Made in Abyss
Best Anime Shows on Amazon Prime
Although Made in Abyss may appear to be for a younger crowd due to its chibi art style, underneath that is a surprisingly complex, mature, and dark story. An enormous chasm known as The Abyss stretches down into the depths of the Earth, with no known end. Brave individuals known as divers explore the chasm, and the White Whistles are the best of the best. When one of the main members of the White Whistles goes missing, Riko, her daughter, goes on a hunt to find her mother. On her journey, Riko meets a mysterious robot that has the appearance of a young boy.
Made in Abyss is a show filled with imagination in each and every episode. The team behind the anime clearly took time to meticulously craft every episode to be something unique, and that shows through. The show takes some seriously dark twists, and quality animation helps action scenes feel vibrant. Its uniqueness is the best thing Made in Abyss has going for it, and it’s probably the best anime exclusive to Amazon Prime.
Inuyashiki: Last Hero
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Inuyashiki is not for the faint of heart, as it’s an insanely brutal and violent anime. One quiet night in Tokyo, aliens accidentally crash into and kill two men, rebuilding them with incredible technology turning them into veritable war machines. One of them, Inuyashiki, is a kind but lonely elderly man who was terminally ill before the accident. The other, Shishigami, is a young man that completely lacks empathy for others. Inuyashiki decides to use his newfound power to help and save people, while Shishigami simply uses his to brutally murder people at random. The power dynamic between the two is the crux of the series, and their differences explore the nature of humanity and violence.
Inuyashiki’s beautiful animation stands in stark contrast to its extreme violence, just like the contrast between its main characters. It’s a fascinating anime that has no problem embracing all manner of mature themes. If you’re looking for something dark and brutal, this is a perfect fit.
Darker Than Black
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Darker Than Black comes from Studio Bones, the same studio behind Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Soul Eater, My Hero Academia, and much more. Naturally, you can expect some quality animation, but Darker Than Black also boasts a complex and fascinating narrative.
10 years ago a mysterious phenomenon known as Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America, while Hell’s Gate appeared in Tokyo. These gates covered their respective areas in an oppressive skyscape, and with their emergence came Contractors – people who’ve given up their humanity in exchange for supernatural powers. Hei is one of these contractors and earned the nickname “Black Reaper” for his assassination and espionage work in the underworld.
Darker Than Black has an intricate narrative of political plots, the consequences of war, and the nature of humanity. Piece by piece things get revealed as you watch through, and there’s a ton of lore the show digs into. Fascinating characters, well-animated battles, and an overall oppressive mood are just a few of the reasons to check this one out.
Chi’s Sweet Adventure
Best Anime Shows on Amazon Prime
Chi’s Sweet Adventure is a far cry from every other anime here, but that’s just what makes it so refreshing. The series revolves around an adorable little cat named Chi, who lives with her owners the Yamadas. This time around Chi’s Sweet Adventure transports things into 3D animation, instead of the usual 2D that past Chi series have used.
Each episode in Chi’s Sweet Adventure is roughly 12 minutes long, and they often tell self-contained stories, although some do have plotlines that carry over. The show functions as a slice of life anime, with the Yamadas and Chi herself going through various problems and adventures. Everything, for the most part, is seen from Chi’s perspective, and there’s an hefty serving of cuteness to the show.
The 3D animation doesn’t allow for quite the same expressiveness that 2D did, but Chi’s Sweet Adventure still proves to be an adorable, charming show. If you need a break from all the action and drama of other anime, you can just kick back and watch some cute cats.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Best Anime Shows on Amazon Prime
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of the most beloved anime of all time, and it still stands up today as one of the greats. The series revolves around two brothers, Alphonse and Edward Elric, who have become State Alchemists after suffering a great tragedy where Ed lost his arm and Al lost his entire body, with his soul being transferred into a suit of armor. The two brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone, a relic that allows alchemists to overcome the law of Equivalent Exchange, but they meet a dangerous group of foes known as homunculi in the process.
Brotherhood features some absolutely phenomenal actions scenes, and each character’s specific type of alchemy keeps everything interesting. Ed and Al are both well-rounded characters who go through a lot of growth throughout the series. Even better than them, however, is the supporting cast and villains which contains a wealth of interesting characters with strong motivations, ideals, and personalities. There’s a lot of reasons to watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and if you haven’t already checked it out you really should.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
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Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress comes from the same studio responsible for the Attack on Titan anime, and there’s quite a few similarities between the two. As you might expect, Kabaneri has plenty of blood and violence, although this time instead of Titans humanity is up against zombie-like creatures known as “Kabane” that popped up through a mysterious virus. The only way to kill these creatures is by destroying their steel-coated hearts, and so humanity creates heavily fortified cities to keep themselves safe.
Kabaneri’s setup sounds stereotypical but its intriguing steampunk setting helps it stand apart from other shows. Humanity is in the middle of an industrial revolution when the virus pops up, and the steampunk theme bleeds into everything from vehicles to weaponry. The series is 12 episodes long and filled with pulse-pounding action. It’s exclusive to Amaazon Prime in the west, so if you’re a fan of Attack on Titan check it out.
Blue Exorcist
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Blue Exorcist is another in the long line of shonen anime, and comes from A-1 Pictures, the studio responsible for Sword Art Online and Fairy Tail. The show takes place where the human and demon world, Assiah and Gehenna, sit parallel to each other, but the only way to travel between the two is by possession. The demon lord Satan can’t find a suitable vessel in Assiah to possess and start his conquest, so instead, he sends his son to the world to grow up as a suitable vessel. Rin, Satan’s son, grows up not knowing his lineage, and once he finds out he instead decides to become an Exorcist with his brother, protecting Assiah from the demon forces.
Like many shonen anime, Blue Exorcist’s greatest strength is its diverse cast of characters. Rin, his brother Yukio, and the rest of the students at True Cross Academy are all fleshed out and unique characters. The overall theme combines with a high school setting to make something unique, and there’s plenty of flashy action mixed in. Blue Exorcist is a shonen anime in every sense of the word, but that’s not a bad thing, as it turns out to be a colorful, exciting romp.
Rurouni Kenshin
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Rurouni Kenshin is an all-time classic anime from the 90s, and one that any anime fan owes it to themselves to watch. The show revolves around a wandering samurai named Kenshin Himura, who holds a secret, and violent, past. In the Bakamatsu era Kenshin was a feared assassin known as Hitokiri Battosai, who became legend by the end of the era. Now Kenshin has changed his ways and become a peaceful samurai, helping those in need along his journey. One day he stumbles upon a young girl named Kaoru Kamiya at her dojo, and eventually ends up staying with her.
Kenshin himself is the most fascinating aspect of the show, as he’s a deep, complex character with a multi-faceted personality. Seeing him try to adopt a new life while deal with the consequences of his past is the main crux of the show, and a charming cast of supporting characters gets introduced along the way. Rurouni Kenshin was one of the shows that helped set the stage for later shonen anime like Naruto and Bleach, and although its animation may have aged a bit, it’s still worth a watch.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Best Anime Shows on Amazon Prime
Madoka Magica is another show that has a hidden layer underneath its cute veneer. Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are your typical middle school girls, until they meet a strange cat-like familiar named Kyuubey. The familiar gives them a deal: he’ll grant one of their wishes and in exchange, they’ll become magical girls, given the power they need to fulfill those wishes. This idyllic situation isn’t quite what it appears to be, however, and Madoka Magica takes multiple surprisingly dark twists throughout the series.
The show takes the magical girl genre and spins it on its head, bringing up themes of friendship, sacrifice, and fighting for your dreams in the process. Madoka Magica quickly worked its way up to being a classic, with well-developed characters, slick animation, and plenty of action.
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