A hitman shows up to train the world's most useless kid to become a mafia boss, and somehow this becomes the most earnest long-form character transformation in shonen anime. The early comedy is pure chaos, but somewhere around episode 30 it pivots, suddenly you're invested in Tsuna's crew in a way that feels earned, not handed to you. Every character gets a moment where you understand why they matter, and the show keeps earning that investment for 200 episodes straight.

Tsuna is a total loser. He's failing school, friendless, and hopelessly pining after Kyouko Sasagawa, the school idol who is far out of his league. His dull life takes a sharp turn when he meets Reborn, a notorious hitman who also happens to be a baby. Reborn has been sent by the Vongola, the strongest mafia family in Italy, whose ninth boss is close to retirement. His mission is to turn Tsuna into the family's tenth boss. His teaching method is unusual: he shoots Tsuna with a special bullet that brings its target back to act on their dying wish. Mixing action and comedy with supernatural and slice of life touches, the series sets Tsuna on a hard road with his odd home tutor and a new circle of criminal associates.