The 8 best anime shows on Netflix for your next binge-watching session
Anime is having a moment in the UK, and that is largely down to the genre's increasing availability on streaming platforms.
Since February, Netflix has added a whole heap of anime flicks to its roster, most notably from Studio Ghibli, the film company behind some of the highest-grossing anime in Japan. Seriously, there's over 20 Studio Ghibli films currently on Netflix, including Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Castle In The Sky, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbour Totoro. And that's just from one anime film studio.
With the impressive selection of anime films also comes a bunch of anime TV series – ideal if you're looking to expand your anime knowledge beyond Studio Ghibli, or if you think it's all just Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sailor Moon – and there's a diverse range of shows to suit all tastes. Some are originals while others are animated versions of manga, Japanese comic books and graphic novels. There's vampire hunters, alien invasions, high school rom-coms, superheroes, ghosts, two girls writing music together, and one giant screaming red panda. Okay, maybe 'diverse' doesn't quite cut it.
What unites all of anime though is aesthetic and form. "Most conspicuously, there is the look of the characters," says Dave Kehr in the 2002 New York Times article 'Anime, Japanese Cinema's Second Golden Age'. "Which, while allowing for some minor variations from artist to artist, generally insists on impossibly statuesque bodies topped by huge, heart-shaped faces, themselves punctuated by gigantic, round eyes of the depth and limpidity of Beverly Hills swimming pools."
So, whether you're a die-hard anime fan or are looking to give yourself a proper intro to one of Japan's best exports, we've rounded up some of the best anime shows Netflix is offering right now. The UK's love of the genre doesn't seem to be going anywhere, so we imagine Netflix will continue adding to its anime offering, too.
Netflix1. DEATH NOTE
When high school student Light Yagami comes across a notebook marked 'Death Note', he realises he has the power to kill anybody whose name he writes in its pages. He then sets about ridding the world from evil, killing criminals, the greedy and the corrupt. His efforts to create a utopian world soon attract attention from 'L', a mysterious detective. It's based on the hugely popular manga series of the same name, and was made into a 2017 film starring Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield and Willem Defoe. This is seriously gripping stuff.
Netflix2. Castlevania
Who doesn't love a bit of sci-fi escapism right now? Based on the hugely popular Japanese video games of the same name, Castlevania follows vampire hunters Trevor Belmont, Alucard and Sypha Belnades as they fight to save the city of Wallachia from Dracula and his army of otherworldly minions. Following the release of season three on March 20th, Netflix announced that Castlevania would return for its fourth season.
Netflix3. Hi Score Girl
If you're looking for something a bit more lighthearted, Hi Score Girl centres on a goofy teenage gamer named Haruo who meets his match in his reclusive classmate Akira. This easy-watching rom-com is a nostalgic homage to '90s arcades and gamer culture.
Netflix4. One-Punch Man
The original manga series of One-Punch Man sold over 10 million copies in Japan. Focused on Saitama, the most powerful superhero in the world who consequently can't find anyone to challenge him, it started out as a joke parody of Japanese superheroes. Saitama is bored with no opponent, so distracts himself with video games while other superheroes have to pick up the pieces. A fun, action-packed, deadpan subversion of superhero anime.
Netflix5. Carole & Tuesday
On terraformed Mars, Tuesday Simmons – the daughter of a prominent politician – runs away from her rich family to be able to make music. She chances upon Carole Stanley, an orphan busker who's just been fired from her dead-end job. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship and decide to make music together – and make history.
Netflix6. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Shinji Ikari is a young boy brought to a post-apocalyptic world to join his abusive father's secretive agency NERV. He's one of several mecha pilots – humans that operate giant mecha robots called 'Evas' – to fight agains the dreaded 'Angels'. It all sounds a bit adolescent on the surface, but many reviews note how Neon Genesis Evangelion is also a poignant observation on life and suffering.
Netflix7. Tokyo Ghoul
Another dark anime offering, Tokyo Ghoul is proving popular on Netflix and the manga novels are already extremely popular in Japan. While some fans aren't too happy with the changes made in the animated adaption, one thing's for sure: the series is just as gory and action-packed. Tokyo is being haunted by human-like monsters who feast on flesh, while Ken Kanekiis a ghoul-human hybrid trapped between two worlds.
Netflix8. Aggretsuko
Aggretsuko is one of Netflix's trending anime series, about a diminutive red panda who... deals with the struggles of adult life by drinking beer and singing death metal. We've all been there, hun. From the creators of Hello Kitty, it's perfect for anyone who loves a bit kawaii and lighthearted animation.
