3 Best Netflix Anime Originals to Binge This Week

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While plenty of anime added have been series released on other streaming services, there are a handful referred to as Netflix Originals, often exclusively available on the platform or created for streaming on said platform. Some Netflix Original titles that have done pretty well are Beastars, Devilman Crybaby, and Komi Can’t Communicate. If you’re on the hunt for a great new series to start this week, these three Netflix anime series are an awesome place to start in terms of quality anime.

3) Great Pretender

Great Pretender is one of the few Netflix anime that gets next to no attention but deserves far more hype surrounding it. The show released on the streaming service back in 2020 and had a total of two seasons, or “cases” as the anime’s separate parts were referred to as. It has stellar animation and vibrant visuals, intense action-packed sequences, and a generally fun vibe that makes watching an easy, enjoyable act. Great Pretender will never leave you bored, moving at a quick pace but without slacking on the overall plot or character arcs. If you have a love of crime-action shows, particularly concerning heists, this is the anime for you to add to your watch list.

The plot of Great Pretender centers around up-and-coming con man, Makoto Edumara, who is living in Japan when he meets his match. Laurent Thierry is a French con man who easily swindles Makoto, prompting the man to become obsessed with his skill and talent for crime. Laurent decides to take him under his wing as an apprentice, letting Makoto join his crew of criminals who all specialize in different areas of illegal activity. Together, they attempt to pull off a series of high-level heists across the world, targeting different wealthy and dangerous individuals who are caught in their schemes.

2) Delicious in Dungeon

Delicious in Dungeon has quickly risen in popularity over the last year since its release back in 2024. The anime is slated to receive a second season, though its release date hasn’t been officially announced, with some fans hoping for it to be scheduled in 2026. There’s a lot that sets this series apart from others in the dungeon battle genre, but the main one has to be its central theme revolving around food. Delicious in Dungeon consistently addresses the desire for survival through the intricate, odd, and sometimes disgusting recipes the group creates from the resources available as they attempt to complete their quest.

In Delicious in Dungeon, the world is a traditional high-fantasy setting, complete with adventurer groups who band together to explore and defeat dungeons. Laois Touden is an adventurer who loses his sister to a red dragon while exploring a dangerous dungeon; accompanied by his friends, they decide to reenter the dungeon to search for his sister and bring her home. While traversing the dungeon, the group decides to feast on monsters and other supplies found naturally in the dungeon’s ecosystem to survive, making the worst out of a bad situation through teamwork, creativity, and resourcefulness.

1) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners remains at the top of Netflix’s best original series ever released, with a dedicated fan base that’s only grown since its initial release back in 2022. A sequel series, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, was also announced this year, and has an expected release time set somewhere in 2026 or early 2027. This series is a solid addition to any science fiction watch list, easily competing with other titles within the genre due to its extensive world-building, vivid art style, and dynamic cast. It focuses on themes of societal decay, technology, loss, and the effects of trauma while presenting plenty of high-intensity action sequences that make for a compelling, immersive watch through.

The plot of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set in a dystopian city rampant with crime, poverty, and gang violence. David Martinez attends a high-end academy thanks to his mother, though his life quickly takes a turn for the worse when she’s killed in a drive-by shooting. David leaves the academy and implants a hidden chip that his mother stole from her work, setting him on a new path as an Edgerunner, an outlaw focused on taking control of his own life while following a life of crime. He decides to throw in his lot with a group of Edgerunners like himself, pushing the boundaries of his own body and morals as the story goes on.