With Netflix having a large anime catalog, sometimes it’s easier to quickly see which series are considered must-watch. Netflix’s best anime spans a wide range of genres and artistic styles, ensuring viewers get the best experience watching old classics and today’s critical favorites. Whichever option viewers choose, they certainly won’t feel like their time was wasted.
Netflix’s massive anime library is both a blessing and a curse. After scrolling through thumbnails and imaginative titles, paralysis from indecision seems inevitable. However, the best anime on Netflix stand out from the rest, making them famous among fans for their incredible stories, art styles, and characters.
10 monsters
Best described as a “Dark Animal Farm,” Beastars, like the best animal stories, examines how civilized talking creatures can be. In a world where humanoid predators and herbivores live in uneasy peace, Legoshi, a gentle wolf, is accused of murder simply because his teeth are dangerous weapons. This sets the stage for a murder mystery as the wolf tries to clear his name. Studio Orange specializes in producing smooth, high-quality 3D animation; while they were most recently praised for their work on Trigun: Stampede, it was Beastars that put them on the map by shattering stereotypes about cheap CGI anime.
9 Purple Garden
Kyoto Animation is famous for focusing on slice-of-life anime, and Violet Evergarden is exactly what happened when they turned their expertise to post-war dramas. Set in fictional war-torn Telsis, the series follows emotionally crippled veteran Violet, who now works as an Auto-Memory Doll, a cross between a postal worker and a ghostwriter. , who give both their message and their feelings. This setting allows viewers to explore the war-torn country, its survivors, and the beauty and horror of life. Kyoto doesn’t skimp on quality, drawing lush countryside and detailed cities to bring the world of Violet Evergarden to life.
8 Dorohedoro
This black comedy is proof that anime has an absolutely imaginative output. Caiman, a man whose head has been replaced with that of a lizard and has lost his memory, is planning to defeat every witch in the Hole slums, even if it puts him in the sights of a Magic mafia. This gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy is filled with urban sprawl, bizarre characters, and wild powers. MAPPA’s 3D CGI may not be a high point given that everything in the anime feels a bit stiff and flat, but the unmistakable visuals and absurdity of the world make Dorohedoro unforgettable.
7 Sakura Card Leaders
A classic from the ’90s, Cardcaptor Sakura makes the traditional magical girl genre accessible to all audiences. Sakura’s quest to recapture the magical creatures released from the Clow Cards may be a childish adventure, but it never becomes childish. In fact, as the story continues, the story gets murkier as the budding magician’s predecessor begins to blurt out the original “monster of the week” formula. This first work from Madhouse covers their prime, and while 70 episodes is a bit scary, you should watch at least one season to see one of anime’s most beloved stories.
6 People One Punch
This superhero comedy is a legend in its own right, as it started out as a simple webcomic and eventually received Madhouse’s full effort, with the animators intentionally working overtime for free to create the highest quality parody possible. One-Punch Man tampers with everything it can reach and throws it all – alien invaders, underground civilizations, telepaths, giant monsters, mad scientists, etc. – into one ending. giant case. The light-hearted comedy is backed by Madhouse’s fluid animation that makes every scene a visual spectacle. While One-Punch Man may be a light comedy, the quality that exudes from each image can only be considered a tribute to animation.
5 Vinland Saga
A historical fiction story about the life and adventures of an 11th century Viking is not what one would expect from an anime, but this adaptation, handled by both WIT studio and MAPPA, is very expected for good reason. Half the story is a relentless war tale where blood and guts fly free, the other half follows Thorfinn’s bittersweet growth from child soldier to withered adventurer. Medieval Scandinavia is not for the faint of heart but for those willing to be brave, Vinland Saga is a unique drama that turns one man’s life into a profound epic.
4 Cyberpunk: Edge runner
This award-winning anime was a critical favorite last year; its reception was so great that it actually saved the reputation of the video game from which it was spun off. Studio Trigger’s high-energy, at times almost silly animation compliments the short, dark story in a surprising way. Thanks to his efforts, Night City truly became a capitalist playground filled with neon lights that tempted David Martinez and many other victims to seek a famous death instead of living comfortably. With 10 short episodes and a familiar sci-fi setting, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a great gateway into anime, even if it comes across as a bitter tragedy.
3 Mononoke
This supernatural mystery anime is truly one of a kind, boldly choosing to depict spooky stories with a colorful palette and art direction. The 12 episodes are divided into several independent parts, each part tied to a monster from folklore and the mysterious medicine seller who is searching for them to exorcise them. Horror and mystery make a perfect combination, as the druggist prods the characters, revealing all sorts of dirty secrets that lead to the creation of each monster and resembles a good detective story. , there is always a clever plot twist to attract the audience. their toes.
2 Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
As its title indicates, the multigenerational adventures of the Joestar family rarely involve anything familiar or typical, as they jump across time periods and countries and involve things like Aztec vampires, rock-paper-scissors to death, detailed descriptions of obscure subjects. Although it lasts up to 6 seasons, the story cleverly changes the cast and plot for each part, ensuring the plot is always fresh and self-contained. Through it all, one can see how adept David Productions has become at translating the absurdities of manga to the screen with changeable color schemes and voice talent willing to show off too. level in the best ways.
1 Cowboy Bebop
Sunrise’s Jazz-influenced space Western is still considered to this day one of the best anime ever made. The rich, melancholy world and cast of down-on-his-luck bounty hunters are still memorable after all this time thanks to the impeccable style and strong stories in each episode. Whether it’s the awesome fight scenes, the sharp comedy, or the strong emotional core created by the cast, everything Cowboy Bebop has is always top quality. However, potential viewers beware: Netflix plans to remove the show on October 21 in North America, so there’s not much time left to watch this classic.
With dozens of anime movies in the library, even the best of the best are only a small portion of what Netflix has to offer. Many fans will likely argue about how some of the other films are more worth watching, which just goes to show how many of them are worth a fan’s time. However, if you have time, Netflix’s best anime series are definitely worth watching. Not only do they have entertaining stories but their creative art style and animation will also ensure that fans don’t get bored. by Netflix The best anime are truly some of the best the medium has to offer.