Netflixhas an amazing catalog of shows and movies to choose from whenever you’re looking for something interesting to watch. Aside from a variety of live-action series, Netflix also has some great anime to choose from.
If you’relooking for something worth binge-watching this weekend, Netflix definitely has something that’ll appeal to you. From all sorts of sci-fi, to horror and drama, these Netflix anime are the perfect watch for the weekend.
1
8
Runtime
8 hours 9 minutes
Naoki Urasawa isan absolute powerhouse mangaka who often doesn’t get the recognition or love he deserves. Most know him for his psychological thriller seriesMonster, others for his mystery sci-fi series20th Century Boys. But one Urasawa manga that often goes overlooked isPluto.
The series is a re-imagining of the Godfather of manga, Osamu Tezuka’s iconicAstro Boy, specifically, the manga’s “The Greatest Robot on Earth” arc.Plutoreconceptualizes the arc as a murder-mystery, following detective Gesicht as he tries to solve a series of robot and human murders where the victims are mutilated to look like they have horns on their heads.
At 8 episodes,Plutoseems like a short series, but there’s plenty of mystery and intrigue packed in there for viewers to get invested in throughout its run. If you’re looking for something that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat this weekend, this might be it.
64
25 hours 36 minutes
Anime fans are a little spoiled for choice when it comes toFullmetal Alchemist. The original 2003 adaptation, though flawed in some ways, is a great ride that has its fair share of fans. Butmost will say that the 2009 follow-up,Brotherhood, is the way to go.
Brotherhoodis a more faithful adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa’s iconic manga series. Where the original anime was forced to pivot its narrative once it ran out of source material to adapt,Brotherhoodhad the luxury of working with Arakawa’s full story. The result is what many consider to be not only one of the best anime of the 21st century, but of all time.
At 64 episodes,Brotherhoodis an intimidating binge. But it’s doable if you have the time to spare over the weekend. The story grabs your attention at every turn, and the cast of characters is some of the best in anime. Whether it’s the action, political intrigue, or character dynamics that develop throughout its run,Brotherhoodwill have you hooked from start to finish.
12
4 hours 48 minutes
Junji Ito adaptations don’t have the best track record when it comes to doing justice to the iconic horror mangaka’s unique tone and style. Ito’sworks have become recognized all over the world, earning him a myriad of fans and accolades. But for some reason, be it the various film or anime adaptations inspired by his work, many agree that they just don’t compare to the source material.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabresuffers from some of the same setbacks as its predecessors. But as far as Ito adaptations go, it’s an admirable effort. The anime is an anthology series, adapting various Ito stories likeThe Hanging Balloons,Souichi, and even one of Ito’s most well-known stories,Tomie.
Japanese Tales of the Macabreis far from perfect, and the most die-hard Ito fans might have more than a few criticisms of it. But for newcomers and horror anime lovers, this is a fun little series to binge over the weekend if you’re looking to get a few scares in before the real-life horror of waking up on a Monday morning hits.
37
12 hours 57 minutes
Not many 2000s anime were as big asDeath Notewas back in its prime. Between itsunique premise, moral dilemmas, and internet memes, the series captured the attention of many anime fans of that era.
The series follows Light Yagami, a gifted but isolated high school student who, after finding the eponymous Death Note, begins using the book to kill off various criminals, attracting the attention of the Death Note’s original owner, the shinigami Ryuk. Dubbed “Kira” by the media, Light sets out to use the Death Note tocreate his own utopia while engaging in a game of cat and mousewith a cunning detective known as L.
Death Noteis a thrilling ride with plenty of twists, turns, and shocking moments that will have you jumping to the next episode again and again. It’s the perfect binge series, and at 37 episodes, it’s a pretty reasonable weekend watch.
24
9 hours 12 minutes
Legendary director Shinichiro Watanabe’s most recent seriesLazarusmight not have been what fans of the director were hoping for,but his 2019 seriesCarole & Tuesdayhits all the right notes. Set on a futuristic version of a partially terraformed Mars, the series follows wealthy runaway Tuesday, who, after meeting orphan refugee and fellow aspiring musician Carole, forms a singer-songwriter duo together.
Music lovers might recognize different artists appearing to lend their talents throughout the series, such as Denzel Curry, Harloe, and Thundercat. The series, unsurprisingly, has a stellar soundtrack, featuring musicians like Flying Lotus, Cero, Thundercat, and many more. Studio Bones does an amazing job with the animation for the series, and, coupled with the amazing voice acting and score,Carole & Tuesdaystands as one of Watanabe’s best series sinceCowboy Bebop.
