If you are an anime fan and have a Netflix subscription, you don’t need to look any further. Netflix offers an excellent collection of anime TV series as well as movies. And today, we will be focusing on the latter. Ranging from the recently released action film Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King to some of the best One Piece movies like Strong World and Gold, there is something for everyone on Netflix. It is even home to the enchanting tales of Ghibli Studios and Makoto Shinkai. So, let’s not waste time and check out some of the best anime movies on Netflix.
Note: The availability of these movies may vary from region to region. It’s difficult to check the availability for every region, so do check if it’s available for you once you’ve selected the movie you want to watch.
15. Maboroshi (2023)
- Japanese Title: Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou
- Creator: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
- Studios: MAPPA
- Genre: Animation, Drama
- Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 6.4/7.3
Maboroshi is the latest work of the JJK and AOT fame MAPPA Studios. It came out last year and immediately caught everyone’s attention with its unique plotline. The story goes like this: A factory explosion takes place that unexplainably stops the world clock. Froze in time, the residents yearn to go back to normalcy all the while when two students meet an enigmatic child which further disturbs the delicate equilibrium of the world.
This movie is from the director of Toradora!, Fate/Stay Night, etc., and if you have watched those anime, you already know how good this anime movie is going to be. If not, it has great animation (thanks to MAPPA) and amazing music work to keep the movie intriguing. Although the plot gets fiddly, the characters and their emotions have been handled well to make it a worthy watch.
14. My Hero Academia Movies (2018, 2019, 2021)
- Japanese Title: Boku no Hero Academia the Movie 1: Futari no Hero, Boku no Hero Academia the Movie 2: Heroes: Rising & Boku no Hero Academia the Movie 3: World Heroes’ Mission
- Author: Kohei Horikoshi
- Studios: Bones
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Action
- Duration: 1 hour 36 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 7.3/7.6, 7.8/8.0 & 7.1/7.6
My Hero Academia is a fan-favorite Shonen anime known for its action and intriguing storyline. This applies to all three MHA movies, namely My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021).
These are non-canon movies, however, one can enjoy them truly and get to see the fun and action side of our favorite characters in MHA. Some of the action scenes in these movies are truly insane and one shouldn’t miss out.
Check out My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021)
13. One Piece Movies (2014)
- Japanese Title: One Piece Film: Red, One Piece: Stampede, One Piece Film: Strong World, One Piece Film: Gold
- Author: Eiichiro Oda
- Studios: Toei Animation
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Action
- Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes, 1 hour 41 minutes, 1 hour 55 minutes, 2 hours
- IMDB/MAL: 6.7/7.83, 7.5/8.21, 7.5/8.07, 7.1/7.89
The world of One Piece is expanded further with some excellent canon and non-canon movies that are an absolute delight to watch. Netflix has recently invested in One Piece (stocks) after their live-action’s humongous success. As a result, some of the best One Piece movies have been added to the anime movies library of Netflix.
The One Piece movies that are available on Netflix as of now are One Piece Film: Red, One Piece: Stampede, One Piece Film: Strong World, and One Piece Film: Gold.
You must have seen the anime or read the manga beforehand to enjoy these films. Therefore, if you haven’t you can go through our definitive guide to start watching One Piece. There are also specific episodes you need to watch before you binge these movies, and you can find information on those in our One Piece movies order guide. That said, you can continue enjoying the boisterous adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates with these movies.
Check out One Piece Film: Red, One Piece: Stampede, One Piece Film: Strong World, and One Piece Film: Gold.
12. The Wind Rises (2013)
- Japanese Title: Kaze Tachinu
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Biography, Drama
- Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 7.7/8.1
This time Ghibli decided to adapt a biography as a movie. And well, this turned out to be one of the most controversial Ghibli movies to date. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s yet another good movie out there. It’s about the exploration of Jiro Horikoshi’s biography, who created the Japanese fighter planes (A6M World War II fighter planes) used during WW II.
Don’t worry; it will feature only serious dramas as there is a sprinkle of romance. If you are a fan of dubs, you are going to have a great time with this movie as John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and many more Hollywood stars have voiced this one.
Check out The Wind Rises
11. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
- Japanese Title: Majo no Takkyuubin
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
- Duration: 1 hour 42 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 7.8/8.2
Kiki’s delivery is one of the most popular Ghibli movies ever. It is about a young girl named Kiki, a witch, who relocates to a coastal town with her cat Jiji. She established a flying delivery business in this town and enjoys her time spending a year alone due to her village’s custom tradition.
As soon as she starts doubting herself over time, she starts to lose her magical powers. Now she has to somehow find a way to regain her powers by fighting against her insecurities.
So as you can see from the plot, its numerous themes resonate with children. It is considered to be one of the best children’s movies of all time. It’s yet another moving journey that will be worth your time.
Check out Kiki’s Delivery Service
10. Violet Evergarden Movies (2019 & 2020)
- Japanese Title: Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou & Gekijouban Violet Evergarden
- Author: Kana Akatsuki
- Studios: Kyoto Animation
- Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Drama
- Duration: 1 hour 31 minutes & 2 hours 20 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 7.4/8.4 & 8.3/8.9
One of the most exquisite anime you will ever watch is Violet Evergarden. Similar to the anime, its movies, namely Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll and Violet Evergarden: The Movie (2020) are amazing because they provide stunning and aesthetically beautiful visuals.
The anime tells a variety of diverse emotional tales but these movies focus on two different tales in the Evergarden universe. However, you can still relate to Violet on an emotional level even in these movies because of the excellent characterization.
A major goal of Violet’s trip is to comprehend herself and the world, as well as her emotions. This is a thought-provoking journey that will be an eye-opener for everyone. So I highly recommend you to check out the anime first and then the movies. Grab some tissues while you are at it.
Check out Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019) and Violet Evergarden: The Movie (2020)
9. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Japanese Title: Mimi wo Sumaseba
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Romance, Drama
- Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 7.8/8.2
Whisper of the Heart is a romance-fantasy drama from the renowned Studio Ghibli. I bet that this film will get you hooked just with its storyline. It is about the adventures of a young girl named Shizuku Tsukishima who is a bookworm. She finds that all the books she aims to pick and read are already borrowed by a boy. And thereby, she starts her journey to find the guy who could be her potential soul mate.
Whisper of the Heart was a blockbuster that resulted in it attaining the highest-grossing film of 1995 tag in Japan. It is such a beautiful romantic tale that deserves to be seen by every anime fan. Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t miss to satisfy us even once, doesn’t he?
Check out Whisper of the Heart
8. The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
- Japanese Title: Kaguya-hime no Monogatari
- Creator: Isao Takahata
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Family, Drama
- Duration: 2 hours 17 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.0/8.2
If you are looking for a historical film from Ghibli, then Tale of The Princess Kaguya should be on your watchlist. The story is as follows — One day a random bamboo cutter and his wife find a tiny human inside one of the stalks of bamboo. She is raised to be a fine lady but remains an enigmatic figure still.
Now, what is her future after this? Well, how she confronts her fate has been primarily discussed and portrayed in the movie. This film’s director has also worked on the most famous Ghibli work known as “Grave of the Fireflies,” and just like that, this is another gem from him.
Check out The Tale of Princess Kaguya
7. Castle in the Sky (1986)
- Japanese Title: Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
- Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.0/8.3
Hayao Miyazaki brings a treasure hunt-esque story with this Caste in the Sky movie. To find a fabled floating castle, a young boy and girl teams up with a mafic crystal at their hands to start their quest and get there by outrunning the pirates and others.
Now you can see how adventurous this movie gets and it doesn’t stop there. Its magnificent visuals combined with an amazing set of characters and a soulful soundtrack make this a memorable ride. Even though it came in the 80s, trust me, it is still one of the best Ghibli movies ever.
Check out Castle in the Sky
6. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- Japanese Title: Howl no Ugoku Shiro
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
- Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.2/8.7
Howl’s Moving Castle is another masterpiece from Miyazaki that is celebrated to this day. A witch curses a young woman to turn into a woman with an old body. And now, her last hope of breaking the curse is to rely on a young wizard who travels in his castle with legs.
The plot may seem funny at first, but I assure you that this movie gives a once-in-a-lifetime magical and surrealistic experience. This is an Oscar-nominated movie and has also won the Best Animation of the Year award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair festival. Howl’s Moving Castle is a timeless classic that will celebrated for years to come.
Check out Howl’s Moving Castle
5. Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Japanese Title: Mononoke Hime
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
- Duration: 2 hours 13 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.3/8.7
Princess Mononoke is an award-winning adventure movie, well, from Studio Ghibli yet again. It has become a fan favorite for many because of its extraordinary portrayal of characters and its splendid visuals.
The story follows Ashitaka who gets caught in a conflict between the mining colony and the forest gods while searching for a remedy for a curse. During this journey, he also meets Mononoke Hime which will change both of their lives forever. This anime has won numerous awards, with the most notable being the Best Picture award at the 21st Japan Academy Awards.
Check out Princess Mononoke
4. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Japanese Title: Tonari no Totoro
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
- Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.1/8.2
My Neighbor Totoro is an exemplary movie when it comes to comfort films. That’s why it continues to be one of the best Ghibli works to this date. It’s about how two young girls embark on adventures with the magical spirits residing in the forest nearby while they relocate to the countryside to remain closer to their dying mother.
Out of all the Ghibli movies I’ve watched, this is the one that remains close to my heart. It’s the most calming and sweetest movie that will make you smile throughout its runtime.
Check out My Neighbor Totoro
3. Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion (1997)
- Japanese Title: –
- Author: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
- Director: Hideaki Anno
- Studios: Gainax, Production I.G
- Genre: Animation, Action, Drama
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.1/8.6
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the greatest anime ever to release. But even for an anime of that stature, its ending was not well-received by fans. The complaints went so overboard that the creator Hideaki Anno started receiving death threats and abuse from fans.
As a result, the team decided to come up with a movie titled Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion, which shows us an alternate ending. As you can see, one should watch the anime first and try this movie later. Do not watch it first as it will ruin the whole experience for you.
Just like the anime, this film is considered to offer a profound and thought-provoking experience after watching Shinji’s life. With this movie, Anno was able to pull himself back after the backlash and deliver a successful reply to toxic fans. I recommend you start the Neon Genesis Evangelion series and witness the true masterpiece of a show and the movie.
Check out Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion
2. A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)
- Japanese Title: Koe no katachi
- Author: Yoshitoki Ōima
- Studios: Kyoto Animation
- Genre: Animation, Drama
- Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.1/8.9
One of the finest anime films to be ever made is A Silent Voice. Unlike any other anime, it sends you on a roller coaster to experience various emotions. So if you wonder, what’s the story of this soul-crushing movie? It depicts the lives of a boy who bullies Shouko Nishimiya, a classmate, and a deaf girl.
The central theme of the movie is bullying and its aftereffects. Shouko who has been bullied by this kid decides to leave the school. The bullying youngster, Shouya Ishida, then gets the silent treatment from his peers as a result of his behavior. Later in life, he realizes his errors and requests atonement. Will he ever get the redemption he seeks?
This movie is emotional and does a good job of portraying subjects such as sadness, bullying, guilt, anxiety, and more. I’d strongly recommend you stream this movie on Netflix. It features exquisite animation and a lovely soundtrack even though the majority of the movie is filled with sorrowful scenes, it has a fantastic finale that will make you feel better in the end.
Check out A Silent Voice: The Movie
1. Spirited Away (2001)
- Japanese Title: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
- Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studios: Studio Ghibli
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
- Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes
- IMDB/MAL: 8.6/8.8
Spirited Away is an Oscar-winning film by Studio Ghibli (from the master Hayao Miyazaki). It is also the highest-rated Ghibli movie of all time on IMDb and MAL. This movie chronicles a young girl named Chihiro’s trip through a strange land controlled by creatures straight out of fantasy such as spirits, witches, and even gods.
Upon entering, she witnessed that humans here are transformed into monstrous creatures. Amidst all this chaos, she tries to rescue her parents and return to her original home.
Before the Demon Slayer movie, Spirit Away was the highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time from 2001 to 2020. As mentioned above, it won the “Best Animated Feature” award at the 75th Academy Awards and several other awards throughout the years, making it one of the most prestigious anime movies from Japan. It is a masterpiece anime movie that should be seen at any cost.
Check out Spirited Away
Aparna Ukil
