In the last few years, MAPPA has developed from just another anime studio to the studio on everyone’s mind. The studio doesn’t hold back on budget and goes all out to produce the best manga adaptation possible. They’ve pushed boundaries, risked everything, and created some of the most iconic anime out there. If you don’t know where to start or just want to see what all the hype is about, here are 10 of the best anime MAPPA Studio has created so far.
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10. Dorohedoro
Dorohedoro is weird, and that’s exactly why it’s so wonderful. Set in a decaying city where magic-users are running wild, the story follows Caiman, a lizard-headed guy, who’s on a mission to find out who cursed him. It’s gory, anarchic, and somehow humorous to boot.
MAPPA captures the rough look of this weird world perfectly, blending 2D and 3D animation in a way that actually works. No single character ever feels like a waste of space, even the background characters are weirdly memorable. It’s not the kind of show you watch for neat storytelling. You watch it because it’s a ride. If you’re a fan of off-the-wall, unpredictable anime, Dorohedoro is a wild ride.
9. Kakegurui
If you find regular gambling dull, Kakegurui makes it a psychological circus. This is not your average school anime. At Hyakkaou Academy, social standing is based on your gambling prowess. Meet Yumeko Jabami, a thrill-seeker who gambles not for dominance, but because she actually loves risking everything.
She’s crazy in the best possible way. MAPPA cranks up the drama to eleven with cutting visuals and intense faces that are almost meme-worthy. The anime is not concerned with realism, it’s all about the showmanship. Imagine poker meets mind games with a dash of madness. It’s fashionable, loud, and completely addictive.
8. The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace
This one flew under many radars, but it shouldn’t have. The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace is loud, quick, and full of energy. It’s about a bunch of young gods who have lived in peace for so long, they have no idea what to do when demons return.
MAPPA went all experimental on this one with bold colors, stylized battles, and breakneck speed. It drops you in the middle of the action with minimal hand-holding, but once you’re in, you’re in. It combines goofy humor with sudden violence in a way that somehow manages. Definitely one of those hidden gems that deserves more love.
7. Yuri!!! on Ice
Technically speaking, it’s a sports anime, but in all honesty, Yuri!!! On Ice is so much more. It’s the story of Yuri Katsuki, a nervous and self-doubting skater, as he gradually regains his confidence, thanks to the guidance of figure skating icon Victor Nikiforov.
The animation during the figure skating sequences is absolutely breathtaking, and the emotional storytelling is even more powerful. The Yuri and Victor relationship is treated with respect and care, demonstrating love and support in ways that anime can’t always. It’s soft and powerful, elegant and sentimental. You don’t have to enjoy figure skating to watch this show, it’s all about self-discovery.
6. Banana Fish
Banana Fish is the sort of show that lingers long after the credits have finished rolling. It’s the story of Ash Lynx, leader of one gang embroiled in a sinister plot involving a deadly drug. But at its heart, it’s about his friendship with Eiji, a gentle, compassionate photographer who’s able to see beyond the brutality to the real Ash.
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MAPPA updated the original manga backdrop, but retained the emotional heft. The action sequences are well-handled, but it’s the quiet, stripped-down scenes that deliver the most impact. It’s not an easy one to watch, as this anime shows dark business, but if you’re in the mood for something real and unflinching, it’s well worth it.
5. Chainsaw Man
If chaos were an anime, it’d be Chainsaw Man. The anime follows Denji, a poverty-stricken teenager who turns into a literal chainsaw demon and becomes the agent of a devil-hunting agency. It’s gory, it’s loud, and it’s just plain ridiculous, but it’s also somehow emotional.
MAPPA pulled no punches with the animation here, giving every episode its own separate end-credit sequence and flooding every fight sequence with unhinged detail. It’s over-the-top for certain, but there’s depth beneath the madness. Beneath the gore, it’s a story about loneliness, trauma, and wanting more out of life. If you want to watch something shonen-related, but mature, Chainsaw Man is the one.
4. Dororo
Though it was a collaboration with Tezuka Productions, Dororo has MAPPA’s fingerprints all over it. This re-telling of the classic manga is haunting, emotional, and brutal in every possible way. It’s the story of Hyakkimaru, a child who was born limbless as the result of a cursed deal cut by his father. It is a reboot of the original 1968 anime, produced by Mushi Production.
As he slaughters demons in order to reclaim his own body, he is joined on his quest by Dororo, a scrappy and lovable orphan. Animation works wonders, bringing this dark fantasy world to fruition, but it is the emotional journey that steals the show. It’s about identity, vengeance, and discovering what it means to be human. An absolute standout.
3. Vinland Saga (Season 2)
Season 1 was blood and Viking violence, and Season 2 carried out the healing part. MAPPA inherited Vinland Saga from Wit Studio and provided us with a surprisingly quiet, introspective continuation. Thorfinn, formerly fueled by revenge, now needs to discover who he is outside of violence.
It’s slower, sure, but it’s also incredibly thoughtful. The character development is spectacular, and the storytelling has this peaceful, adult vibe to it that’s all too uncommon in anime. MAPPA didn’t simply continue the anime, they enriched it. If the first season posed, “What does it mean to fight?” the second season posed, “What does it mean to forgive?”
2. Attack on Titan: The Final Season
Taking over one of the biggest anime franchises ever? No pressure. MAPPA rose to the challenge big time with Attack on Titan: The Final Season. The stakes increased, the scale increased, and the themes became even more complicated. We’re not battling titans anymore, it’s politics, ethics, and intergenerational trauma.
The animation style did change slightly from earlier seasons, which sparked debate, but the emotional storytelling was just as effective. Love it or loathe it, this season walked through some of the darkest moments of anime history, and MAPPA didn’t flinch. That’s something.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen
There’s no getting around it, Jujutsu Kaisen is MAPPA’s biggest flex. From jaw-dropping animation to iconic characters, it’s everything a modern shonen should be. The battles are cinematic, the pacing is great, and the soundtrack? Hit hard. But beyond all the flash, there’s actually heart here.
Yuji’s emotional complexity, Gojo’s burden, Nobara’s confidence, and Megumi’s subtlety; all of it is realistic. MAPPA Studio brought every scene up, adding depth to something that all too easily might have been spectacle. It’s emotional, stylish, and actually suspenseful. If you’re new to watching anime or just want something that delivers across the board, Jujutsu Kaisen is where to start.
Aside from these, MAPPA is also known for animating Takt. Op Destiny, Inuyashiki: Last Hero, The God of High School, Hell’s Paradise, etc. Mappa has been in business for a long time, but it started gaining attention after the adaptation for Jujutsu Kaisen. From there, MAPPA has been known for animating high-quality anime.
