Don’t Miss Out on These 10 Animated Netflix Original Shows

If animation is your cup of tea, and you haven’t explored many animated shows yet, Netflix has some amazing Original shows that you may not have added to your watch list yet.

These shows are diverse not only in genre but also in their animation styles and visuals. Here are 10 Netflix Original animated shows you need to watch on your next binge-watching session.

10

Arcane

One of the most popular Netflix series to date, Arcane is a masterclass in animation for any cinephile looking to expand their watch list. Set in the League of Legends universe, this steampunk action animation focuses on the story of sisters Violet and Powder (Jinx) as they navigate conflict amid the tensions between a utopia (Piltover) and an underground dystopia (Zaun). After being orphaned, the two sisters go on a heist in Piltover when they are young, setting off a chain of events that result in something bigger than themselves. Arcane also talks about the potential and perils of technology, while building some strong side characters that have been set up for future spin-offs.

Arcane won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 2022, becoming the first streaming series to do so. You can watch Arcane even if you are not a League fan; with its stunning visuals and world-building, this series is a binge-worthy watch.

9

Love Death + Robots

Love Death + Robots is the most diverse series on this list, not only because of its anthology style, but also because of the many genres each episode spans. Adapted from Heavy Metal (1981), this animated series has episodes that span horror, science fiction, fantasy, and even comedy, with different directors from around the world working on individual episodes.

Each episode flows like a short film, with plot lines about robots surviving in a post-apocalyptic world while warding off cats, world domination by intelligent yogurt, and the story between a siren and a deaf knight. With three seasons and 35 episodes, you can binge on this series over a long weekend. With some of the most stellar animation Netflix has to offer, Love Death + Robots is an essential watch for your next animation series.

8

Blood of Zeus

Blood of Zeus (formerly known as God & Heroes) is a mythical animation that could pique the interest of any Greek mythology fan. Set in Ancient Greece, this action animation revolves around the demi-god Heron (an illegitimate son of Zeus), who is trying to save heaven (Olympus) and Earth from a demonic army after discovering his true identity. The protagonist of Blood of Zeus is an original character conceptualized for the series, although you might come across similar demi-gods in several Greek mythology tales and adaptations.

Like any good Greek mythology story, Blood of Zeus features prominent Greek gods such as Hera, Zeus, and Hades, as well as mythological characters such as centaurs, titans, demons, and automata. The series is an epic battle royale story, notable for its vivid visuals and animation. The series has been renewed for a final, third season, set to release in May 2025, despite the show being outlined for five seasons initially.

7

Twilight of the Gods

Continuing the theme of mythological animation, Twilight of the Gods is a Norse mythology action animation series by Zack Snyder and Jay Oliva. This action series is centered around the story of the warrior Sigrid, who meets and falls in love with King Leif, a Viking. After they survive the wrath of Thor, who interrupts their wedding in pursuit of Loki and massacres the entire clan, both Sigrid and Leif vow vengeance along with a group of crusaders. The series has some graphic imagery and bloody violence, with action and revenge being at the center of the story.

The music for Twilight of the Gods was composed by Hans Zimmer. A second season might be in the works, but no confirmation has been made yet.

6

Castlevania

Castlevania is an adult-animated horror series and modern adaptation of the Japanese video game series of the same name. Heavily inspired by anime and character designer Ayami Kojima’s art, Castlevania is a medieval story about the famed horror figure, Dracula (Vlad Dracula Tepes), after his wife is burned at the stake after she is falsely accused of practising witchcraft. The plot takes you through how Trevor Belmont, the lone survivor of a monster hunter clan, teams up with Dracula’s son Alucard and magician Sypha to try to stop Dracula from destroying Eastern Europe’s humankind with his monster army, motivated by his grief.

If you’re a gothic horror nerd, Castlevania is a good watch, even if you have never played the game. With four seasons, this might be a longer watch than some of the other shows on this list, and if you like the series, you can also watch its sequel, Castlevania: Nocturne on Netflix.

5

Pantheon

Science fiction and animation can create some great bodies of work, as seen in the case of series such as Ergo Proxy and Serial Experiments Lain. Pantheon is another example of sci-fi animation with a solid storyline that keeps you gripped throughout its two-season run. Set in a world where, by scanning a human brain, a person’s consciousness can be uploaded to the Cloud (akin to the technology seen in the Black Mirror episode San Junipero), Pantheon’s protagonist, Maddie, makes contact with her deceased father through online messages. Maddie comes into contact with Caspian, a rebellious and intelligent teenager who is highly monitored by the people behind this technology, and the two set out to unravel a web of conspiracies.

Pantheon received positive reviews on websites such as Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for its animation and mind-bending storytelling.

4

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an adult action animation based on the action role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077. Set in the dystopian Night City, rampant with corruption and crime in the year 2076, the story takes the audience through the perspective of David Martinez, a street kid who chooses to survive by becoming an edgerunner. In this universe, where body modification and technology have taken over people, an edgerunner is a high-tech mercenary outlaw treading the dark side of the law. Animated by Japanese studio Trigger (Kill La Kill, Promare), the show won “Anime of the Year” at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

3

Blue Eye Samurai

Set in Japan’s traditional Edo era, Blue Eye Samurai is a classic revenge story with visuals that have earned it critical acclaim. The plot, deeply submerged in action and mystery, takes us through the journey of Mizu, a skilled swordswoman, as she tries to track down and exact revenge on four men. Born as a half-Japanese, half-European woman in a Japan where borders are closed and anyone who is not Japanese is shunned as an outcast, Mizu sets off to kill four men (one of whom is her father) while concealing her identity and gender.

The series has won 12 awards in a range of categories, including writing, animation, editing, and production design.

2

Ultraman

Ultraman, the series that was Netflix Japan’s most-watched animation show of 2019, is a three-season superhero/action show based on the manga series of the same name. The show tells the story of the titular Ultraman, an otherworldly superhero who defends the world from aliens and kaiju (Godzilla-style monsters), leaving an age of peace in the wake of his departure. When he is needed again, however, a new Ultraman (the son of the original hero) emerges, having to don the armor and follow in his father’s footsteps, stepping up as a hero for his generation.

If you like this series, you can also check out Ultraman: Rising, a Netflix Original animated movie that serves as a standalone story with a similar narrative to the series.

1

Onimusha

Onimusha, based on the video game franchise of the same name, is a samurai action animated series about a swordsman who wields a demonic, soul-consuming weapon, Oni Gauntlet. Set in Edo Japan, the show takes you through his covert mission to defeat a zombie uprising. With every life he takes, however, he has to deal with the slippery slope of the darkness that comes with using the weapon, which takes a toll on his soul.

Onimusha has been praised for its classic samurai story combined with supernatural elements, reflecting much of the original game’s style and action, with the sole exception of the 3D animation.

I’ve usually never run out of animated shows to watch on Netflix, with their original shows providing enough streaming content to satisfy my weekend cravings. If you want to filter out and search for adult animation on Netflix, you can use the Netflix code 11881 in the search bar.