If you’ve been avoiding animation because you think it’s just for kids, you’re missing out on some of the most radical directing choices in the medium. The best anime to watch isn’t just about “cool fights”—it’s about how artists use infinite visual freedom to master things like surgical pacing, expressive lighting, and visually stunning animation that live-action directors are constantly trying to copy. In 2026, anime has officially crossed over into the “must-watch” category for any serious cinephile.
These best anime to watch picks focus on the “Pro Toolkit”: shows and films where the anime directing is the star. We’re looking for high-craft anime series and legendary anime movies that use surgical action choreography and deep anime world-building to tell stories that stay with you. We’ve skipped the titles we’ve covered in our other 50+ lists to ensure you get a fresh, high-confidence batch of elite animation for your next night in.
Best for: Cinephiles looking for anime for cinephiles that prioritize visual authorship, technical precision, and psychological depth over standard tropes.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: The “it’s just a cartoon” stigma / Over-saturated shonen tropes / Shows with flat, uninspired art / Finding the entry points to high-craft anime without watching 1,000 episodes.
Related Lists: Movies That Set the Standards in Cinema / Editor’s Picks: The Best Movies / Handpicked TV Shows Worth Watching / The Best Studio Series Worth Watching
What to watch for
When you jump into these top-rated anime, pay attention to the **Scene Economy.** Because every frame is drawn, every detail is intentional—watch how the blocking and character positioning show power dynamics. Look for environmental sound design that builds a tactile world and notice the tonal control; the best anime uses abstraction to hit emotional beats that feel more real than any CGI blockbuster.
10 best anime to watch editor’s picks
1. Ghost in the Shell (1995) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Mamoru Oshii
Plot: A cyborg policewoman and her partner hunt a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master, leading to an existential crisis about the nature of humanity in a hyper-connected world.
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / Apple TV (Rent/Buy) / VOD (Availability varies)
Why it’s a classic: It is the best anime to watch for fans of atmospheric philosophy. Oshii uses a slow, clinical camera and surgical sound design to create a world that feels both grimy and beautiful. The blocking in the urban landscapes—especially the “city stroll” montage—is a masterpiece of visual information.
2. Akira (1988) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Katsuhiro Otomo
Plot: In a dystopian Neo-Tokyo, a secret military project turns a member of a biker gang into a rampaging psychic, forcing his best friend to try and stop him before the city is destroyed.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: This is technical mastery at full scale. Otomo used hand-painted cels and surgical action geography to create a world with incredible visual weight. The use of light streaks and architectural destruction set the standard for action cinema for the next forty years.
3. Cowboy Bebop (1998) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Shinichirō Watanabe
Plot: A group of bounty hunters travels across the galaxy in the year 2071, trying to escape their pasts while chasing high-stakes targets in a world of jazz and grimy sci-fi.
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Crunchyroll / Hulu
Why it’s a classic: It features pro-level rhythmic editing. Watanabe directs according to the soundtrack, using surgical pacing and tactical action blocking that feels like a choreographed dance. It is a masterclass in tonal tightrope walking between cool noir and devastating tragedy.
4. Perfect Blue (1997) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Satoshi Kon
Plot: A retired pop singer turned actress begins to lose her grip on reality as she is stalked by an obsessed fan and haunted by reflections of her former self.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / AMC+ (Availability varies)
Why it’s a classic: This is surgical narrative structure and identity horror. Kon uses match-cuts and transitions so fluid that the audience is as disoriented as the protagonist. The blocking and visual subtext turn a thriller into a psychological essay that has been direct inspiration for Hollywood masterpieces.
5. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Hideaki Anno
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic future, teenagers are piloted into giant mechanical suits to defend humanity against mysterious “Angels,” but the war takes a heavy toll on their mental health.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: It features bold, avant-garde directing. Anno uses abstract framing, long-take silences, and industrial soundscapes to show the characters’ internal collapse. The spatial awareness in the mech battles makes them feel heavy and terrifying, rather than just “cool” action.
6. Princess Mononoke (1997) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Plot: A young prince cursed by a demon travels to the west to find a cure, getting caught in a war between a mining colony and the gods of the forest who are led by a human girl.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a classic: It is visually authored epic cinema. Miyazaki uses natural light and production scale to turn a fantasy story into a visceral experience. The action geography and the lack of traditional villains make it a must-watch drama that values environment as much as character.
7. Monster (2004) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Naoki Urasawa (Author) / Masayuki Kojima (Director)
Plot: A brilliant brain surgeon chooses to save a boy’s life over a powerful politician’s, only to discover years later that the boy has become a calculated serial killer.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: This is surgical noir pacing at its absolute peak. The show uses a slow-burn mystery engine and patient blocking to build unbearable tension. The character writing and dialogue rhythm make it one of the most properly made thrillers in any medium.
8. Redline (2009) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Takeshi Koike
Plot: Every five years, the most dangerous car race in the universe takes place, and one daredevil driver must survive a high-speed battle against the military and intergalactic criminals.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Where to Watch: Tubi / VOD
Why it’s a classic: It features visual information at maximum volume. Spent seven years in hand-drawn production, the film uses distorted perspective and rhythmic editing to show the speed. The sound design and vibrant color palette make it a technical milestone for anyone who loves high-octane craft.
9. Vinland Saga (2019– ) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Makoto Yukimura (Author) / Shuhei Yabuta (Director)
Plot: A young man joins the mercenary group responsible for his father’s death to get close enough for a duel, as his quest for revenge is swept into the Viking invasion of England.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Crunchyroll / Prime Video
Why it’s a classic: It features pro-level ensemble blocking. The show uses naturalistic lighting and tactile world-building to make the Viking Age feel visceral. The surgical script economy turns a “revenge story” into a profound study of violence and freedom with incredible visual intentionality.
10. Pluto (2023) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Naoki Urasawa (Author) / Toshio Kawaguchi (Director)
Plot: In a future where robots and humans live together, a robotic detective investigates a string of murders that target the world’s most advanced artificial beings.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: It is pro-level procedural storytelling. Reimagining a classic Astro Boy arc, it uses architectural production design and surgical sound design to tell a high-stakes psychological mystery. It is a visually stunning series that values empathy and logic over standard CGI spectacle.
What to watch next
Next category: TV Shows You’ll Finish Faster Than You Expect (because once you’ve cleared these best anime picks, you’ll want a high-momentum series to keep the energy going).