Voltron
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
The original Voltron was a strange Frankenstein’s monster of a creation. It mixed two completely different anime with all-new audio and dialogue to create an experience that has persisted in the hearts of fans far longer than its creators could have dreamed. The franchise has been rebooted several times, but the latest iteration, Voltron: Legendary Defender, is easily the best and has even surpassed the original.
Longtime Voltron fans will no doubt be familiar with the basic plot: five human pilots discover robotic lions that can combine to form the giant robot Voltron. The pilots are then dragged into a war with an evil alien race that has a galaxy-spanning empire. But, Voltron: Legendary Defender inserts plot twist after plot twist (and more than a few uproariously hilarious scenes) that set it apart from the source material. Voltron: Legendary Defender is this generation’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, but what else can you expect when they share showrunners?
One-Punch Man
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
How do you usually write a story about someone who is seemingly all-powerful? Either give him or her a sizable Achilles heel or include an enemy who is just as powerful, if not more so. But, what happens when a character is literally the most powerful being in existence and has no weaknesses? Normally, this would make for a boring story since this Ubermensch would always win. But therein lies the beauty of One-Punch Man: it stars Saitama, a hero who is so powerful he defeats every opponent with one punch, and he finds that extremely boring.
The main attraction of One-Punch Man is that Saitama is just too powerful. He can fend off reality-destroying monsters with just one titular punch. No giant balls of energy, no power-ups or transformations, just a single, simple punch. Yet Saitama takes no joy in his victories, because he isn’t challenged. Of course, there’s more to One-Punch Man than just Saitama’s psychological issues. The series also satirizes modern superheroes (both in American comic books and Japanese manga) and deconstructs the meaning of the word “hero.” One-Punch Man is far deeper and philosophical than Marvel’s recent movies.
Gurren Lagann
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Gurren Lagann is one of those shows where you just shut your brain off and enjoy the spectacle. In fact, shutting your brain off isn’t just recommended, it’s required, because thinking about the insanity will give you a migraine. Gurren Lagann is the kind of anime where the creators try to build on the madness and make each subsequent episode more ludicrous than the last. I’m talking about starting with underdogs using simple mechs to fight against an oppressive regime of half-animal hybrids and ending with a battle between a humanoid space-fortress and a Lovecraftian entity that involves reality-warping missiles and weaponized galaxies.
Even though Gurren Lagann is insanity given physical form, it is also a science-fantasy testament to human will, spirit, and determination. The show glamorizes persistence; when the chips are down and everything looks hopeless, we grit our teeth and power on through until we come out the other side. Gurren Lagann is perfect for people in need of a pick-me-up, because even if you don’t believe in yourself, the show reassures audiences that there’s always someone else out there who believes in you, and if you believe in the person who believes in you, you will come out okay.
Aggretsuko
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Have you ever been hired for a job you thought you always wanted that turned out to be a soul-crushing, almost Sisyphean slog? Do you work with or for people who are unpleasant? Is your work environment so frustrating that you feel the need to constantly vent your anger so you don’t explode? Well, Sanrio, the maker of the saccharine and girly Hello Kitty, feels your pain and has graced Netflix with the ultimate in catharsis anime: Aggretsuko.
This show centers around one simple premise: how Retsuko stays calm at work and lets loose all her anger in death metal karaoke afterwards. With each day comes a new challenge, be it a coworker who acts like a child and pesters everyone with pictures of her babies or a misogynistic pig of a boss. And, given that Sanrio made this show, this boss is both a figurative and literal pig. The show may look cute, but Aggretsuko is most certainly aimed at adults and will likely strike a chord with anyone who’s worked in an office.
Death Note
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
We classify stuff we don’t like as evil. Everyone defines evil differently, so what happens when one man is given the power to kill everyone he deems evil? Do the ends justify the means and redeem the protagonist, or does all the death he causes turn him into a far greater evil? More importantly, is it more morally wrong to use the power to kill criminals or to do nothing while innocent people suffer at their hands? Those are the very questions Death Note asks and always intentionally never answers.
To call Death Note smart is an understatement. The main characters are impossibly intelligent, and the story knows how to play with the emotions of the audience. Even when the main characters act like villains, you can’t help but root for them, because the show is designed to screw with your definitions of good and evil. Death Note is one great big supernatural chess match, and everyone’s a pawn, including the viewers.
Castlevania
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Usually, video game adaptations suck. Even the best tend to fall short of mediocrity. Most of the time, all adaptations are good for are one or two scenes that achieve Internet meme status. However, Castlevania breaks all the trends. Not only is it the best video game adaptation ever made, it is a great anime in its own right.
Castlevania is loosely based on Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. The show features several of the game’s protagonists, but it tells its own story, one that revolves around corruption in a local church. Much of the anime’s plot, including why most townsfolk hate protagonist Trevor Belmont and the reason behind Dracula’s bloody revenge, can be tied back to this corruption. However, Castlevania isn’t an attack on Christianity but instead a cautionary tale about casting evil in the name of good. While the first season of Castlevania only lasted four episodes, a second season with eight episodes will air later this summer.
Little Witch Academia
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Imagine if the Harry Potter franchise took place in a world where everyone knows magic exists and only a select number of girls can be trained to become magic-wielding witches. Now imagine the franchise starred a girl with almost no magical aptitude who only succeeds thanks to her friends, bottomless optimism, and a literal deus ex machina wand she got by sheer accident. That’s Little Witch Academia in a nutshell, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Little Witch Academia is, in a word, beautiful. The characters are full of life, not just because of their energetic animations but also because of their vibrant personalities. Plus, when the action gets going, you are almost guaranteed to be on the edge of your seat. The show breaks many traditions normally seen in similar shows, especially character tropes, and is at home telling a serious, episode-spanning story as it is a telling one-off romp through reference city. Little Witch Academia is the kind of anime you can enjoy regardless of age.
Rurouni Kenshin
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Rurouni Kenshin is one of those rare anime shows that takes place in a historical setting and only uses fantastical elements to make fight scenes more flashy and entertaining. However, the meat of the anime lies with its characters, namely its protagonist, the titular Kenshin, who is a former assassin but makes up for his past crimes by protecting people and swearing off killing. While the show is essentially historical fiction, Rurouni Kenshin is a fairly accurate look into late 19th century Japan that should please viewers tired of anime with contemporary settings and protagonists who are a little too kill-happy.
Devilman Crybaby
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Anyone who says anime is for children has never seen Devilman Crybaby. It features plenty of nudity, more blood and guts than could ever fit in a human body, and trippy visuals that are likely the result of recreational drug use. And it also provides an important message about the nature of human beings.
Devilman Crybaby is a dark story about a high school boy who is possessed by a demon but is able to subdue it and use its powers to fight people who have succumbed to similar demonic influences. The show might put a lot of focus on the gore and violence, but it also has its fair share of symbolism. It’s no coincidence the overly empathetic and sensitive protagonist is able to resist being taken over by a demon, and even the show’s violence is ultimately symbolic. If you can stomach the violence and porn-levels of nudity, you will find Devilman Crybaby to be a fairly engrossing and poignant show.
Kill la Kill
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Kill la Kill takes the phrase “Clothes make the man” to its most illogical extreme: clothes are sentient and give you superpowers. Also, they might be evil parasitic aliens. Kill la Kill takes Gurren Lagann’s already ludicrous levels of insanity and action and dials them up to 11. But, this show comes with one big caveat: the superpowered clothes revolve around themes of sexuality and female empowerment.
The first thing you will likely notice while watching Kill la Kill will be all the partial nudity and fanservice. The sentient super-clothes of protagonist Ryuko Matoi and antagonist Satsuki Kiryuin leave little to the imagination and even less to cover their bodies. However, they each react to their superpowered clothes differently; Ryuko is mortified while Satsuki is proud. This allows the show to provide its own unique (and Japanese) take on female empowerment and sexuality, all while characters swordfight with oversized scissor blades. Turn your brain off and enjoy the madness or keep it on and mull over the show’s themes; there’s no wrong way to enjoy Kill la Kill so long as you go in with an open mind.
Your Lie in April
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Plenty of anime glamorize activities that some people would consider commonplace or even mundane. Football, cooking, tennis, gambling; you name it, there’s an anime out there that makes the mundane seem awesome. Your Lie in April follows this trend by glamorizing musical performances, albeit with an added twist.
Death and tragedy are recurring themes in Your Lie in April, or to be more specific, how they affect us and can mold us into better people. The protagonist Kousei, a brilliant pianist, is left a psychological wreck after his mom dies, and he can’t hear his own music. But, after he meets Kaori, an equally-talented violinist who (spoiler) remains upbeat and unfazed in the face of her own terminal illness, Kousei begins his own personal journey to recovery. Your Lie in April will resonate well with anyone who has recently lost a loved one or lived through a tragedy.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Do not get suckered in by Puella Magi Madoka Magica’s cute aesthetic. This show might star several young girls who transform into magical girls to fight off evil monsters, but it ain’t no cloying show like Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura. Madoka Magica is dark, possibly the darkest show on this list.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica offers a surprisingly effective take on the art of deconstruction. It uses the first several episodes to deceive the audience about the show’s subject matter, glorifying the life of magical girls as they fight off evil witches who cause death and destruction. But then reality hits the characters and audience like a bullet train: despite all the glamour and grandeur, death is an ever-looming threat and PTSD a foregone conclusion. And the situation grows worse once the true nature of magical girls, witches, and the hidden hand that manipulates both are revealed. Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a must-see for any adult anime fan, plain and simple.
Attack on Titan
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
When you hear the words Attack on Titan, odds are you think about the infectiously catchy theme song. But Attack on Titan is more than just a song: it’s a story about revenge, survival, secrets, and lies. And people swinging around sprawling medieval cities like steampunk Spider-Men and slashing off the heads and limbs of ugly giants.
Attack on Titan is all about world-building. The characters and their motivations feel real and flawed. The science and fantastical elements all follow a consistent internal logic. Most importantly, while the show makes sure audiences fall in love with characters, it always reminds viewers that anyone can die at any time and that nothing is what it seems. If you ever wanted to figure out why Attack on Titan took the Internet by storm, now’s a good a time as any.
Seven Deadly Sins
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
If you have ever watched shows like One Piece and Naruto, Seven Deadly Sins might feel kinda familiar. A team of heroes is led by a young and optimistic man (or boy, depending on how you look at him) to fight against injustice and evil and blah blah blah. But while Seven Deadly Sins doesn’t exactly try to tread new ground, it stands out by treading old ground exceptionally well.
Seven Deadly Sins’ greatest strength is its storytelling. Every time you think you’ve got something or someone figured out, the show throws in a monkey wrench. These twists never feel (too) forced or contrived, thanks in no small part to characters who can balance drama, action, and comedy. A good example is Diane, a giantess who towers over most buildings and is strong enough to literally move (or create) mountains but is prone to girlish outbursts of glee. Seven Deadly Sins doesn’t set out to reinvent any genres or deconstruct any ideas; it just wants to entertain audiences with riveting action and deep storytelling, and does so with flying colors.
Case Closed
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Whodunits have entered the spotlight for many gamers and anime fans thanks to the critically acclaimed Phoenix Wright series. These quirky games challenge players to scour evidence, crime scenes, and testimonies to determine the real culprit, the motive, and occasionally the murder weapon. Phoenix Wright games make players think and use deductive reasoning, and while the anime adaptation is not available on Netflix, Case Closed is. And it’s probably better.
Case Closed isn’t exactly the same as Phoenix Wright. Instead of starring a defense attorney who tries to prove his clients’ innocence, Case Closed features a brilliant teenage prodigy stuck in the body of a seven-year old boy who helps police solve crimes. The show also stars characters with more grounded personalities compared to Phoenix Wright’s cast of memorable eccentrics, and fantastical elements in Case Closed are kept to a bare minimum. Aside from the poison that turns the protagonist into a little child, that is. But, like Phoenix Wright, Case Closed features gripping stories and brain-melting cases that will make viewers who pay attention and correctly guess the culprit feel like geniuses.
Gunslinger Girl
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
While Puella Magi Madoka Magica initially disguises its premise with a saccharine and innocuous magical girl-flavor, Gunslinger Girl makes no such attempts at misdirection. It lays its dark secrets, specifically the moral fallout of using child soldiers, out for all to see.
In Gunslinger Girl, the Italian government runs a public ‘charity’ that rehabilitates severely injured children, and it secretly gives a select few cybernetic enhancements that make them far stronger than most humans. But, these cyborgs, instead of being allowed to live normal lives, are trained and conditioned to become top-secret assassins who exterminate the worst kinds of scumbags, from terrorists to mafia hitmen. The show combines jaw-dropping locales and character designs, smooth animation, classical music, and gritty violence to paint a picture that is as bloody and filled with bullet holes as it is damning. The girls might help keep society safe, but at what price? Watch the show to find out.
Fairy Tail
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Fairy Tail follows the same basic plot as many other action anime: the protagonists and their mascot fight the villain of the week while hijinks ensue and everyone’s power level creeps higher and higher until they can obliterate continents with a wave of their pinky. The show has the same standard “the power of friendship” message seen in countless other anime, but Fairy Tail remains enjoyable through its sheer spectacle.
While the plot of Fairy Tail isn’t anything to write home about, its characters and events stick in the minds of viewers because of pure showmanship, which is fitting since every character is a magician. The music, animation, and imaginative (and destructive) spells all come together to form scenes that make audiences sit on the edges of their seats and cheer in victory when the dust has settled. Fairy Tail might not feature any deep themes or deconstructed messages, but it is perfect for viewers who just want some good old stupid fun.
Ouran High School Host Club
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Japan has a fascination with androgynous men with faces that blur the line between masculine and feminine. But, you know what they say, “turnabout is fair play,” and Ouran High School Host Club pulls the ol’ switcheroo on the trope. Sure, the show revolves around a high school club filled with androgynous (and kinda effeminate) boys who entertain the girls of the titular Ouran High School, but one of the club’s members is an androgynous girl.
In any other anime, the plot would revolve around the one female member doing everything she can to keep her gender a secret from the rest of the boys, but Ouran High School Host Club throws that cliched drama out the window. Instead, the show focuses on the day-to-day lives of the club members and sprinkles in some of the most over-the-top reactions ever to grace an anime. Ouran High School Host Club isn’t for everyone, especially if you buy into the belief that the entertainment industry is waging a war on masculinity, but it’s perfect for people looking for an anime (and role-reversed) version of Some Like It Hot.
Durarara!!
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Durarara!!’s plot is as odd as its name. The show starts off as a semi-slice of life (featuring a street gang) in a contemporary setting, but it quickly adds weird events, mystical artifacts, and characters who defy most rational thought. Some are supernatural; others are out of the ordinary and would be impossible in the real world but not quite supernatural. The show is a bit daunting at first, but viewers who stick through to the end will see how everything connects.
Unlike most anime, Durarara!! doesn’t have a main, singular protagonist. Its cast is fairly large, and while some characters receive more screen time than others, they are all fairly important to the plot. It’s honestly difficult to talk about any one character or plot thread because of how they all weave together like a quilt, but I will say that if you watch the the first season, you will want to watch the second season, which is titled Durarara!!X2. Both seasons of Durarara!! defy description; that is all I can say without going into heavy spoiler territory, but both are worth your time if you are a fan of Chekhov’s Gun.
Fullmetal Alchemist
Best Anime Shows on Netflix You Must Watch
Two young brothers suddenly lose their mother. They then get the idea to bring her back to life, not through necromancy but through alchemy. Of course, things go horribly awry. The older brother loses an arm and a leg, while the younger brother’s spirit is forced into a giant suit of armor. Plus, for their troubles, they receive an inside-out pile of flesh with ribs where its brain should be instead of their mother. And that’s only the start of the brothers’ adventures as they encounter political conspiracies, racism, genocide, and deadly secrets.
Fullmetal Alchemist is essentially two anime in one. You’ve got the first series, just known as Fullmetal Alchemist, which is more comedic and forges its own story, and then there’s the second series, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which is a more faithful adaptation of the source material. Some might prefer Brotherhood, but the first series is good in its own right and is also worth a watch. You can’t go wrong with either.
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