Best Anime on Netflix Right Now (February 2023)

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Ouran High School Host Club (2006)

Directed by: Takuya Igarashi

Cast: Maaya Sakamoto, Mamoru Miyano, Masaya Matsukaze, Kenichi Suzumura, Yoshinori Fujita, Ayaka Saito, and Daisuke Kirii

A satirical take on the classic shōjo manga tropes, this romantic comedy follows the everyday lives of the Ouran High School Host Club, a school club of young boys who spend their free time entertaining and flirting with the young women of their private upper-class school. The show is funny, flirty, and filled with silly escapades and nail-biting romance, and the show’s characters are equally fantastical in their personalities and perspectives. Maaya Sakamoto’s Haruhi Fujioka, a young girl who is forced to disguise herself as part of the club to pay off the breaking of an expensive vase, is a quirky and wholesome portrayal of the differences between her modest upbringing and the wild and sometimes chaotic personalities of the wealthy boys of the Host Club. The show is an interesting take on the portrayal of class separation and gender expectations, with a healthy dose of high school drama. — Olivia Fitzpatrick

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Castlevania (2017-2021)

Directed by: Sam Deats, Adam Deats, Spencer Wan, and Amanda Sitareh B.

Cast: Richard Armitage, James Callis, Alejandra Reynoso, Graham McTavish, Theo James, Adetokumboh M’Cormack, and Jaime Murray

Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, Castlevania explores the hellish lands of Wallachia, a once prospering nation brought low by the dark hand of Dracula, voiced by Graham McTavish, and his demons. The series is gory, gruesome, and wrought with nightmare-inducing creatures of all shapes and sizes, brought forth by Dracula to destroy the humans he despises so much after the death of his beloved wife. Hiding away in his castle as his minions do his bidding, Dracula is hunted by his own son, Alucard (James Callis), and his companions, Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage) and Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso). The three of them, a dhampir, a monster hunter, and a Speaker magician respectively, fight their way through Wallachia, hell-bent on ending the war that has wracked the nation. Beautiful animation, a thrilling soundtrack, and top-tier voice acting only add to this hauntingly beautiful series. — Olivia Fitzpatrick

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Beastars (2019-Present)

Directed by: Shin’ichi Matsumi

Cast: Chikahiro Kobayashi, Jonah Scott, Brian Beacock

Beastars excels on a philosophical level: It’s a story about nature vs nurture, instinct vs rational thought and control. A carnivore may desire to attack and devour an herbivore, but a rational member of a civilized society will find a way to resist and deflect that urge. An alpha male may yearn to attack rivals and conquer sexual objects of desire in a detached sort of way, but those striving to maintain humanity manage to control themselves and fight their natural instincts. That’s the push-and-pull conflict that’s at the center of Beastars, whether it’s grounded in animal instincts or the power structure of a high school class system. And it’s all handled with such maturity that sometimes you forget to laugh at the cheeky jokes about the well-known promiscuity of rabbits in the real world or the fact that there’s an herbivorous panda brandishing a bamboo crossbow to take down carnivores who lose control.

Beastars is a refreshing change-up to more predictable and familiar anime series; it’s also one of the year’s best that will be hard to top from here on out. Season 2 is already a go in Japan–though it remains to be seen if / when it’ll arrive on Netflix–but Season 1 left us with a few questions: What happened to Louis? Will Legoshi and others ever investigate the death of Tem? Just who was Legoshi talking to in the final episode, and what did that empty tray of medication have to do with the mysterious figure? Hopefully we’ll find out later this year! – Dave Trumbore

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Cannon Busters (2019-Present)

Created by: Lesean Thomas

Cast: Kenn Michael, Kamali Minter, Stephanie Sheh

Keeping in mind our reasoning that, if it falls under Netflix’s category of “anime” then we’re considering it anime, Cannon Bustersis a great new addition to the catalog. It’s a love letter to classic anime series like Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star with enough original material to bring it into the same conversation as those iconic shows. It’s got bounty hunters, coin-operated mechs, insanely powerful androids, and a splash of magic to throw an extra aspect into the kitchen sink of a series. Somehow it all works.

The steampunk’d fantasy land of Gearbolt is the setting for a tale that follows a trio of misfits who are thrown together against all odds. There’s S.A.M., the naive, high-end, friendship robot who’s on a mission to reunite with her best friend–and heir to besieged kingdom–Kelby; her pal Casey Turnbuckle, an out-dated, repair robot in search of an upgrade; and wanted outlaw Philly the Kid, an immortal fugitive who drives the Cadillac Eldorado, which just so happens to transform into a giant fighting mech. It’s a fantastic trio on their own, but the characters they meet along the way add a lot of variety to the mix. Stick around to the end if you want to know exactly what a “Cannon Buster” is; we just can’t wait to see what’s next. – Dave Trumbore

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Little Witch Academia (2017)

Created by: Yoh Yoshinari

Cast: Megumi Han, Fumiko Orikasa, Michiyo Murase / Erica Mendez, Stephanie Sheh, Rachelle Heger

After a successful crowdfunding campaign to release a short film, Yoh Yoshinari’s Little Witch Academia finally got a full series order – and it’s on Netflix! The easiest way to describe the show is “The Harry Potter of anime”, we follow a group of girls who attend a prestigious academy for young witches. This is as wholesome a fantasy anime as you will find, with a Disney-esque sense of innocence, lovable and quirky characters and a simple story that always remains uplifting.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! (2000-2006)

Created by: Kazuki Takahashi

Directed by: Kunihisa Sugishima

Cast: Shunsuke Kazama, Kenjiro Tsuda, Hiroki Takahashi / Dan Green, Eric Stuart, Wayne Grayson

After Digimon and Pokémon battled it out for best gateway anime for kids in the ‘90s, Yu-Gi-Oh! came in the early 2000s to try and take the crown of “Best Gateway Anime with the Best Tie-in Card Game”; there is a good chance this was not only your first anime, but your first trading card game. Battle lines were drawn in many elementary and middle schools between those who played Yu-Gi-Oh! and those who were loyal to Pokémon or “Magic the Gathering.”

As an anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! is a fun show about a kid named Yugi Mutou, a card duelist who believes in “the heart of the cards” whatever that is, and solves the magical Millennium Puzzle which allows him to play host to the ancient spirit of a gambling pharaoh. The series’ mythology is vast, the story is full of twist, turns, and one endless tournament arc, and most importantly it is a lot of fun to play along if you get the actual playing cards.

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Dragon Pilot (2018)

Created by: Shinji Higuchi, Mari Okada

Directed by: Shinji Higuchi, Hiroshi Kobayashi

Cast: Misaki Kuno, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Satomi Arai / Christine Marie Cabanos, Sarah Anne Williams, Erika Harlacher

Studio Bones has given us a big variety of some of the best anime series in recent years, from Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia, and Mob Psycho 100, to the upcoming Carole & Tuesday. You should be paying attention to any series that simply carries their name, and Dragon Pilot is no exception.

A mix of Transformers, the art style of Studio Ghibli, and How To Train Your Dragon, Dragon Pilot is simultaneously a fantasy military show, a painfully realistic look at what it’s like to be a woman entering the workforce, and an all-round fantastic series.

We have an unconventional anime protagonist – an adult woman who, not knowing what to do with her life after highschool, makes an impulse decision to join the Air Self Defense Force. She quickly becomes part of a secret group of pilots that don’t fly planes but rather dragons with armor that disguise themselves as planes. Dragon Pilot is entertaining, consistently goofy, and also a poignant look at the double-binds that society places on women in the workplace.

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Naruto (2002-2007)

Created by: Makashi Kishimoto

Directed by: Hayato Date

Cast: Junko Takeuchi, Maile Flanagan, Kate Higgins, Chie Nakamura, Noriaki Sugiyama, Yuri Lowenthal Studio

Part of the “Big Three” shonen series together with One Piece and Bleach, Naruto is an anime series so massively popular it is nearly impossible to ignore. Even if you’ve never watched a single episode of anime, chances are you’ve at least heard about Naruto (even if it’s from the Area 51 memes).

It’s easy to see how Naruto became such a popular series: the antagonists are for the most part likeable, the action is stunning and well-directed, involving tactics and strategies. But more than that, it all boils down to Naruto himself being one of the most entertaining and well-developed characters in anime history. Throughout five seasons we see the aspiring ninja evolve from a trouble-maker brat into a leader and even a father, a.k.a. “Boruto’s Dad.”

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Hunter x Hunter (2011-2014)

Created by: Yoshihiro Togashi

Directed by: Hiroshi Koujina

Cast: Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Miyuki Sawashiro, Keiji Fujiwara / Erica Mendez, Cristina Vee, Matthew Mercer

A young boy who embarks on a journey to find his father, who abandoned him to become a Hunter. The young boy then decides to follow in his footsteps and also become a Hunter, and along the way he meets friends and defeats powerful opponents. While the premise of Hunter x Hunter isn’t anything new, the execution sets it apart from other long-form shonen anime.

Though Netflix only has the first three seasons, they are enough to whet your appetite and have you seek out the rest. The series takes its high concept and runs with it, introducing a complex world with plenty of rules that extend to the action scenes, which resemble Naruto in their use of strategy and tactics instead of simple punches. Hunter x Hunter is also highly bingeable. You might find yourself finishing the entire thing way too quickly, so you’ll have to seek out the next three seasons elsewhere.

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Violet Evergarden (2018)

Created by: Kana Akatsuki

Directed by: Taichi Ishidate

Cast: Yui Ishikawa, Takehito Koyasu, Daisuke Namikawa / Erika Harlacher, Kyle McCarley, Tony Azzolino

It isn’t really surprising to find out how beautiful Violet Evergarden is. After all, the series is produced by Kyoto Animation, with the news of suspected arson attack on their studio offices making this series about the power of expressing your emotions all the more tragic.

We follow an Auto Memory Doll named Violet Evergarden. She is an ex-child soldier who is now basically working as a ghostwriter for rich people while trying to find meaning behind the last words her former major said to her. The series is then divided two-fold: We follow Violet’s troubles writing emotionally imperative letters while being emotionally stunted, and also her journey reconciling with her violent past. The series’ slow pacing really brings out the meticulous art style and animation by Kyoto Animation, which turns even the act of using a typewriter and pressing its keys into an art form.

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Death Note (2006-2007)

Created by: Tsugumi Ohba

Directed by: Tetsurô Araki

Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Brad Swaile, Ryô Naitô, Vincent Tong, Keiji Fujiwara, Trevor Devall, Shidô Nakamura, Brian Drummond, Kappei Yamaguchi, Alessandro Juliani

Adapted from Tsugumi Ohba’s manga of the same name, Death Note received near-universal acclaim when it came out in 2006, and its legacy has only grown. Despite the visuals and its dark concept, Death Note keeps the supernatural pretty light and doesn’t focus a ton on the gore and violence.

Instead, the series is a pulse-pounding game of cat and mouse about a high school student named Light Yagami who possesses a notebook with the ability to kill anyone just by writing their name down in the book, and L, a quirky yet brilliant teen detective tasked with finding Light and stopping the killings. What makes the series so interesting is that there is no villain, only two opposing sides who believe in justice but follow different paths to achieve it. The dialogue is fantastic, as is the nail-biting writing that keeps you guessing all the time while raising interesting questions about morality and the idea of passing down judgement and punishment.

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