Studio MAPPA may be a younger studio than some of their contemporaries, but they have already created several iconic animes. As a result, it’s worth taking a look at some of their most well-known projects, as there’s a good chance that some readers will recognise these works.

This list will be presented in no particular order because the main goal is to examine eight of the studio’s most notable works. Only TV shows from 2022 and earlier will be listed here, so readers who are reading this in the future should keep that in mind.

17. Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni

Suzu Urano is a pure and kindhearted girl who enjoys drawing and daydreaming. She grew up on the outskirts of Hiroshima with her family and is eager to assist her grandmother’s nori business.

Suzu, however, leaves her beloved home when she reaches marriageable age to marry Shuusaku Houjou, a man she barely knows. As she adjusts to her new husband’s household, the homesick bride struggles to adjust to the unfamiliar environment as the war effort reaches a point of no return. How will Suzu support herself and those she comes to love along the way when the war reaches her own backyard and peace gives way to brutality?

Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni is a colourful yet haunting depiction of everyday life in the years preceding and following World War II, highlighting the perseverance and fortitude of ordinary Japanese during one of modern history’s darkest periods.

16. Hajime no Ippo: Rising

Makunouchi Ippo, the Japanese Featherweight Champion, successfully defended his title belt once more using his devastating signature move, the Dempsey Roll. However, new challengers are emerging left and right, claiming to have an answer to the move that has crushed his opponents. Will Ippo be able to rise to the occasion, or will the weight of his pride crush him before he discovers what it means to be strong? Meanwhile, Aoki Masaru, a fellow Kamogawa Gym member, is just a hop, skip, and a Frog Punch away from claiming his own belt and facing the Japanese Lightweight Champion!

Hajime no Ippo: Rising continues Ippo’s journey to become stronger, with the same cast of lovable idiots from Kamogawa Gym putting their bodies and hearts on the line to make it in the harsh world of professional boxing. Ippo steps back into the ring with a steely determination.

15. Sakamichi no Apollon

Kaoru Nishimi, an introverted classical pianist and top student, has just arrived in Kyushu for his first year of high School. He abandons all hope of fitting in, preparing himself for another lonely, meaningless year after having moved from place to place since his childhood. That is, until he meets Sentarou Kawabuchi, a notorious delinquent.

Sentarou’s undying love for jazz music inspires Kaoru to learn more about it, and as a result, he gradually begins to break out of his shell, making his first friend. Kaoru begins playing the piano at after-school jazz sessions held in the basement of Ritsuko Mukae’s family-owned record shop.

Kaoru’s summer may just culminate into one he will remember forever as he discovers the immense joy of using his musical talents to bring enjoyment to himself and others.

Sakamichi no Apollon is a touching story of friendship, music, and love that follows three distinct individuals who are brought together by their mutual love of jazz.

14. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis

Thousands of years ago, the ancient dragon Bahamut wreaked havoc on Mistarcia, a world where both gods and demons coexist. Working together to save the world, the rival deities barely managed to seal Bahamut, agreeing to split the key between them so that the dragon would be imprisoned forever.

With the world safe from Bahamut’s destruction, bounty hunters like Favaro Leone can go about their business as usual. The amoral Favaro lives a laid-back, self-serving lifestyle while on the run from fellow bounty hunter Kaisar Lidfard, a righteous man who swears vengeance on Favaro.

Favaro’s carefree life, however, is turned upside down when he meets Amira, a mysterious woman who holds half of the key to the world’s fragile peace.

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis tells the story of a group of unlikely heroes caught in the middle of an epic battle between gods and demons, forced to carve their own path in the face of an impending storm.

13. Takt Op. Destiny

Since the arrival of D2s, an invasive species originating from a black meteorite that fell to Earth, the United States of America has been in disarray. To prevent further casualties caused by the D2s’ hatred for music, a public decree prohibited citizens from playing any melodies—this prohibition is still in effect today, in 2047. Musicarts, young women who represent pieces of classical music, and Conductors, who control them, are humanity’s only line of defence against the D2s.

Takt Asahina, an aloof piano prodigy, is transformed into a Conductor after a random D2 attack. The same incident kills Anna Schneider’s younger sister, Cosette, and introduces Takt to his Musicart, Destiny.

Takt and Destiny, along with Anna, embark on a perilous journey to the Symphonica Headquarters in New York City in search of a way to cement their pact.

Takt is eager to get to the city so he can play the piano again, despite the fact that his passion attracts the creatures he has come to despise. Meanwhile, Destiny’s sense of duty leads the group into trouble. Will the trio make it to New York City in one piece, despite a D2-infested path and many more difficult obstacles?

12. Chainsaw Man

Denji’s dream is simple: to live a happy and peaceful life while spending time with a girl he likes. However, this is far from reality, as Denji is forced by the yakuza to kill devils in order to pay off his crushing debts. He is willing to go to any length for money, using his pet devil Pochita as a weapon.

Unfortunately, he has outlived his usefulness and is assassinated by a devil working for the yakuza. Pochita, on the other hand, merges with Denji’s dead body and bestows on him the powers of a chainsaw devil.

A revived Denji, now able to transform parts of his body into chainsaws, uses his new abilities to quickly and brutally dispatch his enemies. After catching the attention of the official devil hunters who arrive on the scene, he is hired as one of them by the Public Safety Bureau. Denji will go to any length to achieve his simple teenage dreams now that he has the means to face even the most formidable foes.

11. Zombieland Saga

Sakura Minamoto aspires to be an idol. Unfortunately, reality slams into her like a truck, and she dies in a car accident. She awakens in Saga Prefecture ten years later to find herself a zombie with no memory of her past. While still grieving her death, she meets a man named Koutarou Tatsumi, who explains that he has resurrected her and six other zombie girls from various eras in order to economically revitalise Saga through an idol group. Assuming the role of an obnoxious manager, Koutarou begins scheduling events, which the girls accept, eventually naming their idol group Franchouchou.

Zombieland Saga is an absurdly comedic take on the idol genre that tells the heartwarming story of Franchouchou’s struggle to save Saga Prefecture while hiding their zombie identities and rediscovering their past lives.

10. Dorohedoro

The name Hole, which refers to a dark, decaying, and disorderly neighbourhood where the strong prey on the weak and death is common, is apt. It is a realm that is separate from law and ethics, and it serves as a testing ground for the magical users who dominate it. As a race at the pinnacle of their society, the Magic Users regard the residents of Hole as nothing more than insects. The powerless Hole dwellers are murdered, mutilated, and subjected to experiments on a daily basis in the halls of Hole’s hospital.

With free access to and from the cesspool and little challenge to their authority, the magic users appear invincible to most—with the exception of a few.

Kaiman, who is more reptile than human, is one such person. He pursues them with zeal, armed only with a trusted pair of bayonets and his immunity to magic. Cursed by his appearance and plagued by nightmares, magic users are his only hope of returning to normalcy. With his stomach as his main obstacle, his female companion Nikaidou, who owns the restaurant Hungry Bug, is his greatest ally.

Dorohedoro, set in a gritty world of hellish design, manages a healthy balance of comedy and lightheartedness with death and carnage. It weaves a unique world of unearthly origin and dreary appearance, taking plenty of twists and turns while following the lives of Hole’s residents. It is not for the squeamish or easily disturbed.

9. Inuyashiki

Ichirou Inuyashiki, 58, is a family man going through a difficult time in his life. Though his frequent back problems are painful, nothing hurts as much as his wife and children’s indifference and disdain for him. Despite this, Ichirou finds solace in Hanako, an abandoned Shiba Inu he adopts into his home. However, Ichirou’s life is turned upside down when a follow-up physical examination reveals that he has stomach cancer and only three months to live; despite his best efforts, his family’s disinterest causes an emotional breakdown. Ichirou runs off into a nearby field, embracing his dog and crying—until he notices a strange figure standing before him.

A bright light appears out of nowhere, enveloping Ichirou in smoke and dust. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he has been reborn as a mechanised weapon wearing the skin of his former self. Despite his initial shock, the compassionate Ichirou immediately uses his newfound abilities to save a life, an act of kindness that fills him with joy and newfound hope.

However, the origins of these strange abilities are unknown. Who was the mysterious figure at the explosion site, and are they as gentle with this dangerous gift as Ichirou?

8. The God of High School

The “God of High School” tournament has begun, with the goal of finding the best fighter among Korean high school students! All martial arts styles, weapons, means, and methods of victory are legal. What is the prize? One wish for anything the winner desires.

Jin Mo-Ri, a taekwondo expert, has been invited to compete. There he meets karate expert Han Dae-Wi and swordswoman Yu Mi-Ra, both of whom have come for personal reasons. Mo-Ri is aware that no two opponents will be the same, and that the matches will be the most ruthless he has ever fought. Instead of being concerned, he is ecstatic about the prospect.

A secret lurks beneath the tournament’s ostensibly transparent test of combat prowess, one that has Korean political candidate Park Mu-Jin watching every fight with expectant, hungry eyes. Mo-Ri, Dae-Wi, and Mi-Ra are about to learn what it takes to be the God of High School.

7. Banana Fish

Aslan Jade Callenreese, also known as Ash Lynx, was a runaway taken from the streets of New York City and raised by the mafia’s infamous godfather, Dino Golzine. Ash, now 17 and the leader of his own gang, begins looking into the mysterious “Banana Fish”—the same two words his older brother, Griffin, has muttered since his return from the Iraq War. However, his investigations are hampered when Dino sends his men after Ash at an underground bar where he hides.

Skip, Ash’s friend, introduces him to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, two Japanese photographers covering American street gangs.

Shorter Wong, one of Ash’s allies, calls to warn him about Dino, interrupting their conversation. Dino’s men soon storm the bar and kidnap Skip and Eiji in the ensuing chaos. Now, Ash must find a way to save them and continue his investigation into Banana Fish, but will his history with the mafia stop him?

6. Yuri!!! on Ice

Yuuri Katsuki, once Japan’s most promising figure skater, returns home to consider his options following his crushing defeat at the Grand Prix Finale. Yuuri’s window for success in skating is rapidly closing at the age of 23, and his love of pork cutlets and ability to gain weight aren’t helping either.

Yuuri, on the other hand, finds himself in the spotlight after a video of him performing a routine previously performed by five-time world champion Victor Nikiforov goes viral. In fact, Victor appears unexpectedly at Yuuri’s house and offers to be his mentor. Yuuri accepts eagerly as one of his biggest fans, kicking off his journey to return to the world stage.

5. Dororo

Daigo Kagemitsu, the greedy samurai lordland ,’s is dying, and he will do anything for power, even renounce Buddha and make a pact with demons. His prayers are answered by 12 demons, who grant him the power he seeks by assisting the growth of his prefecture, but at a cost. When Kagemitsu’s first son is born, he lacks limbs, a nose, eyes, ears, and even skin—yet he lives.

This child is thrown into a river and forgotten. However, he is saved by a medicine man who provides him with prosthetics and weapons, allowing him to survive and fend for himself.

The boy grows and lives, and despite his inability to see, hear, or feel anything, he must defeat the demons who took him as a sacrifice. With each death, he reclaims a piece of himself that is rightfully his. He wanders alone for many years until he meets Dororo, an orphan boy. In an unforgiving, demon-infested world, the unlikely pair of castaways must now fight for their survival and humanity.

4. Zankyou no Terror

The word “VON” in red is all that remains after a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility in Japan. The government is shattered by their inability to act, and the police are frantically looking for ways to punish the perpetrators. The general public is unaware—until a strange video appears on the internet six months later. In it, two teenage boys known only as “Sphinx” confront the police, threatening to cause destruction and mayhem throughout Tokyo. The police struggle to act effectively against these terrorists, unable to stop the widespread panic that is spreading throughout the city and desperate for any leads in their investigation, with Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki caught in the middle of it all.

The story of Nine and Twelve, the two boys behind the masked figures of Sphinx, is told in Zankyou no Terror. They should not exist, yet they persist in a world of deception and secrets, causing the city to crumble around them in the hopes of burying their own tragic truth.

3. Kakegurui

Unlike many other schools, Hyakkaou Private Academy prepares students for life after high school. Because many of the students are the children of the world’s wealthiest people, the academy has its own quirks that set it apart from the rest. By day, it is a regular school that teaches history, languages, and other subjects. But at night, it transforms into a gambling den, where they learn how to deal with money and manipulate people. Money is power; those who win the games are at the top of the school.

Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly innocent and beautiful transfer student, is eager to dive into Hyakkaou’s specialised curriculum. She, unlike the others, plays for the thrill of the gamble, and her borderline insane gambling style may bring too many new cards to the table.

2. Shingeki no Kyojin (season 4)

Centuries ago, monstrous humanoid creatures known as Titans slaughtered humanity to near extinction, forcing humans to hide in fear behind massive concentric walls. What makes these giants truly terrifying is that their desire for human flesh appears to be motivated by pleasure rather than hunger. To ensure their survival, humanity’s remnants began to live within defensive barriers, resulting in a century without a single titan encounter. That fragile peace is quickly shattered when a colossal Titan breaches the supposedly impregnable outer wall, reigniting the battle for survival against the man-eating abominations.

Following a horrific personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to their abolition by enlisting in the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that combats the merciless humanoids outside the walls. Eren, his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman, and his childhood friend Armin Arlert join the Titans’ brutal war and race to find a way to defeat them before the last walls fall.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen (TV)

Yuuji Itadori, a high school student, spends his days either indulging in baseless paranormal activities with the Occult Club or visiting his bedridden grandfather in the hospital. However, when he unknowingly comes into contact with a cursed item, his leisurely lifestyle takes a strange turn. After swallowing the said item, revealed to be a finger belonging to the demon Sukuna Ryoumen, the “King of Curses,” Yuuji finds himself thrust into the world of Curses—dreadful beings formed from human malice and negativity.

As he discovers his own newfound powers, Yuuji witnesses firsthand the threat that these Curses pose to society. When he is introduced to the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School, he begins to walk down a path that he will never be able to return to—the path of a Jujutsu sorcerer.

The post 17 Best Mappa Studio Anime appeared first on mangajoys.