Netflix has grown into one of the best mainstream platforms to stream anime in recent years. Over the years, the streamer has served its animated catalog impressively well. Naturally, that dense library includes anime as well, and thanks to a respectable dose of original series and established hits, Netflix hosts some of the greatest anime to watch, spanning moves and TV shows of every genre a prospective fan could want.
Crunchyroll and Funimation are the primary streamers for the genre. Even so, considering the dominating presence Netflix has in the streaming market internationally, it’s a worthy supplement. But even with how relatively mainstream the genre has become westward, it can still feel daunting to know where to start. Thankfully, this guide is consistently updated every month to help you pick from Netflix’s library of excellent anime available now.
If you want more options, check out our other guides to the best anime on Hulu and the best anime available on Amazon Prime Video.
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PLUTO2023 -
Onimusha2023
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GOOD NIGHT WORLD2023
PLUTO (2023) new
Naoki Urasawa is credited with writing and illustrating some of greatest seinen manga in the industry, and Netflix obtained the license for the adaptation of Pluto. Set in the same continuity as Osamu Tezuka’s landmark Astro Boy series, Pluto tells a mystery involving the murder of the heroic robot Montblanc, who fought in the 39th Asian War.
Things become far bleaker when war veteran and Europol detective Gesicht investigates the grisly killing of the war hero, as the plot unravels a deep-rooted conspiracy against the robots who took part in the war. Though inherently less grounded as a premise compared to the revered Monster, Pluto is a gripping blend of the crime drama and science fiction genres. Urasawa is known for his cerebral stories, and the animation team at Studio M2 brilliantly conveys that in their anime adaptation.
Onimusha (2023) new
In addition to anime and animation in general, Netflix is continuing its relationship with video game publishers to adapt their properties. Capcom’s Onimusha is the latest in these endeavors, with animation studio Sublimation taking a 3D CGI approach to this world.
Netflix’s Onimusha takes the legendary ronin Miyamoto Musashi, wielding the Oni Gauntlet, and is sent on an undercover mission to thwart a looming demonic threat. It’s an engaging and vibrant spin on Edo-period Japan in fantasy, and while its plot is fairly straightforward, Onimusha does enough to deliver an action-packed story. Likewise, the anime is an impressive showcase of how far CG animation has come.
Resident Evil: Death Island (2023) new
Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise is the face of the survival-horror genre in gaming, and it’s no stranger to anime adaptations. The latest entry to the anime side of the property is Resident Evil: Death Island, animated by studio TMS Entertainment. This anime movie brings together some of the video games’ most iconic characters — Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Claire Redfield — on a rescue mission to Alcatraz Island.
The operation leads to dealing with a new strain of the T-Virus and a shadowy threat. Resident Evil: Death Island doesn’t break new ground for the franchise’s anime adaptations, but it’s an unapologetically fun, gory, and bombastic action-horror movie. Its use of CG animation and grotesque creature designs are also well done and keep the spirit of the games.
GOOD NIGHT WORLD (2023) new
Another Netflix original anime, studio NAZ’s Good Night World is an adaptation of Uru Okabe’s web manga of the same name. The story revolves around the members of a broken, emotionally dysfunctional family who all find a semblance of fulfillment within a virtual reality video game called Planet.
However, what these characters don’t realize is that they’ve managed to form a functional family unit with each other. An interesting premise, Good Night World does well to gradually piece together the more secretive aspects of these characters’ backstories, with the plot taking dramatic turns as it incorporates elements of their real lives and their video game personas.
Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix (2023) new
Another one of Netflix’s “Western-style anime” originals, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix delves into video game publisher Ubisoft’s backlog. Loosely inspired by the Far Cry 3 spin-off game Blood Dragon, but vibrant sci-fi adventure sees the fugitive and branded enemy of the state Dolph Laserhawk lead a team of rebels in a dystopian technocracy.
Animated by French studio Bobby Pills, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is a high-octane and colorful celebration of some of publisher Ubisoft’s most memorable games. The series does well to balance over-the-top action with a sincere, heartfelt plot at its core.
Castlevania: Nocturne (2023) new
Though it leans more into anime-inspired TV rather than the conventional definition of the genre, Netflix and Powerhouse Animation Studios’ Castlevania: Nocturne is nonetheless a highlight of the streamer’s animated catalog. This sequel series takes place 300 years after the events of the original series, as Richter Belmont comes into his own alongside his surrogate family of Maria Renard and Tera.
Nocturne is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, where the vampiric aristocracy is working to usher in a fabled vampire messiah to plunge the world into an eternal night. Art direction and animation continue to be strong points in this TV side of the video game franchise. The series also lays an exciting groundwork for what’s to come.
Kengan Ashura (2019) new
One of the most bombastically entertaining martial arts anime shows on Netflix, Kengan Ashura returns for a second season. The story continues the titular protagonist’s rise in the underground combat rings of the corporate Japanese world, as wealthy businessmen hire some of the most elite fighters to settle disputes in brutal fights.
Tokita Ouma is eager for the sporting element of it all, and he’s determined to make a name for himself by taking on the strongest figures in this grueling world. Larx Entertainment’s adaptation of Yabako Sandrovich and Daromeon’s manga has been well-received for its straightforward, yet effective story and over-the-top action sequences.
GAMERA -Rebirth- (2023) new
Godzilla may be the face of the kaiju subgenre, but Gamera has developed a respectable cult-classic reverence in this space. Animated by studio Engi, the Netflix-original series Gamera Rebirth also functions as a reboot of the franchise following the 2006 live-action movie Gamera the Brave.
Set in Tokyo during the summer of 1989, it follows four children who witness the rise of the titular turtle monster as he defends humanity against a string of hostile monsters. Gamera Rebirth focuses the action on the monster battling against five distinct monsters across its six-episode season. For fans of the genre, this series should be an engaging action-heavy romp.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (2016)
One of the best shounen comedy series, animation studios J.C.Staff and Egg Firm’s anime adaptation of Shūichi Asō’s The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. translates wonderfully to the screen. High schooler Kusuo Saiki stumbles through his life as the psychic abilities he once vowed to keep secret end up attracting unwanted attention.
It’s a fun and lighthearted way of making a supernatural catalyst the premise for a high school comedy, with this plot device proving to be an entertaining way of fleshing out Saiki’s colorful supporting cast. The animation and art direction are quite basic compared to higher-budget anime productions, but they succeed in being another charming element of this gag-filled series.
One Piece Film: GOLD (2016) new
One Piece: Heart of Gold (2016) new
BNA (2020)
The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 (2023) new
Baki Hanma (2021) new
The Way of the Househusband (2021)
Lookism (2022)
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (2023) new
My Happy Marriage (2023) new
Record of Ragnarok (2021) new
Written by Shinya Umemura and Takumi Fukui and illustrated by Ajichika, the Record of Ragnarok manga is an unapologetically bombastic action series. It wears its wild character designs and equally over-the-top action on its sleeve. The series follows the gods of various mythologies who convene every 1,000 years to decide the fate of mankind in an epic-scale martial arts tournament.
Meanwhile, season 2, part 2 will continue this onslaught of spectacles, including Buddha — on behalf of humanity — doing battle against Zerofoku; one of the Japanese Seven Lucky Gods.
Darwin's Game (2020)
Naruto Shippuden the Movie (2007)
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) new
Demon Slayer is one of the biggest hits in the modern anime and manga scene. Especially so for the former, as Ufotable brilliantly adapted Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga of the same name to film and TV.
Netflix now finally has the rights to stream the second season of the series after adding the first season and the Mugen Train arc. Demon Slayer season 2 covers the Entertainment District arc, which sees Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke go to the titular Japanese district in Yoshiwara to investigate a prowling demon wreaking havoc there.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015)
The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise has long been an anime icon, as well as the face of the mecha subgenre. Animated by studio Sunrise, the 2015 Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans series became one of the best for the franchise on TV. The series follows Mikazuki Augus and Orga Itsuka, who go from being slaves of a private security company to leaders of their own mercenary group.
Things expand exponentially in scale once they take on a job to escort martian noblewoman Kudelia Aina Bernstein to potentially negotiate the independence of her home. Iron-Blooded Orphans doesn’t take its stakes lightly for anyone involved, is filled with thrilling robot action, and features storylines packed with political drama.
One Piece Film: Z (2012)
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is one of the most lucrative manga and anime properties in the world. Fans all over the world are invested in the Straw Hat Pirate crew’s colorful exploits, and its success spawned several anime movies. The non-canonical One Piece Film: Z ranks among the best of the franchise’s theatrical efforts, pitting Luffy and company against a powerful new foe.
As the group navigates the waters of the New World searching for Gol D. Roger’s treasure, they cross paths with the renegade former Marine Admiral Z. He’s being suspected of stealing powerful weapons capable of eliminating the pirate world as they know it — and taking countless innocent lives as collateral along with it.
Kuroko's Basketball (2012)
Naruto (2002)
Another anime and manga phenomenon from Shonen Jump Magazine’s era of the “Big Three,” Naruto has effectively become a modern classic for newer generations of anime fans.
Masashi Kishimoto’s ninja series follows the titular Naruto Uzumaki going from village outcast to hometown hero, as he and the rest of Team 7 tackle an increasingly dangerous set of foes. It’s part of his grand dream to become the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, but Naruto has also become known for having a wide cast of fan-favorite characters.
InuYasha (2000)
A manga classic of the ’90s and ’00s, Rumiko Takahashi’s Inuyasha is another beloved shonen series that shouldn’t be forgotten among its contemporaries. The original anime adaptation was done by the well-known Mobile Suit Gundam studio Sunrise and was generally well-received for being faithful to the source material.
In a radical and unexpected turn of events, 15-year-old Kagome Higurashi is pulled by a demon into her family’s well and into the feudal past, in an age where demons were prominent. Eventually, she meets and teams up with the half-demon boy Inuyasha to find the pieces of the powerful Shikon Jewel before more nefarious hands reach them.
Blue Period (2021)
Taking a break from the high-octane action and bombast of other typical anime offerings, Blue Period is a refreshing and down-to-earth story. Fitting nicely within the slice-of-life anime subgenre, animation studio Seven Arcs’ Blue Period adapts Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s manga of the same name. Centering around the story of Yatora Yaguchi, the high-school delinquent with top-notch grades finds himself feeling empty by his life of keeping up with his schoolwork and hanging around a group of unambitious friends.
He finds his true passion in the arts — painting, to be specific. From there, Yatora embarks on a journey to enroll in the competitive Tokyo University of the Arts. Blue Period has been acclaimed for its investing cast of characters and coming-of-age-themed storytelling.
Great Pretender (2020)
A Netflix original story developed by famed animators Wit Studio (Vinland Saga season 1, Attack on Titan seasons 1-3), Great Pretender is a vibrant heist comedy. Starting with the petty ventures of a common thief named Makoto Edamura in Japan, the series expands onto a grander scale when he’s unwittingly recruited by a master con man and his colorful cast of colleagues.
Each story arc is cleverly separated into cases, with each detailing equal parts thrilling new capers and genuinely emotional character development of the main cast. Complemented by its stunning art direction, Great Pretender is easily one of Netflix’s greatest original anime series.
Super Crooks (2021)
A Netflix anime original, veteran animation studio Bones’ Super Crooks is an adaptation of writer Mark Millar and artist Leinil Francis Yu’s Marvel Comics series of the same name. The series follows the exploits of a small-time crook named Johnny Bolt as he strings together one big heist to help the world’s most beloved “supercrook” out of a gambling jam.
Bolt forms a team of supervillains to pull off a massive heist, traveling to Spain and attempting to rob one of the most infamous supervillains of all time. It’s a fun twist on conventional superhero storytelling and utilizes anime format to excellent effect.
Dorohedoro (2020)
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
Case Closed: The Culprit Hanzawa (2022)
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (2023)
Monster (2004) new
Vinland Saga (2019) new
The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 1 (2022)
And now, with that series concluded, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 1 will serve as a cinematic prequel to the sequel series Four Knights of the Apocalypse, which ushers in a new generation of heroes. This time, the story follows Tristan, the son of Meliodas and Elizabeth, a young boy will travel to the titular Edinburgh Castle.[/dt_media]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
Pokémon Journeys (2019)
Tiger & Bunny (2011)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
Violet Evergarden: The Movie (2020)
One Piece (1999)
Death Note (2006)
One-Punch Man (2015)
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (2021)
The Seven Deadly Sins (2014)
Castlevania (2017)
BEASTARS (2019)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
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