Mohsin Lag
Well, anime nowadays is so popular around the world, and with streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu it become even more famous. From classic series to the latest releases, these platforms have something for every anime fan to enjoy.
Some of the most popular anime to watch on these platforms include Attack on Titan, One Punch Man, Fullmetal Alchemist, and My Hero Academia. These series have captivated audiences with their compelling storylines, unique art styles, and memorable characters. Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or new to the genre, there’s sure to be a show on Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu that you’ll love.
Without further ado, here is a list of the 40 best and most popular animes that everyone should watch, and the good thing is that they are all available on Netflix, Hulu, Funimation, Amazon, Crunchyroll, and some other streaming services.
40. Elfen Lied
Kicking off the list with Elfen Lied, which is among the most popular animes to watch because of its horror and epic story, beautiful art, and dark nature. It is about a young girl named Lucy who has been experimented on by the government. Lucy’s DNA has been altered and she can transform into an almost human-like creature. She escapes from the laboratory and tries to find her place in the world.
Elfen Lied is one of those best-ranked anime series available on Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, that will leave you with mixed feelings after watching it for the first time. It features gore, violence, nudity, and dark themes that will make you feel uncomfortable at times but also great at others.
39. March comes in Like a Lion
This is a popular anime that comes with good rankings on Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime. The story focuses on the Shogi game, but it’s much more than that. Rei, the protagonist of this series, is deeply flawed. Despite going to college and being athletic- he is shy – unable to speak his mind which prevents him from establishing or sustaining a meaningful relationship with anyone- or showing emotions.
Uesugi Kenshin is a depressed mc and is a bit difficult to understand. Some say it’s due to his being very well-loved by his family and so he has been given countless opportunities, while others say he is just too talented at shogi.
Yeah, he turned into a professional player from early childhood. But in fact, he might just be struggling with the life experiences you go through as a teenager. He can get past this phase and so should they think, too. And so they should look for how to support him, not patronize him
38. Shiki
Shiki is a good anime that spans genres of suspense, horror, and drama, and is set in a small town called Sotoba, where everything around you would seem to be ordinary. The idea of it being ordinary would seem strange because there’s such fear and terror in this story that eventually leads to gruesome deaths. The twist of the series came out when Megumi Shimizu, a girl who had a lot of ambition and was working towards her goals, unexpectedly passed away from an unnamed illness.
There’s been an increasing number of people dying in a small town. It’s difficult to figure out why, but then the doctor starts thinking that there might be something sinister at work. Hence, The doctor will teams up with some other characters to figure out the mystery of the deaths in Sotoba. Therefore, their combined efforts will lead them toward what seems to be an eerie secret in the kanemasa mansion
37. Parasyte- The Maxim
This is hit anime about parasitical aliens that came down and infiltrated humanity by burrowing into the brains of people who were vulnerable. When they gain full control of their host, they can change their form to any shape. Then They can feed on unsuspecting prey.
One of these parasites attempted to take over Shinichi’s brain, but instead, it ended up in his hand. Hence, the parasite has no choice but to rely on Shinichi in order to stay alive. This means the duo must defend themselves from hostile parasites that hope to eradicate them.
36. Deadman Wonderland
As the sole survivor of his class, Ganta was framed for a massacre that he had nothing to do with. He was sent to a privately owned prison called Deadman Wonderland. This is actually a prison that turned into an amusement park, where inmates receive privileges in return for performing deadly fights. While Ganta learns there are many different goals and outcomes for each inmate.
The story of this famous anime focuses mainly on Ganta, who must bet his life to survive in a ruthless place where it isn’t always easy to tell friends from foes, while also trying to clear his name for a crime he didn’t commit.
35. Kyoukai no Kanata
Mirai Kuriyama is the sole survivor of a clan of Spirit World warriors with the power to employ their blood as weapons. As such, Mirai is tasked with hunting down and killing “demons”—creatures said to be the manifestation of negative human emotions.
One day, while deep in thought on the school roof, Mirai comes across Akihito Kanbara, a rare half-breed demon in human form. In a panicked state, she plunges her blood saber into him only to realize that he’s an immortal being. Later, the two will become partners, friends, and even lovers who try to fight off evil being and keep their city safe.
34. Blood+
Blood+ is a wll known anime that’s centers on the Red Shield, which has been fighting the deadly creatures called Chiroptera that disguise in human forms and feed on humans for years. But now they need help! So, who will be able to provide it?
Saya, a high school girl living in Okinawa, Japan, doesn’t have memories of her past. Luckily for her though, she has the ability to fight Chiroptera and she is the one who can prevent evil from ravaging the city!
Overall, Blood+ is one of the top anime series out there. It has some good things going for it, and a good mixture of action, horror, and drama that will keep you entertained for hours on end.
33. Owari No Seraph
Seraph of the End is a popular and well ranked anime about vampires that has been praised for its dark tone, the art style, and for being one of the most original anime shows to come out in recent years. It also received praise for how it handles themes such as revenge and friendship.
The story follows the main character who is trapped in a city along with many other kids. He ends up the sole survivor. After that, he vows to get revenge on his captors and escape the city of Vampires which killed many of his friends.
After many years of living as a member of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, The Mc is ready to take revenge on the creatures that caused his family’s deaths. What will he be willing to give in order to do so? This is a post-apocalyptic series focusing on the quest for vengeance of an unstable protagonist who will be tested to pick from loyalty and friends in order to achieve his goal.
32. Erased
Erased is a good Japanese anime that you absolutely like. The story revolves around Satoru, who has the ability to rewind time and save people who are about to die. The anime has been praised for its impactful storytelling, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes. It’s been nominated for multiple awards in Japan and internationally.
Erased is a well-recommended masterpiece anime series that depicts a world where time travel is possible. Which is something that has allowed our main character to save those he loves from their deaths while also allowing them to change the past in order to create a better future.
31. Steins;Gate
One of the best recommendations from the science fiction genre is Steins;Gate, a famous anime about Okabe Rintarou, a mad scientist who spends his time cracking all sorts of insane inventions with his friends Mayuri and Daru. They think that they may create technologies that could totally change society as we know it.
However, when he succeeded with the Phone Microwave, an invention that’s never really been tried before, which can send a text from the past and future, there is an immediate impact. These texts can thoroughly change things in the present.
When Okabe learns about SERN and their many plans, he uses time-traveling methods to avoid capture, stop them from enacting any more plans and prevent other people from getting hurt. Steins; Gate is pretty much an unprecedented piece of art, and I think this is a good anime recommendation that might stay stuck in your mind forever.
30. Zankyou No Terror
Many anime tv shows attempt to tell stories about terrorist groups and anti-heroes, but none have ever been as into-depth or mature as what we see in the popular Zankyou no Terror. It achieved many things that other shows have struggled with, so this is one you can definitely check out.
Zankyou no Terror is an epic good anime about a group of two teenage boys carrying out a heist at a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility and stealing an item filled with plutonium. Six months later, they start uploading online videos of them, they start calling themselves Sphinx and revealing that they are the ones who are behind a series of terrorist attacks on Tokyo. Later, a teenager named Mishima gets caught up in their schemes. Some plot details are unclear, but she seems to have willingly involved herself with them in their destructive plans.
29. Cardcaptor Sakura
Cardcaptor Sakura is among the most popular magic animes of all time, that follows the tale of a girl who finds out she has magical powers and goes on an adventure with her guardian, who happens to be a cute lion-like animal. Things get complicated for Sakura as she tries to capture the fifty-three Clow Reed’s magical cards with different powers.
Some of the cards have huge abilities like manipulating time and dreams, while others are pretty weak or trivial in comparison. They can either create flowers or make objects fly. When you initially glance at the episode previews for Cardcaptor Sakura, it’s obvious that it’s a standard Mahou shoujo anime. However, as the series progress, you will see that there is a lot going on with this show.
28. The Prince of Tennis
A lot of people love The Prince of Tennis, because simply it is among the most popular sports animes of all time. The show is about a group of high school students who play tennis that is trying to win a national tournament.
The story is very original with our protagonist playing the game of tennis. He comes from America and his dad wants him to play at a prestigious college in Japan called Seigaku Tennis Club. The protagonist faces off against opponents who have a good level of skill, while the team seeks to reach win the national competition.
Though the story is simple and brief, there are many side stories that get more in-depth and detailed as they go on. I would rather not spoil those details, so you’ll have to watch the story yourself!
27. Kotoura San
Kotoura-san is a real gem of an anime. The series is intense and makes you think about different aspects of life and what people are willing to do to get a little happiness or make their life better. Due to her ability to read minds, everyone is afraid of her. Her family left her, and the only person she spends time with is her grandfather.
From the beginning she was special and she grew up having to deal with this resentment alone. Luckily Haruka transfers to a new school, where she experiences things differently. Starting to make friends and learn how to open up to others.
26. Nisekoi
Nisekoi is a popular romantic comedy anime about the love triangle between Raku Ichijou, Chitoge Kirisaki, and Kosaki Onodera. It is based on the manga of the same name by Naoshi Komi. Raku and Chtoge are descendants of mafia families who get paired up to solve their families’ issues. In the process of faking their relationship, nothing clashes more than their personality traits so they decide to make the best of their love scenario for social peace. Meanwhile, an increasing number of girls are showing up in Raku’s life. They all seem to be somehow linked to his past and cause him to search for the girl from his past who holds his heart.
25. Konosuba
This highly entertaining anime follows the misadventures of Kazuma, a man who after dying a laughable and pathetic death was transported to a fantasy world filled with magic, monsters, and goddesses.
Kazuma quickly asked to defeat the Demon King but he was then given one particular type of item to choose to help him out – he end up choosing Aqua. Kazuma made an error with his decision because actually, Aqua is useless.
KONOSUBA is definitely a must-watch anime for those looking for something light-hearted. It has comedy, adventure, and moving moments that are hard to resist, fans will find everything they’re looking for from this so-good anime series with its humorous tone and likable cast of characters.
24. Food War
Food War is a fairly a popular anime about cooking, that comes with a few twists. It has a good amount of action and drama, which creates an intense experience for viewers. The show follows Souma who aspires to become the best chef. His dream is to graduate from Tootsuki Academy, where only 10% end up graduating.
Tootsuki is a school with a cooking competition called “Shokugeki” that the students use to settle disputes. Souma tells his father that he wants to surpass him as a chef and graduate from Tootsuki by winning their next three competitions.
The Academy is a great school for aspiring Souma. Its challenging curriculum, competitive atmosphere, and overwhelming support network of chefs and master teachers are what make Souma what it takes to get on the right path to becoming a skilled chef.
23. Toradora
Toradora is among the most popular animes with romance themes that follows the relationship between two friends – Taiga Aisaka and Ryūji Takasu. The show is a comedic romance that follows them both and also gives out some good character development for each of them as well.
Set In a Japanese high school, and stars Ryuji, who is a tough guy who doesn’t take any crap from anyone, but with a good heart. While Taiga on the other hand is small, has an abrasive personality, and a tough attitude. Together they try to help each confess their love to their crushes.
22. Kill La Kill
Kill La Kill is a highly praised anime that features a protagonist, Ryuko Matoi, with an extreme personality. This anime follows Ryuko as she searches for her father’s killer in a futuristic world where the symbol of life is power.
This is a really famous anime tv show that takes on different genres such as action, comedy, and even romance. It is about transforming school uniforms into battle outfits and fighting for the future of humanity. It’s recommended for people who like anime with crazy battles and over-the-top comedy.
21. Psycho-Pass
If you’re looking for a famous sci-fi anime tv show that will give you a rush of adrenaline, then Psycho-Pass is definitely the anime for you. This cyberpunk thriller revolves around the question of what it means to be human with some big twists and turns along the way.
Psycho-Pass is a Japanese anime about an up-and-coming detective, the Psycho-Pass team. The protagonist, Akane, has to decide between upholding the law and upholding her morals. The show is controversial because of its violence and themes of police brutality.
20. Nichijou
Nichijou is a well known comedy anime about a group of high school students and various people in the town of Tokisadame. Each episode has its own story that contains some funny observations and hilarious references to other aspects of life.
Every day, these funny anime characters are faced with both the mere life of every day and what would happen that may not be normal, as well as pure absurdity. They walk to school, get bitten by a talking crow, spend time with friends, and even watch the principal hit a deer.
19. Kuroko no Basket
Kuroko no Basket is one of the most popular basketball anime series to date. It’s a Japanese anime that features basketball. So, If you like sports, you will enjoy this anime. It’s filled with exciting moments and great dialogue that can hook any viewer in!
The story follows the members of the Seirin High basketball team as they try to win their first national championship. They all have different personalities, abilities, and skills which makes them a formidable team. The show has received generally high reviews from critics and fans alike, with praise for its visuals, soundtrack, action, and attention to detail in character development.
18. Clannad
One of the classics is Clannad, which is popular for being a sad but good anime tv show about high school friends who go through a wide range of emotions.
The series follows a high school student named Tomoya Okazaki who is living in a world that doesn’t make sense. He’s unable to accept the sadness in his life and pushes everyone away until he meets Nagisa Furukawa, an amnesiac girl with the power to heal others.
The story mainly focuses on characters like Nagisa, Tomoya, Kyou, Okazaki, and Fuko, who are making up the story. They experience life together and their struggles in understanding others as well as overcoming personal obstacles are both sweet and sad.
17. Angel Beats!
Angel Beats! is a heart-warming anime with a psychological story of the lives of teenagers who die suddenly. They go to school and live in a strange school in the afterlife. The show is told from multiple perspectives and deals with themes like death, depression, and the ever-changing nature of relationships.
This is a really good anime tv show that makes its audience think while they were watching it, creating an emotional experience, a pretty damn exciting journey, and has one of the most memorable climaxes unlike anything else in the anime realm.
16. Haikyuu
Haikyuu is an popular anime about volleyball. It’s filled with emotion, comedy, and inspiring scenes! It has been dubbed “the best sports anime ever” by many people worldwide, and if you watch it you will understand why.
The series overall follows the story of a short player named Hinata Shouyou and his journey to becoming the “King of the Court.” It has a lot of good character development, a lot of action sequences, and backstories that always keeps you on your toes.
15. Soul Eater
Soul Eater is a fun anime to watch that follows The duo Maka and Soul, who are students of Death Weapon Meister Academy. They have to fight monsters called “demons” while also attending regular school classes. Soul Eater is all about these students who have various missions and have to overcome many challenges.
Among these is becoming stronger in mind, body, and soul along with maintaining their teamwork within the snickering sun. The series has a variety of interesting monsters and visually stunning fight scenes.
14. My Hero Academia
I am a huge fan and I really enjoy watching “My Hero Academia”. It has gained much popularity since its first airing. This is among the most popular anime tv shows and has the most beautifully drawn characters, epic action scenes, dazzling animation, and an intriguing storyline. I would highly recommend this trending anime series to binge-watch by anyone who wants to stream something different from their usual anime selection.
The story of My Hero Academia chronicles the daily life of Izuku Midoriya was born without powers in a world where superpowers have been prevalent for a very long time. He yearns to become like All Might, the most powerful superhero ever.
13. Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom is another best recommendation if you are into school anime. The show spans genres of school, action, and comedy. It has been praised for its creative storyline, making it a hit among viewers.
The story of this anime revolves around a powerful alien teacher who decides to teach his students about the basics of becoming skilled assassins in order to prevent him from destroying the world by killing him.
“Assassination Classroom” may sound like a sadistic and maybe lame wannabe thriller, but it’s an incredibly wonderful and heartfelt story. It starts off purely humorous and light but will blossom into something so profound.
12. Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100 is not only a famous anime series that you should watch: but also one of the top Japanese series of all time, this show was an impressive journey into the mind of Mob: A student learning the ropes on how to use his esper powers. He has a job as an exorcist but also attends school every day.
There are lots of different monsters lurking around, but he always prevails (although it’s not always easy)! It’s a story about humanity, redemption, and being incredible no matter what you look like on the outside.
11. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
The story arcs in these multiple stories are a bit melodramatic and have lots of complex conflicts. Each character has supernatural powers and awesome Stand power. There are different ambitions and attitudes in every single story.
The series mainly chronicles “The Story of the Joestar Family” a family that has special psychic powers and some very interesting (and sometimes dangerous!) adventures that each member encounters in their lives.
There are many arcs that vary in tone and often have some of their own touches. They always spice up a story with action, suspense and horror at least sometimes, but there is an overarching central protagonist and antagonist who always seems to be the big players of the series!
10. Attack on Titan
Many people have seen the popular anime “Attack on Titan” and are very excited to learn more about it. For those who haven’t had the opportunity, let’s recommend it to you in order to see all of the cool features of this series and what makes it such a thriller!
This good action-horror anime series to watch since it is one of those series that challenges its own tropes in unapologetic ways while maintaining the high quality we’ve come to expect from the franchise. Attack on Titan is an anime about titans and humans who are fighting for their survival. It is full of action, gore, and a lot of suspense that follows humanity’s battle to survive the threat of titans by walling themselves inside walls.
9. Berserk
Berserk is a famous classic dark fantasy anime to watch, which is about the adventures of the powerful swordsman Guts, an alone, betrayed, and cursed mercenary fighting for his life in a brutal world. Along the way, he encounters some surprisingly good allies who want to learn swordsmanship from the former mercenary.
After the ragtag group decides to join Gut’s quest, they will face incredible dangers, unlike anything they have ever experienced before. This is a nice anime that takes place in a fictional medieval world. The show comes with many characters who become fan favorites and earn the praise of critics.
8. Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is a well known anime to binge-watch that follows the story of a young demon slayer named Tanjro Kamado. It follows him as he strives to become a powerful demon slayer after his family was slaughtered and his younger sister Nezuko turned into a half-demon.
He has a goal to become powerful, take his revenge, and help his sister. The task is not that easy as he ends up facing fearsome foes, who will help him harness his skills; and make new friends, who help him on his journey to find a way to cure his sister that became a demon.
7. Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is a really good classic anime to watch for those who love sci-fi and inter-planets. It has an interesting storyline with a unique setting that keeps the viewer engaged.
The series is set in 2071 and follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters on their spaceship, the Bebop. The show centers around Spike Spiegel, an ex-cop from Earth who leads a team of bounty hunters as they travel around space to track down criminals.
Cowboy Bebop is a cult popular 90s anime that takes place in a futuristic setting with an interesting cast of characters, including Spike, Faye, Jet, Ein, Ed, Vicious, and many more.
6. Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo is a famous samurai anime that you should watch. It’s a show about friendship and acceptance, sword fights, and awesome soundtracks. It’s truly incredible to watch. A girl will gather two badass swordsmen named Mugen and Jin, who have to work with each other, while they’re both on a special task. They are sworn-enemies in battle, and their combined skills are unmatched by many other warriors! Hence, The series showcases how these two put their rivalry aside in order to help the girl reach her goal.
5. Death Note
Coming up next we have Death Note, which is a good Japanese anime series to watch based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba of the same name. I watched this Japanese series for the first time about 10 years ago and it is still one of my favorite animes out there. It’s an interesting concept with high stakes, along with compelling characters and great animation.
Death Note is a popular anime series that follows Light Yagami, a high school student who finds a notebook that has the power to kill people with just their names. As he becomes increasingly obsessed with gaining power and eliminating criminals, his morals deteriorate and he begins to view humanity as mere insects.
4. Hunter x Hunter 2011
HxH is another popular anime series to watch that has a really intricate story and was made by the studio Madhouse. The show revolves around the exploits of hunters who sell themselves out to accomplish dangerous tasks, all while trekking across uncharted territories and uncovering new mysteries. Before becoming a Hunter, one must pass the Hunter Examination—a high-risk selection process that which most applicants end up handicapped or dead.
Gon Freecss, the protagonist of “Hunter X Hunter” is a determined and ambitious young boy who takes part in the hunters’ exam – to be a great Hunter and find his father who is a mighty hunter too, Gon takes the first step toward the path of becoming powerful. Gon meets 3 characters during his Hunter Exam: Leorio, Kurapika, and Killua. They all have vastly different motives, but they band together for the same goal.
3. One Punch Man
One Punch Man is another popular anime that is so good and you should truly watch it. The story is set in an alternate universe where monsters live among humans about a bald overpowered hero who can defeat any opponent with just one single punch.
This is a magnificent anime that contains action and comedy that will entertain you for hours. Whether you’re looking for a show to binge-watch or want something new to watch, this is a good anime that makes for a great choice.
2. Code Geass
Code Geass is a Japanese anime that focuses on a world where the power of friendship and courage can overcome any obstacle in their path. The main character was an ordinary boy named Lelouch Lamperouge who after gaining the power of Geass, he became able to walk into people’s minds and control them at will.
This title will always stay a popular and trending anime for years to come; as it features some of the best characters you’ll ever see and action that will give you goosbumps. While it has a lot of twists and turns, it’s ultimately about epic strategies, futuristic guns, and rebellion.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has been around for a long time and has gained quite a bit of popularity. Spanning genres of action, supernatural, and drama Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a popular anime tv show that everyone should watch.
It follows the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who use alchemy to bring their dead mother back to life. The experience went wrong, and the two brothers lost parts of their bodies. So, they became alchemists to get a powerful stone that may help them restore their bodies.
