The Fall 2021 anime season is coming to a close, and with it some of the most imaginative and enjoyable shows of this year. While it's exciting to look forward to the new shows coming out for the Winter 2022 season, it's nice to look back and see some of the highlights of this past season as well.
While not every anime this season was a winner, there were certainly more than enough great shows to make up for it. From stellar fantasy tales to romantic adventure epics to grim mecha stories, these are the best Fall 2021 anime.
10 Faraway Paladin
Will is a young boy being raised by unusual parents in the form of a mummy priestess, a skeleton warrior, and a ghostly wizard. They each have their own secrets, but so does Will: he was reincarnated from another world, and he has all his memories of that time.
While the story of Faraway Paladin early on is a little slow, the anime does start to become a lot more interesting as Will grows up and becomes an adult. This show is perfect for fans of pure fantasy, and the animation is excellent.
9 Takt Op. Destiny
Mysterious creatures called D2s invade the world, attacking any place where music is being played. To counter them, Conductors are paired with Musicarts, beings that are able to harness the power of music to fight. One such pair, Takt and Destiny, travel across America in order to reach New York, fighting D2s on the way.
Takt Op. Destiny is a beautifully animated adventure with quirky and interesting characters. The dynamic between the main characters is fun to watch, especially as they become closer over the course of the series.
8 86 Season 2
In the follow-up to the popular mecha series, Shin'ei Nouzen and his allies are revealed to be alive and well in the Federacy of Giad. While the Eighty-Six are encouraged to leave the army and live peaceful lives, they find themselves drawn back to the battlefield, where the Legion are waiting for them.
Season 2 of 86 is a tense, exhilarating war story that always puts viewers on edge as they worry about the lives of the main characters. The show is very unique and immaculately animated.
7 Platinum End
Mirai Kakehashi, having lost all hope in life, decides to commit suicide, but he is instead saved by an angel named Nasse. Nasse grants Mirai the powers of an angel, giving him magical wings and mystical arrows. However, this turns him into one of thirteen God candidates and enters him into a competition that is about to turn lethal.
Platinum End has a shaky start, but as soon things get underway, things get hectic fast. This show has some of the most suspenseful and tense scenes this season, and the action is only getting started.
6 Sakugan
Memempu is a young genius who dreams of becoming a Marker so that she can venture through the labyrinth that makes up her world and find the place she keeps seeing in her dreams. After a tragic event, Memempu is driven to act on this dream, with her father Gagumber coming along to keep an eye on her.
Sakugan is full of laughs, tears, and heartwarming moments. The dynamic between Gagumber and Memempu is great, and the way it evolves throughout the series is fun to see.
5 Komi Can't Communicate
Shoko Komi is beautiful and elegant, and everyone at school worships her. Despite this, she is shy and finds it hard to speak to others, so she has no friends. Komi's classmate, Tadano Hitohito, ends up reaching out to her, and together they work to help her make a hundred friends.
Komi Can't Communicate is a lighthearted comedy that deals with the complex issue of social anxiety. The anime is filled with hilarious and heartwarming moments between quirky and silly characters, making this show a delight to watch.
4 Mushoku Tensei Season 2
The hit isekai series continues as Rudeus and his cousin Eris find themselves lost in another continent. With few allies and only an idea of how to get out of their predicament, Rudeus swears to protect Eris with his life and get her back to their home.
Season 2 of Mushoku Tensei continues the story of Rudeus Greyrat, a former NEET who resolves to make the most of his new life. The animation and artwork are pristinely beautiful, and the characters are quirky as always.
3 The Heike Story
Biwa, a young minstrel, is taken in by the Taira clan after her father is cruelly killed. Unfortunately, this gives her center stage to the turmoil of the politics of Japan in the lead up to a war that will split Japan in two.
The Heike Story's biggest strengths are its classically influenced art style and its atmospheric musical soundtracks. This retelling of a classic Japanese historical story is emotionally powerful, and it is definitely one of the most resonant shows this season.
2 The Vampire Dies In No Time
Vampire hunter Ronaldo is one of the greatest in the world, but a series of bizarre shenanigans cause him to end up shacking with vampire lord Draluc, a haughty vampire who dies from a stiff breeze. As the two make their home in Shin-Yokohama, they meet a cast of hilarious allies and enemies.
The Vampire Dies In No Time may not be the most epic anime series to come out this season, but it is one of the funniest. Every episode is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and there are no limits to what they're willing to poke fun at.
1 Ranking Of Kings
Prince Bojji is weak, deaf, and mute; poor stock for a candidate for the throne. Nevertheless, Bojji is willing to do whatever it takes to become the greatest king of all, even if no one else thinks he can. Thankfully, he's about to meet a friend who's going to support him no matter what.
Ranking of Kings is honestly a sleeper hit. Many viewers were not expecting this show to be the best anime series this season. However, this surprisingly dark, emotionally resonant show has wormed its way into the hearts of anime fans everywhere.