Top 20 Samurai anime you should watch right now. [2026 List]

20. Jigokuraku 2nd Season

The second season of Jigokuraku.

Hell's Paradise Season 2 has not yet aired. It will air on January 11, 2026. It is also Known as: 地獄楽 第二期, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku Season 2, สุขาวดีอเวจี, Адский рай

19. Jigokuraku

The Edo period is nearing its end. Gabimaru, a shinobi formerly known as the strongest in Iwagakure who is now a death row convict, is told that he will be acquitted and set free if he can bring back the Elixir of Life from an island that is rumored to be the Buddhist pure land Sukhavati. In hopes of reuniting with his beloved wife, Gabimaru heads to the island along with the executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri. Upon arriving there, they encounter other death row convicts in search of the Elixir of Life... as well as a host of unknown creatures, eerie manmade statues, and the hermits who rule the island. Can Gabimaru find the Elixir of Life on this mysterious island and make it back home alive?

Hell's Paradise has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 地獄楽, Heavenhell, Paradition, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku

18. Princess Mononoke

A calm village residing in the mountains comes under attack from a demon-possessed boar one day.

Ashitaka, a young man and prince of the tribe, engages the creature in an attempt to save his village. During the battle, the boar bites him on the arm, leaving it blackened and cursed. Following his village's traditions, Ashitaka is exiled and becomes a wanderer, looking for a solution to the curse before it engulfs him.

Iron Town is a fortress under the leadership of Lady Eboshi. Through the clearing of the surrounding forests, Iron Town produces large amounts of Ironsand, used for gunpowder and other machinery. However, because of the forests destruction, nearby animal clans seek revenge led by a human girl of the Wolf clan called San.

When Ashitaka comes to Iron Town, he discovers the area consumed in battle. Horrified, he attempts to create peace and befriend the Wolf Clan. However, after the forest's eradication and the ongoing war between Human and Beast, will the Spirit of the Forest be forgiving and accept Ashitaka's request to expel his curse?

Princess Mononoke has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Mononoke Hime, もののけ姫, Princess Mononoke

17. Gintama

The Amanto, aliens from outer space, have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. As a result, a prohibition on swords has been established, and the samurai of Japan are treated with disregard as a consequence.
However one man, Gintoki Sakata, still possesses the heart of the samurai, although from his love of sweets and work as a yorozuya, one might not expect it. Accompanying him in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses and a strong heart, Kagura with her umbrella and seemingly bottomless stomach, as well as Sadaharu, their oversized pet dog. Of course, these odd jobs are not always simple, as they frequently have run-ins with the police, ragtag rebels, and assassins, oftentimes leading to humorous but unfortunate consequences.
Who said life as an errand boy was easy?

Gintama has finished airing and it has 201 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂, Gin Tama, Silver Soul, Yorinuki Gintama-san

16. Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers is currently airing and will have Episodes. It is also Known as: 鎧真伝サムライトルーパー, Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers

15. Samurai Champloo

Fuu Kasumi is a young and clumsy waitress who spends her days peacefully working in a small teahouse. That is, until she accidentally spills a drink all over one of her customers! With a group of samurai now incessantly harassing her, Fuu desperately calls upon another samurai in the shop, Mugen, who quickly defeats them with his wild fighting technique, utilizing movements reminiscent to that of breakdancing. Unfortunately, Mugen decides to pick a fight with the unwilling ronin Jin, who wields a more precise and traditional style of swordfighting, and the latter proves to be a formidable opponent. The only problem is, they end up destroying the entire shop as well as accidentally killing the local magistrate's son.
For their crime, the two samurai are captured and set to be executed. However, they are rescued by Fuu, who hires the duo as her bodyguards. Though she no longer has a place to return to, the former waitress wishes to find a certain samurai who smells of sunflowers and enlists the help of the now exonerated pair to do so. Despite initially disapproving of this idea, the two eventually agree to assist the girl in her quest; thus, the trio embark upon an adventure to find this mysterious warrior—that is, if Fuu can keep Mugen and Jin from killing each other.
Set in an alternate Edo Period of Japan, Samurai Champloo follows the journey of these three eccentric individuals in an epic quest full of action, comedy, and dynamic sword fighting, all set to the beat of a unique hip-hop infused soundtrack.

Samurai Champloo has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: サムライチャンプルー, SAMURAI CHAMPLOO

14. Ao no Miburo: Serizawa Ansatsu-hen

The second season of Ao no Miburo.

Blue Miburo Season 2 is currently airing and will have 14 Episodes. It is also Known as: 青のミブロ 芹沢暗殺編, Blue Miburo: Serizawa Assassination Arc

13. Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi

In the year 1333, the Kamakura shogunate government comes crumbling down. A trusted vassal, Ashikaga Takauji, betrays the shogunate and organizes a rebellion. Hojo Tokiyuki, the rightful heir, escapes the massacre with a Shinto priest named Suwa Yorishige to Kamakura. On the run and fighting to stay alive, Tokiyuki sets in motion his plan to reclaim his birthright.

The Elusive Samurai has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 逃げ上手の若君, นายน้อยจอมโกยก้าวสู่เส้นทางแห่งวีรบุรุษ, Héroe fugitivo, Беглый самурай

12. Blue Eye Samurai

Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.

Blue Eye Samurai has finished airing and it has 8 Episodes. It is also Known as: ブルーアイ・サムライ, Blue Eye Samurai

11. Shin Samurai-den YAIBA

Yaiba Kurogane has spent his days training in the jungle in order to attain his goal of becoming a real samurai. By a twist of fate, he returns to Japan and starts living with the Mine family, who are connected to his father, Kenjuro. Yaiba constantly baffles the Mines' daughter Sayaka as she witnesses his wild and reckless ways. One day, Yaiba tags along with Sayaka to school and has a fateful encounter with Takeshi Onimaru, a kendo expert. Yaiba and Onimaru repeatedly clash, and as if in response to their search for strength, two ancient powers are unleashed: the Fujinken, the Wind God's Sword, and the Raijinken, the Thunder God's Sword. Both supernatural blades that have jolted the world since ancient days have reawakened...and the truth behind them is revealed!

YAIBA: Samurai Legend has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: 真･侍伝 YAIBA, Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba, True Samurai Legend Yaiba, 真･侍伝 Y∀IBA, Shin Samurai-den Y∀IBA

10. Gintama'

After a one-year hiatus, Shinpachi Shimura returns to Edo, only to stumble upon a shocking surprise: Gintoki and Kagura, his fellow Yorozuya members, have become completely different characters! Fleeing from the Yorozuya headquarters in confusion, Shinpachi finds that all the denizens of Edo have undergone impossibly extreme changes, in both appearance and personality. Most unbelievably, his sister Otae has married the Shinsengumi chief and shameless stalker Isao Kondou and is pregnant with their first child.
Bewildered, Shinpachi agrees to join the Shinsengumi at Otae and Kondou's request and finds even more startling transformations afoot both in and out of the ranks of the the organization. However, discovering that Vice Chief Toushirou Hijikata has remained unchanged, Shinpachi and his unlikely Shinsengumi ally set out to return the city of Edo to how they remember it.
With even more dirty jokes, tongue-in-cheek parodies, and shameless references, Gintama' follows the Yorozuya team through more of their misadventures in the vibrant, alien-filled world of Edo.

Gintama' has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂', Gintama (2011)

9. Drifters

Shimazu Toyohisa, whilst involved at the Battle of Sekigahara, manages to mortally wound Ii Naomasa, but is critically wounded in the process. As he walks from the field broken and bleeding, Toyohisa finds himself transported to a corridor of doors, where a bespectacled man at a desk waits for him. This man, Murasaki, sends Toyohisa into the nearest door where he wakes up in another world. There, Toyohisa meets other great warriors like him who have been transported as well, to be part of a group known as "Drifters."

Drifters has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: DRIFTERS, Drifters: Battle in a Brand-new World War

8. Gintama°

Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura return as the fun-loving but broke members of the Yorozuya team! Living in an alternate-reality Edo, where swords are prohibited and alien overlords have conquered Japan, they try to thrive on doing whatever work they can get their hands on. However, Shinpachi and Kagura still haven't been paid... Does Gin-chan really spend all that cash playing pachinko?
Meanwhile, when Gintoki drunkenly staggers home one night, an alien spaceship crashes nearby. A fatally injured crew member emerges from the ship and gives Gintoki a strange, clock-shaped device, warning him that it is incredibly powerful and must be safeguarded. Mistaking it for his alarm clock, Gintoki proceeds to smash the device the next morning and suddenly discovers that the world outside his apartment has come to a standstill. With Kagura and Shinpachi at his side, he sets off to get the device fixed; though, as usual, nothing is ever that simple for the Yorozuya team.
Filled with tongue-in-cheek humor and moments of heartfelt emotion, Gintama's fourth season finds Gintoki and his friends facing both their most hilarious misadventures and most dangerous crises yet.

Gintama° has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂°, Gintama' (2015)

7. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Kyoto Douran

The second season of Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan (2023).

A phantom of the Bakumatsu who must be taken down. All the answers you desire are in Kyoto!

Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Disturbance has finished airing and it has 23 Episodes. It is also Known as: るろうに剣心 －明治剣客浪漫譚－京都動乱, Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Kyoto Douran

6. Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi

On the way home from school one day, Konoha Koga rescues Satoko Kusagakure, a ninja who escaped her village. Soon, pursuers from the village show up in search of Satoko only to be deftly dealt with by Konoha. As it turns out, the unassuming high schooler is actually an assassin. Thus, the potentially cutthroat cohabitation of a ninja and an assassin begins!

A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 忍者と殺し屋のふたりぐらし, Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi

5. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

In the final years of the Bakumatsu era lived a legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. Feared as a merciless killer, he was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans.Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle in an effort to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he stumbles across Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is being threatened by an impostor claiming to be Battousai. After receiving help from Kenshin, Kaoru allows him to stay at the dojo, and so the former assassin temporarily ceases his travels.Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan tells the story of Kenshin as he strives to save those in need of saving. However, as enemies from both past and present begin to emerge, will the reformed killer be able to uphold his new ideals?

Rurouni Kenshin has finished airing and it has 94 Episodes. It is also Known as: るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-, Samurai X

4. Peace Maker Kurogane Movie 2: Yuumei

Though the Shinsengumi took a huge blow following the Incident at Aburano Koji, they prepare themselves to carry out their devotion to the Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Meanwhile, the Imperial Court proclaims the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, and Yoshinobu withdraws to Osaka. The Shinsengumi prepares for battle as well, relocating their station to the Fushimi magistrate's office.

Source: (Crunchyroll)

Peace Maker Kurogane Movie 2: Yuumei has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: PEACE MAKER 鐵～友命～, Peace Maker Kurogane Movie 2: Yuumei

3. Turkey!

Mai Otonashi is a second-year student and the captain of the Ikkokukan High School Bowling Club, and recently, she’s struggled to win. Whenever she scores a Turkey, three consecutive strikes, she follows it up with an unbeatable split—the Snake Eyes. This is the story of Mai, Rina, Sayuri, Nozomi, and Nanase as they fight, fall, and rise again in pursuit of victory in the final days of summer.

Turkey!-Time to Strike- has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ターキー!, Turkey!

2. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League

In this sequel to Batman Ninja, the Batman family has returned to the present to discover that Japan has disappeared, and a giant island - Hinomoto - is now in the sky over Gotham City. At the top sits the Yakuza, a group of superpowered individuals who reign without honor or humanity and look suspiciously like the Justice League. Now, it’s up to Batman and his allies to save Gotham!

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: ニンジャバットマン対ヤクザリーグ, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League

1. Shaman King

A battle is about to begin in Tokyo: the Shaman Fight, a tournament held every five hundred years where shaman—those who can command spirits—confront each other in combat. The victor of this contest becomes the Shaman King and the only one who is able to contact and control the Great Spirit, allowing them to reshape the world as they please through its immense power.
During a late night walk, Manta Oyamada runs into his classmate, the carefree You Asakura, who invites him to come stargazing with some friends, who, to Manta's horror, turn out to be ghosts from a local cemetery! However, the knowledge that Manta possesses—a rare sixth sense that allows Manta to see these spirits—endears the boy to You. So when You finds out that his new comrade has been beaten up by a local gang, he decides to avenge him with the help of Amidamaru, a samurai ghost whose tomb was broken by the gang leader.
Soon Manta uncovers more about the world of spirits, including the Shaman Fight, in which his new friend You aims to claim victory.

Shaman King has finished airing and it has 64 Episodes. It is also Known as: シャーマンキング, Shaman King