5 must-watch anime on Netflix

Netflix’s anime catalog is rather full, between exclusives (Violet Evergarden, crybaby devilman, good suitor), shonen classics (naruto, FMA, Hunter X Hunter) or just the classics (cowboy bebop, Trigun, evangelization). But, there are other lesser-known titles that deserve your attention just as much. The 5 titles below are not unknown, but they are all a few years old and are slowly starting to disappear from the radar.

With the release of Claymoresince September 1, 2022 on Netflix, so now is the time to bring these works back to light.

Claymore

This is the latest novelty. Claymore is basically an excellent manga in 27 volumes by Norihiro Yagi (Ariadne, the celestial empire), published between 2001 and 2014. The story follows Claire, a Claymore. These half-human, half-demon warriors have the mission of cleaning the villages of infiltrated demons devouring the population. One day, she meets a young orphan, Raki. The latter decides to follow her on her journey… A pitch that is very similar to that of demon slayer (a mission, an enemy to defeat), but with a heroine and a medieval universe.

The 2000s were extremely busy for Madhouse Studios: Freak, Death threat, Denno Coil, black lagoon, granny, Kaiji and even more. The famous Japanese studio delivered a string of excellent series during this period and of course, Claymore is part of. If you like dark fantasy worlds a la Berserkthis series is surely one of its best representatives. Her main fault is that she arrived too early. At the time, the concept of season was not as present as it is today in Japanese animation. Thus, the story of the anime covers only 11 volumes (until the invasion of Pieta) and ends abruptly by leaving an open door, which has never been closed since. We are entitled to dream of a remake covering the entire story. Who knows, maybe one day…

All 26 episodes are available here, as well as on Blu-ray.

guilty crown

It must be admitted that guilty crowna series from 2011, is not perfect. The anime is inspired by many titles: the SF universe evokes ghost in the shell Where evangelization and the scenario has many similarities with that of Code Geass. Logical, since it is the same authors, Hiroyuki Yoshino and Ichirô Ôkouchi. We are in Tokyo in 2039. Japan is going through a serious crisis following an epidemic and the country is still standing thanks to the support of a multinational, which imposed a military regime. One day, Shû Ouma, an ordinary high school student, sees his life change when he meets Inori. This famous singer is also a member of a rebel group fighting against the government…

guilty crown can be described as a kind of rough draft of The attack of the Titans. Wit Studio was in charge of the animation, when it was still a division of Production IG A year later, the structure became a studio in its own right, with the success that we knows. We also find Tetsurô Araki on the production, future master on board the adaptation of Hajime Isayama’s manga, and Hiroyuki Sawano on the music. guilty crown often sins with its uneven writing, but the series delivers many impressive action sequences, often magnified by its composer’s soundtrack. For that alone, the series deserves to be seen.

The 22 episodes are available here (the series also exists on Blu-ray, but the complete version is difficult to find today or at prohibitive prices).

The heroic legend of Arslan

You like Kingdom, epic stories, battles with thousands of extras and charismatic heroes? Logically, you should appreciate The Chronicles of Arslan by Noriyuki Abe (director of Yu Yu Hakusho, GTO and Bleach). This manga adaptation by Hiromu Arawaka is based on a series of novels by Yoshiki Tanaka (Legend of Galactic Heroes) written for 30 years and already transposed in the 90s in manga and anime. Arslân is the young prince of the kingdom of Parse, ruled with an iron fist by King Andragoras. One day, a neighboring nation, Lusitania, decides to invade Parse and Arslân is forced to take part in his first battle…

This is the most recent title of this selection. Arsland aired in two seasons in 2015 and 2016 on the late Wakanim. Netflix only offers the first season, but anyway, it is now impossible to find the second season, both in SVOD and in physical media. But, that’s okay, the best part is in the available season. The story also diverges quickly enough from the manga to go in its own direction, like a certain Fullmetal Alchemist in 2003, already by the same author. As for the manga Arslandit still has 17 volumes since 2013 and is still being published in Japan. In France, Kurokawa publishes it.

All 25 episodes are available here. Season 1 is also available on DNA and Blu-ray (a recent reissue by All The Anime).

tiger and rabbit

12 years separate the first season of tiger and rabbit and the second, broadcast last spring. But, it’s from Keiichi Satô’s 2011 series (Bahamut’s Rage) which we will discuss here. At the time, in cinema, Marvel was only in its Phase 1 and in Japan, my hero academia did not yet exist. Superheroes did not have the current rating for the general public. However, the Sunrise studio series (Code Geass) dusted off the myth by propelling heroes in suits full of sponsors into a reality TV game. We follow a duo: Wild Tiger, a former solitary hero who has a difficult relationship with his daughter and Bunny, a young idealist.

Rather fond of “tokutasu” such as Riders come Where Ultramanthe Japanese had until then little explored the universe of Western superheroes like Marvel or DC. tiger and rabbit is thus almost a visionary work, prefiguring the very popular my hero academia. But, above all, the anime is very rich with its reflection on our overconsumption society and on the myth of the superhero. Fascinating themes, even more topical today, which make tiger and rabbit an essential series.

Both seasons are available here and Season 1 is also available on Blu-ray. You will also find on Netflix the two feature films, The beginning and The climb.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

It is difficult to choose among the few titles of the famous franchise Gundam available on the platform, because we could have listed them all here. However, the OVA series Unicorn will be released from the catalog on September 19: it is therefore the opportunity to see (or see again) this vertiginous space opera before its disappearance. Produced over 5 years between 2010 and 2014, these OAVs or “mini films” (50 minutes per episode and above all an achievement worthy of a feature film) adapt a series of novels of the same name. The events take place 3 years after the film tank counterattack. We follow a high school student, Banagher Links, who after saving a young girl, Audrey Burne, will find himself embroiled in a story that will completely surpass him. He will become the pilot of the Unicorn Gundam.

Unicorn can be an interesting gateway to the saga Gundam for neophytes, because the hero is a new character. But, the whole political and historical context may seem obscure and complicated for many. The good news is that Netflix has several titles Gundam in its catalog. For those who want to fully immerse themselves in it, you can see the original trilogy (1981-1982) and tank counterattack (1988). However, Unicorn is appreciated without and remains today one of the most ambitious works of the franchise.

All 7 episodes are available here. They can also be found on Blu-ray and on Crunchyroll in the version RE:0096 of 2016 (TV reassembly in 22 episodes).

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