It is hard to point out an anime that has no bad episodes, but considering how the medium has come so far with such a long and rich history, the possibilities cannot be discarded.
So we have undertaken the hard task of listing down a handful of shows that genuinely have zero bad episodes. This is going to be a controversial one, so buckle up.
Anime That Have No Bad Episodes
Vinland Saga
In 2005, manga artist Makoto Yukimura dropped his greatest masterpiece, Vinland Saga. In a sea of dark and mature fantasy works such as the late Kentaro Miura’s Berserk, this series stood out with its realistic depictions of medieval Vikings.
Fans who were following the source material have been craving for an anime adaptation for years now. We finally got it in 2019, but everyone approached it with reluctance, hoping it would live up to the expectations.
We are happy to report that it turned out to be one of the best anime of the recent decade, with almost no bad episodes. If you are craving some serious works in medieval fiction, then Vinland Saga should be right up your alley.
Golden Boy
If you are an underage person who has reached this part of the list, then we implore you to skip this one. Golden Boy is an adult comedy show with really campy humor and a vulgar tone.
But it is still an anime with almost no bad episodes in sight. This is because Golden Boy does not try to be too obtuse about its tone. It knows that it is a vulgar show, so it plays out its humor without pretension, which makes it a genuinely fun show.
Golden Boy is adapted from a manga created by Tatsuya Egawa and is a bit different from the adaptation, but both still stand the test of time as an absolutely incredible piece of adult comedy fiction.
Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi, at first glance, seems like a show that is not created by anyone from Japan. This is primarily because the show’s characters are anthropomorphic animals.
Unlike other shows that use this style of character design, such as Beasters and BNA: Brand New Animal, Odd Taxi does not have any trace of anime design flair. But that is besides the current point at hand.
It is a show with almost no bad episodes, as it keeps viewers glued to their seats with an incredible mystery surrounding the plot. If you are looking for a thriller show that does not utilize regular design tropes, then Odd Taxi is exactly what you should be watching.
Monster
Naoki Urasawa is one of the greatest contemporary manga creators ever, and we are glad to be living in an era where he is still around, as we await new works. But right now, we are going to talk about one of his masterpieces, which is Monster.
We are continuing to ride our ship of mystery and thrillers with this one. Monster follows the story of a doctor and his former patient-turned psychopathic killer. If you are not a fan of anime but want to get into the medium, then Monster is the perfect starting point. The anime is adapted by studio Madhouse and does not have a single bad episode.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
If you have been around the video game space long enough, then there is no way you have not come across the game: Cyberpunk 2077. Created by one of the most important game developers of our time, CD Projekt Red.
But what does it have to do with anime? Well, we know it’s not a secret unless you have been living under a rock, but the game went on to give life to one of the best spin-off anime of all time in recent years. While also creating one of the best pieces of sci-fi fiction in ages.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is that show, and if you are looking for an anime with no bad episodes. Drop everything you are doing and get to watching this right away, that is, if you can handle a tearjerker.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Let’s slow down on the adrenaline-pumping shows a bit and move to something that can be categorized as a comfort show for a lot of people. We are, of course, talking about Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
Even if the anime is set in a medieval fantasy world and employs a lot of action sequences, Frieren, for the most part, is a show that makes you want to snuggle up under your bed sheets and make yourself as comfortable as possible.
It is a brilliant slice-of-life experience set in a medieval fantasy world that almost does not have a single bad episode we can point at.
Pluto
We have already praised Naoki Urasawa a lot, but it’s still not enough because he has such a massive body of amazing works. Pluto, another such masterpiece and one of his best works in sci-fi fiction.
But it would also be unfair to credit the whole of this show to him alone because it was originally a collaborative project with Osamu Tezuka, who is considered the father of manga.
Pluto is the contemporary adaptation of a particular part of Tezuka’s popular Astro Boy or Mighty Atomu, as it is called in Japan. So you bet this is a show without a single bad episode that will keep you glued to your seat till the end.
Baccano!
You might think that packing up mafias, thieves, alchemists, and all sorts of other specific character archetypes into one show is a recipe for a botched mess of a show. But Baccano! Proves that such exceptions can be made.
Adapted from the light novel written by Ryohgo Narita, the story centers around a mysterious bottle of elixir with mafia gang war amidst important characters with their personal motives, all aboard a transcontinental train.
We can confidently say that the show does not have a single bad episode. So if you are in search of another thrilling experience, it should be right up your alley.
Gunsmith Cats
Gunsmith Cats is probably going to be that one show for you on this list, which is completely obscure. This is a shame because it is probably one of the most underrated original video animations from the 90s.
Originally adapted from the manga written and illustrated by artist Kenichi Sonoda, it follows two female bounty hunters who also run a gun shop. It might be unfair to everything else on this list to say that an OVA with only a handful of episodes does not have a single bad one.
But point in case: If you like 90s anime art style that employed beautifully hand-drawn guns and cars, then you should definitely check this one out.
Mob Psycho 100
We were trying to avoid putting modern shounen anime on this list. Because the topic of ‘no bad episodes’ can be very subjective when it comes to such a popular genre in this medium. But we genuinely believe the exception applies to Mob Psycho 100.
It truly is a show without a single bad episode. It is adapted from the manga created by One, which has a very divisive art style. But thanks to Studio Bones’ excellent work, the anime adaptation is incredible to look at visually.
