5 Best Cartoon Network Anime Available Now On Netflix

Published Nov 14, 2026, 9:00 PM EST

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For an entire generation of kids rushing home from school in the late '90s and 2000s, or staying up way past bedtime with the volume turned down low, Cartoon Network was basically their first anime streaming service, long before streaming was even a thing. Nobody really cared whether Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, or Yu Yu Hakusho came from Japan. They were just the coolest cartoons on television, and Toonami made sure every afternoon felt like an event.

Launched in March 1997 with the iconic robot TOM aboard the spaceship Absolution, Toonami introduced Western audiences to some of anime's biggest names. From Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece to later hits like My Hero Academia and Dr. Stone, its lineup helped turn casual cartoon watchers into lifelong anime fans. Even after moving to Adult Swim's late-night Saturday block, Toonami kept that connection alive.

Sadly, finding those old favorites isn't as easy anymore. With streaming rights constantly changing, classics like Cowboy Bebop and Yu Yu Hakusho have left Netflix's US library, sending fans to platforms like Prime Video, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. Thankfully, Netflix still has plenty of former Cartoon Network favorites, including One Piece and Neon Genesis Evangelion. But beyond those household names, Netflix still has several other standout Cartoon Network and Toonami anime that deserve the spotlight.

5 InuYasha Remains The Ultimate 2 AM Adult Swim Nostalgia Trip

Few anime capture the feeling of late-night Cartoon Network quite like InuYasha. Those who stayed up until 2 AM watching Adult Swim will probably remember its haunting ending themes and the sight of Kagome and Inuyasha travelling through feudal Japan. Created by Rumiko Takahashi and animated by Studio Sunrise, the series first arrived on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in August 2002. It remained a regular part of the channel's lineup until March 2014, before returning to Toonami that November to finally air its 26-episode conclusion, InuYasha: The Final Act.

The story follows fifteen-year-old Kagome Higurashi, whose family shrine hides a well that sends her straight into Japan's Sengoku period. After accidentally shattering the wish-granting Shikon Jewel, she joins forces with the hot-headed half-demon Inuyasha to recover its scattered shards before the spider-demon Naraku gets his hands on them.

Along the way, the pair are joined by Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, while Inuyasha's rivalry with his older brother Sesshomaru adds another great layer to the story. And, of course, there's the complicated love triangle involving Kagome and the tragic priestess Kikyo. Both the original series and The Final Act are available on Netflix, making this a great chance to revisit one of Toonami's most memorable anime.

4 The Vibrant MAPPA Remake Makes The Original Ranma ½ Even More Nostalgic To Revisit

Before InuYasha became a late-night Cartoon Network favourite, Rumiko Takahashi had already given anime fans another classic with Ranma ½. Studio Deen's original 161-episode adaptation ran from 1989 to 1992, first reaching North American fans through VHS releases before becoming a memorable part of Cartoon Network's international Toonami blocks. It was especially popular on late-night screens across Latin America from July 2006. With its ridiculous martial arts battles, wild transformations, and unmistakable '80s charm, it was the kind of show that made staying up past midnight worthwhile.

The chaos begins when teenage martial arts prodigy Ranma Saotome and his father, Genma, visit China's cursed Jusenkyo springs during a training trip. After falling into the wrong pools, Ranma transforms into a girl whenever splashed with cold water, while Genma turns into a giant panda. Hot water reverses both curses, but that doesn't make their lives any easier.

Back in Japan, Ranma is also stuck in an arranged engagement with Akane Tendo, Soun's short-tempered youngest daughter. Their constant bickering is half the fun, especially with Ryoga, the hopelessly directionally challenged rival who becomes Akane's pet piglet P-chan, and Shampoo, a Chinese Amazon determined to win Ranma's affection. The original is a nostalgic treat, while Studio MAPPA's vibrant remake is now in its third season on Netflix.

3 Before Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Hiroyuki Imaishi Delivered Pure Hype With Gurren Lagann

Few late-night Toonami memories are as unforgettable as staying up until 2 AM on a Saturday and hearing Kamina shout about a drill that will pierce the heavens. Studio Gainax's 2007 mecha classic first reached American cable through Sci Fi's Ani-Monday block in 2008, but it found another home on Cartoon Network when Adult Swim revived Toonami.

Gurren Lagann ran on the block from August 2014 to March 2015, bringing its wild mix of giant robots, over-the-top speeches, and pure hype to a new generation. Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, who later co-founded Studio Trigger and directed Netflix's Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the 27-episode series remains one of the studio's most beloved works.

Set in a future where the tyrannical Spiral King, Lordgenome, forces humanity to live in cramped underground villages, the story follows timid fourteen-year-old digger Simon and his fearless big brother Kamina. Their lives change when Simon discovers a glowing Core Drill and a buried mecha called Lagann.

After breaking through the ceiling to reach the surface, they meet sharp-shooting fighter Yoko Littner and begin a rebellion against Lordgenome's Beastmen. What starts with a small team called Dai-Gurren eventually turns into a galaxy-sized war against the Anti-Spirals. And yes, the show gets every bit as ridiculous and awesome as that sounds. All 27 episodes are currently streaming on Netflix.

2 The 2004 Adult Swim Era Made Detective Conan An Unforgettable Late-Night Mystery

Few anime openings are as instantly recognisable as Case Closed's jazzy saxophone theme. Gosho Aoyama and TMS Entertainment's long-running mystery series first arrived on American cable through Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in May 2004 under the localized title Case Closed. It even renamed its leads Jimmy Kudo and Rachel Moore for the US audience. The series aired there until September 2005, while also becoming a regular part of daytime Cartoon Network programming across international regions.

The story follows teenage detective prodigy Shinichi Kudo, who gets caught investigating a shady deal involving the Black Organization. After the syndicate forces him to swallow an experimental poison called APTX 4869, Shinichi wakes up in the body of a first-grader.

Taking the alias Conan Edogawa, he moves in with his childhood crush, Ran Mori, and her bumbling private-eye father, Kogoro. With Professor Agasa's tranquilizer wristwatch and voice-changing bowtie, Conan secretly uses Kogoro to solve impossible cases while searching for the people who poisoned him. Following TMS's July 2025 relaunch under the original Detective Conan title with a brand-new English dub, curated episode collections are now available on Netflix.

1 The Legendary Kyoto Arc Solidified Rurouni Kenshin As An Absolute Toonami Heavyweight

Wielding a reverse-blade katana and hiding a blood-soaked past behind a goofy smile, Rurouni Kenshin gave early-2000s Cartoon Network viewers a samurai hero unlike anyone else on television. Studio Gallop and Studio Deen’s 1996 classic first hit American cable on Toonami’s weekday afternoon lineup in March 2003, instantly hooking kids after school before shifting to Cartoon Network’s Saturday night SVES block to finish its legendary 62-episode run through the Kyoto Arc.

Set in 1878 during Japan’s Meiji era, the story follows the former Imperialist assassin once feared as “Battosai the Manslayer.” Haunted by the lives he took during the revolution, Kenshin wanders the countryside under a strict vow never to kill again. After saving hot-headed kendo instructor Kaoru Kamiya in Tokyo, he finds a peaceful new home at her dojo alongside scrappy orphan Yahiko Myojin and street brawler Sanosuke Sagara.

However, peace never lasts long as deadly figures from his past, including longtime Shinsengumi rival Hajime Saito and bandage-wrapped mastermind Makoto Shishio, force him to draw his blade once more. Fans can relive that unforgettable journey on Netflix through both seasons of Liden Films’ modern remake and the five-movie live-action saga.

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  Mayo Suzukaze

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  Kaoru Kamiya