The Best Anime Series On Netflix

While Crunchyroll might be king when it comes to streaming anime, Netflix has really stepped up its game in the last few years, exclusively licensing some fantastic series worldwide that otherwise might not have made the jump. It’s also helped create some through its Netflix Animation unit, and the results speak for themselves — the service is filled with countless high-quality anime series, making it a serious competitor for the Sony-owned Crunchyroll.

So what are the best anime series on Netflix? That’s the question we set out to answer, and with our collective experience watching way too much anime, came up with this non-exhaustive list of the best anime series on Netflix. We tried to go for a wide variety of genres and styles, and included some that might stretch the definition of “anime,” but everything on here is worth checking out.

If you’re looking for more anime to watch, check out our list of the best anime on Crunchyroll you should watch right now.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a gorgeous prequel to CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077, and tells the story of a street kid named David who loses it all in a horrific attack. To survive in the dystopian landscape that is Night City, David chooses to turn to the seedy underbelly of the city to become an Edgerunner. It’s animated by Studio Trigger, one of the best animation studios in anime today, and is filled with charm, heart, and neon vibes.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Speaking of neon, Neon Genesis Evangelion is probably one of the most well-known mech anime series of all time — at least in the West. NGE has everything you’d want from a mech anime: big monsters to defeat, huge mechs, and intense storytelling. You’ll want to steel yourself before strapping into Eva, because it certainly goes to some wild and uncomfortable places, especially in the movies, but it’s well worth a watch for any anime fan.

Kotaro Lives Alone

Kotaro Lives Alone is an absolutely heart wrenching anime series that follows four-year-old Kotaro, a strange young boy who moves into an apartment by himself next to an overworked manga artist. We won’t spoil how or why Kotaro lives alone – that’s better left experienced yourself – but watch this one with a friend or a loved one. It’s a beautiful series, but one that will leave you in tears at times.

Little Witch Academia

Ah Studio Trigger, is there anything you can’t do? Little Witch Academia is a series about a young girl named Atsuko who enrolls at a magical academy but isn’t particularly great at magic. It’s a series about friendship, about finding magic in the world, and about persevering through every challenge life throws your way.

Beastars

Beastars has it all: drama, fantasy, 8-foot-tall anthropomorphized wolf-men. Set in a world where everyone is an animal and eating meat is illegal, the murder and devourment of an alpaca sends Cherryton Academy into a tense environment for carnivores and herbivores alike. This is a series dripping with metaphor, wild storytelling, and some really great character work.

Pokémon Journeys

You already know what Pokémon is, so let’s cut to the chase: Pokémon Journeys is Ash Ketchum’s final journey through the Pokémon world. He teams up with another young trainer, Goh, and travels around eight different regions as both characters work towards their ideal of becoming a Pokémon master. It’s an exciting and touching end to a character that graced our screens for 25 years, and it’s a must-watch for any Pokémon fan.

Komi Can’t Communicate

Komi is a high school girl who’s apparently one of the most beautiful girls most people have ever seen. When she starts at an elite school, everyone wants to know her… but despite wanting to know them too, she suffers from severe social anxiety that makes it almost impossible for her to talk to anyone outside of her family. Over the course of the series she learns to overcome her anxiety and start to make friends, have conversations, and get emotionally invested in her classmates. It’s a lovely story with some top-notch character writing, and worth watching for anyone who struggles to be around other people sometimes.

Aggretsuko

In this Sanrio series, Retsuko – a 25-year-old red panda – is faced with the frustrations of everyday life as she works through a pencil-pushing job that drives her batty. To let out her frustrations, Retsuko visits a karaoke bar to sing death metal, which is incredible imagery that always delivers. Aggretsuko starts strong and keeps getting stronger with each episode, and is filled with moments and storylines that will make you think “dang, same girl.”

Kimi ni Todoke

Kimi ni Todoke sounds like a joke when you read its synopsis: a 15-year-old high school girl is hated by just about everyone because she looks like the creepy girl from The Ring, but manages to start a fledgling romance with the most popular boy in school. It sounds silly on its face, but that’s just a trick to lure you in and gut-punch you with the most charming, wholesome story you’ll ever see in an anime. Kimi ni Todoke also has a very good live-action adaptation on Netflix, so you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to watching this series.

Arcane

Arcane isn’t strictly an anime as most people in the West would define it, having been animated by French studio Fortiche, but it’s got the same vibes so it’s worth a mention. This series is based on the popular MOBA League of Legends, and focuses on sisters Vi and Jinx as they navigate the apparently utopian city of Piltover. Arcane was met with positive reviews across the board, praised for its storytelling, animation, world-building, and nuanced characterisation. Arcane is enjoyable to absolutely everyone, LoL fans or not, though it’s worth noting that it’s probably not quite child-friendly. Just a heads up.

Castlevania

Castlevania is, once again, not animated in Japan, but it’s still a masterful adaptation of one of the most beloved franchises in gaming. Castlevania is loosely based on Castlevania 3, and has legendary vampire hunter Trevor Belmont and son of evil Alucard as they take on the famed lord of darkness, Dracula. It’s animated beautifully, written extremely well, and has some of the best fight scenes in anything on Netflix. Its sequel series Castlevania: Nocturne is similarly fantastic, so you’ve got plenty to catch up on.

Delicious in Dungeon

This Dungeons & Dragons-themed anime might seem a little bit generic on its face, but just one episode in you'll be captivated by its bold art style and direction, genre-bending storytelling, and strong characterization. Another Studio Trigger joint, Delicious in Dungeon stays excellent and engaging in almost every moment of every episode, as you join Laios and his band of misfits as they cook and eat their way through a dangerous dungeon to rescue Laios' sister. It honestly might even be the best anime series on Netflix, so tune in now, because you don't want to sleep on it.

Related: If You Liked Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, You Need To Watch These Studio Trigger Anime Series