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18 anime series now on Netflix that you need to watch
There are subtitles, but not subpar titles
By Palmer Haasch and Julia Lee Jun 5, 2018, 10:43pm EDT
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As Netflix continues to invest in anime, the platform�s selection has grown to
almost titan-sized proportions. With over 100 titles scattered across subgenres
ranging from sci-fi and fantasy to comedy, it almost feels like you have to strap
on 3D Maneuver Gear and tear through monsters yourself in order to find a series
that piques your interest.

While you could fight your way through Netflix�s rich anime selection, we�ve
compiled a selection of some of the best. Assuming that you�re already familiar
with genre giants like Bleach, Naruto, Inuyasha, or Fairy Tale (all of which are
streamable, either with full runs or partial seasons), here are 18 anime series
currently available on Netflix that demand your attention.

ACTION/ADVENTURE ANIME

Funimation
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (2003) & FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD (2009)
After Netflix brought Fullmetal Alchemist back into the limelight this past
February with a live-action adaption, we can count ourselves lucky that both the
original show and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are also offered on Netflix in
their entirety. The two series share a premise: set in a world where alchemy (the
transmutation of physical matter) is possible, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric
attempt to bring their mother back from the dead by sacrificing parts of their
physical bodies. While the two series later diverge � Fullmetal Alchemist began and
finished production while Hiromu Arakawa�s manga was still being written while
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood fully follows the manga storyline� both have their
merits. Brotherhood fully fleshes out the plot, which finds Edward and Alphonse
joining forces with teammates from other nations while combatting political and
supernatural forces alike. However, Fullmetal Alchemist takes greater care with its
exposition arc, devoting several episodes to Ed and Al�s childhood and adolescence
at the beginning of the series. We recommend watching Fullmetal Alchemist first and
then proceeding to Brotherhood in order to maximize your experience watching both
series. If you only have time for one, prioritize Brotherhood. Both series are
available in their entirety (51 episodes in Fullmetal Alchemist, 64 in Brotherhood)
in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. � Palmer Haasch

Bandai Entertainment
GURREN LAGANN (2007)
The only mecha anime on this list (for now!), Gurren Lagann comes from Gainax, the
same studio that produced another bizarre but acclaimed anime, FLCL (of which the
second season was released in early June). Gurren Lagann exists in a world in which
humans are by-and-large sequestered beneath the surface of the Earth in
subterranean cities. Simon and his surrogate brother, Kamina, live in one such city
until they stumble across a mecha � known in-universe as a �Gunmen� � and encounter
Yoko, a girl from the surface. What follows is an epic battle for the above-ground,
and eventually, the Earth itself. Ten years after its release, Gurren Lagann is a
classic, and available on Netflix in its 27-episode entirety in both English and
Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

Funimation
SOUL EATER (2008)
On the more lighthearted side of Netflix�s surprisingly not-that-niche, demon-
hunting anime offerings is Soul Eater. The series, based off a manga of the same
name written by Atsushi �kubo, focuses on the students of Death Weapon Meister
Academy, a school where students train to work with weapons in order to defeat and
absorb the souls of evil humans. The catch? Half of the students are the weapons
and have the ability to transform at will into scythes, pistols, shuriken, and any
other weapon in existence. The other half, known as �meisters,� are paired up with
weapons and wield them in battle. Defined by its Halloween aesthetic, an ensemble
cast of characters that rotate in and out of focus across the series, and an
original soundtrack that merits its own listen, Soul Eater deserves a place on your
Netflix list. Soul Eater is available in its 51-episode entirety in both English
and Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

Aniplex of America
DURARARA!! (2010) AND DURARARA!!X2 (2015)
Durarara!! is an ambitious series that is more about a fictional iteration of
Tokyo�s bustling Ikebukuro district than any of its main characters. The series
begins when high school student Mikado moves from the countryside to Ikebukuro to
attend school with his childhood friend, Masaomi. From this humble beginning, new
characters and plotlines are introduced, of which the most prominent is the
headless bike rider Celty, an Irish Dullahan (a type of headless fairy) on the hunt
in Japan for her missing head. The series rotates through characters, with Mikado
and his friends or Celty taking prominent roles throughout the series while others
filter in and out. This kind of storytelling in which the characters play second
fiddle to the narrative of the city itself is what sets Durarara!! apart.
Durarara!!x2 is the continuation of the first series and works primarily to tie up
its loose ends. Luckily, both series are available on Netflix in their entirety (24
episodes in Durarara!! and 36 in Durarara!!x2) in both English and Japanese with
English subtitles. � PH

Viz Media
TIGER & BUNNY (2011)
In the futuristic world of Tiger & Bunny, superheroes double as entertainers, and
their popularity ratings are almost as important as catching the baddies. Kotetsu
T. Kaburagi is the hero Wild Tiger, an aging dad who finds his popularity in rapid
declining. The solution is teaming up with Barnaby Brooks Jr., a pretentious stud
who has the same power he does: five-minute-long super-strength that takes a day to
regenerate. Together, they have to take out bad guys while learning to tolerate
each other�s very different personalities. There�s also something really funny
about the heroes in the show being sponsored by real companies. There�s nothing
quite like seeing Barnaby with a huge Bandai logo across his chest, or another hero
blatantly advertising Pepsi. Tiger & Bunny is available in its 25-episode entirety
in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. � Julia Lee

attack on titan - titan

Funimation
ATTACK ON TITAN (2013)
Attack on Titan has been at the forefront of anime conversations since its premiere
in 2013. Set in a fictional world in which what�s left of humanity is cloistered
within three concentric walls, Titans � large humanoid monsters that eat human
flesh for the sake of it � lurk just outside the outermost wall. Eren Yeager, the
overconfident and yet thrillingly captivating protagonist of the series, enlists
his childhood friends as warriors in order to get his chance at exacting revenge at
the titans that invaded his village and killed his mother. With a cast of fleshed-
out supporting characters, an operatic (and at times rock-driven) musical score,
and jarringly nonstop action, Attack on Titan is a prerequisite in today�s anime
landscape. With season 3 premiering this July, now is the perfect time to introduce
yourself to (or refresh your memory of) the series. Currently, only the first 25
episodes (Season 1) of Attack on Titan are available on Netflix, and only in
Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

Aniplex of America
KILL LA KILL (2013)
With dashes of comedy and flashy outfits, Kill la Kill�s blend of bizarre and
captivating drama is just about perfect. After finding her father killed by a
mysterious, red scissor blade, Ryuko Matoi follows a magical school girl uniform
named Senketsu to comes to Honnouji Academy, where she mounts a rebellion against
the student council president, Satsuki Kiryuin (and all of her lackies). The
school�s hierarchy is reflected in the students� special transforming uniforms that
let them duke it out with Ryuko. As she begins to make her way through different
clubs to fight Satsuki, it�s revealed that there�s more to the uniforms than
expected, and there�s a much bigger fight ahead. Kill la Kill is available in
Japanese with English subtitles in its 24-episode entirety. � JL

Viz Media
ONE PUNCH MAN (2015)
It�s unbelievably frustrating to fight against overpowered characters, but One
Punch Man makes the argument that it�s even harder to be one. Saitama, a
beleaguered superhero who trained so hard that he went bald and became more
powerful than literally anything and everyone, is relatively apathetic about his
life as a hero. Given that it doesn�t take more than one punch to defeat whatever
villain he encounters, Saitama is often more concerned about supermarket sales than
supervillains. One Punch Man�s parody of the anime superhero genre is what
established it as a favorite back when it aired in 2015 and what makes it one of
the best anime on Netflix today. That and, of course, Saitama�s classic deadpan
expression that became a viral meme. One Punch Man is available in its 12-episode
entirety in Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

devilman crybaby art

Netflix
DEVILMAN CRYBABY (2018)
Devilman Crybaby is Netflix�s first, original anime offerings, and it�s certainly
not one for the faint of heart. Akira � the crybaby � is made aware of the
existence of demons when his childhood friend, Ryo, returns from a research trip in
the Amazon. Ryu observed firsthand the chaos that demons are capable of creating,
and is firmly convinced that the only way to defeat demons was by exposing them to
the world, and in addition, bonding one to a human to create a hybrid creature more
powerful than the demons themselves: a devilman. At Ryo�s request, Akira fuses with
a demon, becoming � you guessed it � the Devilman Crybaby. Noted as a breakout in
Netflix�s original programming due to its visually stunning nature and unique
storyline, Devilman Crybaby is an ecstatic work of animation, even by anime
standards. The 10-episode series is available in its entirety in English and
Japanese with English subtitles in addition to dubbed voices and subtitles in
several other languages. � PH

DRAMA ANIME
Death Note
Viz Media
DEATH NOTE (2006)
From the perpetually ridiculous �I�ll take a potato chip � and eat it!� meme to its
more recent lackluster Netflix original live action adaptation, Death Note will
never fade out of general anime fandom consciousness. Known for its intriguing
premise that shades the definitions of good and evil, Death Note focuses on the
existence of the Death Notes, notebooks which give their owners the power to kill
anyone in the world simply by writing their name inside. Light Yagami, a cunning
and ambitious high school student, comes into possession of a Death Note after
Ryuk, a shinigami (Japanese death god), drops it to Earth because� well, because he
was bored. In a quest to eradicate evil in the world and create a crime-less
utopia, Light sets out to use the Death Note to kill the worst of humanity, and in
the process attracting the attention of international police and fervent admirers
alike. Death Note holds a prominent position in the canon of modern anime, and at
only 37 episodes is well worth the time it�ll take you to watch it. It is available
in its entirety in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

madoka
Aniplex of America
PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA (2011)
A standout within the well-established magical girl genre made popular by shows
like Sailor Moon and Tokyo Mew Mew, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a darker twist on
a comparatively utopian genre. The story begins when the titular Madoka and her
best friend Sayaka encounter an alien creature named Kyubey who offers them a wish
in exchange for their service as magical girls. Over the course of the series,
Kyubey reveals the stark reality of what it means to be a magical girl, forcing
Madoka, Sayaka, and the cast of characters to face the consequences of their
decisions. Netflix currently hosts the 12-episode series in its entirety but as of
June 1st, 2018, none of the three movies adaptations/spinoffs. Puella Magi Madoka
Magica is available in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

your lie in april

Aniplex of America
YOUR LIE IN APRIL (2015)
Widely acknowledged as one of the best music anime series in existence, Your Lie in
April is, at its most basic level, about music. However, it�s arguably more so
about love, loss, and fundamentally, living. Ex-piano prodigy Kosei lost the
ability to hear the music he creates after his mother�s death. Kaori is a
capricious violinist who is more concerned with connecting with her audience than
appeasing her judges with pitch-perfect accuracy. When the two meet, Kaori works to
drag a reluctant Kosei back into the world of music as her accompanist, slowly
chipping away at his musical block. However, when Kaori collapses during a
performance, complications arise that put Kosei face-to-face with the possibility
of losing Kaori, who he eventually realizes that he loves. Aside from deftly
navigating adolescent love and grief, Your Lie in April is both musically and
visually stunning with gorgeously animated musical sequences that culminate in a
breathtaking final performance. The 22-episode series is available in its entirety
on Netflix in both English and Japanese with English subtitles (but you�ll have to
go searching for the 2016 live-action film adaptation). � PH

Netflix
VIOLET EVERGARDEN (2017)
The highly acclaimed Kyoto Animation brings the Netflix exclusive Violet Evergarden
to life with the beautiful scenes you�d expect from the studio. The main character,
who shares her name with the series, is a young girl previously used as a killing
machine by the military during a war. After losing both of her arms and having them
replaced with metal prosthetics, she has to learn how to integrate back into
society as an Auto-Memory Doll, which is essentially a trained ghostwriter for
books and letters. It�s sweet and satisfying to watch Violet grow and learn about
the complexity of human emotions, a journey complemented by gorgeous animation. The
13-episode series is available in its entirety in English and Japanese with English
subtitles in addition to dubbed voices and subtitles in several other languages. �
JL

COMEDY ANIME
ouran
Funimation
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (2006)
Ouran High School Host Club, like many other shojo anime, is filled with copious
amounts of rose petals in its catchy title sequence and vast majority of its simple
backgrounds. What sets it apart is its bizarre premise: girl meets boy(s), breaks
expensive vase, falls into crippling debt, and assumes a masculine identity in
order to work as a host and pay off said debt � and the fact that it deliberately
plays with the character archetypes that its ensemble cast seems to fall into at
first glance. Chock-full of romantic subplots and featuring a running commentary on
class and some of the more eccentric tendencies of Haruhi�s rich classmates, Ouran
remains a timeless series more than ten years after its debut. Luckily, the 26-
episode series is available in its entirety in both English and Japanese with
English subtitles. � Palmer

Little Witch Academia

Netflix
LITTLE WITCH ACADEMIA (2017)
The third Netflix Original on this list, Little Witch Academia actually began as a
short film funded as part of the Anime Mirai 2013 project, which provides financial
support to young animators. Directed by Yoh Yoshinari (Gurren Lagann), the short
received enough acclaim to merit a sequel (fans fulfilled its crowdfunding goal in
under six hours) that was released in 2015. Both films and the Netflix series of
the same title share the same basic plot and premise: set at Luna Nova Academy, an
academy that teaches young witches, enthusiastic student Atsuko Kagari works to
follow in the footsteps of her idol Shiny Chariot, a witch who inspired her to
study magic. Despite encountering regular difficulties due to her lack of a magical
background, Atsuko begins to find her place in the magical world after discovering
a relic left behind by Shiny Chariot. With a set of characters hailing from all
around the world, adorable animation, and a whole lot of heart, Little Witch
Academia stands out as one of Netflix�s most acclaimed original anime offerings.
The full 25-episode series and both short films are currently available on Netflix
in English and Japanese with English subtitles. � PH

Netflix/Sanrio
AGGRETSUKO (2018)
Netflix Original Aggretsuko seems to be a contemporary of Netflix�s Bojack Horseman
in the respect that both animated series focus on anthropomorphized animals dealing
with very real human problems ranging from alcoholism to workplace misogyny.
Aggretsuko, however, does so while being aggressively cute. Retsuko is 25-year-old
red panda who burns off stress deriving from her dead-end job and chauvinist pig of
a boss (he�s actually a pig) by singing death metal karaoke every night. Much of
the humor of the series derives from the stark contrast between Retsuko�s demeanor
from her generally subservient nature in the office and her frankly terrifying
karaoke personality. Overall though, Aggretsuko is an anime that is painfully
relatable for a generation that grew up with Sanrio�s Hello Kitty, and at just 10
episodes, it�s certainly worth binge-watching. Aggretsuko is available in both
English and Japanese with English subtitles in addition to dubbed voices and
subtitles in various other languages. � PH

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