The 15 Best Anime TV Shows About Monster Collecting

Gather your Pokeballs and choose your teams carefully as we delve into 15 of the best monster-collecting anime TV shows.

Oftentimes, when you hear the word monster, it evokes ideas of horror and mayhem. Frankenstein, Dracula, Yokai, and others have lived in our nightmares for years. However, there is a relatively recent trend in modern anime that sees the term monster turned on its head. While there are still some terrifying creatures in the "Monster Collecting" subgenre, most are friendly, loyal, and incredibly defensive of their allies. While the origins of the genre are murky, with most agreeing that it started with the 1987 video game Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, the fact of the matter is that it has become a pop culture staple.

Monster collecting has taken the world by storm, inspiring dozens of TV shows, movies, video games, and manga, and with so much to choose from, it is hard to know where to start. This list hopes to make that job easier for you by narrowing it all down to 15 of the best. If they aren't the best, whether due to dated effects and over-the-top storylines, they are at least extremely memorable, bringing something new to the genre. So grab up your Pokeballs, Digivices, mystical books, and rice cookers (this will make sense in a bit) because it is time to go adventuring to discover the best of the Monster Collection genre.

Black Summoner is the newest item on this list, only releasing in 2022. This Isekai story follows Kelvin, a young man who dies before his time. On the precipice of the afterlife, Kelvin is approached by the goddess Melfina, who offers to grant him incredible power in another world if he forsakes his Earthly memories. Kelvin agrees and arrives in a fantasy world with the powers of an S-Rank Summoner. Summoners are a rare class in this world, and Kelvin's power outranks them all. Gathering a team of powerful spirits and monsters, Kelvin joins an adventurers' guild in order to find bigger battles and stronger opponents.

This series is a lot more adult than many of the others on this list. There are romantic subplots, dark backstories, and horrific enemies. The primary focus of the series isn't necessarily the monster collection, although Kelvin's growing team acts as his central battle tactic. The focus is on Kelvin's battle-frenzy, and his desire to put himself up against stronger and stronger opponents. Because of this, the designs for the "monsters" take a back seat. Gerard is a spirit wearing heavy armor, while Sera the demon looks mostly human but with horns. The series is more grounded than many of the items on this list, meaning it stands out as a unique offering in the genre.

Originally releasing in the US in 2002, Mon Colle Knights is an anime adaptation of the card game Monster Collection. While not nearly as popular as some of the other big names on this list, Mon Colle Knights managed to tweak the monster collecting/taming formula. Series like Pokémon and Digimon leaned heavily on science-fiction elements, with capture devices and entire digital worlds. However, this anime introduced monster collecting to the fantasy genre. Though it starts with some science-fiction elements like gateways to other worlds, the entire concept of the main characters fusing with and possessing dragons and mercreatures is done through magic, not science.

The story follows Mondo and Rockna as they are whisked away to the magical Mon World by Rockna's scientist father. Their goal is to gather six items that will unite the Six Elemental Gates of Mon World and open a path between it and Earth to the benefit of both. Mondo and Rockna discover that they have the ability to join with the world's many magical creatures, which is a good thing. They aren't alone in seeking the monster items, as Count Eccentro and his henchmen are trying to use the items to take control of both worlds. Filled with nearly every trope popular in '90s anime, Mon Colle Knights is a nostalgic trip through the corny kids' cartoons we all used to love.

In order to match the popularity of the biggest names in the monster-collecting genre, many series act as multimedia marketing campaigns. Such is the case with Dinosaur King. In 2005, a card-based battle video game was released under the same name. The next year, a manga series released, followed by the anime in 2007. This was followed again by a physical card game in 2008. The entire concept of the brand is dinosaurs. Players summon realistic dinosaurs to do battle for them. They don't even have fun names like in other card games. They have their scientific names printed on the card above their effects and battle scores.

While bizarre, this semi-realism does help this franchise stand out in the grand scheme. The story follows Max Taylor and his friends after they find a series of cards in a meteor crash. When brought together with different elemental stones, the cards come to life to become real dinosaurs. When not in battle mode, they shrink down to cutesy representations of themselves until the Alpha Gang attacks. The series branches things out, with new dinosaur cards introduced and later episodes incorporating evolutions and upgrades into the mix, but the series is unique in that it centers around real creatures that used to live in our world.

Mai-Hime showcases the variety of the monster-collection subgenre. The series released in 2004 and ran for 26 episodes, and it combined elements of the magical girl genre with monster collecting in an adult series that was often violent and leaned into fan-service. Mai Tokiha learns that she is a HiME, one of 13 women who have the ability to summon magical weapons called Elements, as well as robotic creatures known as Children. The HiME use their Children to battle monsters called Orphans, but they aren't the only threats out there. A mysterious corporation is working against the girls, and they must band together to survive.

Mai-Hime stands out in the monster collection genre. Its adult themes and romance subplots set it apart from the majority of the series in the genre. While there are several adult anime mentioned in this list, they are definitely a minority. Most are aimed at kids, hoping to capitalize on their interest to sell toys, video games, and cards. Another defining aspect of this series is that it is only partially about monster collection. Each woman can only summon one Child, meaning they aren't collecting monsters. However, given that the series sees the building of the HiME team, collecting warriors with Children, this series still earns a spot on this list.

There are some bizarre series in the monster-collection genre, but few get as weird as Fighting Foodons. Main character Chase wants to become a Master Chef like his dad and has trained under his master Oslo in an attempt to learn new recipes that he can transform into powerful Foodons. Using magical Meal Tickets, chefs can bring their food to life to battle one another to prove who's the better chef. With the Glutton Gormandizers and King Gorge's servants wreaking havoc around Japan, Chase will need to use Fried Ricer, Hot Doggone-It, Dim-Sumthin' Special, and Feastivus to save his home and earn his title.

It's amazing that this series was made with names like the ones above, and yet it was a staple of the Saturday Morning Cartoon block. The series never takes itself seriously, having fun with its characters at every turn. The designs are bonkers, and the characters are so over-the-top. This series is incredibly memorable. While the animation isn't much to talk about and the story takes a back seat to the Foodons themselves, you sit down for every episode just waiting to see what crazy new dish will be concocted. The series isn't good, but it does provide a lot of laughs and some lovably bizarre ideas.

From bizarre action-comedy to somber supernatural tale, Natsume's Book of Friends adds a unique twist to the genre. The monster collecting is done. Natsume's grandmother, Reiko, forced hundreds of Yokai spirits into servitude, writing their names in and sealing their contracts with the titular Book of Friends. Natsume, who has been able to see spirits since he was a child, inherits the book after his grandmother has passed. Given the book's immense power to control the contracted spirits, many malicious entities seek it, but Natsume has other plans. He is going to track down every monster listed in the book and free them from their contract.

A complete subversion of the monster-collecting genre, Natsume's Book of Friends is actually a monster releasing genre, with Natsume spending the entire series trying to make up for his grandmother's actions. This more subdued and somber tone makes way for some truly incredible storylines, especially as Natsume bonds with the Yokai named Madara who acts as his bodyguard. This mature series leans heavily into Japanese folklore, pulling designs for the monsters straight from the pages of storybooks. While the series doesn't technically fit the "monster collecting" criteria, it's still a must-watch for fans of the genre looking for a change of pace.

Dragon Drive is another series less about monster collecting and more about monster taming. Reiji has little ambition, but when his friend introduces him to the VR game Dragon Drive, he becomes attached to the small, meek dragon known as Chibi. However, Chibi's world is real, and Reiji gets pulled into the Rikyu, the land of dragons. There, he learns that Chibi was once known as the savior dragon Senkoukura but has lost his powers since that initial battle. With Reiji's help and the aid of other human/dragon partnerships, they seek a way to help Chibi regain his powers and stop the RI-ON corporation from taking control of the dragons.

On paper, Dragon Drive doesn't sound that unique. Like Mai-Hime, the series falls loosely into the monster collecting genre, with Reiji and later his brother attempting to gather a team. While not nearly as adult as many of the shows on this list, Dragon Drive succeeds as a young adult action narrative, and it feels like there are some real stakes. More importantly, the design work for this series is incredible. Chibi and Senkoukura especially stand out, largely because of the stark contrast between the two, but all of the dragons are particularly well-designed. Overall, this series flew too far under the radar for its quality, and more people need to see it.

What's cooler than monsters? The answer is robot monsters, and the Zoids franchise has plenty of those. The series has its roots in a toy line, starting with the brand Mechabonica in 1982 and taking the more recognizable name Zoids later that year. The toys were so popular that as they were releasing, the toy boxes would feature snippets of the storyline. The story told on these boxes followed a war between the Helic Republic and the Zenebas Empire, one fought with massive, technological beings. In 1999, the first anime was released, closely following this storyline, and since then, several other series have followed, each with a different tone and focus.

This is another monster-taming anime, but with closer ties to the monster collection genre. Again, each of the series follows a group of Zoid pilots trying to grow their ranks with new mechanical creatures and their partnered pilots. While the series can get criticism for its mix of 2D and 3D animation, it actually works pretty well in most of the series, and this experimental design choice allows for the show to stand out. It also allows for the hyper-detailed toys to come to accurately be represented on the screen. Many of these designs are incredible, as well. The toy line even predated Transformers, meaning that these mechanized animals are a piece of toy history.

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There were many monster collection franchises launched in the '90s in an attempt to match the powerhouse appeal of Pokémon, and while Monster Rancher isn't the most well-known of these titles, it is still one of the highlights of the genre. Released in 1999, the story was inspired by and even included the Monster Rancher video games that were releasing at the time. Genki Sakura is one of the star players of the game, and after winning a tournament, he is gifted a unique disk that will put a new monster into his game. However, this disk transports him into the world of the game, where he must work to gather monster allies in his search for the Phoenix.

Monster Rancher managed to tie together some of the best elements of both Pokémon and Digimon, by having the main character collect a team of monsters that he could fully interact and talk with. This allowed for Hare, Mocchi, Suezo, Golem, and Tiger to develop unique personalities, helping viewers invest in their adventure. Not only that, but the fact that the anime acts as a sort of meta-narrative for the video games and the genre as a whole takes the series to the next level. After all, what kid didn't want to be transported into their favorite video games?

As you may have noticed, many of the items on this list coincide with video games, card games, and other multimedia elements. Bakugan is no different, but it stands out for its uniqueness and the quality of its animated series. In 2007, the first season, titled Bakugan Battle Brawlers, was released alongside a set of bizarre toys. Modeled after marbles, these balls would roll onto the battlefield and then unfold into a larger creature. These were released with stunning character art that was included in the television series as well, and an entire phenomenon was born.

Bakugan is one of the biggest properties on this list. While it still hasn't reached the popularity of some of its predecessors, the series has still gone on to define the monster-collecting genre. While collecting isn't necessarily the main focus of the series, the main characters showcase plenty of newly collected monsters in the process of playing the game. More than that, it makes the toy come alive in an interesting way. The story of the toys is just as important as the toys themselves, meaning that kids are even more invested in collecting their favorites. Bakugan is still releasing toys and series today, so now is the perfect chance to check out this new craze.

Technically speaking, Kaijudo is not an anime. It was created by Hasbro for American audiences, meaning that it loses the Japanese pedigree needed to call it an anime. However, Kaijudo is still mentioned on this list because it is a spin-off of a Japanese card game franchise with its own anime: Duel Masters. With the justification out of the way, let's talk about the story. Ray Okamoto's father disappeared years before, and in attempting to learn about his heritage, Ray discovers an innate ability to summon monsters from another world. Along with his friends, he trains to master this ability, battle the forces who wish to abuse it, and hopefully find his father.

Of the many series on this list, Kaijudo is probably the biggest underrated gem. The monsters are slick, unique, and powerful, taking inspiration from many different world mythologies. The storyline gets intense, with the kids venturing into the monster world on many occasions and learning about the six elemental cultures there. There's also a great subversion of anime tropes, with one of the three heroes bonding most with the element of darkness. This series took many chances throughout its 52 episodes, and almost all of them paid off. It really is a shame that more people haven't watched this series, but now's your chance to check it out.

While it has the same focus on Japanese folklore as Natsume's Book of Friends, Yokai Watch stands out for its comedic and kid-friendly atmosphere. Many monster-collecting anime take great inspiration from mythology, largely that of their home country, but very few actually feature the creatures from those stories. Yokai Watch is different because it follows a young man who is befriending mischievous spirits right out of Japanese fables. Whether it be the anime or the video games that inspired it, fans have flocked to this series for its beloved characters and hilarious hijinks, and while older fans might not appreciate it as much, this is a perfect entry point for the genre.

The anime itself follows Nate Adams, a young boy who stumbles on the titular device in a Gashapon machine, along with a trapped Yokai named Whisper. Using the Watch, Nate journeys around his home city, stopping the mischievous spirits from disrupting people's lives. His first mission? Stopping two Yokai from causing his parents to divorce. The show gets weird, but in that, there's a lot of charm to be found. Again, this is a kid-centric story, and there isn't a lot of depth to the monster-of-the-week structure. That being said, Yokai Watch is a fun, comedic series that might teach you something about Japanese folklore.

One of the best examples of the magical girl genre, Cardcaptor Sakura's entire premise revolves around monster collection. The story follows Sakura Kinomoto, a young girl living outside of Tokyo. She finds a book in her basement, but in opening its seal, she releases the magical cards within. These Clow Cards contain powerful magic, as well as the ability to assume the forms of creatures. The guardian of the book, Cerberus, tells Sakura that only those with powerful magic can open the book, meaning that she has the ability to rectify her mistake. Now, she must battle and recover each of the monsters within the cards before they cause too much havoc.

Cardcaptor Sakura is an icon of pop culture, but most would likely avoid lumping it in with other series on this list. However, the series is a perfect example of the vastly diverse stories that can be told in this subgenre. However, so far we have had a science fiction war epic, a couple of adult romances, a few fantasy adventures, and now magical girl superheroism. There are so many possibilities. You can take any story, add monsters to it, and you have a potential contender for a great monster-collecting series. Cardcaptor Sakura is a great example of this fact.

We have now arrived at the giants of the subgenre. While you may or may not have heard about many of the items on this list, chances are high that you have heard of Digimon. Even though these Digital Monsters haven't reached the same heights as their Pocket Monster counterparts, Digimon is an equal contender for one of the best monster anime in the medium. However, you can't exactly call most of its seasons monster collecting. From the minute the Digidestined enter the Digital World, they generally have their team all together and are simply looking to strengthen their Digimon allies. However, two seasons break this mold.

Digimon Fusion and Digimon Universe Appli Monsters both have plots and mechanics revolving around the concept of monster collection. Fusion follows Mikey as he ventures into the Digital World, builds an army alongside his partner Shoutmon, and battles the evil forces of the Bhagra Army. The fusion concept of the series allowed Mikey to power up Shoutmon using their gathered allies. Appli Monsters, meanwhile, has the lead characters collecting a team of Appmon that can combine to allow for more traditional Digivolutions. Both are incredible seasons, both are criminally underrated, but neither lives up to the heights reached by the final entry.

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Of course, Pokémon was going to be at the top of this list. While this isn't a ranking, Pokémon is the quintessential monster-collecting anime. It is the king of this genre. Though not the first example of this genre in pop culture, Pokémon has gone on to define nearly every trope of monster collecting, and every series is measured up to this giant. No other franchise has reached the multimedia fame and popularity of this beloved series. Fans might differ in their favorite generations, their ideal starter, their favorite games, and every other aspect of this series, but you cannot deny the immensity of this brand.

Ash Ketchum's journey is at an end. He has achieved his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master, and the door has opened for a new anime with new heroes. We have yet to see much of this new series, but given the legendary nature of its previous lead and prior stories, Horizons has a lot to live up to. However, there is little doubt that this franchise will persist for years to come. It has worked its way into nearly every aspect of nerd culture. Pikachu is one of the most recognizable icons on the planet. Without Pokémon, the genre wouldn't be where it is today, and all the entries on this list owe this franchise a debt of thanks.