10 Best One Season Anime You Can Stream on Netflix Now

Although many anime series run for many seasons, a select few are so brief, they only lasted for one. What these anime lack in length, they make up for in entertainment value. With memorable characters, complex and incredible plots, and breathtaking visuals, these short series will undoubtedly be remembered by viewers for years to come.

Netflix has really expanded their anime offerings over the past few years, even creating a handful of popular Netflix original animes. The series available on the platform span many genres, including adventure, romance, thriller, drama, and countless others. From fan-favorites Death Note and Neon Genesis Evangelion, to new Netflix originals like Cyberpunk Edgerunner, there are a variety of options on Netflix to please every kind of watcher.

10
Toradora!’s Lighthearted Slice-Of-Life Romance Is Relatable & Fun

Produced by J.C. Staff, based on the original light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya

Toradora! is a delightfully lighthearted and fun romance anime. Ryuji Takasu and Taiga Aisaka cross paths and truly hate each other at first, because Taiga is quite abrasive and mean to everyone she meets. Eventually, they make peace and strike up a friendship, mutually scheming to help the other person woo their crush.

The series includes everything one would expect from a romantic anime set in high school: hilarious moments, dramatic love triangles, misunderstandings, and great bonds of friendship. One aspect fans particularly enjoy is Taiga’s character development throughout the series, as she becomes a kinder person and more loving in her friendships. The characters in Toradora! may not be perfect, but no one is. Because of this, they are relatable, and they continue growing and maturing together throughout the anime.

Watch on Netflix

9
Darwin’s Game Offers a Perfect Introduction To Death Game Anime

Produced by Nexus, based on the original manga by FLIPFLOPs

Kaname Sudō, an ordinary high school student, gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a simple game app he downloaded is actually a deadly fight to the death competition. Kaname swears he won’t stop until he eliminates the Game Master and wins, but only time will tell if he can accomplish his goal. The series is fast-paced and follows the characters as they fight for their lives with the help of the Sigils they each received in the game.

Due to the fast-moving nature of this series and the relatively low episode count, there is no filler. Each battle or encounter between the main character and another player is integral to the plot. An abundance of death game anime have been released lately, and the genre has grown in popularity, with Darwin’s Game capturing the essence of this genre perfectly. With a dedicated and admirable protagonist, a horrifying competition, and thrilling battles packed with many contestants that reveal their own interesting goals and motives, the series is a perfect starter death game anime for someone looking to try the genre.

Watch on Netflix

8
Violet Evergarden Inspires With a Beautiful And Profound Story About Emotion

Produced by Kyoto Animation, based on the original light novel series by Kana Akatsuki

Violet Evergarden follows a main character by the same name, who is looking to make a new life for herself in the aftermath of war. She begins work at a letter writing agency and finds great pleasure and fulfillment in her new job. Violet slowly begins to build new relationships, rediscover beauty in the world, and make sense of long forgotten memories of her beloved old master.

The story of Violet Evergarden is worth watching to experience its emotional moments, drama, and overall, the breathtaking beauty of the series in both narrative and visuals. Through Violet’s clients’ stories at the writing agency, the anime is able to impart countless lessons on the importance of human connection and what love looks like in practice. These experiences also shape Violet herself, expanding her understanding of the range of emotions and helping her recover from the horrors she has been through and form a new life.

Watch on Netflix

7
Romantic Killer Defies the Conventions Of Romance Anime

Produced by DOMERICA, based on the original manga by Wataru Momose

The premise of Romantic Killer is quite hilarious and offers a twist on the typical romance anime. Typically, the protagonist in a romance anime is eager to find love, but the same cannot be said for Anzu Hoshino. She is adamantly against romance, but love wizard Riri has other plans and continually pushes Anzu into awkward situations with potential partners in hopes of sparking a connection.

Romantic Killer is humorous and pokes fun at typical rom-com clichés by pushing the main character right into these standard romantic scenarios, much to her dismay. The series is also unique for the genre since it includes a protagonist who is disinterested in love and unable to be swayed by societal norms or the opinions of others, making her truly strong in her convictions. Romantic Killer is certainly worth watching to experience a new take on the popular romance genre, with a story that heads in an entirely different and unexpected direction than the typical love story.

6
Blue Period Is an Artist’s Dream Anime

Produced by Seven Arcs, based on the original manga by Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Yatora Yaguchi, the high school main character of Blue Period, is hopelessly bored with life. He feels as if he is missing something and feels like there is more to life than what he is currently experiencing. Thankfully, once Yatora tries his hand at art, he discovers this is the passion and creative outlet he’s been missing.

This lighthearted coming-of-age story will be enjoyable for almost anyone, but art lovers will especially enjoy Yatora’s devoted passion and the scenes of him painting with great vigor. Almost everyone can relate to the feeling of being lost in life and seeking out a greater purpose, making Yatora’s journey incredibly relatable. Fans will certainly feel inspired by his heartwarming story and lofty dreams of attending Tokyo University of the Arts. Blue Period is a wonderful watch that is sure to spark any viewer’s creative side and inspire them to work hard towards their dreams too.

Watch on Netflix

5
Cyberpunk Edgerunners Reveals a Dystopian World Overrun By Crime

Produced by Trigger, screenplay written by Masahiko Otsuka and Yoshiki Usa

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is one of Netflix’s best original series yet. The series explores a world that has fallen into dystopian conditions, filled with nothing but crime, danger, and fighting. With no other choice, protagonist David Martinez takes a job as a mercenary to make a living. This position is called an “edgerunner,” hence the show’s title.

This anime is one of the shortest out there, with only 10 episodes, but fans would argue that this is sufficient to tell a remarkable and memorable story. The series does a great job building a grim dystopia, and showcasing the high-stakes battles the characters are faced with in order to survive in a world with seemingly no hope. Although it is a tragic show at its core, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is also visually stunning in its bold character designs and bright animation and perfectly captures the unique “cyberpunk” aesthetic.

Watch on Netflix

4
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Expresses the Importance Of Living Life Fully

Produced by Bug Films, based on the original manga by Haro Aso

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead follows protagonist Akira Tendo as he makes the best of a terrible situation: a zombie apocalypse. Unlike everyone else, Akira is delighted by the zombie outbreak, as this gives him a chance to leave his draining job and accomplish his dreams in a way he never could before. He races around town with friends, ticking as many items off his bucket list as he can before he transforms into a zombie. This series is strikingly different from any other zombie apocalypse series, since Akira does not become depressed or terrified, instead he is joyful.

The anime is fairly lighthearted but also imparts a core message that is very inspirational: the importance of living life fully. Akira’s office job caused him to fall into a boring and depressing routine, but this new set of circumstances, although scary, gave him the freedom to rediscover what is really valuable to him and how he wants his life to look. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a fun watch on its surface with great action and visuals, but fans will hopefully also take away the pivotal moral of the series too and apply it to their own lives.

Watch on Netflix

3
Devilman Crybaby Is a Tragic, Anti-War Story

Produced by Science SARU, based on the original manga by Go Nagai

For a phenomenal dark fantasy series, look no further than Devilman Crybaby. The series follows Akira Fudo, a high school student with a deadly secret: he can transform into a powerful demon. As humanity discovers the presence of demons on earth, havoc ensues and Akira must fight to protect those he cares about from the human vs. demon war occurring around him.

Devilman Crybaby is short, at only twelve episodes, but the sobering story it tells will stick with viewers long after watching. A horrifying twist is revealed towards the end of the series, unveiling the secret identity of one important character, and this reveal leads to a tragic ending. The anime contains a lot of interesting religious imagery and focuses heavily on the idea of demons entering the human world and battling humanity. But at its core, Devilman Crybaby‘s author describes the main moral of the story as anti-war, and his hope was to showcase the cruel actions people resort to in battle.

Watch on Netflix

2
Neon Genesis Evangelion Explores The Battle Between Mechas & Angels

Produced by Gainax, based on the original manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an older series originally from the late 1990s, but is still incredibly popular today, and for good reason. Shinji Ikari, a seemingly ordinary teenager, becomes thrust into a terrifying war between evil beings called Angels and the Evangelion mecha robots that an organization called Nerv created to fight back against these threats. He is terrified at first, but as the series progresses, he becomes a more talented fighter and a better pilot of the Evangelion mechs.

This anime was one of the first mecha series of its time, paving the way for more excellent additions to the genre and even inspiring other mangakas like Gege Akutami who wrote Jujutsu Kaisen. The concept of angels and mechas battling to the death is fantastical, but the series also unpacks realistic interpersonal issues and human feelings like inadequacy and isolation perfectly. It takes a truly great anime to be both relatable and unbelievable, and Neon Genesis Evangelion is definitely both.

Watch on Netflix

1
Death Note Follows The Main Character’s Tyrannical Scheme To Kill All Criminals

Produced by Madhouse, based on the original manga by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note is a true classic and a must-watch for every anime fan. The main character, Light Yagami, is a typical high school honors student who finds a strange notebook one day, and discovers writing someone’s name in it causes them to die. Armed with this new power, Light plans to eradicate all criminals and create a better world, where he will reign as “god.” The anime is spectacular on so many levels, but one of the most intriguing but devastating aspects is watching Light gradually become less and less like himself as the Death Note’s power gets to his head.

Light becomes increasingly desperate as he tries to keep his serial killer identity hidden, and this desperation leads him to commit many unbelievable actions, causing the series to have many jaw-dropping twists and deaths. Death Note is a flawless addition to the psychological thriller genre. Although the series is indeed filled with remarkable action scenes and horrifying death sequences, the most interesting battles occur in Light’s own head. This anime does a stellar job depicting an average person getting caught up in power and losing themselves.

Watch on Netflix