Anime movies on Hulu can help you make the most of your anime experience. Anime is a high-octane genre of film and television, characterized by exciting storylines and sense-high visuals that put big-screen productions to shame.
Enjoy this list of Top anime movies on Hulu.
1. Akira (1988)
Akira was one of the first anime films that I ever watched, and it is one of the best. The graphic novel came out in 1982, but the film wasn’t released until 1988.
It’s set in a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, built on the ruins of the former Tokyo, which suffered a cataclysmic explosion caused by experimenting with an alien artifact called Akira.
The story follows two young friends, Kaneda and Tetsuo, who live within this city’s confines. Tetsuo steals a motorcycle from his friend for reasons unknown at first.
When Kaneda catches up to him, he finds Tetsuo has been experimented on by some shady characters looking for Akira’s secrets and has now gained telekinetic powers.
Furthermore, What happens next is an action-packed chase between these two BFFs (Best Friends Forever) through Neo-Tokyo as they attempt to find out what happened to Tetsuo and how it could be fixed or if it can be fixed at all. Akira is the first on my list of anime movies on Hulu
2. Afro Samurai: Resurrection (2009)
In the stunning anime film Afro Samurai: Resurrection, the titular protagonist lives a peaceful life with his lovely wife Mika and their young son.
He’s remarried and trying to live his life in a way that his father would’ve appreciated, but it’s not long before a figure from his past confronts him.
As always, he must fight for what’s right and protect those close to him. Afro Samurai: Resurrection serves as an entertaining adventure in this stylish action tale.
The action is exhilarating while being told in an exciting way that reminds me of the fighting game “Street Fighter.”
It was fun seeing Afro live the good life only to have it interrupted by something terrible yet somehow expected.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing how things played out, especially since they take place ten years after the first series. Afro Samurai is second on my list of anime movies on Hulu
3. Fafner: Heaven And Earth (2010)
The third on my list of anime movies on Hulu is Fafner: Heaven And Earth. Based on the Fafner: Dead Aggressor anime series, Fafner: Heaven and Earth take place in 2018 after the previous film’s events.
The German Wespe is now on a full-scale offensive against the surviving Japanese forces. At this point, Hiroki is severely injured and has to be hospitalized.
Furthermore, Under the command of Soshi Sugawara, a new pilot named Kazuki Makabe is assigned to take his place and lead other pilots, including Makabe’s former childhood friend Asumi Hasegawa as they fight against the relentless advance of the German forces.
Fafner: Heaven and Earth were initially released in Japan in 2010. It was licensed for release in North America by NIS America Inc., which released it in June 2014 at Anime Expo 2014. It will also be available to buy from their website from July 22, 2014.
4. Fairy Tail: The Phoenix Priestess (2012)
The movie took place in the past when magic had nearly disappeared. A young girl named Lucy is a talented wizard who wants to restore balance in the present world by bringing back the long-lost art of Celestial Spirits.
When she finds a magical key that opens a forbidden gateway, she discovers three spirits who will help her on her journey. But the evil gatekeeper of this gateway has other plans for these spirits as well.
Will Lucy be able to save them all from his clutches? If you’re interested in watching an action-packed anime movie with plenty of twists and turns, look no further than Fairy Tail: The Phoenix Priestess! as it is the fourth on my list of anime movies on Hulu.
5. Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (2017)
This is the first Sword Art Online series movie based on a famous light novel.
The movie follows Kirito, a boy who has been given special glasses that let him connect to a virtual reality game created by a company called “Reki Kawahara.” Kirito and his guild members participate in an augmented reality fighting tournament to defeat monsters and win the prize money. It’s rated PG-13.
The film was released in Japan on February 18, 2017, and in the United States on March 9, 2018, as Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (English title) or simply Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale (alternative English title). It was released worldwide with English subtitles on Netflix starting April 22, 2018.
The film has an original story that runs alongside season 2 of the anime series, and its soundtrack was composed by Yuki Kajiura. Enjoy this anime on my list of anime movies on Hulu.
6. Ninja Scroll (1993)
Ninja Scroll is a 1993 animated film from Japan by director Yoshiaki Kawajiri, telling the story of a fierce demon ninja who hunts for other demons to protect humans.
Set at the turn of the 17th century, a time of political instability and emerging scientific discoveries, it follows the life of Jubei Kibagami, an orphaned thief and ninja who is tasked with protecting the young woman Dakki by her father, despite her status as a princess.
While he begins on this quest because of his debt to Dakini’s father for taking him in as an orphan, he comes into contact with various fellow warriors bent on fighting wars in their ways or to protect what they see as right.
Along with their abilities are many different forms of magic and “onmyōdō” (a form of Japanese divination) that all play into how they choose to fight each other.
A significant theme present in Ninja Scroll is that those who don’t play by society’s rules can still end up having hearts filled with kindness.
The main character Jubei himself lives between two worlds: peace and war. He constantly struggles with which would be best for him, especially when he falls for Dakini.
This creates even more intensity surrounding how Jubei chooses to battle his opponents: must he strive only for the honor by fulfilling his role as a bodyguard? Or should he also consider revenge while trying to fulfill that role?
7. My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
Ever since the anime first premiered in 2016, My Hero Academia has been one of the most highly-anticipated shows to come out of Japan.
The series has already been featured as a film and an OVA (Original Video Animation), but both were referred to as just “The Movie.”
Two Heroes is the first full-length theatrical release for My Hero Academia. It expands on the world created by writer Horikoshi Kouhei through an original story that fans will find familiar yet wholly different from what they’ve seen before.
After season 1 of the anime, lovers are reunited with Deku and his friends, who go on a trip overseas so he can get some training time with his mentor, All Might.
During their journey, though, they discover that a criminal new organization called The League of Villains has nefarious plans in store for them—and only our heroes can stop them!
8. Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010)
You may remember a man named Vash the Stampede from your time on the internet, or you may recognize him from a poster hanging in your friend’s apartment who doesn’t own many books. Either way, he’s important to all anime lovers, and his story is coming to Hulu.
Sharing all the same characters as its predecessor series but with a different plotline, Trigun: Badlands Rumble continues the wild adventures of Vash and his self-proclaimed bodyguard, Milly Thompson.
Milly tags along with Vash as he searches for Amelia (a woman who helps those in need) across two continents; meanwhile, Wolfwood (Vash’s gun-toting priest friend) is away doing his missions.
This film isn’t just fun for fans of the original series—it’s an entertaining standalone tale that blends fast action and silly humor into one feature film that lasts just under an hour and a half. The anime movie is available to stream on Hulu.
9. Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
Length: 2 hours, 16-minute. Synopsis: After encountering a mysterious Saiyan, Goku’s son, Gohan, is the latest addition to the Z fighters.
While there are no full-on battles in this film, it’s a fun watch for fans of Dragon Ball and includes lots of funny moments to enjoy with friends. To give some context as to where you can watch it legally online, I’ve rounded up the best places you can find this movie online.
10. My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2018)
It’s easy to have your anime movie-watching experience fall into a predictable routine: watching the latest Naruto movie and following it up with a new episode of Attack on Titan.
You might mix in some English dub reruns of classic Dragon Ball or Yu-Gi-Oh when you have time! Episodes, but again, it’s all familiar stuff.
My Hero Academia: Ultimate Rising is one of 2019’s first anime releases, and it might just shake things up for anyone looking for something that feels fresh.
The government strictly regulates attendance at U.A. High School because its students are the next generation of superheroes.
The school has an age limit (14-17), which turns out to be no problem for Izuku Midoriya, whose quirk gives him superhuman abilities even though he hasn’t turned 14 yet (a detail he manages to keep secret from administrators).
A number of solid characters join him at U.A., including Katsuki Bakugo, who also happens to be his childhood rival.
Plenty occurs between these three as they try to stand out while also developing their hero skills and navigating school life alongside their friends, who are equally engaging in their ways (especially Ochako Uraraka). This is the last on my list of anime movies on Hulu.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s up to you to decide what to watch. But we hope that our list can help guide you towards some of the best anime movies on Hulu and keep you entertained while they’re doing so.
