It’s undeniable that most people are home now more than ever, which makes this time the perfect opportunity to explore Netflix! Here is a list of anime/Japanese animation available on Netflix that I recommend you must watch, and if you don’t like reading subtitles, that’s okay because all these series have English dubbing available!
- Erased
A-1 Pictures had this anime adapted from the manga written and illustrated by Kei Sanbe. It was released on Netflix in 2017.
It follows the 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma who possesses an ability called “Revival” that sends him back in time before a dangerous incident occurs. When his mother is murdered, he’s sent back 18 years into the past to change the events leading up to her death which is where the story truly begins.
If you are someone who enjoys mysteries, this series is for you. It will have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know more till the very end. Everything leads up to an amazing reveal of the answer and you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and storytelling.
From the story plot twists to the characters and the music, everything in the anime is well done and it’s just one of the many amazing works in the world of anime.
The 12 episodes will be a thrilling experience and will go by before you know it. I believe it’s the perfect short binge!
- The Promised Neverland
The manga was written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu. The anime was adapted by CloverWorks Inc. and aired early 2019.
Set in the year 2045, the series follows young children living in an isolated orphanage who have a single caretaker that they call “Mom” who is named Isabella. It seems like an innocent story at first, but I can assure you it is far darker than what you expect.
There is not much I can tell you without spoiling it but I can let you know it is an excellent thriller series.
It will have you on your toes from the first episode and throughout the journey you will be hit with more and more surprises. There is a heightened level of suspense and you will leave each episode wanting to watch the next.
It is beautifully animated and some scenes will make you feel like you’re right there with the characters and it is almost addicting.
It is a well thought out story with a beautiful soundtrack to boot.
Season 2 will be airing January 2021, so watching it now will have you ready for it’s release!
- Parasyte –the maxim-
This series is adapted by Madhouse from the science fiction horror manga written by Hitoshi Iwaaki. It aired between October 2014 to March 2015 and began streaming on Netflix May 15.
It centers on a high school student, Shinichi Izumi who is living in Japan. One night, small worm-ish aliens with little drills on their heads turn up on earth and take over the brains of living beings. One makes an effort to take over Shinichi’s brain, but fails and ends up drilling into his arm and takes full control of it while retaining its own mind and personality. For the duration of the series, we watch them form a bond as they work together to survive many peculiar circumstances.
It is an extremely deep series that delves into the subject of humanity. I did not expect to cry in a story like this but to my surprise, I did. It pulls on the heartstrings in more ways than one.
I would say it is more of a psychological series than a horror because this anime will make you want to look into the characters’ minds and figure out how they think and it will have you going “What would I do in that situation?”.
The reactions and behaviour of certain characters in the positions they were put in felt very realistic and it added to the charm of the series.
It is well balanced and has a satisfying amount of action and gore. If you are someone who is into that kind of thing, you will be happy with what you see.
- The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Adapted from the gag manga series written and illustrated by Shuuichi Asou, the anime series aired from July 2016 to December 2018.
This comedy supernatural series is about the indifferent Kusuo Saiki, who was born having powers including psychokinesis and teleportation. Through the series he is put in seemingly normal situations where he has to use his powers while trying to hide them.
One word: Hilarious. This series will have you laughing and rolling over with each episode and I promise you will have absolutely no control over it.
It’s almost like a remix of the slice of life genre where a lot of things have been put to the extreme. There is a form of contrast where even though Saiki is the one with supernatural powers, the normal people he knows have extreme personalities making him the ‘normal’ one which is hilariously ironic.
All the characters, which include Saiki’s classmates and parents each have their own individuality and sometimes they heighten that individuality and put them in these circumstances and how they react to it will just leave you laughing.
Each episode has something new in store making every watching experience completely fresh and exciting.
The show is so relaxed and it never takes itself seriously and up till the end you get to watch Saiki gain new friends along the way.
If you want a chill series where if you just want to have a laugh and a fun time, this is on the top of the list for you.
- A Silent Voice
This teen drama was produced by Kyoto Animation and premiered in Japan on September 17, 2016. It is based on the manga written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ooima. It was made available to stream on Netflix last year.
It revolves around Shoya Ishida, who along with the rest of the class, bullied his deaf classmate, Shoko Nishimiya when they were in elementary school. When she is forced to transfer, his friends and teachers turn against him and the experience leads to him getting depression.
Years later, he looks for Nishimiya to apologize and make amends.
We watch them grow closer through the film and see how they deal with the issues they have within them.
It’s a very delicate film and without a doubt poignant. It sheds a light properly on depression and what people with disabilities and low self esteem go through. None of the characters are perfect and I feel like that was a good detail because no one is perfect in real life and in the end the experiences the characters go through are extremely real.
As expected from Kyoto Animation, it was animated wonderfully. Everything from the colours to the backgrounds are detailed so well, you can probably pause at certain scenes and just stare at every angle and admire what has been done.
It is one of my favourite films and I want to spoil it as little as possible so I will say without bias that it is an amazing film. Every topic is portrayed respectfully and with understanding and in the end it will be a great watching experience.
As the last on this list and the only film, I feel like this is an important watch. Among all the anime in this list, this is one I recommend the most because of how extraordinary and relevant it is. The story is very touching and touches on important topics that should be discussed deeply. Definitely a must watch.
–
I hope you give these shows a chance because they are only a slice of the vast universe of anime. There is something for everyone and I’m sure in this little list, there is something for you!
