Third Part 4
The Lupin series has been around since the 60s and would go on quite the anime run in the 70s before being regulated to TV specials, OVAs, and movies. Just when it seemed like the series was about to fade into obscurity, Part 4 of the anime was released. Many people were skeptical that a series this old could make it with today’s more fast-paced anime but Lupin proved the doubters wrong and delivered a great season. It breathed new life into the series, introduced a whole new audience to the epic adventures of Lupin and his gang, and would lead to more animes being released in the years to come. At a time when animes were moving fast and not focusing on story and characters, Lupin showed us that an old dog can learn new tricks and that a gem from the past can survive in this new era of anime.
#7. Arslan Senki
This is a series that has gone through many adaptations over the years. It was a fantasy novel, a manga, video games, CD dramas, and even a few OVAs and films during the nineties. However, the one we’re focusing on is the Arakawa version that was turned into an anime in 2015. This new reboot brought in a whole new audience of viewers who fell in love with Arslan and his quest to reclaim his kingdom. He was soft-spoken but didn’t run away from his responsibilities. He was kind-hearted but wasn’t afraid to do what he had to do to reclaim his land and bring peace. We saw him take everything in and grow as a leader thus getting us invested in the story and character. The people surrounding Arslan weren’t following him because he was a prince or out of duty, but because he was a good man who would grow, listen, and put the needs of his people before himself. That’s the kind of person you want sitting on the throne. Arslan proved to be one of the best princes in anime and I hope someday they continue this adaptation.
#6. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
One of the most popular adaptations in the world actually had an OVA series in 1993 and again in 2000. While the series only adapted the Stardust Crusaders arc (well at least they chose the best part) people enjoyed it and thought that this would be the only time that they would see an adaptation of the beloved series. But fate had other plans as a full anime adaptation of the manga began in 2012 and would continue in the years to come adapting each part of the hit series. To make matters better each part kept getting better and better with each adaptation (part 6 aside). Like just when you think there’s no way they can adapt this scene in the anime format they manage to do it and meet your expectations. With their universe ultimately restarting at the end of part 6 it’s fair to say that part 7 will also count as a reboot should they adapt it.
#5. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works
The original Fate/stay night anime came out in the 2000s and didn’t go over so well. The animation just couldn’t live up to the epic story the visual novel gave us and was told in a boring way that nobody could pay attention to what was going on and was just hard to sit through. Years later, the series would be revived by Ufotable who gave us the prequel, Zero, and showed us just how great this series can be when given the right amount of time and attention to detail. However, it was Unlimited Blade Works that turned everyone into a fan of this series and even revolutionized animation as we know it today. I remember there being a time where all I saw was everyone showing off merch from the Fate series and talking about how great the anime was and you need to watch it. Because of Blade Works’ success, the Fate series would go on to become one of the most popular animes in the 2010s. The series has been silent on the anime front but their games are still popular and might get a special or two down the line.
#4. Dororo
The brain child of Tezuka himself. Released in the 60s, Dororo is regarded as one of those animes that was way ahead of its time. In an era where anime was still seen for kids and the only genres were shonen and sci-fi, Dororo presented a more mature and darker story no one at the time had ever seen. The anime during that time didn’t help as the animation made it appear too childish to be taken seriously. However, in honor of its 50th anniversary, MAPPA along Tezuka Productions would reboot the anime and give it the animation style that it deserved. The studios managed to show off Tezuka’s dark story and themes and gave us a gripping tale that left us all speechless, cheering, and crying at the end. I don’t know if this was Tezuka’s original vision of the story when he wrote it, but I think he’d be proud if he saw this reboot. Good job.
#3. Hunter x Hunter
One of the best shonen stories of all time has also received a reboot. While most people are familiar with the 2011 version, a lengthy version came out from 1999-2001. It’s a version that a lot of people forget exists. To its credit, it was good but unfortunately stopped right before the Chimera Ant arc, one of the most horrifying arcs in manga history (not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing). The 2011 version however would adapt this arc as well as the Election arc in all their glory. Aside from adapting more, both versions are great with the 1999 version still holding up quite well today and is worth checking out and comparing the two to see how much has changed. With the manga far from finished and Togashi in no rush to finish it, fans have debated if we’ll ever see a true beginning-to-end adaptation of Hunter x Hunter or if it’ll go the OVA route for future arcs. Both routes can work and there are positives and negatives to both. Hunter x Hunter has always been called a sleeping giant in the manga industry so why not apply that trademark to the anime as well?
#2. Hellsing Ultimate
The original Hellsing was released in 2001 and was under the production of Gonzo. The studio had a big hill to climb as there were only two completed volumes at the time of production so they had to make up their own story for a majority of the anime which was okay but not the epic story everyone was expecting and the animation felt off. Years later, Ultimate would come out as an OVA series done by some of the best studios at the time and adapt the manga from beginning to end with stellar animation, blood, and action that kept you on the edge of your seat. This OVA series was so good that people skipped the original in favor of watching Ultimate and I don’t blame them. Whenever someone thinks of Hellsing, Ultimate is usually the first thing that comes into their mind (well that and the amazing abridged series done by Team Four Star). It was a spectacular series that took one of the goriest mangas ever made and turned it into one of the most epic anime experiences you’ll ever see.
And number one. . .
#1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
My all-time favorite anime. The original FMA was good but sadly had to create its own content and ending as the manga wasn’t completed yet ending the anime on a WTF note that left a lot of fans feeling empty. Thankfully, Brotherhood came out and was a true adaptation of the manga from beginning to end. Not only did it adapt the manga’s story perfectly it elevated the story to new heights and set the bar for manga to anime adaptations. It made every moment count and managed to bring to life everything the author wanted to convey in their story. What else can I say? It’s the greatest anime reboot of all time and it’s the kind of reboot treatment everyone calls for whenever an anime is getting rebooted.
And that’s my list. Did I leave any out? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.