Best Netflix Anime

Netflix was founded in 1997. It started as a DVD rental company, but it has since gone on to become the biggest streaming service in the world. The platform offers hundreds of TV shows, movies, and documentaries, and, over the last couple of years, the Netflix anime catalog has expanded considerably.

The anime industry is filled with detailed stories that feature well-written characters and unique locations. Netflix has developed several anime, along with having plenty of other shows. Although its catalog is vast, the best Netflix anime stand above the rest in terms of quality and storytelling.

Updated on December 19, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Netflix is following a very good Fall 2024 with a fantastic Winter 2025. Let’s highlight the service’s standout upcoming anime. Furthermore, a Fall 2024 series has been added to the full rankings of the best anime on Netflix. Spoiler: It is Dandadan.

Exciting Winter 2025 Netflix Anime

• 	Sakamoto Days	My Happy Marriage	Blue Box	Ranma 1/2	Orb: On the Movements of the Earth	Dragon Ball DAIMA
  Genres	Animation, Action, Adventure	Animation, Fantasy	Animation, Romance, Comedy	Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy	Drama, Animation	Martial Arts, Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
  Studio	TMS Entertainment	Kinema Citrus	Telecom Animation Film, TMS Entertainment	MAPPA	Madhouse	Toei Animation
  Creator	Yuto Suzuki	Akumi Agitogi	Kouji Miura	Rumiko Takahashi	Uoto	Akira Toriyama

The Winter 2025 season looks set to get the year started on a high note, and Netflix has a pretty impressive lineup of anime. Now, admittedly, most of its shows are leftovers from Fall 2024, which is not a bad thing since they are all fantastic in their own right. Besides these continuations, Netflix has a couple of newcomers, including one of the season’s biggest anime.

• Sakamoto Days – Putting aside Fall 2024 continuations, Sakamoto Days seems set to be Netflix’s big anime for Winter 2025. The shonen manga is highly-regarded for its clever blend of action and comedy, serving as an over-the-top John Wick-esque extravaganza featuring a retired hitman who just wants to live a quiet life. This series needs to be great.
• My Happy Marriage Season 2 – Building on the relative success of the 2023 season, My Happy Marriage is back for another heartwarming tale that occasionally dives into dark territory or even supernatural scenarios. Miyo and Kiyoka’s relationship grew nicely throughout season 1, setting the stage for a hopefully even better sequel.
• Blue Box – Gorgeously animated and filled with lovable characters who leave instantly positive impressions, Blue Box is warm, cozy, and cute. Blending sports and romance tropes, the anime shows how love (or a crush) can inspire personal growth, with Taiki deciding to dedicate himself to badminton to match Chinatsu’s commitment to basketball. They also end up living together, which leads to both funny and endearing moments.
• Ranma ½ – Nothing much to say here. Ranma ½ is back with a new adaptation that is shaping up to be just as impressive as the original. MAPPA’s animation is impressive and reflective of the past, while Rumiko Takashi’s characters, premise, and humor are all timeless.
• Orb: On the Movements of the Earth – A lesser-known name compared to Netflix’s other Fall 2024 shows, Orb could very well catch a few viewers by surprise and has the makings of a surprise hit. Set in Poland during the 15th century, the anime is about challenging an overwhelming regime that punishes anyone who goes against the grain. The story is fascinating, the historical setting is fresh, and Madhouse’s animation is top-notch.
• Dragon Ball Daima – Set towards the end of DBZ, Daima is a lighthearted romp that takes Goku, Vegeta, and company to the Demon World. So, yes, Dragon Ball has gone isekai. Who would have thought it? While not quite as action-packed as DBZ or even Super, Daima is a fun adventure series with great animation.

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20 Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

A Great Addition To The Zombie Anime Genre

The first season of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead ended in December, and every episode is currently available on Netflix. The series centers around Akira Tendo – a man in his early 20s who feels overworked and underpaid. One day Akira wakes up and discovers that Tokyo has been hit by a sudden zombie apocalypse.

The world as he knew it has collapsed, but Akira loves not going to work and does his best to enjoy his newfound freedom. He even makes a bucket list of 100 things to do before he becomes a zombie. Zom 100 has a dark concept and plenty of horror moments, but it is a vibrant series with good action and characters.

Watch it on Netflix.

19 Uncle From Another World

A Wholesome Series With Clean Animation

Uncle from Another World is set in modern-day Japan, and it follows Takafumi Takaoka – who goes to the hospital to pick up his uncle. The uncle was hit by a truck and spent the last 17 years in a coma. However, according to him, he was actually in another world where he learned how to use magic.

Takafumi agrees to let his uncle move in with him, and in doing so, he reconnects with his childhood friend, Sumika. The two friends help the uncle to adjust to modern society, and they get to watch his memories from the other world. Uncle from Another World is a fun Isekai anime with wholesome moments, and the animation is clean.

Watch it on Netflix.

18 Beastars

A Fun Story That Deals With Cultural Divides

Beastars’ first season debuted in February 2019, and it was adapted by Orange, a studio that specializes in 3DCG animation. It is set in a world filled with anthropomorphic animals, and it mainly focuses on a tall gray wolf named, Legoshi. He attends Cherryton Academy, and he stays in a dorm with other carnivores.

Things turn upside down when an alpaca named Tem is killed and eaten in the middle of the night. This obviously causes issues between the carnivores and herbivores. Legoshi is part of the drama club, and he takes it upon himself to solve Tem’s death. He ends up meeting a rabbit named Haru along the way, and he develops feelings for her.

Watch it on Netflix.

17 Kakegurui

A Well Written Series That Delves Into The World Of Gambling

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Kakegurui debuted on Netflix in 2017, and it focuses on an interesting high school girl named, Yumeko Jabami. She may not be a femme fatale, but Yumeko does have a trait that sets her apart from most female anime characters: she is a compulsive gambler.

The anime kicks off with Yumeko transferring to Hyakkaou Private Academy, a school with an elaborate gambling system. All the other students gamble to improve their social and economic status, and the losers become servants to the rest of the student body. Yumeko gambles for fun, and she doesn’t worry about logic. Her keen observation skills allow her to identify gambling scams.

Watch it on Netflix.

16 The Seven Deadly Sins

A Fun Action Series With Good Characters & Dark Themes

The Seven Deadly Sins are a group of Holy Knights who serve the Kingdom of Liones, and the anime’s first season sees the majority of the group reassemble after being framed for an attempted coup a decade earlier. The series features gods, demons, angels, giants, and fairies.

The series spans 100 episodes, and it features multiple battles between very powerful characters. The fight scenes are entertaining, and there is a war near the end of the series that offers several surprises. Aside from the action, the series has a fair bit of comedy, and it doesn’t shy away from darker themes either. Unfortunately, The Seven Deadly Sins loses quite a bit of steam in its later seasons, suffering from a convoluted plot and inconsistent animation.

Watch it on Netflix.

15 Fate/Apocrypha

A Good Story With Battles That Feature Some Of History’s Strongest Heroes

The Fate series revolves around various Holy Grail Wars. Each war features powerful mages who summon legendary heroes from history. These servants fight and kill each other until only one hero and master remains. The winners get their wishes granted by the Grail. Fate/Apocrypha is unique because it pits two warring mage factions against each other, and both sides get to summon seven heroic servants.

The mages can all use some level of magic, and every heroic spirit possesses magic and enchanted weapons of their own. Fate/Apocrypha features some of the strongest characters in the franchise, including Vlad the Impaler, Achilles, Atalanta, Frankenstien’s Monster, Karna, and Mordred. The animation is superb, and several of the battles clearly had high production costs. The characters all benefit from being well-written too.

Watch it on Netflix.

14 Baki + Baki Hanma

Features Over-The-Top Characters & Martial Arts

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Baki the Grappler began its manga run in 1991, and in 2018 Netflix released an anime that covers the second half of the series. The story focuses on Baki Hanma, a young fighter who trains to become a powerful warrior like his father.

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The series focuses on five inmates who break out of prison, and they all head to Japan to fight Baki in a series of no-rules hand-to-hand brawls. The animation is spectacular, and the action sequences are intense, especially since the fighters are capable of performing unnatural physical feats. The final season ended this past August, and it was just as over-the-top as the previous seasons.

Watch Baki on Netflix.

13 Kengan Ashura

A High-Octane Martial Arts Anime With Non-Stop Great Action

Little separates Baki and Kengan Ashura in terms of quality, and the shows are seen as something of a double feature (to the point of spawning a crossover). That said, the latter is arguably more consistent, at least when it comes to pure action. Kengan Ashura revolves around an underground tournament that pits businesses against each other, with each organization choosing a fighter to represent them. While not devoid of political shenanigans, the anime almost solely consists of fights, with each episode revolving around one specific round.

Although not exactly deep, Kengan Ashura is an absolute thrill ride that barely has anything resembling a dull moment. Once the tournament gets going, which happens fairly early in season 1, the story never lets off, delivering one great (and brutal) fight after another.

Watch It on Netflix.

12 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Great Characters, Worldbuilding & Animation

Cyberpunk 2077 had a rocky launch, but it is now a well-made game set in a fun new world. Fans of the series returned to that world in September 2022 with the premiere of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The first season received a great deal of praise for its characters, animation, and worldbuilding.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners comes from Studio Trigger, which is responsible for series like Kill la Kill and Darling in the Franxx. It follows David Martinez, a young street kid who is just trying to live in a city obsessed with tech and body modifications. In doing so, he decides to become an outlaw mercenary. There won’t be a second season because it was meant to be a standalone story.

Watch it on Netflix.

11 Demon Slayer

Stunning Visuals & Action Scenes

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Demon Slayer offers stunning visuals and great characters, which is why it took the anime world by storm in 2019. The story focuses on Tanjiro Kamado, a teenage boy who joins the Demon Slayer Corps in order to find a cure for his sister’s demon curse. The series shows just how strong the bond between siblings really is, and it has quite a few action scenes.

The demons are humans who gave up their humanity in exchange for power and long life, but the series does a fantastic job of making audiences care about these villains, who are all tragic in some way. Demon Slayer‘s animation and fight scenes took a major leap forward in season two, and they have continued to improve with each additional season. The Hashira and Upper Moon Demons prove just how strong they are, and Muzan gets to demonstrate how terrifying he is.

Watch it on Netflix.

10 Violet Evergarden

A Character-Driven & Thought-Provoking Anime

Violet Evergarden focuses on an Auto Memory Doll named Violet who works as a ghostwriter for people who are physically unable to write or express themselves. Before being a doll, Violet was an abandoned child who became a skilled soldier who fought in a large-scale war. Over the course of the series, Violet tries to reintegrate back into society, but viewers get to see just how hard such a task is for someone dealing with survivor’s guilt.

Mostly telling small-scale stories, Violet Evergarden is a powerful drama that explores the aftermath of war, diving into various people who are trying to piece their lives back together. While not every episode is of the same quality, at its peak, Violet Evergarden might be the best anime on Netflix.

Watch it on Netflix.

9 Death Note

One Of The Best Psychological & Supernatural Anime

There are multiple live-action adaptations of Death Note, but most fans consider the 37-episode anime to be the best adaptation of the story. It also happens to be one of the best anime on Netflix thanks to its unique premise. Light Yagami starts as an ordinary high school student, but when he discovers a Death Note on the ground, his entire life changes.

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When a person’s name is written in the notebook, they will either die of a heart attack or from a specific cause which is also written down. Light uses this ability to kill criminals, and he does this to create a world without crime. These murders draw the attention of a world-renowned detective, and what follows is a spectacular game of cat and mouse.

Watch it on Netflix.

8 Dandadan

Action, Comedy, Romance, Aliens, And Ghosts

One of the definitive highlights of 2024, Dandadan is about as “fun” as an anime can get. The manga and its adaptation are ridiculously well-rounded, covering a range of genres and moods that make them suitable for an impressively wide audience. If forced to pick a “primary” genre, Dandadan is a romcom that revolves around two endearing protagonists who have fantastic chemistry and are constantly developing, both as individuals and as a potential couple. While the romance is put on the backburner at times, the humor is forever present, even blending seamlessly into the many action sequences.

Yes, Dandadan is still very much a battle shonen, with Ken, Momo, and eventually Aira finding themselves going up against both spirits and aliens. The enemies have awesome designs, fun personalities, and occasionally heartbreaking backstories, all the while contributing to the anime’s comedy. This series is just a delight.

Watch it on Netflix.

7 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Focuses On A Family That Deals With Supernatural Threats

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has a fairly unique art style that may not be appealing to everyone, but it is definitely a series that deserves a watch as it is one of the best anime on Netflix. The show does not center around one specific character, instead, it follows several members of the Joestar family. Their names can usually be abbreviated to “JoJo.”

This universe mirrors the viewer’s own, except for the fact that it is home to several supernatural beings and abilities. There have been eight JoJos in total, and each of them has led very different lives until the need to combat supernatural beings arises. So far, the anime has covered the first five parts, all of which are available on Netflix. More excitingly, The entire STONE OCEAN Arc, which features the first female JoJo, is also available.

Watch it on Netflix.

6 One Piece

An Epic Shonen Journey Built Over Decades And More Than 1000 Episodes

What is there still to be said about One Piece? Eiichiro Oda’s manga is an institution by this point, and Toei’s animation adaptation has been airing consistently for roughly two decades. The Straw Hats are iconic by this point, and their escapades will be remembered long after the story comes to an end (which, believe it or not, will eventually happen).

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Netflix has become an oddly great place to consume One Piece. Not only is the full anime series available on the platform, but the live-action adaptation is also part of the platform’s library. It was even good enough to warrant a second season, which nobody predicted before its debut. Admittedly, it is difficult to convince anyone to start a show with 1000+ episodes, but One Piece captivates audiences thanks to its great world-building, lovable characters, and addictive sense of adventure.

Watch it on Netflix.

5 Hunter X Hunter

An Entertaining Shonen Series With One Of Anime’s Best Power Systems

Many consider Hunter x Hunter to be one of the best shonen anime of all time, and it certainly deserves to be on that list. The series follows a young Hunter named, Gon Freecss, who meets a lot of friends and villains while searching for his father, Ging. His best friend Killua was raised to be an assassin, and his friend Kurapika is out to destroy the criminal group that wiped out his clan.

The series has a lot of light-hearted moments, but it does become violent and dark when it needs to be. Most of the characters fight with Nen, which is basically their life energy, and it happens to be one of anime’s more complex yet balanced powers.

Watch it on Netflix.

4 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You

A Beautiful Love Story

It took more than a decade, but Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You finally received a continuation; furthermore, season 3 might be the best one yet, which is saying something. At its heart, this anime is a fairly conventional “opposite attracts” story with a hint of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but those themes are mostly just there to get things going.

Before long, Kimi ni Todoke becomes a cute slice of life romance about two charming teenagers who are taking the slow road to a relationship. The series was worth watching even when only two seasons were available, but the revival makes it far easier to recommend. All three seasons are on Netflix too.

Watch it on Netflix.

3 Neon Genesis Evangelion

An Iconic & Critically Acclaimed Sci-Fi Series

Neon Genesis Evangelion is set fifteen years after a global cataclysm, and a teenager by the name of Shinji Ikari is forced to fight colossal monsters known as Angels. He uses a special bio-machine called Evangelion, and he encounters other pilots as well. He forms bonds with them, and secrets are eventually revealed.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion is a critically acclaimed series that deals with human behavior and the dark aspects of the human mind. It also takes a great deal of imagery from cosmology and older interpretations of the Jewish and Christian faiths. The fights are good, and the character work is excellent, but more importantly, it is one of the best thought-provoking anime of all time.

Watch it on Netflix.

2 Vinland Saga

An Amazing Historic Anime With Amazing Characters & Writing

Vinland Saga is animated by Wit Studio, the studio that animated the first three seasons of Attack on Titan. The story centers around Thorfinn, the son of a former Viking commander who wishes to see the paradise known as Vinland. One day, a Viking comes to their home and enlists Thorfinn’s father, but the Viking’s actual goal is to have his father killed.

Thorfinn sneaks onto his father’s ship and watches his father die at the hands of Askeladd. He vows to avenge his father, and he wishes to do so by defeating Askeladd in a duel. The series has a good amount of action and bloodshed, and the animation is impressive. There is a good amount of politics in the series, and it shows how revenge can turn a sweet young boy into a rabid killing machine. The entire second season is also available on Netflix, and it features incredible character development for Thorfinn, who is now trying to live a normal life free of revenge.

Watch it on Netflix.

1 Monster

Arguably The Best Mystery Anime Of All Time

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Monster is a psychological thriller that is considered to be one of the best anime of the mid-2000s. For many, it is also one of the best mystery anime of all time. The acclaimed series is set in the modern day, and it follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a young brain surgeon who loses his social standing when he saves a young boy instead of the local mayor.

A decade later, one of his former patients turns out to be a serial killer, and he takes it upon himself to stop the killings. Johan Liebert proves to be one of the most manipulative and sadistic villains in anime, and the voice acting is stellar. Monster may be dark, but it is a beautiful and complex series with great characters and fantastic pacing.

Watch it on Netflix.

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