10 Essential Superhero Anime That Reinvent The Genre
1. One Punch Man
One of anime's best superhero shows, this particular anime is a love letter and an unapologetic parody of classic superhero and anime tropes.
Every character and gag is either a scathing or loving commentary on the outrageous superheroes of anime and comic books past, with the main character Saitama being both—an awkwardly-dressed caped baldy styled after Superman-esque heroes and super-saiyan fighters, who can destroy any enemy with a single punch, and who can literally never be defeated. At least not physically.
His conflict, however, comes from more mundane, everyday issues, such as his need for a job to pay for rent and his difficulty getting recognised for his heroism, which is near constantly attributed to someone else.
Despite being largely comedic and satirical, it also has a lot of heart, making digs at superhero tropes while still casting an admiring light on heroes who genuinely care about helping and saving others, with or without great power - such as the well-meaning Mumen Rider, a bicycle-riding hero with no powers and middling physical ability, who never gives up when it means saving others.
Its place as both a quintessential superhero show and a perfect parody of the genre is, as of yet, undisputed.