Japanese animation, akaanime, has enjoyed a global fanbase for decades, but it’s the dawn of streaming that really turned it into the beloved international phenomenon we see today. While the field is primarily known to international audiences for its more action-oriented products, anime shows are a wide and varied world encompassing countless genres and sub-genres, with the only constant being that they’re all produced by Japanese studios and share a broadly similar sense of style.
Huluis home to a vast library of anime shows, including some of the greatest works in the field. Whether you’re a newcomer to anime or a diehard otaku looking for your newest favorite, it can be difficult to sift through the streamer’s collection and find exactly what you’re looking for. That’s why we’ve done the work for you, bringing the very best anime series on the service together in one handy guide. Read on to discover our handpicked selection of the best anime shows you can stream right now on Hulu.
For more recommendations, be sure to check out our lists of the bestmoviesandshowson Hulu, as well as thebest animated series on Huluand thebest anime shows on Netflix.
‘Attack on Titan’ (2013 - 2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 9.1/10
Attack On Titan
Adapted fromHajime Isayama’s eponymous manga series,Attack on Titanis a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy anime series animated by Wit Studio (Seasons 1-3) andMAPPA(Season 4). The series begins with the remnants of humanity living behind walls that protect them from giant monsters called Titans and follows the story of Eren Yeager. After a Titan eats Eren’s mother, he trains to fight against the monsters. But when he discovers an uncanny ability to transform into a Titan himself, it puts him on a treacherous path full of terrible secrets and hidden histories.
The series starsYuki Kaji,Yui Ishikawa,Marina Inoue, and more in the Japanese voice cast, withBryce Papenbrook,Trina Nishimura,Jessie James Grelle, and others voicing the English dub.Attack on Titanpremiered in 2013 to critical and audience acclaim, and in the years since, it’s developed into one of the most popular anime series of all time. The show has been praised for its dark storytelling, mindblowing animation, and complex, layered characters. Easily one of the greatest anime franchises of all time,Attack on Titanis a mature action fantasy that breaks the mold to tell a story of surprisingly real people in an unreal setting.
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‘Spy x Family’ (2022 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.3/10
Spy x Family
Produced by Wit Studio and CloverWorks,Spy x Familyis a spy comedy series adapted fromTatsuya Endo’s eponymous manga series. The story follows a spy and an assassin — both unaware of each other’s true identities — who create a fake family for their own reasons, adopting a young girl who is secretly a telepath who knows all their secrets. Takuya Eguchi, Atsumi Tanezaki, and Saori Hayami lead the Japanese voice cast, withAlex Organ,Megan Shipman, andNatalie Van Sistinevoicing their counterparts in the English dub.
Spy x Familypremiered in 2022 and quickly became a huge global hit, receiving acclaim from critics and fans for its animation, characterization, and comedy. The series has aired two seasons so far, with a third set to be released in October 2025.Spy x Family Code: White, a feature film set between Seasons 2 and 3, was released in December 2023. The show is a delightful comfort watch with a winning combination of silly, slice-of-life humor and epic action sequences. Thanks largely to its adorable central character and beautiful art style,Spy x Familyis a series that is genuinely enjoyable even if you’re not a fan of anime in general.
‘Dragon Ball Daima’ (2024 - 2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDb: 8.0/10
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Produced by Toei Animation,Dragon Ball DAIMAis the sixth series in theDragon Ballfranchise, as well as the last project written by franchise creatorAkira Toriyamabefore his death in March 2024. Set after the events ofDragon Ball Z, the series kicks off with a new villain using the Dragon Balls to de-age Son Goku and his friends. Despite not being in their adult bodies, the heroes set off on a journey through the Demon Realm to gather the realm’s own Dragon Balls and reverse their situation.
WhenDragon Ball DAIMAfirst premiered in October 2024, the critical reception was quite mixed. However, reviews and fan reactions quickly improved as the miniseries progressed. Since its streaming release, it has become one of themost-watched anime showsaround the world in recent years, to the point where multiple streaming sites crashed following the premiere of Episode 18. Despite a few pacing issues, the series is a nostalgic and highly entertaining watch — a brilliant tribute to the franchise’s history and the legacy of its beloved creator.
‘One-Punch Man’ (2015 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.7/10
One-Punch Man
Based on the eponymous series created byOne,One-Punch Manis a superhero comedy anime series that follows the story of Saitama, an independent superhero who is so strong he can defeat any enemy with just one punch. As a result, he’s eternally bored and constantly seeking a real challenge. Animated by Madhouse (Season 1) and J.C. Staff (Season 2 and 3), the series starsMakoto FurukawaandKaito Ishikawain the Japanese voice cast, withZach Aguilar,Robbie Daymond, and more voicing the English dub.
One-Punch Manpremiered in 2015 to critical and audience acclaim, with praise for its absurdly funny storytelling. An action comedy that doesn’t skimp on either the action or the humor,One-Punch Manis entertaining, funny, and surprisingly well-written for what’s essentially a parody of superhero tropes. A second season of the show was released in 2019, andSeason 3is expected to premiere sometime in 2025.
‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’ (2022 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 9.0/10
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Based onTite Kubo’sBleachmanga series,Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Waris a direct sequel to the highly popularBleachanime series, which aired from 2004 to 2012. The franchise as a whole follows the story of teenager Ichigo Kurosaki, who gains the powers of a Soul Reaper and must use those abilities to protect humanity and guide souls to the afterlife. Following the final story arc of the manga,Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Waris directed byTomohisa Taguchiand animated by Studio Pierrot, withMorita Masakazu,Kentarou Itou,Yuki Matsuoka, and others starring in the Japanese voice cast. The English dub is voiced byJohnny Yong Bosch,Noriaki Sugiyama,Wally Wingert, and more.
The originalBleachis one of the most popular anime shows of all time, with a massive international fanbase, so expectations were quite high ahead of the release ofThousand-Year Blood War. Those expectations were rewarded when the show premiered in October 2022, with the sequel series receiving positive reviews from both critics and fans. While maintaining the high-quality storytelling of the original show,Thousand-Year Blood Warkicks things up a notch with brilliant animation work — especially in its endlessly exciting fight scenes.
‘My Hero Academia’ (2016 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.2/10
My Hero Academia
Based onKōhei Horikoshi’s bestselling manga series,My Hero Academiais a superhero anime show produced by Bones. Set in a world where superpowers are commonplace, the series follows the story of Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without powers who dreams of becoming a superhero. One day, a chance encounter with All Might, the world’s greatest hero, leads to Midoriya inheriting his powers and joining a prestigious academy for heroes in training. Directed byKenji Nagasaki, the show starsDaiki Yamashita,Nobuhiko Okamoto,Yuki Kaji, and others in the Japanese voice cast, withJustin Briner,Clifford Chapin,David Matranga, and more voicing the English dub.
Horikoshi’s original series was one of the best-selling mangas of all time, and with the anime’s premiere in 2016, theMy Hero Academiafranchise became a truly global phenomenon with fans around the world. Often hailed as a great beginner anime,My Hero Academiacombines Western superhero tropes with classicshōnenaction to create an exciting and well-developed world. The series has aired seven seasons so far, with an eighth and final season set to premiere in 2025, and has also spawned four animated films. A live-action adaptation is currently in development as well.
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998 - 1999)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.9/10
Cowboy Bebop
Created and animated by Sunrise,Cowboy Bebopis a 1998 neo-noir space Western series set in a future world where Earth has become uninhabitable, leading humanity to move to other parts of the Solar System. The series follows a crew of bounty hunters as they chase down various targets, exploring their lives and the secrets of their pasts. The series was directed byShinichirō Watanabeand written byKeiko Nobumoto.Kōichi YamaderaandUnshō Ishizukalead the Japanese voice cast, withSteve Blum,Beau Billingslea, and more voicing the English dub.
A classic of Japanese animation,Cowboy Bebopisn’t just a great anime series — it’s arguably one of the best animated shows of all time. Exploring mature themes like existential boredom and the unrelenting ghosts of one’s past, the show has received universal acclaim from critics and audiences for decades, inspiring a love of anime in generations of new fans. The show has been praised for its animation, writing, and voice acting, but what really makesCowboy Bebopso very enjoyable is its soundtrack, composed byYoko Kannoand performed by Kanno’s blues-and-jazz bandSeatbelts. Alive-action adaptationstarringJohn Chowas released on Netflix in 2021.
‘Naruto’ (2002 - 2007)
IMDb: 8.4/10
Based onMasashi Kishimoto’s eponymous manga series,Narutois an action anime series animated by Pierrot and produced by Aniplex. The show follows the titular ninja as he pursues his dream of becoming Hokage, the leader of his village. The show begins with Naruto’s pre-teen years, moving on to his teens in the sequel seriesNaruto: Shippuden. Directed byHayato Date, the series’ Japanese voice cast starsJunko Takeuchi,Noriaki Sugiyama, andChie Nakamura, withMaile Flanagan,Yuri Lowenthal,Kate Higgins, and more voicing the English dub.
Narutooriginally aired 220 episodes between October 2002 and February 2007, withShippudencontinuing the story with an additional 500 episodes released from February 2007 to March 2017. Both halves of the series have received widespread acclaim from both critics and fans, with praise for its characters and story. The series is one of the most popular anime franchises of all time, with a dedicated global fanbase, and it has been credited with introducing new generations of fans to the world of Japanese animation.
