18 Best Anime Movies You Must See – For good reason, ‘Death Note’ is the most popular anime of all time. The epic rivalry between Light Yagami and L Lawliet is central to the psychological drama anime. The geniuses have opposing views on justice, which quickly clash, and a cerebral game between the two begins, with the lives of countless people on the line. Even though the anime ended several years ago, it continues to have a significant impact on the industry. Fans must be looking for shows comparable to ‘Death Note,’ therefore we’ve gathered a list of anime that are similar to it today. Several of these anime are available on Netflix, Funimation, Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.

18. Zetsuen no Tempest (2012)

Mahiro Fuwa is a character in the anime ‘Zetsuen no Tempest.’ When his elder step-sister and parents are slain, he is forced to witness a tragedy. Yoshino Takigawa, his closest friend’s girlfriend, was his sister. Yoshino tries to continue his life normally after her death, while Mahiro vows to uncover the perpetrator and put him/her to justice. Hakaze Kusaribe is the Kusaribe clan’s leader and a witch. Her clan, however, betrays her and abandons her on an island. Yoshino runs into Hakaze and offers his assistance in exchange for her assistance in locating the offender, and Hakaze agrees to the terms. Soon after, it is revealed that Hakaze’s disciples want to awaken the ‘Tree of Exodus,’ putting the entire world in risk, and Hakaze, along with Mahiro, must stop this. Yoshino then learns of his friend’s plans to save the world when the latter saves him from a girl holding a gun to his head. Yoshino then decides to join Mahiro on his mission.

17. Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl) (2005)

‘Jigoku Shoujo’ is a horror-themed psychological mystery-thriller anime. The anime is entertaining and attempts to keep you on the edge of your seat. Hell Correspondence is an online publication. The majority of people will never hear or know about it. Those who hold a grudge against someone, on the other hand, can access it at midnight. They can utilize the website to send the person with whom they hold a grievance directly to Hell. Yes, eerie stuff, isn’t it? Ai Enma is the Hell girl in charge of the job. She completes her duty without deciding whether the person of interest is guilty or not. She is only there to inflict vengeance on the individual who has accessed the webpage. Her movements are quick, and she employs three straw dolls to accomplish this. But there has to be a catch to such a service, right? Yes, the individual who wants the name will spend the rest of their afterlife in Hell.

16. Ergo Proxy (2006)

The psychological tension that occurs between L and Light is what makes ‘Death Note’ so popular. Each of them is attempting to outwit the other, and they are both equally competitive. The anime’s greatness stems from this tension. Though such tension does not exist in ‘Ergo Proxy,’ it provides enough of a psychological thrill to warrant inclusion on our list. It’s a mystery anime that will keep you guessing till the finish. The anime is set in the future, when Earth has become uninhabitable due to an ecological disaster. The only places where humanity can survive are artificial domes capable of supporting human existence.

To aid humanity’s recovery, humanoid robots known as AutoRevis are constructed to assist humans with their day-to-day duties. However, there has recently been a problem with them. They are infected with an illness known as the ‘cogito virus,’ which gives them self-awareness. Re-I Mayer, Romdo’s (head of a dome) granddaughter, is looking into this matter. As she delves more into the mystery, she discovers a sinister plot. The animation can be viewed here.

15. Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha (2007)

Two gates appear in the sky above Earth. The first is Heaven’s Gate, while the second is Hell’s Gate. Heaven’s gate can be seen over South America, while Hell’s gate can be seen over Japan. Where there used to be a magnificent night sky, there is now an oppressive skyscape. Humans who have abandoned their humanity in order to attain superhuman abilities emerge with the appearance of the gates. Hei is the codename for one such contractor. He is well-known and is known as the ‘Black Reaper.’ He, like his colleagues, is employed by the syndicate. However, there is a terrible conspiracy that must be exposed soon since it threatens the contractors’ very existence. The show’s thrill comes from the continuous secret war, which is hidden from normal sight.

14. No Game No Life (2014)

‘No Game No Life’ is one of the best isekai anime out there, and if you like the genre, you should watch it. The anime is included on this list because of the psychological games that the heroes play with their opponents in order to win, particularly with Tet, the God of games. The anime’s protagonists, Sora and Shiro, are siblings who like playing video games. They are so proficient at gaming that the duo’s nickname, ‘Blank,’ has achieved legendary status among gamers. Because they find real life more boring than games, they spend practically all of their time in the game world. They receive an email one day from someone claiming to be the God of Games, challenging them to a game of chess. The pair agrees and is sent to Disboard, a realm where all problems are resolved via the use of games. Tet is the ruler of this world. If Sora and Shiro wish to become the next God, they must strive to unite the 16 factions that exist in this planet, rise up against Tet, and defeat him. The animation can be viewed here.

13. One Outs (2008)

‘One Outs’ is a fun sports anime that centered around the titular sport, which is a simplified version of baseball with only one pitcher and batter. Toua Tokuchi is a professional athlete, yet he is a true gambler at heart. His intuition and psychological prowess come in handy, despite the fact that his pitch of 134 Kmph is not particularly quick. He holds a record of 499 wins in the game of One Outs. Hiromichi Kojima wants Toua to join his squad so that their streak of losing games will come to an end. However, the owner of Lycaons believes Toua is not a suitable fit for the squad. Toua then strikes a deal. He claims that for every out he gets, he should earn 5 million yen, and that for every run he lets up, he should lose 50 million yen. Will Toua be able to make it in the cutthroat world of sports?

12. Detective Conan (1996-)

I suppose it’s self-evident why ‘Detective Conan’ is on this list. Conan’s skill in solving problems and the excitement of seeing him brainstorm so many ideas are, to say the least, interesting. Shinichi Kudou is a senior in high school. When it comes to solving criminal situations, he is a genius. During one of his investigations, however, he follows a gang of criminals, and this is when he is apprehended, and the criminals inject him with an experimental drug. Shinichi does not die, but he physically transforms into a toddler. Fortunately, his intelligence has not been compromised. Everyone, including his childhood pal Ran Mouri, is unaware of his true identity. Her father is a private investigator. Shinichi takes up the alias Conan Edogawa, inspired by two prominent mystery writers, and begins working behind the scenes to solve Ran’s father’s cases.

11. Youjo Senki (2017)

‘Youjo Senki’ is an anime fantasy thriller. Tanya Degurechaff, the show’s protagonist, is the reason for its inclusion on this list. She is an intelligent young lady whose brutal strategies and tactics are sufficient to mercilessly crush other armies. Tanya, on the other hand, is a man who denies the existence of God. So, one day, Being X, who claims to be God, transports him to a world of magical warfare and transforms him into a small girl in an orphanage in the hopes that her desperation will lead her to believe in God. Tanya, on the other hand, is determined to prove Being X wrong.

If you enjoy paradoxes and the complexity of time travel, you should absolutely watch ‘Steins: Gate.’ The anime is based on a video game of the same name. It takes place in Akihabara, Tokyo, in 2010, and follows Rintaro Okabe, a self-proclaimed crazy scientist who runs the Future Gadget Laboratory in an apartment with his buddies Mayuri Shiina and Itaru “Daru” Hashida. When he inadvertently invents a device that allows him to send text messages from the past, the danger begins.

9. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2003 – 2004)

The premise of ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ may not appear to be particularly interesting at first glance, yet it’s dark and engrossing. It has an unusual way of capturing viewers’ attention and holding them engaged until the finish. The story follows two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric as they quest for the philosopher’s stone to restore their bodies following a botched attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy.

8. Terror in Resonance (2014)

‘Terror in Resonance’ tells the story of two children, aged 0 and 12, who were not supposed to exist. They are a major source of concern for the Japanese police. They are clever and can readily outwit law enforcement agents. They have a bizarre motive for choosing terrorism over peace, and as the cat-and-mouse game between two opposing philosophies begins, it is difficult to resist binge-watching the entire show. Because of the secrets and mental tricks, the anime will undoubtedly remind viewers of ‘Death Note.’ The anime may be viewed on Hulu.

7. Durarara!! (2010)

‘Durarara!!’ tells the story of a Dullahan who works as an underworld courier in Ikebukuro for The Dollars, an internet-based nameless gang. He is actively involved in the mayhem that is unfolding in the region, which is home to some of Ikebukuro’s most dangerous people. The thirteen-volume series was published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko banner. The anime is not as good as ‘Death Note,’ but it is still worth seeing for anime fans who enjoy mysteries and drama.

6. File of Young Kindaichi (1997 – 2000)

‘Death Note,’ in addition to mind tricks and Shinigami, is about mysteries. If you enjoy riddles, ‘The File of Young Kindaichi’ is one of the best anime on our list. The Kindaichi Case Files is another name for the series, which follows the crime-solving adventures of a high school student named Hajime Kindaichi, who is the rumored grandson of the famed (fictional) private detective Kosuke Kindaichi. Like L, who hunts down deadly criminals and bravely pursues Light, Hajime is astute and cautious in his every step. Each case he takes on is as good as, if not better than the last, making the anime a compelling experience.

5. Death Parade (2015)

Death Parade tells the story of the afterlife and what happens after death, which is still a mystery. Once someone dies in Death Parade, their activities during their existence become a crucial component in determining whether they will be reincarnated or consigned to the abyss, from whence there is no return. The Shinigamis, or death gods, decide what happens to a person after death. They put people through a series of tests to decide what they deserve in the hereafter. They may not be as amusing as Ryuk from ‘Death Note,’ but they are unquestionably interesting in their own right.

4. The Future Diary (2011 – 2013)

If you want to watch a spine-chilling thriller like Death Note, you should watch ‘The Future Diary.’ The fear of death can be felt at every step in the show, and the plot is incredibly bleak and terrible, which makes it interesting. Yukiteru Amano is a daydreaming loner who observes life and records it on his cell phone. He only has two (imaginary) friends: Deus Ex Machina, the God of Space and Time, and his assistant, Muru Muru. But it turns out that Deus is quite real.

Deus turns Yukiteru’s phone into a Future Diary that can predict the future for up to ninety days. Yukiteru learns that he and eleven other people are participants in a survival game arranged by Deus. The goal of this game is to get rid of all the other diary holders. The winner succeeds Deus as God and has the ability to avert the Apocalypse. Yukiteru is shielded by Yuno Gasai, a charming but sociopathic classmate who relentlessly hunts him a year after they vowed to go stargazing together. All episodes are available to watch online here.

3. Monster (2004 – 2005)

Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a young Japanese brain surgeon who works at Düsseldorf’s Eisler Memorial Hospital. Tenma is fed up with the hospital’s political prejudice in treating patients and seizes the opportunity to change things after a slaughter takes identical twins Johan and Anna Liebert to the hospital. Johan receives a gunshot wound to the head, but he survives. Meanwhile, Mayor Roedecker dies, and Tenma loses social prestige as a result of defying his seniors’ counsel. Director Heinemann and the other doctors in Tenma’s path are assassinated, and both children vanish from the hospital. Tenma is suspected by the police, but they have no evidence and can only question him. The terrible secrets underlying the murder are gradually disclosed as the story progresses, and Tenma is identified as the major suspect in all of them.

2. Code Geass (2008)

When it comes to mind games, Code Geass comes in second only to Death Note. With so many methods and ideas, Code Geass is perhaps the finest option for genre fans. Aside from that, the anime contains a lot of action scenes. It follows Lelouch, who becomes entangled in a terrorist attack and meets C.C., a mystery girl. She not only saves his life from the Britannian Royal Guard, but also bestows upon him the Geass power. Lelouch then began to plot the overthrow of the Empire of Britannia, which had taken over Japan and renamed it Area 11. But the world is not as easy as it appears, and his mysterious abilities eventually lead to his isolation in the fight for the greater good. Funimation has the anime available for streaming.

1. Psycho-Pass (2012 – 2019)

Justice and its administration have evolved. Japan implements the Sibyl System in the 22nd century, an objective method of determining each citizen’s threat level by examining their mental state for evidence of criminal intent, known as their Psycho-Pass. The Psycho-Pass is a standard reading of people based on data gathered from their daily activities. They pass if their general aptitude is good. However, if they are diagnosed as disturbed or predisposed to conduct evil, they are cared for even before they commit a crime. Although the technology appears to be flawless on the surface, as the novel progresses, the system’s dark secrets are uncovered, challenging everyone who has placed their trust in it.