When it comes to the topic of “masterpiece” anime, the answer to what anime fits into this category truly depends on who is asked. For example, fans of the shonen anime genre might say that action-packed anime such as Demon Slayer or Attack on Titan are worthy of the masterpiece title. Meanwhile, fans of the romance genre often consider Fruits Basket or Clannad to be the best anime they have ever seen.

On Netflix, a good number of different anime are constantly being added for fans of various genres. Some of these anime are brand-new and even exclusive to the platform, while others are classics that Netflix users are now able to watch again. No matter when some of these anime first debuted, several anime on Netflix are considered life-changing masterpieces.

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From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Has a Sugary Sweet Atmosphere

Stream From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke on Netflix

For teenager Sawako Kuronuma, making friends does not come naturally to her. Because of her shy personality and long hair, several of her more superstitious classmates believe she looks just like the character Sadako from The Ring. Due to this, Sawako is nicknamed “Sadako” by her peers and rumors swirl around her, claiming she is haunted herself and can thus cast curses on other people. Naturally, these rumors are all false; Sawako is extremely kindhearted and gentle and would never dream of hurting a fly.

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Thankfully, Sawako’s kindness is noticed by her classmate Shota Kazehaya, a compassionate boy who is popular among the other students for his easygoing nature. While Sawako forges a new friendship (and later romance) with Shota, she also befriends several other students in her class over time, including Chizuru Yoshida and Ayane Yano, who care for Sawako as much as she cares for them. Kimi ni Todoke has a simple premise, yet the narrative’s charm and down-to-earth nature make it an adorably sweet series that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Is a Prequel Anime Before the Events of Cyberpunk 2077

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In the bustling metropolis known as Night City, six districts make up the area. These districts are also run by different megacorporations, the most prominent being Arasaka and Miltech. Arasaka also has its own academy, a school that teenager David Martinez is enrolled in. However, after a horrible tragedy, David’s path in life forever changes, and he is left with no other choice than to become a black-market mercenary known as an “edgerunner.”

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners serves as a prequel to Cyberpunk 2077, taking place a year before the events of the video game. Like the game, the anime prequel is intended for mature audiences, especially as it deals with several difficult topics. In the metropolis, corruption and crime are taking over the city, and more and more citizens are enhancing their bodies with cybernetic implants. The fate of David and his allies is one that will surely be action-packed as they fight to survive, especially since it is a high-tech story that very few watchers will be able to forget.

8

Sailor Moon Must Battle Against Sailor Galaxia in Sailor Moon Cosmos

Stream Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos The Movie on Netflix

Teenager Usagi Tsukino once had a normal life, until one fateful day she encountered a mysterious black cat in need of rescuing. As it turns out, this cat was looking for her and wished to tell Usagi of her past life as the long-lost princess of the Silver Millennium. Now known as Sailor Moon, Usagi and the other Sailor Guardians must work together in order to save not just their planet, but the entire galaxy. Along the way, Sailor Moon often encounters a mysterious individual who calls himself Tuxedo Mask, who she soon finds herself falling in love with.

In Sailor Moon Cosmos, after many intense battles, Usagi is horrified when her boyfriend, Mamoru Chiba, suddenly vanishes in front of her eyes. This is revealed to be the work of Sailor Galaxia, another Sailor Guardian who vows to conquer the entire galaxy. Sailor Moon and her allies fight tirelessly against this new threat, but when Usagi finds herself without her allies, she must join forces with the Sailor Starlights if she hopes to save her loved ones. Sailor Moon Cosmos is an unforgettable finale to Usagi Tsukino’s narrative, and a beautiful tour de force in animation.

Sailor Moon Cosmos

Release Date

June 9, 2023

Runtime

2 hours 40 minutes

Cast

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7

Violet Evergarden Explores What It Means to Be Human

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For many years, the land of Telesis was struck by the Great War, and on the battlefield was Violet Evergarden, a girl raised to be the ultimate soldier, capable of defeating any opponent. As the war comes to an end, Violet is severely injured and given a pair of prosthetic hands after losing hers in a skirmish. She now begins a new life away from the battlefield and is hired to be a special type of ghostwriter called an “Auto Memory Doll.” These writers are tasked with putting people’s thoughts and deepest emotions into words, carefully made for the letters of their clients.

Violet, as she had only known a life of violence before, must learn how to fit into her suddenly much calmer life. In the meantime, the former soldier has her own personal journey of self-discovery to embark on, fueled by her desire to understand the concept of love. In her final skirmish, a person she cared deeply about told her that he loved her, and Violet wishes to learn what he meant by this. A journey that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, the story of Violet Evergarden is one that fans today still remember well.

6

Death Note Is Perfect for Fans of Psychological Thriller Anime

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For the brilliant Light Yagami, life begins to get much more interesting once a mysterious notebook called the “Death Note” appears in his world. In the realm of the shinigami, or death gods, Ryuk himself grows bitter as he watches the human world become more and more corrupted. Thus, he has dropped the Death Note into the realm of the living on purpose and watches with interest when Light picks it up and writes the name of a felon in the book. After the criminal dies, Light decides to rid the world of wicked individuals, while the genius detective known as L vows to uncover who is behind these mysterious deaths.

Although Light once used his powers to try and help people, this proves to be far from the case later on. The sheer strength of the Death Note, as the anime proves, is not meant to be used by humanity. Even a person like Light, who is seen as “good” in the beginning and tries to be heroic, later becomes corrupted by the same power he used to fight crime and becomes an evildoer himself. Death Note, at its core, is a dark mystery anime that will leave its audience guessing about what will happen next.

Death Note

Release Date

October 4, 2006

Cast

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5

Avatar: The Last Airbender Is Perfect for Anime Fans of All Ages

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Although Avatar: The Last Airbender is geared toward a young audience, the care put into the story’s overall development and narrative makes it a masterpiece in storytelling and worldbuilding, as well as a treat for viewers of any age. In the land of the Four Nations, each representing one of the four elements, some people are born with the ability to harness one of these elements. For example, if someone is able to control the element of fire, they are known as a firebender. Legends speak of a special individual known as the Avatar, the one capable of controlling all four elements.

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Aang, the current Avatar, wakes up after being frozen a century prior and is shocked to discover he is the last airbender alive. The current leader of the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Ozai, has ordered his troops to attack the other three nations, resulting in an era of great strife. Aang now must learn to control the other three elements if he hopes to confront the Fire Lord and save the four nations from destruction, alongside his new friends, the waterbender Katara and her brother Sokka. Along the way, Aang encounters several other people who can control the elements, including the powerful earthbender Toph and Zuko, the firebender prince of the Fire Nation, who vows to capture the Avatar in hopes of making his father proud.

4

Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain Welcomes Back a Beloved Protagonist

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Asa and Kame are two women who both wish to advance for their own personal reasons in the Ōoku, the Inner Chambers of the palace of Lord Tenshi. As the two women strike up a friendship, they learn more about what goes on in the Inner Chambers, including the schemes and rivalries between the women already there. Because of the negative emotions swirling around, the Inner Chambers are a perfect target for mononoke to strike, lured by the animosity. However, it would seem that while many individuals are unaware of the dark forces occurring, a certain person has sensed the mononoke’s presence.

In a brand-new style, the Medicine Seller, the protagonist of the classic anime Mononoke, returns in the first of a series of modern films. As usual, the Medicine Seller must plan accordingly if he wishes to defeat the mononoke at hand. In order to properly fight the spirit, the Medicine Seller needs to know its shape, its personal truth, and the reasoning for its appearance and schemes. However, this spirit is feeding off energy that has built up for generations, and may prove to be the Medicine Seller’s greatest battle yet.

3

Pluto Retells Astro Boy’s Most Famous Arc

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In 1964, Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy manga (also known as Mighty Atom) began its chapter, titled “The Greatest Robot on Earth.” As per usual, the story followed Atom, a robot child with extraordinary powers and a tragic past, originally built to look and act just like the deceased son of his creator, Dr. Umataro Tenma. After Atom was sold by the doctor, he was rescued by Professor Hiroshi Ochanomizu, who often acts as a father figure for the young hero. Though Atom had fought many battles before, he was still shocked during his encounters with Pluto, a robot tasked with defeating and destroying every other powerful robot in the world.

Pluto, an anime based on the manga of the same name by Naoki Urasawa, recounts the legendary chapter in a much more frank and often grim light. Alongside Atom himself, the renowned robot detective Gesicht acts as the audience’s viewpoint for several parts of the anime as he investigates a series of murders that appear to not only be connected to one another, but are by the hands of a robot. This is especially surprising, as robots are created to help people in this world; a murder done by a robot has not been heard of in years. Pluto is not just focused on action-packed robot fights, but also delves into the psychology of human nature and the robots in the world that also simply try to live.

Pluto

Release Date

2023 – 2022

Directors

Toshio Kawaguchi

Writers

Tatsuro Inamoto, Heisuke Yamashita

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2

Neon Genesis Evangelion Is a Mecha Anime Unlike Anything Else

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Neon Genesis Evangelion begins with a premise that mirrors several other anime of the mecha genre. Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy trying to find his place in the world, is tasked with piloting a special mecha known as an Evangelion by none other than his estranged father, Gendo. In Shinji’s world, a powerful species of aliens known as “Angels” are becoming a much more common sight, and it is up to Shinji and the other pilots to fight against them. While learning how to pilot an Eva, Shinji also learns more about his fellow pilots, as well as their own goals.

Though the premise itself appears to be a lot like other mecha anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion later proves it is one of a kind. The anime works with several elements from Christianity and Judaism, as well as theories from neurologist Sigmund Freud. Neon Genesis Evangelion is certainly a mecha anime, yet it is also a psychological narrative at its very core, exploring the world and the human psyche through the eyes of its cast. Many fans deem it to be one of the greatest anime in history, thanks to its unique storytelling and philosophical elements.

Stream Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Netflix

In a world where alchemy not only exists, but is a part of everyday life, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric vow to use it to bring back their deceased mother, Trisha Elric. Unfortunately, their attempt to do so fails, and in the process, Ed loses a leg while Al’s entire body appears to disintegrate. In exchange for his younger brother’s soul, Ed sacrifices his arm and uses alchemy to bind Al’s soul to a suit of armor. Once Ed recovers and is given steel prosthetics called “automail,” the brothers set out to find a way to get their original bodies back.

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Their journey leads Ed to become a member of their country’s corrupt military, desperate for any chance to save his brother. Now a State Alchemist known as the Fullmetal Alchemist, Ed and Al travel wherever they can to find a lead on the Philosopher’s Stone, an artifcact capable of reversing the damage done to them. In the meantime, the Homunculi, a group of individuals created by alchemy, act on their own plans in the shadows, places that might be closer to them than either of the brothers or their allies realize. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood not only tells the story of two brothers and their loyalty toward one another, as well as their intertwined fates with those around them, but what it means to be human. It is a narrative that few will be able to forget, and one that many anime fans continue to adore today.