Anime is exploding into the mainstream right now, and there are good reasons for this. One of the first streaming services to join the hype was Netflix, including some original productions. So no wonder they have some bangers! Here are some of the best Anime on Netflix.
Over the past couple of years, anime has been steadily making its way into the mainstream. Shows like Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer have been all over Twitter and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have steadily improved their line-up, by even producing originals. So we want to support this trend, by giving you a list of some of the best Anime on Netflix.
This doesn't include Arcane, though. Mainly because it can't really be considered an Anime:
Anime on Netflix: Devilman Crybaby
We're gonna start off with a Netflix original right off the bat. This one was a weirdly fascinating series that pushes boundaries and makes you enjoy it. It has a weird, trippy visual style that perfectly fits the animalistic themes of the story.
The show is unapologetically violent, and I'm here for it. Think if Doom and a dating simulator had a lovechild, that is addicted to psychedelic mushrooms. Oh, and did I mention the soundtrack? That sh*t slaps!
Cowboy Bebop
This one is just a classic. Cowboy Bebop has got to be one of the all-time greats of anime. The way it blends a sci-fi cyberpunk aesthetic, with a western atmosphere, tops it off with sick action and great characters is just unmatched.
Think Red Dead Redemption in space, and you should get it. There is a reason why this one is still relevant after more than 20 years. I bet, if you ever received Anime recommendations from a friend, Cowboy Bebop was one of them. It is also great to get people into Anime, because it's not one of those over the top, incest, Oni-chan type of Anime.
Attack on Titan
Here we are! Even though only one season of Attack on Titan is available on Netflix at the moment, we still had to mention this one. It is just too good to pass. This is the one that got me, and probably many others, into Anime.
The animation is absolutely gorgeous, the story has more twists than a M. Night Shyamalan movie, and you just get so drawn into the world. I got so hyped at some points that I jumped out of my seat. And the soundtrack... that sh*t is just too good. Never skipped an intro of this show ever.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Here we have our most recent entry into this list, and another example of how Netflix can actually produce some good sh*t every once in a while. How good, you ask? Good enough to reignite the hype around a franchise that pissed people off more than the Game of Thrones finale.
It's gory it is depressing, it is tragically sad, it is just sooo good! As I said, the Cyberpunk franchise was pretty much dead and now they're talking about more anime and other adaptations.
Death Note
Another classic. Death Note, is like the godfather to all these new mainstream anime. I don't know anyone who hasn't at least heard about Death Note. Not that garbage ass live-action adaptation movie on Netflix, but the anime.
It is just mind-blowing, watching the intellectual exchanges between the protagonist Light Yagami and L. The concept also just gets you to think. What would I do if I had a Death Note, that could kill anybody, as long as I have their name and face memorized? I would definitely make the world a better place. I would not be corrupted by that power. I'm built different!
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
This one is just a light and fun adventure anime, about a normal 12-year-old kid, that takes part in life and death struggles, fights sociopaths, man-eating insects and more. Yeah, just your typical light-hearted fun... until it becomes one of the darkest Shōnen out there!
The show always played with darker themes, introducing them randomly into the normally light-hearted stories, a kid would tell. Think about Spongebob, but then there are also sometimes moments, where Patrick rips out someone's beating heart and places it in front of said person, watching them die with a smile.
That show gets really intense, real quick.
Demon Slayer
Just like Attack on Titan, I just had to include this one. There is one colleague that would have beaten my ass, if I didn't. But I already planned to include Demon Slayer. It's just too damn gorgeous to look at.
Samurai fighting demons is also just a classic:
You follow the story of Tanjiro, a 13-year-old boy who loses his family and then decides to become a Demon Slayer to try and safe his sister. Yep, pretty much all Anime protagonists are 13-14 years old and kick some serious ass.
The problem with Tanjiro is, that he would probably be a total sweetheart while doing it. Imagine getting beaten up like crazy by the nicest motherf*cker on earth, that then would probably nurse you back to health. That's Tanjiro.
Haikyuu!!
Last but not least, Haikyuu. You might not be into volleyball or sports anime, but let me explain. The selling point of Haikyuu is not the volleyball part. The story is about following your dreams, overcoming adversity and building relationships. It's an all around great Anime that you can enjoy even if you're not into volleyball. The intensity when they're playing volleyball is insane! It is actually more intense than most action Anime I've seen.
Maybe even more intense, than an Anime featuring Keanu Reeves?
The greatest thing about Haikyuu though, is its rich cast of side characters that have a huge amount of depth to them. Each and every one of those side characters has more depth to them, than the all the characters in Twilight combined!