New shows are constantly added on Amazon Prime Video, and now anime fans can get their fill of some of the best shows and movies that genre has to offer. Prime Video serves anime fans even better now with the recent addition of Crunchyroll as an optional premium channel.
Prime Video boasts a diverse catalog of anime across TV and film. But even with how noticeably more accessible the genre has become to the uninitiated, it can still be intimidating figuring out how to start. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a curated and regularly updated guide on some of the best anime to find on Amazon Prime Video.
For those who might be feeling a little overwhelmed, but are still intrigued by the genre, we also have worthwhile guides on the best anime on Netflix and the best anime on Hulu to help fans get the most value out of their subscriptions.
Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) new
Writer Gege Akutami’s Jujustu Kaisen manga is one of the biggest modern shounen sensations, and that acclaim has translated into the anime adaptation. Produced by famed studio MAPPA, this series sees high schooler Yuji Itadori enrolled in Tokyo Jujutsu High, where he’s trained and guided by some of Japan’s greatest sorcerers in combatting the otherworldly Cursed Spirits rampant throughout the country.
Bolstered by an engaging main and supporting cast of characters, stylish art design, and exhilarating animation, Jujutsu Kaisen is an exciting dark urban fantasy and martial art anime. It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest additions to the service now that anime fans on Amazon Prime Video can access it through the added Crunchyroll channel.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021) new
Adapting writer Gege Akutami’s one-shot manga of the same name, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is one of the most thrilling anime movies in recent years. A prequel story to the flagship series, the movie puts Yuta Okkotsu under the spotlight as he aims to become a sorcerer to help quell the Cursed Spirit of his late childhood friend and love interest Rika Orimoto.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was a welcome stopgap release to satiate fans before the release of the TV anime series’ second season, and it flexes all the slick and visceral anime action seen in the show. It also does well to earn its emotional beats, touching on themes of coming-of-age and coping with grief.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (2023) new
One of the more under-the-radar anime hits this year, writer Haro Aso and artist Kotaro Takata’s Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead takes its comedic spin on the apocalypse to the anime space. Animated by studio Bug Films, the story has a brutally overworked 24-year-old named Akira Tendo crushed under the weight of his corrupt corporate superiors.
However, a sudden zombie breakout brings Japan’s society to its knees, and Akira couldn’t be more relieved. Now with a newfound sense of purpose and freedom, he sets off on a mission to fulfill all the things on his bucket list that his oppressive corporate lifestyle prevented. Mixing vibrant visuals with surprisingly clever social commentary on unbalanced world-life culture, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a comically refreshing way to subvert zombie-themed tropes.
Mushi-Shi (2005) new
Yuki Urushibara’s Mushi-Shi is a welcome change of pace in both the manga and anime mediums. Animation studio Artland handled the adaptation, taking audiences along Ginko — the titular Mushi-Shi — as he travels the picturesque Japanese countryside helping a variety of people in their encounters with spiritual beings known as Mushi.
As opposed to the usual high-octane action of many popular anime, Mushi-Shi is a mellow, beautiful collection of short stories touching on themes of mankind’s relationship with nature. The episodic format of the story is adapted well, allowing the stories of each episode’s supporting cast to feel intimate in scope.
TRIGUN STAMPEDE (2023) new
The original Trigun manga by Yasuhiro Nightow and studio Madhouse’s anime adaptation of it were classics of the ’90s. That made the prospect of a reboot that drastically alters the story into something mostly original a risky proposition, but studio Orange’s Trigun Stampede impressively stuck the landing.
Set in a dystopic future where humanity had to break up into colonies to find a new hospitable planet to live on, the anime tells the story of Vash “The Humanoid Typhoon” for his destructive reputation. However, he’s a pacifist and champion of peace, and that misinformed reputation comes from the atrocities committed by his twin brother. Trigun Stampede makes smart twists to justify its intriguing new story, all without trying to replace the classic original.
SPY x FAMILY (2022) new
One of the best contemporary anime to watch on Amazon Prime Video through the Crunchyroll premium channel is Spy x Family. An animation co-effort by Wit Studio and CloverWorks, this adaptation of Tatsuya Endo’s manga of the same name has become a charming modern sensation.
A Spy going under the codename “Twilight” embarks on a high-stakes mission to maintain peace between two fragile nations, requiring him to take on the alias Loid Forger as part of a fabricated family. Little do they know, each of the family members has something to hide, from Yor’s assassin background and Anya’s telepathic powers. Combining ’60s and modern aesthetics, Spy x Family is a delightful spy-thiller and feel-good comedy hybrid.
Dragon Ball Super (2015) new
Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise became one of the faces of the anime genre worldwide, making Dragon Ball Super something of an inevitability. Taking place seven years after the events of the groundbreaking Dragon Ball Z, Super sees Goku and his friends enjoying peaceful times before Beerus, a galactic God of Destruction, comes to challenge him to try and defy a prophecy of his defeat.
It’s only the catalyst of the anime series, though, as these events pave the way for a wild assortment of otherworldly threats and over-the-top power-ups to define Dragon Ball Super. Though it’s tough to top the success of the series to start it all and the raving success of Z, Super is a fun way of getting more colorfully bombastic action from this universe.
Naruto Shippūden (2007) new
Though it’s part of the same flagship Naruto manga, Studio Pierrot adapted Masashi Kishimoto’s time-skip portion of the series as the sequel anime Naruto: Shippuden.
Also now made available through the Crunchyroll premium channel upgrade on Prime, this series takes place around 2.5 years after the original series, with Naruto returning to the Hidden Leaf Village after training with Master Jiraiya. Now with Sasuke a rogue ninja and the Akatsuki organization steadily materializing its sinister plans on the shinobi world, Naruto: Shippuden greatly expands the scope and stakes of this world.
Memories (1995)
Memories is one of the most unique anime movies of the ’90s, both in style and structure. Animated by Madhouse and Studio 4C, Memories is an anthology movie comprised of three short stories: Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb, and Cannon Fodder.
Each of these tales delves into different aspects of science fiction by blending it with other subgenres, ranging from grim psychological horror, comedy, and a tragic war-time epic. It’s an interesting way of exploring the sci-fi genre through the lenses of distinct voices in the anime industry, with Akira director Katsuhiro Otomo spearheading Cannon Fodder.
One Piece: Stampede (2019)
Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple (2006)
Princess Principal (2017)
Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector (2020)
While the Psycho-Pass series hasn’t measured up to its lauded first season, its subsequent seasons and sequel anime movies are solid stories on their own terms. Set after the events of its third season, Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector is set in a dystopian cyberpunk sandbox where an artificial intelligence system determines the likelihood of criminality in Japan’s citizens — and is willing to go as far as executing lethal force to deal with uncommitted crimes.
The Sybil System that makes these judgments is being targeted by a shadow criminal mastermind, and its Inspectors Arata Shindou and Mikhail Kei Ignatov argue over how to deal with this conspiracy and the greater ideologies at play surrounding it.
Ghost Stories (2000)
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (2000)
Tomorrow's Joe 2 The Movie (1981)
While Hajime no Ippo and Megalox have carried its mantle, Asao Takamori’s Tomorrow’s Joe holds up well even today. The anime adaptations have easily been some of the best sports and boxing series in the genre, with Tomorrow’s Joe 2 proving to be a powerful follow-up to the ’70s TV show. It picks up with Bantamweight fighter Joe Yabuki reeling after the tragic events of the original series and retiring from the ring.
However, after a soul-searching journey, Joe finds himself compelled back into the boxing world with the help of his trainer and world-renowned boxer Carlos Rivera. Tomorrow’s Joe 2 is one of the best showcases of an anime balancing sports and character drama in a profound way.
My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019)
Tomorrow's Joe The Movie (1980)
My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia manga has become one of the most lucrative shounen anime adaptations in recent years. That success has led to a string of original movies hitting the big screen, with 2021’s My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission being the franchise’s latest theatrical venture.
Once again animated by veteran anime studio Bones, World Heroes’ Mission takes place sometime after season 5 of the TV series and sees Deku become framed for a crime he didn’t commit. This all happens as a much wider threat looms; the radical Humarise group is looking to eradicate all humans powered by Quirks.
Gintama: The Very Final (2021)
New Initial D the Movie: Legend 3 -- Dream (2016)
The definitive racing anime series returns with New Initial D the Movie: Legend 3 — Dream. This trilogy closer ties up the early story arcs of Shuuichi Shigeno’s manga. Picking up on the cliffhanger ending of Legend 2 — Racer, protagonist Takumi Fujiwara receives a formal challenge from the Akagi Red Suns’ leader, Ryousuke Takahashi.
After spending the summer racing around Gunma and taking on the city’s best drivers, Takumi becomes thrilled at the prospect of challenging this street-racing legend. With the title of Gunma’s fastest driver on the line, Legend 3 — Dream ends a crucial storyline of the series.
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
One of the most influential anime movies of all time, director Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell made a case for the genre’s appeal westward. Ghost in the Shell — adapting Masamune Shirow’s manga of the same name — takes place in a sci-fi future where Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 are tasked with apprehending a highly skilled hacker.
The movie was animated by the experienced studio Production I.G with crisp animation work and striking visuals. A critically acclaimed anime that holds up today, Ghost in the Shell is a stylish hybrid of neo-noir and cyberpunk genres akin to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (1994)
Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise is one of the pillars of the fighting genre in video games. Given that status, it was only a matter of time before that success led to multimedia adaptations. Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie adapts the titular video game’s story to great effect.
The story involves the various iconic characters of the Street Fighter roster battling it out in M. Bison’s fighting tournament to decide who will be part of his organization’s plans for world domination. Animation studio Group TAC did excellent work in keeping the game’s original artistic style in character designs and recreating the high-octane action.
New Initial D the Movie - Legend 2: Racer (2015)
Writer Shuichi Shigeno’s Initial D manga series is iconic within the medium, and its anime adaptations have lived up to the prestige. Animation studios Liden Films and Sanzigen return for Initial D Legend 2: Racer, which condenses and recaps the early parts of the story covered in the source material and TV anime adaptation.
Following the surge in fame after the events of Legend 1: Awakening, Racer sees protagonist Takumi face a challenge from Takeshi Nakazato. The leader of the street-racing gang known as the Myogi NightKids, this challenger will put pressure on Takmu’s newfound reputation.
New Initial D the Movie - Legend 1: Awakening (2014)
A manga and anime classic, Shuuichi Shigeno’s Initial D is perhaps the best racing-themed series in both mediums. Produced by animation studios Liden Films and Sanzigen, Initial D Legend 1: Awakening is a modernized remake and a movie adaptation of the classic story.
Covering the early parts of the manga, Awakening begins with protagonist and seemingly ordinary high schooler Takumi Fujiwara, who works as a gas station attendant and delivery boy for his father’s tofu restaurant. However, he’s also an elite street racer, leading to several gangs challenging him to test his mettle as a modern legend.
Naruto (2002)
Back in the days when Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine’s “Big Three” reigned supreme, Naruto was helping lead the charge in manga alongside the likes of Bleach and One Piece. Masashi Kishimoto’s series was a phenomenon for both manga and anime on the international stage, and the original Naruto series still holds up as a nostalgic modern classic.
It follows young inspiring ninja and village outcast Naruto Uzumaki as he attempts to gain the respect of the Hidden Leaf Village and become its Hokage. Along the way, the series unravels multiple action-focused exploits and introduces a variety of colorful characters.
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012)
The penultimate installment in an anime movie reimagining, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo begins 14 years after the cataclysmic event dubbed the Third Impact. Protagonist Shinji Ikari is trapped inside his Evangelion Unit-01 and is recovered by his friends and allies, only to find himself taken prisoner.
Who Shinji once thought of as his friends now treat him as hostile, casting suspicions and doubt on his character following the events of 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. The Rebuild of Evangelion anime film series was a dragged-out process, but it all comes together thrillingly as a complete story after the finale, 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
Kaiba (2008)
An anime original series produced by studio Madhouse, Kaiba is one of the most conceptually and visually unique anime offerings available on the streamer. In a dystopian sci-fi future, life and death no longer carry the same meaning. People can view, alter, and transfer their memories to other bodies, effectively achieving a form of immortality.
Of course, this only benefits the rich who can afford to do so, while the vast majority of people are forced to sell their bodies as a means of simply getting by. Kaiba has been praised for using its striking art direction and fluid animation to dazzle, while also offering some poignant social commentary.
InuYasha (2000)
Rumiko Takahashi’s InuYasha manga was a shonen classic from the ’90s. and animation studio Sunrise’s adaptation was similarly well-received. Fifteen-year-old Kagome Higurashi finds herself transported to Sengoku-era Japan and meets a half-dog demon named Inuyasha.
Kagome and Inuyasha adventure across the countryside together to gather the pieces of the powerful Shikon Jewel before it falls into the wrong hands. InuYasha has been praised for its tasteful balance of action, fantastical setting, humor, and handling of darker themes.
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009)
While it may appear daunting for the uninitiated, the Rebuild of Evangelion collection of anime movies is a great way to expand upon the original hit TV series. This franchise has been praised as some of the best anime ever created, and it’s among the most compelling sci-fi mecha IPs as well. The second installment in the four-movie collection, Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance, continues the story of its predecessor, which follows the first six episodes of the TV anime almost exactly.
However, this sequel is where the story begins to notably deviate from the TV anime’s continuity, altering events from episodes 8-19 and even introducing new characters. It follows Shinji and company as they continue their fight as NERV pilots in the titular Evangelion mechs.
Captain Tsubasa (2018)
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007)
Death Note (2006)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
Lupin the Third (1971) new
Girls' Last Tour (2017) new
Kokkoku, Moment by Moment (2018) new
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Blade of the Immortal (2019) new
Great Teacher Onizuka (1999)
Psycho-Pass (2012)
Land of the Lustrous (2017)
Grand Blue (2018)
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021)
Made In Abyss (2017)
Pokémon (1997)
Vinland Saga (2019)
Vikings get the anime treatment in Vinland Saga, one of the newer entries on this list. The Vikings have dominated society for a thousand years and have an insatiable thirst for violence. Thorfinn grows up in this culture, spending much of his boyhood on a battlefield, building his skills to ultimately achieve revenge for his father’s murder.
Dororo (2019)
Banana Fish (2018)
Ash Lynx is a 17-year-old gang leader on the streets of New York City, but he’s still under the thumb of mob boss Dino Golzine. When Ash discovers a mystery drug called “Banana Fish” on one of Dino’s men, Ash begins asking questions, falling down a rabbit hole that will draw him closer to the death of his older brother. There’s no telling just how high the conspiracy goes.
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