10 New-Gen Shonen Anime That Do 1 Thing Better Than Dragon Ball

Practically every Shonen battle anime can trace its roots back to Dragon Ball. Even Shonen anime not centered around fighting, such as sports anime, have a habit of picking up tropes and ideas from DBZ. And, almost as a matter of inevitability with Dragon Ball having existed for over 40 years, modern Shonen series have been able to learn from their progenitor, and surpass it in various ways.

Dragon Ball may have defined Shonen anime, but New-Gen Shonen anime are perfecting the genre. There aren’t many that do everything better than DBZ, but nearly every popular New-Gen Shonen series does at least one thing far better than Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus. And while only some of these anime are better than Dragon Ball Z as a whole, they all still demonstrate ways the Shonen classic has become outdated.

Chainsaw Man Engages in Dark and Mature Storytelling Better Than Any Other Shonen

Having recently ascended to new heights of popularity thanks to the release of Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, Chainsaw Man deserves every bit of its success. A character-driven horror anime that dives deep into philosophy, morality, and serious subject matter, it uses the trappings of the Shonen genre to control its viewers’ expectations, and delight them with spectacular action. Underneath all its bloody violence, though, it’s Chainsaw Man’s mature writing that sets it apart from Dragon Ball, and all its other peers.

Throughout Chainsaw Man Season 1, the series explores the nature of desire and the effects of childhood trauma, while also presenting viewers with a nightmarish but relatable world, where people are forced to go about their daily, humdrum lives, despite the constant threat posed by Devils. With Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, the series has continued to expand upon these ideas in more depth, while also diving into much darker territory, and engaging in absolutely brilliant character work. When Chainsaw Man Season 2 releases, and completes the anime’s adaptation of Chainsaw Man Part 1, there should be no doubt left in anyone’s mind that the series has the strongest writing of any New-Gen Shonen.

Dandadan Handles its Female Characters and Romance Better Than Dragon Ball Ever Has

If there are two things Dragon Ball is notorious for not handling well, it’s its female characters, and the romances they engage in. Characters like Chi-Chi, Android 18, and Videl have historically started off great, but quickly been rendered irrelevant, their romantic relationships being severely under-developed as a result. If there’s any New-Gen Shonen future Dragon Ball anime should be learning from in this regard, it’s Dandadan.

Dandadan is an interesting genre-blend, with heavy action, comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy elements, but its fantastically realized female characters and the romantic entanglements of its main cast are what set it apart most. Momo Ayase is a wonderful co-lead for the anime, and Seiko, Aira, and Turbo Granny are all treated better than the vast majority of female supporting characters in Shonen series. And, while Dandadan absolutely engages in clichés with its romantic sub-plots, they remain enjoyable, and the series has successfully spawned a far more organic shipping culture than most anime do.

Jujutsu Kaisen Explores What it Means to Be the Strongest Better Than DBZ or Dragon Ball Super

Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t nearly as good a series as Dragon Ball Z but, unlike its predecessor, JJK has Satoru Gojo. The most popular new Shonen character of the 2020s, Gojo is a charismatic and captivating figure beyond compare, and part of this comes from the nature of his story. Dragon Ball is all about Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Z-Fighters’ personal desires to become the strongest fighter, but no DB anime has ever handled the concept of being “the strongest” as well as Jujutsu Kaisen does with Gojo.

Unlike Goku, who simply has a deep love for fighting, and Vegeta, who internally ties his strength to his sense of pride, Gojo’s entire being is defined by being “the strongest,” to the point he isn’t sure who he is outside of that. Through his struggles, in particular his conflict with Suguru Geto, Jujutsu Kaisen digs into how this affects him, and fans get to know him far more intimately than Goku or Vegeta as a result. JJK is far from being among the New-Gen Shonen with the most depth, and its telling that even it outdoes Dragon Ball with regard to one of its central tenants.

Blue Lock Highlights the Power of Individuality and Ego Without Ignoring its Supporting Cast

Arguably no sports anime has ever taken as much influence from DBZ as Blue Lock. Despite focusing on the team sport of soccer, Blue Lock centers around a group of young players all determined to fight purely with their own strength, and who desire to destroy their teammates as much as they do their opponents. Unlike in Dragon Ball, whose characters share a similar mindset, this doesn’t result in only a small handful of characters getting attention, Blue Lock making time for all of its expansive main cast.

Yoichi Isagi is far from the most interesting protagonist, but his peers and competitors thankfully have equally large egos, and in some cases far more talent, netting them similar screentime. This includes Isagi’s main rival, Itoshi Rin, fan-favorite Seishiro Nagi and his best friend Reo Mikage, and the endlessly wild and unpredictable Meguru Bachira, among many others. These characters all receive development on par with or superior to Isagi’s, with Nagi even receiving his own spin-off, and Rin being the one to take center stage throughout all of Blue Lock Season 2.

Demon Slayer Features Better-Animated Fights Than Any Other Battle Shonen

One of the most common criticisms of Demon Slayer is that it’s the embodiment of what it means to be a generic battle Shonen anime. This critique is entirely warranted, and its story and characters absolutely pale in comparison to those in Dragon Ball Z. Yet, this hasn’t stopped Demon Slayer from becoming the biggest anime in the world, and it’s entirely because the series’ action anime blows all of its competition out of the water.

Even just looking at the Demon Slayer television series, every single fight is absolutely gorgeous, each one crisp, fluid, detailed, and overall exhilarating. Dragon Ball has some spectacular fights visually, especially in Dragon Ball Super, but the franchise lacks Demon Slayer’s consistency, and only its absolute best-animated battles compare to Demon Slayer’s average ones. The comparison becomes even more balanced when one does take into account the Demon Slayer movies, which are some of the most beautiful pieces of animation ever crafted.

Hell’s Paradise Maintains its Tension From Start to Finish

One of the more underrated New-Gen Shonen anime, Hell’s Paradise deserves more praise for its consistency alone. While many Shonen, including Dragon Ball, are horribly inconsistent when it comes to quality, Hell’s Paradise is always engaging and polished. The area in which its consistency makes DBZ look the worst is unquestionably in how it handles tension.

Dragon Ball is notoriously terrible at sustaining tension, with the Z-Fighters always having the ability to undo anything with the Dragon Balls and, in Dragon Ball Super, a strict, monotonous status quo always being maintained. In Hell’s Paradise, things are just the opposite. Even with how difficult Gabimaru is to kill, the threat of death is constant, the tension in the air is always palpable and, factoring in how lovable and sympathetic Gabimaru is as a protagonist, viewers are always left on the edge of their seats.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a Far Stronger Revival Than Dragon Ball Super

While it may just be an adaptation of the final arc of Tite Kubo’s Bleach manga, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War still absolutely stands on its own as a triumph of New-Gen Shonen, even removed from the original Bleach anime. Its writing, directing, and fights are all amazing, and it’s completely re-invigorated the fandom. Dragon Ball Super may have also breathed new life into the DB fandom, but it dropped the ball when it came to delivering on quality.

Dragon Ball Super isn’t the worst anime ever, or even the worst battle Shonen of the 2010s, but it does represent a massive drop in quality from DBZ. Its stories are weak, its character-writing is generally insulting to fans of the Z-Fighters, its animation is horribly inconsistent, and even the occasional great fight can’t stop it from largely being a snore. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War isn’t perfect, not at all, but it does show the state in which Dragon Ball should have been revived, if it needed to be revived at all.

Spy X Family Balances its Comedy, Drama, and Action Even Better Than Dragon Ball Does

One of the most unique New-Gen Shonen, Spy X Family expertly manages a delicate balancing act. It’s simultaneously a wholesome family drama, a comedic schoollife anime, and an action anime centered around a spy and an assassin. On the surface, Spy X Family has nothing in common with Dragon Ball, but DB is similarly defined by its balance of action, comedy, and drama; it just so happens that the New-Gen Shonen pulls this off better.

Famously, the original Dragon Ball focuses primarily on comedy, while DBZ focuses mainly on drama and action, with neither truly embracing all three elements. To different extents, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball DAIMA have all attempted to feature all three elements, but the results of their efforts have largely been messy and unsuccessful. Spy X Family nails every genre and tone that it leans into, and is capable of effortlessly sliding between them at a moment’s notice, while still making it feel completely natural.

Gachiakuta Has One of the Best Supporting Casts of Any Battle Shonen

The newest major battle Shonen anime to hit the scene, Gachiakuta has exploded in popularity over the past several months. While it may seem too early to some to properly evaluate it, the series has so far succeeded in every regard a great battle Shonen anime needs to. Arguably one of its biggest highlights, though, is its superb supporting cast.

Rudo is one of the best protagonists in Shonen history, and while it’s debatable how he stacks up next to Goku, there’s little doubt his companions are far superior characters to the rest of the Z-Fighters. Underdeveloped, infamously underserved, and underwhelming to those without nostalgia, there’s a reason they’re regularly mocked, even by their fans. By contrast, Gachiakuta has done a refined job of introducing Enjin, Riyo, Zanka, and a variety of other engaging characters, and it’s shown no signs of abandoning or side-lining them just to prop up Rudo.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is the Best-Directed Shonen Anime of All Time

A strong contender for the title of “best anime ever made,” Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End does just about everything better than Dragon Ball. The factor that truly makes Frieren so wonderfully special, however, is one where Dragon Ball’s quality isn’t just beaten, but utterly dwarfed. Specifically, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End features some of the best direction of any television anime ever.

Season 1 of Frieren was helmed by Keiichiro Saito, who also directed Bocchi the Rock! and episodes of Sonny Boy. The touch he brings to the anime is inspired, ensuring that every scene, no matter how slow or fast-paced it is, how quiet or action-packed, is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Dragon Ball has had several genius directors work on it as well, but mainly for fights, with the franchise’s direction outside combat not being comparable to Frieren’s at all.