With so manyanime streaming platformsout there, it’s easy to overlook what Amazon Prime Video has to offer. But hidden among its massive library are some of the best anime ever made, classics, modern masterpieces, and underrated gems that deserve your attention. Whether you’re in the mood foraction-packedadventures, emotionally charged dramas, or mind-bending sci-fi, Prime has something for every kind of anime fan.
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We’ve searched through Prime Video’s vast library to bring you a lineup that highlights the incredible depth and variety of Japanese animation. These seven anime aren’t just entertaining, they each offer something special.
7Banana Fish
The Shadows Of The Past Never Fade
Banana Fish
At first glance, Banana Fish might seem like just anothercrimedrama, but beneath the surface lies a heart-wrenching story of trauma, revenge, and the unlikely bond between two young men. Ash Lynx, a prodigy raised in the cruel world of New York’s underworld, is a teenage gang leader burdened by a past he can never escape. The phrase “Banana Fish” becomes the key to unraveling a conspiracy that connects the mafia, corrupt politicians, and even the U.S. government.
Eiji Okumura, a kindhearted Japanese photographer, gets pulled into Ash’s dangerous world and becomes his only solace. Their relationship, neither explicitly romantic nor purely platonic, is the emotional core of the anime. Banana Fish doesn’t hold back, it tackles themes of child exploitation, PTSD, and power struggles without sugarcoating anything.
Based on Akimi Yoshida’s 1985 manga, the anime modernizes the setting while staying true to the original’s intensity. The 24-episode series was animated by MAPPA, Studio known for their fluid action sequences and detailed character expressions.
6Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms
Immortality Comes With A Cost
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
Unlike typical fantasy anime, Maquia explores the concept of immortality from an emotional perspective rather than an action-driven one. The story revolves around Maquia, a member of the Iorph, a race that ages much slower than humans. After her home is attacked, she finds herself alone in the human world, where she takes in an orphaned baby named Ariel.
But time is cruel. While Maquia stays the same, Ariel grows up, experienceshardships, and eventually distances himself from the mother figure who raised him. The anime captures the pain of watching loved ones change and grow old while one remains unchanged. It’s not about grand battles or magic, this is a deeply personal story about love, loss, and the meaning of family.
Directed by Mari Okada, Maquia is a standalone film, meaning there are no seasons or episodes, just a beautifully crafted, emotionally intense 115-minute experience. With P.A. Works handling the animation, the visuals are stunning, bringing the Iorph’s ethereal world to life in contrast with the gritty human realm.
A Boy With No Limbs, A Samurai With No Honor
Set in Japan’s Sengoku period, Dororo follows Hyakkimaru, a young warrior who was born without eyes, ears, skin, or even internal organs, all because his father, a warlord, offered them to demons in exchange for power. Left to die, Hyakkimaru survives thanks to a doctor who equips him with prosthetic limbs and swords hidden within his arms. His mission? Kill the demons and reclaim his stolen body parts.
Joining him is Dororo, a cheeky orphan who survives through scams and street smarts. The duo’s journey is equal parts action and tragedy, as Hyakkimaru slowly regains his humanity while questioning whether revenge is worth the cost. The series doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutality of feudal Japan, war, famine, and the suffering of common folk are as much a part of the story as the supernatural elements.
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Originally a manga by Osamu Tezuka (the “father of anime”), Dororo was remade in 2019 by MAPPA and Tezuka Productions. The reboot modernizes the story, deepens the character development, and delivers breathtaking fight choreography across its 24 episodes. This is historical dark fantasy at its best.
Dororo is one of my personal favorites, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t watched it yet.
Gotta Catch ‘Em All: A Journey Through Generations
Few anime franchises are as globally recognized as Pokemon. What started as a 1997 anime about a ten-year-old boy named Ash Ketchum has evolved into a multi-generational phenomenon. Across its many seasons, Ash travels through different regions, catching Pokemon, challenging gym leaders, and striving to become a Pokemon Master.
But beyond the battles and adventures, Pokemon is about friendship, perseverance, and the thrill of discovery. Pikachu, Ash’s first and most iconic Pokemon, became the face of the franchise, symbolizing the bond between trainers and their creatures. The series introduced countless legendary Pokemon, from Mewtwo to Rayquaza, and adapted fan-favorite storylines from the games.
With over 1,200 episodes across multiple series (Indigo League, Journeys, Sun & Moon, etc.), Pokemon has continuously reinvented itself while staying true to its core themes. Even though Ash’s journey officially ended in 2023, Prime Video offers a selection of Pokemon series, allowing fans to revisit classic arcs or dive into newer adventures.
3Spirited Away
A Magical Journey Beyond Imagination
Spirited Away
Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away isn’t just one of the best anime on Prime, it’s one of the greatest animated films of all time. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this 2001 masterpiece follows Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl who stumbles into a spirit world after her parents are transformed into pigs. To survive, she must work at a mysterious bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba, all while trying to find a way back home.
The film is a blend of Japanese folklore and universal coming-of-age themes. Chihiro’s journey from a whiny, scared girl to a courageous and selfless individual is beautifully paced, making her one of the most relatable protagonists in anime history. Every scene is packed with visual details.
Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a rare achievement for a non-Western film. Even today, its hand-drawn animation and emotional storytelling remain unmatched.
2Ghost in the shell
Diving Deep into the Digital Consciousness
Ghost in the Shell
Cyberpunk anime owes much of its identity to Ghost in the Shell. Originally a manga by Masamune Shirow in 1989, it was adapted into a 1995 animated film directed by Mamoru Oshii, which introduced a world where the boundary between humans and machines had all but disappeared. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg and field commander of Public Security Section 9, investigates cyber-crimes and terrorist threats while grappling with questions of identity and consciousness.
The franchise has expanded with multiple adaptations, including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (52 episodes across two seasons), which explores cyber warfare, political conspiracies, and the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence. While the 1995 film delves into deep existential and philosophical themes, Stand Alone Complex leans more into sociopolitical intrigue and detective work.
Ghost in the Shell didn’t just influence cyberpunk, it shaped the genre’s presence in mainstream media. Its visual style and themes directly inspired The Matrix (1999), with the Wachowskis even showing the film to Warner Bros. as part of their pitch.
1JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Every Meme You’ve Seen? It Came From Here
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Few anime are as unique, stylish, and over-the-top as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Based on Hirohiko Araki’s long-running manga, this multi-generational epic follows the bizarre and often absurdly intense battles of the Joestar bloodline, spanning different time periods, locations, and even realities.
Each season introduces a new protagonist, all connected to the Joestar family, with their own distinct fighting styles. The series begins with Phantom Blood (9 episodes), a Victorian-era tale of betrayal between Jonathan Joestar and his sinister adoptive brother Dio Brando, who becomes one of anime’s most iconic villains. The story quickly escalates in Battle Tendency (17 episodes), following Joseph Joestar, a cocky trickster battling ancient super-beings known as the Pillar Men.
However, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure truly cemented its status with Stardust Crusaders (48 episodes across two seasons), where Jotaro Kujo battles Dio and his followers using Stand abilities, a psychic power system that would define the series moving forward. Later parts, like Diamond is Unbreakable, Golden Wind, and Stone Ocean, push this concept even further with increasingly creative and mind-bending battles.
The anime’s bold, colorful art style, unpredictable fights, and eccentric characters make it unlike anything else. Whether it’s memes, poses, or unforgettable one-liners (“It was me, Dio!"), JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has left an undeniable mark on pop culture.
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