A few years ago I would not have thought to include Netflix in a conversation about where to watch anime. The platform had a small selection and a reputation for awkward licensing deals. Things have changed considerably.
Netflix has spent serious money on anime — both licensing established titles and producing original series. The results have been genuinely impressive. Some of the best anime of the past five years has appeared on Netflix first. If you are already paying for a Netflix subscription, you have access to a surprisingly good anime library.
Here is what I actually recommend from their catalog.
The Best Netflix Original Anime
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
I will start here because this is the best thing Netflix has produced in the anime space, and I think it might be the best thing they have produced in any space.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. It follows David Martinez, a street kid in Night City trying to survive after his mother is killed. He becomes a mercenary outlaw — an edgerunner — and builds a crew.
Studio Trigger, who made Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill, directed this series. In ten episodes they deliver more emotional impact than most series achieve in fifty. The animation is spectacular. The music by Akira Yamaoka and Refused is perfect. The ending destroyed me.
I watched it in one sitting on a Tuesday afternoon. I sat staring at my ceiling for twenty minutes after it finished. I think about it regularly. Watch this show.
Score: 8.61/10 | Episodes: 10 | Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama
Castlevania (2017-2021)
Technically a western production — written by Warren Ellis, animated by a team that includes many people influenced by anime — Castlevania is one of the best dark fantasy series on any platform.
Based on the classic Konami video game series, it follows Trevor Belmont, the disgraced last heir of a monster-hunting family, as he gets pulled into a conflict between a vengeful Dracula and the humans who condemned his wife to death.
The animation quality is extraordinarily high for a streaming series. The voice acting is exceptional. And the writing is sharper and more intelligent than most anime in the genre. Season 3 and 4 expand the story in surprising directions.
Score: 8.31/10 | Episodes: 32 total
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
Netflix acquired the rights to stream one of the most important anime ever made — and they did it. NGE is now available on Netflix in most regions.
The premise sounds like standard mecha action: teenagers pilot giant robots called Evangelions to fight monstrous beings called Angels that are trying to destroy humanity. The reality is that NGE uses this premise to explore depression, loneliness, abandonment, and the fear of human connection in a way that is still unmatched in the medium.
Creator Hideaki Anno made this series while suffering from severe depression. It shows in the best possible way. Episodes 25 and 26, which shift into pure psychological territory with minimal animation, are unlike anything else in anime history.
Watch the series first. Then watch End of Evangelion (1997) for the theatrical conclusion. Then sit with it for a while.
Score: 8.33/10 | Episodes: 26
Licensed Classics on Netflix
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
The highest-rated anime of all time is available on Netflix in many regions. If you have not watched it, fix that immediately. Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric's quest to restore their bodies after a failed alchemical experiment is the most complete anime ever made.
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
All 148 episodes of the 2011 remake are available on Netflix. One of the best shonen anime ever produced. The Chimera Ant arc alone is worth the entire watch time.
Death Note
The legendary psychological thriller. A genius student finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. The cat-and-mouse between Light and L remains one of the most gripping narratives in anime.
Best Anime Films on Netflix
Your Name (2016)
Two teenagers in different parts of Japan mysteriously swap bodies. Makoto Shinkai's masterpiece is one of the most beautiful films — animated or otherwise — that I have watched. The twist in the second half is genuinely shocking. Keep tissues available.
Spirited Away (2001)
Studio Ghibli's complete library is on Netflix in many regions. Start here. Spirited Away is the greatest animated film ever made and the only non-Disney/Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Ten-year-old Chihiro falls into a spirit world and has to find her way back.
A Silent Voice (2016)
A former bully attempts to make amends with the deaf girl he tormented in middle school. I watched this on a quiet Sunday afternoon and cried for an hour. One of the most emotionally honest anime films about guilt and forgiveness.
Violet Evergarden: The Movie (2020)
If you have watched the Violet Evergarden series, this film is essential — and devastating. If you have not, watch the series first.
Tips for Watching Anime on Netflix
The Netflix catalog varies significantly by country. If a show is not available in your region, try checking Crunchyroll. Netflix also sometimes has only part of a series — always check whether the complete show is available before starting.
I always recommend Japanese audio with English subtitles for the most authentic experience, but Netflix has good dubs for most of their major anime titles if you prefer that.
The anime section on Netflix is worth browsing regularly — they add new titles frequently and their original anime production has been accelerating.
