- Life & Culture
Top Anime Right Now: 21 Popular Shows to Watch Online
Feeling overwhelmed by anime shows online and don’t know where to begin? We hear you.
We’ve put together 21 of the most popular anime to watch right now, plus where to find them. From brand new series, to the latest seasons of big names like One Piece and Attack on Titan.
These trending anime shows come up over and over again, and we’re sure you’ll love them!
The 21 Most Popular Anime to Watch Right Now
Bleach
One of the top anime series of all time, the wildly popular Bleach is on its seventeenth season.
The story revolves around Ichigo, a teenage boy who is given supernatural powers akin to the Grim Reaper, who has to learn to control his skills. Based on the manga by Tite Kubo, Bleach is loved for its complex story arcs, old fashioned shōnen-style fights, and excellent animation.
If you get a free trial of Crunchyroll or Hulu, you can binge the whole run (if you’re feeling brave).
Genre: Supernatural / adventure
Length: 17 series
Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
One Piece
Another long-runner, One Piece is a fun anime about pirates. If you already have Netflix, you can start watching it right now! It’s easily one of the most popular anime series in the world.
The story follows Luffy, a boy who wants to become the King of Pirates, and his extensive crew as they search for the treasure known as “One Piece”. It’s one of the best animes to get into as a beginner, as there’s nothing really not to like – it has a great storyline and is extremely funny.
Genre: Fantasy / adventure
Length: 20 series
Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll
Tokyo Mew Mew New
If you loved Tokyo Mew Mew the first time round, this reboot of the classic magical girl series will be right up your alley. Celebrating the original 2000s manga, it’s just as cute as the original.
The magical girl genre, which boasts the iconic Sailor Moon, is perfect pick-me-up escapism.
Tokyo Mew Mew centres around the Mew Project – a group of five girls whose DNA is fused with endangered animals. Think colourful outfits, whimsical powers, and plenty of high school fluff.
Genre: Magical girl
Length: 1 series
Watch: HIDIVE
Attack on Titan
An anime so popular, you must have been living under a rock not to have heard of it.
Attack on Titan’s horrific imagery and post-apocalyptic theme is strong stuff, but it’s also surprisingly watchable. The story centres around the monstrous man-eating giants called Titans, and the resistance who fight them. Will the last brave remnants of humanity survive?
Expect epic battles, plenty of plot twists, and memorable artwork. Swallow it whole on Netflix.
Genre: Dark fantasy / action
Length: 4 series
Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
Spy × Family
A newcomer, with its first episodes airing in 2022, this quirky spy-themed series is already a big success due to the manga’s popularity. It follows a spy called Loid Forger, who has to marry a woman (Yor) and adopt a child (Anya) to present himself as having the perfect happy family.
Little does Loid know that his adopted daughter has telepathic powers, or that his wife is a trained assassin. As you can imagine, hilarity ensures – a must-watch for spy movie fans.
Genre: Spy action / comedy
Length: 1 series
Watch: Disney+, Netflix, Crunchyroll
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Set in the universe of the popular Cyberpunk 2077 video game, this anime series serves as a prequal. An edgerunner is a black-market mercenary, surviving on the wrong side of the law.
The anime follows David, a top student who has to abandon his education to be an edgerunner.
With clever dystopian worldbuilding, futuristic character designs and a slick animation style, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will thrill science fiction fans. You can catch it on Netflix right now.
Genre: Sci fi / cyberpunk
Length: 1 series
Watch: Netflix
Ranking of Kings
One of the best anime to watch right now, Ranking of Kings has a heartwarming story.
It follows prince Bojji, born deaf and tiny in size, who is denied his birthright of becoming king in favour of his more physically capable brother. The series follows Bojji as he teams up with Kage – the last survivor of a clan of assassins – and their adventures together in a fantasy world.
Ranking of Kings has a charming art style, a great message, and extremely lovable characters.
Genre: Fantasy comedy
Length: 1 series
Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Uncle From Another World
This funny, offbeat anime follows Takafumi, who finds that out his uncle – get this – is from another world! Or rather, he’s been inside another world during his 17-year long coma.
Uncle From Another World is available to watch on Netflix, and it’s easy to binge it fast.
As Takafumi helps his middle-aged uncle adjust, he discovers that he now has magical powers, speaks an unrecognizable language, and has many memories of his time in another dimension.
Genre: Fantasy comedy
Length: 1 series
Watch: Netflix, Disney+
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Based on the popular manga, Demon Slayer has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever. It follows teen Tanjiro as he deals with the aftermath of demons killing his family and turning his little sister into a demon. For such a dark topic, the art is surprisingly cute.
There are two seasons of Demon Slayer, and it’s one of the best picks to watch online. If you’re a fan of dark fantasy, with a generous amount of martial arts visuals, this is a great series to binge.
Genre: Dark fantasy / adventure
Length: 2 series
Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
My Hero Academia
The superhero genre is still super popular worldwide, and it’s the same with Japanese anime.
This fun shōnen (traditionally targeted at teenage boys) anime is set in a world where superpowers or “quirks” have become commonplace. The story follows Izuku, a teenage boy without a quirk of his own, who is suddenly given superpowers by Japan’s greatest hero.
It takes place in a high school for superheroes in training, with plenty of fun along the way.
Genre: Superhero / action
Length: 6 series
Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
The Orbital Children
With beautiful artwork and a fascinating premise, The Orbital Children is one of the best animes for science fiction fans to watch right now. However, you may have to suspend your disbelief!
The story follows children born on both the Earth and on the moon, after they are stranded in space. The series raises some interesting questions about the nature of technology and AI, with the children having to navigate a malfunctioning space station and rogue machinery.
Genre: Sci fi / fantasy
Length: 1 series
Watch: Netflix
The Devil is a Part-Timer!
This fun and lighthearted anime asks, “What if Satan worked in a fast food outlet?”
The devil is now a wide-eyed bishōnen boy, and you’re sure to be charmed by the series’ silly sense of humour, quirky characters and low-stakes situations. A nice little anime to watch if you just want to switch your brain off and enjoy – there are some battle scenes, but nothing major.
Being 300 years old, Satan offers a unique perspective on a typical slice-of-life anime series.
Genre: Fantasy / comedy
Length: 2 series
Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Chainsaw Man
Denji is a teen devil hunter who finds himself with chainsaw-like powers, after merging with a dog-like devil called Pochita. What powers you ask? He can turn parts of himself into chainsaws.
Based on the super popular manga, this anime features a loveable protagonist and fantastically weird imagery. As you can imagine, there’s lots of horror and gore, but also plenty of romance and humour. Ideal for a slightly older audience, two episodes are available to watch right now.
Genre: Action / horror comedy
Length: 2 episodes (so far)
Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
Overlord
A must-watch for fans of MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), Overlord combines fantasy and sci fi to create one popular anime. Set in the future, it involves a game that traps its players inside, forcing them to play the game with real consequences.
If you think this is all a bit similar to Sword Art Online, you’d be partially right. However, the main character has to roleplay the antagonist, creating some dramatic storylines and moral dilemmas.
Genre: Dark fantasy / sci fi
Length: 4 series
Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu
My Dress-Up Darling
It’s fluffy and full of fanservice, but do we care? My Dress-Up Darling is exactly what you’d think.
Following a sweet romance between a shy doll-maker and a popular cosplayer, it’s great Japanese high school escapism. However, there’s plenty of heart and you find out lots about Japan’s rich history of doll making, which protagonist Wakana learnt from his grandfather.
Lovers of Japanese fashion will also love the references to cosplay and gyaru girl culture.
Genre: Romantic comedy
Length: 12 episodes
Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, 9anime
Ya Boy Kongming!
Ya Boy Kongming! stars famous Chinese military figure, Zhuge Liang, known for his reputation as a great strategist and scholar. This popular anime sees him reborn in Tokyo’s party district.
A solitary figure in his previous life, Kongming wished to be reborn in a peaceful place, free from bloodshed. Young and surrounded by partygoers, his second life sees him help a struggling girl to stardom as a pop singer. Using his war-honed strategy skills, he becomes her manager.
Described as “very silly and very good”, Ya Boy Kongming! is a fresh spin on time-travel and reincarnation themes. Whether you love pop bands or history, there’s lots to enjoy here.
Genre: Comedy / musical
Length: 12 episodes
Watch: Disney+, HIDIVE
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Boasting a glorious art style and soundtrack, the long-awaited third part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is coming to Netflix in December 2022. The series follows members of the Joestar family, who possess psychic powers, as they swap between many genres and adventures.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the most popular anime series of all time, and the manga has been loved by audiences since the 1980s. Its imagery and costumes are truly mind-blowing.
Genre: Adventure / horror / fantasy
Length: 5 series
Watch: Netflix
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
A classic will-they-won’t-they romance, Kaguya-sama is an anime that keeps you guessing.
The president and vice-president of the high school council are in love, but they’re both too proud to admit it. A perfect anime to watch if you’re suffering from the same situation – it’s a lot of fun watching them play mind games to try and get each other to admit their feelings.
It’s a well-written story, blending comedy moments with more deep and serious themes.
Genre: Romantic comedy
Length: 3 series
Watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll
Komi Can’t Communicate
Another agonising will-they-won’t-they high school romance, Komi Can’t Communicate centres on Komi – a seemingly aloof girl with severe social anxiety and communication problems.
Based on a popular manga, the story follows Tadano, an extremely average boy who sits next to Komi in class. He learns that Komi is just painfully shy, and pledges to help her achieve her goal of having 100 friends. The anime’s cute art and characters make it a pleasure to watch.
Genre: Romantic comedy
Length: 24 episodes
Watch: Netflix
Parallel World Pharmacy
Another top anime to watch right now, Parallel World Pharamcy is a world-hopping fantasy with a medical twist. Alternate worlds or “isekai” anime are super popular in Japan, and this is an interesting one to start with. It follows a medical researcher, reborn in medieval-like world.
Kanji, who died from overwork, finds himself somewhere where medical treatments are only available to the wealthy. He aims to revolutionise medicine and make it available to everyone.
Genre: Fantasy / medical
Length: 12 episodes
Watch: Crunchyroll, Disney+
Made in Abyss
One of the most popular animes to watch right now, Made in Abyss is on multiple platforms.
The series features the titular abyss, a chasm filled with mysterious creatures. It stars an orphaned girl called Riko, who befriends a robot called Reg – they both enter the abyss with the hope of finding Riko’s mother. Dark, but with enchanting artwork, it’s a crowd and critic pleaser.
If you can’t get enough of this top anime, there’s a video game, manga and live-action film too.
Genre: Sci fi / fantasy
Length: 2 series
Watch: Amazon Prime, HIDIVE, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll
The last word on top anime to watch right now…
Whether there’s a trending anime you want to discuss with friends, or an obscure title you’d love to check out for yourself, there’s enough anime out right now to keep you entertained for months!
If you enjoyed our pick of best anime series, check out our blog on the newest anime movies.