10 Best Anime on Prime Video to Watch Right Now

Prime Video is rarely the first platform anime fans think of for finding their next anime series. While anime streaming giants such as Crunchyroll and Netflix dominate with library strength and seasonal drops, Amazon’s service hosts some of the medium’s most acclaimed exclusives and cult classics.

Prime Video’s anime catalog stands out because it prioritizes variety and quality over volume. Period pieces like Vinland Saga, psychological thrillers like Sonny Boy, and workplace romances like Wotakoi, altogether create a library that rewards viewers willing to look beyond mainstream shonen hits.

The following list focuses exclusively on TV anime series currently available on Prime Video, excluding anime films. It features a mix of Prime-exclusive titles, critically acclaimed favorites, and underrated titles that deserve a wider audience.

1. Vinland Saga

Genre: Historical Fiction, Action | MAL Score: 8.78 | IMDb Score: 8.8 

Makoto Yukimura’s Viking history-based Vinland Saga remains one of the finest historical anime ever produced. The anime follows Thorfinn, a young warrior on his journey to avenge his father’s death.

Vinland Saga begins as a brutal tale of warfare and oppression, which gradually evolves into a meditation on man-made violence, destiny, and redemption.

2. Dororo

Genre: Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy | MAL Score: 8.45 | IMDb Score: 8.1

Based on Osamu Tezuka’s classic manga, Dororo follows Hyakkimaru, a swordsman whose father sacrificed his body parts to demonic entities before his birth. Accompanied by the orphan thief Dororo, he travels across feudal Japan to reclaim his body parts by defeating demons.

Despite its blend of supernatural themes with powerful political and social commentaries, Dororo remains one of the most underrated anime, exclusively available on Prime Video.

3. Banana Fish

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller | MAL Score: 8.47 | IMDb Score: 8.1

Banana Fish is one of the first anime series that popularized homoeroticism in the medium and remains a cultural force due to its New York-based setting, and blend of mystery and organized crime. MAPPA produced the anime, adapting from Akimi Yoshida’s shōjo manga.

The series follows gang leader Ash Lynx as he investigates the mysterious phrase ‘Banana Fish,’ which traces back to a drug syndicate and Vietnam War history.

4. Great Teacher Onizuka

Genre: Comedy, Drama, School | MAL Score: 8.68 | IMDb Score: 8.5

More than two decades after its release, Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) still remains one of the most influential high-school dramas that balances humor with surprisingly mature social themes.

The anime follows a former biker gang member, Eikichi Onizuka, who becomes a teacher despite lacking conventional qualifications. His unconventional teaching methods help troubled students confront bullying, abuse, and social pressure.

5. Odd Taxi

Genre: Mystery, Drama | MAL Score: 8.63 | IMDb Score: 8.3

Odd Taxi, which looks like a quirky series about anthropomorphic animals, delivers one of anime’s sharpest mystery narratives. The anime follows Taxi driver Hiroshi Odokawa, who becomes entangled in a missing-person case that gradually connects dozens of seemingly unrelated characters.

6. Sonny Boy

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Psychological | MAL Score: 7.85 | IMDb Score: 7.7

Directed by Shingo Natsume, Sonny Boy is one of the most ambitious original anime of the past decade. The plot focuses on a group of students, drifting through surreal alternate dimensions governed by strange rules. The anime blends abstract storytelling with a critical exploration of adolescence, self-identity, and growth.

7. Ergo Proxy

Genre: Sci-Fi, Psychological, Mystery | MAL Score: 7.90 | IMDb Score: 7.9

The 2006 release Ergo Proxy combines cyberpunk aesthetics with philosophical storytelling. Set in a dystopian future where humans coexist with androids known as AutoReivs, the series follows investigator Re-l Mayer and Vincent Law.

Vincent and Mayer’s journey confronts the nature of reality and the foundation of belief, with a baffling ending that confuses the audience. Ergo Proxy remains essential for fans of cerebral science fiction.

8. Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku

Genre: Romance, Comedy | MAL Score: 7.91 | IMDb Score: 7.5

While most romance anime focus on high school settings, Wotakoi shifts to working adults. The story centers on office coworkers Narumi and Hirotaka, whose shared passion for anime, manga, gaming, and cosplay brings them together in an unconventional romance.  Its relatable humor and mature relationships helped it become one of Prime Video’s most recognizable anime exclusives.

9. Pet

Genre: Psychological, Supernatural, Thriller | MAL Score: 6.45 | IMDb Score: 6.2 

One of the most overlooked anime on Prime Video, Pet explores individuals capable of manipulating memories and invading others’ minds. The series demands close attention from viewers, rewarding them with a dark and complex exploration of identity, control, and human consciousness.

10. Nippon Sangoku

Genre: Action, Political, Sci-Fi | MAL Score: 8.49 | IMDb Score: 8.4

Among Prime Video’s newer anime offerings, Nippon Sangoku stands out for its ambitious world-building. Set in a future Japan divided into rival states after societal collapse, the series combines political commentary with military conflict.

While it remains lesser known internationally than other entries on this list, it is one of the niche anime on Prime Video’s catalog right now.

Prime Video is less known for anime streaming, but it often secures exclusive streaming rights to critically acclaimed series. Titles such as Dororo, Banana Fish, Wotakoi, and Vinland Saga helped establish the platform as a destination for viewers seeking anime beyond mainstream franchises.

For beginners, Vinland Saga, Dororo, and Odd Taxi can be starting points into the medium. Viewers looking for romance should choose Wotakoi, while fans of psychological storytelling will find Sonny Boy, Pet, and Ergo Proxy particularly rewarding.

Disclaimer: Availability of these anime series may vary across particular regions.