The 15 Satisfying Badass Anime Series For Decisive People

Sometimes we want to watch an anime where we can impersonate a really badass character.

One of the main frustrations when watching anime is having a stupid or inept lead. You know, those situations that would have not happened if only the protagonist was sensible enough.

This article provides a list of anime that will leave a sense of satisfaction while watching them. This can depend on the gripping plot or the very well-written characters.

There are a lot of famous anime in this list but hopefully, you can find something new to watch if you’re looking for a satisfying badass anime.

15. Jormungand

Jormungand is a 2012 12-episode anime that can be considered an underrated gem.

It makes a thriller that will keep you on your toes and with plenty of action. The story is based on organized crime, and stars an illegal arms dealer and his accomplices. Not exactly the archetypal good guys, let’s say.

The plot will begin and shift with the arrival of a young boy who apparently hates guns and has a dark past.

Jormungand is an interesting series, basing all its charm on badass action, soundtrack, and character design.

The animations are unfortunately nothing much, but not too bad since that is not what it is based on.

14. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt is one of many products from the huge Gundam colossal franchise, one of the most famous and popular ever.

In Universal Century 0079 the Earth Federation’s Moore Brotherhood and the Principality of Zeon’s Living Dead Division engage in a fight, part of the bigger One Year War.

This war will take place in the so-called Thunderbolt Sector, a section of space known for its constant strike of electricity.

Each side will struggle to defeat the other, and this rivalry is represented by Io Fleming and Daryl Lorenz. Unlike Amuro Ray, the main character of the first series, Io showcases a different side of the Earth Federation, as you can see in the first episode.

The series features very badass action and is extremely dynamic since there is clearly less space for politics.

The criticism against war is everpresent and the entire Living Dead division is an example of how far war can get.

On the other hand, the technical side is praiseworthy, with an excellent jazz soundtrack and very distinctive and modern animations.

13 . Parasyte

A 24-episode anime created by Madhouse studio from Hitoshi Iwaaki’s manga of the same name, bringing it to the present day by debunking it from its vintage setting.

The work stars Shinichi Izumi, an ordinary student whose right hand is infested by a mysterious alien parasite interested in taking over his body. 

Migi, a nickname given to the parasite, is just one of a race of parasites intent on taking over human bodies to conquer Earth.

The forced coexistence between the 2 leads them to clash with other malicious parasites in an ongoing struggle for their survival and that of humankind.

But what seems like an almost bizarre and comical situation will soon turn out to be chaotic and bloody as the two realize how violent and bloodthirsty the other parasites are.

A lot of action, badass moments, and excellent animation and soundtrack, all combined with a simple but highly effective plot, especially the protagonists with excellent characterization.

12. Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass is set in a futuristic society where it is possible to monitor and control an individual’s mental state and personality. It’s then possible to assess the probability of a person committing a crime or not, the so-called Crime Coefficient.

This anime is filled with anxiogenic moments where right and wrong are constantly discussed. One of the central themes of Psycho-Pass is fear, as stated by the author himself in an interview.

Perfect for beginners who are looking for mature themes and love dystopic novels.

Psycho Pass is one of those stories that makes the viewer put serious doubts on the morality of what they are seeing, leaving room for much speculation and discourse.

With a great villain and memorable investigation moments, this crime anime is definitely satisfying to watch.

11. Dead Leaves

This movie is difficult to describe in words, you have to watch it because it’s a unique and inimitable product.

Retro and Pandy, after losing their memories, attempt a heist but are caught and sent to a maximum security prison. They somehow manage to break free and foment a riot, but their escape will be far from easy.

A seemingly simple plot hides an off-the-wall product with inimitable animation, soundtrack, and characters. But in this great indescribable welter, there can be no missing that dash of love.

As we have already mentioned, Dead Leaves pushes the envelope on avant-garde and experimentation. You will watch psychedelic scenes and even moments of intense action and romance.

Dead Leaves is the right show if you are looking for something new and out of the norm, a must-watch if you are looking for a real experience.

10. Kill La Kill

Ryuuko Matoi is on a quest to avenge her father’s death and the only lead she has is the other half of the sword he invented, the Scissor Blade.

She enrolls in Honnouji Academy, a competitive high school run by student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin. Satsuki gifts the best students with so-called Goku Uniforms which grant them unique powers.

Ryuuko, after losing a fight against one of the students in uniform will have a meeting that will change her life. She will become able to stand against Satsuki and her crew and uncover the culprit behind her father’s murder.

Kill la Kill is a true masterpiece of direction, with animation that extremely enlightens the action and a soundtrack of such a high standard that you are unlikely to find any around.

All this is combined with very well-characterized characters marked by spectacular design.

Not surprisingly, none other than the Studio Trigger, renowned for its portentous animations, worked on it.

9. Hunter x Hunter

If you are a fan of fighting-focused anime, you cannot be unfamiliar with Hunter x Hunter, a masterpiece by Togashi, whom you may have already heard of for YuYu Hakusho.

We are talking about an immortal work that revolutionized battle shonen upon its release and still sets the standard today.

Hunter x Hunter follows the story of Gon Freecs, a young boy living in the wilderness. One day he will learn that his father, believed dead, is instead alive and well and is also one of the strongest Hunters in the world.

He won’t think twice before undertaking the examination to become a Hunter himself, to reunite with his father.

A legendary work that everyone should see for several reasons including the exceptional worldbuilding it offers accompanied by excellent protagonists, breathtaking confrontations and a power system to be envied.

Not to mention the action, which is debatable to be one of the best in general, with simply breathtaking and badass fights.

8. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

An absolute masterpiece of the battle shonen genre and one of the best fighting anime of all time.

Based on the manga written in 2001 by Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is the animated series that most faithfully deals with the plot told in the original work.

Edward and Alphonse Elric are brothers who live in a world where alchemy reigns and is used for a variety of purposes, whether war, medical, or even related to everyday life. The 2 brothers have a very specific purpose, which is to regain their lost bodies.

When they were young they tried to bring their late mother back to life using alchemy, and it went wrong, since as powerful as this magic is, it cannot go against the laws of nature.

One of the most complete and best anime in general, with a consistent story, compelling characters, and enviable badass action scenes and characters, completed by psychological moments.

If you haven’t watched it yet, this totally is your call to do so, as this is one of the anime that everyone should experience.

7. Attack on Titan

One of the most popular works in recent times, if not the most in the period when his manga was in the finish line. Isayama’s Attack on Titan does not need much of a premise.

In an alternate world, humanity is hunted by Giants, huge humanoid life forms that feed on people, becoming a natural predators of them.

Eren, Mikasa, and Armin will have to live with this threat, training to kill these life forms in order in order to get revenge.

A series capable of convincing anyone, even those who are less fond of Japanese animation.

The main reasons are the solid story, full of twists and turns, memorable characters, and action scenes accompanied by excellent music and animation.

6. Promare

Promare was born from the artistic partnership between Horoyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima, the same authors of such masterpieces as Kill la Kill and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

If we then throw in the co-production of Trigger studio and XFLAG studio, renowned for their animation prowess, the picture is complete.

In the movie’s fictional universe, the appearance of the Burnish, a race of flaming beings that appeared as a result of a mutation in human DNA destroyed half of the planet Earth in flames.

30 years have passed since that fateful day, and a terrorist group called Mad Burnish has resumed sowing destruction.

It will be up to Galo Thymos, a new member of Burning Rescue, the anti-Burnish team, to fight against Lio Fotia, the leader of Mad Burnish, to save the planet.

Promare boasts of being one of the movies with the most cutting-edge and best-crafted animations ever, revolving around the incredible action this film offers.

Not to mention the soundtrack, curated by Superfly, a well-known Japanese group.

Pure Badass through and through.

5. Katanagatari

Katanagatari is a masterful work by Nisio Issin about samurai and swords, telling the story of a swordsman and a strategian to retrieve the most powerful 12 swords in Japan during the Edo period.

The protagonist Shichika Yasuri is the 7th head of the Kyotōryū family, renowned for its combat style which consists of being able to counter and fight against swords totally with bare hands.

However, Yasuri had to undergo a dark and painful past in order to learn this particular technique. He was viciously trained on a desert island, and even had to kill his father to protect his little sister.

A truly underrated anime, which has enormous potential, given his excellent action moments, stunning style and animation, and incredible OSTs.

4. Redline

Under the direction of Takeshi Koike, Redline was born in 2009.

The story is set in a future where vehicles have advanced by leaps and bounds, operating solely through an anti-gravity system.

As a result, the old vehicles equipped with tires have fallen into disuse, and are being used for one purpose only: racing cars to the death for entertainment.

It is for this very purpose that every 5 years the Redline, the toughest and most destructive of all clandestine races with no rules is held, attracting the best drivers from all over the universe.

The main character, JP, is a debt-ridden driver who doesn’t mind the recurring edition of the race to earn money.

And it is as a result of his elusive qualification for the race just a hair’s breadth away from victory that the affair begins to come to a head.

Redline is a true cult Japanese animation movie. Its technical component is incredibly detailed and done so well that it took 7 long years to make.

Its animations are unceremoniously among the best ever, and its soundtrack, along with its heart-pounding scenes, will keep you constantly gassed and glued to the screen.

3. Gurren Lagann

Also known just by Gurren Lagann, it’s a 27-episode series produced by Gainax in 2007.

The story is set in the distant future where Earth is dominated by the Beast Men, humanoid mutants with animal-like features and powers, while humans have been forced to live in underground villages.

Simon and Kamina are tired of living without ever seeing the sky. One day, while digging underground, they find the head of a robot, which they call Lagann.

Once they activate the mecha they manage to reach the surface and also take possession of the robot’s body.

Gurren Lagann’s entire cast is cool and they are not easy to surrender. For example, Kamina is a strong lead after a certain plot twist and doesn’t hold back, being even more resolute than the average mecha pilot.

Gurren Lagann incorporates a lot of homages to various mecha series and has robot-beastman badass action on its side that is epic and over-the-top.

2. JoJo’s Bizzare Adventures

The Bizarre Adventures of JoJo started as a shonen manga written by Hirohiko Araki in 1987 and the anime adaptation is still ongoing with the 6th arc.

Each arc has a separate protagonist, although some main characters appear in more than one. The plot revolves around the adventures experienced by the various members of the Joestar family over time, with a protagonist on each side.

Without exaggeration, JoJo is one of the icons of the anime industry. The protagonists of each arc are one of the main reasons why this can be considered to be one of the most badass anime.

It’s extremely satisfying to watch Jotaro appear on screen and smash the villain of the episode with his Star Platinum.

And this is valid for almost every JoJo, even before Stands were introduced.

His recognizable style even from a single frame, his unforgettable moments, some of the best fighting scenes ever and of course his quirky being earned him this totally deserved nomination.

1. Cowboy Bebop

Surely Cowboy Bebop doesn’t need much introduction, as we are taking about one of the best anime ever.

It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where Earth is uninhabitable and follows the story of some bounty hunters aboard a spaceship called Bebop.

This show is deep and focused on psychological elements like regret and thinking about your past. What makes it even more enjoyable is its worldbuilding, which encompasses almost all of the solar system.

The adventures of Spike Spiegel and his fellow bounty hunters will show us what we can only dream of, accompanied by a soundtrack that many consider the best ever.

This anime literally has everything. Action, comedy, psychological, deep moments, and badass as well.

The main cast is compact and Spike doesn’t lose chances to prove he can handle most of the situations.

Unlike many other anime that try too much, Cowboy Bebop meets the expectations and doesn’t beat the bush.