What Are the Big 3 Anime?

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The Big 3 anime are Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach — the three blockbuster shonen series that dominated Weekly Shonen Jump and the global anime scene throughout the 2000s. Fans coined the term because these three titles ran simultaneously, sold enormous numbers of manga volumes, and headlined the international anime boom together, towering over everything else in the magazine at the time.

This guide explains exactly what the Big 3 means, who created each series, why these three stood apart from the pack, and when their shared reign actually peaked. You’ll also learn why classics like Dragon Ball aren’t counted, and whether a “new Big 3” — built around modern hits like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen — has taken their place. By the end, you’ll understand why this trio still defines an entire era of anime.

Table of Contents

What Are the Big 3 Anime Exactly?

The Big 3 anime are Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach — three shonen series serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump that became the magazine’s flagship titles in the 2000s. They earned the nickname by running at the same time while leading manga sales charts and anime ratings worldwide, making them the defining trio of their generation.

All three share a classic shonen DNA: a young, determined protagonist, a sprawling cast, escalating battles, and a long-form story that ran for hundreds of chapters. One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy’s quest to become Pirate King, Naruto charts a young ninja’s rise from outcast to hero, and Bleach centers on Ichigo Kurosaki’s life as a soul-cleansing Soul Reaper. Together they anchored Jump during one of its strongest commercial periods.

Why Are They Called the Big 3?

The “Big 3” label comes from Western anime fandom, which noticed that Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach sat above every other title in Weekly Shonen Jump during the same window. The term was never an official designation from publisher Shueisha — it grew organically among fans on forums and early streaming communities in the mid-2000s.

Several factors cemented their status:

  • Simultaneous serialization — all three ran together in Jump through the 2000s, a rare overlap of three megahits.
  • Massive manga sales — each sold tens of millions of volumes, with One Piece eventually breaking world records.
  • Global anime reach — their adaptations aired internationally and were among the first anime many Western fans watched.
  • Long episode counts — hundreds of episodes apiece kept them in rotation for years, building deep, loyal fandoms.

In short, they weren’t just popular individually; they collectively defined what mainstream shonen looked like for a generation, which is exactly why the Big 3 anime nickname stuck.

Who Created Each of the Big 3?

Each of the Big 3 anime began as a manga by a now-legendary mangaka serialized under Shueisha:

  • One Piece — created by Eiichiro Oda, debuting in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997. It is the best-selling manga of all time and is still ongoing as of 2026.
  • Naruto — created by Masashi Kishimoto, running from 1999 to 2014 across 700 chapters, followed by the Boruto sequel series.
  • Bleach — created by Tite Kubo, serialized from 2001 to 2016, with a celebrated 2022 anime return covering its final “Thousand-Year Blood War” arc.

Of the three, only One Piece remains in active serialization, which is part of why Oda’s series has endured as the last torchbearer of the original Big 3. Naruto concluded its main story in 2014, and Bleach ended its manga in 2016 before its acclaimed anime revival brought the franchise back into the spotlight.

If you want to read these series in English, SnowMTL offers AI-powered manga translation at snowmtl.org, making it easy to follow long-running shonen like One Piece without waiting for official releases.

is the One Piece manga finished

Is There a New Big 3 Anime?

As the original Big 3 wound down, fans began debating a “new Big 3” to describe the modern shonen titans that took their place in Weekly Shonen Jump. The most commonly cited candidates are Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Jujutsu Kaisen — three 2010s-era hits that drove enormous manga sales and dominated anime seasons much like the Big 3 anime once did.

That said, this “new Big 3” is contested. Some fans argue the modern era is too crowded for a clean trio, pointing to other heavyweights like Attack on Titan (which ran outside Jump) and Chainsaw Man. Others note that Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen have already finished their manga, mirroring how the original trio aged out. Whether or not a definitive successor exists, the original Big 3 anime — Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach — remain the benchmark every later contender is measured against.

best shonen anime of all time

Frequently Asked Questions About the Big 3 Anime

What are the Big 3 anime? The Big 3 anime are Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. These three shonen series ran simultaneously in Weekly Shonen Jump during the 2000s and led manga sales and anime popularity worldwide, which is why fans grouped them together as the Big 3.

Why are Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach called the Big 3? Western anime fans coined the term because all three dominated Weekly Shonen Jump at the same time, sold tens of millions of manga volumes each, and led the international anime boom of the 2000s. It was a fan nickname, not an official Shueisha title.

Is One Piece still going? Yes. One Piece by Eiichiro Oda is still in active serialization as of 2026 and is the best-selling manga of all time. It is the only one of the original Big 3 anime that has not concluded its main story.

Why isn’t Dragon Ball one of the Big 3? Dragon Ball ended its original Weekly Shonen Jump run in 1995, before Naruto and Bleach began. The Big 3 specifically describes series that ran simultaneously in the 2000s, so Dragon Ball belongs to an earlier era of shonen.

Is there a new Big 3 anime? Many fans cite Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Jujutsu Kaisen as a “new Big 3” for the 2010s and 2020s. However, the label is debated and unofficial, and the original Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach remain the most widely recognized Big 3.

Conclusion

To sum it up: the Big 3 anime are Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach — the trio of Weekly Shonen Jump giants that defined mainstream shonen in the 2000s through massive manga sales and global anime popularity. Created by Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, and Tite Kubo, they set the standard every later hit chases. While a “new Big 3” of Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Jujutsu Kaisen is often discussed, the original three still own the title. Curious where the newest titans rank? See our guide on the best shonen anime of all time. Bookmark this page — we update it as the shonen landscape evolves.

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