The best anime you need to watch on Netflix

Funimation

Attack on Titan is without a doubt one of the most popular anime right now. And with good reason. With spectacular animation, political intrigue, a compelling cast and larger-than-life battles, this is a show you’ll want to watch. Yes, titans — giant, humanoid, man-eating monsters that force humanity to live behind high castle walls — are disturbing and can drive you crazy. But that’s half the fun, especially when we see our heroes take them down. Netflix only has the first season of Attack on Titan in its catalog, but those 25 episodes are enough to get you started.

VIZ Media

Hunter x Hunter remains an unfinished story, having been abruptly put on hiatus after season six. The manga’s author, Yoshihiro Togashi, has stopped writing, leaving Hunter x Hunter on hiatus. New chapters, Togashi recently announced, are coming. This anime begins with protagonist Gon Freecss, who leaves home in search of his father, but the series quickly branches out from that simple story. The series is beloved for its world-building and emotional investment in its diverse cast of characters.

Viz Media

An interesting game of cat and mouse through the ages, Death Note follows Light Jagami, a genius high school student who finds a mysterious notebook (the titular “Death Note”) that gives its owner the ability to kill anyone whose name is written in it. Hell-bent on creating a new world without crime, Light goes on a rampage, killing criminals and those whom Light deems morally unworthy. But the world’s greatest detective is on the case. Can Light pull through?

Viz Media

“Believe” (as Naruto Uzumaki would say), you can’t have a best anime list without this show. This classic, beloved anime follows Naruto, a young ninja from the Village of Hidden Leaves who dreams of becoming the leader of his village. Watch out: Naruto is a very long anime. So long that when you get through all nine seasons on Netflix (220 episodes in total), covering Naruto’s pre-teen years, you’ll still have another 500 episodes to cover in Naruto: Shippuden, which picks up two and a half years after the show. original run. There are also several Naruto movies available on the streaming service right now. Be sure to skip the extra episodes, unless you’re really desperate for something to watch.

Viz Media

Shonen’s latest darling, Demon Slayer is a smash hit that breaks with many well-worn anime clichés. The story follows Tanjir Kamado, who joins the ranks of demon slayers after his family is killed by demons. Only Nezuko Kamado, Tanjiro’s younger sister, survived the attack – but she was turned into a demon. Tanjiro travels to Taisho-era Japan with Nezuka in search of a cure and joins the Demon Slayer Corps, seeking to confront the original demon, Muzan Kibutsuji, who killed his family.

The animation and action are breathtaking, the characters are striking and lively, the music is great, and the dialogues are unforgettable. We couldn’t recommend this anime more. The first season is streaming on Netflix, but there is another season if you want more.

Yen Press

You’ll be hooked after the first few episodes of this popular anime, trust us. This show isn’t your typical action anime – but that doesn’t make it any less engrossing. In fact, the opposite is true. Kakegurui is set in an academy where the standard of students is based on their gambling ability, be it at the roulette table or playing blackjack. It’s part psychological thriller, part drama, and the stakes get higher as the series progresses.

Netflix

A Netflix original inspired by the classic video game of the same name, Castlevania follows the last member of the disgraced Belmont family, Trevor Belmont. This dark medieval fantasy is full of gore, gothic horror and grotesque monsters. Trevor — and the friends made along the way — dare to defeat none other than Dracula himself, whose anger and grief over the unjust death of his love is flooding Eastern Europe in the 1400s. You don’t want to miss this one.

Viz Media

Have you ever wanted to see a fight between a Norse god and an ancient Chinese warrior? Or watch a Greek god fight one of the best swordsmen in Japanese history? Me neither, but now I’m glad I did.

The script for Ragnarok’s premise is simple: through 13 one-on-one battles to the death, humanity must prove itself worthy to avoid destruction by the gods. First to seven wins wins. This anime is imaginative, fun, and full of human history, so you’ll learn some new things along the way. It’s also cool to see legends from all over the world coming together in one myth. Only the first 12-episode season is out, making this anime perfect for your next couch binge.

Viz Media

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure follows generations of the Joestar family, from the 19th century to modern times, through decades of, you guessed it, bizarre adventures. Every member of the family has the same name – Jojo – and each is imbued with great superhuman powers. The battles are as psychic and supernatural as the narrative is adventurous. It’s good that all five seasons are streaming on Netflix.

Sunrise

Another anime classic, Cowboy Bebop originally aired in 1998 and has never lost its appeal. The show brilliantly blended different genres – primarily sci-fi and westerns (think space cowboys) – to create something completely new and compelling. Set in 2071, the series is about a group of traveling bounty hunters on their ship, the Bebop. Netflix recently made a live-action version of the show, though it didn’t receive the same critical acclaim as the anime.

Viz Media

If you thought Naruto was long, think again. One Piece is the longest-running anime to date, spanning more than 1,000 episodes over its 23 years on air. The show follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. They are in search of the ultimate treasure known as One Piece. Netflix recently expanded its collection of One Piece from four seasons to 13 seasons, giving you plenty to sink your teeth into. If you ever hope to catch up, you better get there!

Netflix

In a world where demons are re-emerging, Akira Fudo unites with a demon, at the behest of his friend, to become a devil-man, to wage a brutal war against the demons that are now ravaging the land.

Devilman Crybaby is based on the manga written by Go Nagai, which was originally adapted as an anime in the 70s. This newer series moves the time setting from the 1970s to modern times and goes hardcore with mature themes and violent sequences. It is rated TV-MA, so this is not for children.

Devilman Crybaby debuted to great acclaim in 2018, and so far it’s only 10 episodes compiled into one season.

Netflix

Beastars is set in the world of anthropomorphic animals. These characters have jobs and go to school, reminiscent of Disney’s Zootopia. But while both Beastars and Zootopia deal with similar themes—predator versus prey, prejudice and discrimination versus compassion and inclusivity—Beastars is definitely the emotionally heavier show. In fact, due to some of the sexual themes and violence in the show, it’s best to steer children away from this one. If you like melodramas that are heavy on philosophy, this might be the best series for you yet.

Viz Media

How would you feel if you were so strong that you could defeat any enemy with just one punch? Triumphant? boring? Lonely? This is the central question that One Punch Man wrestles with. The show follows the hero Saitama, who has been training so hard that all his hair has fallen out. By the end of his training, he is able to defeat any enemy with a single punch. The show is a satire of shonen manga and anime, subverting the common forms found in those stories. If you’re looking for a different take on the modern superhero story, this might be your cup of tea.

Netflix

Netflix has a robust library of past Pokemon anime, and the latest series in the franchise is produced by Netflix itself. The story follows our favorite forever 10-year-old, Ash Ketchum (go figure), as he continues his Pokemon journey. The show also introduces a host of new characters, including Goh and Chloe, and takes audiences to multiple regions of the Pokemon world, including the newest region of Galar. If you’re a Pokemon fan or have kids, this is a great anime to watch.

Nickelodeon

OK, Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t technically an anime, but it draws so much from the art form and is so perfect that it would be crazy not to mention it here. I missed this show when it was still on Nickelodeon, and when it reappeared on Netflix, I dismissed it as just a nostalgic commercial. Boy, was I wrong. This show deals with the complex themes of wartime propaganda, genocide, duty and honor, all while remaining a light-hearted and optimistic epic story. Oh, and it also has one of the best character redemption arcs in TV history, period.