Netflix’s anime game has been leveling up hard this year, and August isn’t slowing down. Between weekly drops of buzzy new shows and legendary classics you can binge in one sitting, there is something for everyone on this platform.
So, let’s rank the top five anime that are available on Netflix right now, based on their quality and impact. Some anime are ranked lower not because they’re bad, but because we simply haven’t seen enough yet to call them great. Others earned their spot by going all in and sticking the landing. Let’s dive in.
5. Pluto Is the Most Mature Anime on Netflix Right Now
Pluto isn’t a flashy anime, and it doesn’t need to be. Based on the legendary manga by Naoki Urasawa, which itself reimagines a story by Astro Boy creator Osamu Tezuka, this anime follows a robot detective investigating a string of murders targeting both robots and humans. It’s part mystery, part sci-fi, and fully packed with heavy questions about what it means to be alive.
This anime ranks so low only because it’s a heavier watch, which is not for everyone. This isn’t something you throw on for background noise. It demands your full attention, which might not be what everyone’s looking for.
4. Banana Fish Is One of the Best Thriller Anime
Banana Fish just made the jump to Netflix this month, and it’s actually coming with an official English Dub, on August 12, 2026. The story of this anime follows Ash Lynx, a teenage gang leader in New York City, who gets pulled into a dangerous mystery involving a drug and the crime syndicate hiding its secrets. He ends up meeting Eiji, who is a Japanese photographer, and their bond becomes the emotional core of the whole show.
This anime doesn’t hold back. It mixes crime, trauma, and found-family vibes in a way that feels way more mature than your average action anime. It ranks fourth instead of higher because some of the pacing in the middle episodes drags a little. It’s still an amazing watch, but a few side plots take longer to pay off than they probably should.
3. The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Redefines Slice of Life Romance
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Credit: CloverWorks -
Credit: CloverWorks -
Credit: CloverWorks
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Credit: CloverWorks -
Credit: CloverWorks -
Credit: CloverWorks
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity follows Rintaro, a gentle guy from a rough all-boys school, and Kaoruko, a girl from a wealthy all-girls academy where everyone hates the students from Rintaro’s school. What starts as an awkward, unlikely friendship slowly turns into one of the most genuine romances that makes it one of the best romance anime you can watch right now.
This anime ranks third because it gets the little things right. The awkward silences, the nervous confessions, the way both characters slowly open up to each other feel completely real. However, it doesn’t rank higher only because it’s a slower burn than most romance anime.
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Is the Classic Masterpiece
Some anime are simply unforgettable, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of them. The full anime is streaming on Netflix right now, which makes this the perfect month to finally start it if you are somehow one of the few people who haven’t seen it. The story follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, who lose their bodies after a forbidden alchemy experiment goes wrong and journey to get them back.
This anime takes the number two spot because it’s not just action, even though the fights are incredible. Every character, even the smaller ones, gets a real arc and real depth, and every plot point gets a perfect conclusion at the end, which makes this anime’s ending one of the best.
1. Violet Evergarden Is the Best Anime on Netflix Right Now
There was really no other pick for number one. Violet Evergarden follows a former child soldier who worked as a weapon during a brutal war, and now tries to rebuild her life as a ghostwriter, a job that requires her to understand other people’s emotions. The catch is that she barely understands emotions herself, and her whole journey is about learning what it means to actually feel something.
This anime takes the top spot because it hits harder than almost anything else on this list. The animation from Kyoto Animation is stunning; every frame looks like it belongs in a painting, but it’s the emotional writing that really sells it.
| RANK | TITLE | RELEASE DATE | MAL RATING (as of Aug 3, 2026) |
| 5 | Pluto | Oct 26, 2023 | 8.44 / 10 |
| 4 | Banana Fish | Jul 6, 2018 | 8.45 / 10 |
| 3 | The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity | Jul 6, 2025 | 8.48 / 10 |
| 2 | Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Apr 5, 2009 | 9.11 / 10 |
| 1 | Violet Evergarden | Jan 11, 2018 | 8.69 / 10 |
So, which one of these is you adding to your watchlist first? Let us know.
Every anime on this list can be streamed on Netflix.
