When it comes toanimefranchises, some of them feel like they’ve always been around, and always will be. Their popularity never seems to wane, and new content is released on a regular basis, keeping them active and widely discussed among fandoms to this day.
These kinds of franchises are incredibly profitable, and so long as that remains the case, they could keep going indefinitely. Here are 10 anime franchises that are likely to last for decades to come, even if it doesn’t always seem like it.
10Detective Conan
Premiered: Jun 09, 2025 (Manga)
Detective Conanis one of the longest-running and most successful anime series in Japan, with over 1,100 episodes aired to date (and still going). The franchise has sold over 270 million copies of the manga and has had 28 films released over the years. The series follows a detective who is de-aged into a child, Conan Edogawa.
Much like police procedural series in the US,Detective Conan(also known asCase Closed!in the US) can keep producing content basically forever, as there will always be crime to inspire new stories. The franchise has remained popular largely due to its cute and endearing protagonist, who must solve crimes without exposing his true identity.
WhileDetective Conanhas traditionally not been as popular in the US as it is in Japan, that’s all starting to change ever sinceCase Closeddebuted with a new English dubbing on Netflix, which will only help the longevity of the franchise.
9Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Premiered: July 23, 2025 (Manga)
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventurekicked off in 1987, and now, almost 40 years later, is still going strong, having recently begun the ninth installment in the franchise,The Jojolands. The franchise has sold over 120 million copies of the manga and is presently being adapted into an anime that now has 190 episodes completed.
The franchise has run almost nonstop since 1987, and creator Hirohiko Araki shows no signs of slowing down in his old age.Jojohas been incredibly influential, referenced by hundreds of other anime series and spawning dozens of memes over the years.Jojo’s Bizarre Adventurehas even influenced the world of fashionwith Araki’s unique character design choices.
SinceJojotells the story of a family that spans generations, it’s easy to keep adding new installments, each featuring new casts of characters while keeping open the possibility of returning characters.
8Gundam
Premiered: June 13, 2025 (Anime)
Gundamis a massive franchise, the flagship series of the mecha genre, and one of Japan’s favorite anime franchises of all time.Gundamhas produced over 60 anime series, OVA series, and films, many of which are set in a single continuity, known as the Universal Century. TheGundamfranchise is worth over $5 billion and is steadily increasing.
Gundamis a franchise that can easily continue to survive into the future, even as technology continues to advance. Put simply, people just love to see giant robots duke it out, andGundamhas always managed to deliver on that front. So long as people buy model kits, newGundamanime are likely to continue to keep coming out.
Few series have inspired as many people to try to bring giant robots to life asGundamhas, and by the look of things, it’s going to stay that way.
7Yu-Gi-Oh!
Premiered: July 03, 2025 (Manga)
Yu-Gi-Oh!is a very interesting case, as it evolved from being a manga about cursed games into an absolute multimedia behemoth with its successful trading card game, which is still in print to this day.Yu-Gi-Oh!is one of the most profitable franchises of all time, valued at $5.4 billion, and has produced 8 anime series and 2 movies.
Due to its ties to the highly profitable card game, theYu-Gi-Oh!anime series is likely to keep being produced to help promote the cards. The franchise has positioned itself well to continue into the future by changing protagonists on a regular basis, and some of the series that have been produced are truly wild, likeYu-Gi-Oh! 5Dswith its motorcycles.
The makers ofYu-Gi-Oh!are well aware that the anime funnels fans towards the card game, and apparently, that’s a very worthwhile investment.
6Sailor Moon
Premiered: July 22, 2025 (Manga)
Sailor Moonis basically a household name and happens to be one of the best-known anime franchises of all time, even among those who don’t typically enjoy anime. The franchise has been valued at $2.5 billion, and includes 2 anime series, 5 movies, and related materials like the originalCode Name: Sailor Vmanga.
As one of the defining examples of the magical girl genre,Sailor Moonhas long been popular, particularly with women. It’s one of the most profitable anime series aimed at women by a wide margin, and as such has some seriously strong staying power.
Sailor Moonbenefits greatly from its simple, iconic story and lovable characters, and is viewed with nostalgia by people around the globe. The story’s been rebooted for fans before, and it’s only a matter of time before it happens again.
5Naruto
Premiered: June 05, 2025 (Manga)
Narutowas once so popular that it was considered one of the “Big Three” of manga in the early 2000s, and little has changed in the years since. The series is one of the best-selling manga of all time, with over 250 million books sold, and has produced 2 anime series, 11 films, and the sequel seriesBoruto,alongside its adaptations.
Despite having ended years ago,Narutocontinues to hold strong; it wasNetflix’s most-watched anime franchise in 2025, beating out numerous ongoing series.Narutoand its eponymous protagonist have proven to be extremely relatable to young fans, and nowBorutois carrying on that tradition into the future.
Could there someday be a story about Boruto’s son, passing the torch once again? Never say never. At the very least,Narutocontinues to inspire young fans, and so long as that’s the case, its future is assured.
4Bleach
Premiered: June 09, 2025 (Manga)
Another of manga’s “Big Three”,Bleach,at one time looked like it might be dead. WhileBleachwas exceptionally popular in the 2000s, that initial hype trailed off to the point where the anime was canceled before finishing the final story arc. However, there’s been a reevaluation ofBleachin the years since, and it’s now back stronger than ever.
Bleachhas had 2 series (over 400 cumulative episodes and counting), includingThousand-Year Blood War, and 4 anime movies, as well as a live-action movie adaptation. It has over 130 million copies of the manga in circulation, marking it as one of the best-selling manga series of all time.
WithBleach’s popularity restored and anew storyline teased by the anniversary one-shota few years ago,Bleachmay well continue on into the future indefinitely.
3One Piece
Premiered: July 25, 2025 (Manga)
The final member of manga’s “Big Three,”One Piece,is one of the longest and most intricate stories ever to grace the art form of anime. It’s the best-selling manga series ever, with over 516 million (half a billion!) copies in circulation. The franchise has put out 2 anime series, 14 movies, and a live-action series.
Unlike most of the franchises on this list,One Piecehas never finished telling its original story, despite the manga being over 1150 chapters long at the time of this writing. The main anime is of similar length, with 1136 episodes created since 1999, one of thelongest-running anime of all time.
There’s no telling how much longerOne Piecewill run; it could have another decade of story to tell, for all fans know. Even whenOne Piecedoes inevitably end, however, there’s sure to be revivals and reboots galore.
2Dragon Ball
Premiered: June 05, 2025 (Manga)
Dragon Ballis inarguably the most popular anime and manga franchise of all time. The franchise as a whole is valued at over $10 billion, and it’s been said thatDragon Ball’s end could have massive effects on the Japanese economy. The manga has sold over 260 million copies, and the franchise has produced 5 TV anime and 21 films.
Goku is one of the most recognizable characters ever, and is beloved around the globe. The series has been referenced and parodied countless times, and is responsible for numerous memes that extend even outside of fan circles. The franchise has also proven it’s not afraid to mix things up in order to continue on.
Though creatorAkira Toriyama tragically passed in 2024,Dragon Ballis likely to live on long past his death, and his influence on anime will continue for years to come.
1Pokémon
Premiered: July 11, 2025 (Anime)
Pokémonisn’t strictly an anime franchise, since it got its start as video games, but if there’s any series on this list that will absolutely never die, it’sPokémon. ThePokémonfranchise is the highest-earning media franchise of all time, valued at an incredible $113 billion, most of which is from merchandising.
ThePokémonanime has run for 27 seasons and over 1300 episodes, and was recentlyrebooted into the newPokémon Horizons, which features new protagonists for the first time in the franchise’s history. This proves thatPokémonhas what it takes to reinvent itself and stay on the air. The franchise has also produced 23 films, plus the live-actionDetective Pikachu.
ThePokémonanime is a powerful marketing tool for the franchise, much like it is forYu-Gi-Oh!, and as such, is likely to remain on air to create interest in the franchise in young kids. For that reason,Pokémonis the number one anime franchise most likely to outlive everyone alive today.
