The Best Anime on Netflix Right Now (August 2021)
Once a niche artistic interest, anime has become a leading animation style the world over, attracting fans of every age and nationality. For those with a Netflix subscription, there’s a massive collection of anime entries waiting to be consumed on the streaming platform, featuring classic films, series, and Netflix originals. To help you choose something worth watching, here’s a roundup of the best anime on Netflix right now.
Netflix isn’t the only streaming service with anime on demand. To help you make the most of your subscriptions, we’ve also rounded up the best anime on Hulu.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway (2021)
Based on the manga series by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway follows the devastating war between the Earth Federation and a terrorist group known as Mafty. Led by Hathaway Noa (Kensho Ono), Mafty aims to put an end to the vicious deportation strategies of the Federation, a mission carried out with great success until a chance meeting with an enemy officer and a strange woman spells disaster for Noa and his crew.
Created by: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Cast: Kensho Ono, Reina Ueda, Junichi Suwabe
Number of seasons: 1
Flavors of Youth (2018)
Flavors of Youth is a beautifully artistic rendition of a day-in-the-life in China, captured across three mesmerizing stories. The Rice Noodles explores one man’s nostalgia for the city and his grandmother through his love for San Xian noodles. A Little Fashion Show explores the frayed dynamic between two sisters and their affinity for high fashion — one a model, the other a designer. Love in Shanghai explores the blooming romance between two Shanghai students over the course of two decades.
Created by: Li Haoling, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing, Yoshitaka Takeuchi
Cast: Taito Ban, Mariya Ise, Minako Kotobuki
Number of seasons: 1
Fireworks (2017)
Nazuna (Yuki Kaji), a middle school student, wants to get away from her life. Her friend, Norimichi (Nobuo Tobita), is looking for the same reprieve. When Norimichi throws a magic marble, the artifact ends up rewinding time, allowing him and Nazuna to live through alternate versions of crucial events that transpired between them. An adaptation of the live-action TV film of the same name, Fireworks is a fitting reimagining of its source material, adding another 40 minutes to the runtime of the original to further flesh out its story and characters.
Created by: Hitoshi One
Cast: Yuki Kaji, Nobuo Tobita, Michiko Neya
Number of seasons: 1
Kill la Kill
Ryuko Matoi is out for revenge. Reeling from her father’s death, the embittered schoolgirl scours the world with her mighty longsword in search of clues to track down the murderer. Sources seem to point to one Satsuki Kiryuin, the dangerous student council president of Honnouji Academy. Able to harness incredible superpowers from the Goku Uniforms that students wear, Ryuko Matoi harnesses her own Goku garb on her journey to right her father’s wrongful death.
Created by: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Cast: Ami Koshimizu, Toshihiko Seki, Ryoka Yuzuki
Number of seasons: 1
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Based on the long-running manga series of the same name, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure follows the almighty Joestar clan. Taking place over a series of different eras, members of the Joestar family all come to learn that they possess supernatural abilities that will allow them to thwart a series of mischievous foes, with battles occurring from the 19th century all the way into modern times. Each Joestar uses the same handle of “JoJo” in their respective story. Catch the first three seasons on Netflix.
Created by: Naokatsu Tsuda
Cast: Kazuyuki Okitsu, Tomokazu Sugita, Daisuke Ono
Number of seasons: 3
Sirius the Jaegar
The titular Jaegars are a pact of relentless vampire hunters. Chief amongst them is Yuliy, a werewolf survivor of a vampire attack that wiped out his entire village. Part of a royal bloodline, an ancient artifact was promised to Yuliy’s years before, a relic known as the Ark of Sirius. Capable of incredible powers, Yuliy and his Jaegar companions will stop at nothing to protect the talisman from their vampiric foe.
Created by: Masahiro Andō
Cast: Yuto Uemura, Takahiro Sakurai, Kenyu Horiuchi
Number of seasons: 1
Attack on Titan
Adapted from the manga series of the same name, Attack on Titan finds humanity trapped behind towering walls in three cities. The reason for the partitions is a world overrun by monstrous humanoid creatures known as Titans. When one Titan manages to get over the walls of Eren Jaegar’s (Harume Miara) city, the creature wreaks havoc on the populace. Vowing revenge, Eren and his friends join up with the Scout Regiment to fight back against the Titan hordes.
Created by: Hajime Isayama
Cast: Yuki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, Marina Inoue
Number of seasons: 4
Megalobox
Created as a 50th-anniversary commemoration of the manga Ashita no Joe, Megalobox explores the world of Megalo Boxers, humans who outfit themselves with giant mechanized exoskeletons to do battle with other Megalo fighters. Think Pacific Rim meets Rocky. Junk Dog (Yoshimasa Hosoya), an underground fight organizer, is thrust directly into the world of combat after almost getting into an accident with a Megalo tournament executive. All 13 episodes of the first season are streaming on Netflix.
Created by: Yō Moriyama
Cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Shiro Saito, Hiroki Yasumoto
Number of seasons: 1
Great Pretender
Divided into several “cases,” Great Pretender traces the journey of Makota Edamara (Chiaki Kobayashi), a man who turns to professional conning to rack in enough income for his mother’s outstanding medical bills. Joining forces with Laurent Thierry (Junichi Suwabe), a French con artist, the two make a living by committing cons all over the world.
Created by: Wit Studio
Cast: Chiaki Kobayashi, Junichi Suwabe, Natsumi Fujiwara
Number of seasons: 2
Kakegurui
Adapted from the Homura Kawamoto manga series of the same name, Kakegurui follows Yumeko Jabami, a newly enrolled student at Japan’s Hyakkaou Private Academy. Unlike your standard academic institution, the students at Hyakkaou are divided into hierarchical tiers based on gambling and riches. Fresh meat for the high-rollers, Yumeko must prove her monetary worth before the students at the top of the pyramid swallow her whole.
Created by: Yuichiro Hayashi
Cast: Saori Hayami, Minami Tanaka, Tatsuya Tokutake
Number of seasons: 2
B: The Beginning
Set on the fictional isle of Cremona, B: The Beginning immerses viewers in a dystopic world overrun with crime and decay. Leading the mayhem and macabre is the titular “B,” a serial killer on a vigilante streak. Yoku, an unassuming teenager (and series protagonist), enters the fray — as a friend or foe remains to be seen. It’s up to Keith, a member of the Royal Investigation Service, to crack down on B’s reign of terror before death claims the entire island.
Created by: Kazuto Nakazawa
Cast: Hiroaki Hirata, Yuki Kaji, Asami Seto
Number of seasons: 2
Dragon’s Dogma
Based on the 2012 Capcom video game, Dragon’s Dogma follows Ethan, a father-to-be struck down by the titular Dragon. His village of Cassardis reduced to ash, Ethan is resurrected by a mythical being known as a Pawn. Now an Arisen, the headstrong warrior vows to vanquish the mighty beast that left his home in ruins. A visceral adaptation on par with the likes of Netflix’s Castlevania, Dragon’s Dogma has plenty of promise to persevere as a faithful and engrossing series all its own.
Created by: Shinya Sugai
Cast: Greg Chun, Erica Mendez, Cristina Vee
Number of seasons: 1
Cagaster of an Insect Cage
Adapted from the Kachō Hashimoto manga series of the same name, Cagaster is set in a post-apocalyptic universe plagued with a horrendous insect problem — specifically, giant mechanical ones that wreak havoc on society. When an exterminator and teenage girl join forces to help the latter find her mother in the dangerous wasteland, their search-and-rescue mission becomes a brutal fight for survival. Catch the entire first season on Netflix.
Created by: Thomas Astruc
Cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Kana Hanazawa, Natsuki Hanae
Number of seasons: 1
One Piece
One Piece follows the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy gifted with the ability to morph his body every which way, a skillset akin to the bending and morphing of rubber. The gang of misfits that Monkey belongs to is referred to as the Straw Haw Pirates, a batch of friends that sail the Grand Line in their journey for pirate infamy. Enjoy the first four seasons on Netflix.
Created by: Konosuke Uda
Cast: Mayumi Tanaka, Akemi Okamura, Kazuya Nakai
Number of seasons: 4
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been one of the recent anime sensations on Netflix. This adaptation of the wildly popular manga chronicles the story of Tanjiro Kamado, a young man who narrowly survives a demon attack that claims the lives of most of his family. Tanjiro’s sister, Nezuko, also survives the attack, but she is transformed into a demon herself. To save his sister and avenge his family, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps and trains for the final showdown. But if Tanjiro hopes to triumph over evil then he may have to give up more than just his life.
Created by: Ufotable
Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kitō, Hiro Shimono
Number of seasons: 1
Wolverine
Over a decade ago, Marvel farmed a few of its signature characters out to a Japanese animation studio called Madhouse for some genuine anime series. The second Marvel anime, Wolverine, was a loose adaptation of the hero’s first-ever solo story. Logan/Wolverine, as voiced by This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia, travels to Japan to save his lover, Mariko Yashida (Gwendoline Yeo), from her crime-lord father, Shingen Yashida (Fred Tatasciore). To get Mariko back, Wolverine will have to get past several formidable foes, and his claws will definitely have to come out.
Created by: Kengo Kaji
Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Gwendoline Yeo, Fred Tatasciore
Number of seasons: 1
X-Men
The third Marvel anime series featured the X-Men, in a story inspired by both The Dark Phoenix Saga and Astonishing X-Men. After the death of Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale), the X-Men go their separate ways. But when Armor (Stephanie Sheh) and other young mutants are abducted and taken to Japan, Professor X (Cam Clarke) reassembles Cyclops (Scott Porter), Wolverine (Steve Blum), Storm (Danielle Nicolet), and the rest to do what they do best. You’re probably never going to see this series on Disney+, so enjoy it while you can.
Created by: Mitsutaka Hirota, Warren Ellis
Cast: Scott Porter, Steve Blum, Danielle Nicolet, Cam Clarke, Ali Hillis
Number of seasons: 1
The Seven Deadly Sins
The titular stars of The Seven Deadly Sins aren’t just the embodiment of humanity’s famous vices. They were once respected knights in the fantasy land of Britannia … at least until they were framed for trying to overthrow the kingdom and forced to disband. A decade later, Princess Elizabeth Liones is deposed from the throne by the Holy Knights, which sends her on the run. She finds an ally in Meliodas, the leader of the Seven, and he agrees to bring his team back together. But Meliodas also has a secret connection to Elizabeth that may come back to doom them all.
Created by: A-1 Pictures
Cast: Yūki Kaji, Sora Amamiya, Misaki Kuno
Number of seasons: 4
The Idhun Chronicles
The Idhun Chronicles has the distinction of being the only Spanish original anime series on this list. Author Laura Gallego co-adapted her own novel series The Idhún’s Memories to bring her fantasy story to a new medium. The story focuses on Jack, a seemingly ordinary teenager on Earth who loses his family to an attack ordered by Ashran, a necromancer who has seized power in the realm of Idhun. From there, Jack joins the resistance to Ashran’s rule, and his story is told through the series’ lush animation.
Created by: Laura Gallego
Cast: Itzan Escamilla, Michelle Jenner, Nico Romero
Number of seasons: 2
Last Hope
Within the near-future world of Last Hope, a young scientist, Leon Lau, attempted to solve the problem of dwindling resources with a Quantum Reactor. However, the reactor’s destruction had severe unintended consequences, which created a new race of artificially intelligent beings who have pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. Now a pariah to his own kind, Leon must make his way through the new world and make new allies as he tries to find some way to undo the damage he helped cause.
Created by: Shōji Kawamori, Hidekazu Sato, Toshizo Nemoto
Cast: Tomoaki Maeno, Nao Tōyama, Kenjiro Tsuda
Number of seasons: 2
Castlevania
One of Netflix’s breakout anime series is based on the hit video games by Konami. Castlevania re-envisions Dracula (Graham McTavish) by giving him a legitimate grievance against humanity after his wife, Lisa, is executed by the church on trumped-up charges of heresy. Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), the last of a long line of vampire hunters, and Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso), a talented sorceress, may be all that stands in the way of humanity’s extinction. Surprisingly, their most valuable ally is Alucard (James Callis), the estranged son of Dracula and Lisa. This unlikely trio is ridiculously entertaining, and Castlevania finds its drama and action in unexpected ways.
Created by: Warren Ellis
Cast: Richard Armitage, James Callis, Graham McTavish, Alejandra Reynoso
Number of seasons: 3
Blood of Zeus
Netflix’s latest original anime, Blood of Zeus, has already found a sizable audience in the months since its debut. It offers a fresh take on Greek mythology by introducing a new hero, Heron (Derek Phillips). Heron is quite literally the son of Zeus (Jason O’Mara), which makes him a demigod. Heron also has the destiny to save the world from demonic threats, even as Zeus’ wife, Hera (Claudia Christian), wants Heron’s head because of Zeus’ infidelity. Heron’s got his work cut out for him, and we’ve got a new favorite anime.
Created by: Charley Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides
Cast: Derek Phillips, Jason O’Mara, Claudia Christian
Number of seasons: 1
Ultraman
Ultraman is one of the original heroes of anime who dates back to 1966, so much so that he’s essentially the equivalent of Superman. Netflix’s Ultraman is not a reboot of the franchise. Instead, it’s a direct continuation that brings back Shin Hayata, the man behind Ultraman. Unfortunately, Shin no longer remembers that he was Japan’s greatest hero. Instead, the legacy is passed on to his son, Shinjiro. The new Ultraman has his hands full in the modern series, but his father’s legacy is in good hands.
Created by: Eiichi Shimizu, Tomohiro Shimoguchi, Eiji Tsuburaya
Cast: Ryohei Kimura, Takuya Eguchi, Megumi Han
Number of seasons: 1
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell was a seminal manga and anime movie in the ’80s and ’90s. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 doesn’t quite live up to the original, but it is a follow-up to the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series. After a worldwide economic collapse, Motoko and her cybernetically enhanced team are hired out to quell trouble spots all over the world. But these are treacherous times, and even Motoko’s clients can’t be trusted.
Created by: Masamune Shirow
Cast: Atsuko Tanaka, Osamu Saka, Akio Ōtsuka
Number of seasons: 1
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Potentially Nickelodeon’s most generation-spanning show other than Spongebob Squarepants, Avatar: The Last Airbender tells the story of Aang, the 12-year-old Avatar who has been awoken after a 100-year slumber to find the world at war. This world is divided into four nations: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, each of which has a population of “benders,” people who can control the element that their nation is associated with. The Avatar is meant to be the master of all elements and tasked with maintaining peace and balance between the nations. But when Aang was frozen in ice, the Fire Nation was free to attempt to conquer the world. Now that the Avatar is back, he’ll have to rely on the help of his friends Katara, Sokka, and Toph to help him complete his training and take on the Fire Lord.
Created by: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
Cast: Dante Basco, Jack De Sena, Mae Whitman
Number of seasons: 3
Parasyte: The Maxim
Based on the popular sci-fi horror manga series by Hitoshi Iwaaki, Parasyte: The Maxim is creepy, action-packed anime if you’re looking for some frightening fun. It is an aggressively provocative and discomforting show following teenaged Shinichi Izumi after he’s partially infected by a Parasyte, a monster from space that’s designed to butcher and consume humans. Fortunately, his parasite is relatively docile, permitting Shinichi to coexist as, together, they fend off the rest of a parasitic invasion.
Created by: Hitoshi Iwaaki
Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Aya Hirano, Kana Hanazawa
Number of seasons: 1
The Legend of Korra
The sequel to Nickelodeon’s hit series Avatar: The Last Airbender (also on Netflix), The Legend of Korra follows Korra, the next Avatar after Aang. Korra is from the Southern Water Tribe and, when we meet her, she’s at the opposite stage of her Avatar training as Aang was when we met him. Korra has mastered earth, water, and fire elements, but she is struggling to master the art of airbending. On her quest to master the final element, Korra finds herself in Republic City, a melting pot where benders and non-benders live together. However, the land that once appeared peaceful is plagued with crime, and an anti-bending revolution is brewing that may erupt into a civil war. Thrust into her role as the balance-bringing Avatar before she’s fully ready, Korra must learn airbending from a new teacher, Aang’s son, Tenzin.
Created by: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
Cast: Janet Varney, David Faustino, P.J. Byrne
Number of seasons: 4
Japan Sinks: 2020
Sakyo Komatsu’s bestselling 1973 sci-fi novel Japan Sinks tells the story of two children who must escape Tokyo after a major earthquake hits Japan, causing the entire island to sink. Now, Netflix has adapted the beloved novel with a modern spin, calling it Japan Sinks: 2020. This time, a series of natural disasters hit Japan, throwing the country into complete chaos. The story follows one ordinary family as they attempt to flee the island in chaotic, terrifying conditions.
Created by: Sakyo Komatsu (novel), Toshio Yoshitaka
Cast: Reina Ueda, Tomo Muranaka, Yuko Sasaki
Number of seasons: 4
Bleach
Bleach is one of the longer-running anime shows out there, with a total of 366 episodes spanning 16 seasons (unfortunately, only five seasons are currently available on Netflix). The show follows 15-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki after he inadvertently absorbs the power — and the responsibility — of a Soul Reaper, a personification of death that defends humanity from the supernatural and guides spirits to the afterlife. Kurosaki is tasked with defeating monstrous Hollows, ghosts that must be purified so they don’t feed on other souls. Bleach is absolutely brimming with exciting battles, as Kurosaki takes on enemies with increasingly wild abilities, but it also earned praise for its colorful, diverse cast of characters, along with its development of recurring characters. The show can be both dark and funny, and it mostly manages to avoid the played-out tropes that often plague anime.
Created by: Tite Kubo
Cast: Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, Yuki Matsuoka
Number of seasons: 16
Gurren Lagann
If you were (or are) a fan of the Gundam franchise and its giant mechs, you’ll like Gurren Lagann. If not…well, you’ll still probably like Gurren Lagann because it’s awesome. In a dystopian future where Earth is under the rule of the sinister Spiral King Lordgenome, men live below the planet’s surface, occupying small villages. When teenagers Simon and Kamina find a buried mech and activate it, they’re able to tunnel to the surface and join a resistance group in their fight against Lordgenome. The show’s fast pace and gripping action sequences are underscored by genuine character development and an authentic sense of inspiration that drives the rebel forces. Gurren Lagann manages to be exciting, adventurous, and comedic all at the same time, without sacrificing the stakes.
Created by: Gainax
Cast: Yuri Lowenthal, Kana Asumi, Steve Blum
Number of seasons: 1
One-Punch Man
Somehow, One-Punch Man manages to be both a legitimately enjoyable anime and a parody of the genre, combining a hilarious premise with snappy writing and exciting fight scenes. The show takes place in a world where superheroes and supervillains are de rigueur — so much so, in fact, that there’s a “Hero Association” that assigns heroes grades (S-class through C-class) based upon their power. Saitama, the titular “One-Punch Man,” built his power over the course of three years, simply by doing 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 6-mile run each day. By the time the story begins, he’s powerful enough to dispatch nearly all enemies with a single punch (as his name implies). As a result, Saitama is often bored with his opponents, yawning in their faces as they do the whole “anime bad guy screaming” schtick. Sometimes, though, things come to a head, and that’s when One-Punch Man hits its stride.
Created by: One
Cast: Makoto Furukawa, Kaito Ishikawa, Max Mittelman
Number of seasons: 2
Aggretsuko
Retsuko is a hardworking 25-year-old Red Panda, commuting and living in Tokyo, Japan. All day, every day, she deals with her nasty boss, insincere supervisor, and less-than-stellar coworkers. Retsuko has a secret life, and when the rage of the day boils over, she heads into Japan’s famous karaoke bars, grabs a bottle of sake, holds on to a microphone, and screams death metal into the night. Aggretsuko can be described as Zootopia meets The Office, with a colorful cast of characters and a solid degree of witty humor for older audiences. Featuring a stellar voice cast, which includes Erica Mendez and Ben Dishkin, Aggretsuko is a quick but wonderfully crafted office comedy, where audiences connect with Retsuko and her pursuits, rocking out to death metal and learning new lessons about herself along the way.
Created by: Yeti and Rarecho
Cast: Kaolip, Komegumi Koiwasaki, Maki Tsuruta
Number of seasons: 3
Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is a skilled warrior, but upon the end of a devastating war, she suffers a grave injury that requires the amputation of her arms, now replaced with advanced prostheses. With a hazy memory, she is enlisted as an Auto Memory Doll, a ghostwriter who helps convey messages for others. As she acclimates to her new life and writes for others, faint memories of her commanding officer emerge, and the last words that were said to her. When the fires of war have finally subsided, a former soldier will find meaning to the words “I love you.” Violet Evergarden began as a light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase before being picked up by Netflix and animated by the legendary studio Kyoto Animation. The visual fidelity of Violet Evergarden is regarded as beautiful and breathtaking, receiving numerous awards and praise. The English cast of Violet Evergarden includes incredible talent, featuring Erika Harlacher as Violet and Cherami Leigh as Iris.
Created by: Kana Akatsuki, Kyoto Animation
Cast: Yui Ishikawa, Takehito Koyasu, Daisuke Namikawa
Number of seasons: 1
Beastars
If one could ever imagine Zootopia becoming an R-rated bloody murder mystery, it would likely be Beastars. In a world of anthropomorphic creatures, carnivores and herbivores of all species coexist and work together. That line of coexistence is shattered when a student is devoured by an unnamed and unknown carnivore. In the midst of the growing unease at the school, Legoshi, a timid and shy carnivorous wolf, has a dramatic encounter with a small rabbit who attends the school, Haru, an encounter that may affect the fate of Legoshi and the school. Beastars originally began as a manga, written by Paru Itagaki and Akita Shoten, released in 2016. The manga went on to win a multitude of awards, including the coveted Manga Taisho Award. With 20 volumes published so far, the manga remains ongoing. The manga went on to be licensed by Viz Media and released in the United States in 2019. The anime launched on Netflix on March 13, 2020, and features stunning animation by Studio Orange and a stellar English voice cast, which includes Jonah Scott as Legoshi and Lara Jill Miller as Haru.
Created by: Orange
Cast: Chikahiro Kobayashi, Sayaka Senbongi (Japanese), Jonah Scott, Lara Jill Miller (English)
Number of seasons: 1
Cannon Busters
Philly the Kid, an immortal outlaw, comes across Sam, a young drone separated from her owner. In a world of magic, creatures, and robots, Philly and Sam assemble a ragtag crew of outlaws and dissidents, including a transforming Cadillac, to embark on a grand quest across Gearbolt to reunite Sam and her owner. Cannon Busters is an incredibly unique anime, focusing on Afrofuturism, and combining elements of steampunk, science fiction, and fantasy. Cannon Busters originally began as a graphic novel in 2005 by LeSean Thomas and J. Torres. After three issues, the novel was shelved until it was revived as a 2019 anime series by Satelight and Yumeta Company.
Created by: LeSean Thomas, J. Torres, Satelight, Yumeta Company
Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Hinaki Yano (Japanese), Kenn Michael, Kamali Minter (English)
Number of seasons: 1
Little Witch Academia
From legendary animation studio Trigger arrives a coming-of-age fantasy all about pursuing your dreams. In the journey of life, you never know who you will meet next, but the next person you see could be the very inspiration you need. When young Atsuko is inspired by her favorite witch, Shiny Chariot, she enrolls at the elite Luna Nova Magical Academy. The stacks are already against Atsuko. Many of the students enrolled at the academy have an established background in magic, but regrettably, Atsuko does not. Struggling, Atsuko stumbles upon a magical relic, Shiny Rod. Determined to pursue her dreams, she wields the relic and studies hard in her quest to become a witch and change the world. Little Witch Academia features top-notch animation and girl power, but also an incredibly heartfelt story that is perfect for all those aspiring to accomplish their dreams.
Created by: Yoh Yoshinari, produced by Trigger.
Cast: Megumi Han (Japanese), Franciska Friede (English)
Number of seasons: 3
Altered Carbon: Resleeved
Delving deeper into the dangerous life of Takeshi Kovac, Altered Carbon: Resleeved is an additional chapter in the world of Altered Carbon, the popular sci-fi show that has released two seasons on Netflix. On the planet Latimer, Takeshi investigates the mysterious death of a high-profile Yakuza boss and faces a tough-as-nails CTAC, all the while protecting a tattooist who holds an important key in this race against time. Dai Saito, a writer whose credits include Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop, puts his own spin on the incredible world of Altered Carbon. Altered Carbon: Resleeved is a feature-length animated action film, featuring sharp animation, an original story, and a talented English cast that includes the talents of Ray Chase, Richard Epcar, Elizabeth Maxwell, and Brittany Cox. Whether you have already seen the second season of Altered Carbon or this is your first time discovering the franchise, Altered Carbon: Resleeved is a fantastic cyberpunk animated film.
Created by: Laeta Kalogridis (created by), Dai Sato & Tsukasa Kondo (written by)
Cast: Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Kanehira Yamamoto (Japanese), Ray Chase, Doug Stone (English)
Number of seasons: Anime film
Fate Stay/Night: Unlimited Blade Works
The Holy Grail War is a war to end all wars. Having taken place over the span of centuries, this war grants the victor the ultimate wish. To wage this war, users gifted with magic, known as Masters, summon warriors to fight on their behalf, called Servants. These Servants come from across the span of history and time, from Gilgamesh to Medusa to King Arthur, who is actually recreated as a woman. The Holy Grail War is filled with heroes and villains, all vying for the ultimate power. Their very character and well-being are tested in the face of such overwhelming power. For Master Shirou and his Servant Saber, a war that will determine the future of human civilization unfolds before them. Fate Stay/Night: Unlimited Blade Works has been lauded for its breathtaking animation, which combines 2D and 3D effects into one seamless visual experience. Featuring a deep and tremendous story, jaw-dropping animation, and incredible action, Fate Stay/Night: Unlimited Blade Works is an excellent and unforgettable fantasy journey.
Created by: Type-Moon, Ufotable
Cast: Noriaki Sugiyama (Japanese), Bryce Papenbrook (English)
Number of seasons: 2
Devilman Crybaby
Go Nagai’s iconic manga and anime Devilman received a modern update in Devilman Crybaby. The creative team moved the events of the series to the present and incorporated more mature and adult themes into the story. The series follows a high school student named Akira Fudo and his friend Ryo Asuka as they navigate a world with demons and monsters secretly living among humanity. Ryo convinces Akira of the demon threat and drags him along on an undercover mission to get proof. From there, Akira inadvertently unites with a demon, and he retains his original personality with all of the demon’s strength when transformed. However, Akira doesn’t know the full truth behind the demons’ presence on Earth or the high price that he will pay in the name of protecting his friends. This tale isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is very emotionally resonant.
Created by: Ichirō Ōkouchi, based on Go Nagai’s manga
Cast: Kōki Uchiyama, Ayumu Murase (Japanese), Griffin Burns, Kyle McCarley (English)
Number of seasons: 1
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Giant robots fighting even bigger monsters is a common theme among anime series, but few have elevated the genre like Neon Genesis Evangelion. The series was set in the then far-off year of 2015, 15 years after the world was attacked by aliens that were known as “Angels.” The show follows Shinji Ikari, a shy and emotionally withdrawn teenager who is forced to become an Evangelion pilot by his manipulative father, Gendo. Shinji slowly rises to the occasion alongside his fellow pilots, Rei and Asuka. However, the Angels aren’t the only ones with secrets on this show. And Shinji will have to face unimaginable nightmares and traumas before he can ultimately confront his own inner demons.
Created by: Gainax
Cast: Megumi Ogata, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese)
Number of seasons: 1
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