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Netflix has been known for some time to be one of the best streaming alternatives to Crunchyroll for anyone looking for a good anime catalog. It has a number of exclusive shows, along with some old classics, and even some live-action adaptations of iconic anime and manga properties for better or worse sometimes (Looking at you, live-action Cowboy Bebop).
Going into 2024, there are a number of anime that should be at the top of everyone’s watchlist on Netflix, for any who haven’t seen these already. Either because the shows are ongoing, or just not nearly appreciated enough.
Vinland Saga
A Japanese story about Nordic Vikings seems like it could be kitschy on the surface, but Vinland Saga is anything but that. This tale is an emotional one about revenge, acceptance, and what makes a life even when the conditions are as cold and grim as those in medieval Scandinavia. Thorfinn is as detestable as he is relatable and the show thrives just as much off of the numerous other amazing characters it builds up as it does from following its main protagonist.
Season 2 of Vinland Saga just wrapped up in 2023 and Season 3 hasn’t been confirmed yet but the show’s too popular for it not to happen so it’s a must-watch anime on Netflix.
The Way of the Househusband
The Way of the Househusband flips the script on yakuza tropes in a way that makes for one of the funniest shows on Netflix period. It’s about a former gangster named Tatsu navigating domestic life despite a violent past that occasionally catches up to his present. It’s a delightful comedy that offers a great take on masculinity in modern Japan, blending absurdity with heartwarming moments that highlight the challenges and hilarity of being a “househusband.” It’s worth noting that its animation isn’t standard for anime, though, and many consider it more of a “manga with some movement.”
The second season of the show debuted five episodes in 2023, and since Season 1 received two parts with five episodes each, many are speculating that Season 2, Part 2 will arrive on Netflix sometime in 2024.
Komi Can’t Communicate
Komi Can’t Communicate is about a charming and socially anxious girl on a quest for friends despite not being the type, at least on the surface, who seems like she’d have much trouble getting friends. It’s an endearing anime that balances humor and heartfelt moments, portraying the beauty and oftentimes hilarity that ensues when trying to overcome social anxieties.
The first two seasons of Komi Can’t Communicate are currently on Netflix and the third season is expected to premiere sometime in 2024 or possibly early 2025.
Kengan Ashura
Kengan Ashura delivers adrenaline-fueled martial arts action in the world of underground gladiator-style battles. It has all the intense fights, diverse combat styles, and strategic prowess that many anime fans just can’t get enough of. The series is also rife with social commentary, being a series of bloody fights on the surface but a commentary on the brutality of the white-collar class underneath.
Season 1 and the first half of Season 2 for Kengan Ashura are available to stream on Netflix, with the second half of Season 2 expected to premiere sometime in 2024.
Kakegurui
Kakegurui is an anime about gambling where things take a turn for the dark and strange very quickly. It’s an anime about students at Hyakkaou Private Academy who wager more than just money. It has mind-bending games of chance and psychological battles galore for anime fans who enjoy a story full of manipulation and mental challenges like Death Note.
Both seasons of Kakegurui are available on Netflix. It’s been three years since the last episode premiered, but fans are still hopeful that more episodes will come in the future since there is still some manga left to adapt.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
Junji Ito has been called the Stephen King of manga. His decades of crafting some of the spookiest stories and spine-chilling drawings to ever hit paper have made him a living legend in Japan, and Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre takes a number of his most iconic short stories and adapts them into anime. Junji Ito stories are uncomfortably bizarre, so don’t go into this expecting typical horror stories as much as tales of floating heads and rats stuck in someone’s hair.
Dorohedoro
On the topic of popular horror, Dorohedoro is a dark fantasy tale that follows Caiman, a man with a lizard head, on his quest for identity through all kinds of strange and oftentimes disturbing locations. It has a blend of dark humor and brutal action like little else out there in anime, and the world is superbly imaginative.
Every episode of Dorohedoro Season 1 is available on Netflix now, and a second season just got its announcement at the beginning of 2024.
Blue Period
Blue Period is the perfect anime for anyone wanting to watch something with a lot of heart but without so much emphasis on the action that tends to be the motif in a lot of this medium. It delves into the transformative journey of Yatora Yaguchi, a high school student who discovers his passion for art after not having so much passion for anything else. The series beautifully explores themes of self-discovery, creativity, and the pursuit of one’s dreams.
Blue Period Season 1 is available on Netflix now. There is no confirmation that there will ever be a Season 2, but the manga is still ongoing so hopefully, it gets produced one day soon.
Black Butler
Black Butler has dark supernatural intrigue and Victorian-era elegance all wrapped in mystery and some fantastically suspenseful storytelling. It follows a boy named Ciel Phantomhive and a demon named Sebastian Michaelis who helps Ciel try to find the ones who murdered his parents in exchange for getting to consume Ciel’s soul. The anime has an extreme amount of buzz, meaning anyone who hasn’t watched it should definitely get around to it as soon as possible.
Black Butler is getting a new season, the Public School Arc, this April 2024. It hasn’t been confirmed as coming to Netflix yet but it’s best to catch up on everything just in case.
The Garden Of Words
Ending on a bit of an odd pick, Garden of Words isn’t a show like the other names on this list; it’s an anime film. It’s also the oldest name here, but it’s on here because it’s a criminally underrated movie that should certainly be on the watchlist of any anime fan with a Netflix subscription. It’s an emotional story about a lonely man and woman who know little about each other, yet gradually learn more about the other’s dramatic past as they follow their passions. The animation style and music are both gorgeous here, and it’s one of those stories anyone would be hard-pressed to watch without at least a little tear.
