Best Anime Series on Netflix Right Now (January 2021)

Are you looking for the best anime series on Netflix right now? From mecha to magical girls, adorable red pandas to horrific demons, Netflix continues to grow its anime library. It can be a challenge to choose which anime to binge next as Netflix continues to shake up its library with new licenses and originals each month. The IGN Staff took on the task of picking the best anime currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S. From Neon Genesis Evangelion to Aggretsuko to Devilman Crybaby and beyond, we’ve got the best of the best on this list. The newest additions to this list will be added at the top and marked with an asterisk.

Oh, and when you’re done here, it’s also time to check out our list of the 7 Essential Anime Every Fan Should Watch and what’s new to Netflix this month.

Or follow these links for the best of other genres:

Have you watched Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045?

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Note: As this is a list of anime series and shows to watch, no anime movies were considered for this feature. Also, this list pertains to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms. This page is periodically amended to remove anime series and seasons no longer available to watch on Netflix, and to include great anime shows that are now available for streaming on the service.

Japan Sinks: 2020

Netflix has adapted Sayo Komatsu’s bestselling 1973 sci-fi novel Japan Sinks, putting a modern spin on it with Japan Sinks: 2020. During a pandemic, an anime series of this nature kind of lands a bit different. The story follows an ordinary family that’s put to the test as Japan is hit with a series of natural disasters, throwing the country into total chaos.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Japan Sinks: 2020 on Netflix.

Pokemon Journeys

Grab your Pokeballs and join Ash and Pikachu for Pokemon Journeys, a new show that is exclusively streaming on Netflix. After the finale of Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon on Disney XD, fans were wondering when we’d see Ash venture forth on his next journey, and now we know for certain.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Pokemon Journeys on Netflix.

One Piece: The East Blue and Alabasta Sagas

Set sail for One Piece as Netflix his us with the first two arcs from the series, the East Blue and Alabasta sagas. This is just the beginning of what will soon be a very, very long list of episodes we’ll be able to revisit and binge on Netflix, so grab your straw hats and get ready for the Grand Line with Luffy and the crew.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch One Piece on Netflix.

Baki

Baki: Season 2 finally arrives on Netflix after Parts 1 and 2 hit us back in 2018. Judging from the end theme video released by Netflix, it looks like Baki and Mohammad Alai Jr. will be training hard, and simping hard over Kozue Matsumoto. That’s Baki’s girl, bro, get over it and move on Alai Jr. Damn!

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Baki on Netflix.

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun is based on the four-panel romantic comedy manga. The story is about a high school student who has a crush on her schoolmate Nozaki. Little does she know he’s a renowned manga artist. When she agrees to be his assistant, this sets the romantic comedy adventure in motion as they proceed to have encounters with other classmates who become the inspiration for stories in Nozaki’s latest manga.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun on Netflix.

Scissor Seven

The second season of Scissor Seven is now on Netflix. If you haven’t seen the first season, now is your chance to binge it and get caught up on the adventures of the scissor-wielding hairdresser who moonlights as an assassin. Scissor Seven is by far one of the most unique premises we’ve seen in an anime in quite some time, with an animation style as absurd as the premise.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Scissor Seven on Netflix.

Dorohedoro

Fans of this popular manga series have been waiting for Netflix to release this one on their streaming platform for a long while! Dorohedoro tells the story of Caiman and his friend Nikaido as they venture forth into a violent, post-apocalyptic world seeking answers as to how he became the reptilian-headed creature he is today. Pretty much, no sorcerer is safe from the mouth of Caiman as he searches for the sorcerer that did this to him.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Dorohedoro on Netflix.

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

Season 3 of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon arrived on April 1, 2020, joining the first two seasons on Netflix. If you’re a fan of the Sun and Moon series, now is your chance to get all caught up on Ash, Pikachu and the rest of the Pokemon trainers.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon on Netflix.

Violet Evergarden

The side story to the Violet Evergarden anime series, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll, was in theaters in February 2020. If you missed it then when Funimation screened it, now’s your chance to watch it anytime you’d like. The 13-episode series is also available on Netflix along with an OVA special.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Violet Evergarden on Netflix.

Hi Score Girl

If you’re a fan of coin-op gaming, or gaming in general, Hi Score Girl is the ’90s-inspired arcade romantic comedy anime for you. The animation style is pretty dope, and if you’re a fan of some of the classic coin-op fighting games like Street Fighter and Virtua Fighter you’ll want to check this one out.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Hi Score Girl on Netflix.

Bleach

The Bleach anime wrapped back in 2012, and now with reported news that the series is coming back in 2021 with an adaptation of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, now is the time to binge-watch the series. Seasons 4 and 5 arrived on April 21, 2020 — called The Assault and The Bount. There’s a total of 16 seasons, with Season 17 coming next year, so hopefully by the time of the release of the new season we’ll have 1 – 16 on Netflix. But for now, you can catch seasons 1 – 5 on Netflix.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Bleach on Netflix.

Season 1 of Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 made its way to the service on April 23, 2020. The original director of the Stand Alone Complex series, Kenji Kamiyama, returns for this project, which already has a second season in the works.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 on Netflix.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is among the best known and best-loved anime series, and yet it’s also been one of the more difficult series to find (in terms of cost and legality that is). But Netflix now has the original show and two sequel films available to stream — Evangelion: Death True² and The End of Evangelion. And yet that doesn’t mean that Evangelion’s arrival on Netflix hasn’t come without some controversy.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix.

Aggretsuko

Sanrio may be known for cute and charming characters, and while this raging red panda is certainly lovable, the themes and topics her anime tackles are anything but sweet. Sanrio’s Aggretsuko follows Retsuko, a Tokyo office worker who deals with her frustrations with daily sexism and other workplace mistreatment through death metal karaoke. But even with such serious topics, Aggretsuko manages to still make those themes approachable through its great writing and fun cast of characters. This anime is great subbed or dubbed too!

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Aggretsuko on Netflix.

Death Note

Imagine if you could kill someone, just by writing their name in a book. You just scribble it down, and they’re dead. A frightening concept, right? Well, a terrifying demon grants that ability to High School Student Light Yagami in Death Note. This pulse-pounding game of cat and mouse features an unforgettable rivalry between Light and L, the quirky teen-prodigy detective tasked with hunting down Light’s killer alter ego, Kira. Light’s rise to power chills and mesmerizes, as he toys with the idea of who truly deserves punishment and who is the right person to deliver that judgement.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Death Note on Netflix.

Devilman Crybaby

A compelling, psychedelic plot that’s hyper-violent and hyper-sexual and features drug-use, Devilman Crybaby commits to its adult themes, but all in service to a story that left us breathless. In the series, main character Akira (one of the world’s biggest softies) transforms into a bestial demon, but rather than giving in to his darkest carnal desires, he uses his newfound abilities to combat a world that has gone to hell. This anime has potency, heaviness and intensity comparable to the classic Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Devilman Crybaby on Netflix.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

As far sprawling character-driven adventures go, you’d be hard-pressed to find one more gripping than the journey of Edward and Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The Elric brothers try to bring their dead mother back to life, using forbidden alchemy and pay a tormenting physical and mental price. The brothers set out to find a way to restore what was lost. Their journey to redemption, while dark and fascinating, also has lots of comedic moments and extremely lovable characters. While there’s some debate over which one’s better, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood adheres more closely to the manga, and arguably weaves a more cohesive and gripping narrative than the original 2003 series.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Netflix.

Gurren Lagann

This electric anime combines the post-apocalyptic and mecha genres with vibrant, colorful animation and a fun, dynamic story. Humanity has been forced underground after monsters have overtaken Earth’s surface, but an unlikely duo (a flashy dude in sick 80s shades and a scrawny, worried-eyed boy) drills their way to the top, joining a sniper-wielding badass in a bikini (oh, and a little mole creature). Gurren Lagann is a wild ride you do not want to miss!

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Gurren Lagann on Netflix.

Kill la Kill

In Kill la Kill, fashion reaches new levels of fierce — and deadly. Satsuki is the heiress of a powerful fashion empire and the fearless leader of the Honnouji Academy Student Council. One day, Ryuko appears and disrupts Satsuki’s groomed system as she searches for her father’s murderer. This show plays on so many classic anime tropes while staying compelling and fresh, with two main characters that are completely badass, backed by a team of fun, hilarious characters! Fan Service Alert! The provocative transformations in Kill la Kill are just the beginning.

Available subbed

Watch Kill la Kill on Netflix.

One-Punch Man

With the popularity of superhero movies and shows thriving more than ever, One-Punch Man is the perfect anime to scratch that itch while bringing a totally hilarious take on the hero journey. One punch is all part-time hero Saitama needs to defeat his enemies, but his laid-back attitude and nonchalance is the complete opposite of what we usually see. Prepare for laughs, but also exceptional fight scenes from the amazing animator Yutaka Nakamura (My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood). One-Punch Man is a must-see anime for any shounen fan. And don’t worry, a second season is on the way in 2019.

Available subbed

Watch One-Punch Man on Netflix.

Ouran High School Host Club

After finding herself massively in debt, Haruhi Fujioka winds up becoming part of the Ouran High School Host Club: a group of handsome boys, running the gamut of romance comedy archetypes. Cool and stoic, cutesy and mischievous — it’s all here! Ouran High School Host Club is one of the all-time greats of the shojo genre, but beyond that, it’s also simply one of the funniest anime you’ll ever see. It’s simply impossible not to (kiss kiss) fall in love with.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Ouran High School Host Club on Netflix.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

The magical girl genre takes a dark turn with the Puella Magi Madoka Magica in a beautiful, but disturbing story of friendship, regret, and determination. When a magical being offers middle school girls Madoka and Sayaka the chance to fulfill any wish, they have to decide whether or not to become magical girls to fight for their dreams. Forget what you know about magical girls, this is one great anime that subverts expectations to tell its engrossing story.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica on Netflix.

Your Lie in April

If you’re up for an emotional rollercoaster, Your Lie in April is anime drama you’re looking for. This beautifully animated and lovingly scored anime centers around Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy whose life is shattered when his abusive mother passes away. No longer able to hear the music when he presses the keys, Kousei decides to give up on being a pianist—that is, until a violinist named Kaori Miyazono breaks into his life. Your Lie in April is a wonderfully crafted anime that left some of our editors an emotional wreck, but we came away from this heartbreaking drama grateful for the experience.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Your Lie in April on Netflix.

Fate/Zero

At this point there are a ton of anime and spin-offs in the Fate franchise, most of varying quality, but Fate/Zero is unquestionably one of the best to jump into this fantastic series with its dark story and focus on mature themes.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Fate/Zero on Netflix.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

If you’re looking for some quality comedy to perk up your day, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is arguably one of the funniest anime on Netflix with its ridiculously quirky characters and unreal predicaments that surround a psychic teenager.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. on Netflix.

Little Witch Academia

Little Witch Academia is a joyous witchy adventure that we just had to mention. It’s a delightful anime with great messages beyond the goodness of friendship (like ignoring toxic comments) that you can watch with just about anyone.

Available subbed and dubbed

Watch Little Witch Academia on Netflix.

How We Choose the Best Anime Series on Netflix

The goal is to have a list of great anime series that span many subgenres. We’ve included a mix of popular classics like Evangelion and Fullmetal Alchemist, along with relatively more obscure titles like Ouran High School Host Club and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Whether you’re a complete anime newbie or a hardcore otaku, there’s something for everyone here.