When people think of anime, they often think of television series when they should be thinking of movies. Featuring some of the best animation and Japan's most talented directors, anime films offer not just prettier, more epic stories for existing franchises, but fresh new ideas as well. Best of all, Netflix has plenty of anime films for fans from every age range and of every genre.
Netflix's anime film collection ranges from some of the best One Piece movies to classic Gundam films. People looking to take a break from their latest long-running anime could easily lose a weekend catching up on anime movies, old and new.
Updated by Louis Kemner on January 1st, 2024: This article about the best anime movies on Netflix has been updated to adhere to CBR's current publication standards more thoroughly.
18 Naruto Shippuden: The Movie - Bonds Pits Naruto Uzumaki Against Orochimaru and Sasuke
Naruto: Shippuden
Original title: Naruto: Shippûden.
Naruto Uzumaki, is a loud, hyperactive, adolescent ninja who constantly searches for approval and recognition, as well as to become Hokage, who is acknowledged as the leader and strongest of all ninja in the village.
- Release Date
- February 15, 2007
- Cast
- Alexandre Crepet , Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Kate Higgins , Chie Nakamura , Dave Wittenberg , Kazuhiko Inoue , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Debi Mae West
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 21
Naruto Shippuden's second movie sees the Hidden Leaf Village battling against ninja from the Land of the Sky, a village that was destroyed in a prior world war. Naruto and Team 7 are far from the action though, with the group instead sent on a mission to escort a doctor on a different mission. Whatever their expectations of the mission are though, they change completely when the job brings them into the crosshairs of Orochimaru and Sasuke.
Naruto Shippuden: The Movie - Bonds Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.28
- IMDb: 6.8
- AnimePlanet: 3.76/5
Bonds is exactly what most Naruto fans want from a movie. New ninjas are introduced to expand the lore, and they allow the supporting cast to have some great moments of their own already, making the film worth seeing. Lastly, no Naruto media is complete without another tense meeting between Naruto and his old friend Sasuke. The Bonds movie has it all, so Naruto fans who haven't should be sure to give it a watch.
17 One Piece Film Gold Is A Pirate-Style Casino Adventure
One Piece
Follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece".
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Cast
- Mayumi Tanaka , Akemi Okamura , Laurent Vernin , Tony Beck , Kazuya Nakai
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1
Perhaps more than any other franchise, One Piece movies always feel like a big event, and One Piece Film: Gold is no different. This time, the Straw Hat Pirates find themselves in trouble after a trip to the casino goes wrong. Before any of them realize it, a trip that was about making money turns into a rescue mission.
One Piece Film Gold Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.89
- IMDb: 7.1
- AnimePlanet: 4.13/5
One Piece Film: Gold is another example of how beautiful the One Piece universe looks when the animators are really given enough time, as it's a visually stunning movie from start to finish. Of course, experienced One Piece fans will get the most out of this movie, but anyone who enjoys heist films will enjoy it as well, whether they're new to One Piece or not.
16 Black Clover: Sword Of The Wizard King Stars The Villain Conrad Leto
Black Clover (2017)
Asta and Yuno were abandoned together at the same church and have been inseparable since. As children, they promised that they would compete against each other to see who would become the next Emperor Magus.
- Release Date
- October 3, 2017
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- Pierrot
It's been several years, but Black Clover has finally made its return with a theatrical movie. Though the film isn't canon, it brings back all the characters Black Clover fans love for an all-new adventure. In this new story, the Magic Knights are faced with a new challenge: defeating Conrad Leto, the former Wizard King, who has plans to destroy the entire Clover Kingdom.
Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.06
- IMDb: 7.4
- AnimePlanet: 4.08/5
Though Sword of the Wizard King isn't canon, fans will still have a blast watching it. Thanks to it being a theatrical release, the animation is prettier than anything Black Clover's ever had. Meanwhile, the plot is just intriguing enough to keep viewers' attention until they get to the film's incredible fight scenes, making this one of the best anime movies on Netflix for "swords and sorcery" fans.
15 Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners Of The Sky Shows Villainous Knights Trying To Awaken An Ancient Evil
Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners of the Sky brings the Seven Deadly Sins to the Sky Temple on a simple mission to locate a delicacy known as a Sky Fish. However, nothing is ever simple where the Sins are concerned, and the group is forced to confront a group of enemies known as the Six Knights of Black. The Six Knights of Black have one goal: awakening an ancient evil sealed away in the Sky Temple, the Indura.
Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners of the Sky Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.1
- IMDb: 7.0
- AnimePlanet: 3.90/5
The first of several Seven Deadly Sins movies, Prisoners of the Sky gives fans of the franchise another chance to enjoy their favorite characters coming together to fight against a powerful enemy. However, even newcomers will find this film easy to get into, and hopefully find their way to the actual franchise.
14 Naruto Shippuden The Movie: The Will of Fire Puts Kakashi Front and Center
10 Naruto Scenes That Always Hype Fans
Naruto is one of the most popular shonen anime of all time that delivers bold battles and climactic clashes, yet some scenes hit harder than others!When a handful of bloodline-trait ninja related to Konoha go missing, Team 7 is sent to investigate. However, what they find only leads them into bigger problems, as the ninja Hiruko reveals his plan to wage war on the entire ninja world. Though Tsunade makes up a plan to stop him, it's one that will come at a dangerous cost to Kakashi, something Naruto is not willing to accept.
Naruto Shippuden The Movie: The Will of Fire Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.33
- IMDb: 7.0
- AnimePlanet: 3.80/5
The Will of Fire places a bigger focus on Kakashi than usual, making the film worth watching for that alone. However, The Will of Fire is simply a great Naruto movie, breaking from some of the usual tropes the Naruto films embrace to tell a different kind of story.
13 Child Of Kamiari Month's Hero Tries To Reconnect With Her Divine Mother
Kanna is an elementary schooler who used to love running, just like her mother. However, after her mother passes, Kanna loses her passion, until she learns the truth about her mom. Her mom was actually a descendant of the gods, responsible for running around Japan during the annual Kamiari Festival. With her mother gone, Kanna is challenged to take on the job for herself, lest a dark fate befall the entire country.
Child of Kamiari Month Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 6.47
- IMDb: 5.9
- AnimePlanet: 3.30/5
Child of Kamiari Month offers viewers a wholesome fantasy story about a young child wanting to reconnect with their mom. People with an interest in Japanese mythology will have plenty of fun picking out all the references and possibly learning something new. Even without that focus though, this is a solid movie the entire family can enjoy.
12 Flavors Of Youth Shows City Life For Youths In China
Flavors of Youth is an anthology film telling three different stories about the loss of youth in China. Each story features a different cast, all united under one theme, set in different cities within China — Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
Flavors of Youth Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.12
- IMDb: 6.6
- AnimePlanet: 3.57/5
Viewers who like to experience cultures outside their own will find a lot to love with Flavors of Youth. Particularly, the animators at CoMix Wave Films do an excellent job bringing each of the cities to life, allowing viewers to marvel at the backgrounds while getting caught up in these stories. Flavors of Youth is definitely one of the best anime movies on Netflix for viewers who want a more grounded story with relatable, realistic characters as opposed to mecha or high fantasy.
11 One Piece Film Z Stars A New Villain Marine Who Can Change The World
If there's one constant in the anime world, it's One Piece getting a new film. While some anime franchises vary widely in quality, the One Piece movies are usually fun and solid. One Piece Film: Z continues that tradition, as the Straw Hat Pirates go to war against a Marine Admiral known only as Z.
One Piece Film Z Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.13
- IMDb: 7.7
- AnimePlanet: 4.19/5
Z has acquired a new power that can bring an end to the age of pirates, but at a cost so high even the other Marines stand against him. As ever, worldbuilding is One Piece's foundation, and Film Z dives deep into the backstory of the Marines, making them more well-rounded antagonists than ever before.
10 Things From Alabasta One Piece Fans Want to See in Season 2 Of The Live-Action Show
Netflix's One Piece did a fantastic job with the East Blue, so fans can't wait to see what the live-action has in store for the Alabasta saga.10 Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning Rehashes The First Two Episodes And Adds New Material
Tiger & Bunny was a hit series from the early 2010s. Set in a world where every superhero has a corporate sponsor, the television series pairs a newbie hero with a veteran for a funny yet stylishly cool series. The movie, Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning, is supposed to just be a compilation film focusing on the events of the first two episodes.
Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.36
- IMDb: 6.6
- AnimePlanet: 3.74/5
However, T&B: The Beginning adds nearly an hour of new content that makes watching it feel like an entirely new experience. This might even be the ideal introduction to the franchise, as the film's additional context makes understanding the television series much easier.
9 Mobile Suit Gundam Is A Great Starting Point For The Original Gundam Anime
10 Best Mecha Fights In The Original Gundam Anime
The original Mobile Suit Gundam forever changed the mecha industry and the franchise's first series is also full of bold space battles!The original Mobile Suit Gundam series is a big-time investment for casual fans but Sunrise created compilation films that condensed the entire 43-episode run into three films. The first film, Mobile Suit Gundam, covers the first third of the Mecha anime series.
Mobile Suit Gundam Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.24
- IMDb: 7.1
- AnimePlanet: 3.64/5
Mobile Suit Gundam follows Amuro Ray's narrow escape from the colony with the Gundam on the White Base, and his encounters with Char Aznable. Decades later, though this film doesn't quite have the same groundbreaking feel, it does have the iconic characters fans have loved since the '80s. It's the perfect introduction to the immense Gundam franchise.
8 Drifting Home Features An Apartment Drifting In The Ocean
Drifting Home presents a unique premise, placing a group of snooping kids adrift at sea in a condemned apartment building. Establishing its high stakes early, the kids must learn to survive on their own and find their way back to land.
Drifting Home Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.31
- IMDb: 6.3
- AnimePlanet: 3.71
Drifting Home is another movie from Studio Colorido, who worked on projects like Star Wars: Visions and Burn the Witch, and once again they deliver with this gorgeous film. The writing is able to balance the kids having fun and learning to get over their old wounds while letting them convincingly work together, something a lesser film would have trouble pulling off.
7 Bubble Shows Bubbles Reshaping The Reality Around Them
It's hard to believe that Wit Studio had the time to create a visually stunning movie like Bubble while also working on its many other projects. Released in 2022, Bubble is set in a world where bubbles with strange reality-warping qualities have changed the landscape of the planet. Tokyo, in particular, is shrouded in bubbles and is now a forbidden city.
Bubble Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.25
- IMDb: 6.3
- AnimePlanet: 3.74/5
Children and teenagers find their way into Tokyo regardless, even challenging one another to parkour matches across the city. It's here, at the heart of Tokyo, where a young man named Hibiki connects with a girl named Uta, in a story that will change the world once again.
6 Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway Shows Hathaway Fighting The Tyrannical Earth Federation
The Gundam franchise is huge at this point, and while much of it doesn't require an exhaustive knowledge of the series, Hathaway's Flash might. The film is a direct sequel to Char's Counterattack, picking up twelve years after the previous movie. Here, Bright Noa's son Hathaway is no longer able to tolerate the oppressive rule of the Earth Federation.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.82
- IMDb: 6.6
- AnimePlanet: 3.86/5
Hathaway has become the leader of his own military faction, under the name Mafty Navue Erin. Though it builds off all the Gundam series and movies that came before it, Hathaway's Flash is a beautiful movie that Mecha fans should watch, even if they haven't experienced everything that came before it.
5 Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game Ushers In Jabberwock, A New Team Of Basketball Players
Kuroko's Basketball is still regarded by fans as one of the best sports anime ever, so it's no surprise that its creators added several films to the franchise. Last Game introduces a new opponent, a team of streetballers named Jabberwock, from the United States of America. When Jabberwock embarrasses a team of third-year high schoolers, it's obvious only one team is capable of taking them on.
Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.08
- IMDb: 7.7
- AnimePlanet: 4.25/5
Thus, the Vorpal Swords are formed — a team consisting of the Generation of Miracles, along with Kagami Taiga. Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game is meant to be a send-off for Kuroko, so of course it features the most anime basketball game ever, with plenty of special techniques and characters one-upping each other. Kuroko fans know what they're getting into by now, but Last Game is a great film for anyone who loves anime and basketball.
4 Violet Evergarden The Movie Shows Violet Reconnecting Two Sisters Via Mail
Violet Evergarden
In the aftermath of a great war, Violet Evergarden, a young female ex-soldier, gets a job at a writers' agency and goes on assignments to create letters that can connect people.
Why Violet Evergarden is a Must Watch Anime for Hopeless Romantics
Violet Evergarden's quest to understand the meaning of the word love, makes it a perfect anime for hopeless romantics.Violet Evergarden was arguably Netflix's breakout hit when they started dabbling in anime. The gorgeously animated movie serves as the conclusion to Violet Evergarden: Eternity And The Auto Memory Doll, released in 2019.
Violet Evergarden The Movie Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.88
- IMDb: 8.3
- AnimePlanet: 4.47/5
Produced by Kyoto Animation, Violet Evergarden completes the story of two separated sisters given the opportunity to reconnect through Violet's postal service. Violet Evergarden The Movie is a heartfelt watch with a narrative that will keep viewers glued to the screen until the credits roll.
3 A Whisker Away Is About Cats And Growing Up
10 Modern Anime Sequels That Didn't Live Up To The Original
From Berserk to timeless shonen like Naruto, several franchises failed to produce a sequel worthy of the original.For anyone who loves cats and enjoys cinema, A Whisker Away is a beautiful story that encapsulates the spirit of self-discovery and reflects on how every person must go through unique experiences to grow up. The story follows Miyo Sasaki, a girl who turns into a cat while attempting to catch her classmate Kento's attention.
A Whisker Away Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.34
- IMDb: 6.7
- AnimePlanet: 3.87/5
While at first, A Whisker Away seems like a simple fantastical romance, it turns into something far more profound. Although Miyo doesn't necessarily get what she wants by turning into a cat, she gets the opportunity to reflect on herself and her life. Her feline transformation helps her make much-needed life-changing decisions and think about things beyond herself.
2 Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Is A Romantic Comedy With A Refreshing Visual Style
Unlike the visual aesthetics of Your Name and A Silent Voice that many anime fans are used to, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop is a unique viewing experience with an expressive art style. The film is charming, captivating, and refreshingly simple, with its rom-com story and outstanding soundtrack.
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.4
- IMDb: 6.8
- AnimePlanet: 3.85/5
When two socially awkward teens cross paths, they discover the power of conversation and music, and how simple things can bring people together. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop is a cozy watch that captures the summer vibe perfectly and brilliantly portrays the foundation of a realistic relationship.
1 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Pits Usagi and Her Friends Against The Dead Moon Circus For the Fate Of The World
Sailor Moon
A group of schoolgirls discover they are incarnations of super-powered alien princesses, and use their abilities to defend the earth.
- Release Date
- September 11, 1995
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 5
- Creator
- Naoko Takeuchi
- Main Characters
- Susan Roman, Jill Frappier, Katie Griffin
- Production Company
- Toei Agency, Toei Animation, Toei Company
- Number of Episodes
- 200
Every Sailor Moon Anime (In Chronological Order)
Sailor Moon has been an almost constant presence in anime both on the big and small screens since her debut all the way back in 1992.Sailor Moon has been winning the hearts of anime fans for decades with its sparkly outfits and magical adventures. Here, the iconic Sailor Scouts, magical girls with powerful abilities, are on a brand-new mission to save the world from evil forces in this feature-length film.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.56
- IMDb: 7.0
- AnimePlanet: 3.88/5
In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal, the Sailor Scouts must face off against the Dead Moon Circus, a sinister group looking to end the world. It's up to Sailor Moon and her allies to fight for what they hold dear with the power of friendship and courage. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal is perfect for Sailor Moon fans and for new viewers hungry to learn more about the classic magical girl series.