Thankfully, for fans of anime, it is no longer considered a niche area of the entertainment industry where only an enthusiast knows where to find secondhand rips of fan-subbed episodes of the latest series or movie. Anime has never been as accessible worldwide as it is right now, and even more so thanks to the selection of streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu. And while Hulu isn’t considered a primary destination for anime fans — especially with dedicated streamers like Crunchyroll — it has a respectable and diverse library in its own right. There’s an impressive range of anime TV shows and movies from a variety of different franchises and genres. That level of depth ensures that prospective fans will surely find something that suits their tastes.
And should fans look to get the full range of offerings from the Disney-owned services, the Disney Bundle is more than worth checking out. For a combined monthly cost, fans will get access to Disney+, ESPN+, and the ad-supported Hulu plan in a single package. On top of Hulu’s backlog of anime, this package will give audiences all of the Star Wars, Marvel, and sports content they could want.
Getting into anime can be a daunting task for the uninitiated. Thankfully, we also have a guide on the best anime available on Netflix for those who want more suggestions and to weigh their options in the packed streaming market.
Recently added to Hulu
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Fate/Zero2011 -
Erased2016
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Hunter x Hunter2011
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Lupin III: The First2019
2 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Ayako Kawasumi, Rikiya Koyama, Akio Otsuka
Spinning out of the popular light novel series by Gen Urobuchi, Fate/Zero is an action/fantasy series that takes place before the events of Fate/Stay Night. The anime tells the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War, which is a secret tournament held where seven Masters summon the reincarnated legendary souls of combatants spanning the world’s history. These warriors compete in this brutal battle royale to win the coveted and titular Holy Grail, which is a magical chalice that grants the winner their wishes. Fate/Zero follows protagonist Kiritsugu Emiya, a ruthless assassin, as he takes part in the Fourth Holy Grail War on behalf of the Einzberns, his wife’s family.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Drama, Mystery
Cast
Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Tao Tsuchiya, Minami Takayama
A-1 Pictures’ anime adaptation of Kei Sanbe’s Erased tells a compelling mystery story through a somewhat grounded modern setting with a supernatural twist. A young man in his 20s named Satoru Fujinuma works at a pizza restaurant while he struggles to get his career as a manga artist off the ground. However, he has a unique ability known as Revival that allows him to travel back in time moments before a tragedy happens, which gives him a chance to prevent it. Following the devastating murder of Satoru’s mother by a mysterious assailant, Satoru travels back in time to his childhood to try to save her life in the past. However, it also gives him the opportunity to prevent a series of kidnapping cases that three of his childhood friends suffered.
3 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama
Cast
Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Miyuki Sawashiro
Animation studio Madhouse adapted a new-and-improved TV series based on writer Yoshihiro Togashi’s acclaimed shounen manga Hunter x Hunter. From the same mind that brought fans Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter is a sprawling and colorful modern fantasy that’s packed with world-building and intriguing characters. The young Gon Freecs sets out one day to become a world-class hunter — one who specializes in seeking out rare things, creatures, or locations — like the father who abandoned him. After he passes the examination for his license, Gon bands together with his new friends and allies, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio, on a globetrotting adventure filled with supernatural perils and vibrant new worlds.
93m
Genre
Adventure, Action, Animation
Stars
Kanichi Kurita, Daisuke Namikawa, Miyuki Sawashiro
Directed by
Takashi Yamazaki
Lupin the Third is one of the most classic names in the anime industry, with the iconic “gentleman thief” spanning decades’ worth of media since the original manga by Monkey Punch was published in the ’60s. The anime adaptations have been particularly popular in the film format, with the 2019 Lupin III: The First once again adapting the colorful heist adventures of the titular Arsène Lupin III. This adventure revolves around Lupin and his crew of professional thieves as they journey to France and Brazil to find out the location of a treasure that even his legendary grandfather couldn’t find. The Bresson Diary holds the whereabouts of the treasure for whoever can decipher the mechanical diary’s code, with a Nazi treasure-hunting group also in hot pursuit.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Jouji Nakata, Fumiko Orikasa, Yoshiko Sakakibara
The 10-episode Hellsing Ultimate series is the second anime adaptation of writer Kouta Hirano’s cult-classic dark-fantasy horror manga. The first anime series spun out into an original story that was loosely based on the source material, while Ultimate sticks closer to the script. In a world where the undead is a regular threat to the living, the Hellsing Organization has been Britain’s best defense against them. Sir Integra Hellsing — the organization’s leader — inherits its greatest weapon in the form of Alucard. The vampire is a rare undead creature who fights on the side of the living. The group eventually gets involved in a bloody fight against rival monster-hunting organizations and the undead alike.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Junko Takeuchi, Emi Shinohara, Houko Kuwashima
Created by
Norihiro Yagi
Animation studio Madhouse adapted Norihiro Yagi’s dark-fantasy series Claymore into a 26-episode anime series. It takes place in a fantasy rendition of the Middle Ages, where the remains of the human species live in fear of demonic beasts known as Yoma. These monsters have an insatiable hunger for human flesh, prompting the advent of Claymores: Human-Yoma hybrids designed to exterminate this threat. The Claymore named Clare arrives and kills these monsters in Raki’s village, saving his life from these monsters. However, Raki is soon banished from the village and he decides to join Clare on her traveling quest to rid the land of any Yoma along her way.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Masako Nozawa, Ryou Horikawa, Hiromi Tsuru
Created by
Akira Toriyama
Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise is one of the global icons of the anime genre. Dragon Ball Super is the long-awaited sequel series to the beloved Z, with Goku and company living a relatively peaceful life after the climactic fight against Majin Boo. However, after the God of Destruction Beerus comes down to Earth to test the mettle of its strongest combatants, the cast is drawn back into a life of high-octane action. From there, the story spirals into a bombastic adventure spanning the exploration of multiple timelines, with the Z Fighters meeting powerful new allies and foes along the way.
101m
Genre
Action, Science Fiction, Animation
Stars
Masako Nozawa, Aya Hisakawa, Ryou Horikawa
Directed by
Tatsuya Nagamine
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is another landmark for the franchise and veteran fans. This feature film marks the first canon appearance of fan-favorite villain Broly, taking place after the Tournament of Power arc from the TV anime with Goku and Vegeta facing off against the Legendary Super Saiyan. Just as well, it chronicles the history and demise of the Saiyan race on Planet Vegeta, painting Broly as a more sympathetic and misunderstood antihero in the process. Being manipulated for his daunting and rage-induced power, Goku, Vegeta, and even classic Dragon Ball Z villain Frieza get involved after the latter’s return from hell.
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Yuji Ueda, Daisuke Kishio, Mika Doi
Taking place in a fantasy rendition of this world rooted in magical realism, Mushi-shi is an introspective anime. Spiritual entities known as Mushi inhabit the world and are largely peaceful to mankind, unbothered by their earthly squabbling. To study and understand these difficult-to-perceive beings, Mushi masters are tasked with seeking them out. Enter the titular master Ginko, with his anthology-style adventures that take him across the countryside as he meets people and interacts with the Mushi.
124m
Genre
Animation, Science Fiction, Action
Stars
Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama
Directed by
Katsuhiro Otomo
Akira is one of the anime movies alongside the likes of Ghost in the Shell that helped transform the medium and force global audiences to take notice of what anime was becoming. It takes place in a sci-fi dystopian future where a pair of childhood friends in a Neo-Tokyo motorcycle gang live their lives avoiding the constant threat of military occupation and war. One of the boys, Tetsuo Shima, becomes burdened with dangerous telekinetic powers that threaten the city and the world. It’s an exciting, visceral, and though-provoking sci-fi thriller that pays homage to the likes of Blade Runner.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Kana Hanazawa, Mamoru Miyano, Yu Kobayashi
Based on the visual novel video game of the same name, Steins;Gate is a thoroughly compelling sci-fi thriller. Self-professed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe has created delusions of thwarting a secret organized conspiracy. Along with Rintaro’s colorful cast of supportive friends, the group dive into the mystery behind achieving time travel. However, once Makise Kurisu finds herself involved, a darker mystery begins to unfold.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Action & Adventure, Crime
Cast
Takuya Eguchi, Atsumi Tanezaki, Saori Hayami
Created by
Tatsuya Endo
Spy x Family will be a welcome dose of serotonin for many anime fans. After being sent on a highly classified and highly sensitive diplomatic mission, Agent Twilight is tasked with creating a fake family to blend in and achieve his goal. However, his fabricated family members all seem to have their own things to hide outside of their Forger family identities. What unravels is an equal parts exciting, funny, and heartwarming spy-themed thriller.
4 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast
Yuki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, Marina Inoue
Attack on Titan has been one of the most popular anime series for the better part of a decade. And now that the final season is in progress, Hulu is premiering episodes the same week they debut in Japan. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity lives in walled cities to escape the Titans, a race of giant humanoids with an appetite for destruction. Eren Jaeger loses his mother to the Titans at an early age and enlists in the Survey Corps to fight them. When Eren discovers his own ability to transform into a Titan, it gives humanity a chance to fight back while also exposing some of the Titans’ hidden secrets.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Drama, Mystery
Cast
Miyu Irino, Yui Ogura, Mao Ichimichi
God is about to retire in Platinum End, and someone needs to step up to fill the Almighty’s shoes. Enter Mirai Kakehashi, a suicidal high school student whose attempt to end his own life is interrupted by a Guardian Angel named Nasse. Not only does Nasse save Mirai’s life, she also gives him special abilities and proclaims that he is one of the candidates to replace God. Unfortunately, some of the other God candidates aren’t as scrupulous as Mirai, and they’re willing to kill anyone who gets in their way.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Kana Ichinose, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Tomoaki Maeno
Once there were many kingdoms in Fairy Gone, at least until the War of Unification. In the years since, a young woman named Mariya has been recruited to Dorothea, a government agency formed to bring in Fairy Soldiers who have gone rogue. These are the men and women who had fairy organs placed in their bodies to give themselves power during the war. For Mariya, the stakes are personal, because one of her closest childhood friends, Veronica, is now a rogue Fairy Soldier working for an unknown faction. Can Mariya bring herself to fight her friend?
6 Seasons
Genre
Animation
Cast
Shin-ichiro Miki, Mitsuo Iwata, Takehito Koyasu
Created by
Shuichi Shigeno
Before The Fast and the Furious, Initial D brought street racing to anime. The series follows Takumi Fujiwara, a local delivery boy whose driving skills quickly capture the attention of the underground racing scene. After improbably winning a race against one of the top competitors, Takumi suddenly finds himself the target of other racers who want to be the one to defeat him. Each competitor pushes Takumi to new limits as his skills expand. But how long can Takumi withstand the nonstop onslaught of challengers?
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Comedy
Cast
Haruka Tomatsu, Koki Uchiyama, Seiichiro Yamashita
In Horimiya, we follow Hori and Miyamura. Hori is one of the most popular girls at school and dresses like it, too. At home though, she dresses down and must scrimp and save to survive, all while taking care of her younger brother. Hori does everything she can to hide this from her classmates to maintain her grade-A status. That is until Miyamura, a goth peer that Hori strays from at school, discovers her at-home life. Once adversaries, the two pupils begin confiding in one another.
3 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Aoi Koga, Makoto Furukawa, Ryota Suzuki
A decorated anime rom-com, Love is War follows Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, two students at the prestigious Shuchiin Academy that just happen to have feelings for each other. But as it turns out, neither is willing to admit these romantic secrets. Both too proud and popular, the class-act students must navigate the tumultuous, and at times amusing world of true love while navigating the intricacies of academia and a bustling social life.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Nana Mizuki, Kenji Nojima, Keiji Fujiwara
Created by
Nanase Ohkawa
Meet Saya Kisaragi, the heroine at the heart of Blood-C. By day, Saya is a high school student with a circle of friends. But by night, Saya assumes the role of a shrine maiden and protector of her town. Thanks to her father, Tadayoshi, Saya wields a sacred blade against the unspeakable monsters known as Elder Bairns. However, Saya’s double life is upended when the Elder Bairns begin attacking her at school during the day. There’s also a dark secret at the center of Saya’s life which may destroy her and everything that she loves.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Junichi Suwabe, Nao Toyama
Created by
Tatsuhiko Urahata
Within the Gate anime series, dragons, fairies, demons and monsters have no place in our world … at least until the gateway to another world suddenly appears in Tokyo. Because of his familiarity with fantasy tropes and topics, young Yōji Itami is recruited to the Japan Self-Defense Forces and sent on a diplomatic mission to the other world. While Yōji is able to make new friends and allies in the alternate realm, he also makes new enemies who could potentially imperil both worlds. And if Yōji can’t find a solution, then both Earth and the “special region” will be torn apart.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Cast
Nobunaga Shimazaki, Aya Hirano, Kana Hanazawa
Created by
Shōji Yonemura
In Parasyte: The Maxim, a high school student named Shinichi Izumi finds himself thrust into the center of an alien invasion. The invaders are known as Parasytes, and they typically take total control of their victims’ brains. However, Shinichi’s Parasyte embeds itself in his arm instead of his brain. After the Parasyte develops its own personality and calls itself Migi, Shinichi forms an alliance with his personal invader as they take on other Parasytes within the city. Together, they may be humanity’s only real defense against the Parasytes’ invisible invasion.
2 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama, Crime
Cast
Hiroaki Hirata, Tsutomu Isobe, Megumi Toyoguchi
Created by
Sunao Katabuchi
Within the show that shares its name, the Black Lagoon is the ship that belongs to a group of mercenaries called the Lagoon Company. Poor Rokuro Okajima winds up in their orbit when he is kidnapped by the team after he was roped into transporting a valuable disc that was filled with important intel. The good news for Rokuro is that the mercenaries, Dutch, Revy, and Benny, all warm up to him fairly quickly. After proving his worth to the Lagoon Company, Rokuro accepts their offer to join them and renames himself Rock as he embarks on a new life of adventure.
2 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama, Mystery
Cast
Kenta Miyake, Nobuyo Oyama, Megumi Ogata
Young Makoto Naegi thought fortune had turned his way in the anime adaptation of the Danganronpa video games. After earning admission to Hope’s Peak Academy, Makoto discovers that the school is a ruse. He and 14 other students have been captured by a sadistic headmaster who only appears before them through his radio-controlled bear, Monobear. The headmaster offers the kids only one way out of the school: Murder one of their classmates and get away with the crime at the subsequent trial. Unfortunately for Makoto, many of his fellow students are all too willing to kill.
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Saori Hayami, Ryota Osaka, Nobuhiko Okamoto
Created by
Deko Akao
Despite its title, Snow White with the Red Hair is not an adaptation of Snow White. Regardless, its leading heroine, Shirayuki, certainly has some experience with poisoned apples. In this fantasy world, people with red hair must be very rare. Shirayuki’s distinctive hair incites desire in the heart of Prince Raj, but she flees her home rather than be loved only for her hair. Soon after, she meets Prince Zen Wistaria, a young man who may be able to love Shirayuki for who she is. However, their social class differences threaten to keep them apart and prevent their hearts from joining as one.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Aoi Ichikawa, Saori Onishi, Aoi Yuki
Created by
Shingo Natsume
Sonny Boy is one of the more recent additions to Hulu, and it follows a high school student named Nagara who is having the absolute worst summer vacation. Nagara and 35 of his classmates have somehow been transported to another dimension, where they slowly develop superhuman powers. It’s clearly an experiment of some kind, and more than a few students seem all too eager to embrace their new abilities and use them to attack each other. If there’s a way for Nagara and his friends to return home, it may require all of them to abandon the morals they used to have.
Digital Trends Streaming Roundup
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Mystery, Action & Adventure
Cast
Natsuki Hanae, Kaito Ishikawa, Inori Minase
Created by
Deko Akao
In The Case Study of Vanitas, a vampire named Noé Archiviste is sent to find The Book of Vanitas, a powerful book of spells. Noé soon learns that the book is in the possession of a man calling himself Vanitas, who claims to be a doctor. More intriguingly, Vanitas says that the book could potentially cure every vampire in the world. However, the book’s dark power can also create cursed vampires who are even more vicious and bloodthirsty than ever before. Naturally, Noé is wary about his new companion. But can he afford not to trust him?
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Yusuke Kobayashi, Inori Minase, Ikumi Hasegawa
Created by
Gō Zappa, Hiroshi Ōnogi
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom’s lead character, Kazuya Souma, may be the most unconventional anime hero in a long time. Kazuya was an ordinary student in Japan who was mystically transported to a fantasy-like world to be their hero in need. However, Kazuya’s skills don’t come from any warrior-like abilities. Instead, his grasp on economics, civil service, and even the philosophies of Machiavelli quickly place him on the throne of Elfrieden. From there, Kazuya’s influence continues to rise. But he is also forced to contend with an ever-growing roster of women to wed in order to consolidate his power.
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Animation
Cast
Manaka Iwami, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Yuma Uchida
Created by
Natsuki Takaya
The wildly popular Fruits Basket manga has received a reboot anime series that serves as a more faithful retelling of the original story. As before, the main character is Tohru Honda, a high school student who is orphaned by the tragic death of her parents. After arranging to live with her classmate Yuki Soma and the rest of the Soma family, Tohru discovers their secret. The Soma family is cursed to transform into the animals of the Chinese zodiac when they experience heightened emotional states. Even a hug from Tohru is enough to transform the men in the Soma family. Because she cares for them, Tohru decides to find a way to break the curse.
7 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Comedy
Cast
Kappei Yamaguchi, Satsuki Yukino
Created by
Rumiko Takahashi, Katsuyuki Sumisawa
If you’re an old-school Toonami viewer, you probably know Inuyasha very well. Based on the popular manga series, Inuyasha introduces viewers to Kagome, a high school student in the present who has no time for myths and legends. At least not until Kagome finds herself stuck in Japan’s distant past alongside the half-demon warrior Inuyasha. Much to Kagome’s surprise, she finds that she has some measure of control over Inuyasha when he gets out of hand. But both of them are surprised when their quest to reclaim a shattered gem stirs romantic feelings in both of their hearts.
6 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Masakazu Morita, Fumiko Orikasa, Hiroki Yasumoto
Created by
Masashi Sogo
In Bleach, young Ichigo Kurosaki’s life has been touched by the supernatural for years. However, his ordinary existence comes to an end when the Soul Reaper, Rukia, transfers the vast majority of her powers to him. Now reborn as a Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo dedicates himself to protecting both the living and the dead from evil spirits. Of course, he can’t do it alone, especially when Rukia finds herself hunted by the Soul Society because of the way that she relinquished her abilities. Fortunately, Ichigo soon discovers he has new allies who can help carry his burden.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Yui Ishikawa, Ryohei Kimura
Created by
Kenji Konuta, Ayumu Hisao
There are demons and monsters among us, but they’re not all bad in Devils’ Line. For example, Yūki Anzai is a half-vampire/half-human hybrid who uses his powers to protect humanity as part of Division 5 of the Tokyo Police Department. But when he rescues a young woman, Tsukasa Taira, their mutual attraction sorely tempts Anzai to put the bite on her. It’s hard to control his darker urges when he has those feelings in his heart, but Tsukasa stands by Anzai even in the face of adversity. Yet that’s far from their only problem as demonic attacks escalate around them.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast
Junichi Suwabe, Eri Kitamura, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Hitomi Harada, Miyuki Sawashiro
Created by
Yōsuke Kuroda
Imagine if The Walking Dead took place in Japan, and the primary survivors were students and teachers from a high school. That’s essentially the premise of High School of the Dead. The series follows Fujimi High School student Takashi Komuro at a moment when he and his childhood friend, Rei Miyamoto, have a very strained relationship. When the zombie apocalypse breaks out, Takashi and Rei are thrust back together alongside some of their fellow students and instructors. Who can they really trust in this dark new world? Everyone will have to make moral compromises to survive, even Takashi and Rei.
3 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kito, Hiro Shimono
Created by
Ufotable
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is so huge right now that the anime movie that came out in 2020 recently beat the Mortal Kombat reboot and topped the U.S. box office. The anime series of the same name is also incredibly popular all over the world. It takes place in Japan’s distant history, as a teenager named Tanjiro loses his family to a demon attack. Tanjiro’s younger sister, Nezuko, is the only survivor, but unfortunately, she is transformed into a demon by the experience. To avenge his family and save his sister’s soul, Tanjiro undertakes a quest to become a demon slayer.
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast
Yoshimasa Hosoya, Hiroki Yasumoto, Michiyo Murase
Created by
Katsuhiko Manabe, Kensaku Kojima
In the future, boxing has been spruced up a bit for the next generation. In Megalobox, the sweet science now includes fighters who battle with exoskeletons that enhance their strength. But that’s not enough for Junk Dog, aka Joe. He’s an underground fighter in scripted matches who wants to break into the real Megalobox competitions. After getting a chance to fight the Megalobox champion, Yuri, Joe is forced to start at the bottom and work his way back up to earn the right for a rematch. It’s not an easy road, even with technological enhancements. That’s why it’s going to take heart and determination for Joe to make his way to the top.
3 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Cast
Mayo Suzukaze, Miki Fujitani, Mina Tominaga
Created by
Aniplex
What would you do to escape your darkest sins and find redemption? For the lead character of Rurouni Kenshin, it meant leaving behind his life as an assassin and becoming a wanderer. Kenshin Himura is seemingly only remarkable by the scar on his face, but his fighting skills reveal the past that he has tried so hard to forget. With the encouragement of Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin reinvents himself as a defender of the people who strives to move beyond his formerly wicked ways. But there’s always someone threatening his newfound peace, and Kenshin never walks away from a fight that matters.
4 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Nozomu Sasaki, Shigeru Chiba, Megumi Ogata
Created by
Studio Pierrot
At the start of Yu Yu Hakusho, the leading character, Yusuke, is anything but a hero. Instead, he’s a teenage narcissist who seemingly only cares for himself. And yet Yusuke surprises everyone, including himself, by sacrificing his life to prevent a young boy from being killed by an oncoming car. The powers that be in the afterlife are suitably impressed, and they allow Yusuke to come back to life as a Spirit Detective. Even Yusuke’s former rival, Kuwabara, becomes a part of his new life as they are drawn into the ongoing battle between monsters, demons, and humans for control of reality.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Romi Park, Rie Kugimiya, Shin-ichiro Miki
Created by
Hiroshi Ōnogi
Technically, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is not a reboot of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist series. Instead, it’s simply a more faithful adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa’s original manga. In an alternate steampunk universe, Edward and his brother, Alphonse Elric, pay a heavy price when they try to resurrect their mother with alchemy. Edward loses an arm and a leg, while Al’s spirit is stuck in a suit of armor. Instead of giving up, Edward becomes a Fullmetal Alchemist and teams up with his brother on a quest to restore their bodies before facing a conspiracy that has links to their long-missing father.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast
Samuel L. Jackson, Phil LaMarr, Yuri Lowenthal
Created by
Yasuyuki Mutō, Tomohiro Yamashita
Afro Samurai wasn’t created for Samuel L. Jackson, but the versatile actor was drawn to the adaptation of Takashi Okazaki’s manga series. Jackson also voiced Afro, a lone warrior in a feudal future. When Afro was a child, a man called Justice killed Afro’s father and claimed the Number One Headband, an object said to bestow godlike powers on its wearer. As an adult, Afro alienates his childhood friend, Jinno, and claims the Number Two Headband so he can challenge his father’s murderer. However, the holder of the Number Two Headband constantly has to defend his trophy, and Afro has several battles to fight before he can come face to face with Justice.
4 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Cast
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Inori Minase, Maaya Uchida
Created by
Hideki Tachibana
To answer the question posed by the title, yes, it probably is. But Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? wouldn’t be as much fun if it didn’t riff on its silly title. In this show, a 14-year-old boy, Bell Cranel, craves adventure and hopes to find a girlfriend by saving her from a monster. Instead, Bell’s life is saved by Aiz Wallenstein, a young woman whose fighting skills far exceed his own. After Bell falls hard for Aiz, he experiences a rapid increase in his abilities and gains a comically large group of female admirers … including the goddess Hestia.
4 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Cast
Satoshi Hino, Yumi Hara, Sumire Uesaka
Created by
Yukie Sugawara
In the future of Overlord, an immersive virtual game is about to be permanently taken offline. However, Momonga, a player who has dedicated over a decade of his life to the game, refuses to log off as the servers go dark. Much to Momonga’s surprise, the game lives on even after it is shut down. But he remains trapped in his avatar form, while the nonplayer characters develop personalities and desires of their own. As the last true human in the game, Momonga wields incredible power. Regardless, Momonga’s intentions are sometimes misinterpreted by his new subjects as he sets out to learn more about his new home.
3 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy
Cast
Gakuto Kajiwara, Yusuke Kobayashi, Saeko Kamijo
Created by
Atsushi Ōkubo
Fire Force‘s opening is literally explosive. When a man bursts into flames in a train car — transformed into what have become known as infernals, living and walking infernos — Tokyo’s Special Fire Force 8 isn’t far behind. The elite team is composed of pyrokinetics with the power to control flame with their minds, and they’re the only defense Tokyo has against this new rash of disastrous fires. We soon learn this fiery phenomenon isn’t a one-time deal. People are being turned into infernals all over the place. Fire Force follows the attempts of Special Fire Force 8 to find out what’s behind the secret of the infernals while also dealing with tensions sparked by the arrival of the new team member Shinra (Gakuto Kajiwara).
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast
Sumire Morohoshi, Mariya Ise, Lynn
Created by
Toshiya Ono, Kaiu Shirai
In The Promised Neverland, an orphaned girl named Emma lives with her friends, Norman and Ray, as well as many other orphans in Grace Field House. While awaiting adoption, their lives are blissfully carefree under the guidance of “Mom.” At least until Emma discovers the truth: Grace Field House isn’t an orphanage, it’s a farm … and the kids are the cattle! To escape their grim fate, Emma has to lead the children to safety even if it means venturing into an outside world even more dangerous than the one they want to leave behind.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, War & Politics
Cast
Yusuke Kobayashi, Sora Amamiya, Kaori Ishihara
Created by
Kento Shimoyama
It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World has some elements of Romeo and Juliet in it … mixed in with some amazing fantasy. In this alternate world, the Heavenly Empire uses advanced technology in its seemingly endless war with the magicians of the Nebulis Sovereignty. Two warriors on each side, Iska and Aliceliese, meet each other in battle before realizing they share a common goal: To end the war. They may also share their hearts with each other, if they can move past their differences.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Mystery, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Crime
Cast
Tomoyo Kurosawa, Yuuichirou Umehara, Shunsuke Takeuchi
Created by
Pierrot, Too Kyo Games
Akudama Drive is kind of like The Suicide Squad meets cyberpunk. A young woman is dragged into the dangerous world of a group of criminals called the Akudama simply because she is in the wrong place at the wrong time. To save herself, she takes on the persona of Swindler and joins the Akudama as they take on a high stakes heist that puts all of their lives on the line. The rewards are high, but Swindler and her new teammates soon realize that their lives are expendable, and their chances for survival are rapidly dwindling.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Kenjiro Tsuda, Mayu Yoshioka, Satoshi Tsuruoka
Created by
Shoji Gatoh, Range Murata
As the name implies, Cop Craft mixes the genres of police procedural with fantasy and magic. In the backstory of the series, Earth was linked to a world where elves, fairies, and all kinds of magical beings lived. Now that the two realms are linked, Detective Sergeant Kai Matoba is partnered with a young girl, Tilarna Exedilica, who is a knight charged with finding a kidnapped fairy. Essentially, the series is a buddy comedy that teaches Kai to be more tolerant toward the magical creatures, while Tilarna has “fish out of water” culture shock moments as she adjusts to life on Earth.
11 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Comedy, Animation
Cast
Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura
Created by
Junki Takegami
How big is One Piece? The animated adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga series began in 1999 … and it’s still going with more than 900 episodes produced to date. Not even The Simpsons can match that episode total! The show follows the ongoing tales of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates as they go from one thrilling adventure to the next. The search is on for the “One Piece,” the world’s ultimate treasure that could allow whoever finds it to become the new Pirate King. Monkey’s elastic body gives him an edge, but the Straw Hat Pirates have a lot of competition in the search for this prize.
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast
Chise Nakamura, Keiji Fujiwara, Nana Akiyama
Created by
Yoshiichi Akahito
It’s hard not to be reminded of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when watching Corpse Princess. There are some similarities between Yoshiichi Akahito’s manga-turned-anime series and Joss Whedon’s magnum opus. But Corpse Princess largely goes its own way as it chronicles the story of Makina Hoshimura, a teenage girl raised after her death to become an undead warrior. To earn her way into Heaven and avenge her family, Makina has to hunt down and destroy other undead people and monsters. And unlike Buffy Summers, Makina doesn’t shy away from bringing big guns to a knife fight … or any other kind of battle.
5 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation
Cast
Daiki Yamashita, Justin Briner, Nobuhiko Okamoto
Created by
Kōhei Horikoshi
Marvel and DC have a stranglehold over superheroes in comic-book stores and movie theaters. However, there’s a generation of manga and anime fans who have a superhero epic of their own: My Hero Academia. The anime is based on Kōhei Horikoshi’s wildly popular manga series about a high school that serves as a training ground for the next generation of heroes. The anime series follows Izuku Midoriya, a teenager born without a power or quirk of his own. But a chance encounter with the world’s greatest superhero gives Izuku the chance to become a hero in his own right. The supporting cast is also a rich assortment of eclectic heroes with wild and inventive powers. All five seasons are available on Hulu now.
5 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Kensho Ono, Kohsuke Toriumi, Junya Enoki
Created by
Hirohiko Araki
It took two attempts for the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga to break out as an anime, but the wildly successful revival series has become a genuine hit. The current show chronicles the adventures of the Joestar family from the 19th century to the present. Each generation has its “JoJo,” with Jonathan Joestar being the first. Jonathan’s conflict with the seemingly immortal vampire, Dio, spans decades. And it falls to Jonathan’s grandson, Jotaro Kujo, to finish the fight alongside a band of misfits who wield superpowers called “Stands.”
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara
Created by
Hajime Yatate
Netflix may have the upcoming live-action series, but Hulu has the original Cowboy Bebop. More than two decades after its initial debut, Cowboy Bebop remains a fan favorite thanks to its stylish mix of sci-fi, westerns, and noir. In the future, an unlikely group of bounty hunters makes their way among the interstellar colonies. However, the past is often present for Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein. Cowboy Bebop only ran for 26 episodes, but the series’ fascinating journey and memorable ending still resonate to this day.
2 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Cast
Kazuhiro Yamaji, Yuichi Nakamura, Kenjiro Tsuda
Created by
ONE
Meet Saitama, the most powerful superhero in the world. Despite his slight physique, Saitama can defeat any foe as long as he can land a single punch. But that’s a big problem for the star of One-Punch Man. Saitama craves a challenge that he can never truly find, which leads to some very funny moments. The superheroes of this world simply can’t compare to Saitama, and they have a hard time believing that he is truly as humble as he appears. One-Punch Man is one of a kind, and it’s easily among the most memorable series of the past decade.
4 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama, Mystery
Cast
Natsuki Hanae, Sora Amamiya, Shintaro Asanuma
Created by
Sui Ishida, Pierrot
Horror and sci-fi collide in Tokyo Ghoul, as a young man named Ken Kaneki finds his life irrevocably changed by a bad date. His date, a ghoul, nearly devours him in the first episode, leaving him to become a human-ghoul hybrid who has to learn how to reconcile his new life while maintaining his ties to his normal friends. Along the way, he may even become a hero as well.
9 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Junko Takeuchi, Chie Nakamura, Noriaki Sugiyama
Created by
Masashi Kishimoto
There are four different Naruto-related anime series on Hulu, but the best one is Naruto Shippuden. It’s the first sequel series, and it takes place more than two years after the original show as Naruto Uzumaki returns to his village for the next stage of his quest to become the Hokage (leader) of his village, Konohagakure. But first, Naruto will need to reconnect with his friends and rededicate himself to his training before facing his destiny.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Action & Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Crime, Drama
Cast
Rie Saitou, Koji Yusa, Akiko Yajima
Created by
Dai Sato, Manglobe
Although Ergo Proxy lasted only a single season, it made quite an impression thanks to its stunning visuals and its occasionally confounding philosophical stories. It takes place in a future where humans and androids live side by side in peace until a virus gives the androids self-awareness and a desire to kill. Inspector Re-L Mayer soon discovers that another species called Proxy may hold the secrets that will decide the fate of humanity and androids alike.
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Action & Adventure, Animation
Cast
Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara, Noriko Hidaka
Created by
Rumiko Takahashi
Ranma Saotome is a perfectly normal martial artist and teenage boy … except when he’s a girl. That’s the curse at the heart of Ranma 1/2, one of the first anime series to break out in the U.S. Before the events of the show, Ranma and his father, Genma, fell into a cursed spring. Subsequently, they transform into a girl and a panda, respectively, any time they are exposed to cold water. Naturally, that complicates Ranma’s betrothal to Akane, a fellow martial artist. But it also ensures a lot of laughs in this comedy series.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Ayako Kawasumi, Sayuri, Rica Matsumoto
Created by
Hajime Yatate, Takehiko Itō
Fans of Joss Whedon’s TV series, Firefly, may notice several familiar elements in the space western, Outlaw Star. However, the anime and the manga that inspired it pre-date Firefly by a few years. Within this series, Gene Starwind and the motley crew of the Outlaw Star take on odd jobs to keep their ship in working order. They also search the cosmos for a galactic treasure as Gene develops romantic feelings for Melfina, an advanced bio-android. Only 26 episodes were produced, but that also allowed Outlaw Star to reach a satisfying conclusion.
2 Seasons
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Cast
Junichi Suwabe, Uki Satake, Hiroyuki Yoshino
Created by
Bones
Space Dandy is a weird show, but in a good way! The series follows a guy named Dandy, or as the show calls him, “a dandy guy in space.” He travels the universe with a robot named QT and the cat-like being known as Meow. This is a sci-fi comedy with only the loosest possible interpretation of continuity between each episode. That’s why Dandy and his friends can meet darkly hilarious ends and return in the next episode completely healed and intact. Trust us, it’s a blast.
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Mystery
Cast
Mamoru Miyano, Noriko Hidaka, Nozomu Sasaki
Created by
Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
Imagine holding the power of life and death in your hands. It’s not a hypothetical situation in Death Note, a series in which high-school student Light Yagami comes into possession of the Death Note, a book that allows Light to kill anyone whose name is written in it. Light quickly develops a God complex as he takes credit for killing “bad people” while using his alter ego, Kira. That leads to a delicious game of cat and mouse between Light and the enigmatic investigator known as L. But when the Death Note is in play, very few will make it out alive.
1 Season
Genre
Animation
Cast
Takashi Matsuyama, Kaori Shimizu, Satomi Arai
Created by
Tow Ubukata
Do you want some fantasy mixed in with your space mecha adventures? Heroic Age blends elements of Greek mythology with a futuristic universe where humanity has been forced to scatter for its own survival. Dangerous alien races (or “tribes”) want to exterminate the remaining humans. But Princess Dhianeila and the starship Argonaut may have found humanity’s savior: A young man named Age. When pressed into battle, Age can transform into a mech-like giant called Bellcross. However, bringing the intergalactic conflict to a close is easier said than done. Age and Dhianeila face several trials together before their story reaches its natural conclusion.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Animation
Cast
Masaya Onosaka, Hiromi Tsuru, Satsuki Yukino
Created by
Yasuhiro Nightow
In the Trigun anime, Vash the Stampede may be the deadliest man in the galaxy, and the best gunslinger as well. He also happens to be an upbeat pacifist who just can’t seem to stop leaving chaos and destruction in his wake. This series struck a chord with American viewers for its deft blend of action and comedy, while Vash’s story revealed hidden chapters of his past. Regardless of what he may or may not have done before the series, Vash is a fan-favorite anime icon, and his adventures in Trigun have made this series an enduring hit.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Kazuya Nakai, Ginpei Sato, Steve Blum, Kirk Thornton
Created by
Manglobef
Samurai Champloo is a wild mixture of comedy and martial arts action that utilizes real events from Japanese history while integrating them with modern culture and even hip-hop music. That’s a combination that doesn’t make much sense, but somehow, it just works. The trio at the heart of the show is a young woman named Fuu, and her two reluctant companions: Mugen and Jin. After saving the two warriors from execution, Fuu recruits them for her personal mission to track down an enigmatic samurai who is very important to her.
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