Studio Trigger burst onto the anime scene in 2011, founded by Hiroyuki Imaishi, the creative force behind Gainax's Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann. Imaishi brought his signature over-the-top energy to a slew of new projects. Trigger's shows and movies are intense, both visually and thematically, with unique storylines. Standouts include the 2024 series Delicious in Dungeon, which explores fantasy dungeon cuisine, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a dark series about the dangers of cyberware. Then there's Kill la Kill, a series that embodies Trigger's style. What makes a Trigger anime the best?
About this list
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The Premise: David Martinez fights to fit in at Arasaka Academy, an expensive school offering a path to success in dystopian California. His mother dies violently, and David gives up. He gets the Sandevistan cyberware, implantable tech for superhuman powers, and uses it against Arasaka's oppressors, leading to his expulsion.David Martinez fights to fit in at Arasaka Academy, an expensive school offering a path to success in dystopian California. His mother dies violently, and David gives up. He gets the Sandevistan cyberware, implantable tech for superhuman powers, and uses it against Arasaka's oppressors, earning himself an expulsion.
David gets involved with 'Edgerunners,' people who commit cyber crimes for pay. This gig involves danger from both the violence and the risk that cyberware implants could drive them mad or destroy them. David's life becomes complex, but he finds a family.
Why It’s Great: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners The show uses a bright technicolor palette that matches the intense fight scenes. David's trip from student to criminal near collapse shows his choices. The series clearly shows why David makes his choices, even if they are not good ones. He is one of the well-written characters.
66 - 2

The Premise: When Ryuko Matoi's father dies, she seeks revenge. She lacks the killer's identity; her only clue is a missing half of giant scissors. This leads her to Honnoji Academy, run by the powerful student council. Initially, she plans to defeat the council using Senketsu, a living school uniform that grants her powers. However, the student council is not her real enemy; things are much more complex.
Why It’s Great: Kill la KillKill la Kill is one of the weirdest anime. This strangeness makes it great. Clothing made from talking, power-giving space fibers? Student councils control entire towns? Anything goes with it.Kill la KillGreat animation and creative character designs accentuate the bizarre storyline.
The series has a lot of fan service. This has a thematic reason, but it can still turn people off.
64 - 3

The Premise: Before a dragon eats her, Falin sends her companions back to the dungeon's start. Her party tries to rescue her, but they lack food for the dungeon. After meeting a dwarf named Senshi, they learn the dungeon has food; they just need to learn how to get and prepare it.
Why It’s Great: Anime that feature adventures through a dungeonThis series stands out because it focuses on tasty and strange food. Eating slime monsters from living armor seems weird, but watching Senshi and others prepare it makes the food sound good. The food is a big draw. This shows the series' skill in focusing on details other anime ignore and bringing them to life.
63 - 4

The Premise: Little Witch Academia appears on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.Atsuko "Akko" Kagari obsesses over Shiny Chariot, a famous witch. She wants to be like her, but she lacks a magical background, starting from zero. Still, she joins Luna Nova Magical Academy, a witch training program. Akko struggles with magic but works hard to become the witch she desires.
Why It’s Great: Little Witch Academia shows the story. Little Witch Academia is on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.This series is an adorably wholesome show. Fans of [CONTEXT MISSING] will enjoy it.Harry Potter is on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.or anything else involving a is on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.Little Witch Academia is a magical school.The show has some conflict, but its overall mood is light. This makes it a great show to relax with.
32 - 5

The Premise: BNA: Brand New Animal appears on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.Humans and Beastmen, animal-like beings who change shape due to their "beast factor," have clashed for ages. Humans dominate, so Beastmen retreated to Anima City, their home. Michiru Kagemori goes to Anima City after realizing she can turn into a tanuki. Following a strange explosion, she partners with a wolfman named Shiro Ogami to find the cause. They learn Michiru might link humanity and Beastmen.
Why It’s Great: BNA: Brand New Animal shows the story. BNA is on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.BNA shows off the unique character designs Trigger brings, using non-human characters. The show does more than look good; it has an engaging, fast plot with a spunky heroine worth following. It also raises many interesting questions about the Beastmen world.
18 - 6

The Premise: Darling in the Franxx appears on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.After beasts called Klaxosaurs nearly wipe out humanity, survivors build fortress cities called Plantations. Kids there train to pilot Franxx mechas while working in boy-girl teams.
Hiro wants to pilot a Franxx but fails an aptitude test. Feeling down in the forest, he meets Zero Two, a half-Klaxosaur girl known as a "Partner Killer." A Klaxosaur attacks. Hiro and Zero Two team up to fight it while piloting a Franxx. Hiro's career might survive.
Why It’s Great: Darling in the Franxx shows the story. Darling in the Franxx is on the list 'Best Anime By Studio Trigger, Ranked'.This is a solid mecha series with plenty ofDarling in the Franxx has great action scenes.Darling in the Franxx mixes romance, coming-of-age, and slice of life. Some parts are rough, and not every ending works out, but the series makes viewers think while entertaining them.
18 - 7

The Premise: Leader Kray Foresight and the Burning Rescue firefighters keep the autonomous republic of Promepolis safe from the Burnish, flame-generating beings. Galo Thymos and his crew think this is true. Discovering Lio Fotia, the leader of the Mad Burnish terrorist group, shows him his understanding of the situation is wrong.
Why It’s Great: Promareboasts some of the most beautiful artStudio Trigger produces these. It is a movie, not a TV show. It offers a visual spectacle and a surprising twist ending. It also presents themes like segregation and fighting unfairness.
14 - 8

The Premise: Inferno Cop protects or endangers Jack Knife Edge Town. He seeks to destroy local criminals, especially the Southern Cross organization. They targeted his family by assassinating them. Inferno Cop’s quest for revenge takes him to Hell and back. The journey will be hard, but it will be exciting.
Why It’s Great: Inferno CopTrigger first made anime. Each episode lasts three minutes, originally on YouTube. Watch it for history alone, or just for fun. It parodies cyberpunk cop shows from the early 2000s; enjoy properties like RoboCop, you might get a kick out of this.
5 - 9

The Premise: Middle school student Luluco wants a normal life. She lives in a community where humans and aliens coexist. Things get stranger when Luluco freezes and breaks her dad by accident. Seeking help, she joins a temp worker role, going undercover for the police and frequently in space. Normalcy ends; space patrol begins.
Why It’s Great: Just like Kill la Kill and several other Trigger titles, Space Patrol Lulucofeatures over-the-top scenes prioritizing visual spectacle and big events over logic. Watch this for the experience, not because it makes sense.
2 - 10

The Premise: Teenagers are abducted, forced into the Kizuna system, and become “Kiznaivers.” This system links them through pain; one's pain affects the others. To survive, they must be brutally honest with each other and themselves, fast.
Why It’s Great: Trigger excels at character design, art, and animation. It focuses hard on human emotion. Pain, grief, and human connection drive this story.
1 - 11

The Premise: Yuta Hibiki wakes up in Rikka Takarada's room with no memory. He knows a robot named Gridman calls his name. Monsters attack the city. Yuta fuses with Gridman to fight them. He joins Rikka and friends to defend the city.
Why It’s Great: This anime adapts the Tokusatsu show Gridman the Hyper Agent. Fans of Tokusatsu, Ultraman, and related shows will find many fun references. But SSSS.GridmanSSSS.Gridman does not focus too much on the original series. Viewers who missed it can still enjoy this. This series balances hardcore fans and new viewers well.
-1 - 12

The Premise: This series takes place in the same universe as SSSS.Gridman. Monsters are called kaiju, but kaiju eugenicists are more dangerous. These people use kaiju for evil. Dynazenon, a mysterious mecha needing four operators, is one thing that stops them.
Why It’s Great: SSSS.DynazenonSSSS.Dynazenon might take place in the same universe as SSSS.Gridman, but it stands alone. This series focuses on how humans and kaiju affect each other. If you like that, this show suits you. It has great characters and looks good.
-3 - 13

The Premise: Four members of a school literature club gain magic powers. Hatoko controls five elements. Sayumi repairs living or non-living things. Tomoyo manipulates time. Jurai makes dark flames that aren't hot. Jurai's powers seem useless, yet he is most excited because they fit his fantasies.
Why It’s Great: This might not be Trigger's most memorable anime. It has one thing that makes it stand out: Hatoko's rant. In this speech, the quiet Hatoko finally vents her frustration with Jurai.
Jurai speaks in ways others cannot understand. He lectures constantly about his interests without letting others speak. He is a collection of negative nerd stereotypes in a teenage boy. Hatoko accepts this quietly, but she finally reads him the riot act. It is epic.
-5 - 14

The Premise: Long ago, ninja used banned hara-kiri to keep their souls at Kinkaku Temple. They hoped to return, and they did. Their souls attacked Neo-Saitama, causing chaos. Fujikido Kenji, a salaryman who lost his wife and child to ninja violence, now hosts one of these souls. He uses these new powers to eliminate ninja forever.
Why It’s Great: Ninja Slayer earns high marks.Ninja Slayerhas been described asInferno Cop With a bigger budget, the visuals and themes make sense. Both show a strong, bold color scheme and focus on a man with supernatural abilities fighting for revenge for his lost family. The story is not the deepest, but it is very entertaining.
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