Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms, and it has a massive library of shows from all corners of the world and every genre. So, it’s no surprise that you can watch some of the best anime on Netflix, as it also has a massive anime library!
Nowadays, anime has become widely available to many as you can easily watch it on popular streaming platforms such as Netflix. Whether you are just starting your anime-watching journey or looking for something new to watch, it can be overwhelming to pick one out due to the sheer volume of anime released.
But if you’ve got a Netflix subscription and are looking for a good anime series available on the platform, I’ve got you covered!
In this article, you will find a list of some of the best anime series on Netflix that you can start watching right now. These binge-worthy series, from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to Hunter x Hunter, will help you get into the world of anime and manga, and if you are already an otaku, you’d have many options to choose from. So, let’s not waste any time and start with the list!
The Best Anime on Netflix (2023)
30. Kengen Ashura
Kengen Ashura is a fast-paced martial arts anime with a lot of action about companies that hire “Gladiators.” These gladiators would fight one another in underground matches to protect and settle disputes that the companies that hired them have.
We follow Kazuo Yamashita, a timid old man, who is summoned and tasked to become the manager and caretaker of one of these gladiators named Ohma Tokita.
Fights in the anime might seem a bit odd at times as it blends different animation styles to create a unique experience. Despite this, the fights are well-choreographed and entertaining, making this anime a must-watch for the action you can get.
29. Spriggan
Following the theme of military and sci-fi, this Netflix anime series is a remake of an anime released in 1998 of the same name. The fresh coat of paint Spriggan has over it allows the anime to showcase itself compared to modern sci-fi shows beautifully.
The series features a military organization known as ARCAM Corporation responsible for safeguarding artifacts called OOParts.
This sci-fi story follows a superhuman agent named Yu Ominae, who travels around the world searching for these artifacts to prevent foreign military organizations from retrieving them. As expected, this story is filled with many action-packed sequences that barely give you any time to breathe but add to the thrill and suspense you can get.
28. Great Pretender
Great Pretender is an anime that draws heavy inspiration from the song of the same title by a band called “The Platters” back in 1955. It is a mafia-style heist anime released in 2020, with several keynotes about the song becoming the central theme of the anime.
The story follows Makoto Edamura, a modern-day small-time conman in Japan who has decided to swindle a foreigner named Laurent Thierry. The result of his attempts was the complete opposite, however, as he gets conned himself, eventually forming a group of thieves called “The Pretenders” to aim for bigger cons and heists against large corporations and evil groups.
Watching the anime will open you to a show with a wide variety of comedy, action, and drama while also containing several mysteries as the plot easily changes with the different reveals. As a nice tidbit, we also hear Freddie Mercury’s cover of “The Great Pretender” as the show’s ending theme, which adds a nice touch of details that you’ll find appealing.
27. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
The name Junji Ito shouldn’t be an unfamiliar name to long-time anime fans, but to the uninitiated, he is a famous manga artist well-known for his horror stories, with this anime taking direct inspiration from his works. This anime is considerably short as it only has one season with only 12 episodes.
Picking up this anime might be something you want to consider as it is an anime that is an experience of its own. It’s pretty different from most classic anime series because it’s mostly in horror, something that not many otakus might like!
Not only does it mainly dive into and focus on the horror genre, but it allows you to get a picture of the kinds of work that Junji Ito is known for. Each episode has a unique art style and story, making it a series you can pick up and watch anytime.
26. Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is set around a young girl who shares the name with the series and was previously used as a killing machine in the war. She was a young girl whose only purpose was destroying the enemy forces, but now that the war is over, what is her purpose!?
With the war being over and her arms being replaced by metal prosthetics due to the injuries she received in the battle, she has to learn how to integrate back into society. She does this by taking up a job as a letter writer that will take her around the world and expose her to emotions she never knew existed.
The story is quite sweet as Violet keeps growing and learns about the complexity of human life and emotions, and the visually stunning animation makes it one of the best anime on Netflix you can watch this year!
25. Kuroko’s Basketball
From the name alone, you can easily guess that this anime series is a sports anime that focuses on basketball. While basketball anime isn’t new, Kuroko’s Basketball focuses on Tetsuya Kuroko, who once played alongside five talented players known as the Generation of Miracles and served as their phantom sixth member.
After enrolling as a freshman, he met Taiga Kagami, a talented basketball player from the US. The two manage to form a basketball team with the intention of making it one of the best teams in Japan.
The anime is filled with heated matches between basketball teams and lighter moments of friendship and camaraderie between the players. It is one of the best anime series on Netflix to watch if you are a sports fan!
24. AJIN: Demi-Human
“Ajin” are the mysterious immortal humans who first appeared on the battlefields of Africa around 17 years ago when an African warrior just didn’t die even after being severely injured. They were soon labeled as threats because of their powers and immortality, and whenever an Ajin is found within the society, they are captured and placed into custody.
Kei Nagai is a high schooler studying to be a doctor and knows very little about Ajins, but when he finds out that he himself is one, he flees before the authorities capture him. However, other Ajins are closer than he thinks, and they are planning on fighting back against the torment, and the young boy has to choose a side!
23. Beastars
Beastars generally falls under the slice-of-life anime genre, with drama added into the mix in a high school of animals. Initially, the series feels like the typical high school anime, but its themes slowly get darker as the story progresses.
Students are divided between two groups, the Herbivores and Carnivores, with the consumption of meat illegalized for the safety of the Herbivores despite several Carnivores finding it difficult to control themselves.
We follow a wolf named Legoshi who was tasked by their school’s security guard to find the carnivore responsible for devouring one of the students causing fear and unease among the student body.
22. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
You’d think that having immense psychic powers would mean that your life would be much better than everyone else in the world, but that’s not the case with Saiki Kusuo.
He’s the most powerful psychic to live – with powers ranging from teleportation, telepathy, X-ray vision, and more – but he hates being the center of attention and does everything in his power to avoid any drama that could cause complications in his already disastrous life.
However, he finds himself being pulled into other people’s problems as he’s constantly surrounded by unique people who drag him into the real world. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is a must-watch comedy anime, which is a mashup of multiple 5-minute episodes showing how Kusuo aims to lead a normal life but can’t, thanks to the hijinks of people he’s surrounded with!
21. Devilman: Crybaby
Devilman: Crybaby is based on the classic Go Nagai manga and is one of the surprising hits in recent years. However, I’ll warn you that this is a dark anime that may not be suitable for everyone to watch as it features a ton of nudity, gore, violence, and things that may not sit well with many of you.
But if you are a fan of anime that focuses on good storytelling, weird yet awesome character designs, and outrageous violence, then this is the title you need to watch.
The show focuses on Akira, a student and a crybaby, who bonds with a powerful devil called Amon and somehow gains control of his powers while remaining human. He, along with his friend, Ryou, goes on battling the devils with unbelievable destructive power. But it’s the show’s climax that you don’t want to miss!
20. BASTARD!! Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy
This title is a fantasy anime series filled with over-the-top violence, action, and comedy, making it a unique experience to watch. The story itself is just as interesting as the different anime genres it has, as the story begins when the God of Destruction, Anthrasax, gets sealed away after destroying the world.
We follow Dark Schneider, an antihero and powerful wizard who created the Dark Rebel Army. He gets defeated and sealed away inside the body of a boy named Lucien Rulen when he gets resurrected a few years later to defeat his former comrades to prevent them from ruling the world.
Heavy metal music alongside Dungeons & Dragons served as heavy inspirations for the series. You’ll find yourself greeted with little easter eggs and tidbits for this inspiration as several characters and spells are taken straight from the two.
19. The Seven Deadly Sins
A fantasy anime series with drama and comedy in between, The Seven Deadly Sins is a great anime filled with action-packed fights and a memorable group of characters. The Seven Deadly Sins were originally a group of knights who disbanded after being framed and accused by another group of knights, the holy knights, of treason toward the kingdom.
Ten years after their disbandment, the holy knights were revealed to be the ones who intended to overthrow the kingdom. Elizabeth, the third princess, travels around the world searching for the Seven Deadly Sins to prevent this and take the kingdom back.
The anime is an exciting show despite its fast pacing compared to other anime shows since instead of traditional heroes with all the good qualities, we have a group of heroes with unique personalities.
18. Baki
Baki is a martial arts anime well-known for its fight scenes and violence, showcased in almost every episode without failure. The third installment is readily available on Netflix, as the first two, Baki the Grappler and Baki the Grappler: Maximum Tournament, were released in 2001.
This installment and story follow Baki Hanma, who undergoes intense training to surpass his father and become the strongest in the world. We pick up after the events of the second season, with death row inmates looking for Baki after hearing about him to reignite their spark in life after going undefeated for several years.
The show strays considerably far from the norm that you find in shonen anime that focuses on martial arts, as every episode is filled with a lot of suspense. The straightforward approach the show follows immediately brings you to all the glorious action and violence that will find a place for anime fans who enjoy this kind of power fantasy anime.
17. Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academia began as a short film released in 2015 and later released as a Netflix Original show. The anime is set at Luna Nova Magical Academy, a place for aspiring witches to learn all sorts of magic.
This animated series focuses on Akko Kagari, who enrolls in the academy despite having a non-magical background. Despite facing many difficulties in her journey, Akko rises above them all and begins finding her place in the magical world, thanks to discovering a relic left behind by a renowned world-class witch and her idol, Shiny Chariot.
16. Hunter x Hunter
A classic anime series first released in 1998, Hunter x Hunter is a familiar name to many long-time fans and is still a binge-worthy series, especially its 2011 remake. Hunter x Hunter is the anime adaptation of a manga series of the same name. It follows the iconic character Gon Freecss who strives to become a hunter just like his father after discovering he is still alive.
We meet several other characters throughout the story, such as Kurapika, Killua, and Leorio, who all have their reasons for pursuing the path to becoming a hunter. Many new characters get introduced along the way, making the cast considerably diverse.
This shonen anime offers a unique viewing experience that remains timeless in pop culture even today as the lovable and memorable amount of characters creates a fantastic anime world. However, it’s a pretty grim world, and the story soon takes a dark turn. Newer and older fans of the anime will find this series very easy to watch as its plot isn’t that difficult to follow while still offering one of the best viewing experiences possible.
15. Kakegurui
Kakegurui is one of the original anime on Netflix, which has become quite popular thanks to its unique and engaging plot!
The show focuses on a new transfer student, Yumeko Jabami, at Hyakkaou Private Academy, where the students are the children of the wealthiest people in the world. The academy is just like other normal academies in the day, teaching students everything ranging from languages, history, and the like to prepare them for the real world. But by night, it transforms into a gambling den educating them in dealing with money and manipulating people.
Yumeko Jabami is a beautiful new student who seems naive at first but has a borderline insane way of gambling where she plays for the thrills and doesn’t really care about winning!
14. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
The “bizarre” in the title of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure can barely explain the kind of series you are getting into once you start watching it on the popular streaming service. The anime tends to follow the fantasy adventure genre with a bit of the supernatural added in.
This series stands out, in particular, because each season follows an entirely new character and a plot completely different from the seasons before. Generally, the story can be summarized as the misadventures of the different descendants of the Joestar Family, which leads to unpredictability with what you can expect.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the best anime on Netflix because it is incredibly fun and entertaining. The show is able to showcase itself from the plot and writing down to the unique way each character is animated and how well their personality is shown.
13. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
This is another cult classic anime on this list that every anime fan would have watched at least once! Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion is an anime released in the early 2000s that still makes for a great anime to binge-watch. The story revolves around a military theme and follows an alternate path in history.
In this story, we follow Lelouch vi Brittania, the exiled prince from the Holy Britannia Empire. He was exiled from his country following the events after his mother was murdered. He travels to Japan and enrolls in a school where he meets a mysterious girl called CC, who grants him the power to control people’s minds.
Through his newly acquired powers, Lelouch searches for his mother’s killer and tries to find a way to exact revenge on his father for his sister’s sake. The anime features a lot of compelling moments that make it a memorable show to watch, and I highly recommend it thanks to its wonderful story.
12. Komi Can’t Communicate
Going off to something lighter, Komi Can’t Communicate is a slice-of-life anime filled with wholesome romantic comedy. The plot is simple and straightforward enough as we follow the titular girl, Komi, and her classmate, a young boy named Tadano, who discovers that behind Komi’s stoic charm lies a severe communication disorder.
We follow the two characters growing up with each other and learning about Komi’s goal of making 100 friends, which Tadano aims to help her accomplish. Both characters slowly become fond of one another as Komi learns to communicate better as the series progresses.
The show has only two seasons available, with a likely third season on the way but still yet to be announced. Considering everything, I highly rate this anime as a must-watch thanks to its simplicity and wholesome nature that fans will enjoy.
11. Record of Raganarok
Record of Ragnarok is a dark fantasy martial arts-themed anime that starts considerably strong with the immediate introduction of heavenly beings. Called the Council of the Gods, the group assembles once every millennium to decide the fate of humanity. The most recent conclusion is to eliminate them due to the number of unforgivable sins.
Before this decision comes to pass, a Valkyrie named Brunhilde proposes that humanity be given a chance at survival which leads to the gods hosting a tournament called Ragnarok – a one-on-one battle between humans and Gods. The tournament’s rules are simple – humanity will be given another chance if they can beat the Gods in seven out of thirteen matches.
This prospect alone makes for a strong foundation as the anime offers action-packed fight scenes with some mature elements added in for something darker and more serious. The story has us follow the chosen human representatives who are granted an ally Valkyrie that allows them to use special powers based on their fighting style.
The anime poses the great question of whether Humans can prevail and be given a second chance or if they’ll fail and finally see their ends at the hands of the gods.
10. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is, without a doubt, one of the best anime on Netflix at the moment. This new anime brings us to the cybernetic future and sci-fi setting from the Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Fans who played the game and anime fans who didn’t will find this original anime a must-watch for its stylistic and colorful animation that adds a unique charm.
Despite not being suitable for younger audiences due to its graphic material, the anime is worth a watch as we follow a street kid named David who lost everything after a drive-by shooting by an outlaw called Edgerunner, resulting in him becoming a black market mercenary knows as Cyberpunk.
As mentioned earlier, the sci-fi series draws heavy inspiration from the video game but is vastly unrelated to it. The story the anime has to offer allows anyone to watch it with ease, even if they have no idea about the game itself. However, players of the game will find the strange world expanded even more with a new thing/reference to look forward to in every new episode.
9. One Punch Man
Like The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, One Punch Man is an anime series featuring a super-powerful main character. When it first debuted, it broke all stereotypes and introduced many people to the anime world.
One-Punch Man is essentially a parody of sorts as it pokes fun at all the other anime shows where main characters get insanely overpowered and are able to defeat all of their enemies. Unlike them, Saitama, the main character, is overpowered from the beginning and can defeat anyone with a single punch without taking any damage.
The plot seems boring as the hero has no challenges, but it does an excellent job of showing us how he deals with everyday life. Saitama is bored out of his wits because he can’t find any real challenges, thanks to his overwhelming strength, but this show is one of the best anime on Netflix in the superhero genre because there are several characters who bring a lot to the table, and all of them are memorable in their own way.
8. Romantic Killer
Romantic Killer follows a romantic story filled with drama, action, and comedy along the way. We follow the story of Anzu Hoshino, who is different from most girls around her. Rather than falling in love with boys, she devotes her time and energy to eating chocolates, playing with her cat, and playing video games.
Her lifestyle takes a complete 180 spin as a mysterious wizard comes into her life, making it their goal to make Anzu fall in love for the first time. Anzu is stuck between two options since she can either fall in love with a guy or find different ways to defy him and retain her singlehood.
The series puts us through many comedic moments, much to Anzu’s embarrassment, as you can easily find yourself chuckling and laughing with the different gags. That, alongside Anzu’s unluckiness of finding potential love interests, makes this series entertaining to watch.
7. Erased
A mystery and thriller anime, Erased, is a title released in 2016 that has become famous due to its story, which even has some time-traveling aspects added. The story follows the 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma, whose mother is killed, and his attempts to travel back into the past to find his mother’s killer and prove his innocence.
The story of Erased is very dark and gruesome as it is difficult to explain without covering major spoilers and portrays themes such as death, abuse, and neglect to a realistic degree.
This makes the anime a bit difficult for people who are uncomfortable with these aspects, but it makes for a great watch thanks to the several plot twists and mystery solving you are taken along for the ride.
6. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is not for the faint-hearted, as there’s a lot of gore and blood on display. Having said that, it’s one of the best anime series that everyone needs to watch!
The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been driven to the brink of extinction of Titans, giant man-eating monsters. There is an ongoing battle between these Titans and the remaining humans trying to survive in what’s left of the world.
There are a lot of twists and turns in the story as it’s not just about the humans fighting against the colossal titans, but there are many other things at stake, and new mysteries are unveiled with plenty of plot development.
I won’t go into too much detail because Attack on Titan is a must-watch series, and as you finish one season and start the next, you’ll understand why it’s so high on everyone’s anime recommendations!
5. Castlevania
Castlevania is another popular Netflix anime series that has become a must-watch on the streaming service if you love stories involving Dracula!
The show focuses on Count Dracula, who vows revenge against the people of Wallachia after they accused his wife of witchcraft and burned her alive at the stake, and Trevor Belmont, the last of the monster-hunting clan, which leads a fight against the Dracula and his army of demonic creatures.
Apart from the war between man and monster, there are romantic elements in the story, with Dracula being portrayed as a sympathetic villain mourning his wife’s death and not like the evil creature who just wants to plunge the world into darkness.
4. Monster
Monster is a mystery crime series based on the manga series of the same name, mixed with a little bit of horror on the side. The story follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a young brain surgeon who finds dissatisfaction with the current medical world’s bias toward treating patients. This causes him to save the life of a young boy instead of the mayor, as the former suffered a grave head injury; it is later revealed that the mayor dies due to this.
Tenma quickly loses his social standing, followed by a mysterious string of murders resulting in several doctors and hospital directors getting killed several years later. And all this is connected to the boy he saved in the past!
The show consistently puts you on the edge as you get placed into a plot twist that is one of the most impactful ones, thanks to the show’s unpredictability. There is a reason why Monster is still considered one of the top-rated anime titles of all time!
3. Death Note
Death Note is a memorable anime, as fans often regard it as the “holy grail” of anime. The story follows the brilliant student, Light Yagami, who, despite his prestige, finds life to be incredibly boring.
This changes when he finds the Death Note and learns about the notebook’s power to kill anyone as long as he knows their names and faces. He is soon visited by a Shinigami, who is the owner of the Death Note, and his life is no longer boring!
Light Yagami uses this knowledge to create his ideal world that is free from criminals and corrupt power. Despite this, Light places a target on his back as the police get involved and hire a man named L to track down Light and prevent the mysterious string of sudden deaths.
As one of the classic anime with an iconic soundtrack and fantastic voice actors, this series is easy to follow while offering an exciting plot and world. This anime will make a great addition to your watchlist and will easily be enjoyable for new and old fans alike.
2. Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Going into the Taisho Era of Japan, Demon Slayer follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado and his journey to protect his sister and turn her back into a human after his family is massacred in a demon attack and his sister, Nezuko is transformed into a demon in the aftermath.
To protect his sister and transform her back into a human, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as a rookie demon slayer to fight demons and find out the demon who destroyed his family and exact revenge on him.
Demon Slayer is one of the best anime on Netflix, as it features a straightforward plot, spectacular visuals, and epic fight scenes that easily set animation standards under the shounen genre. The anime takes scenes from the manga and adds a great deal of attention and emotion that perfectly captures the feeling of the sword art and fight sequences happening.
1. Vinland Saga
Set in 1013 AD England, Vinland Saga is a historical anime following the story and journey of Thorfinn. Thorfinn endured the worst possible things throughout his life, as his father was killed by a man named Askeladd. He is forced to live with the same person and become a Viking to achieve his only goal.
Thorfinn’s goal in life is one day to be able to take Askeladd’s life in order to avenge his father’s death despite traveling the world alongside him. He also aims to travel to Vinland after this to live in peace for the remainder of his life.
Currently, the story features 2 seasons that are filled with a lot of adventure and action that leave its viewers filled with suspense and energy. The storytelling is also straightforward to follow, which compliments its high-quality animations.
Conclusion
While several anime features an original story and science fiction elements, not every single one is available on Netflix. However, there are many genres to explore when you want to watch anime on Netflix!
In this article, I listed the best Netflix anime you can start watching right now. Most of these titles are available in almost every country, so you won’t have trouble streaming these series and binge-watching them.
And as we conclude this article, I promise to bring you another list featuring the best anime movies on Netflix pretty soon! Till then, try watching all the series featured above, and comment down which you liked the best!
