Adult animated shows used to be limited to a few specialized networks and channels, but the genre has expanded dramatically. Thanks to Netflix’s original popular anime series, for example. As a result, there is no longer a scarcity of content to choose from.
While animated shows are frequently associated with children, the genre has long featured series aimed at adults. These shows are all about combining a light presentation with a funny, witty, and thought-provoking depth.
Netflix has now entered the anime production business, recognizing the popularity of the genre. On Netflix, you can watch some of the best anime of all time. There are a lot of great Netflix shows to watch, which is especially true if you enjoy animated shows.
We’re going through some exciting changes right now, so it seems like the right time to recommend some excellent anime that you can watch right now on Netflix.
We’ve chosen some of the best adult anime on Netflix that will make you laugh, provide biting satire in a colorful format, or allow you to enjoy action fun with more mature themes.
With so many options, anime fans must determine which shows to watch next. Furthermore, because Netflix is constantly replacing old shows with new ones, it’s worth checking out what it has to offer right now, as there’s no guarantee that a show will be available in the near future.
1. Baki (2018)
Baki Hanma continues on his quest to defeat his father, Yuujirou, the world’s strongest man, after winning a brutal underground tournament. When the tournament runner, Tokugawa Mitsunari, pays him a visit at school, he has no time to rest.
He tells Baki that five extremely dangerous death row inmates from around the world, all of whom are skilled in martial arts, have all escaped confinement and are on their way to Tokyo, each wishing to taste defeat for the first time. Baki will meet them sooner or later, Tokugawa warns, due to his well-known strength, and he will not be their only target.
Baki is based on the first saga of the second manga series, and it depicts an all-out war between Japan’s renowned martial artists and those from the shadowy underworld.
The art style perfectly captures the manga’s raw, powerful essence while maintaining a clean aesthetic by maximizing stills and utilizing motion lines.
Throughout the series, a variety of characters appear, each with their own personality and fighting style. Baki gives each character a lot of screen time, which is enjoyable to watch because it isn’t just all protagonist this protagonist that.
It’s a high-octane thrill ride filled with murder and muscle. The events may seem unbelievable, even ridiculous, but the show takes itself seriously enough that they never feel out of reach. Baki is the perfect show if you just want a good old-fashioned story about buff guys beating up on each other.
There’s plenty of fighting and a hint of drama throughout, and it’s not boring like some other shows where they stand around in a battle stance and talk for an entire episode while a semi-intense soundtrack plays, then finish after a few moves the next episode or two.
2. Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent (2013)
In the year since Guts left them to forge his own destiny, the Band of the Hawk has dwindled. Guts returns to the Hawks, now led by his former ally Casca, unaware of their fate, after hearing a rumor about them.
The Band of the Hawk, once the saviors of Midland, are now being hunted as they desperately fight for their lives while plotting to free their leader, Griffith, who has been imprisoned for treason. However, the man they save is not the Griffith they recall.
After a year of continuous, horrific torture, Griffith is a shell of his former charismatic self. He his unable to walk, speak, or even hold a sword, and all he has is the small, strange trinket known as the Crimson Behelit, which refuses to leave him. The entire Band of the Hawk wishes to return to their former glory, but how much are they willing to give up in order to do so?
When Griffith’s heart darkens, and a solar eclipse darkens the sky, the Behelit offers the Band of the Hawk a choice that will leave them with a blood-soaked fate that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
The story does an amazing job of bringing its world to life. It has a lot of different elements that gradually work their way into the story. You become emotionally attached to each character as you watch them grow. You are aware of their sorrows, struggles, hopes, and dreams.
This is an action-packed, emotionally charged epic that never stops. The pacing is perfect, and the transition from the first half of the film to the second half is seamless; you’re sucked into a completely different atmosphere that feels completely natural. It also does a fantastic job of depicting the growth of our three central characters.
3. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996)
In 2015, the world is on the brink of destruction. Nerv, a United Nations special agency, and their Evangelions, giant machines capable of defeating the Angels who herald Earth’s doom, are humanity’s last hope.
The organization’s leader, Gendou Ikari, is looking for compatible pilots who can synchronize with the Evangelions and help them reach their full potential. Misato Katsuragi, Head of Tactical Operations, and Ritsuko Akagi, Chief Scientist, are assisting in this defensive effort.
When 14-year-old Shinji Ikari is whisked away into the depths of Nerv and into a harrowing new destiny—he must become the pilot of Evangelion Unit-01 with the fate of mankind on his shoulders—his ordinary life is irreversibly changed.
The story of a young boy who will become a legend is told in Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, as the psychological drama unfolds, ancient secrets hidden beneath the surface begin to surface.
The characters are fantastic. This is significant because the series is focused on them rather than the Angels or NERV. Shinji Ikari is one of the most believable and sympathetic anime characters ever created. Some people complain that Shinji is overly emotional and irritating. But no one wants Shinji to turn into a ‘Hollywood hero,’ saving the day with a smile on his face – such a person could never exist.
Shinji’s mental anguish is effectively depicted through complex monologues and largely successful experimental cinematic techniques. The other chosen children, Asuka and Rei, are polar opposites and brilliant characters. Both characters grow and develop in a fascinating way throughout the series, and Evangelion is built around this character exploration and growth.
Overall, this series is deserving of its legendary status; it is without a doubt one of the best television shows ever produced. Watching each episode is like watching a work of art.
4. No Game No Life (2014)
Sora and Shiro, shut-in NEET siblings and the online gamer duo behind the legendary username “Blank,” star in No Game No Life, a surreal comedy. They consider the real world to be just another bad game; however, when they receive a strange e-mail challenging them to a chess match, everything changes—the brother and sister duo are whisked away to an otherworldly realm where they meet Tet, the God of Games.
Sora and Shiro are welcomed to Disboard by the mysterious god, a world where all forms of conflict—from minor quarrels to the fate of entire countries—are resolved through high-stakes games rather than war. This system works because of a basic rule that requires each party to wager something of equal value to the other party’s wager.
The indifferent genius gamer duo of Sora and Shiro have finally found a real reason to keep playing games in this strange land where humanity is reduced to child’s play: to unite the sixteen races of Disboard, defeat Tet, and become the gods of this new, gaming-is-everything world.
Despite the seriousness of the siblings’ quest to conquer God, the show frequently pokes fun at itself through its characters, concepts, and even references/gags in order to provide entertainment. It’s rarely more enjoyable to watch someone else play a game than it is to play it yourself. Nonetheless, this show has a way of making you feel like you’re a part of their quest to conquer the world.
This anime serves as an experimental way to deliver a fantasy adventure as it deconstructs game tropes. The show frequently mocks itself, whether it’s through cultures, rules, or just about anything else it can get its hands on. While the show does not avoid its clichés, it does find a way to parody them through the clever use of comedic executions.
5. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (2014)
The Holy Grail War is a battle royale between seven magi who serve as Masters. Masters command Heroic Spirits known as Servants to fight for them in battle by using the command seals they are given when they enter the war. Rin Toosaka is one of the magi who enter the competition in the Fifth Holy Grail War. She hopes to obtain the Holy Grail, a magical artifact capable of granting its wielder any wish, with the help of her Servant, Archer.
Emiya Shirou, one of Rin’s classmates, enters the competition by accident and ends up commanding his own Servant, Saber. As they face mutual enemies in the Holy Grail War, Rin and Shirou decide to form a temporary alliance in order to challenge their opponents.
The pacing is almost perfect and very consistent. It provides just enough breathing room in between each burst of activity to allow the characters to mature properly without slowing down the action to the point of boredom.
You’ll always be eagerly anticipating the story’s next major event, but it never rushes through the in-between segments in order to get right to the action. As a result, it succeeds in producing episodes that are both fantastic in and of themselves while also steadily progressing the overarching story to bring it closer to its conclusion.
The anime Fate/Stay Night is fantastic. Both as a sequel to the original Visual Novel and as a stand-alone show. Character development is one area where the visual novel excels, and this is carried over nicely into the anime. You meet a colorful cast of characters, each with their own set of goals and objectives.
6. B: The Beginning (2018)
A vigilante is loose on the Cremona islands. The infamous “Killer B,” armed with a sharp blade and superhuman abilities, is hailed by some and hunted by others. When the Royal Investigation Service (RIS) is unable to apprehend this outlaw, they enlist the help of Keith Flick, a seasoned but eccentric detective who was relegated to the Archives Department following a personal loss.
As the crimes in Cremona become more sophisticated, from covert executions of wrongdoers to sophisticated assassinations of public figures, it becomes clear that more than one person is to blame.
Keith begins to unravel plots involving secret organizations, domestic terrorism, and human experiments with the help of his impulsive sidekick Lily Hoshina and unexpected assistance from the elusive Killer B himself. When the RIS’s involvement goes beyond the scope of justice, it calls into question the extent of the government’s corruption, as well as the trustworthiness of close allies.
B: The Beginning is a fascinating anime that is expertly put together despite the fact that it lacks manga or resources to begin with. It starts off oddly enough as another one of those crime shows where they solve the murders, but each murder and episode builds on the previous one, making the story unique.
The story is good at shocking you and making you wonder what it all means, and the best part is the journey of how it all comes together and how all the puzzle pieces fit together.
It’s extremely rare to see a high-quality anime take as many risks as B: The Beginning does. Sure, it stumbles along the way, but the end result is an ambitious and thoroughly entertaining ride that is well worth watching.
7. Kakegurui (2017)
Unlike many other schools, Hyakkaou Private Academy prepares students for life after graduation. Because many of the students are the children of the world’s wealthiest people, the academy has its own quirks that set it apart from the rest. It is a regular school during the day, teaching history, languages, and other subjects.
But at night, it transforms into a gambling den, where they are taught how to deal with money and manipulate people. Money is power, and those who win the games rise to the top of the school.
Yumeko Jabami, a naive and attractive transfer student, is eager to try out Hyakkaou’s unique curriculum. Unlike the others, she doesn’t play for the sake of winning but rather for the thrill of the game, and her borderline insane approach to gambling may end up bringing too many new cards to the table.
Kakegurui piques your interest in the world by immersing you in a game that demonstrates how the school operates and how insane the show is.
In a good way, the characters in this show are eccentric. Both Jabami and Suzui, the main characters, serve as archetypal foils to one another. This contrast allows the viewer to appreciate the show’s mood, complexity, and humor even more. The gambling games are designed to resemble a ‘boss’ battle in a video game, with each having its own set of characteristics, patterns, and spins. This keeps the show interesting and makes the audience want to see more.
Although there are fewer details about some of the supporting characters, their interactions with Jabami reveal fragments of their stories.
No matter your level of gambling knowledge, you will feel connected to what is going on, especially since everything is explained to you beforehand.
8. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (2015)
Bell Cranel, a naive young man who hopes to become the greatest adventurer in the land, finds life in the bustling city of Orario never dull. He comes closer to realizing his dreams after a chance encounter with the lonely goddess Hestia.
Bell embarks on a fantastic quest with her support, venturing deep into the city’s monster-infested catacombs known only as the “Dungeon.” It is a labyrinth filled with darkness, where death lurks around every corner, and a mysterious power moves in the shadows.
Surviving is a hard-won privilege, even on the surface. As long as humans and gods live together, nothing is ever certain, especially when they frequently clash. One thing is certain: the dauntlessly optimistic protagonist of this herculean tale will face a slew of blunders, triumphs, and friendships.
The plot is straightforward and follows a well-worn path of a young adventurer who begins weak but has hidden potential, aside from a kind and moral heart.
The story’s beauty, however, lies in how relatable the characters are, as well as the chemistry between the two leads. When it comes to simple stories, it’s not so much about the premise as it is about the execution; to that end, the main characters are simply a lot of fun.
The plot is primarily concerned with the themes of maturity, strength, integrity, and passion. Characters and personalities in the anime are both generic and unique.
While this anime isn’t particularly life-changing or thought-provoking, it does a good job of keeping your attention and providing entertainment throughout the series, with no major flaws or disappointments.
This anime is a perfect example of a guilty pleasure in its own right. Even though there are a lot of clichés and fanservice, it never fails to entertain.
9. Kuroshitsuji (2008)
Young Ciel Phantomhive is named “the Queen’s Guard Dog,” taking care of Her Majesty’s many unsettling events in Victorian England. Ciel uses all means necessary to accomplish his goals, aided by Sebastian Michaelis, his loyal butler with seemingly inhuman abilities. Is this black-clad butler, however, more than meets the eye?
Ciel’s past contains a hidden tragedy that has engulfed him in eternal darkness—during one of his darkest moments; he made a deal with Sebastian, a demon, trading his soul for vengeance on those who had wronged him.
Sebastian is now not only a fantastic butler but also the ideal servant to carry out his master’s orders—all the while anticipating the delectable meal he will prepare from Ciel’s soul. As the two work to figure out what’s causing Ciel’s string of misfortunes, they form a bond that neither heaven nor hell can break.
Most of the characters have so much hidden depth that none of them seem two-dimensional. With emotional backstories and plot twists, everyone is fleshed out to some extent.
Sebastian, with his eloquent nature and satirical humor, is the personification of a demon butler. Demons are frequently depicted as ravenous, hideous creatures on the inside and out. Sebastian, however, gives a whole new meaning to the term “demon.”
Sebastian is mysterious, smooth, and attractive enough to pass for a gifted demon angel rather than a regular demon in disguise. Ciel Phantomhive isn’t your typical 12-year-old, either.
He is wise beyond his years, as he is the proud owner of a toy company in addition to playing the Queen’s underdog. They make a fantastic, brilliant team that leaves no stone unturned and no mystery unsolved when they work together.
10. Castlevania (2017)
When Dracula is away on a trip, his wife is declared a witch and burned at the stake. The plot revolves around how a raging, raving husband decides to exact his revenge.
Trevor Belmont, the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, is tasked with saving Eastern Europe from extinction at the hands of Vlad Dracula Tepes in Castlevania. Belmont is no longer alone as Dracula, and his legion of vampires prepare to rid the world of humanity’s stain, and he and his misfit comrades race to save mankind from the grief-stricken Dracula.
Castlevania follows a very specific kind of grotesque norm, ensuring that no character is immune to the ugliness of a world devoid of a loving God.
Castlevania succeeded in turning a game about killing things in a labyrinthine castle into a drama series about the impact of Lisa’s death on Dracula, the protagonists, and humanity while delving into religious corruption and vampire politics.
Castlevania is based on the Castlevania lore, but there is no canon story or banter in between, so there is plenty of room for character development, which they do well. Even the villains are likable characters. The series’ character development is phenomenal. On both sides, almost every character can be sympathized with.
The series combines magic, mysticism, religion, and other dark themes to create an intriguing world. Recurring characters, generations of a family, each with their own unique members, and a great Dracula. All of the characters have a reason for doing what they do. Villains have reasons for taking the path they have, and heroes do as well.
Overall, Castlevania is a fantastic animated series that rightfully earns its place among the best video game adaptations.
11. Kill la Kill (2013)
A wandering Ryuuko Matoi has been looking for the killer of her father ever since he was murdered. She arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other, following her sole clue, the missing part of his invention, the Scissor Blade.
Satsuki Kiryuuin, the imposing and cold-hearted president of the student council, rules the academy with the Elite Four, her powerful underlings. Satsuki bestows “Goku Uniforms” on those at the top of the school’s brutally competitive hierarchy, which gives the wearer unique superhuman abilities.
Ryuuko retreats to her razed home after being thrashed by one of the students in uniform, where she discovers Senketsu, a rare and sentient “Kamui,” or God Clothes.
The blood of Ryuuko awakens Senketsu, latching onto her and bestowing immense power upon her. Ryuuko now takes on the Elite Four, armed with Senketsu and the Scissor Blade, in the hopes of reaching Satsuki and avenging her father’s murder once and for all.
It’s perplexing, exhilarating, comical, lively, and goddamn refreshing to watch the story of Kill la Kill unfold. What begins as a simple revenge story with shaky plot direction, excessive fan service, and obnoxiously flashy fight scenes ends up being surprisingly competent and satisfying. Despite the fact that Kill la Kill is entertaining, it is still a series that values style over substance.
Kill la Kill takes all of the anime’s tired tropes and clichés, amps them up to eleven, and then inverts them to create something exciting and new. While Ryuuko’s revenge story is a little predictable, it is the execution of the plot points that sets it apart from the competition. Everything, from the school setting to the characters and concepts to the absolutely epic action that occurs, is exaggerated to the extreme.
12. Devilman: Crybaby (2018)
Without a living host, devils are unable to take shape. However, if a person’s willpower is strong enough, they can overcome the demon and claim its power, transforming into a Devilman.
Akira Fudou, despite his quiet demeanor, has always had a bleeding heart. When Akira’s childhood friend Ryou Asuka requests his assistance in locating devils, Akira gladly accepts. However, Akira is surprised to learn that the location they visit is Sabbath, an immoral party of debauchery and degeneracy.
Demons possess the partygoers, turning them into grotesque monsters and wreak havoc in the midst of bloodshed and death. Unknowingly merging with the devil Amon, Akira becomes a Devilman, gaining the power to defeat the remaining demons in a desperate attempt to save his best friend.
This new partnership awakens an insatiable and primal part of Akira, despite the fact that it gives him great power. Akira works alongside Ryou, destroying those who harm humanity and his loved ones, despite having the body of a devil and the same crybaby heart.
The story in Crybaby is excellent; the pacing is consistent throughout the story, there are no unnecessary pauses, and it manages to push through to the end and conclude in a satisfying manner, which is something that many shows fail to do.
The characters are easily the best part of Devilman Crybaby; each and everyone is so well-crafted; everything is deliberate, consistent, and engaging.
Akira is one of the best characters; he doesn’t fit into any one category; he’s a one-of-a-kind character with incredible relationships with the other characters. This series is a lot of fun.
Crybaby is a self-indulgent ecstasy in the smut and violence of the original, ramping it up even higher. It’s reminiscent of the crudest of 90’s OVA, halfway between a brutal gore-flick and pornography.
13. Death Note (2006-2007)
As a god of death, a shinigami can kill anyone if they see their victim’s face and write their name in a notebook known as a Death Note. Ryuk, bored with the shinigami way of life and curious about how a human would use a Death Note, drops one into the human realm one day.
Light Yagami, a gifted high school student, comes across the Death Note and because he despises the state of the world, puts it to the test by writing a criminal’s name in it. When the criminal dies soon after his experiment with the Death Note, Light is taken aback and realizes just how dangerous the power that has fallen into his hands can be.
With this divine power, Light decides to wipe out all criminals in order to create a new world free of crime, where people worship him as a god. The police, however, quickly learn that a serial killer is stalking criminals and attempt to apprehend the perpetrator. To do so, the Japanese investigators enlist the help of the world’s best detective: a young and eccentric man known only by the initial L.
Without a doubt, Death Note is one of the best anime series of all time, with a deeply unique and compelling story that only a few anime series can match.
L constantly intrudes and foils Light’s plans as he attempts to rid the world of evil. The entire anime revolves around them outsmarting each other. The ends justify the means for Light. Light will go to any length to win, including manipulating people and using them until they’re dead.
While L, on the other hand, will do whatever it takes to prevent Light from killing any more people in a humane and rational manner. Their rivalry is fantastic, but their relationship is challenging at best.
14. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)
The Law of Equivalent Exchange binds alchemy, which the young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric only realize after attempting human transmutation, alchemy’s one forbidden act. Edward loses his left leg, and Alphonse loses his physical body as a result of their transgression. Edward is only able to affix Alphonse’s soul to a suit of armor after a desperate sacrifice of his right arm.
Devastated and alone, Edward is inspired to obtain metal limbs known as “automail” and become a state alchemist known as the Fullmetal Alchemist in the hopes that they will both be able to return to their original bodies.
After three years of searching, the brothers are on the lookout for the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary relic that allows an alchemist to defy the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Despite the fact that they have military allies Colonel Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, and Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes on their side, the brothers become embroiled in a nationwide conspiracy that leads them not only to the true nature of the elusive Philosopher’s Stone but also to the country’s murky history.
Between tracking down a serial killer and racing against time, Edward and Alphonse must decide whether what they’re doing will restore their humanity or rob them of it. One of the many positive aspects of this series is that there are no filler episodes at all, which keeps the story moving forward. All of the episodes are crisp, and each scene is crucial to the overall plot.
The original Fullmetal Alchemist focused primarily on Ed and Al and their struggles to reclaim their bodies, whereas Brotherhood also delves into the lives of other characters in great depth. The focus remains primarily on the two brothers, but it also includes scenes with new characters who were not present in the original anime.
