15 Anime Like One Punch Man: Pick the Right One by What You Liked

The closest anime to One Punch Man is Mob Psycho 100, written by the same author, ONE. If you want more overpowered heroes, watch Saiki K. and Mashle. For parody, watch Gintama and Konosuba. For loud, stylish action, watch Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill and Samurai Champloo. For superhero stories, watch My Hero Academia or Tiger & Bunny.

Updated November 7, 2026.

Table of contents

1. One Punch Man status in 2026
2. What makes a show feel like One Punch Man
3. Comparison table
4. Anime with an overpowered hero
5. Anime for parody and comedy
6. Anime with wild action and style
7. Superhero anime like One Punch Man
8. Which one to watch first
9. Where to watch by region
10. FAQ

One Punch Man status in 2026

One Punch Man is not on a long hiatus anymore. Season 3 aired from October 12 to December 28, 2025, with 12 episodes. After the finale, the production committee announced a second part of Season 3 for 2027. No Season 4 has been announced as of November 2026.

One Punch Man anime seasons

Season	Studio	Aired	Episodes
Season 1	Madhouse	2015	12
Season 2	J.C.Staff	2019	12
Season 3	J.C.Staff	October 12 to December 28, 2025	12
Season 3 Part 2	Announced	2027	Not confirmed

The wait for Part 2 is the best time to pick a second series. The shows below are sorted by the reason you liked Saitama’s story, not by a random ranking.

What makes a show feel like One Punch Man

One Punch Man works because of four things. A good recommendation matches at least one of them.

• An overpowered lead. The hero already wins, so the story is about something else.
• Parody. The series jokes about hero tropes while using them.
• Boredom and meaning. The strongest person alive feels empty, not triumphant.
• Big animation moments. Short fights get huge budgets and sharp direction.

Most lists mix all four together. Picking by trait saves you from watching ten episodes of a show that only matches the poster.

Comparison table: 15 anime like One Punch Man

Anime similar to One Punch Man, compared

Anime	Year	Length	Matches OPM on	Tone
Mob Psycho 100	2016	3 seasons, 37 episodes	Overpowered lead, same author	Comedy and emotional drama
Saiki K.	2016	Short-format episodes, long run	Overpowered lead	Pure comedy
Mashle: Magic and Muscles	2023	2 seasons, 24 episodes	Overpowered lead, parody	Comedy action
Sakamoto Days	2025	Ongoing	Overpowered lead, action	Comedy action
Konosuba	2016	3 seasons, 31 episodes	Parody	Pure comedy
Gintama	2006	300+ episodes	Parody	Comedy with serious arcs
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo	2003	76 episodes	Absurd humor	Pure nonsense
Dandadan	2024	Ongoing	Animation and action	Comedy, horror, romance
Gurren Lagann	2007	27 episodes	Over-the-top action	Hype and drama
Kill la Kill	2013	24 episodes	Parody, action	Loud and stylish
FLCL	2000	6 episodes	Rule-breaking style	Surreal comedy
Samurai Champloo	2004	26 episodes	Style over convention	Cool and laid back
My Hero Academia	2016	8 seasons	Superhero setting	Classic shonen
Tiger & Bunny	2011	25 episodes	Superhero setting	Grounded and serious
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure	2012	Multiple seasons	Distinct identity	Dramatic and strange

Anime like One Punch Man with an overpowered hero

Mob Psycho 100

Mob is a middle school boy with psychic power far above everyone around him. Like Saitama, he deals with what strength cannot fix: fitting in, finding a purpose, being a decent person. ONE wrote both series, and the humor and character writing show it. The studio is different (Bones, not Madhouse), so the art looks nothing like One Punch Man. Give it three episodes. It starts as a comedy and turns into one of the most emotional action anime of the 2010s.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

Saiki is a psychic teenager who wants a normal school life and keeps failing to get one. There are almost no real fights. The overpowered character is used for gags, and the pacing is fast. It suits viewers who enjoyed Saitama’s everyday scenes more than the monster battles.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles

Mash Burnedead lives in a world where magic decides your rank, and he has none. He trains his body until it beats spells anyway. It is the closest match to the “punch solves it” joke and parodies magic school stories the way One Punch Man parodies hero stories.

Sakamoto Days

A legendary hitman retires, opens a convenience store and gains weight, and old enemies still show up. The fights are choreographed with a lot of invention, and the comedy never stops. The studio is TMS Entertainment, and the series started airing in 2025.

If you like characters who are simply better than everyone else, the profile of Tobio Kageyama covers a prodigy from a sports anime, which is a different genre with the same “talent gap” appeal.

Anime for parody and comedy

Gintama

A freelance samurai works odd jobs in an Edo-period Japan occupied by aliens. The show parodies other anime, current events and itself. It is long (300+ episodes), so start with the first season and expect the early episodes to be slower than the later ones. Its serious arcs are among the best in anime, which is why people stay.

Konosuba

A dead teenager is sent to a fantasy world with a useless goddess, a mage who can cast only one spell and a knight with a very specific problem. It parodies isekai the way One Punch Man parodies superheroes. Season 3 aired in 2024.

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

The plot is a man who fights with nose hair. The series has no interest in logic, and the jokes arrive every few seconds. Watch it if One Punch Man was too serious for you. It is older (2003) and the animation is basic, so watch for the humor, not the visuals.

Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu

Genos and Saitama are a serious-and-clueless pair. Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori work the same way. For the comedy side of that pairing, start with Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, the 12-episode comedy spin-off. Watch the original Full Metal Panic! first if you want the full story.

Anime with wild action and style

Gurren Lagann

Two drillers, Simon and Kamina, take on the world with a giant mech and a lot of shouting. It is 27 episodes from Gainax, released in 2007. The action keeps escalating in the same way Saitama’s fights escalate, with no restraint.

Kill la Kill

Ryuko Matoi fights her way through a school run by a dictator, using a giant scissor blade. It is 24 episodes from Studio Trigger, a studio founded by staff who worked on Gurren Lagann. It parodies magical girl stories and does not try to be subtle.

Dandadan

A girl who believes in ghosts and a boy who believes in aliens are both proven right. Science SARU’s animation is among the most inventive of the 2020s, and the series mixes comedy, horror and romance without losing speed. It started in 2024.

FLCL

FLCL (Fooly Cooly) has six episodes. It started in 2000 and aired on Adult Swim in 2003. The story is deliberately strange, so go in for the style and not the plot. It is the shortest option on this list and takes about two and a half hours.

Samurai Champloo

Shinichirō Watanabe, the director of Cowboy Bebop, mixed samurai sword fights with hip-hop. There are 26 episodes. The soundtrack matters as much as the animation, so watch with good audio.

Superhero anime like One Punch Man

My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia follows the conventions One Punch Man ignores. Izuku trains, improves and earns each win. It covers the same hero idea from the opposite direction, and it finished with its eighth season in 2025. If you start it, the profile of Kyoka Jiro is a good read on one of the series’ best supporting characters.

Tiger & Bunny

Heroes are sponsored by companies and work on television. It has 25 episodes and a 2022 sequel. The tone is grounded and serious, so it will not match the comedy of One Punch Man, but the hero-as-job idea is close to the Hero Association.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

JoJo has no connection to One Punch Man in tone, but it shares the same drive to stand apart. Each part has a new cast and style, so you can try one part without committing to the rest.

Which one to watch first

Pick by what you want

If you want	Start with	Why
The nearest match	Mob Psycho 100	Same author, overpowered lead, humor and heart
Laughs only	Saiki K. or Konosuba	Short gags, no heavy story
A short watch	FLCL	Six episodes, finished in one evening
Big fights	Gurren Lagann	Constant escalation
A new series with a modern look	Dandadan or Sakamoto Days	Recent animation, still airing
Superheroes	My Hero Academia	Complete story, easy entry
Something to watch for a long time	Gintama	300+ episodes

If action anime in general is your next step, the shonen anime guide lists where to begin by series type. If you want something lighter between heavy arcs, the Pokémon movies in order make an easy marathon.

Where to watch by region

Streaming rights change by country, so check a tracker such as JustWatch before subscribing. These points hold for One Punch Man Season 3:

• United States: Season 3 streamed on Hulu, with Disney+ also reported.
• UK, Europe and most other regions: Season 3 streamed on Crunchyroll.
• Release pattern: episodes came out weekly on Sundays, in Japan and abroad.

Most shows in this list are on Crunchyroll, Netflix or Prime Video in many countries, but the split differs between France, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Mexico and the UK. Subtitles and dubs also vary, so check the language options on the title page before you start.

FAQ

Is there a One Punch Man Season 4?

No Season 4 has been announced as of November 2026. After the Season 3 finale on December 28, 2025, the production committee announced a second part of Season 3 for 2027.

What is the closest anime to One Punch Man?

Mob Psycho 100. ONE wrote both series, both have a very powerful lead, and both mix comedy with serious character moments. The art style is different.

What are the best funny anime like One Punch Man?

Gintama, Konosuba, Saiki K., Mashle and Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo. Gintama is the longest, and Saiki K. has the shortest episodes.

Which anime like One Punch Man are short?

FLCL has six episodes. Kill la Kill has 24, Samurai Champloo 26, Gurren Lagann 27 and Mashle 24 across two seasons.

Is My Hero Academia similar to One Punch Man?

It has the same subject, heroes, but a different approach. My Hero Academia follows the genre’s usual rules of training and growth. One Punch Man parodies them.

Where can I watch One Punch Man?

Season 3 streamed on Crunchyroll in the UK, Europe and most of the world, and on Hulu in the United States. Availability of earlier seasons depends on your country.

Should I read the manga after Season 3?

You can. The anime adapts the manga by ONE and Yusuke Murata, and the manga is further ahead than the anime, so reading it is the only way to continue the story before Part 2 arrives.

Kyoka Jiro: Quirk, Ear Injury, Profile & Key Moments

Kyoka Jiro (耳郎 響香, Jirō Kyōka) is a Class 1-A student in My Hero Academia whose Quirk, Earphone Jack, lets her hear through surfaces and turn her heartbeat into sound attacks. Her hero name is Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack. She is 15 when the series starts, sings in the class band at the U.A. School Festival, and loses her left Earphone Jack to All For One in manga chapter 355.

Updated: November 2026. Contains spoilers through the manga’s final arc.

Table of contents

1. Kyoka Jiro profile
2. How Earphone Jack works
3. Her named techniques
4. What happens to her ear
5. Key moments by chapter and episode
6. Jiro in the films
7. Family, music and the class band
8. Where to go next
9. FAQ

Who is Kyoka Jiro?

Jiro is a Hero Course student in Class 1-A at U.A. High School. Her parents are both musicians, and she inherited her Quirk from her mother. She chose heroics over a music career, and her parents backed her decision.

Kyoka Jiro at a glance

Detail	Information
Name variants	Kyoka Jiro, Kyouka Jirou, 耳郎 響香
Hero name	Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack
School and class	U.A. High School, Hero Course, Class 1-A
Birthday	August 1
Age	15 at the start of the series, 16 from her first August 1
Height	154 cm
Quirk	Earphone Jack, inherited from her mother
Parents	Kyotoku Jiro (composer) and Mika Jiro (musician)
Voice actors	Kei Shindō (Japanese), Trina Nishimura (English)
Internships	Death Arms, then Gang Orca alongside Mezo Shoji
Band role	Vocals and bass

How does Earphone Jack work?

Earphone Jack gives Jiro long earlobes shaped like audio cables, each ending in a plug. She can push the plugs into walls, floors or objects to pick up vibrations, and she can plug them into her speaker gear to turn her own heartbeat into sound.

The hearing side is the part she uses most. She finds opponents in the Battle Trial, counts hostages in a rescue, and tells her team when something large, such as Gigantomachia, is approaching. She can also use the plugs as a physical weapon, which she does when she stops Mineta peeking in the girls’ locker room.

Her limits are sound-based too. Against Present Mic’s Quirk in the first-term final exam, her ears bleed even while she cancels part of his sound with her own. Her heavy attacks also need her to stay in place and brace for the recoil.

What are Kyoka Jiro’s named techniques?

Her four named techniques all run through her costume’s amplifiers: boots early on, then headphones and wrist amps added in chapter 101.

Kyoka Jiro’s techniques

Technique	What it does	First seen
Heartbeat Distortion	Sends a shockwave of amplified heartbeat; used to deflect attacks and to break a bridge in Heroes: Rising	Chapter 104, episode 54
Heartbeat Surround	Wide sound attack that stuns opponents	Chapter 208, episode 97
Heartbeat Wall	A barrier of sound waves that pushes back an attacker	Chapter 319
Heartbeat Surround: Legato	Her strongest Ultimate Move, fired with her single remaining jack against All For One	Chapter 355

What happens to Kyoka Jiro’s ear?

All For One blows off her left Earphone Jack and ear in manga chapter 355, during the Final War. The anime shows it in Season 7. She keeps fighting with her right jack and survives the war.

Jiro’s injuries in order

Event	Injury
First-term final exam (chapters 60–66)	Ears bleed against Present Mic; she recovers
Provisional Hero License Exam (chapters 104–114)	Left ear and one arm amp damaged by an enemy Quirk; she passes the exam
Paranormal Liberation War (chapters 278–303)	Dabi’s flames hit her jack, leaving a burn scar
Final War (chapter 355)	Left jack and ear blown off by All For One

Will Jiro get her ear back? The manga does not show it restored after chapter 355. She appears as a pro hero in the chapter 430 epilogue, and some fan wikis describe a prosthetic replacement, so check that chapter for the exact design.

Which chapters and episodes feature Jiro most?

Her biggest scenes are the Present Mic exam, the School Festival and the Final War. Episode numbers below are the anime’s overall numbering.

Key Jiro moments

Moment	Manga chapters	Anime episodes
Battle Trial with Kaminari	8–11	6–8
U.S.J. attack, Mountain Zone with Momo and Kaminari	14–20	10–13
Chooses the hero name Earphone Jack	45	26
Final exam against Present Mic with Koji Koda	60–66	34–36
Provisional Hero License Exam	102–114	53–60
U.A. School Festival band	169–182	81–86
Joint Training against Class 1-B	207–209	97
Paranormal Liberation War, Gigantomachia trap	273–283	119–122
Dark Hero arc, Heartbeat Wall against Deku	319–327	Later seasons
Final War, loses her left jack	354–356	Season 7

Two internship stories exist only in the anime: her training under Death Arms in episodes 27 and 32.

Does Jiro appear in the My Hero Academia movies?

Yes, in three of them. She has a supporting role in each.

Jiro in the films

Film	Year	Her role
Two Heroes	2018	Uses Earphone Jack on I-Island to learn about the hostage situation, and helps the group climb the tower
Heroes: Rising	2019	Finds a lost boy on Nabu Island, then holds off Nine with Mashirao Ojiro and destroys a bridge with Heartbeat Distortion
World Heroes’ Mission	2021	Works in the Japan Task Force with Gang Orca and Shoji, searching for Trigger Bombs

Why did Jiro choose heroics, and who is in the class band?

Jiro grew up around music but wanted to work as a hero. Her parents accepted that choice. Her father, who had cheered for All Might on TV, is shown to be proud of it. At the School Festival she sings for the whole class, and the performance is the high point of her early story.

Class 1-A band at the U.A. School Festival

Member	Role
Kyoka Jiro	Vocals and bass, band leader
Momo Yaoyorozu	Piano
Katsuki Bakugo	Drums
Denki Kaminari	Guitar
Fumikage Tokoyami	Guitar

Her dorm room shows the same taste: instruments, records and rock decor fill it, and her classmates see it in chapter 99. For a way to bring that look into a real room, see anime apartment decor.

What should you watch or read after Jiro’s story?

If you are still choosing a first series, the shonen anime guide compares episode counts and filler across the major titles. For a film-by-film franchise with a clear order, try the Pokémon movies in order.

Kyoka Jiro FAQ

How old is Kyoka Jiro?

She is 15 when My Hero Academia starts and turns 16 on August 1 of her first year at U.A.

What is Kyoka Jiro’s Quirk?

Earphone Jack. Her earlobes are cable-like and end in plugs that detect vibrations and carry her amplified heartbeat as sound. She inherited it from her mother.

Does Kyoka Jiro die in My Hero Academia?

No. She survives the Final War and appears as a pro hero in the epilogue.

Which chapter does Jiro lose her ear?

Chapter 355. All For One blows off her left Earphone Jack during the Final War, and the anime shows the scene in Season 7.

Does Jiro have better hearing than normal?

Yes, when her jacks are plugged into a surface. They pick up vibrations she can use to locate people, count hostages and spot approaching threats.

Who voices Kyoka Jiro?

Kei Shindō voices her in Japanese and Trina Nishimura voices her in the English dub.

Which episodes show the Class 1-A band?

Episodes 81 to 86 of the anime cover the U.A. School Festival, which matches manga chapters 169 to 182.

Online Casino Licences: How to Check If They're Legal

Image Credit: Clari Massimiliano/Shutterstock

A casino licence shows that a regulator authorised an operator to offer casino games, but it only protects you if the licence is real, covers your country and appears on the regulator’s own register. In France, online casino games such as slots, roulette and blackjack are banned, so no foreign licence makes a casino site legal for French players.

Updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Gambling rules change, so confirm them on your national regulator’s website.

Table of contents

1. What a casino licence proves
2. Are online casinos legal where you live?
3. Which licences carry weight?
4. How to check a casino licence
5. What SSL, seals and certificates prove
6. How your money is protected
7. What RTP means
8. Red flags
9. If a casino does not pay
10. Limits and self-exclusion
11. FAQ

What does an online casino licence prove?

A licence proves that a regulator reviewed the operator and gave it permission to offer gambling under that regulator’s rules. It can also give you a complaint route and a body that can fine or suspend the operator.

It does not prove that the licence covers your country, that the site you are on belongs to the licensed company, or that withdrawals are quick. Those three points are what the checks below cover.

Are online casinos legal where you live?

It depends on the country. Some countries issue local licences, some run a state monopoly, and some ban online casino games. A foreign licence does not override local law.

Online casino rules in French-speaking markets and major licensing countries

Country or region	Regulator	Online casino games	Where to verify
France	Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ)	Banned. Licences cover only sports betting, horse-race betting and poker.	ANJ lists of authorised and blocked sites
Belgium	Commission des jeux de hasard / Gaming Commission	Legal only with a Belgian A+ licence, which only holders of a land-based casino licence can obtain.	Gaming Commission licence list and blacklist
Switzerland	Federal Gaming Board (ESBK/CFMJ) and Gespa	Legal only through licensed Swiss land-based casinos. Foreign sites are blocked. Lotteries and sports betting are run by Swisslos and Loterie Romande.	ESBK and Gespa lists of authorised and blocked sites
Québec (Canada)	Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ)	Espacejeux, run by Loto-Québec, is the only provincially authorised site. Offshore sites accept Québec players without a Québec authorisation.	Loto-Québec and RACJ
Ontario (Canada)	iGaming Ontario and the AGCO	Legal with an Ontario-registered operator.	iGaming Ontario operator list
United Kingdom	UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)	Legal with a UKGC licence.	UKGC public register

French authorities state that a foreign licence, a site in French or technical access from France does not count as French approval. Belgian and Swiss regulators publish their own blocklists for the same reason.

Which online casino licences carry weight?

No single licence is safe in every country. The UKGC and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) are the best-known international licences, and Curaçao changed its system in 2024. A licence from your own country’s regulator matters more than any of them.

Common casino licences compared

Licence	Issued by	What to know
UK Gambling Commission	UKGC, Great Britain	Since 31 October 2025, licensees must prompt customers to set a limit before the first deposit and must label customer funds as not protected, medium protection or high protection.
Malta Gaming Authority	MGA, Malta	Widely used by operators serving Europe. An MGA licence is not valid in countries that require their own licence, such as France or Belgium.
Curaçao	Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA)	The National Ordinance on Games of Chance took effect on 24 December 2024. It ended the master and sub-licence system, and operators now apply to the CGA directly. Check the licence status, because provisional licences were issued during the changeover.
National regulators	ANJ, Belgian Gaming Commission, ESBK, RACJ and others	These decide what is legal for residents of their country, whatever licence a site displays.

How do you check an online casino licence?

Match the licence number in the site’s footer against the regulator’s own register. Six steps cover it:

1. Note the operator’s legal company name, licence number and licensing body from the site footer.
2. Type the regulator’s web address yourself, for example gamblingcommission.gov.uk or mga.org.mt, instead of clicking the badge on the casino site.
3. Search the register for that number and confirm four details: company name, licence number, status (active, not suspended) and licence type (consumer-facing casino, not a software supplier).
4. Compare the casino’s web address with the domains listed on the register, where the regulator publishes them. Clone sites copy the branding of licensed operators.
5. Check your country’s authorised and blocked lists using the table above. If your country bans online casinos, stop here.
6. Read the withdrawal, identity-check and bonus terms before depositing. If you play, start with a small amount and request a withdrawal early to see how the process works.

For a general checklist on payments, support and complaints, see Casino.org’s guide to choosing a safe and legitimate online casino.

Do SSL, seals and certificates prove a casino is safe?

No. The padlock in your browser only shows that your connection is encrypted. Scammers can install an SSL certificate in minutes, so it says nothing about the operator.

What each trust signal proves

Signal	What it proves	What it does not prove
Licence number on the regulator’s register	The operator holds that licence, with the status shown	That the licence covers your country
Padlock / HTTPS	Your connection to the site is encrypted	That the operator is licensed or pays out
Licence badge in the footer	Nothing until matched to a register entry	Anything, since images can be copied
RNG test certificate (eCOGRA, iTech Labs, BMM Testlabs, GLI)	A lab tested the game software	That the certificate is current or covers every game. Confirm on the lab’s own site.
Player reviews	Individual experiences	A fair sample, since reviews can be paid for or fake

How is your money protected at an online casino?

It depends on the regulator. Under UKGC rules, operators must tell customers whether funds are not protected, have medium protection or have high protection if the company becomes insolvent. Operators with unprotected funds must repeat that warning every six months.

Under most other regimes you rely on the terms and conditions. Look for a statement that player money is held separately from company money, and treat a missing statement as a warning sign.

What does RTP mean?

RTP (return to player) is the share of all money wagered that a game pays back on average over a very large number of rounds. A 96% RTP means the casino keeps about €4 of every €100 staked in the long run.

It does not describe a single session. In one evening you can lose everything on a 97% game or win big on a 92% game. RTP also says nothing about whether the operator pays withdrawals.

Which red flags mean you should stop?

• The site asks for card details, ID or passwords by email or chat.
• No company name, licence number or registered address in the footer.
• The licence number is missing from the register, or belongs to a different company or domain.
• The domain looks like a licensed brand with a changed spelling or extension.
• Withdrawal fees, new identity demands after you win, or bonus terms that appear only after you deposit.
• Payment only in cryptocurrency, with no other option.
• Support that exists only on messaging apps and never answers in writing.

What can you do if a casino does not pay?

Complain in writing to the operator first and keep every message. If that fails, use the route that fits the licence:

• UK licensees must give access to an approved alternative dispute resolution provider, then you can contact the UKGC.
• Licensed operators in France, Belgium, Switzerland or Québec answer to ANJ, the Gaming Commission, ESBK or Gespa, and RACJ respectively.
• Offshore operators leave you few options. Ask your card issuer about dispute rights, since outcomes vary.

How do limits and self-exclusion work?

Set a deposit limit before your first deposit and keep gambling money separate from everyday money. If gambling stops being fun, use the exclusion system in your country, such as GamStop in the UK, EPIS in Belgium or the interdiction volontaire de jeux managed by ANJ in France. Contact a national helpline if you need support.

Online casino licence FAQ

Are online casinos legal in France?

No. French law allows online sports betting, horse-race betting and poker through ANJ-approved operators. Online slots, roulette and blackjack are prohibited, and a foreign licence does not change that.

Is a Curaçao licence safe?

Since 24 December 2024 the Curaçao Gaming Authority issues licences directly, and the old master and sub-licence system is gone. That is stricter than before, but a Curaçao licence does not make a site legal in France, Belgium or Switzerland, so check your own country first.

How do I know if a casino licence is real?

Find the licence number in the site footer, then search for it on the regulator’s own website. The company name, status and licence type must match what the casino shows.

Does a padlock or SSL certificate make a casino safe?

No. It only means the connection between your device and the site is encrypted. It does not show that the operator is licensed or honest.

Which casino licence is the safest?

The most reliable licence is the one issued by the regulator of your own country. The UKGC and MGA are widely respected internationally, but neither makes a site legal where local licensing is required.

Can a licensed casino still refuse to pay?

Yes. A licence gives you a complaint route, not a payout guarantee. Disputes often come from bonus terms or identity checks, so read both before depositing.

What does a 96% RTP mean?

It means that across a very large number of bets the game pays back about €96 of every €100 staked. Results in a single session can be far above or below that figure.

Shonen Anime Explained: Meaning, Magazines, Sub-Genres and Where to Start

Shonen (少年) is a Japanese publishing label for manga and anime aimed at boys aged roughly 12 to 18. A series counts as shonen because of the magazine that runs it, not because of its content or who actually reads it. By that rule, Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, Haikyu!! and Attack on Titan are all shonen.

Updated: November 2026

Table of contents

1. What does shonen mean?
2. Shonen vs shojo, seinen, josei and kodomo
3. How to tell if a series is shonen
4. Famous anime that are not shonen
5. Shonen sub-genres
6. Which shonen to start with
7. How long each major shonen takes to finish
8. Filler: which shonen have the most
9. Newer shonen that many lists skip
10. Shonen titles in other countries
11. Where to watch shonen legally
12. Shonen FAQ

What does shonen mean?

Shonen is written 少年 in Japanese and means “boy” or “young person.” Publishers use it as a demographic tag that tells bookstores and magazines who a series is for. The manga category is called 少年漫画 (shōnen manga), and the anime adaptation inherits the label.

The editors of Weekly Shonen Jump have long built stories around three ideas: friendship, effort and victory. Most shonen plots follow from them: a hero trains, gains allies, loses a fight, trains again and wins.

Is shonen only for boys? No. The label describes the magazine’s target readers, not its real audience. Series such as Haikyu!! and Demon Slayer are followed by viewers of every gender and age.

What is the difference between shonen, shojo, seinen, josei and kodomo?

The five labels split Japanese manga by age and gender of the intended reader. Shonen targets teenage boys, seinen targets adult men, and kodomo targets young children.

Manga demographic labels

Label	Japanese	Target reader	Examples
Kodomo	子供	Young children	Pokémon, Doraemon
Shonen	少年	Boys, about 12–18	One Piece, Naruto, Haikyu!!
Shojo	少女	Girls, about 12–18	Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket
Seinen	青年	Men, 18 and older	Berserk, Monster
Josei	女性	Women, 18 and older	Nana, Chihayafuru

Violence and dark themes do not decide the label. Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man are graphic, and both are still shonen because of where they were published.

How can you tell if a series is shonen?

Check the magazine where the manga first appeared. Four publishers run most of the major shonen magazines.

Main shonen magazines and their series

Magazine	Publisher	Launched	Series
Weekly Shonen Jump	Shueisha	1968	Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Hunter × Hunter, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Haikyu!!, Black Clover, Jujutsu Kaisen
Shonen Jump+ (app)	Shueisha	2014	Spy x Family, Dandadan, Chainsaw Man (Part 2)
Weekly Shonen Magazine	Kodansha	1959	Fairy Tail, Tokyo Revengers, Blue Lock
Bessatsu Shonen Magazine	Kodansha	2009	Attack on Titan
Weekly Shonen Sunday	Shogakukan	1959	Detective Conan, Inuyasha, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Monthly Shonen Gangan	Square Enix	1991	Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater

Weekly Shonen Jump peaked at about 6.5 million copies a week in the mid-1990s. That reach is why Jump titles fill almost every shonen ranking.

Which famous anime are not shonen?

Pokémon is kodomo, Berserk is seinen, and Code Geass has no official label at all. Fans often group these with shonen because they share its fights, rivalries and power systems.

Titles often mislabeled as shonen

Title	Label	Reason
Pokémon	Kodomo	Made for young children. See the Pokémon movies in release order.
Code Geass	None (original anime)	Sunrise made it as an original anime, with no source magazine to assign a label. “Shonen” here is a fan label.
Berserk	Seinen	Published in Young Animal for adult readers.
Attack on Titan	Shonen	Ran in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine despite its graphic content.
Chainsaw Man	Shonen	Part 1 ran in Weekly Shonen Jump, Part 2 on Shonen Jump+.

What are the sub-genres of shonen?

Shonen splits into battle, adventure, sports, fantasy, supernatural, science and comedy. One series can sit in two of them.

Shonen sub-genres with examples

Sub-genre	What it covers	Series
Battle	Tournaments, rivals, power levels	Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, Jujutsu Kaisen
Adventure	Journeys, exploration, crews	One Piece, Hunter × Hunter, Fullmetal Alchemist
Sports	Teams, match-by-match arcs	Haikyu!!, Kuroko’s Basketball, Blue Lock
Fantasy and magic	Guilds, spells, kingdoms	Fairy Tail, Black Clover, Frieren
Supernatural	Spirits, demons, curses	Yu Yu Hakusho, Demon Slayer, Soul Eater, Mob Psycho 100
Science and mystery	Experiments, detectives, puzzles	Dr. Stone, Detective Conan
Comedy	Gag-driven or family stories	Gintama, Spy x Family

Sports shonen builds each season around a few players. Tobio Kageyama’s profile, skills and timeskip shows how Haikyu!! develops one character over several seasons, and Anri Teieri’s role and age in Blue Lock covers one of the support staff behind the football project.

Which shonen should you start with?

Start with Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood if you want one finished story. Start with Haikyu!! for sports, Demon Slayer for modern animation and Hunter × Hunter for strategy.

First shonen to watch, by what you want

If you want	Start with	Why it works as a first pick
One complete story, little filler	Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood	64 episodes that follow the manga to its ending
Sports drama	Haikyu!!	85 episodes, clear rules, one match arc at a time
Football with a mental edge	Blue Lock	Two seasons, 38 episodes
Modern animation, short first season	Demon Slayer	Season 1 is 26 episodes; films and later seasons continue the story
Strategy and mystery	Hunter × Hunter (2011)	148 episodes with almost no filler
Comedy with supernatural action	Mob Psycho 100	37 episodes over three seasons, finished
Classic fighting shonen	Dragon Ball Z	291 episodes; Dragon Ball Z Kai is the shorter cut with less filler
School hero story	My Hero Academia	More than 150 episodes with a steady power curve

How long does each major shonen take to finish?

Under 70 episodes takes about 28 hours at 24 minutes per episode. One Piece, at more than 1,100 episodes, takes over 440 hours.

Anime episode counts grouped by length

Length	Series (anime episodes)	Approx. watch time
Under 70 episodes	Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (64), Soul Eater (51), Blue Lock (38), Mob Psycho 100 (37), Demon Slayer season 1 (26)	Under 28 hours
70–150 episodes	Kuroko’s Basketball (75), Haikyu!! (85), Yu Yu Hakusho (112), Hunter × Hunter 2011 (148)	28–60 hours
150–400 episodes	Black Clover (170), Naruto (220), Dragon Ball Z (291), Fairy Tail (328), Bleach (366, plus Thousand-Year Blood War)	60–160 hours
Over 400 episodes	Naruto Shippuden (500), One Piece (1,100+)	160 hours or more

Which shonen have the most filler?

Naruto, Bleach and Fairy Tail have the longest filler stretches. Filler means anime-original episodes that do not come from the manga. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Hunter × Hunter (2011), Demon Slayer and Haikyu!! follow their manga closely.

The 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime leaves the manga halfway through and ends differently, so Brotherhood is the version to pick for the original story. Before starting any series over 100 episodes, check a filler guide such as Anime Filler List.

Which newer shonen do most lists skip?

Six series from the last few years are often missing from shonen rankings:

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Weekly Shonen Jump, supernatural battle; the manga finished in 2024.
• Spy x Family: Shonen Jump+, a spy, an assassin and a telepath posing as a family.
• Dr. Stone: Weekly Shonen Jump, rebuilding civilization with science after humanity is turned to stone.
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End: Weekly Shonen Sunday, a fantasy that starts after the hero party has already won.
• Chainsaw Man: Weekly Shonen Jump and Shonen Jump+, dark action with a devil-hunter lead.
• Dandadan: Shonen Jump+, aliens and ghosts in a high-school comedy.

What are shonen anime called in other countries?

Older shonen aired under local names in many countries, so a search for the Japanese or English title can miss the series you remember. Titles vary by broadcaster and dub.

Shonen title names by market

Series	Japan	France	Spain	Latin America	Brazil	Italy
Captain Tsubasa	Captain Tsubasa	Olive et Tom	Oliver y Benji	Supercampeones	Super Campeões	Holly e Benji
Saint Seiya	Saint Seiya	Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque	Los Caballeros del Zodiaco	Los Caballeros del Zodiaco	Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco	I Cavalieri dello zodiaco
Dragon Ball	Doragon Bōru	Dragon Ball	Bola de Dragón	Dragon Ball	Dragon Ball	Dragon Ball
Attack on Titan	Shingeki no Kyojin	L’Attaque des Titans	Ataque a los Titanes	Ataque a los Titanes	Ataque dos Titãs	L’attacco dei giganti

Where can you watch shonen legally?

Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Disney+ hold most shonen licences, and the split differs by country. Catalogues change month to month, so check a tracker such as JustWatch for the title in your region.

In Japan, ABEMA, U-NEXT and d Anime Store carry large shonen catalogues. In much of Southeast Asia, Ani-One Asia and Muse Asia post licensed series on YouTube, often free with ads.

Shonen FAQ

What does shonen mean?

Shonen (少年) means “boy” or “young person” in Japanese. In manga and anime it labels series aimed at boys aged about 12 to 18.

Is shonen only for boys?

No. The label names the magazine’s target readers, not the actual audience. Viewers of all ages and genders watch shonen.

What is the difference between shonen and seinen?

Shonen targets teenage boys and centers on a hero’s growth through effort and friendship. Seinen targets men 18 and older and usually has more mature themes and slower, more realistic storytelling.

What are the Big Three shonen?

Naruto, Bleach and One Piece are known as the Big Three of 2000s shonen, based on their popularity in Weekly Shonen Jump. Fans sometimes add Dragon Ball or Hunter × Hunter.

Is Attack on Titan shonen?

Yes. It ran in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine from Kodansha, so it carries the shonen label despite its graphic content.

Is Pokémon shonen?

No. Pokémon is kodomo, made for young children. Fans often group it with shonen because of its battles and training plots. Our Pokémon movies guide lists the films in release order.

Is Code Geass shonen?

It has no official label. Code Geass began as an original anime rather than a magazine manga, so calling it shonen is a fan convention.

What is the best shonen to start with?

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the safest first pick: 64 episodes, a complete story and almost no filler. Haikyu!! suits sports fans and Demon Slayer suits viewers who want recent animation.

Pokémon Movies in Order: All 23 Films, Watch Order and What’s Next

There are 23 animated Pokémon movies, from Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998) to Secrets of the Jungle (2020), and a 24th, Pokémon: Wild Card, is due in 2027. Watch them in release order. Movies 1 to 19 follow the same Ash and Pikachu as the TV anime and work as side stories, while movies 20 to 23 are a separate continuity. Pokémon: 4Ever is coming to Blu-ray from VIZ Media on January 5, 2027. Last updated: November 7, 2026.

Table of contents

1. Every Pokémon movie in release order
2. Do you have to watch the Pokémon movies in order, and are they canon?
3. Which Pokémon movies are remakes or retellings?
4. Which movie features which legendary Pokémon?
5. What is Pokémon: 4Ever and when is the Blu-ray out?
6. What is Pokémon: Wild Card?
7. Is Detective Pikachu part of the anime movies?
8. Where can you watch the Pokémon movies?
9. Pokémon movies FAQ

Every Pokémon movie in release order

The 23 animated films run from 1998 to 2020. Years in the table are the original Japanese release years, and English-language releases often came a year or more later.

All 23 animated Pokémon movies (Japanese release years)

#	Movie	Year	Era	Story in one line
1	Pokémon: The First Movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back	1998	Original series	Ash and friends are invited to New Island, where the cloned Pokémon of Mewtwo wait.
2	Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One	1999	Original series	A collector captures the legendary birds and upsets the balance of the world, until Lugia steps in.
3	Pokémon 3: The Movie, Spell of the Unown	2000	Original series	The Unown create an Entei for a lonely girl, and Ash’s mother is caught inside their crystal tower.
4	Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi, Voice of the Forest	2001	Original series	Celebi pulls a boy from the past into the future while the Iron-Masked Marauder hunts it.
5	Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias	2002	Original series	Ash protects Latios, Latias and the Soul Dew in the canal city of Alto Mare.
6	Jirachi: Wish Maker	2003	Advanced Generation	Max befriends Jirachi, which wakes for only seven days every thousand years.
7	Destiny Deoxys	2004	Advanced Generation	Deoxys and Rayquaza clash over a high-tech city.
8	Lucario and the Mystery of Mew	2005	Advanced Generation	Ash wakes the sealed Aura Guardian Lucario to rescue Pikachu from Mew.
9	Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea	2006	Advanced Generation	Ash and a Ranger guard Manaphy on its way to the Sea Temple.
10	The Rise of Darkrai	2007	Diamond and Pearl	Dialga and Palkia fight in the real world, and Darkrai becomes a town’s unlikely protector.
11	Giratina and the Sky Warrior	2008	Diamond and Pearl	Shaymin joins Ash and Dawn as Giratina is dragged out of the Reverse World.
12	Arceus and the Jewel of Life	2009	Diamond and Pearl	Ash travels back in time to fix a broken promise between Arceus and a town.
13	Zoroark: Master of Illusions	2010	Diamond and Pearl	Zoroark’s illusions threaten Crown City while a businessman chases the legendary beasts.
14	Victini and Zekrom / Victini and Reshiram	2011	Black and White	Two Japanese versions of one film, set in the Kingdom of the Vale.
15	Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice	2012	Black and White	Keldeo and the Swords of Justice face Kyurem.
16	Genesect and the Legend Awakened	2013	Black and White / XY	A group of Genesect clashes with Mewtwo in New Tork City.
17	Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction	2014	XY	Ash helps Diancie create a new Heart Diamond while Yveltal awakens.
18	Hoopa and the Clash of Ages	2015	XY	Hoopa’s rings summon legendary Pokémon and set off a battle of legends.
19	Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel	2016	XY	Ash is chained to Volcanion while they rescue the artificial Pokémon Magearna.
20	Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!	2017	Alternate continuity	A retelling of Ash and Pikachu’s first journey, with new companions and a chase after Ho-Oh.
21	Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us	2018	Alternate continuity	A seaside wind festival goes wrong, and locals work with Ash to save the city, with help from Lugia.
22	Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Evolution	2019	Alternate continuity	A CG remake of the first movie.
23	Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle	2020	Alternate continuity	Ash meets Koko, a boy raised by Zarude in the jungle.

Do you have to watch the Pokémon movies in order, and are they canon?

No, you do not have to watch them in order, because almost every film stands on its own. The first 19 movies feature the same Ash and Pikachu as the TV anime and are side stories that fit between episodes, so they are loosely tied to the series but not required viewing. Movies 20 to 23 are set in their own continuity, starting with I Choose You!, which retells Ash’s first days as a trainer.

If you want a simple path, watch 1 to 19 in release order, then 20 to 23 as a second group. Many of the early films also played in theaters with a short Pikachu film, for example Pikachu’s PikaBoo with 4Ever.

Which Pokémon movies are remakes or retellings?

Two are. I Choose You! (2017) retells Ash and Pikachu’s first journey, and Mewtwo Strikes Back, Evolution (2019) is a CG remake of the very first film. Both sit in the alternate continuity group rather than the original one.

Retellings and remakes

Movie	What it redoes	Group
I Choose You! (2017)	Ash and Pikachu’s first journey, with new companions	Alternate continuity
Mewtwo Strikes Back, Evolution (2019)	Movie 1, rebuilt in CG animation	Alternate continuity

Which movie features which legendary Pokémon?

Almost every film is built around one legendary or Mythical Pokémon. Use this table to find the movie for a specific Pokémon.

Legendary and Mythical Pokémon by movie

Pokémon	Movie (number)
Mewtwo	The First Movie (1), Evolution (22), and Genesect and the Legend Awakened (16)
Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres	The Power of One (2); Lugia also helps in The Power of Us (21)
Entei and the Unown	Spell of the Unown (3)
Celebi	4Ever (4); it also appears in Zoroark: Master of Illusions (13)
Latios and Latias	Pokémon Heroes (5)
Jirachi	Wish Maker (6)
Deoxys and Rayquaza	Destiny Deoxys (7)
Lucario and Mew	Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (8)
Manaphy	Temple of the Sea (9)
Dialga, Palkia and Darkrai	The Rise of Darkrai (10)
Giratina and Shaymin	Giratina and the Sky Warrior (11)
Arceus	Arceus and the Jewel of Life (12)
Zoroark	Master of Illusions (13)
Victini, Zekrom and Reshiram	Victini and Zekrom / Reshiram (14)
Kyurem and the Swords of Justice	Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (15)
Genesect	Genesect and the Legend Awakened (16)
Diancie and Yveltal	Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (17)
Hoopa	Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (18)
Volcanion and Magearna	Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (19)
Ho-Oh	I Choose You! (20)
Zarude	Secrets of the Jungle (23)

What is Pokémon: 4Ever and when is the Blu-ray out?

Pokémon 4Ever is the fourth animated Pokémon movie, released in Japan in 2001 as Celebi: A Timeless Encounter. VIZ Media announced on November 4, 2026 that it is coming to Blu-ray in North America on January 5, 2027.

In the film, Ash, Misty and Brock meet Sam, a boy Celebi carried forty years into the future. The Iron-Masked Marauder, a Team Rocket member, hunts Celebi with Dark Balls that turn Pokémon evil, and Suicune also plays a part. It reached North American theaters through Miramax the following year.

What is Pokémon: Wild Card?

Pokémon: Wild Card is the next animated Pokémon movie, announced on August 30–31, 2026 at the closing ceremony of the Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. It follows a Pokémon Trading Card Game player and their partner Mimikyu, and it is set for a worldwide release starting in 2027. An exact date has not been announced.

• First in years: it is the first new animated Pokémon movie since Secrets of the Jungle in 2020.
• New studio: CloverWorks is animating it, instead of the studio behind the earlier films.
• New focus: it is built around the Trading Card Game rather than a trainer’s journey.

Is Detective Pikachu part of the anime movies?

No. Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) is a live-action film, separate from the animated series and movies, and you can watch it without seeing anything else. Ryan Reynolds voices Pikachu, and the story follows Tim Goodman as he looks for his missing father in Ryme City.

Where can you watch the Pokémon movies?

Streaming rights for the Pokémon movies differ by country and change often, so there is no single service that has all 23. In the US, some films stream on Netflix or Hulu while others are only available to rent or buy digitally. Secrets of the Jungle, for example, has been on Netflix in the UK. Check the official where-to-watch page on pokemon.com or a tool like JustWatch for your country.

In August 2026, Disney+ announced a global distribution deal with The Pokémon Company International. It covers the series Pokémon the Series: The Beginning and a new stop-motion series planned for 2027. The announcement did not list the movies.

Pokémon movies FAQ

How many Pokémon movies are there?

There are 23 animated Pokémon movies, from Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1998 to Secrets of the Jungle in 2020. Pokémon: Wild Card, due in 2027, will be the 24th.

What is the first Pokémon movie?

The first is Pokémon: The First Movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back, released in Japan in 1998. A CG remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back, Evolution, came out in 2019.

What is the newest Pokémon movie?

The latest released animated movie is Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (2020). The next one, Pokémon: Wild Card, is set for 2027.

Do you need to watch the Pokémon movies in order?

No. Each movie is mostly a standalone story, so you can watch them in any order. Release order is the simplest way to follow the franchise.

Are the Pokémon movies canon to the anime?

Movies 1 to 19 feature the same Ash and Pikachu as the TV anime and work as side stories between episodes. Movies 20 to 23 are set in their own continuity.

Is Detective Pikachu one of the Pokémon movies?

It is a Pokémon movie, but it is live-action and separate from the 23 animated films. It can be watched on its own.

When does Pokémon: 4Ever come out on Blu-ray?

VIZ Media says the Blu-ray releases on January 5, 2027.

When does Pokémon: Wild Card come out?

It is scheduled for a worldwide release starting in 2027, and no exact date has been announced. CloverWorks is animating it.

Tobio Kageyama in Haikyu!!: Profile, Skills, Nickname and Timeskip Career

Tobio Kageyama (影山 飛雄) is the starting setter of Karasuno High’s volleyball club and the deuteragonist of Haikyu!!, the Haruichi Furudate series. He was born on December 22, is 15 at the start of the story, wears number 9, and is nicknamed "King of the Court." After the timeskip he joins Japan’s national team, plays in the V.League and later moves to Ali Roma in Italy. Kaito Ishikawa voices him in Japanese.

Table of contents

1. Who is Tobio Kageyama in Haikyu!!?
2. Kageyama profile: age, birthday, height and number
3. Why is Kageyama called the King of the Court?
4. What are Kageyama’s skills and stats?
5. How does Kageyama change during the series?
6. Who are Kageyama’s key relationships?
7. What happens to Kageyama after the timeskip? (spoilers)
8. Who voices Kageyama?
9. Where can you watch Kageyama in the anime?
10. Is KageHina canon?
11. Tobio Kageyama FAQ

Who is Tobio Kageyama in Haikyu!!?

Kageyama is a first-year student at Karasuno High School and the team’s starting setter. He shares the lead with Shoyo Hinata, and the series follows their move from rivals to partners. Haikyu!! ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2012 to July 2020.

He is not the usual sports-anime hero. He is blunt, intense and a perfectionist, and much of his arc is about learning to set for the people who hit his passes instead of demanding that they keep up.

Kageyama profile: age, birthday, height and number

Kageyama is 15 at the start of the series, was born on December 22, 1996, and is listed at 180.6 cm in April of his first year and 181.9 cm by November. He weighs 66.3 kg and wears number 9. Profile data comes from the series’ official character data as listed on MyAnimeList and fan wikis.

Tobio Kageyama character profile

Japanese name	影山 飛雄 (Kageyama Tobio)
Birthday	December 22 (Capricorn)
Age at start	15
Height	180.6 cm (5'11") in April, 181.9 cm (5'11.6") in November
Weight	66.3 kg (146 lb)
Team	Karasuno High (former: Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High)
Position and number	Setter, #9
Favorite food	Pork curry with a soft-boiled egg
Japanese voice actor	Kaito Ishikawa
English voice actor	Scott Gibbs

Fan sites list him at about 188 cm as a pro player after the timeskip. That figure is not part of his high school profile.

Why is Kageyama called the King of the Court?

"King of the Court" was an insult. His teammates at Kitagawa Daiichi gave him the name in late middle school because he gave orders and set the ball without regard for what his hitters could actually do. In a key match, his own teammates refused to hit his tosses, and the team lost.

Kageyama’s nicknames

Nickname	Given by	Meaning
King of the Court	Kitagawa Daiichi teammates	Mocking name for his domineering style
Bakageyama	Hinata	"Baka" (idiot) joined to his surname
Tobio-chan	Oikawa	A teasing, condescending pet name

His name carries a contrast. In 飛雄 (Tobio), the characters suggest "fly" and "hero," while 影山 (Kageyama) means "shadow mountain."

What are Kageyama’s skills and stats?

Kageyama is a setter, the player who touches the ball second and decides which hitter gets it. His official stats are 5 out of 5 in stamina, intellect and technique, and 4 out of 5 in power, jump and speed. He is best known for pinpoint tosses, the quick attack with Hinata, and a strong jump serve as anri teieri blue lock.

Kageyama’s official stats (high school, out of 5)

Stat	Score	What it shows
Power	4	Strong serves and spikes for a setter
Jump	4	Allows jump sets and the jump serve
Stamina	5	Long practice sessions, often alone
Intellect (game sense)	5	Reads blockers and chooses the best hitter
Technique	5	Accurate, fast tosses
Speed	4	Quick footwork to reach the ball

One note on "intellect": it measures game sense, not school performance. A pro-level stats listing on Anibase gives him 5 in speed and top marks for serving and setting.

How does Kageyama change during the series?

He moves from a controlling setter to a team-first one. Hinata’s team loses to Kageyama’s Kitagawa Daiichi in straight sets in a match lasting about 31 minutes, which is how they first meet. Kageyama then fails to get into Shiratorizawa, the top school he wanted, and ends up at Karasuno, where Hinata is also a first-year.

At Karasuno he has to learn to adapt his tosses to each hitter instead of forcing hitters to adapt to him. His stated goal is to become the team’s control tower, a setter who serves his teammates. Senior setter Koshi Sugawara and the coaching staff help shape that change.

Who are Kageyama’s key relationships?

Kageyama’s main relationships

Character	Relationship	Why it matters
Shoyo Hinata	Rival turned partner	Their quick attack is Karasuno’s signature play
Toru Oikawa	Former senior, rival setter	Kageyama admires him, and Oikawa refused to teach him
Koshi Sugawara	Karasuno senior setter	Shows Kageyama what supportive setting looks like
Kei Tsukishima	Teammate	Mocks the "King" label, and the two develop respect on court
Wakatoshi Ushijima	Rival, later pro teammate	Kageyama wanted to play at his school, and later both play for the Schweiden Adlers

What happens to Kageyama after the timeskip? (spoilers)

Spoiler warning: this section covers the final chapters. After high school, Kageyama joins Japan’s national team at 19 and plays in the 2016 Rio Olympics. He signs with the Schweiden Adlers in the V.League Division 1 and faces Hinata, who returns from Brazil, in a November 2018 match.

Both later play for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, which the manga places in 2021. Kageyama then moves abroad to Ali Roma in Italy’s Serie A, and the story closes on a match between Ali Roma and Hinata’s team, Asas São Paulo from Brazil.

Who voices Kageyama?

Kaito Ishikawa voices Kageyama in Japanese, and Scott Gibbs voices him in English. Ishikawa is also known for voicing Genos in One Punch Man.

Where can you watch Kageyama in the anime?

Seasons 1 to 4 of Haikyu!! stream on Crunchyroll, and the film Haikyu!! The Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump (called The Dumpster Battle in English) came to Netflix and Crunchyroll on October 31, 2024. It opened in Japan on February 16, 2024. Streaming catalogs differ by country, so check your region.

The second film in the final two-part movie, Haikyu!! the Movie: VS The Little Giant, is set for 2027.

1. Haikyu!! Season 1 to Season 3
2. Haikyu!! To the Top (Season 4)
3. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (film)
4. Haikyu!! VS The Little Giant (film, 2027)

Is KageHina canon?

No. KageHina is a fan pairing of Kageyama and Hinata, and the series presents them only as rivals and partners on court. The pairing remains one of the most popular in the fandom because their bond is the center of the story.

Tobio Kageyama FAQ

How old is Tobio Kageyama?

Kageyama is 15 at the start of Haikyu!!, a first-year at Karasuno High. His birthday is December 22.

How tall is Kageyama?

He is listed at 180.6 cm (5'11") in April and 181.9 cm (5'11.6") in November of his first year at Karasuno.

Why is Kageyama called the King of the Court?

His Kitagawa Daiichi teammates gave him the name as an insult for forcing his tosses on hitters without considering their ability.

What position does Kageyama play?

Kageyama plays setter and wears number 9 for Karasuno. His strongest stats are stamina, intellect and technique, each rated 5 out of 5.

Who voices Kageyama?

Kaito Ishikawa voices him in Japanese and Scott Gibbs voices him in English.

Which team does Kageyama play for after the timeskip?

He plays for the Schweiden Adlers in Japan’s V.League and later for Ali Roma in Italy, and he represents Japan at the Olympics.

Is Haikyu!! finished?

The manga ended in July 2020. The anime is wrapping up with two final films, and the second, VS The Little Giant, is set for 2027.

Are Kageyama and Hinata a couple in canon?

No. They are rivals and partners in the series. KageHina is a popular fan pairing.