20 Best Anime on Crunchyroll Right Now

Filmmakers like Shinichiro Watanbe, Hayao Miyazaki and the late Satoshi Kon have changed the landscapes of anime with their distinctively original, dazzlingly ambitious works. Their path-breaking, revolutionary works have elevated the way we perceive anime. Now, not just the people of Japan, but from across the globe are turning into anime fans. If you also are one of them, or wanting to become one, you are at the right place. Today, we are going to list down really good anime movies and shows that are that are available on Crunchyroll.

With the emergence of online streaming services, nowadays, people prefer watching anime sitting in the comforts of their home. Crunchyroll always has had the lion share of eyeballs when it comes to anime. But Netflix is flexing its muscle and has recently acquired several anime shows and films. Anyway, if you are planning to watch an anime with bunch of your friends, you don’t need to go to a theater. You can just invite them to you house and enjoy anime on TV or laptop. This list consists of all kinds of anime: from love stories to coming-of-age stories to action thrillers. Again, here’s the list of best anime on Crunchyroll.

20. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007)

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann’ is one of the most famous mecha anime out there. I know many of you must be skeptical after hearing the word ‘mecha’. I mean, what could be new, right? Actually, you are right. There’s nothing new in this anime but the way it tells the story is what makes it so popular and entertaining.

The story of ‘Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann’ is set in a time when our planet’s surface is no longer fit to live on. It has become a wasteland and humans have been living and thriving in underground villages for a long time. The stories about the surface of Earth have become a fable. But it is hard to kill adventurous spirits of Simon and Kamina who want to reach the surface. One day during excavation they find an ancient mecha which they name Lagann. Fortunately, for them, Lagann and a girl by the name of Yoko Littner was quite helpful in fending off an attack from the surface. Now, the surface was in plain view. Simon, Kamina, and Yoko decide to venture out and explore the surface.

19. Fate/Stay Night (2006)

If magic and fantasy mixed with lots of action is your thing then it won’t hurt to check out the anime ‘Fate/Stay Night‘. The quality of animation is pretty good and so is the the background art. The characters are not only well thought out but also well-designed. The action is directed quite well and some of the fight sequences are quite beautiful.

Shirou is the protagonist of this anime. One night a mysterious fire engulfs his family completely. A man by the name of Kiritsugu Emiya saves Shirou and takes him under his wing. It is from him that Shirou learns magic and justice. One day years after his adoptive father’s death when Shirou is cleaning the school, two supernatural beings make the place their battleground. These beings are servants and one of them fatally wounds Shirou. Somehow, he survives. But the servant comes back to finish what he began. Desperate, Shirou ends up summoning his own servant. Now, he along with his servant is the part of Holy Grail War where mages and their servants must face each other and the winner gets the powers of the Holy Grail.

18. Boku no Hero Academia (2016)

Boku no Hero Academia‘ is one of the most entertaining anime that I have ever seen. It falls under the superhero genre. In many ways, it is a parody of the genre which ultimately makes it much more fun.

In the world of ‘Boku no Hero Academia’, ‘quirks’ are basically superpowers that humans have developed. Over the course of time, it has become quite common to have quirks and rarely people are quirkless. Midoriya Izuku is a quirkless boy. Since he was a child he wanted to become the greatest hero like All Might. But when he does not develop any quirk it breaks his heart. But he still works hard to get into the Hero Academy. After a chance encounter with his hero, All Might, he learns that quirk is something that can be transferred. Midoriya starts to train hard to be able to inherit the quirk. After months of hard work and dedication, he is able to inherit the quirk and enter the Hero Academy. With various adventures along with his classmates, he will learn the true meaning of being a hero.

17. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (2017)

If you want to enjoy some historical drama then you should definitely check out ‘Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju’. The show is really popular and has 12 episodes with each episode averaging around 24 minutes.

The anime revolves around the historical art form of Rakugo. It is a type of verbal entertainment in Japan. Set in a time when its popularity is on the decline ‘Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju’ tells the story of two performers of the art of Rakugo. Shuni’chi is the best rank that you can get in Rakugo. But even after achieving that Yotaro feels that he has not been able to find his own identity. He finds himself not being able to choose between his master’s teachings and Sukeroku’s, his inspiration, style. Yakumo is the best performer of Rakugo. People believe him to be the last torch-bearer for the art. But he is afraid that he is reaching his limit. Konatsu, the daughter of Sukeroku, hates Yotaro and holds him accountable for her father’s death. She is a single mother whom Yotaro wants to marry. The anime focuses on the life of these two people both as a performer as well as individuals.

16. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood‘ is one of the best anime ever made. It has everything one can want and desire in an anime. There’s science fiction, drama, action, mystery, and much more. But there’s a confusion about which version is actually the best. I prefer 2009 version since it stays true to the manga version and has a better ending.

The story of anime follows two brothers Edward and Alphonse who use Alchemy to revive their dead mother. But turns out it was a fatal mistake. Edward loses one of his legs and Alphonse loses his body. To save Alphonse, Edward sacrifices his right arm and seals the former’s soul to a metal armor. Alphonse uses the Automail technology to gain a metal arm and a metal leg. Now, they go on a search for the philosopher’s stone which will allow them to get their bodies back. Edward becomes a state alchemist to further his search. But will the search make them get their human form back or take away their humanity?

15. Space Dandy (2014)

‘Space Dandy’ is an entertaining space adventure anime that is full of lots of fun and joy. You can easily binge watch this shows since it has only 13 episodes with each episode being about 24 minutes in length.

The vast expanse of the universe harbors a lot of creatures. Some are strange while some are mysterious. Being countless in number it is highly probable that not all aliens are registered. This is where Dandy comes in handy (Oh! that rhymed). He finds out and registers mysterious aliens in hopes of getting rewards. But it is not as easy as it sounds. More often than not his adventures are crazy and weird. But mind you, they are never boring. No two episodes are same but each pack a punch of entertainment and comedy.

14. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012)

If you like macho style anime where men use badass moves to kick evil’s ass then you should definitely check out ‘Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure’. It is an anime for those who just want lots of action.

The anime revolves around the Joestar family. Various member of the family finds out that they are meant to fight supernatural powers to save the world. The story starts in 1868 when Dario Brando saves a man by the name of George Joestar after an accident. George adopts Dario’s son Dio after his father dies. But Dio is evil and wants to take over the Joestar family. He uses the power of a stone mask to turn into a vampire and wreak havoc. George’s son, Jonathan, tries his best to stop him. Years later, Joseph, the grandson of Jonathan finds himself in a similar predicament when mystical beings known as Pillar Men start causing problems.

13. Flowers of Evil (2013)

If you want to watch a psychological drama with romance mixed in, then you should try ‘Flowers of Evil’. It is the kind of anime which has a specific niche. There are a total of 13 episodes in this series and each episode is about 24 minutes long.

The anime is a dark take on high school romance. Kasuga Takao loves reading books. His favorite is Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal. Saeki Nanako is his classmate who is sort of his crush and his sexual desire. One day while returning home from school Kasuga remembers that he has left his favorite book in the class. When he goes back he finds that Saeki’s gym uniform is also present. He ends up stealing the uniform. Students think that some pervert stole Saeki’s uniform. What Kasuga doesn’t know is that another classmate of his knows his dark secret. She uses this knowledge to take control of his life.

12. Ping Pong The Animation (2014)

Sports anime generally take one sport and treat it as life or death. They often tend to get really tensed and serious with viewers impatiently waiting for the protagonist to make it to the top.

As the name suggests ‘Ping pong The Animation’ is an anime about grueling ping pong matches and how important winning is for the protagonist. Makoto Sukimoto is one of the main characters of the anime series. Since he was a child he and his friend, Yukata Hoshino have been playing ping pong almost every day. The inter-high table tennis competition is going to be held across Japan. Every player is working hard to be able to perform at the championship. But will Makoto be able to bring out their best at the highest level?

11. Hourou Musuko (2011)

If you want to watch an anime that focusses on the concerns of transsexuals and people belonging to the LGBT community then you should give ‘Hourou Musuko’ a watch. There are a total of 11 episodes in the anime series and each episode is about 23 minutes long.

Shuichi Nitori is one of the prettiest girls in her school. But she always feels nervous and uncomfortable since she is biologically a male. But she identifies herself as a girl. Yoshino Takatsuki is a tomboy. Though he is biologically a female he identifies as a boy. Having to go through similar problems these two individuals try to find comfort in the company of each other. But soon the pressure of joining a new school comes into play. As the anime continues we see them struggle and face various problems plaguing their predicament.

10. Shokugeki no Soma (2014)

Shokugeki no Soma‘ is one of the best ecchi anime show ever made. The first season of the anime has 24 episodes in total with each episode being 25 minutes in length.

The show revolves around Yukihira Souma, who is a 15-year-old boy and helps his father run a restaurant that the latter owns. Yukihira dreams of becoming a great chef and taking over his father’s restaurant. With his bold and eccentric approach to cooking, he wins the hearts of the customers. But one day his father leaves to cook in restaurants around the world and shuts the restaurant down. He advises his son to join Tootsuki Culinary Academy, an elite academy where the acceptance and graduation rate is too low. The academy is also famous for its food wars. Will Yukihara be able to survive in this tough academy?

9. Nanatsu no Taizai (2014)

Nanatsu no Taizai‘, an ecchi anime, has an intriguing plot with an array of interesting characters. The art of the anime is really good and the fight sequences are quite well shot. The ecchi factor comes from the various sexy female characters that are present in the anime.

The anime is about The Holy Knights, who serve the Liones Kingdom. But as it turns out that a small faction known as the Seven Deadly Sins has supposedly decided to betray the kingdom and overthrow the ruler of Liones. The Holy Knights, however, defeat them. Years later the Holy Knights themselves overthrow the king and start ruling. Princess Elizabeth, the third princess of the kingdom, decides to undertake a journey to find the Sins and use their support to defeat the Holy Knights and regain the kingdom.

8. Hunter x Hunter (2011)

If you have been wanting to watch a show like ‘Naruto’ or ‘Dragon Ball’ where a young protagonist goes on entertaining adventures and trains hard to overcome his enemies then ‘Hunter x Hunter‘ is a nice choice. There are two versions of the show. One came out in 1999 and the other in 2011. I would suggest you watch the recent version since it has better art through the previous version is pretty decent too. The anime is set in a world where Hunter is one of the most respectable and well-paying professions. Gon’s father is a Hunter. He had left him to go on his own adventures. Taking inspiration from his father, Gon wants to become a Hunter too. He wants to go on an adventure to find his father. In his journey, he makes several friends one of whom is Killua, an assassin.

7. Attack on Titan (2013)

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan‘ is one of the most popular anime ever. Over the course of last few years, its fanbase has increased considerably. The anime revolves is set in a time when humanity is close to extinction due to large humanoid monsters, Titans. They consume humans and destroy cities and villages. Eren Yeager witnesses the death of his mother at the hands of a Titan. He vows to join the army and kill each and every Titan. Joining him is his adoptive sister Mikasa Ackerman and his friend Armin Arlert. But later he will realize that the world is not as black and white as he perceives it to be.

6. Fairy Tail (2009)

If you are looking for a shounen anime, then look no further than ‘Fairy Tail‘. It is one of the best anime that deals with magic and fantasy. The first season of this anime has a total fo 175 episodes with each episode being around 24 minutes.

Magic is quite commonplace in the world of ‘Fairy Tail’. There are countless magic guilds in which mages band together and take on various jobs. Lucy Heartfilia is a girl who wants to join the ‘Fairy Tail’ guild. Upon chance encounter with Natsu, a member of the guild, she gets an invitation which she accepts and thus begins her magical adventures.

5. One Piece (1999)

For an anime to stay in the mind of people even after two decades is a quite commendable. ‘One Piece’ is an anime which first came out in the year 1999 and is still going on. With over 800+ episodes under its belt, the anime has amassed huge fan following.

One Piece‘ follows the adventures of a pirate by the name of Monkey D. Luffy as he starts off alone on a journey. Along the way, he gathers enough comrades to start his own pirate crew by the name of Straw Hats’ Pirates. He wants to become the pirate king by finding the legendary treasure known as One Piece.

Read More: Best Anime on Hulu

4. Overlord (2015)

If you are a fan of isekai anime then you have probably seen ‘Overlord‘. But for people who have not seen this anime series, I highly recommend it.

Yggdrasil is a really popular virtual game but its time has come to an end. The servers are going to be closed forever. Momonga, a powerful wizard and one of the most powerful beings in the game, decides to spend his last few moments in the game. But even after midnight when the game does not shut down he realizes that his character in the game and other non-playable characters now have their own personalities. Being the most powerful being in this world, he decides to take control of the world and investigate this anomaly.

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3. Mob Psycho 100 (2016)

Mob Psycho 100‘ is the brainchild of the creator by the name of ONE who gave the fans of anime one of the best superhero anime ever in the form of ‘One Punch Man‘. Like ‘One Punch man’, ‘Mob Psycho 100’ deals with a protagonist whose powers are at a divine level.

Shigeo Kageyama is a powerful psychic. His powers are godly so when he loses control he ends up doing lots of damage. To control himself, he goes to Arataka Reigen, another psychic, and makes him his mentor. But what Kageyama does not know is that Arataka is a fake psychic and does not have any powers.

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2. Parasyte: The Maxim (2015)

Before you start to watch ‘Parasyte: The Maxim‘ you must know that there’s a lot of gore and violence in it.

Earth is under attack by parasitic aliens who burrow themselves in humans and takes control of the host. They can morph the host’s body in weird shapes and forms to fight and defend against enemies and to consume other humans. Shinichi Izumi is attacked by a parasyte but it is unable to burrow in his brain and rather enters his right hand. Now both have become an anomaly to their own kind and must watch each other’s back to survive.

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1. Steins;Gate (2011)

Steins;Gate‘ is quite simply one of the best anime ever made. It is also arguably the greatest time travel anime of all time. The anime has a total of 24 episodes with each episode being 24 minutes in length. Over the course of its runtime, the anime takes you through various twists and turns filled with suspense and psychological drama.

Rintarou Okabe wants to be an inventor. He rents a one-room flat which he uses as his laboratory. Joining him in his escapades is his hacker friend Hashida Itaru and childhood friend Mayurii Shina. Accidentally they end up inventing a device they call phone microwave which is capable of sending emails to the past. They soon realize that meddling with time is not a good idea as a dangerous organization by the name of Sern is after them and their device.

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