HBO Max launched as a streaming service in May 2020; in 2023, Warner Bros rebranded the platform as simply Max. Although Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney Plus have much to offer as competitors, Max has its strengths too, particularly when it comes to HBO's in-house projects and live-action movies. The latter are especially great, although the service is not lacking in animated goodness either.

However, the same cannot be said for Max's anime series. Frankly, they are so limited that they are barely worth noting when someone is considering whether the platform is for them or not. To be fair, Max's anime movie selection is great, so it is not like the service has nothing to offer fans; however, the shows are just something extra, especially since there are only a handful of series available on the platform. Still, what are the best anime on Max?

Updated on February 21, 2024 by Mark Sammut: A new series has been added to the streaming service, and it is one of the best anime shows on Max.

3 Housing Complex C

MyAnimeList: 5.37

Housing Complex C aired during the Fall 2022 anime season, lasting for four episodes. The series attracted attention due to the fact horror anime are exceptionally rare. If one were to rank the genre's best offerings of 2022, Housing Complex C would crack the top three since its only competitors would be the forgettable Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai 10 and Berserk: The Golden Age Arc - Memorial Edition, the latter of which barely counts as horror. Despite running almost unopposed, Housing Complex C is not even the best horror anime of the year.

Part of this has to do with the show debuting with an English dub that, while not awful, is just lackluster enough to strip most scenes of any tension. In a seaside town, a housing complex is subjected to unexplainable phenomena following the arrival of a group of foreigners who clash with the locals. These events center around a young girl named Kimi, and they also tie into this location's supernatural-themed history. Housing Complex C's premise has potential, but the anime's rushed pacing causes most of its reveals to fall flat. The show also has way too big of a cast to properly cover in just four episodes, resulting in almost exclusively shallow characters. Although not classified as horror, Summer Time Rendering covers somewhat similar ground as Housing Complex C, and the former is one of 2022's best anime.

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2 FLCL: Grunge & Shoegaze

MyAnimeList: 4.74 (Grunge); 6.20 (Shoegaze)

2000's FLCL is a cult classic, and despite feeling like a product of its era, the anime holds up well due to its sheer creativity and kinetic energy. Even though its surface story is fairly unhinged and chaotic, the show's coming-of-age themes are universal and timeless. Since 2018, the series has been receiving sequels that have almost all struggled to justify their existence, and the most recent additions (Grunge and Shoegaze) are no exception.

Grunge acts as a prequel to the original OVA series, shining a light on Haruko's history (along with exploring other characters). While not devoid of charm, the season's three episodes are prone to retreading plot points that were handled much better in the original anime. Die-hard fans might get a kick out of some of Grunge's content, but they should keep their expectations low.

FLCL: Shoegaze is, overall, superior to Grunge, and it takes place roughly a decade after 2018's Alternative. The season predominantly revolves around two teenagers who are desperately trying to strike a connection with the world, something they find in each other. They also try to blow up a building, which leads to the arrival of Alternative's protagonist. Shoegaze would have benefited from a 6-episode run as the show rushes through its content, causing both of its leads to come across as shallow.

Check Out Shoegaze On Max

1 Ninja Kamui (Currently Airing)

MyAnimeList: 8.62

A slightly surprising addition to the Winter 2024 anime lineup, Ninja Kamui tells an original story that blends shinobi, AI, and revenge. While still in progress, the show is shaping up to be genuinely fantastic, provided a viewer knows what they are getting into. E&H Production's series is fueled by intense and bloody action, with most fight sequences involving a beheading or two. On the surface, this might not seem especially novel, but most anime are limited in what they can depict when it comes to these types of scenes; consequently, Ninja Kamui stands out in a big way. Due to being licensed by Warner Bros and airing as part of Adult Swim, the show has been granted a level of freedom that is not afforded to most projects. And, it is taking advantage of this opportunity, mainly by depicting visceral and borderline uncomfortable gore.

Narratively, Ninja Kamui has not presented too many surprises so far, telling a fairly standard tale of revenge triggered by two violent murders. That said, the anime has started to hint at some interesting world-building through the introduction of an AI organization and also the ninja clan's backstory. Still, this story seems to stick quite close to the John Wick blueprint, which is not a bad thing since the result is an action epic packed to the brim with cool characters.

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Western Animation Shows On Max That Anime Fans Might Enjoy

As a subscriber could realistically get through Max's full anime series catalog in a weekend, they might need a few more recommendations to keep them busy for a couple of months. Thankfully, the platform fares better when it comes to Western animated shows, and there are even a handful of options that take inspiration from anime.

Samurai Jack

A Cartoon Network classic, Samurai Jack is named after its titular hero, a prince born in feudal Japan who is sent to the distant future by his arch-nemesis, Aku. In this era, the villain has taken over the world, prompting Jack to go on an odyssey to defeat Aku, return to his past, and change the future.

Bolstered by Tartakovsky's stylish and innovative direction, Samurai Jack is consistently incredible, regardless of whether it is focusing on episodic content (seasons 1–4) or serial storytelling (season 5). Stoic and even slightly arrogant, Jack captivates without needing to say much, and he is powerful enough to be a genuine threat to Aku but also vulnerable enough to be regularly endangered by enemies of the week.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal and Primal are also easy recommendations for anyone remotely interested in animated content.

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Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo! is a pop culture institution that needs no introduction and its many shows have nothing in common with anime. However, Mystery Incorporated is a unique beast when compared to the rest of the franchise's output, and it is one of the few projects that can be recommended to non-fans.

While still containing monsters-of-the-week episodes, the series also tells a continuous story that goes to some rather strange places as it progresses. The characters are also not static, and they actively grow throughout the two seasons. The show even has proper romances rather than the winks found in most Scooby-Doo! series. Mystery Incorporated blends comedy and mystery very well, and it has a distinct art style that has aged beautifully.

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Teen Titans

Teen Titans wears its anime influence loudly and proudly. Featuring an art style that blends Japanese influence with the DCAU, the Cartoon Network show's presentation has aged beautifully, and the same can be said for the designs of the characters. Teen Titans' hilarious humor is probably its most obvious "anime" quality, but the rest of the show is also top-notch.

As its name suggests, Teen Titans focuses on a group of young heroes: Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. Each season highlights a different character, and the main plot thread's tone tends to shift to match their personalities. While the arcs are generally great, Teen Titans also knocks its standalone episodes out of the park, which regularly deliver stellar action, comedy, and drama.

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Scavengers Reign

Scavengers Reign did not make that much of a splash when it was released toward the end of 2023, which is a shame as there is a lot to appreciate here. The sci-fi genre is fairly well-worn by this point, and only a handful of mainstream stories tend to offer something exciting; Scavengers Reign is one of those select few. The 12-episode series follows three groups of survivors who land on an alien planet. While they are all from the same ship, they don't know about each other, so they are all going on separate adventures that occasionally interact.

Scavengers Reign is all about Vesta, the world that the humans (and one robot) land on. Each episode highlights new elements of this ecosystem, creating a planet that feels fully developed rather than just a series of challenges for the heroes to overcome. The animation is also fantastic, harboring back to a classical style rather than a modern aesthetic. While not necessarily "anime", the art style arguably takes some inspiration from Japanese animation too.

Check It Out On Max