17 Best Anime to Stream on Netflix in 2021

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A meditation on justice and morality, “Death Note” follows high school student Light Yagami when he comes into possession of a mysterious notebook from death god Ryuk. Using this Death Note to kill criminals by writing their name on its pages, Light becomes embroiled in a cat-and-mouse investigation. The show is a psychologically suspenseful series that has remained an all-time favorite of anime fans.

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Only Tanjiro Kamado’s young sister Nezuko escapes the attack of a terrible demon on his household. Nezuko, on the other hand, has become a demon, and Tanjiro chooses to join the Demon Slayer Corps in order to restore her humanity. An upbeat Tanjiro sets out on quests to combat these demons with his comrades, the hot-headed Inosuke and the worried Zenitsu. In the United States, the series has been a huge success, with the first feature picture, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” dominating the box office in May.

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“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,” a 2009 relaunch of Hiromu Arakawa’s famous series, is a more faithful reproduction of the original manga than the 2003 series (also available on Netflix).
After a tragically botched attempt to resurrect their deceased mother, alchemical brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric lose Ed’s arm and leg and Al’s entire body.
Under the watchful eye of the authorities, the boys investigate ways to heal their bodies as talented alchemists.
As the brothers are constantly confronted against mysterious homunculi who embody human depravity, revelations of the crimes perpetrated by a corrupt institution unfold.

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On a quest to search for his father, young Gon sets out to become one of an elite series of fighters known as Hunters. The first arc of this action-adventure sees Gon participating in the treacherous Hunter examination where he meets fellow examinees Killua, Leorio and Kurapika. In the course of their adventures, Gon learns more about the motivations and mysterious pasts of his father and his new friends.

This multi-generational epic spans decades and continents, and strange is the best way to describe it. The series chronicles Jonathan Joestar’s descendants in their ongoing battle with immortal nemesis Dio Brando. “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” has a devoted following that is anticipating the release of “Stone Ocean,” the series’ sixth installment, on Netflix in December.

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Sensitive Akira reunites with his childhood friend Ryo, who claims ravenous devils are infiltrating the most depraved spaces of the human world. After Ryo induces Akira’s possession by the demon Amon, the two begin to investigate crimes committed by devils. However, the resurgence of these creatures launches the world into destructive mass hysteria. “Devilman Crybaby” crescendos in intensity, an explosively tragic story questioning the fabric of humanity itself.

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Gifted with psychic abilities, Saiki Kusuo endeavors to live the life of a normal high school student. Unfortunately, he inevitably attracts the attention of an ensemble of quirky classmates. Saiki’s attempts to hide his powers at school often lead him into a zany series of misadventures.

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“Dorohedoro” is a violent adventure set in a fantastical realm. Caiman and his friend Nikaido are on the hunt for the sorcerer who turned Caiman into a crocodile-headed monster, leaving a bloody trail in their wake. The show is a confusing but unquestionably fascinating watch, with compelling antagonists and an irreverent attitude.

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Satoru has the ability to travel several minutes into the past, but after the murder of his mother, 30-year-old Satoru is thrust 18 years into the past. Realizing his mother’s death could be tied to the kidnapping of a young classmate, he uses his ability to try to prevent her disappearance. This mystery and its supernatural twist will appeal to fans of true crime.

Kagome Higurashi is a normal, modern-day high school girl — that is, until she is dragged into feudal era Japan. Kagome, canine half-demon Inuyasha, and their group of new friends travel to recover shards of the powerful Shikon jewel while battling emissaries of mysterious evildoer Naraku. Strong relationship arcs and charming moments of levity make this action-adventure a memorable one. Netflix unfortunately only offers the first two seasons of the series, but all four films are also available to stream on the platform.

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This series is a comedic meta-commentary on “shoujo” manga, works typically aimed at young women. High school student Chiyo learns that her oblivious crush, Nozaki, moonlights as a writer for a popular girls’ manga magazine and he quickly recruits her as an assistant. The show simultaneously embodies and subverts shoujo manga tropes in a hilarious homage to slice-of-life romances.

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A movie rather than a series, “A Silent Voice” tracks the emotional relationship between a deaf girl, Shoko Nishimiya, and her former bully, Shouya Ishida, as the two reconnect in high school. With powerfully vulnerable characters, this heartwrenching coming-of-age drama is an earnest portrayal of the pursuit of atonement and belonging.

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Weapon meister and human-weapon team Maka Albarn and Soul Eater attend Death Weapon Meister Academy. The pair and their classmates destroy evil souls and malevolent witches in a series that balances action and comedy. Though it deviates from the original manga, the anime remains an exciting adventure with ever-increasing stakes.

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“Violet Evergarden” examines the trauma of war through the eyes of Violet, a woman who has lived her entire life as a weapon. Violet’s fascination with the feelings of others leads her to become an “Auto Memories Doll,” a letter-writer that deciphers clients’ words to properly convey their emotions. In writing these letters, Violet slowly begins to understand human emotion and discover an identity beyond the weapon she always thought herself.

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“Cowboy Bebop,” the 1998 anime on which Netflix’s new live-action series is based, is a neo-noir adventure about the Bebop’s bounty hunting space crew. In this classic sci-fi Western, Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and loving corgi Ein become engaged in a series of escapades as their pasts come back to haunt them.

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Scrappy scam artist Makoto Edamura finds his entire life derailed when he is recruited by suave “confidence man” Laurent Thierry. The two men, along with accomplices Abigail Jones and Cynthia Moore, embark on a series of elaborate cons across the world, where their motives range from wealth to revenge. If you love carefully calibrated heists, look no further than “Great Pretender.”

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An anime mainstay, “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is a psychologically intense series following teenage Shinji Ikari and fellow pilots of massive Evangelion mech-suits dubbed “Evas.” Shinji and other characters clash against monstrous Angels to prevent the destruction of humanity. The series confronts the trauma of its young pilots, continuously forcing Shinji into making devastating choices under the cold eyes of his estranged father.