Finest Anime Films on Netflix Now (August 2023)

Run Time: 1 hr 44 min | Style: Fantasy Romance | Director: Jun’ichi Satô, Tomotaka Shibayama

Solid: Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Hiroaki Ogi

A narrative of affection and cats, the anime A Whisker Away is a pure cinematic deal with from starting to finish that can go away you smiling from ear to ear and purring in contentment. The unique Japanese title interprets to Desirous to Cry, I Fake to Be a Cat, a poetic encapsulation of the playful spirit of this fantasy journey which will go away you wishing you, too, might turn out to be a part of the feline world. Overflowing with whimsy, it facilities on younger Miyo Sasaki, who tries to get the eye of a classmate by turning right into a cat. Nevertheless, this finally ends up turning into much less about younger love and extra about her personal private exploration of how she desires to reside her life. As Miyo tries to flee the unhappy emotions of her life by this transformation, the animation ensures that there’s pleasure and sweetness to be discovered there as properly. All of it turns into a novel expertise that speaks to the pains of rising up with how all of us should attempt to discover a technique to work by the inevitable challenges of life — even when it means turning right into a cat from time to time. – Chase Hutchinson

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Style: Motion, Journey | Director: Ayataka Tanemura

Solid: Gakuto Kajiwara, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Junichi Suwabe

Like most films for long-running anime, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King is canon-adjacent, utilizing elements from the manga to inform a standalone story, so for those who’re a long-time fan, the film takes place earlier than Asta and the Black Bulls head off to the Coronary heart Kingdom. For newcomers, the film is predicated on the favored Shounen collection Black Clover, which follows a magicless but formidable younger boy named Asta, who desires to be the Wizard King. On this journey, he faces off in opposition to a traitor to the Clover Kingdom who seeks to wipe out the inhabitants and substitute them with revived wizards of the previous to create his personal magic eugenics utopia. Evidently, Asta and buddies are gonna need to kick this man’s butt! – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 4 min | Style: Motion | Director: Akira Saitou

On the lookout for a bite-sized watch? We’ve obtained simply the factor. Sol Levante is an anime brief by director Akira Saitou in collaboration with Netflix. It’s a visible spectacle with plenty of fast-paced motion and no dialogue, which permits the viewer to simply sit again and benefit from the kaleidoscope of colours and kinetic art work. After watching the breezy four-minute flick, we encourage you to take a look at the featurettes as properly to actually perceive the thought behind the brief, which is much less a few tiny snippet of a large-scale story and extra so an exhibition of the capabilities of making animation in a totally digital atmosphere. The primary watch leaves the viewers wanting extra, however after you perceive the artist’s intent, it really feels just like the vanguard of one thing a lot greater to come back within the animation area.

Run Time: 1 hr 43 min | Director: Makoto Hanafusa, Ryuichi Yagi, Takashi Yamazaki

Solid: Takeru Satoh, Kasumi Arimura, Haru

Based mostly on the beloved Dragon Quest video games, adapting the storyline from the fifth installment, Dragon Quest: Your Story is a captivating story directed by Makoto Hanafusa, Ryuichi Yagi, and Takashi Yamazaki. The animation model of Dragon Quest: Your Story appears like a novel mix of computer-generated anime with a touch of Tips on how to Practice Your Dragon meets The Incredibles. With the unique Japanese iteration controversially that includes live-action actors to voice the characters, Dragon Quest: Your Story stars Takeru Satoh, Kasumi Arimura, and Haru, dubbed into English well-known voice artists, Yuri Lowenthal, Stephanie Sheh, and Xanthe Huynh. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 14 min | Director: Takeru Nakajima, Yoshiyuki Okada, Shouta Kitamoto

Solid: Ray Chase, Doug Stone, Kaiji Tang, Chris Conner, Brittany Cox

Set a pair hundred years earlier than the short-lived Altered Carbon collection, Altered Carbon: Resleeved is an animated spin-off movie with improbable animation and hovering motion. Increasing the universe in pleasing, albeit anticipated, methods, Altered Carbon: Resleeved stars Ray Chase, Doug Stone, Kaiji Tang, Chris Conner, and Brittany Cox. Going down on the planet of Latimer, Altered Carbon: Resleeved follows Takeshi Kovacs (Chase) on his investigation into the demise of a yakuza boss whereas trying to guard a tattoo artist named Holly (Cox). Administrators Takeru Nakajima, Yoshiyuki Okada, and Shouta Kitamoto sort out the techno-orientalist backdrop with superbly choreographed combat sequences, weaving the whole lot collectively. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 59 min | Style: Fantasy Journey | Director: Hiroyasu Ishida

Solid: Mutsumi Tamura, Ayumu Murase, Yumiko Kobayashi, Asami Seto

Directed by Hiroyasu Ishida, who co-wrote the refreshing movie with Hayashi Mori, Drifting House is a narrative a few group of neighborhood kids who discover themselves and their whole residence complicated drifting throughout a mysterious sea. Alongside their journey, they uncover sudden secrets and techniques. Drifting House is a superbly animated movie that gingerly addresses themes of grief, household, and new beginnings. With a splendidly charming forged, together with the voices of Mutsumi Tamura, Ayumu Murase, Yumiko Kobayashi, and Asami Seto, and thru deliberate storytelling, Drifting House is a heartwarming journey film for audiences of all ages. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 40 min | Style: Motion Journey | Director: Tetsurô Araki

Solid: Jun Shison, riria., Mamoru Miyano

From director Tetsurô Araki (Assault on Titan) comes Bubble, an enchanting anime movie that takes place after Tokyo is attacked by bubbles, leaving town destroyed and remoted from the remainder of the world. Produced by an all-star group within the anime sphere, together with writers Gen Urobuchi, Renji Ooki, and Naoko Satou, Bubble permits skilled filmmakers to convey their visions to life. With gravity as damaged as town, Tokyo turns into a parkour battlefield. When a few younger individuals unexpectedly meet throughout a reckless soar, it appears their encounter is likely to be extra fortuitous than they thought. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 19 min | Style: Motion Fantasy | Director: Takayuki Hamana

Solid: Yūki Kaji, Sora Amamiya, Misaki Kuno, Aoi Yūki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Jun Fukuyama, Yūhei Takagi, Maaya Sakamoto, Tomokazu Sugita

A sequel to The Seven Lethal Sins the Film: Prisoners of the Sky, Seven Lethal Sins: Cursed By Gentle picks up six months after the Seven Lethal Sins have disbanded after defeating the Demon King and Cath Palug and shedding their pricey buddy Escanor. This movie sees Meliodas and his mates pressured to leap again into motion once more when a robust new magical alliance threatens to disrupt the newfound peace and put everybody in grave hazard. Followers of the present are certain to take pleasure in this fearless, jam-packed installment crammed with journey and aptitude. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 2 hr 20 min | Style: Drama Fantasy | Director: Taichi Ishidate

Solid: Yui Ishikawa, Daisuke Namikawa

Emotional and honest, Violet Evergarden: The Film is a surprising movie that tackles the theme of overcoming trauma. As a baby, Violet was made to be a soldier, and through battle, she misplaced each her arms and her beloved mentor, Gilbert. To beat her painful previous, she grew to become a Doll: somebody who ghostwrites letters to assist individuals specific their emotions. After encountering a terminally ailing boy named Yurith, Violet is pressured to confront painful recollections in addition to her love for the person she misplaced. The animation and story are equally gorgeous, however beware: you’re going to wish to seize some tissues earlier than tuning into this stunning story. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Style: Journey Drama | Director: Takana Shirai

Solid: Aju Makita, Maaya Sakamoto, Miyu Irino, Riko Nagase, Ko Shibasaki, Minako Kotobuki, Akira Kamiya, Chafurin, Wataru Takagi

Baby of Kamiari Month effortlessly combines enjoyable, lighthearted moments with critical matters like grief. The movie facilities round an elementary college lady named Kanna, who has a ardour for operating, which she inherited from her mom. Nevertheless, after her mom passes away, Kanna struggles to manage and loses her love for it. However when Kanna is distributed on an sudden journey, joined by a rabbit named Shiro and a demon named Yasha, she could refind her enjoyment for the game – and refind herself within the course of. With a touching plot and beautiful animation, Baby of Kamiari Month is a must-see. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 46 min | Style: Motion Journey | Director: Yoshiyuki Momose

Solid: Kento Yamazaki, Mackenyu Arata, Mei Nagano, Maaya Sakamoto, Mamoru Miyano, Yuki Kaji, Kenjiro Tsuda

Based mostly on the online game collection of the identical identify, NiNoKuni is a fantasy movie a few trio of youngsters who get swept up right into a magical kingdom referred to as Evermore. As they soar forwards and backwards between worlds, they uncover how actions in a single have an effect on the opposite. Ultimately, as with every nice magical film, there’s an epic battle between good and evil they need to combat in. NiNoKuni appears like a mix of classics, like Spirited Away meets The Wizard of Oz. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a stable journey flick that may transport you to a faraway land, look no additional. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 56 min | Style: Motion Journey | Director: Zhao Ji

Solid: Yang Tianxiang, Zhang He, Xuan Xiaoming, Li Shimeng, Zhu Ke’er, King Zhenhe,

New Gods: Nezha Reborn takes a traditional character from a well-liked Ming dynasty-era novel and offers it a steampunk twist. The movie tells the story of Li Yunxiang, a motorcyclist who learns that he’s really the good deity Nezha reborn. Nevertheless, earlier than he can totally course of this and are available into his powers, previous enemies begin cropping up, placing him in peril. New Gods: Nezha Reborn does a superb job mixing realism with extra surrealist elements, providing an attention-grabbing and recent strategy to conventional mythology. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 46 min | Style: Motion Drama | Director: Hiroyuki Seshita

Solid: Takahiro Sakurai, Kana Hanazawa, Sora Amamiya, Mamoru Miyano, Aya Suzaki, Nobunaga Shimazaki

If you happen to’re frightened of know-how rising increasingly highly effective, Blame! won’t be the most effective look ahead to you. (Or, for those who’re on the lookout for a terrifying horror film, perhaps the proper one.) The movie takes place within the distant future, the place people are thought of unlawful residents and hunted by robots. Sooner or later, nonetheless, a bunch of survivors comes throughout Killy: an artificial human who could possibly be the important thing to survival. Sci-fi followers who’re craving a very good atmospheric drama are certain to seek out heaps to like on this movie. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 23 min | Style: Motion Journey | Director: Kwang Il Han

Solid: Theo James, Lara Pulver, Mary McDonnell, Graham McTavish

A prelude to the primary story of The Witcher franchise, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is a surprising action-packed peak right into a younger Vesemir’s (Theo James) life and a glance into the world previous to Geralt’s adventures. Tasked with searching down Kitsu (Kari Wahlgren), a lacking elf turned evil mage, Vesemir and the witch, Tetra (Lara Pulver), slowly start to uncover a extra sinister plot brewing within the shadows of the land. Fluid animation and superbly rendered backgrounds create an immersive world that each followers of the franchise and newcomers will take pleasure in, and the noteworthy voice appearing solely provides to the expertise. Be ready for chilling monster designs and many carnage, in addition to a pleasantly stunning quantity of that darkish humor that Netflix Anime has come to be identified for. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf excels at defying expectations, revealing an exhilarating story crammed with love, loss, and lies. – Olivia Fitzpatrick

Run Time: 2 hr 9 min | Style: Drama | Director: Naoko Yamada

Solid: Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yûki

A ravishing journey into the customarily damaged and dangerous expertise of rising up, A Silent Voice: The Film takes the story from the beloved manga to the large display screen to exceptional impact. All of it facilities on a bunch of scholars and the lengthy, painful course of of constructing amends for previous harms on a rocky path to redemption. Particularly, it’s all about how one younger boy bullied one other lady who’s deaf to the purpose the place she left the college. There is no such thing as a simple technique to make up for such horrible issues, and the movie doesn’t draw back from this, pushing characters to actually grapple with the hurt they’ve brought on. It does so with each vibrant and good animation that masks a extra profound unhappiness that solely will get extra overwhelming at each flip. Spanning a number of years because the characters develop into early maturity, it’s a movie that tackles usually heavy subject material with a way of grace and pleasure that greater than earns its bittersweet ending. – Chase Hutchinson

Run Time: 1 hr 15 min | Style: Drama Romance | Director: Haoling Li, Yoshitaka Takeuch, Xiaoxing Yi

Solid: Taito Ban, Mariya Ise, Takeo Otsuka, Ikumi Hasegawa, Minako Kotobuki, Haruka Shiraishi, Hiroki Yasumoto

A movie made up of three distinct and beautiful vignettes that come collectively into one thing magnificent, Flavors of Youth captures a chic sense of tragedy combined with triumph. Following three completely different tales of rising up in three completely different cities in China, the movie is centered round love and loss as they play out throughout the lives of disconnected strangers who all are on the similar airport. Additionally they are sometimes linked to meals, not simply as one thing to eat however as a sensory connection to reminiscence that sticks with us lengthy into maturity. There may be simply a lot to latch onto with every particular person story, as they’re all lovingly crafted. From the detailed animation to the robust writing, they’re all completely different whilst all of them function in dialog with lots of the themes of the opposite tales. Although you could really feel unhappy that they’re usually fleeting experiences, that is the purpose, as you quickly get swept up within the subsequent story with the understanding that it too received’t final eternally. The one draw back? It should doubtless make you extremely hungry for one of many many scrumptious meals you see delivered to life. – Chase Hutchinson

Run Time: 1 hr 38 min | Style: Journey Drama | Director: Mamoru Hosoda

Solid: Rebecca Corridor, Daniel Dae Kim, John Cho, Victoria Grace, Haru Kuroki

Mirai is the most recent family-friendly movie from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (Wolf Kids). The story of Mirai follows four-year-old Kun as he makes an attempt to cope with the arrival of a brand new member of the household, his child sister Mirai. When Kun finds himself unable to deal with the lack of his mother and father’ consideration and the altering dynamics inside the family, he seeks solace in a magical, indoor backyard that enables him to journey by time and work together with some stunning characters. Mirai is properly value a watch, as evidenced by the anime movie incomes an Oscar nomination for the Finest Animated Function Movie. – Dave Trumbore

Run Time: 1 hr 28 min | Style: Motion Journey | Director: Kōbun Shizuno

Solid: Mamoru Miyano, Takahiro Sakurai, Tomokazu Sugita / Chris Niosi, Lucien Dodge, Edward Brosco

After greater than 60 years and over 30 movies, Planet of the Monsters is the primary animated movie within the Godzilla franchise and the primary movie in a trilogy a few future the place people are trying to recolonize Earth 20,000 years after the planet was taken over by Godzilla.

Although the CGI animation might take a while getting used to, there are some stunning photographs and gorgeous motion scenes that may even go up in opposition to the big-budget live-action King of the Monsters. This trilogy can be true to the unique films within the franchise in that it’s extra of a drama with monsters in them than full-out motion on a regular basis. Planet of the Monsters and its sequels additionally ask some attention-grabbing questions on philosophy and faith through two alien species in battle whereas giving us a real sci-fi epic a few big monster with an unimaginable soundtrack.

Run Time: 1 hr 27 min | Style: Motion Drama | Director: Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki

Solid: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Yūko Miyamura, Kotono Mitsuishi / Casey Mongillo, Ryan Bartley, Stephanie McKeon, Carrie Keranen

To start with, don’t, beneath any circumstances, try to observe The Finish of Evangelion with out having seen Neon Genesis Evangelion. That is essentially the most complicated, difficult film on this record, however watching it should really feel like a life-changing expertise.

After an ambiguous ending that some followers thought of to be unsatisfying and inconclusive, demise threats have been despatched to creator Hideaki Anno. Prompted by the manufacturing firm’s needs to create a movie ending to the collection, Anno labored on Finish of Evangelion, a direct response to the backlash that actually incorporates the demise threats into the film for a cut up second. Going down over the last two episodes of the present, the film gives an alternate cause for Shinji’s breakdown and in addition reveals the Evangelions’ group NERV come beneath assault by shadowy company SEELE and the Japanese authorities, who’re attempting to convey in regards to the world-ending Third Impression.

It’s a fascinatingly private have a look at Anno’s personal mentality as he brings the viewers in on his mind-set, whereas additionally pointing the digicam again on the viewers and condemning them for demanding one thing aside from what the writer meant. It’s a masterwork of filmmaking, mixing animation with live-action scenes in what’s most likely essentially the most direct response to fan entitlement and toxicity in anime historical past.