Best Madhouse Anime

One of Japan’s most venerable and oldest animation studios is the legendary Madhouse. This company is responsible for some of the most daring off-beat anime which, while deviating from the usual formula, still manage to set its own trends. Madhouse chooses its adaptations well and pours its hearts and souls into animating them. The best Madhouse anime are also some of the industry’s greatest series and movies of all time.

Beyond its impressive choice of manga or projects to adapt into films or shows, Madhouse is also famous for its consistent quality. The studio’s anime has always held a reputation for having meticulous attention to detail. Films like Perfect Blue and Redline perfectly illustrate its animation prowess. Meanwhile, Madhouse’s TV shows also reflect its design philosophies.

Updated January 11, 2025, by Mark Sammut: Madhouse is currently on something of a roll, and the studio has more to show for itself than just Frieren. In fact, Fall 2024 produced one of the best Madhouse anime ever, and this show will continue to air new episodes throughout Winter 2025. Click below to jump to this series.

23

Overlord

MyAnimeList: 7.91 (Season 1)

Madhouse has quite a few isekai anime under its belt, most of which are among the theme’s better efforts. No Game, No Life used to be the studio’s most popular dip into these types of stories, but it has arguably become eclipsed by Overlord, which has now produced four seasons and multiple movies. At this point, Ainz and his subordinates are among Madhouse’s most recognizable characters, and they are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

As a dark fantasy twist on the isekai formula, Overlord delivers fun characters, wicked humor, and a steadily expanding scope that eventually reaches world-conquering levels. As far as OP protagonist shows are concerned, this anime is among the more entertaining; however, its quality can vary quite a bit from season to season. The third entry had a notorious dip in animation that overshadowed a fairly pivotal story beat, undermining what was otherwise a solid season.

22

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth

MyAnimeList: 8.35

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is such a unique anime. Set in Poland during the 1400s, the story follows different groups of people who are determined to create a truthful model of the universe, a process that involves directly challenging the church’s established doctrine. As this type of research is forbidden, practitioners are generally risking their lives in pursuit of knowledge, and they are well aware that they could find themselves arrested, tortured, and killed.

The setting and premise are already enough to set Orb apart from most other shows, but the anime even takes other storytelling risks. The series runs through a few protagonists, with each person building on the work of their predecessor. Well-written, beautifully animated, and consistently tense, this Fall 2024 is one of the most captivating Madhouse anime of all time.

21

Kaiji

MyAnimeList: 8.26 (Season 1)

Madhouse has a monopoly on gambling anime, producing most of the genre’s best shows. Akagi has an all-time great villain, One Outs has an all-time great protagonist, and Death Parade has an all-time great concept; meanwhile, Kaiji is simply the greatest gambling anime of all time. While not necessarily the most entertaining, in terms of pure tension, this series is completely unchallenged. Dragged into a nightmare thanks to a “friend,” Kaiji finds himself in an underground (or on the ocean) gambling den, desperately engaging in a battle for survival while acting as entertainment for the rich and powerful.

Kaiji has consequences. Although capable of coming up with clever plays, the protagonist is not a genius or infallible, and he can lose at any given moment. No stakes are too high and failure happens, creating an experience that leaves viewers constantly on edge.

20

Paranoia Agent

MyAnimeList: 7.66

Satoshi Kon worked regularly with Madhouse, and the two formed a relationship that regularly produced gold. Paranoia Agent was the director’s sole TV show, at least as the main creative force behind the core vision. While perhaps not reaching the impossible heights of Perfect Blue or Millennium Actress, this 2004 psychological thriller nevertheless showcases Kon’s unique and powerful voice.

Tokyo finds itself the victim of a strange crime spree. A boy called Lil’ Slugger has been going around smashing people with his bat, an event that changes the latter’s lives in more ways than just physical. Although an overarching plot is present, Paranoia Agent is fairly episodic, with most segments highlighting different characters. As such, the quality of the stories varies quite a bit; however, the best ones (episode 3) are masterpieces.

19

Black Lagoon

MyAnimeList: 8.03 (Season 1)

A classic action series, Black Lagoon is all thrills and very little filler. Split into two seasons and an OVA series, the anime follows a group of merchants as they take on an eclectic range of cases, each one different from the last and most of them being very high quality.

Although largely remembered for its intense action sequences and mature protagonists, Black Lagoon also throws out the occasional philosophical musings, and they are surprisingly effective and nuanced. Except for season 2’s final arc that threatens to overstay its welcome, the anime barely sets a foot wrong throughout its entire run, delivering top-quality animation every step of the way.

18

One Outs

MyAnimeList: 8.33

Madhouse has quite a few great sports anime under its belt, including one of the more unique entries in the genre: One Outs. Despite centering around baseball, the show has more in common with gambling series like Kaiju and Akagi, particularly the latter. The title refers to a street game that pits a pitcher against a batter in 1v1 action, with cash being on the line. Although he does not seem especially talented, Toa Tokuchi has never failed to strike someone out, and that trend continues when he faces off against Saikyou Saitama Lycaons’ best batter. Long story short, the Lycaons sign Toa, and he accepts a performance-based contract that is effectively a high-stakes bet with the team’s owner.

One Outs is all about mindgames. In each match, Toa focuses on breaking the psyches of his opponents, a process that is generally quite subtle. While technically the main character, Toa’s thoughts are not revealed to the audience, putting the latter in the same position as the players who are trying to decipher the protagonist’s intentions. This creative decision turns One Outs into a psychological drama, and an intense one at that.

17

Beck

MyAnimeList: 8.29

Beck offers a dramatic spin on the “lost, directionless youth” trope as it sees its protagonist, Yukio Tanaka on a journey of self-realization. He initially had no goals in life (like a lot of young people these days both in and out of Japan). But all that changed after he saved a dog named Beck.

By chance, Beck’s owner happened to be a semi-popular guitarist and member of a budding rock band. Since then, Yukio was introduced to the world of Western rock and was enamored with music. Together with his newfound friends and a shining ambition to make it big worldwide, Yukio will set out to give his viewers a look into how rockers succeed.

16

Trigun

MyAnimeList: 8.22

One of the sci-fi cult classics of the 1990s, Trigun is about a conflicted bandit who doesn’t actually want to kill people. His name is Vash the Stampede, and he has a dizzyingly huge bounty on his head. The kicker is that he loathes violence due to his troubled past as an experimental weapon; he was manipulated into killing too many innocents for his psyche to handle.

It’s similar in tone to other classics of its era, such as Rurouni Kenshin. Heck, both Vash and Kenshin Himura even share the same red motif in their clothing, signifying the guilt and innocent blood stains they’re carrying. Trigun highlights Madhouse’s fantastic animation along with its deft handling of very-90s comedy.

15

Cardcaptor Sakura

MyAnimeList: 8.17 (Season 1)

While not associated with magical girls, Madhouse’s main contribution happens to be one of the genre’s defining classics. Cardcaptor Sakura sits alongside Sailor Moon as a definitive traditional example of the theme, blending charming characters with clever humor, tasteful romance, and mostly solid action.

As a coming-of-age story, the anime is fantastic, with the original 1998 series and its movie sequels aging surprisingly well. 2018’s sequel, Clear Card, did not quite reach the same heights, but it is a more than acceptable continuation. Admittedly, someone’s mileage with this series will come down to their appreciation for magical girls in general.

14

Parasyte -The Maxim

MyAnimeList: 8.33

When it comes to action-oriented anime, Madhouse is no stranger to calling dibs on reluctantly violent protagonists. Parasyte – The Maxim is another one of their titles that dabbles with this trope. This time around, the trope involves Shinichi Izumi who was accidentally chosen by Migi, an alien parasite who failed to take over his brain and granted him some nifty but disturbing powers.

Shinichi, being the upstanding member of society he is, decides to use his newfound powers for good all the while wrestling with Migi for control of his body and morals. The two entities slowly begin to influence each other’s personalities as they become a single being.

13

Ace Of Diamond

MyAnimeList: 8.11 (Season 1)

Perhaps Madhouse’s most “conventional” sports anime, Ace of Diamond tells a fairly predictable story about two pitchers (Eijun and Satoru) who are striving to become a high school team’s ace. While the genre tends to focus on weak clubs, Ace of Diamond‘s school (Seidou High) is known for its talented baseball team, a situation that adds a lot of pressure to not only the leads but also all the other characters. And, even if Eijun is presented as the protagonist, the anime is closer to an ensemble piece that emphasizes that baseball is very much a team-driven sport.

While a bitch stretched out at times, Ace of Diamond is consistently great, delivering thrilling matches, lovable characters, and drama that rarely steps into melodramatic territory. The show is pretty funny too, mostly due to Eijun being somewhat of an idiot.

12

Hellsing Ultimate

MyAnimeList: 8.35

Hellsing Ultimate is an OVA or mini-series that ran surprisingly for six years despite having only ten episodes. That’s an indication of how careful the creators were in animating the most definitive anime adaptation of Hellsing. It’s not just Madhouse who worked here but also other big-name studios.

In any case, Hellsing Ultimate retells the story of the titular organization created solely to fight supernatural threats. Their greatest weapon is Alucard — a vampire lord who has committed to fighting and exterminating his own kind for Hellsing. With his newly recruited vampire assistant, Alucard faces new dangers in Hellsing Ultimate, nothing he can’t handle, of course.

11

Rainbow

MyAnimeList: 8.47

Madhouse’s portfolio contains shonen, shojo, josei, and seinen anime, so the studio is more than happy to cater to all demographics. Rainbow falls squarely in the seinen bracket and is arguably Madhouse’s most mature series alongside Monster. Inspired by a dark part of Japanese history, the anime follows a group of boys who are sent to a reformatory, basically a prison for teenagers. Once there, they deal with physical and psychological torture, all the while forming unbreakable bonds that allow them to persevere in the face of unspeakable horrors.

Rainbow is a difficult watch due to its grounded nature. Be it the boys’ desperate struggle for survival or the guards’ horrifying actions, both feel uncomfortably human, and moments of triumph tend to be fleeting. However, the many, many disconcerting scenes are balanced out by small but powerful acts of kindness, togetherness, and resilience.

10

Nana

MyAnimeList: 8.55

Nana weaves a complex adult tale of romance, betrayal, and loss. These themes are more commonly associated with josei rather than shoujo anime, but Nana (and Madhouse) does an admirable job of tackling weighty concepts in a way that feels suitable for a younger audience.

Nana is thus a story about two women who share the same titular name. One of them is a province girl who risks it all to find her true calling in the big city while the other is a punk rocker and vocalist with big dreams. Somehow, they end up becoming friends and forming a close bond which is then tested by their respective romantic relationships and other adult circumstances.

9

One-Punch Man

MyAnimeList: 8.50

Madhouse did the honors of helping to establish the One-Punch Man manga as a household name and one of the biggest parodies in the anime world. They were responsible for the subversive show’s first season, which is a tall order. One-Punch Man notably goes against the grain and pokes fun at shonen anime heroes while also having its own fantastic superhero.

The anime is about Saitama who was once an unimpressive salaryman. After having a bit of an epiphany, Saitama decided to train for three years straight until he lost all his hair and was finally able to defeat any opponent with just one punch. This unmatchable strength came at a cost since the bald hero suddenly found himself bored with life as no one could hope to present a challenge.

8

Chihayafuru

MyAnimeList: 8.18 (Season 1)

At first, Chihayafuru seems like another plain competitive board game anime since it’s about Karuta. It’s a Japanese card game introduced to them by Portuguese traders. The anime explores this notion through its protagonist, Chihaya.

However, through Chihaya’s quirks and an upbeat attitude, the anime quickly sets itself apart from the crowd. More importantly, Chihayafuru features consistently great characters, along with one of the better-executed love triangles in anime. Chihaya’s near-obsession with Karuta stems from her desire to connect with a childhood friend, a mentality that (at times) creates a tunnel vision that obscures her immediate support system. Taichi is also a great character, and the same can be said for Shinobu.

7

A Place Further Than The Universe

MyAnimeList: 8.51

A Place Further Than The Universe explores a premise similar to Nana. It’s about four girls who embrace the unknown and uncertainty in a bid to find what’s beyond their world’s known universe. Each of the four girls has her own reason for taking the path. One of them is looking for her mother. The other travels out of curiosity. Another does it out of leisure, and the last one just sort of tags along. All of them are drawn to one goal in this moving tale about ambitious yet foolish pursuits.

Arguably among Madhouse’s best-paced anime, A Place Further Than The Universe brilliantly established its main characters’ personalities, motives, and relationships during its opening half, all paving the way to their trip to Antarctica. As silly as that premise might sound at face value, the show handles it extremely well, creating a surprisingly realistic narrative that touches upon mature themes like the importance of closure.

6

The Tatami Galaxy

MyAnimeList: 8.56

For those looking for a solid arthouse anime with visuals that resemble an acid trip or what one usually sees when intoxicated, then The Tatami Galaxy is Madhouse at its most experimental. The anime utilizes a style that makes it look like a psychedelic rock music video, albeit with a singular visual presentation.

What’s it all about? It’s complicated. But in a nutshell, The Tatami Galaxy is one lonely college student’s second chance to fix his life after wasting two years being toxic and unsociable. It was thanks to a man with an eggplant-shaped head who deems himself a god and grants the lonely student a chance to start again. Pretty trippy.

5

Death Note

MyAnimeList: 8.62

Death Note is the Madhouse anime that defined a generation and its impact on anime culture still reverberates to this day. For one, it’s an anime where the protagonist is also the antagonist. That would be Light Yagami. Unlike most shonen protagonists, he’s also frighteningly intelligent to the point of villainy.

This all happens because a bored shinigami or death god drops their Death Note in the human world. Light happens to find it and discovers that he can use it to kill people just by writing their names. Thus began a series of intricately-planned murders which Light justifies as necessary and correct since the people he kills are all criminals.

4

Hajime no Ippo: Fighting Spirit

MyAnimeList: 8.77 (Season 1)

A sports anime about boxing hasn’t been done successfully until Hajime no Ippo arrived. After that, it will likely never be done in that magnitude and success again after such a knockout of a series. It was action-packed and raw as far as the characters and the story go.

Hajime no Ippo portrays the plight of Makunouchi Ippo who aspired to be a champion boxer despite being bullied for most of his childhood and teenage life. This was after a pro boxer saved him from a bullying attempt. The rest, as they say, is history for Ippo’s climb into the championship.