While the platform is not immediately associated with the medium, Amazon Prime Video has available to stream some of the best anime ever made. Though its selection isn’t as extensive as other streaming services such as Crunchyroll or Funimation, it shouldn’t be discounted, and it makes up in terms of quality.
Amazon Prime is streaming some of the most enjoyable anime out there. From old classics to new hits, Amazon Prime’s anime library is extremely varied. It includes both full-length television shows and feature films. The best thing is that, with any Prime account, you can get started right away exploring every anime from A to Z.
10 Vinland Saga
As a child, Thorfinn watches his Viking father Thors killed by the mercenary Askeladd. He grows up training under and fighting beside Askeladd and his warriors, burning to one day avenge his father in an honorable duel. But the more his anger consumes him, the worse off he becomes, until he realizes he must find another way forward.
One of the best historical fantasy anime, Vinland Saga became instantly popular for its dark and gritty tone, but its simultaneously optimistic story is what gives it true depth. In his youth, Thors was famed for his brutal strength, but ultimately devoted himself to peace. Now, through his hardships, his son Thorfinn must learn the same lessons for himself and become the man he was always meant to be.
9 Death Note
On the surface, Light Yagami is the ideal young man: polite, even-tempered, and brilliant. Scratch that veneer just a little bit, though, and you’ll find a sadistic egomaniac. When Light is given the power to kill at will through the Death Note, he quickly sets about remaking the world to his liking through mass murder, but soon finds he may have met his match in the equally genius detective, L.
Death Note remains a favorite anime for beginners for good reason. The suspense and mystery elements of Light escalating his serial killing while dodging L’s expert pursuit of him keep the show exciting. But the core of the story is Light and L as mirror images of one another, and the clash of their ideals as each is determined to see his vision of justice prevail.
8 Memories
Katsuhiro Otomo may be best known for the classic film Akira, but he also helmed this anthology adapting short stories of his. Also featuring the talents of Satoshi Kon, Kouji Morimoto, and Tensai Okamura, Memories is a hidden gem of science fiction anime. All three short films are praised for their complexity and creativity.
Magnetic Rose tells the operatic tale of a ship’s crew discovering an abandoned space station. Stink Bomb is a ghastly story of the extremes of biological warfare. Finally, Cannon Fodder is a short but effective film about the horrors of war. All three together paint a bleak picture of the future as technology advances.
7 Paprika
When Dr. Atsuko Chiba’s team invents a device that allows them to watch people’s dreams, she uses it under the table to treat her psychiatric patients. As her alter ego Paprika, she travels through their dreams looking for the roots of their problems. But when the device is stolen, Chiba and her team must mobilize to recover it before it’s used to kill.
One of Satoshi Kon’s best movies is famous for its surreal story and imaginative animation. While some detractors find its plot hard to follow, others enjoy it for its fluidity and ability to capture the feeling of being lost in a dream. The further the line between dreams and reality blurs, the harder Chiba and her companions must fight to keep their lives and identities.
6 In This Corner Of The World
Based on the manga of the same name by Fumiyo Kouno, In This Corner of the World tells the story of Suzu Urano, a girl from Hiroshima, who moves south to Kure to be with her lover Shuusaku. Their married life starts simple and pleasant, but in 1944, the shadow of World War II looms closer and closer every day. Not only must Suzu adjust to a new home and family, but to wartime hardship and tragedy as well.
Received with widespread praise and numerous award nominations and wins, In This Corner of the World remains one of MAPPA’s best films. Its extended version continues to hold the record for the longest theatrically released animated film ever made. Unfortunately, only the original cut is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
5 Trigun
While the 2023 reboot Trigun Stampede is currently streaming only on Hulu and Crunchyroll, the original 1998 series can be found on Amazon Prime. On the desolate planet Gunsmoke, legends tell of a horrifying force of destruction moving from town to town, and insurance agents Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson are on a mission to bring it to heel. But the notorious criminal Vash the Stampede turns out to be a dorky blond guy they keep running into.
Trigun isn’t just a classic for its Wild West atmosphere and balance of comedy and action. Vash is an excellent protagonist, who starts off fun and goofy but, as the show goes on, reveals the true depth of the pain and fear he’s struggling to tamp down. He loves humanity as much as they detest him, and he will do everything in his extensive power to protect what he loves. Vash has also become one of the most iconic pacifists in anime, just as Thorfinn from Vinland Saga much later.
4 Your Name
Tokyo boy Taki Tachibana and rural girl Mitsuha Miyamizu both wish they could exchange their lives for something completely different. When they wake up one day in each other’s bodies, they get their wish. As they grow closer, not only do they begin to fall in love, but realize that their connection is the key to preventing a horrific disaster.
Your Name boasts not only stellar animation (as expected from a Makoto Shinkai production) but a thrilling story as well. Taki and Mitsuha learn and mature from sharing their experiences and perspectives, and the harder their struggle to be together becomes, the more the audience roots for them. Cliche as it sounds, their story remains a true emotional roller coaster to the very last second.
3 Ouran High School Host Club
On her first day at the prestigious Ouran Academy, Haruhi Fujioka accidentally breaks an eight million yen vase. To work off her debt, she joins the school Host Club, whose members host events entertaining delighted female students. She’s quickly drawn into the zany world of the five hosts, and finds that she belongs there far more than she expected.
Even seventeen years after its last episode aired, Ouran fans still clamor for a second season. This speaks to how beloved the show remains, and how easy it is to get attached to this cast. Its flamboyant tone and the fun character dynamics place it high in the ranks of romantic comedy anime.
2 Banana Fish
Aspiring photographer Eiji Okumura knew he was coming to New York for a piece on the local street gangs, but had no idea how deeply entangled he would become. He is instantly amazed by Ash Lynx, who is infamous throughout the underworld for his beauty and vicious strength. Together, the two of them must solve the mystery of “banana fish,” the destructive unknown threatening the city.
Banana Fish is notable not only for being one of the best anime about the mafia, but for the love story between Ash and Eiji. After suffering through a nightmarish childhood, Ash finds one of the first bright spots of his life in Eiji. However, despite Eiji’s willingness to face danger with him, it’s ultimately up to Ash to choose between protecting Eiji and being happy with him.
1 Princess Tutu
Newly transformed from a duck to a magical girl, Ahiru is determined to find a place in the world of humans and use her powers to free them from corruption. In the average fairy tale, her mission would be straightforward and easy. But as Ahiru and her new companions soon discover, their story isn’t quite so simple.
After one of the best episode one plot twists in anime, Princess Tutu only gets better. From Ahiru to her handsome prince Mytho to the dark and mysterious Fakir, each character pushes back against the fate that has been decided for them. It is not only a fun and complex deconstruction of the magical girl genre, but of classic archetypes in and of themselves.
Amazon Prime is a surprisingly good place to stream anime. Whether you are rewatching old favorites or looking for a new story to love, it should have something for you. Fans should check out Amazon Prime's anime selection and discover some of the best action, fantasy, and romantic anime to come out of the past few decades.