The Big 3 Anime: Everything You Need to Know

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Anime expert Eunice Ibama goes over the Big 3 & explains whether there’s a new version of this legendary trio

Co-authored by Eunice Ibama and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: April 16, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Big 3 Meaning
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• Origins of the Term
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• Is there a new Big 3?
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• Big 3 Plot Summaries
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• How the Shows Compare
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• Other Popular Shonen Anime
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• Video

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Before anime was one of the most popular, iconic forms of media in the West, it was defined by a group of 3 iconic series. This group was known as The Big 3, and consisted of One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. Without these three, the genre would be completely different. In this article, we explore the lore behind the Big 3, explaining what they are, where the phrase comes from, how they compare to one another, and more, all with the help of various anime experts wikiHow has partnered with. Read on to learn all about the iconic Big 3.

What is the Big 3 in anime?

Anime expert Eunice Ibama says The Big 3 refers to One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, which are the series that have had the biggest impact on the anime world. They’re called the Big 3 because they were the highest-selling manga publications of their time (the 2000s), and they helped popularize the genre globally.

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Section 1 of 6:

What does ‘the Big 3’ mean in anime?

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1. 
   The Big 3 refers to the most popular 2000s anime series: One Piece, Naruto, & Bleach. Anime expert Ed Erskine says that The Big 3 refers to One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, and that they’re called that because, “when they came out, they were the biggest-selling manga publications at the time. They would always be competing with each other,” which gave them the Big Three title. These three shows also massively contributed to the popularization of anime and manga in the West, explains Ibama.

   • Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece are the only Big 3, adds Ibama, because of how these legendary series impacted and shaped the anime world.
   • The Big Three were the most popular anime during the peak of Shonen Jump, a popular Japanese manga magazine that covers Shonen, or a genre of fighting- and adventure-centered anime.
   • The Big 3’s publications overlapped from 2001 to 2014. Each series had extremely long runs:
     • One Piece began in 1997 and is still ongoing, with 1,175 manga chapters and 1,155 anime episodes as of April 2026.
     • Naruto began in 1999 and ended in 2014 (the anime ran from 2002 to 2017). It has 700 manga chapters and 720 anime episodes, not counting its sequels, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.
     • The Bleach manga began in 2001 and ended in 2016. It has 686 manga chapters and 366 anime episodes in its original series. The sequel series, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, has 52 episodes and is ongoing.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Eunice Ibama is an anime expert with 10+ years of experience. She’s the founder of Black Girls Anime and shares content with a community of over 200k.

   Ed Erskine is an anime expert who has been watching anime for 20+ years. He founded the Suuuper Anime Podcast, the #1 anime podcast in the UK.

   Brandon Riley is an anime and manga enthusiast, with over 4 years of experience creating anime-centric video essays.
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Section 2 of 6:

Origin of the Big 3 Phrase

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1. The term ‘Big 3’ was coined by Western anime fans in the 2000s. Due to the massive popularity of each series during the overlap of their publications, Ibama says that One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach were designated as the Big 3 by Western anime fans online. This was echoed by Shonen Jump, who prominently featured their protagonists on the covers. They also all received long-running anime to match their popularity and further solidify that Big 3 status.

   • These series were so popular that their protagonists were featured together on the covers larger than any other Shonen Jump character, further contributing to the Big 3 narrative.

Section 3 of 6:

What’s the Big 3 anime now?

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1. 
   There’s debate over a new Big 3, but there’s not an official new group. The Big 3 are known as such due to their immense popularity during Shonen Jump’s heyday, which helped bring anime to Western audiences and propel the genre into the mainstream. While many anime fans eagerly write lists of their new Big 3, there has yet to be a new lineup of anime that has reached the same level of popularity.

   • In Ibama’s opinion, there is no such thing as a new Big 3. “The Big 3 isn't something that is given, it's something that's earned.”
   • While there have been anime series proposed as a new Big 3, Ibama says that they’re just taking inspiration from the original 3. “And you can't take inspiration and call yourself the Big 3,” she notes.
   • Some people claim that Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and My Hero Academia are the new Big 3 due to their popularity and sales. Others tend to replace My Hero Academia with Chainsaw Man.
   • Ibama adds that some people list Attack on Titan as part of the new Big 3. However, she says this doesn’t really make sense, as the Big 3 are shonen anime only. Attack on Titan is a seinen anime (i.e., made for a more mature audience), so it doesn’t fit the criteria.
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Section 4 of 6:

Plot Summaries of the Big 3

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   One Piece According to Erskine, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece follows a boy named Luffy, who wants to become the Pirate King and root out the corruption of the World Government. He goes on an adventure to find the One Piece (a mysterious treasure) with his Pirate Crew, encountering other pirates and fighting his way through them as he leads the search.

   • One Piece is known for its immense worldbuilding, exciting characters, and the protagonist, Luffy, who is unapologetically himself throughout the series.
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   Naruto Anime and manga enthusiast Brandon Riley says that Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto follows the tale of a young, ostracized ninja named Naruto Uzumaki as he chases his goal of becoming Hokage (the leader of his village). Despite having the Nine-Tailed Fox demon sealed inside of him, he strives to make the ninja world a better place and end the cycle of hatred that has driven it for so long.

   • On top of being an epic battle shonen, Naruto is also a story about an outcast trying to be accepted by others, which plenty of fans can relate to.
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   Bleach Riley says that Tite Kubo’s Bleach follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a young man who accidentally gets Soul Reaper powers (powers from another realm that grant you a sword, person-specific abilities, and the ability to send lost souls to the afterlife). After Kurosaki gets these powers, he goes on adventures saving souls, protecting the Soul Society, and protecting his loved ones.

   • At its core, Bleach is about a young, hotheaded man who has a heart of gold and wants nothing more than to protect his friends. Although fans may not have incredible powers like him, they can relate to his goals.
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Section 5 of 6:

How the Big 3 Compare to Each Other

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1. 
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   One Piece is known for its deep worldbuilding, characters, and story. One Piece follows Luffy and his pirate crew, the Straw Hats, as they travel the seas in search of the One Piece, giving Oda the opportunity to build a massive world, and that’s an opportunity he delivers on. Throughout the story, the characters are consistent, the world is constantly built upon, and the story gives updates on characters rather than discarding them like some of the other Big 3.

   • Its intricate plot, critique of the World Government, and iconic characters make it one of the strongest in the Big 3.
   • Since the characters travel to different islands, fans are able to meet new characters, be exposed to their cultures, and see their ways of life, with Oda using this as an opportunity to show the intricacies of the world.
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   Bleach is known for its mature themes, power system, and art style. Tite Kubo’s art is by far the best out of the Big 3, being known for its stylistic, fashionable characters, light shading, and use of negative space to highlight tension. On top of that, Bleach has a dynamic power system in the form of Spiritual Pressure, an innate energy that helps characters manifest unique powers through their Zanpakuto (spiritual swords).

   • The story also tackles mature themes, exploring the depths of grief, where it takes you, and how far someone is willing to go to protect others.
   • The story and power systems of Bleach are so iconic that they’ve inspired many modern anime, like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Black Clover.
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   Naruto is known for its relatable themes and iconic stories. From its iconic Land of Waves arc to Pain’s invasion of the Leaf Village, Naruto is full of epic, heartfelt moments that define the story. Not only is it full of exciting battles, but it’s also a story about the horrors of war, forgiveness, and making sense of a chaotic world when all you want is to be accepted, making it extremely relatable to young fans.

   • On top of that, Naruto is also known for its iconic, understandable villains, like Madara Uchiha and Nagato Uzumaki, who have commendable goals, but horrible ways of achieving them.
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   All of the Big 3 are known for their stamp on anime and relatable stories. The Big 3 cover different themes, but they’re all known for how relatable they are. Even though the characters can sometimes seem larger than life with their immense power, at their cores, they’re young men looking to protect the ones they love, which many fans can relate to (as evidenced by their massive popularity in the 2000s and onward).
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Section 6 of 6:

Other Popular Shonen Anime

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1. 1
   Dragon Ball Z Dragon Ball Z is arguably the most popular anime to ever grace the screen. It follows Son Goku’s adventures on Earth, his discovery of his Saiyan heritage, and the events that transpire from that discovery. It’s the blueprint for battle shonen, featuring flashy beam clashes, martial arts, and fun fights full of stakes.

   • Erskine says that the show has permeated outside of the anime community, so even if people don’t watch, they’re familiar with characters like Goku and Vegeta.
   • Ibama notes that Dragon Ball Z is often brought up in conversation about the Big 3. While it’s not a part of the Big 3, she does consider it the “Godfather of Anime.”
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   Jujutsu Kaisen Jujutsu Kaisen follows a young man named Yuji Itadori as he enters the world of jujutsu (a secret society dedicated to fighting monsters known as curses) after consuming the finger of Ryomen Sukuna, an evil sorcerer who died thousands of years ago. He becomes Sukuna’s vessel and tries to keep his friends safe, both from curses and the monster inside of him.

   • Jujutsu Kaisen is known for its villain characters, its incredibly detailed power system, and high-stakes moments.
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   Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba According to Riley, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, who becomes a demon slayer after coming home one day to almost his entire family being slaughtered by demons. His sister Nezuko survives, but becomes a demon herself. After this, he vows to find a cure for his sister and slay demons to protect other families.
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   Hunter x Hunter Hunter x Hunter follows a young boy named Gon Freecss, who strives to become a Hunter (a licensed person who specializes in crazy pursuits, like finding rare or unknown species, treasure hunting, or hunting down criminals) after learning that his estranged father is one. He goes on to pass the Hunter Exam and go on adventures with other Hunters.

   • Along the way, Gon learns about the good and bad parts of being a Hunter, the consequences that come with power, and what happens when morality isn’t always black and white.
   • Hunter x Hunter is known for its mature themes, its deconstruction of the shonen genre, and its iconic power system, Nen, which is well-thought-out, balanced, and full of depth.
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