Netflix has gone from an afterthought in the anime world to one of the most important platforms for the medium. They fund originals, license major titles, and dub everything in dozens of languages. The problem is that their library is enormous and much of it is not worth your time.
This guide lists only the anime on Netflix that are genuinely excellent as of 2026. I have watched everything here personally. Nothing is included just because it is popular.
Netflix Originals Worth Watching
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is one of the greatest things Netflix has ever produced. Set in the world of the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, it follows David Martinez — a kid from the streets who uses black-market cybernetic implants to become a mercenary called an Edgerunner.
Studio Trigger (Kill la Kill, Gurren Lagann) directed it, and the animation is extraordinary. But what makes it remarkable is the writing. It is a 10-episode tragedy — compact, relentless, and devastating. It has no filler, no wasted moments, and an ending that genuinely earns every emotion it asks you to feel.
If you watch only one anime this year, consider making it this one. And there is more on the way — here is everything we know about Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, confirmed for a fall 2026 debut.
Episodes: 10 | Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Cyberpunk
Castlevania (2017–2021)
Castlevania is an American-produced animated series in the anime style, but it is produced with anime sensibilities and has become canonical in discussions of modern anime. Based on the video game series, it follows Trevor Belmont, a disgraced monster hunter, as he teams up with a magician and Dracula's dhampir son to stop Dracula's war against humanity.
The writing is razor-sharp. The fight choreography is extraordinary. The voice acting — particularly Richard Armitage as Trevor and Graham McTavish as Dracula — is among the best in any animated series. Four seasons, all on Netflix.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
Devilman Crybaby is not for everyone. It is graphic, surreal, and deeply unsettling. But it is also one of the most ambitious things Netflix has produced. Based on Go Nagai's classic manga, it follows Akira Fudo — a gentle boy who merges with a demon and inherits its power while retaining his human heart.
The show is a meditation on humanity, love, and violence. Director Masaaki Yuasa brings his distinctive fluid animation style to sequences that alternate between beautiful and horrifying. The ending is among the most impactful in modern anime.
Episodes: 10 | Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Psychological
Licensed Anime Available on Netflix
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Netflix has FMA: Brotherhood in most regions with both dub and sub. If you have not seen it yet and it is in your country's library, there is no excuse.
Demon Slayer
All seasons of Demon Slayer are on Netflix in many regions. The visual quality is stunning even on the Netflix compression. The English dub is available.
Violet Evergarden
Netflix licensed Violet Evergarden exclusively for most markets. The film (Violet Evergarden: The Movie) is also on Netflix. This is one of the most visually beautiful anime ever made. Kyoto Animation's work here is breathtaking.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Netflix acquired the global streaming rights for Evangelion and produced a new English dub. This is one of the most important and influential anime ever made — a deconstruction of the mecha genre that is also a portrait of depression and adolescent alienation. It is genuinely difficult to watch in places, but it is essential.
Episodes: 26 + End of Evangelion film
Great Pretender (2020)
A Netflix original about a group of con artists running elaborate scams around the world. Vibrant art style, witty writing, great English dub. Each arc takes place in a different city — Los Angeles, Singapore, London — and the cons become increasingly complex. Light and fun compared to most of this list.
Rilakkuma and Kaoru (2019)
If you want something gentle and emotionally warm, Rilakkuma and Kaoru is a stop-motion animated series about a woman navigating life in Tokyo with a bear-like creature who inexplicably lives in her apartment. It is quiet, funny, and surprisingly touching. Completely different from everything else on this list.
What Netflix Does Not Have
Netflix does not have the One Piece library in most markets, Naruto, or most of the classic Ghibli catalog (those are on HBO Max in the US). They have sporadically had Attack on Titan but it is not consistently available.
For the broadest anime library, you still need Crunchyroll. Netflix works best as a complement.
FAQ
More Anime Worth Checking on Netflix
Beyond the highlights above, here are several more series available on Netflix in select regions that are worth your time.
Aggretsuko is an original Netflix anime about an anthropomorphic red panda who works a soul-crushing office job and releases stress by singing death metal karaoke in secret. It is one of the funniest and most relatable workplace comedies in any medium. Four seasons are available.
Blue Period follows a high school student who discovers a passion for art and decides to apply to Tokyo University of the Arts — one of the most competitive fine arts programs in the world. The show is honest about creative struggle, self-doubt, and the grind of serious artistic training. Twelve episodes, complete.
Beastars is a Netflix original set in a world of anthropomorphic animals where carnivores and herbivores coexist under uneasy social rules. It is a coming-of-age story, a noir mystery, and a meditation on desire and social control simultaneously. The CGI animation is unusual but well-executed.
Assassination Classroom follows a class of underperforming students tasked with assassinating their homeroom teacher — a powerful creature who has destroyed the moon and plans to destroy Earth next. It is funnier and warmer than the premise suggests. Available on Netflix in some regions.
Haikyu!! is the best sports anime ever made. High school volleyball players chase national championships. It has no premise gimmick beyond the sport itself — just exceptional character writing and the most exciting sports sequences in anime. Available on Netflix in many regions.
How to Find Anime on Netflix Efficiently
Netflix's anime library is not well-organized. A few tips for finding what you want:
Search directly by title rather than browsing the anime category — Netflix's algorithm does not surface obscure titles well. Check region availability before assuming a title is not there — Netflix libraries vary significantly by country. Use JustWatch to find which anime are currently on Netflix in your region without manually searching each one.
The Netflix app also filters anime inconsistently — Western-produced anime-style shows like Castlevania are sometimes in separate categories from Japanese anime. Search broadly.
