Best Anime On Funimation (2023) – Must Watch

Funimation is a popular leading platform in the world among anime lovers and is only available in the United States of America. In March 2022, Funimation confirmed that it has combined with Crunchyroll to create the most extensive (legal) anime catalog on the internet.

Funimation covers both new and classic anime. The service library is stacked with the best animes of all time. Irrespective of what genre someone prefers, viewers are likely to discover a show on the platform that suits their demands. Below is a list of the best anime on Funimation and if you don’t have a subscription, you can subscribe to their Funimation free trial plan and enjoy 14 days of unlimited content.

Top 25 Best Anime on Funimation

Funimation is one of the leading platforms in the anime world, available only for viewers in the United States, where you will come across horror, drama, a slice of life, romance, shojo, and every other genre. Besides this, you will also find some best-dubbed anime on Funimation.

1. Ghost Hunt:

• Director: Eric Vale, Cherami Leigh, Todd Haberkorn, Colleen Clinkenbeard
• Writer: Fuyumi Ono.
• Cast: Cherami Leigh, Todd Haberkorn, Travis Willingham
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
• Genre: Horror
• Year: 2006

Horror and anime are not a perfect match. However, some exceptions are surely going to change your mind. For horror fans, one of the best movies to watch on Funimation is Ghost Hunt which is the most crowd-pleasing show with 25 episodes available on Funimation. You will see different cases where Kazuya Shibuya and Mai Taniyama investigate all sorts of spooky tales.

Soon they are accompanied by a quirky cast of recurring characters. In this anime, you will see haunted houses, creepy dolls, and a lot of jump scares. GhostHunt is undoubtedly going to deliver a traditional horror

2. Boogiepop Phantom:

• Director: Takashi Watanabe
• Writer: Sadayuki Murai
• Cast: Kaori Shimizu, Rachael Lillis, Crispin Freeman
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
• Genre: Horror
• Year: 2000

Boogiepop Phantom is challenging both thematically and narratively. The anime follows a non-linear structure. At the same time, it is episodic and serial since each chapter shows a different character connected via a shared event. Viewers may find it difficult to follow at times.

Moreover, the episodic narratives further the anime’s main psychological themes. The anime Boogiepop Phantom might not suit everyone’s taste. Still, the series is unique and must be tried by anyone who loves horror themes. Viewers have said it to be the best horror anime on Funimation.

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica:

• Director: Akiyuki Shinbo, Yukihiro Miyamoto
• Writer: Gen Urobuchi
• Cast: Madoka Kaname, Sayaka Miki, Homura Akemi
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
• Genre: Horror/Thriller
• Year: 2011

Madoka Magica is one of the best anime works of the last 15 or more years. The anime is a magical girl’s show in which girls can ask for any single wish. In return for their wishes, they have to kill the evil witches to keep the world safe and secure. The show might be cute. However, halfway through the episodes, you will notice that things start to take a creepy turn. Compared to other anime, the show is short and has only 12 episodes. On Funimation, you are also going to find the sequel series.

4. Danganronpa:

• Director: Kazutaka Kodaka
• Writer: Kazutaka Kodaka
• Cast: Megumi Ogata, Chiwa Saitô, Yôko Hikasa
• Seasons: 3
• IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
• Genre: Thriller
• Year: 2013

The anime Danganronpa is a mystery thriller anime related to a bunch of kids in a weird school. The anime’s plot is that you will only get to graduate from school if you can kill your classmate. However, you must not get caught in the act. Despite being an adaptation of a novel game on PC, the show is good.

It is enjoyable, with excellent pacing and good throwbacks that will keep the players satisfied without losing people new to the series. This anime might be a weird series to get yourself into. However, it is one of the best mystery anime on Funimation.

5. Demon Slayer:

• Director: Haruo Sotozaki
• Writer: Koyoharu Gotouge
• Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Abby Trott, Zach Aguilar
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
• Genre: Fantasy
• Year: 2019

Demon Slayer anime shows the story of a boy who resides up in the mountains. On a fine day, his family gets attacked by demons, and he finds his sister to turn into one. As a result, he becomes a demon slayer to find a way to bring his sister back to normal. It is a reasonably standard fantasy anime, is accessible, and is shorter than average.

It will be a good show for both new and old anime fans. The animation has been done by ufotable and is the best fantasy anime on Funimation. It has been successful in organizing the fight scenes and general animation. The anime runs over 26 episodes; hence you can binge-watch it easily over a weekend.

6. My Hero Academia:

• Director: Kenji Nagasaki, Masahiro Mukai, Tomo Ōkubo
• Writer: Kōhei Horikoshi
• Cast: Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Daiki Yamashita
• Seasons: 6
• IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
• Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
• Year: 2016

Anime Hero Academia is a story of a young Midoriya who attempts to become a hero despite having powers like his peers. He encounters All Might, who is the best hero. From here, the show goes. The anime is like most of the super series out there. You will come across long seasonal arcs backed up into one another so viewers can easily hop from season to season.

Currently, the show has four seasons with no signs of slowing down. The anime can be considered this generation’s Naruto since you can find merchandise for this show everywhere, and all anime lovers are familiar with it. The anime is also an excellent option for people new to anime.

7. Cowboy Bebop:

• Director: Shinichirō Watanabe
• Writer: Keiko Nobumoto
• Cast: Kôichi Yamadera, Megumi Hayashibara, Unshô Ishizuka
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
• Genre: Neo-noir, Space Western
• Year: 1998

Cowboy Bebop is one of the best properties of Funimation. The anime only has 26 episodes. However, these 26 episodes are worth watching. The anime covers Spike and his ever-expanding crew of bounty hunters as they fall into a mess.

You will come across some noir elements in the anime and be reminded of Firefly, where it’s all in space. The anime has a distinctive Wild West vibe. Hence this noir space western bounty hunter gives a unique touch to the anime. This is why anime was so popular on TV in the early 2000s.

8. Attack on Titan:

• Director: Tetsurō Araki
• Writer: Yasuko Kobayashi
• Cast: Josh Grelle, Yûki Kaji, Bryce Papenbrook, Yui Ishikawa
• Seasons: 5
• IMDb Rating: 9/10
• Genre: Horror, drama, dark fantasy, fiction
• Year: 2013

Attack on Titan hits the mainstream and is the best action anime on Funimation. However, it is out of popularity since it takes the studio a long period to release new seasons. The anime is popular among viewers for its unique animation style and horror-themed story. The anime is about the human race’s journey to extinction from a terrifying clan of massive titans.

Be prepared, as you will come across the death of characters, and the gore might be a bit intense for some out there. Besides all these, the story is riveting. The English voice actors do an excellent job. The show is still popular after its third season. Hurry up and binge it now and wait for the release of the fourth and final season.

9. Toradora:

• Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
• Writer: Yuyuko Takemiya
• Cast: Rie Kugimiya, Yui Horie, Junji Majima, Johnny Yong Bosch
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 8/10
• Genre: a slice of life, drama, comedy
• Year: 2008

Toradora is an animation showing two kids’ romance in high school. The characters, Ryuji and Taiga, have crushes on each other’s friends, resulting in their taking turns wooing each other. But it resulted in an epic failure.

However, the feelings develop among their friends as the show progresses. The main focus of the anime is on Taiga and Ryuji. The anime is cute, having some decent comedy and good pacing. There are 25 episodes in Funimation, and this is the best romantic anime on Funimation that you must watch.

10. Tsukigakirei:

• Director: Seiji Kishi
• Writer: Yūko Kakihara
• Cast: Shoya Chiba, Rie Murakawa, Konomi Kohara
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
• Genre: Romance
• Year: 2017

Tsukigakirei is a coming-of-age anime that shows the romance of two high school kids exploring more about who they are. Characters, Kotarō and Akane, meet for the first time in high school. Gradually they become close as they prepare for the school’s sports festival.

Both characters have friends. However, the show revolves around their blossoming romance. Towards the end, you might find some twists and turns. Besides this, it is generally a satisfying entrant of many excellent moments into the genre. The show consists of 12 episodes.

11. Akira:

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Writer: Otomo and Izo Hashimoto
• Cast: Mitsuo Iwata, Mami Koyama, Nozomu Sasaki
• Seasons: NA
• IMDb Rating: 8/10
• Genre: Action, thriller
• Year: 1998

This 1998 anime movie is on the list of movies to be watched in Funimation because it needs to be watched in pieces. You will notice that the tension is thick in some parts, and it might be hard to get through in a single sitting. Akira is considered to be the top anime movie to ever be made. In this anime, the character, Tetsuo Shima, gets injured in a motorcycle gang warfare in Neo Tokyo.

Soon army officers and scientists discover that the young man has some mighty physical powers. Combining his abilities and his unstable mind makes Tetsuo lash out at first. Once he calms himself, he helps the espers escape the military compound. It is a powerful sci-fi action thriller that you will binge-watch.

12. Steins Gate:

• Director: Hiroshi Hamasaki, Takuya Satō, Tomoki Kobayashi
• Writer:Jukki Hanada, Masahiro Yokotani
• Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Kana Hanazawa, Asami Imai
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
• Genre: Drama, SciFi, thriller
• Year: 2011

Time travel can be a trope that can be ineffective when done poorly. However, Stein Gate makes it feel compelling despite showing overused tropes. The anime follows a delusional scientist named Rintaro Okabe. The main characters of the anime discover time travel.

Then they realize that everything can go wrong when it comes to becoming careless with such a concept. It is easy to get hooked on Steins; Gate with fascinating characters who are not always likable and an exciting premise. The anime is also very different from other anime, making it a must-watch anime for lovers of Funimation.

13. The Rising Of Shield Hero:

• Director: Takao Abo, Masato Jinbo, Hitoshi Haga
• Writer: Aneko Yusagi
• Cast: Kaito Ishikawa, Billy Kameez, Asami Seto
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8/10
• Genre: Dark fantasy, isekai
• Year: 2019

The Rising Of Shield Hero has received plenty of attention as the first season unfolds. The protagonist of the anime, Naofumi, is a dedicated university student. Soon he gets called out to defend the kingdom of Melromarc. The setting of Melromarc will undoubtedly appeal to fans and lovers of fantasy. When he reaches Melromarc, he becomes the weakest of the heroes whose job is to protect the land.

However, Naofumi soon realizes that there are even more significant problems than his ranking among protectors. Naofumi is also forced to face betrayal from the beginning, giving viewers plenty of things to speculate about.

14. Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion:

• Director: Gorō Taniguchi
• Writer: Ichirō Ōkouchi, Gorō Taniguchi
• Cast: Jun Fukuyama, Johnny Yong Bosch, Takahiro Sakurai
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
• Genre: Anime, Mecha, Mecha Anime, Action, Armed Force, Adventure, Action fiction.
• Year: 2006

Popular anime from the 90s, Code Geass, is a science fiction story whose plot is set in a future where you will see the superpower nation of Britain has invaded and conquered Japan. The former prince of Britannia, who was exiled, operates under the name of Lelouch. He led a resistance movement (Black Knights) against the people who took over his home.

The Black Knights keep on challenging the military of Britannia using mechas known as Knightmare Frames. In case the mecha action is insufficient to give Code Geass a shot, the politics and the character interactions will surely hook you up for a binge.

15. Dragon Ball Z:

• Director: Daisuke Nishio, Shigeyasu Yamauchi
• Writer: Takao Koyama
• Cast: Doc Harris, Scott McNeil, Christopher Sabat
• Seasons: 9
• IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
• Genre: Anime, Action, Comedy, Drama, Adventure, Martial Arts, Fantasy, Thriller, Adventure fiction.
• Year: 1989

No anime fan has, not watched Dragon Ball Z. Viewers who haven’t watched the anime would benefit from giving the series a try. On the other hand, those new to this anime can always dive back and rewatch it. You will get plenty of episodes to dive into, making this anime a perfect choice for binge-watching.

It is one of the most loved anime series out there. You will get great action sequences besides a cast of highly entertaining characters. If you want to keep watching, you can always move on to its sequel, Dragon Ball Super, or the original Dragon Ball.

16. Mob Psycho 100:

• Writer: Hiroshi Seko
• Cast: Setsuo Ito, Akio Ôtsuka, Takahiro Sakurai
• Seasons: 3
• IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
• Genre: Action, Comedy, supernatural
• Year: 2016

Even though Mob Psycho 100 lacks the shones style fights that attract viewers to so many anime, it comprises all the fascinating supernatural elements. It is one of the best fighting anime. The anime is set where telekinesis and evil spirits are standard.

The anime follows Shiego Mob Kageyama, a young esper having extraordinary abilities. Mob’s journey combines exorcising ghosts, growing up, and ridiculous humor all into one series. The anime has only two seasons, and it is one of the quicker series on Funimation to binge on.

17. Your Name:

• Director: Makoto Shinkai
• Writer: Makoto Shinkai
• Cast: Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Ryô Narita, Mone Kamishiraishi
• Seasons: NA
• IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
• Genre: Romance, Fantasy
• Year: 2016

Mitsuha, the daughter of the mayor of a small mountain town, is a straightforward high school girl. She resides with her sister and her grandmother. She lets it be known that she is neither interested in Shinto rituals nor in helping her father’s electoral campaign. Instead, she wants to leave a boring town and try her luck in Tokyo.

Another character, Taki, is a high school boy who lives in Tokyo and works part-time in an Italian restaurant. He wishes to become an architect or an artist. Every night Taki encounters a strange dream where he changes to a high school girl in a small mountain town. It is one of the best anime movies of all time.

18. Tokyo Ghoul:

• Director: Shuhei Morita
• Writer: Chūji Mikasano
• Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Brina Palencia, Austin Tindle
• Seasons: 4
• IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
• Genre: Seinen manga
• Year: 2014

The suspense horror/dark fantasy anime is set in a present-day society in Tokyo where humans live in fear of ravenous hybrid creatures known as ghouls. A neverending constant internal war is being fought by the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG).

This is to make Tokyo free of many injustices. Amidst this, an eighteen-year-old Ken Kaneki finds himself lost in a world of black and white, human and ghoul. He must slowly realize that the truth is less picture-perfect than it seems.

19. Erased:

• Director: Yûichirô Hirakawa
• Writer: Noriko Gotō
• Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Rio Suzuki, Kasumi Arimura, Kanna Mori
• Seasons: NA
• IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
• Genre: Mystery, thriller
• Year: 2016

The anime revolves around a 29-year-old man who lives a quiet and peaceful life working at a pizza place. Soon he starts experiencing a strange phenomenon which he terms ‘Revival.’ Whenever he experiences ‘Revival,’ Satoru Fujinuma is brought back into the past, where he must stop an incident from occurring. As the anime progresses, he gets falsely accused of the murder of his mother, and again the revival occurs.

However, this time he gets sent back 18 years in the past, during his elementary school period. Living with the mind of a 29-year-old and the body of a child, Satoru needs to find out what he must alter to remove this accusation and get back to the present.

20. Violet Evergarden:

• Director: Taichi Ishidate, Haruka Fujita
• Writer: Kana Akatsuki
• Cast: Yui Ishikawa, Raissa Bueno, Erika Harlacher
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
• Genre: Drama
• Year: 2018

The Great War finally ended after four long years of conflict. Violet Evergarden, a young girl caught up in bloodshed, is raised to be a deadly weapon on the battlefield. Violet was Hospitalized and maimed in a bloody skirmish during the War and was left with only words from the person who was closest to her.

However, she needed more understanding of their meaning. As she recovers from her wounds, Violet starts a new life and works at the Postal Services. Luckily, she came across the work of an “Auto Memory Doll,” a manuense that notes people’s thoughts and feelings into words on paper.

Violet soon begins working as an Auto Memory Doll, taking her on an adventure that will reshape her clients’ lives and lead to self-discovery. Violet Evergarden has been termed one of the best anime series.

21. One Piece:

• Director: Eiichiro Oda
• Writer: Eiichiro Oda
• Cast: Mayumi Tanaka, Tony Beck, Laurent Vernin
• Seasons: 20
• IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
• Genre: Fantasy, action
• Year: 1999

Gol D Roger, also known as the King of the Pirates, received wealth, power, fame, and everything else the world had to offer. However, after 2 decades following his death, a young man named Luffy embarks on a journey across the world to discover the greatest treasure, One Piece. Soon he inherits Roger’s will by becoming the King of the Pirates.

22. Fruits Basket:

• Director: Akitaro Daichi
• Writer: Natsuki Takaya
• Higuchi Tachibana
• Cast: Manaka Iwami, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Laura Bailey
• Seasons: 3
• IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
• Genre: Romantic comedy, Supernatural
• Year: 1998

A family tragedy turns the life of a 16-year-old high schooler Tohru Honda upside down. Soon she takes matters into her own hands and moves out into a tent. Unfortunately, she pinches her new home on private land belonging to the mysterious Souma clan.

In less time, the owners discover her secret. But, as Tohru quickly discovers when the family offers to take her in, the Soumas have a secret of their own. The secret was that when hugged by the opposite sex, they turned into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

23. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

• Director: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, Takashi Imanishi
• Writer: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
• Cast: Mayumi Tanaka, Jin Urayama, Megumi Han
• Seasons: 4
• IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
• Genre: Mecha, military science fiction, space opera
• Year: 2001

Mobile Suit Gundam is a massive franchise comprising dozens of shows over several decades. The first show was released in the 1970s when animation could have been better. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin narrates the original story across 13 episodes in modern animation.

The anime is a great entrant into the Gundam universe and opens viewers to much other stuff. Besides this, it is one of the original anime remade for modern audiences.

24. Grimgar, Ashes, and Illusions:

• Director: Ryosuke Nakamura
• Writer: Mutsumi Okubashi
• Cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Mikako Komatsu
• Seasons: 1
• IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
• Genre: Adventure
• Year: 2016

Grimgar, Ashes, and Illusions is a dark fantasy isekai. The anime shows a group of adventurers who woke up suddenly in a new world one day and had to start adapting to this new one. Throughout the 12 episodes, there are a lot of ups and downs.

However, watching the movie will give you a solid experience, and it only takes a few days to complete. The only downside of this anime is that the pacing starts out slow. (Source)

25. March Comes Like A Lion:

• Director: Kenjirou Okada, Akiyuki Shinbo
• Writer: Akiyuki Shinbo, Yukito Kizawa
• Cast: Kengo Kawanishi, Ai Kayano, Khoi Dao
• Seasons: 2
• IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
• Genre: Slice of life, romance
• Year: 2007

March Comes In Like A Lion is another decent slice-of-life anime in Funimation. The story is about a 17-year-old who lost his family in an accident, after which he lives alone.

He is accompanied by three neighboring sisters who help care for him as he figures out life. He is also a master at Shogi, a Japanese chess-style game. The show has 22 episodes, and it’s pretty good.

Conclusion:

These were the list of best anime of all time available on Funimation. As you have seen, the platform offers a wide range of animes from romance, thriller, adventure, horror, and many more. Once you start watching the animes, you will surely binge-watch them for days and weeks. Hurry up and start watching an anime from the above list of best anime on Funimation.