Within the shonen demographic, there are multiple exciting titles with critical aspects peculiar to each of them. One such vital aspect is world building, a process of developing social structures, establishing power systems and designing unique geographic areas in a fictional world. The art of world building is a complex process, but when done right, it takes the quality of a story to incredible heights.
Writers use world building to provide a solid platform for their stories, as it serves as the general foundation for various character interactions and multiple key events. Due to the heavy reliance on proper world building to achieve the maximum level of investment required from an anime’s audience, many shows explore interesting new ways to develop fascinating worlds that are sure to captivate their viewers. Therefore, this explores some of the best examples of shonen anime that have excelled immensely in the world building department.
10 firepower
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firepower is an anime with a fascinating premise. The anime is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are constantly at risk of spontaneous human combustion, with an organization called the Special Fire Force tasked with wiping out the blazing hell. Most people enlisted in the Special Fire Force have unique abilities that allow them to use fire in many different ways.
However, these fire soldiers have more than just fiery monsters to deal with. They are further charged with the vital mission of thwarting the plans of the Evangelist, a being who seeks to recreate the cause of the great disaster that led to the post-apocalyptic state of the present world. The show is home to numerous characters serving in multiple groups, each with unique motivations to act, giving viewers an exhilarating experience.
9 My Hero Academia
The world of My Hero Academia is a fairly accurate representation of what life would be like if much of the world’s population had superhuman abilities. These abilities, known as quirks, appeared randomly with no concrete evidence of where they might have come from. Moreover, the emergence of idiosyncrasies exposed the world to multiple new groups and individuals, the most prominent of which left a lasting impact on history.
The main groups in most of the story are the Pro Heroes and League of Villains. Both groups have laid their foundations in significant past events, and this is where worldbuilding really shines. The result of the battle between the forces of good and evil is evident in how the present world works, and that constant attention to detail serves as a strong foundation for current and future events.
8 dr. stone
Despite being set in a time much further in the future than the real world, the world of dr. stone doesn’t exactly have futuristic features. This contradiction was caused by the Petrification Event, a phenomenon that turned every living person on Earth to stone, halting any form of scientific development.
With such an intriguing setting, the anime embarked on the intricate task of reinventing the state of humanity after the recovery of the main character, Senku. However, this task accountability has been handled very well. Using his limitless knowledge of science, Senku is able to develop innovative ways to support current life on Earth, introducing multiple distinctive factions at different stages of the story.
7 Seven Deadly Sins
Seven Deadly Sins initially deals with the exposition of his story at a steady pace. However, upon reaching certain parts of the anime, viewers are presented with a world that is home to multiple species and kingdoms, each with a rich history that connects them all.
There aren’t many aspects of the series that are left unattended, nor are there many aspects that are boring in nature. Every ability, battle, artifact, character, and group have their roots explained in the story, while also providing a high level of entertainment. Despite the subpar production quality of recent seasons, the captivating world build-up has remained apparent since its premiere.
6 May I
May I is an anime featuring one of the most unique buildings and energy systems of all shonen. His world is ruled by an abstract concept called Rukh. Rukh serves as the basis for every living thing in the story. It directs the destiny of a person and allows specific individuals to use supernatural abilities.
However, Rukh is not the only thing that makes this series stand out as the world itself is filled with various magical wonders such as Dungeons, Djinn’s, Magoi and Magi. It’s further complemented by the many ancient areas featured in the picture, each of which has its own culture and exposes the show’s viewers to a heavily political theme.
The law of equivalent exchange, the most important rule of alchemy; this concept is a recurring theme throughout the Fullmetal Alchemist series. It served as the foundation on which an entire civilization was built and is further portrayed in some of the most compelling ways imaginable.
The world may not be as vast as many others on this list. Still, the story does a great job of creating exciting characters and groups with imposing goals, as well as the inclusion of alkahestry, which also has its roots in alchemy. The effects of alchemy on the story’s history are also adequately fleshed out, with the events that took place in the land of Xerxes as a prime example. Overall, it’s a great show that impressively manages all parties involved with one overriding theme.
4 Hunter x Hunter
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Hunter x Hunter is a critically acclaimed series known for its unorthodox approach to storytelling compared to many shonen anime. While storytelling and world building are two different things, an engaging story can only be fostered by an interesting setting, a perfect example of what makes this show so special.
The most important thing to note in the world of Hunter x Hunter is the existence of fighters, fascinating new areas and the Nen power system. These factors serve as the motivation to act and the means by which different individuals can achieve their goals. They are appropriately defined and consistently referenced throughout the story, serving as the basis for several exciting events.
3 Attack on Titan
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Attack on Titan has become one of the most popular titles in recent years, and for good reason. The story features an astonishing premise that grips you firmly after the first appearance of super-sized creatures known as Titans, man-eating giants that threaten the very survival of humanity as a whole.
Many elements accompany the arrival of Titans and contribute to the impressive world-building of the series. However, the early introduction of groups such as the Scouts, Survey Corps and the Special Operations Squad becomes relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The main elements involve the royal family, the true origins of the titans, and the connection between multiple different factions in the show, with interest in each facilitated by the careful development of Isayama’s world.
2 Naruto
the author of NarutoMasashi Kishimoto took on the task of creating a whole new world full of shinobi possessing extremely powerful abilities, and he was largely successful. This world brought to life not only chakra-wielding ninjas, but also vastly different regions, which significantly determined the nature of ninja techniques.
The series constantly uses the structure of its world to facilitate key events in the story. An excellent example of this is when Itachi slaughtered an entire clan. This saw the involvement of groups such as the Anbu, Uchiha clan and the Hidden Leaf Village. The series also governs the use of chakra in many unique forms, as seen in the Sharingan, Byakugan, and other optical manifestations. The story contains a lot of extra features like this while maintaining a good level of consistency.
1 A piece
A piece is known as one of the anime with the most impressive worldbuilding, even outside the shonen demographic. Throughout this list, factors such as power systems, backstories, and groups have often been emphasized to expose you to various forms of world-building; however, the story of A piece can take a spot on this list with the sheer number of landscapes present in the series alone.
Expansive is an understatement; Eiichiro Oda has developed a world where entire islands can be found at every turn. Each island is unique and most have mind-boggling features. An example is an island of fire and ice, or a land made of candy where every structure in it is edible. In addition, the story features dominant forces that are constantly at odds with each other, allowing for exciting confrontations between characters belonging to each group.
Despite over a thousand episodes of content, the story remains unfinished, with many intriguing mysteries left unsolved. Still, fans eagerly await the release of each new episode, proving just how well structured the series has been so far.
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