Top 10 Best Ocean-themed Anime of All Time

Shinryaku! Ika Musume - The Squid Girl Invasion is an anime series created by Anbe Masahiro. The story revolves around the daily life of Ika Musume, a girl with peculiar blue hair resembling the tentacles of a squid. People often mistake it as just a quirky characteristic of her, but in reality, Ika Musume is indeed a squid with the ability to transform into a human to an unbelievable extent and possesses extraordinary strength. She emerges from the ocean with the intention of invading the world and seeking revenge on humans for polluting the ocean where she lives. Ika Musume decides to target the Lemon restaurant near the beach as her first foothold, but after accidentally punching a large hole in the restaurant just to swat a mosquito, she is forced to stay and work as a waitress to compensate for the damage.

Here, Ika Musume begins to learn more about the human world, accompanied by many new friends, and along with it come humorous troubles that arise daily as she adapts to life on land. Shinryaku! Ika Musume - The Squid Girl Invasion is a simple yet humorous anime series that also conveys deeply profound messages to viewers about the current issue of ocean pollution.

High School Fleet - Naval Squad of High School Girls is a remarkable anime directed by Nobuta Yuu. The series is set in a hundred years later, when the shifting of tectonic plates has caused much of Japan's landmass to sink and turned Japan into a powerful maritime nation. As a result, coastal cities and sea routes are well protected by specialized naval ships. The maritime industry is booming, creating a shortage of naval personnel and rescuers. To encourage young girls to participate, the Blue Mermaids fleet, where talented women with aspirations dedicate their lives to protecting the country's oceans, has been established.

High School Fleet - Naval Squad of High School Girls revolves around Akeno Misaki, a high school girl attending Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. Akeno Misaki and her childhood friend Moeka China join others with the shared dream of becoming members of the Blue Mermaids. Soon after, training exercises begin, and Akeno and Moeka are tasked with commanding their own ship and crew. Everything is progressing smoothly for Akeno as she takes on the role of captain and builds close friendships among the crew members aboard the destroyer Harekaze. However, unforeseen engine trouble and an early diversion lead to their ship running aground and the crew facing danger.

3. Love Live! Sunshine!! - School Idol Project

Love Live! Sunshine!! is an anime series that follows the story of Chika Takami, who dreams of forming a famous idol group at the Uranohoshi Girls' High School, located near the beautiful beach of Uchiura in the city of Numazu. The school is facing declining enrollment and the risk of closure. Inspired by the idol group μ’s that came before, Chika Takami is determined to establish an idol group to save the situation.

However, Chika's decision stems from a trip to Tokyo, where she discovers a stage where even an ordinary girl like her can shine—the world of school idols. But before gathering enough members to join the idol group, Chika encounters her biggest obstacle, the student council president Dia Kurosawa, who vehemently opposes the establishment of the idol group.

Just when all hope seems lost, Chika meets Riko Sakurauchi. Despite Riko's shyness, she possesses exceptional piano-playing skills, and Chika believes that Riko will be a promising idol, although persuading her to join the music club proves to be extremely difficult. Despite the challenges that stand in her way, Chika resolves to move forward and establish a school idol group. Eventually, the school idol group of Uranohoshi is formed, including: Takami Chika, Sakurauchi Riko, Matsuura Kanan, Kurosawa Dia, Watanabe You, Tsushima Yoshiko, Kunikida Hanamaru, Ohara Mari, and Kurosawa Ruby.

4. Air - The Sky

Air - The Sky is an anime based on the novel of the same name by the visual novel company Key. The story revolves around the main character Yukito Kunisaki, a young man who arrives in a peaceful seaside town. He is on a journey to find the 'girl with wings,' a legend passed down for centuries. He embarks on this journey after hearing a childhood tale from his mother. Growing up, he decides to find this girl to fulfill his mother's unfinished journey. Yukito coincidentally arrives at this seaside town when he runs out of money for his travels. In the town, he encounters three peculiar girls named Kamio Misuzu, Kirishima Kano, and Tohno Minagi, and he begins to suspect that one of them may be the 'girl with wings' he's searching for.

By staying in this quaint yet somewhat mysterious town, Yukito soon befriends the locals and learns more about them. Over time, he becomes involved in their troubles and decides to lend a helping hand, but this also postpones his search for the 'girl with wings.' As his search becomes increasingly neglected and he becomes more attached to Misuzu and the small town, will Yukito be able to find the 'girl with wings,' or could she be right beside him all along without him knowing? Tune in to Air - The Sky to find out.

5. Tsuritama - The Friendship Bait

Tsuritama - The Friendship Bait tells the story of Yuki Sanada, a high school student struggling with communication and lacking a friend. He moves to Enoshima with his grandmother. One day, he meets Haru, who claims to be an extraterrestrial visiting Earth to fish, followed by another high school student - Natsuki and an Indian man - Akira. This island begins to be the birthplace of events that can change the world's destiny.

Yuki Sanada is a boy with striking red hair, suffers from social anxiety, and is prone to fainting, often making strange faces when embarrassed or nervous. Yuki also has a habit of searching various topics on his phone whenever someone talks about something he doesn't know. Tsuritama - The Friendship Bait is an anime about fishing and extraterrestrials worth watching at least once in a lifetime.

Amanchu! - Child of the Sea revolves around Hikari Kohinata, a 15-year-old girl always optimistic and cheerful, living near the sea and spending most of her time diving. On the first day of school, she meets a teacher who shares the same hobby. Alongside Hikari is her classmate, 16-year-old Futaba Ooki, whom Hikari immediately befriends. The majority of the anime focuses on the relationship between Hikari and Futaba, along with how Futaba overcomes her fears and challenges.

Amanchu! - Child of the Sea is an anime with a simple yet profound storyline. Despite their differences in personality and appearance, the two girls are bonded by their passion for diving. Through the innocent perspective of these young individuals, viewers can easily see a tranquil coastal world unfolding.

Nagi No Asukara - Offspring of the Sea begins with the premise of a humanoid species once living underwater, but due to some event, a group of them left the sea and started living on land. The story starts with four close friends, Hikaru Sakishima, Manaka Mukaidou, Chisaki Hiradaira, and Isaki Kaname, who belong to the underwater species, attending high school on land as their underwater school has closed down. Meeting new friends and embarking on life on the unfamiliar continent sets a new chapter in their journey.

The narrative of Nagi No Asukara - Offspring of the Sea is carefully divided into two parts, the first half focusing on societal harmony. It's a fresh start for the four friends, who have lived beneath the sea since childhood and decide to start a new school life at a land-based institution. The storyline escalates quickly and dramatically as there are numerous conflicts between individuals from the two worlds. Social conflicts arise from personal differences and escalate to encompass the entire community. However, as the main characters strive to fulfill the Boat Drift Festival, all conflicts are peacefully resolved, and their actions change the mindset of the entire community.

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club - Unleash Your Passion is one of the anime series about swimming sports that has attracted a large female audience. Free became famous when it premiered in 2013. Anime fans were treated to glimpses of the muscular anime boys flexing their muscles like statues in a trailer, and this went viral on social media platforms.

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club - Unleash Your Passion mainly focuses on the lives and relationships of a group of young friends with a shared passion for swimming. In junior high, swimming was life, swimming encompassed every moment of their existence, but then in high school, everything seemed to fall apart, each going their separate ways. It wasn't until their final years of high school that Makoto wanted to reignite the passion for swimming with his two friends Nagisa and Haru. Haru is a talented swimmer, needing water like air, to the extent of immersing himself daily in pools. When the swim team loses in the early competitions, he withdraws into his shell and becomes a silent boy with no passion for the world.

Aoki Hagane No Arpeggio - Mist Fleet Squadron is an anime series adapted from the manga of the same name. Aoki Hagane No Arpeggio - Mist Fleet Squadron is set in a world where the global economy is declining rapidly due to a fleet of mysterious superweapons called the Mist Fleet Squadron, which controls almost all sea routes, erecting an energy barrier. Consequently, Captain Chihaya Gunzou and Iona - Mental Mode of the I-401 ship, along with the crew, set out to find a way to save the world.

Aoki Hagane No Arpeggio - Mist Fleet Squadron consists of 12 episodes and has 2 Movies. Directed by Seiji Kishi, this anime may be old but its quality of graphics and 3D rendering techniques in a 2D style are extremely high-quality and appealing. There are no clashes between the background and the characters; the film takes you through various emotions with lighting effects comparable to blockbusters of the year. Moreover, the music selection perfectly complements the content. It can be said that Aoki Hagane - Mist Fleet Squadron is a very suitable anime for any screen and anyone. All the engaging naval battles will leave you satisfied, especially for fans of Kantai Collection - a game also inspired by the sea and warships.

One Piece - Pirate Island is a widely renowned anime worldwide. It is based on the manga series of the same name by Eiichiro Oda. One Piece - Pirate Island begins with the execution of the infamous Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Before his death, he reveals that he has hidden his treasure somewhere in the sea. Whoever finds it, owns it. Many brave souls set sail to find the mysterious treasure of Gol D. Roger.

From there, the Great Age of Pirates begins. Monkey D. Luffy has dreamed of becoming a pirate since he was a child. He is determined to form his own pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. Thus begins an adventure on the sea in search of treasure. Along their journey, the Straw Hat Pirates encounter other ruthless pirate ships and face the pursuit of the government navy. Each member of the Straw Hat Pirates has a hidden story behind their always cheerful faces. Despite facing many dangers and challenges, the Straw Hat Pirates have become legendary Pirate Kings and have conquered the treasure.