Best Netflix anime shows and movies right now
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Whether you’re a connoisseur looking to find more of the best Netflix anime, or curious about the genre but not sure where to begin, we've got you covered. Rest assured that Netflix’s selection of anime movies and series has something for everyone.
Since the best Netflix shows aren't enough for everyone, we are taking this time to look at the Netflix anime collection is so extensive that you’re unlikely to run out of choices to stream from the comfort of your couch for a long time to come. From comedy to fantasy to good old-fashioned samurai adventures, you’re sure to find a great watch. No wonder Netflix is one of the best streaming services.
Some of our picks include the must-watch "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba," the adorable family series "Rilakkuma and Kaoru" and the Jaden Smith-led, anime-inspired "Neo Yokio." Here are some of the best Netflix anime movies and series available to stream now.
The best Netflix anime right now
'Good Night World'
Four players live together in a shared home in an MMO game called "Planet." They work and adventure together without knowing a single detail of each other's real identities. But things change quickly when they stumble upon their first clue that something might not be right with the world they live in. In fact, they have no clue at the onset that they've been playing together as a real-life family -- in a virtual world. When bombshells continue to drop, this unassuming family unit must come together and protect each other while sinister secrets are unveiled, one by one.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%
Cast: Nicolas Roye, Kieran Regan, Christopher Swindle, Erin Yvette
Director: Katsuya Kikuchi
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'Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy'
In a world ravaged by Anthrasax, the God of Destruction, centuries have passed since his slaying. One day, a powerful sorcerer named Dark Schneider emerges, looking to take over what's left of civilization. Instead, he finds himself trapped within the body of an innocent infant. A long 15 years later, Dark Schneider's former allies work to unseal Anthrasax and reshape the world according to their own designs. At the same time, a woman named Yoko, determined to protect the Kingdom of Metallicana, makes the decision to release Dark Schneider from the infant's body. Once awakened, Dark Schneider works to safeguard Yoko and take over the world the way he did all those years ago. Things, of course, aren't going to be that easy.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%
Cast: Kyle McCarley, Erin Yvette, Wendee Lee, Aaron LaPlante
Director: Takaharu Ozaki
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'Delicious in Dungeon'
In a deep fantasy world full of guilds seeking the mysterious Golden Kingdom, a group of adventures fail to slay a red dragon and must mount an escape. It ends up consuming spellcaster Falin Touden (Lisa Reimold), but the rest of the party escapes. Their goal then is to return to the level of the dungeon where Falin was lost and save her before she is successfully digested. Party leader Laios Touden (Damien Haas) leads the party into the dungeon and suggests they stay alive while searching for the dragon by eating the monsters within. Thus begins the party's perilous (and often hilarious, despite the circumstances) descent into the dungeon.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Cast: Damien Haas, Emily Rudd, Casey Mongillo, SungWon Cho, Lisa Reimold, Mick Lauer
Director: Yoshihiro Miyajima
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One Piece
We had a small debate at Tom's Guide. I had thought that One Piece was the most obvious thing ever, and putting it on this list was akin to saying "pizza is one of the best foods in New York City." But, now, I've been convinced to make the simple more clear: One Piece is definitely one of the best Netflix anime shows.
How could it not be? Luffy's adventures on the ocean are unparalelled, and One Piece is as epic in form as any show that's ever been made. – Henry T. Casey
Rotten Tomatoes score: n/a
Cast: Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi
Director: Kōnosuke Uda
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Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Adapted from a video game that failed hard at launch Cyberpunk Edgerunners almost doesn't make sense. Why, on earth, would you adapt a video game that basically got recalled? Fortunately, Edgerunners' brilliant visuals, frenetic pace and well-written characters make it all work. It all begins as young David, a high schooler who spends his nights jacked into illegal braindance tech, keeps getting himself into deep trouble in Night City. – Henry T. Casey
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Cast: Zach Aguilar, Aoi Yuki, Kenichiro Ohashi, Kazuhiko Inoue, Kenjiro Tsuda
Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba
Koyoharu Gotouge's manga-turned-anime series is all about Tanjiro Kamado, a teenager who's desperate to become a demon slayer after the horrid creatures kill his family and turn his sister into one of them. Set in Taishō-era Japan, the siblings look for a way to cure Nezuko's curse and get in over their heads with a secret society known as the Demon Slayer Corps. There's a tinge of darkness here and a whole lot of action, making this easily one of the best Netflix anime shows. Also, after you're done, check out our guide for how to watch Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, the movie-length sequel.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kito, Hiro Shimono, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Takahiro Sakurai
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
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Beastars
There's no shortage of anime featuring anthropomorphic animals, but Beastars is definitely one of the best. The series illustrates the divide between the carnivorous and herbivorous among them, and puts them all at Cherryton Academy where they have normal young people drama. That is, of course, until Tem the alpaca is murdered and devoured, and their entire world is upended. While it may not sound particularly exciting, the fact that Beastars has won multiple awards including the 2018 Manga Taishō and the New Creator Prize at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, among others, should tell you just how good it really is.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
Cast: Chikahiro Kobayashi, Sakaya Senbongi, Yuki Ono, Atsumi Tanezaki, Junya Enoki
Director: Shin'ichi Matsumi
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Great Pretender
With plenty of action as well as its fair share of LOL-worthy moments, The Great Pretender is easily one of the most clever and fun anime releases in the last few years. Consisting of two seasons, the show focuses on Makoto Edamura, a swindler — the best in Japan, apparently — who suddenly meets his match when he tries to pull a con on Laurent Thierry, a crook who knows a few tricks of his own. While not all of the twists and turns are particularly surprising, they’re totally enjoyable to watch.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Cast: Chiaki Kobayashi, Junichi Suawbe, Natsumi Fujiwara, Mie Sonozaki
Director: Hiro Kaburabi
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Violet Evergarden
Kana Akatsuki’s light novel series Violet Evergarden was a massive hit, so it's no surprise that it was adapted into anime form. The single-season drama follows Violet Evergarden, a young garden who got caught up in the bloodshed of the Great War. Now that the war is over, she must search for a new purpose in life and a new understanding of who she is. It's a beautiful journey both in terms of the story and the animation, and well-worth digging into.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Cast: Yui Ishikawa, Takehito Koyasu, Daisuke Namikawa, Aya Endo, Minori Chihara, Koki Uchiyama
Director: Haruka Fujita
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Rilakkuma and Kaoru
This 2019 stop-motion animation is definitely a family affair, with teddy bears and yellow chick's as the series' main characters. Rilakkuma loves eating and sleeping as well as mooching off his friend Korilakkuma, with whom he lives. Koaru, their roommate, has a pet chick named Kiiroitori that is Rilakkuma's polar opposite in that he loves working hard and cleaning up after himself. This is, without a doubt, one of the most adorable series ever - even for adults.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Cast: Mikako Tabe, Soki Matsumoto, Takayuki Yamada
Director: Masahito Kobayashi
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Kakegurui
Adapted from Homura Kawamoto and Toru Naomura's manga series of the same name, Kakegurui centers on the goings-on at Hyakkaou Private Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in Japan that's only for the rich. However, instead of having actual staff, the school is run by the Student Council whose hierarchy is based on gambling. It's a somewhat bizarre premise that somehow ends up being extremely thrilling to watch.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Cast: Saori Hayami, Miyuki Sawashiro, Mariya Ise, Tatsuya Tokutake, Minami Tanaka
Director: Tsutomu Hanabusa
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Toradora!
Another great anime series based on a popular Japanese light novel series, Toradora! is all about Ryuji Takasu, a high school student who's a softie at heart but whose appearance makes him look much harder and intimidating than he really is. At its heart, Toradora! is a teen drama that explores the ups and downs of what it means to be young and trying to navigate the world around you. There are plenty of heartwarming moments to be had, and some romance too.
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Cast: Rie Kugimiya, Jinji Majima, Yui Horie, Hirofumi Nojima, Eri Kitamura
Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
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Ajin: Demi-Human
Gamon Sakurai's popular manga was adapted into a two-season series (not to mention a live-action film, but I digress) that's heavy on the supernatural, as many anime series are. Nagai Kei is a student who finds out he's an "Ajin," an immortal human, after he's in a car accident. Another Ajin power is the ability to create "black ghosts" that can cause serious destruction. The series follows the interaction between Ajins and the government and society at large, illustrating the misunderstandings we all have about those who are different.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Jun Fukuyama, Hochu Otsuka
Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro
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Heaven's Official Blessing
For fans of fantasy and antiquity, Heaven's Official Blessing is a must-watch. The story focuses on Xie Lian, the former Crown Prince of teh Xian Le kingdom who ascended to heaven 800 years ago but was hastily banished back to the living world. The same thing happens twice more in the next eight centuries and Xie Lian is a bit of a joke in the realms because of it. However, his whole life is about to change when he meets a mysterious demon with untold powers.
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Cast: Jiang Guangtao, Ma Zhengyang, Wen Sen, Hu Liangwei, Huang Ying
Director: Li Haoling
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Aggretsuko
If you're looking for laughs in your anime, Aggretsuko is a great place to start. The eponymous lead character, Retsuko, is a 25-year-old red panda who works in accounting and is hopelessly single. Her favorite pasttime is singing death metal at a local karaoke bar to let out her frustrations at work and in her personal life, and the results are oftne hilarious. There are some real touching moments here and a lot of heart but with plenty of moments of levity to keep things from ever becoming too sappy.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Cast: Kaolip, Komegumi Koiwasaki, Maki Tsuruta, Sohta Arai, Rina Inoue, Shingo Kato
Director: Rarecho
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Dragon's Dogma
This dark fantasy series was based on Capcom's video game of the same name and puts into action Ethan's journey to conquer the dragon that took his heart. Every time he battles a demon, he loses a bit more of his humanity. While playing the video game allowed audiences to forge their own way through the story, the TV series lays the journey out for you and it's an incredible adventure to be on.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Cast: Greg Chun, Erica Mendez, Cristina Vee, Yuichi Nakamura, Nana Mizuki, Miyuki Sawashiro
Director: Hideaki Itsuno
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Castlevania
Another American animated series that's "anime-influenced," Castlevania became a popular addition to Netflix's roster, not least of which because audiences were likely already familiar with Konami's video game of the same name. Initially planned as a film, it was eventually split up into a four-season TV series comprised of 32 episodes. Castlevania focuses on the battle between Count Vlad Dracula Tepes' army of demons and monster hunter Trevor Belmont and his allies. It's an expansive and detailed series perfect for when you want to dive deep into a different world.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Cast: Richard Armitage, James Callis, Alejandra Reynoso, Jessica Brown Findlay, Rila Fukushima, Jason Isaacs
Director: Various
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Yasuke
Originally made as a net anime, Yasuke is a Japanese-American series loosely based on the real-life African warrior of the same name. In history, Yasuke served under Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku period. However, the anime series takes plenty of inspiration from and liberties with the facts, making a samurai fantasy adventure that's jam-packed with action. Oh, and the amazing eletronica artist Flying Lotus did the score for Yasuke, so expect a trippy vibe.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Takehiro Hira, Maya Tanida, Ian Chen, Gwendoline Yeo
Director: Takeshi Koike
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Hero Mask
This 2018 Netflix original series, written and directed by Hiroyasu Aoki, worked in the opposite way than many others on this list, starting as a TV show which then spawned a manga spin-off. The show itself is set in a fictional version of London where James Blood works for the Capital Police Department. After the station is attacked by a foe James assumed was long gone, he teams up with a prosecution assistant named Sarah Sinclair to find out what on earth is going on. Needless to say, much of what they uncover is not of this world.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%
Cast: Yasuyiki Kase, Yuhko Kaida, Junpei Morita, Kentaro Takano, Koki Uchiyama
Director: Hiroyasu Aoki
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The Legend Of Korra
While The Legend of Korra isn't officially an anime, it's obviously and heavily influenced by the genre so it deserves inclusion here. A former Nickelodeon series that functioned as a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra is set in the same universe in which some people can manipulate either water, air, earth, or fire. There's plenty of action here but none of the storylines are particularly complicated to understand. However, there are some great lessons here for younger viewers that are well worth watching.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%
Cast: Janet Varney, David Faustino, P.J. Byrne, JK Simmons, Dee Bradley Baker
Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu, Colin Heck, Ian Graham
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Neo Yokio
A hybrid American-Japanese series created by Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, it's sometimes hard to reconcile Neo Yokio as a true anime, but for the sake of argument, let's go with it. Neo Yokio is described as the "greatest city in the world" and follows a modern-day alternate timeline New York where Magicians are considered heroes thanks to saving the city from demons. Those Magicians have since been elevated to "Magistocrats," one of whom is Kaz Kaan, our obnoxious but ever-entertaining protagonist. If you want something light-hearted and a bit more entry-level, Neo Yokio is one of the best Netflix anime for you.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jason Schwartzman, Richard Ayoade, Jude Law, Susan Sarandon
Directors: Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Junji Nishimura, Anthony Chun
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