Gender is somewhat more fluid in these modern times, but some things never change. There are still some that want to be manly men. Smoke cigars, grow an untamed forest of chest hair, do push-ups just for fun sort of manly men. That’s fine. You do you. However, every manly man needs a manly anime they can get behind.

Fist of the North Star

Everything about Fist of the North Star is the pinnacle of manliness, from Kenshiro the main character to the story of revenge and betrayal that it tells. Furthermore, you would be hard pressed to find an episode without an epic fist fight as the post-apocalyptic wasteland is full of conflict. Not only that, but even the villains are manly in one way or another, even the minors ones.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

While things in Jojo can, obviously, take a turn for the bizarre, even the worst member of the Joestar family is a manly man. They are well-muscled, well-groomed, and drawn to be the manliest sons of bitches you will ever see in anime. All you have to do is take one look at the art in Jojo and it tells you all you need to know about what you are about to see. Furthermore, not only is Jojo filled with amazing fights, but it captures a distinct world-trotting adventure vibe that is kind of surprisingly rare in anime.

Baki the Grappler

There are a lot of martial arts shows out there, most of them are fairly manly, but also many are comedies and aimed at a slightly younger audience. Not Baki, though. This martial arts show goes full-on man mode. It is ultra violent and you can practically feel each hit. Plus, throughout are no soft, spongy bodies here, every character is ready to fight.

Berserk

Berserk is all about the struggle. It starts off forging the bonds of brotherhood between a group of mercenaries, then takes a turn off the deep end in one of the most shocking first season conclusions in anime ever. From then on, the series is about something different. It is about what a man (with the manly name of Guts, just by the way) will sacrifice in order to get his vengeance. Spoilers: it’s everything. Body. Mind. Soul. Everything.

Toppa Tengen Gurren Lagann

If you need manly inspiration, Gurren Lagann is the show to watch. While it may go to an extreme that makes it somewhat parody, even so, there is no series that makes you want to beat your chest quite as much as Gurren Lagann does. Some might even get a few not-so-manly tears out of it too, but to be fair, a certain episode is particularly devestating.

Golgo 13

Golgo 13, the titular character, is a man for hire. As such, he is also a man of classic cool. Armed with an assault rifle, a pair of slick shades, and a necessary trench coat, he gets any and every job done with often bloody results. If you need a really gritty anime series with no sort of fluff in sight, this hard-boiled action series is the way to go.

Dragon Ball Z

Though prone the occasional tongue-lashing by their spouses, Dragon Ball Z is all about fighting. Even when not fighting, the series is just gearing up for the next big conflict and the characters are training to become stronger. Though DBZ has shown its age, it has inspired so many people with its fights and its manly characters that fight with honor and perseverance.

Desert Punk

Desert Punk is one of your standard action/comedy hybrids. However, if you aren’t interested in cute girls doing cute things, this is a show for you. It follows a bounty hunter in the post-apocalypse where he does jobs by day and sluts it up by night. What could be a better life? While not as gritty as some other entries, the main character is one of those classic representations of manliness.

Cromartie High School

Who says comedy can’t be manly? In the same vein as Nichijou, Cromartie High School is parody and gag comedy all wrapped up in a testosterone-fueled package. As it follows a school of thugs, there is fighting a-plenty and none of the students are weak unmanly sort of men. It is testosterone parody in its finest and only form.

Rainbow

Due to some of the graphic subject matter, Rainbow may be more of the pinnacle of brotherhood rather than manliness, but it certainly has an array of manly characters too. A group of men bond during their imprisonment, but also use each other to survive it and learn to survive in the world outside.

Bobobo-Bo-Bo-Bobo

Ridiculous? Certainly. However, one of the major jokes in Bobobo is manliness taken to the extreme. While meant to parody this ideal ingrained in anime characters, a parody is still somewhat the truth. In that respect, this could be the manliest anime of all time.

Shigurui

Shigurui is all about determination and struggle. The two main characters literally give everything they have to reach their goals. Despite having disabilities manifested from their desire, they never give in and never give up. Furthermore, as a dark, gritty, and, of course, bloody anime series, it is quite the watch, though very graphic as fighting anime goes.

Hajime no Ippo

As an anime about boxing, the subject matter is already pretty manly, but Hajime no Ippo is all about scrapping and channeling that precious fighting spirit. It is not just about making it through fights with a bit of protagonist-level luck, the show is about training hard and thinking about your opponent just as much as it is about hitting them.

Samurai Kings

Samurai Kings is essentially what everyone thinks the age of the samurai was, even though it definitely was not. However, if you want really good flashy fights between men of varying degrees of honor and nobility, you’ll find nothing better. It does a great job of making the famous names of the age seem larger than life like real immortal heroes.

Redline

A manly man should be able to appreciate how much went into the animation of this movie. However, the real reason to watch is not for the glorious pompadour, but for the surprisingly intense racing action. None of that boring Speed Racer stuff, Redline is pure high octane speed action.

You got a manlier anime that you think needs to be here? Let manly men know in our comments section below.