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Even though Invincible is one of the best animated action shows in years, these eight series are even better than Prime Video's hit superhero show. There are plenty of shows like Invincible, but many of them simply aren't as good as it. Invincible is one of the best adult animated shows of the last decade, and it's hard for anything to actually surpass it. Invincible is also only looking better. As Invincible season 4 quickly approaches, the stakes are getting higher for Mark and Earth, and there are bound to be new tragedies in store for the entire cast of Invincible. Even though it's an astounding show, however, there are eight animated action series that beat Invincible in one way or another. Jujutsu Kaisen Stream On: Crunchyroll Perhaps the best match for Invincible is the Japanese anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, a teenager who gets possessed by an ancient spirit and joins the world of Jujutsu sorcerers, superpowered teens and adults who use magic techniques to fight curses. Yuji, his friends, and Gojo, the world's strongest sorcerer, fight against a plot to destroy all humans. It's honestly surprising just how much of a match Jujutsu Kaisen is for Invincible. Both shows feature massive, intense battles focused primarily on martial arts and featuring massive destruction. Yuji and Mark are also both struggling with their inner nature and the idea of being corrupted into a villain, by Sukuna and Omni-Man, respectively. They also both have to deal with power structures that are inherently distrustful of them. There are a few things that make JJK better than Invincible, however. As great as Invincible's fights are, JJK's are simply better. They're more intense, feature more dynamic animation, and implement the brilliant device of techniques and domain expansions. JJK's overarching narrative and Geto's twisty, diabolical plan make for a more suspenseful story than Invincible. Samurai Jack Stream On: HBO Max Though it's significantly older than Invincible, Samurai Jack is arguably a better story of a hero battling the forces of evil. Samurai Jack follows Jack, a samurai sent forward in time to a dystopian future to battle Aku, an ancient demon. It originally ran in the early 2000s, but it was revived in 2017 for a darker, more contemplative fifth season on Adult Swim. Like Invincible, Samurai Jack is a show that's mostly focused on its protagonist and their fight against a more powerful villain. Samurai Jack, however, bests Invincible in a few key ways. Genndy Tartakovsky's animation style is unparalleled, and Samurai Jack finds ways to experiment with fights to a greater degree than Invincible does (see the above video for one of the most visually stunning and innovative fights in animation history). Blue Eye Samurai Stream On: Netflix On its surface, Blue Eye Samurai seems very different from Invincible. It takes place in the Edo period of Japanese history, follows a skilled but human main character, and features a 3D animation style. Two main aspects connect the shows, however: Mizu, Blue Eye Samurai's protagonist, and the breathtakingly beautiful fight scenes both shows rely on. Where Blue Eye Samurai prevails over Invincible is in its main character. Mizu is a force unto herself as she hunts down her potential fathers to punish them for having a mixed-race child who is subject to intense prejudice. Blue Eye Samurai is essentially a character study of Mizu. Other characters are present and well-written, but Mizu is simply more complex and interesting than Mark is in Invincible. Obviously Mark is far from a bad character. The reason Mizu is better than him, however, is mainly a function of their shows. Invincible has to dedicate a lot of time to side characters, and most of Mark's character development comes from other characters, like Atom Eve and Omni-Man. Blue Eye Samurai is much more focused on digging into Mizu's mind and developing her quest for revenge, and the result is a stronger protagonist. Arcane Stream On: Netflix On the opposite end of the spectrum from Blue Eye Samurai is Arcane. Arcane follows a myriad of characters from Piltover and Zaun as they vie for control of the cities, a new fusion of magic and technology, and several other complicated plot points. It's hard to say even that Jinx and Vi are the main characters of Arcane, which is exactly what makes it better than Invincible. Arcane is able to juggle a huge cast of characters without missing a single beat. You'll be just as interested in the long-lost sisters on opposing sides of a class war as you will be in a hamster scientist and his skateboarding teenage friend traveling through time. Invincible, on the other hand, sometimes drops the ball with its sprawling story and characters, like Amber. Castlevania Stream On: Netflix While different in tone, style, and setting, Castlevania has quite a bit in common with Invincible. Castlevania follows Trevor Belmont and company as they try to save the world from Dracula, a legendary vampire out to avenge his lost love. Its action, story, characters, and worldbuilding are all at least on par with Invincible, if not better. One area where Castlevania certainly surpasses Invincible is in its animation style. Castlevania is simply a visually stunning show. It's dripping with dark, gothic atmosphere, character movements feel fluid and real, and each fight scene turns into a spectacle of 2D animation. Invincible, on the other hand, can often feel stiff when its characters aren't fighting, and it doesn't boast nearly as distinctive a style. Justice League Unlimited Stream On: HBO Max Invincible is a great animated superhero show, but it's not necessarily the best animated superhero show ever made. Justice League Unlimited, however, very well may hold that distinction. JLU follows a myriad of DC superheroes in the Justice League as they team up to battle villains like Lex Luthor and Darkseid and have deep personal connections with one another. There's a lot to be said about the quality of Justice League Unlimited, but one area to focus on is how it juggles all of its wildly different hero characters. Every member of the League has at least one great episode focusing on them, and each character feels true to their nature and their personality. Invincible, on the other hand is ultimately about Mark, and some characters can feel underutilized as a result. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Stream On: Netflix Though it only lasted one season, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners arguably benefitted from its short run. Edgerunners follows David, a boy living in the dystopian far-future of Night City, who begins experimenting with cybernetic implants and working as a mercenary. It's more of an anime than Invincible, but Edgerunners will still thrill you with high-octane action, beautiful scenery, and more. Invincible season 4 does not have an official release date yet, but is expected to premiere in 2026. The biggest similarity between Edgerunners and Invincible is their protagonists. Both Mark and David struggle with gaining power and corrupting themselves, and they both fear losing what makes them human as they grapple with tragedy and extremely powerful foes. Where Edgerunners prevails is in its brevity: David's story is full, complete, and utterly heartbreaking in just a single season, while Mark is still in the middle of his journey going into season 4. X-Men '97 Stream On: Disney+ Another animated superhero show that is arguably better than Invincible is X-Men '97. X-Men '97 is a continuation of the X-Men show from the 90s, and it follows the iconic team of mutants as they try to work together with their longtime villain, Magneto. Not only is X-Men '97 a great revival, it's also a great show filled with action, drama, romance, and more than a bit to say about society.
