Best Anime Reboots And Remakes

Summary

• Good anime reboots bring classic stories to a new audience while enhancing original stories.
• Faithful adaptations like Rurouni Kenshin and Shaman King showcase success in rebooting beloved series.
• Anime like Devilman Crybaby and Trigun Stampede prove that modern visuals can amplify classic storylines.

A good remake or reboot can breathe new life into a classic story if it’s done right. When handled poorly, it can still breathe life into a classic story but for the wrong reasons. Reboots can also introduce stories to a new audience and tell the story in an even better way.

Anime is no stranger to the reboot or remake world, and there are many anime that have gotten this treatment. While some have been underwhelming, there are others that have been a roaring success and are definitely worth a watch. Here are some of the best anime reboots and remakes to check out.

12 Shaman King

The Underrated Shonen Got A New Lick Of Paint For A New Audience

Shaman King was a little-known shonen show that debuted way back in 2001. The anime adaptation had 64 episodes and was initially faithful to the manga until it started to diverge a little later on.

The 2021 remake was a more faithful adaptation of the manga and was done 20 years after the first one aired, which proved to be enough time for people to forget the old. Shaman King is a perhaps still considered niche, but it is certainly a good reboot and a nice watch.

11 Kino’s Journey -The Beautiful World- The Animated Series

The Reboot Slightly Sped Up The Historically Slower Pace

Kino’s Journey first came into the lives of anime fans back in 2003 and garnered a pretty decent following, with fans falling in love with the slower pace and the fascinating world that Kino travels through.

The 2017 remake was a bit divisive, as older fans felt it wasn’t as good as the original, but for anyone picking up the show for the first time, 2017’s edition is an excellent rendition with great themes, a good story, and when the action hits, it does so quite well.

10 Rurouni Kenshin

The Samurai Story’s New Adaptation Is A Faithful Retelling

Rurouni Kenshin was a highly successful manga that got an equally beloved anime and even a very good trio of live-action movies. While the mangaka’s legacy has been tarnished, many fans still remember Kenshin fondly.

The new reboot is an almost identical story to the ’90s series, with just one of two stories going differently. But most importantly, it is expected that the new series will actually adapt the manga to the end, with the final arc being one of the most anticipated by those familiar with the manga’s material.

9 Devilman Crybaby

The Horrifying Devilman Is Made Even More Trippy With Modern Visuals

Devilman was a ’70s anime that featured all the visual and thematic ideologies of the time. That said, it still had a small following of fans who were intrigued by the story’s philosophy and message.

The remake, Devilman Crybaby, was a harrowing viewing experience, and the choice to use very psychedelic visuals was perfect. A whole new generation of people were introduced to the tragedy of Akira and the horrifying world of demons because of it. The adaptation was a success and was also way more popular than the more obscure early adaptation.

8 Trigun Stampede

3D Visuals Didn’t Harm This Old Classic

Trigun is one of those beloved classics that a reboot or remake could ruin if done poorly. Thankfully, Trigun Stampede is an amazing work of art. Many were scared when it was revealed that the anime would be in 3D, but it was actually done well, proving that fans had nothing to worry about.

In terms of the story, Trigun Stampede acts as a prequel to the events that took place in the 1998 anime, and it does a great job in delving further into the backstories of some of the villains of the original.

7 Mr. Osomatsu

The Sextuplets Are Up To Hijinks Again

There have been some great gag anime over the years, including the likes of Gintama, which is considered one of the greatest anime ever, and stuff like The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. That said, none are as storied as Mr. Osomatsu. Originally from the ’60s and then the 80s, this anime eventually got a new lick of paint, and it was perfect for the new generation.

When it released in 2016, it was one of the most popular shows in Japan, and as a comedy, it remains as hilarious as ever. The fact that six characters that look exactly the same and can produce such a range of emotion is one of the best things the show has going for it. It certainly deserves a watch for those looking for something funny.

6 Spice And Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf

Economics Has Never Sounded So Good

The original Spice and Wolf was famous for its focus on the way economics works and was well-loved for how it made the generally boring topic highly accessible for the average individual.

The remake tells much of the same story with a few deviations, including the addition of a familiar narrator that hints at what the end of the story will definitely be. The new remake certainly has all it takes to become a modern classic.

5 Dororo

The Updated Design Added More Weight To The Story

The story of Hyakkimaru is a tragic one: Abandoned by his family and sacrificed to demons, the quiet samurai must fight to get his limbs back. Originally airing in the ’60s, Dororo is the creation of the great Osamu Tezuka.

The story got a remake in 2019 with updated visuals and a more compact story, which was more digestible to a new audience. The story’s darker tone is now matched with amazing animation, and the story of Dororo and Hyakkimaru can now be enjoyed by multiple generations of anime fans.

4 Hellsing Ultimate

A Darker, More Faithful Adaptation Was Just What The Doctor Ordered

Hellsing is an amazing show that introduces watchers to the ruthless Alucard, who has allied with the Hellsing Organization to destroy the monsters that terrorize humanity. That said, perhaps its is Alucard who is the monster to be most feared, as his power and cruelty are unmatched.

The OVAs called Hellsing Ultimate were a more faithful adaptation of the manga and benefited from some pretty awesome animation and art. The story is grittier, the fights are more captivating, and it can be said to be a much better version than the original.

3 Fruits Basket

The Reboot Tells A More Nuanced Tale Of Family Drama

The original Fruits Basket was a cutesy shoujo with a compelling lead and a lot of hijinks. When a remake was put out in 2019, fans were hoping for an even better version, and they were not disappointed.

Fruits Basket’s reboot took all the things that were great about the original and added to it immensely. The story took on darker shades and the characters were more nuanced. The romantic element was always the gripping factor in this show, and the reboot did not slack in that area either, producing an engrossing love story that also doubled as a dark family drama.

2 Hunter x Hunter

An Unfinished Masterpiece

Yoshihiro Togashi’s masterpiece, Hunter x Hunter is legendary within the anime space for several reasons: It has some of the best writing in anime and manga, is filled with iconic characters, and is assumed will never really get an ending due to its frequent hiatuses.

However, this hasn’t stopped it from getting two anime adaptations, with one releasing in 1999 and the other coming out in 2011. While the two are objectively great shonen shows, the second one took a lot more from the source material and also had a more polished visual style. It brought the truly remarkable Chimera Ant arc to life, which is considered one of the best arcs in all of anime.

The Poster Child For Great Anime Reboots

When referring to a good anime reboot, there is a reason people say, “It got the Brotherhood treatment.” Fullmetal Alchemist was released in 2003 and was incredibly popular. Even without the remake, it would still have gone down as an amazing show.

However, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood got the ‘alchemy’ right. The manga itself was incredible. As such, staying faithful to the story meant that half the work was already done, and the anime pulled out all the stops to create something truly remarkable. For some, it is the best anime of all time, and many agree that it is deserving of such lofty considerations.