These Are The Best Arcs From Your Favorite Shounen Anime

Out of all the storylines in Hunter X Hunter, the "Chimera Ant Arc" is the darkest, but also the most emotionally satisfying. It tackles heavy topics like life, death, and nuclear war, and makes viewers question if humanity has earned the right to survive on Earth. The story's main antagonist, Meruem, King of the Chimera Ants, begins to question his cruel, pessimistic outlook on life as he befriends a human girl named Komugi. Their relationship sets the mournful tone of the saga, right down to their tearful demise. It's an emotional story arc that pushes the heroes into situations they've never been exposed to before.

Naruto Shippūden's "Invasion of Pain Arc" can be seen as a re-exploration of the second half of the "Chūnin Exams," with the stakes raised up to 11. The Village Hidden in the Leaves is attacked by the Akatsuki and their leader Pain, a villain whose desire for peace through violence eerily resembles Naruto's own principles. The battle between Naruto and Pain is one of the most intense matchups in the series, featuring a shocking sacrifice and a horrifying transformation. The "Invasion of Pain" saga answers longtime questions surrounding the series, such as the origin of the Akatsuki, and the death of Naruto's long-time pervy sensei Jiraiya left many fans in tears. Most importantly, the "Invasion of Pain" arc finally sees Naruto receive love and admiration from his fellow villagers. He's been dreaming of societal acceptance his whole life, so the moment is amazingly gratifying.

In Naruto's "Chūnin Exams Saga," the titular hero gains a better understanding of his own identity as he goes up against Gaara, another cursed individual. While Naruto's damnation simply caused his neighbors to give him the cold shoulder, Gaara wasn't so lucky. The "Chūnin Exams" teach Naruto what it takes to be a true ninja, while introducing him to the ugly politics that exist beyond the gates of his home village. Orochimaru — the main villain of the series — makes his introduction, and begins corrupting Sasuke Uchiha, setting the stage for some intense late-series moments. On top of all this, it's the first time viewers get to see all the ninja students demonstrate their unique abilities. Showdowns such as Rock Lee's incredible match against Gaara make the "Chūnin Exam" a delightful watch.

The "Soul Society Arc" expands upon the lore underpinning the fascinating spirit world of Bleach. Rukia Kuchiki is captured and sentenced to execution by her former comrades, which offers an in-depth look at the politics that govern the afterlife. At the same time, the incident gives Ichigo Kurosaki and friends a new opportunity to develop their powers, which is always fun to watch. This story arc raises the stakes of the series, and does so without throwing in an overpowered enemy who seems undefeatable by the show's previous standards. Instead, it offers a rich narrative filled with twists and turns, as the true mastermind behind Rukia's execution is one of the smartest anime villains of all time.

Even after he comes back from the dead, Yusuke Urameshi of Yu Yu Hakusho is still a smart-ass kid. However, in the "Dark Tournament Saga," Yusuke takes his first steps towards maturity, as he's forced to enter an underground tournament filled with vicious killers. If he refuses to participate, his arch nemesis Toguro will kill everyone he loves in a matter of seconds. Toguro pushes Yusuke to his breaking point, as he dreams of dying in battle, and Yusuke's struggle to match Toguro's power is heart-wrenching. He endures excruciating physical torment to inheret Genkai's spirit energy, but it's still not enough to get the job done. It takes the death of Genkai — one of the most important mentors in Yusuke's life — and a brilliant fake out by Kazuma Kuwabara to motivate Yusuke to unlock his inner strength and defeat Toguro once and for all.

Rurouni Kenshin repeatedly asks viewers to consider whether or not someone can truly move on from their horrific past. While Kenshin Himura was given another chance at life, the same cannot be said for Shishio Makoto, who was burned alive by his comrades at the Meiji government. "The Kyoto Arc" moves the story in a darker, politically-driven direction, as Shishio's plot for revenge against the Meiji government reveals the cruelty of war and the gruesome effects it can have on everyone involved. Fan-favorite characters such as Saitō Hajime and Misao Makimachi are introduced in the storyline, while series regulars like Sagara Sanosuke and Kamiya Kaoru are explored with greater depth. Most importantly, Kenshin manages to invalidate Shishio's mantra of survival of the fittest by proving there's no point in surviving if you have nothing to live for.

Black Clover's longest arc yet is also its most intense and thrilling arc. The "Reincarnation Arc" follows Asta and the Magic Knights fighting against the Eye of the Midnight Sun as well as the reincarnated Elves that Patolli resurrected. This arc takes the series to a whole new level with its crazy plot twists, amazing fights, and emotional scenes. Never has there been a greater threat to the Clover Kingdom than the Elves' reincarnation. It forced our protagonists to fight against their old friends and allies who were possessed by the Elves. From the reveal of Licht's true identity to the incredible fight between Asta and Yuno vs. Licht, this is Black Clover at its peak.

It's easy to see Gintama as nothing more than a goofy action show that breaks the fourth wall so frequently it gives Deadpool a run for its money. However, the "Shogun Assassination Arc" marks a serious change in direction for the series, as it shifts focus to tell dramatic, plot-driven stories, beginning with the assassination attempt on Tokugawa Shige Shige's life. The story arc keeps you guessing about whether or not Shige Shige has been saved or betrayed, and thrusts the show's typically goofy cast into some of the most intense fights of their lives. Nothing demonstrates this better than the long-awaited battle between Gintoki and Takasugi, which is easily one of the best anime swordfights of all time. The surprisingly bittersweet ending cements the "Shogun Assignation Arc" as the series's best saga.

With a long-running series like One Piece, there's too many amazing arcs to choose from. But if fans had to choose, most would probably claim the "Enies Lobby Arc" as the best in the series. As the third story in the Water 7 Saga, this arc follows the Straw Hats on their quest to rescue Nico Robin and Franky. They are forced to battle against the World Government and their assassin organization, CP9, in order to save their friends from being taken to Impel Down. From Robin's backstory to Luffy and Lucci's fight, this arc proves why One Piece is one of the best shonen anime of all time.

"The Frieza Saga" in Dragon Ball Z is a constant nail-bitter. Despite all their amazing growth in the previous storyline, Gohan and Krillin have to walk on eggshells so they can avoid the deadly wrath of Freiza, his henchmen, and Vegeta, who's stronger than ever before. Freiza is built up as an unstoppable killing machine, and he doesn't disappoint when he finally steps into the ring. Operating at 50% of his true power, Frieza easily defeats Vegeta, Goku, and a Spirit Bomb made up of all the living energy on Namek. Just when everything seems doomed, Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan for the first time, and serves Freiza the thrashing he rightly deserves.

The "Hideout Raid Arc" (AKA the "Kamino Ward Arc") in My Hero Academia gave fans one of the most epic fights in the series—All Might Vs. All For One. This dramatic battle proved to us why All Might is the No. 1 hero as he gave it his all until there was nothing left of his quirk. While All Might continued to bring hope to all the citizens, Deku understood that his time as the Symbol of Peace has come to an end. Plus, fans got to see Bakugo in a whole new light as he subverted our expectations by not joining the League of Villains. Deku's mission to save Bakugo made for an amazing scene that showed off the squad's teamwork. This arc was a nail-biting and emotional ride as All Might met his match with the series' most formidable villain, All For One, and foreshadowed what's to come with All Might and All for One passing down their torches to their respective successors—Deku and Shigaraki.

Medusa Gorgon is up to her old tricks again as she prepares to trap Death and revive an all-powerful god underneath Death Weapon Meister Academy. This batch of episodes is Soul Eater at its best, as it expands upon the history of Death City and its mysterious creator. It also provides viewers with the tragic background of Crona, making it hard to not pity the villain. Then there's the exceptional fight between Medusa and Franken Stein that puts their strength, skills, and intelligence on full display.

The "Tartaros Arc" is a welcome departure for Fairy Tail. At the start of the story, Tartaros demons slaughter a bunch of innocent civilians, which instantly signals long-time viewers of an impending change in tone. At every turn, there's an increasing sense of danger surrounding the Fairy Tail guild, and it often feels like the stakes have never been higher. It's not enough to knock the Tartaros demons out, they need to be slaughtered. This leads to some of the most dramatic fights in the series, such as when Lucy unleashes everything she has to put a stop to the creatures.

Many fans of The Seven Deadly Sins cite "Memories of the Holy War Arc" as their favorite. This arc gives fans an amazing backstory about the Holy War as well as Meliodas and Elizabeth's pasts. Plus, there's more focus on Diane and King as they travel back in time in Drole and Gloxinia's bodies. While fans claim that this is the series' best arc in the manga, the anime failed to properly adapt this arc given the drop in animation quality and heavy censorship. Fans of the anime may want to check out this arc in the manga instead to experience its amazing story.

For a time, Dragon Ball Super wasn't exciting long-time Dragon Ball fans the way everyone hoped it might. Adapting the movie storylines from Battle of Gods and Resurrection F with added padding wasn't a great direction to take early on, and the inconsistent animation quality didn't help things either. That all changed with the "Future Trunks Saga." The story arc brings back the fan-favorite character Future Trunks, explores the possibility of an evil Goku via the introduction of Goku Black, and expands upon the theme of Man Vs. God that began with the arrival of Beerus on Earth. It's not just the dark storyline or the amazing fights that make the "Future Trunks Saga" a winner, as its conclusion smartly avoids the "Goku saves everyone" trope in favor of a more satisfying finale. The "Future Trunks Saga" proves the Dragon Ball universe is still filled with untapped potential.