This stretches to Japanese animation as well; in fact, Tubi’s anime collection is surprisingly impressive. As a demonstration of the content available on the platform, here are the best free anime on Tubi.
Hunter X Hunter
Yoshihiro Togashi fans are in for a treat as Tubi has both Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter. These series rank among the very best shonen anime of all time, with the former excelling as a more conventional story (outside the brilliant “Chapter Black” arc) and the latter taking a more experimental approach.
Hunter x Hunter revolves around Gon’s quest to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a hunter, a role that sees him taking on numerous villains and monsters. That is just the basic premise that Hunter x Hunter uses as a launchpad to explore a wide range of characters and themes.
Toradora!
One of the most famous anime romcoms, Toradora! revisits the timeless idea that opposites attract. Contrary to what their appearances might suggest, Ryuuji Takasu is easygoing and responsible while the petite Taiga Aisaka is known for violent outbursts. When they both develop crushes on the other person’s best friend, Ryuuji and Taiga decide to work together to increase their chances of finding love.
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An influential series, Toradora! blends fantastic animation with character development, slapstick humor, and an ending that tugs at the heartstrings. As the anime’s success inspired plenty of imitators, Toradora! no longer feels as fresh as it did in 2008, but that does not take too much away from the show’s appeal.
Ranma 1/2
Nothing short of a classic, Ranma 1/2 is the definitive gender-bender anime, and it is hilarious. After being cursed to swap genders when splashed with water, Ranma Saotome’s life gets even more complicated when he has to decide between three potential suitors.
Ranma 1/2 mines this rom-com premise for all it’s worth, and the first few seasons dedicate the majority of their energy to humor rather than romance. Some people might be put off by the anime’s age, but Ranma 1/2 is still as enjoyable in 2022 as it was during the early ’90s.
Naruto
Studio Pierrot’s Naruto needs no introduction by this point. The anime was inescapable during the 2000s, and while many people might argue that Naruto: Shippuden improves upon its predecessor in nearly every way, the original series still contains many of the franchise’s highest points.
For those who grew up with Team 7 and wish to relive the glory days of the Chunin Exams and Sasuke Recovery Mission arcs, Tubi should help scratch that itch. The platform has both the dubbed and subbed versions of Naruto.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s anime adaptation of Stone Ocean debuts in December 2021 on Netflix, but people wanting to try out this series do not need to subscribe to that service. All of the pre-Stone Ocean main seasons of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure can be streamed on Tubi, amounting to a total of 152 gloriously over-the-top episodes.
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JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is more than just a meme. Following a somewhat uneven start, the anime picks up a lot of steam during its second and third sagas, introducing not only an iconic power system but also characters worthy of using it.
Reborn!
Lasting from 2006 to 2010, Katekyō Hitman Reborn! doesn’t get much attention nowadays as it exists in the shadow of more popular shonen anime. Although it isn’t especially unique, Reborn! gets nearly everything right, outside a misguided opening 20 episodes that have a far more comedic tone than the rest of the series.
Reborn! follows a weak protagonist who is visited by a (cool) baby and told that he will become the new boss of a Mafia family. Superpowers, time-traveling, lovable secondary characters, and plenty of great fights make up this awesome shonen anime.
Mushi-Shi
A beautiful and (mostly) relaxing show, Mushi-Shi follows Ginko, a Mushi Master who travels around Japan searching for spirits that might or might not be causing trouble for humans. While this premise lends itself to action, Mushi-Shi is predominantly slow-paced and atmospheric, often utilizing Ginko as an outside observer of the natural world the Mushi inhabit.
Mushi-Shi is a poignant show that can be a bit of an acquired taste in its early stages, but if the anime clicks with someone, it is likely to rank among their favorite shows.
Ergo Proxy
An anime original, Ergo Proxy is an unsettling sci-fi thriller set in a distant future where humanity lives alongside androids. When the latter gain sentience and start to commit murders, Re-I Mayer is assigned the task of investigating the cause behind these crimes.
Boasting impeccable visuals and music, Ergo Proxy weaves a gripping tale that touches upon quite a few philosophical ideas. The anime creates a familiar but cold world, one that has a dream-like quality to it. The story can be a bit slow at times, but the show’s few dull moments are worth pushing through to reach its high points.
A Certain Scientific Railgun
Tubi has the first two seasons of A Certain Magical Index, however, it is that show’s spin-off that ranks among the best free anime series on the streaming platform. A Certain Scientific Railgun pushes Mikoto Misaka to the forefront, focusing on the powerful Esper’s closest friendships and the struggles the protagonist faces with accepting help from her peers.
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The first season starts off as almost a slice of life anime, and this section helps cement the core dynamics between the central characters. Once the action gets going, A Certain Scientific Railgun seldom slows down, particularly during season 2’s brilliant opening arc.
Bunny Drop
Bunny Drop revolves around a father-and-daughter dynamic. At his grandfather’s funeral, Daikichi learns that his relative had a child that nobody knew about. Disgusted by his family’s dismissive treatment of Rin, Daikichi decides to adopt the girl, a huge step for a guy who has never needed to take care of anybody else.
Bunny Drop chronicles the pair’s relationship as they gradually grow more comfortable with each other and their new roles. Except for an uncomfortable opening episode, this anime is wholesome, uplifting, and sweet. Maintaining a realistic and mature tone throughout, Bunny Drop is a masterpiece.
Tiger & Bunny
My Hero Academia was hardly the first anime to tackle superheroes, and an argument could be made that it is not the best either. Sunrise’s Tiger & Bunny envisions an alternate reality where empowered heroes have been thoroughly commercialized, with their life-saving actions featuring in essentially a reality show and competition.
The title refers to the story’s central partnership: the aged Tiger and the youthful Bunny. These two are forced to work together, and like the best buddy cop flicks, they initially hate each other before becoming great friends. Tiger & Bunny has a fantastic roster of supporting characters and villains, along with consistently stellar animation and world-building.
Full Metal Panic!
Full Metal Panic! comes in two flavors: the main series and the Fumoffu spin-off. The former has a couple of seasons, although only the first one is available on Tubi. A cult classic, the anime follows Sousuke Sagara’s attempts to protect Kaname Chidori, a high school girl with a powerful ability that could change the world’s power balance. Featuring exhilarating action and likable characters, Full Metal Panic! is a must-watch for mecha fans.
Fumoffu drops the mecha action in favor of school comedy hi-jinks. While a complete departure from the mainline entries, the spin-off’s content is still canon, even if nothing of consequence truly happens. That said, Fumoffu is consistently hilarious. The show highlights different sides of the main characters, all the while still remaining true to their established personalities.
Ouran High School Host Club
Except for Sailor Moon and perhaps Fruits Basket, Ouran High School Host Club is the most famous shoujo anime of all time, a reputation the show fully deserves. A girl from a poor background with a scholarship to a rich school, Haruhi winds up joining the Ouran Academy Host Club after acquiring debt with them.
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A laugh riot from beginning to end, Ouran High School Host Club is a character-driven comedy that allocates enough time to explore each of its main students. Romance also plays a part, although it isn’t a huge focus of most episodes.
One-Punch Man
Superheroes are inescapable in this day and age, something that also extends to anime. One-Punch Man is all about the hero for fun, Saitama, who – as the title foreshadows – defeats every opponent with a solitary punch.
The protagonist’s overwhelming strength produces plenty of hilarious moments as planet-threatening villains are reduced to jobbers by a bored hero who is more preoccupied with making it in time for a sale at the local shop.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop’s live-action adaptation did not receive a particularly glowing reception, but thankfully, the ’90s anime is on Tubi and a number of other platforms. Cowboy Bebop works on multiple levels – an episodic sci-fi action epic, a case study of characters haunted by the past, and a heartbreaking drama.
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Cowboy Bebop is a show that hits differently depending on a viewer’s state of mind and life experiences, greatly enhancing the anime’s rewatchability. The opening song is also perfection.
Daily Lives Of High School Boys
If the imagination is willing, a stick can be as sharp as a sword. Daily Lives of High School Boys puts this concept to the test as the anime follows three high school students who try to spice up their relatively ordinary lives, an endeavor that is equally likely to produce negative or positive memories.
Split into skits, Daily Lives of High School Boys extends its reach beyond the main trio, to the point that the anime is essentially an ensemble comedy. This variety works in the show’s favor since most episodes should have a sketch or two that hits home with most viewers.
Bakuman
Anyone looking to learn more about the manga creation process should check out Bakuman. Following Moritaka Mashiro’s dream to become a mangaka, the manga and its anime adaptation dive deep into this world, all the while delivering witty humor and endearing characters.
This topic might sound a bit too niche, but Bakuman can be enjoyed even if someone has no interest in manga outside of reading it. Viewed as just a comedy, Bakuman ranks among the best anime on Tubi. The streaming service has all the show’s seasons, which is nothing something that can be said about everything on the site.
Death Note
A classic entry-level series, Death Note has the most famous cat-and-mouse chase in anime. A teen prodigy with an ego bigger than the sun, Light gains access to the Death Note, a book that allows its owner to kill someone by writing in their name.
Assuming the public persona of Kira, Light sets out to spread his definition of justice around the world. Naturally, this gains the attention of the authorities, who bring in a super detective in the form of L. This marks the start of the ultimate battle of wits.
The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.
Kusuo Saiki is such a powerful psychic that he can rival Mob Psycho 100’s Shigeo Kageyama. The only issue is that Saiki has no desire to make his power apparent, so he just wishes to lead an ordinary and uneventful life. This dream proves to be anything but simple as Saiki’s life is constantly invaded by the least ordinary people at his school.
A sketch series, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is a hilarious feel-good comedy with a cast of characters that are just as strong as any other anime. Outside of Gintama’s Shinpachi, Saiki might just be the best straight man in any anime comedy.
Psycho-Pass
Tubi only has season 1 of Psycho-Pass, but that is more than enough to recommend this psychological thriller anime. Set in an alternate Japan governed by a system that determines someone’s crime coefficient before they act, Psycho-Pass expertly blends action, social intrigue, and tense ideological battles to craft a gripping narrative without a single wasted moment.
Psycho-Pass can get quite gruesome at times so it is not for a younger audience, but it is a great pick for adults looking to watch their first anime.
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