15 “Hidden Gem” Anime on Netflix to Stream Right Now

Netflix’s anime catalog goes way beyond the usual headliners. Tucked between the big shōnen hits are stylish sci-fi mini-series, heartfelt slice-of-life stories, and original movies that quietly arrived with little fanfare but tons of craft. If you’re looking for something fresh to queue up tonight, you’ve got plenty of options you can start streaming immediately.

Below are 15 under-the-radar titles—series and films—that are easy to jump into. Each entry notes what it’s about and what you’ll get (episodes, format, or why it stands out) so you can pick the one that fits your mood and time window.

‘Children of the Whales’ (2017)

Set on the drifting island-ship Mud Whale, ‘Children of the Whales’ follows archivist Chakuro and the arrival of a mysterious outsider that upends the community’s strict rules around magic-users. The series is 12 episodes, making it a contained fantasy you can finish in a weekend.

The show blends world-building with a clear hook—why the Mud Whale wanders and how its people survive—while steadily revealing the politics beyond the sandsea. All episodes stream on Netflix with multiple audio and subtitle options.

‘A.I.C.O. -Incarnation-‘ (2018)

‘A.I.C.O. Incarnation’ is a 12-episode sci-fi thriller about a bio-experiment called the Burst and a girl who learns her past isn’t what it seems. She joins a Divers team on a high-risk mission to the outbreak’s source.

Expect a mission-structure plot with clear stakes, a defined endpoint, and a focus on biotech gadgetry and tactical runs inside restricted zones. It’s a one-cour story, so you get closure without a huge time commitment.

‘Kuromukuro’ (2016)

In ‘Kuromukuro’, mecha attacks pull a research campus—and a revived samurai—into an alien conflict. The series spans two seasons on Netflix, pairing school-life routines with artifact-driven robot battles.

The premise centers on ancient relics with modern applications, so a lot of the plot revolves around deciphering technology and defending the region with limited resources. Both seasons are available in one place.

‘Hi Score Girl’ (2018–2019)

‘Hi Score Girl’ tracks a fierce arcade rivalry that starts in childhood and evolves alongside the 2D-to-3D fighting-game era. On Netflix you’ll find the full run, including later episodes that complete the story.

It’s heavy on game references, cabinet culture, and tournament ladders, but the episodes keep the focus on school life, practice, and how the hobby shapes the characters’ paths. Streaming availability is consolidated on Netflix.

‘Levius’ (2019)

‘Levius’ drops you into “metal boxing,” a sport where augmented fighters rise through ranks under watchful promoters and syndicates. Season 1 contains 12 episodes centered on a single fighter’s climb.

The episodes mix training arcs, sanctioned bouts, and behind-the-ring maneuvering, with a continuing storyline you can finish in one season. It’s presented as a Netflix series with dubs and subs to choose from.

‘BNA’ (2020)

In ‘BNA: Brand New Animal’, a human suddenly transforms into a beastman and seeks answers in Anima-City, a special zone set up for beastman rights and safety. The series runs 12 episodes on Netflix.

The story focuses on identity, city governance, and the push-pull between activists, corporations, and law enforcement inside Anima-City. It’s an original anime available in one complete season.

‘Dorohedoro’ (2020–2025)

‘Dorohedoro’ follows Caiman, who’s cursed with a reptile head and hunts sorcerers to figure out who did it and how to reverse it. Season 1 is streaming on Netflix, with the sequel season dated for 2025.

Episodes alternate between gritty action in the Hole and the sorcerers’ world, steadily mapping out factions, markets, and magic rules. You can start now on Netflix and be ready when the new season lands.

‘Japan Sinks: 2020’ (2020)

‘Japan Sinks: 2020’ adapts Sakyo Komatsu’s disaster novel into a 10-episode survival story about one family navigating quakes and societal breakdowns across the archipelago. It’s a single-season watch.

The series emphasizes evacuation logistics, communication outages, and the shifting landscape after large-scale seismic events, while tracking real constraints like transport, supplies, and shelters. Stream the full season on Netflix.

‘Blue Period’ (2021)

‘Blue Period’ follows Yatora, a high schooler who discovers fine art and aims for a top art university. The Netflix release delivers a complete, linear season focused on portfolio prep and exams.

Episodes walk through techniques, assignment deadlines, and studio critiques, showing how entrance requirements and time management shape each character’s schedule. All episodes are available in one hub.

‘Eden’ (2021)

‘Eden’ is a four-episode sci-fi mini-series set in a future where robots raise a human girl in secret. It’s designed for a quick start-to-finish viewing with a self-contained arc.

The plot centers on uncovering how humans disappeared, the protocols keeping the city running, and the risks of protecting a human in a machine-only society. You can stream the entire story on Netflix in under two hours.

‘Vampire in the Garden’ (2022)

‘Vampire in the Garden’ pairs a human and a vampire queen searching for a place where both species can coexist. The five-episode format makes it a concise, road-movie-style story.

Expect locations to shift frequently as the duo navigate military zones, vampire territories, and cultural flashpoints tied to music and tradition. The full mini-series is available now on Netflix.

‘Drifting Home’ (2022)

‘Drifting Home’ is a Netflix anime film about classmates who find their apartment block adrift at sea and must work together to return. It’s a feature-length watch with a complete, stand-alone plot.

The movie frames its journey through practical challenges—food, water, weather—and the building’s layout, turning hallways, rooftops, and units into problem-solving spaces. It streams globally on Netflix.

‘A Whisker Away’ (2020)

In the Netflix film ‘A Whisker Away’, a girl uses a cat mask to transform and get closer to her classmate, only to risk losing her human life. It’s a single-sitting fantasy romance.

The story explores rules behind the transformation, the mask-dealer’s bargains, and how identities are tied to everyday routines at school and home. It’s available on Netflix with multiple language tracks.

‘Onimusha’ (2023)

‘Onimusha’ adapts Capcom’s action series into an eight-episode period fantasy about a swordsman wielding a soul-consuming weapon against a spreading demonic threat. The season is self-contained.

Episodes move across villages and strongholds, layering in the weapon’s rules, the samurai brotherhood’s remit, and the logistics of fighting a zombie-like outbreak in the late Sengoku era. Stream the full run on Netflix.

‘MAKE MY DAY’ (2023)

‘MAKE MY DAY’ is an eight-episode sci-fi survival series set on an icy mining planet where inmates and civilians uncover a lethal organism beneath the surface. Season 1 is complete on Netflix.

It leans into resource management and off-world infrastructure—ore extraction, transport corridors, and security protocols—while charting containment attempts as the threat escalates. Watch the whole season in one place.

Got a favorite under-the-radar pick of your own—or one we should add next time? Share your hidden-gem recommendations in the comments!