Anime, the terminology dedicated to Japanese animation, dates back to 1917. Initially, it was not as popular as today with both young and adults. However, in the current era, anime is an entire genre with a massive fanbase, and HBO Max caters to the community with some of the most incredible works of anime ever created. If you are also a fan of Japanese animation, here is the list of 30 Best Anime on HBO Max You Need to Watch in 2023.
However, there is good and a piece of bad news. The bad news is that HBO Max has a geo-blocking policy. This system limits what a visitor or streamer can see based on their physical location. When users log in, the channel identifies them by their IP address and provides access to only the content permitted in the region associated with the IP address.
Therefore, if you want to access the maximum of all the best anime on HBO Max, you must use a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN to stream even the restricted content in your region. Here is how you can do it:
[div class=”highlighter”]How to Watch Best Anime on HBO Max in December 2023 [Easy Steps]
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- Join a premium VPN service. To that end, we recommend ExpressVPN.
- Download and join ExpressVPN and log in with your credentials.
- Connect a server located in the US.
- You can now stream all the best anime on HBO Max wherever you are.
Read More: How to Watch HBO Max on LG TV
Best VPNs to Watch Best Anime on HBO Max
We have tested and shortlisted the following three VPNs as the best ones to stream anime on HBO Max anywhere in the world.
ExpressVPN
It has more than 3000 servers in 94 countries. The app provides the utmost reliability and fastest speed @ $6.67/month. You can easily save 49% by purchasing its 12-month plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN is compatible with almost all the major operating systems and associated streaming devices. Its MediaStreamer enables users to stream even on VPN-incompatible devices. Lastly, ExpressVPN’s privacy and security features are foolproof to the extent that we can easily consider it one of the most private VPN services in the market. You can log in to 5 devices at once on one subscription.
[cta_express]
SurfShark
It has more than 3200 servers in 65 countries. The app is the most affordable in the market @ $2.49/month. You can easily save 82% by purchasing its 24-month plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can log in to unlimited devices at once on one subscription. SurfShark is compatible with almost all the major operating systems and associated streaming devices. SurfShark is not just cheap; its privacy and security features are foolproof, like other VPN services in the market.
[div class=”highlighter”]Surfshark Black Friday Deal:
- 2year Starter: $59.76 -> $53.73 (monthly price becomes $1.99/mo)
- 2years One: $76.56 -> $75.32 (monthly price becomes $2.69/mo)
- 2years One+: $119.28 -> $115.71 (monthly price becomes $3.99/mo
1year monthly prices for all packages stays the same:
- 1year Starter: $3.99/Mo.
- 1years One: $4.09/Mo.
- 1years One+: $6.49/Mo.
NordVPN
It has more than 5400 servers worldwide. The app has the most extensive server network in the market @ $3.71/month. You can easily save 82% by purchasing its 24-months plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can log in to 6 devices at once on one subscription. Nord is compatible with almost all the major operating systems and associated streaming devices. Like ExpressVPN and SurfShark, NordVPN also has foolproof privacy and security features to stream HBO Max anime worldwide.
[cta_nord]
Read More: How to Watch HBO Max Outside USA
30 Best Anime on HBO Max
Coming back to the subject of best animes on HBO max, we have created a comprehensive list of all the animations you must watch to quench your craving for the best animes in 2023.
To your Eternity
In my opinion, To Your Eternity is one of the most underappreciated anime of all time. The story follows a mysterious orb dubbed “It,” which keeps morphing into new people and things.
The anime opens with the orb transforming into a little kid who lives in a small village with his wolf. It’s an uplifting show that will make you experience a wide range of emotions. The central message and touching narrative may even leave you unable to find the words to describe how you feel.
The Promised Neverland
Most of the characters in The Promised Neverland reside in an orphanage until reaching adulthood. The show depicts the journey of these characters and the experiences they go through while growing up. The story builds up when things turn gloomy and dark, and the lads’ lives take a tragic shift for the worst. The gloom makes for much more compelling viewing.
The show’s second season saw a significant drop in quality, but it’s still worth checking out if you’re into the subject matter and don’t mind seeing grim fare for pleasure.
Deathnote
Death Note is among the most famous animes, with a massive fan base and plenty of official merchandise for the fans. A high school student, Light Turner, finds a notebook that contains extraordinary abilities.
It would cause the death of anyone with their names and causes of death written on it by the notebook’s owner. Turner wants to live in a society devoid of crime, so he deals out his brand of “justice” until he attracts the notice of a detective and a girl from school.
Ponyo
Fujimoto, a wizard in the story of Ponyo, decides to forgo society in favor of a life at sea, where he can study marine life in depth. He hopes to learn more about the miraculous properties of seawater, or the “water of life.” All of his efforts are directed toward this one goal: restoring the ocean to its pristine condition before it is ruined by human activity.
Seeing how Fujimoto and Brunehilde, his 5-year-old daughter, manage to escape to the surface via a submarine will teach Ponyo about his plans to help all marine life.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is an ideal series if you have a penchant for supernatural action and adventure. Yuji, a high school student, swallows one of the 19 fingers and sets out to get the others so that he and his pals, including Megumi Fushiguro, can break a terrible curse.
Since his own life is in danger, he must act quickly to break the curse and buy himself more time to escape. If you’re looking for a fascinating and original plot that nevertheless respects its audience, Jujutsu Kaisen is the anime show you should see at least once.
Read More: How Many Saw Movies Are There?
Food Wars
If you’re a foodie, you’ll find a lot to enjoy on Food Wars. The food-centric plot of the anime is seasoned with just the right amount of family turmoil. The protagonist, Souma Yukihira, has a lifelong ambition to succeed his father as head chef of the family restaurant by defeating him in a top-level cooking competition.
However, his father decides to immediately close the diner and send Souma to culinary school, bringing his world down around him. Tohtsuki Academy is all you’d expect from a top-tier culinary arts institution, from which only the most talented students emerge.
Would Souma outperform his extremely gifted rivals and come out on top? The conclusion may be seen on Food Wars on HBO Max.
Tower of God
Each Tower of God’s 135 stories is the size of a continent. Many have attempted to reach the top of this massive structure because of the urban legend that says it contains “everything one could want from life.”
There is a test at the end of each level before you can move on to the next. Baam is a shy young guy who has never been around others long enough to feel comfortable being himself around them.
Rachel, who he cares greatly about, was the only person he could turn to for comfort. He has no choice but to accompany Rachel up the tower so he can be with her at all times. Follow along with Tower of God to see how Rachel and Baam’s summit trip ends.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a magical delivery service run by witches who are the focus of this pleasant anime. There’s a custom about how these witches hit the road when they turn 13 to see if their skills are needed somewhere.
They must then remain there for an entire year in order to mature into their witchcraft and gain independence. Kiki is planning a trip with her black cat, Jiji, and her trusty flying broomstick as she nears the age of 13.
Through meeting and learning from various people, she expands her horizons and develops as a witch during her voyage. You may follow Kiki through a year’s worth of her journey by watching Kiki’s Delivery Service.
91 Days
After suffering the loss of his entire family at the hands of the feared Vanetti crime family, Avilio vows to exact revenge on the family responsible for this tragedy. Years later, he receives an anonymous letter from someone claiming to be a family friend of his father. So, he decides to return to the city where his family had lived before they were brutally murdered.
By allying with Nero Vanetti, the son of Don Vincent Vanetti, he hopes to bring down the organization for which his father formerly worked. You owe it to yourself to see 91 Days on HBO Max because it’s the narrative of a man’s pain, his struggle with losing his loved ones, and his quest for justice.
Erased
The manga artist Satoru Fujinuma from the novel Erased is based on the author’s imagined experiences as he attempts to make ends meet while his career stagnates. His primary source of income is his job as a pizza delivery man, which he does on the side. Satoru’s life may not be anything special, but he has a talent that no one else has: he can predict when an accident will occur and get somewhere safe in the intervening minutes.
One such incident transports him back 18 years to when he was a little schoolboy. He can now take action and perhaps have the criminal responsible for the abduction and deaths of three of his coworkers apprehended. Stream Erased on HBO Max to see how Satoru accomplishes this without endangering his life or wasting precious time.
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Grave of the Fireflies
In the frightening tale Grave of the Fireflies, a teen must save his younger sister, aged four, from the burning house where their mother perished. The patriarch of the family is away serving in the Japanese Imperial Navy. America’s firebombing during WWII was responsible for the separation of many families at that time.
The two children go to live with their aunt, but their relationship with her quickly worsens, and soon they are back on their own. The grim realities of life after the war are brought into sharp relief in Grave of the Fireflies.
Spirited Away
The plot of Spirited Away centers on Chihiro and her family as they prepare to relocate to a new city in order to begin a new chapter in their lives. Her father recommends a shorter route for the trip, but they wind up getting lost.
At the end of their adventure, they find themselves in a deserted town, where they decide to rest and have dinner in a restaurant. But as Chihiro continues to investigate as her parents eat, a mysterious guy named Haku appears and tells her to leave the area before dusk. Check out Spirited Away if you’re looking for a creepy anime to watch this season.
Your Lie in April
The protagonist of Your Lie in April is a young man, Kousei, who used to be very good at playing the piano but has seemingly lost his talent ever since his mother passed away. Amid his daily struggles, he meets a lovely violinist who inspires him to keep going.
Your Lie in April is an endearing tale of two people who meet through their shared interest in music and grow to have feelings for one another. You should watch this if you’re looking for something different from the usual fare of thrillers and horror animes.
The Secret World of Arrietty
Arrietty and her family are not human, but they have made their home in the basement of a house in the suburbs without ever interacting with the owners or staff. Occasionally, she emerges from hiding to rob stores of food staples like sugar cubes.
But when 12-year-old Shawn meets Arrietty and develops feelings for her, things spiral out of control and prove fatal for her loved ones. The Secret World of Arrietty shows what happens to their relationship and their efforts to find a safe place to live underground.
The Cat Returns
Once Haru stops a car from running over a cat, her life takes a turn she never saw coming. She saves the life of a cat, who turns out to be Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom, and he thanks her for it, earning her the favor of Lune’s father, the Cat King.
Things get tricky for her as she is led into the Cat Kingdom and begins to take on a feline appearance. If you want to know how Haru and the magically animated sculptures of Baron and Toto help her getaway, then you should check out The Cat Returns.
Full Metal Alchemist
Edward and Alphonse Elric are two brothers who travel across the land of Amestris to find the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, where alchemy has been elevated to the status of universal science.
The two brothers, aided by Edward’s position as a state alchemist, will risk their lives to find the stone that will restore their fortune, but the Philosopher’s Stone remains a closely guarded secret.
My Neighbor Totoro
The events of My Neighbor Totoro take place in the rural outskirts of Tokyo during the 1950s. Satsuki and Mei, two young sisters, are relocating to the rural community of Tokorozawa with their father. Since their mother is currently admitted to a hospital, this relocation is necessary.
While wandering her new environment and following acorn tracks, Mei comes across two long-eared creatures, one tiny and covered in white fur and the other much bigger and covered in blue fur. She follows them into the massive camphor tree that towers over the area, and there she meets Totoro, a friendly spirit who resembles a mole, a bear, and a raccoon.
Princess Mononoke
Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke is a fictionalized version of medieval Japan (Muromachi era). After killing Naggo, a boar god turned demon, the prince of the reclusive Emishi tribe to the north of Honsh is cursed: A supernatural power animates his arms, but a demonic entity has eaten it away.
The village shaman has told him he is cursed and must travel to the west in search of the source of nature’s wrath and the meaning of his plight.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Sophie, a young woman of eighteen who works in the shop her late father owned, meets the mysterious wizard Hauru by chance during a chase scene in Howl’s Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki. Then, out of sympathy, he takes her.
The Landes witch, who has feelings for Hauru, becomes envious of Hauru’s attention to Sophie. She decides to exact her revenge by aging the girl ninety years. She hides this change from her family by locking herself in her house and eventually leaving.
Kill a Kill
Ryuko Matoi, a seventeen-year-old woman in Kill la Kill, is a newcomer to a Japanese metropolis. As she goes about her day, she carries a peculiar briefcase on her back, inside of which is a single scissor. As it travels through the poor neighborhoods, a few pickpockets try to rob it. After setting them straight, she learns more about the city and its apparent dictatorship.
Satsuki Kiryin, president of the student council and leader of the totalitarian movement, is based out of Honnji Academy. Matoi enrolls in the academy and challenges the president, demanding that he reveal more information about her father’s death and the identity of her killer, the possessor of the other half of the pair of scissors, known as the Snipitisnips when both halves are joined.
Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World
There’s a teen protagonist at the center of Re: Zero – Kicking Off Your New Life On Planet Earth. Subaru Natsuki, a Japanese high school student dressed in a tracksuit, mysteriously disappears into another world one day as he leaves a convenience store. A gang of outlaws attacks Subaru as he tries to make his way in the world.
He was about to die when a silver-haired half-elf, “Satela,” and her cat-like spirit companion, Pack, came to his rescue. In return, he offers to help her out with the mundane tasks of daily life, such as tracking down the badge that a young girl, Felt steals.
Bungō Stray Dogs
Supernaturally gifted characters play pivotal roles in the plot of Bung Stray Dogs, whether they’re running a business, unraveling a mystery, or fighting the port mafia with the help of their armed detective agency. It focuses primarily on the “agency of armed detectives” and the routine activities of its agents.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
The events of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress take place sometime after the advent of mechanized factory production. A mysterious pandemic swept the globe during the industrial revolution, eventually reaching the remote island nation of Hinomoto in the Far East. Those who come into contact with the disease or are bitten by an infected human become the formidable Kabane, a type of bloodthirsty undead that is nearly impossible to eradicate.
Specifically, the Kabane’s core is protected by a unique steel film that renders armaments (steam rifles and bladed weapons) bushi useless.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Keep your Hands Off Eizouken focuses on the character of Midori Asakusa. Asakusa Midori is a young girl who wants to make anime but lacks the courage to pursue her dream independently. Sayaka Kanamori, a classmate who isn’t into anime but could use the cash, is one of her best friends. The two run into Tsubame Mizusaki, a young model who wants to be a host one day. To realize their goal, the three friends establish the Eizouken club.
Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin is set in a fictional version of Tokyo in 1878. Former assassin Kenshin Himura, known as Battosa, or “master in the drawing of the sword,” during the Tokugawa shogunate, is keeping a dark secret. Since the beginning of the Meiji period, he has been a nomad, wandering the country while carrying his inverted sword and the resolve never to kill again.
After helping a young girl named Kaoru Kamiya, who is trying to protect his dōjō, he decides to move in with her. Their future friends, Yahiko Myôjin, a samurai class student who becomes Kaoru’s disciple, and Sanosuke Sagara, a follower in street brawls, will be introduced to them gradually.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!
Kazuma Sat, a Japanese hikikomori teenager with a penchant for video games, meets Aqua, a water goddess, after his untimely and humiliating death. She offers him reincarnation in another world that has JDRMM rules. In this other world, he can go on adventures and fight monsters.
Kazuma is offered the chance to choose a divine artifact or supernatural ability to help him adjust to his new world. However, he reluctantly chooses Aqua because of her condescending demeanor and provocative behavior. However, once he arrives in Axel, a city designed specifically for newcomers, he realizes that Aqua’s lack of experience and ineffectiveness is not helping him at all.
Schwarzesmarken
Set in the fictional German Democratic Republic of 1983, the series Schwarzesmarken follows the exploits of the National People’s Army’s Squad 666 “Schwarzesmarken,” whose forte is laserjagd (From the German literally: laser hunting), whose main protagonists are Theodor Eberbach, Irisdina Bernhard, and Katia Waldheim.
There were many conspiracies within the East German government that involved the STASI and the Soviet Union. Besides the MiG-21 and MiG-21PF, the MiG-27 Aligator is also used by STASI, making up most of the Senjutsukis in this work. The signatories of the Warsaw Pact used TSFs from this generation, most of which are represented here.
Berserk
No surprise that one of the most widely-watched anime of all time, Berserk, made it onto our list of the best anime available on HBO Max. Dark Warrior Guts’ seemingly endless quest for revenge is fuelled by the hatred he harbors inside. He encounters lawbreakers, evil spirits, and a religious devotee along the way. Guts is willing to put his life in danger in order to fight his enemies with the full force of his body and his sword. At the end of his trip, what will he discover? The lightless void must contain the solution.
InuYasha
The events of InuYasha take place in feudal Japan. Inuyasha, a half-demon (han’y), steals the Sphere of the Four Spirits from a town to use its immense power to defeat his archenemy (demons or men with an evil spirit). Kikyo, the young village priestess, shoots Inuyasha with a divine arrow that passes through his body and lodges itself in the trunk of the nearby Goshinboku tree.
With the help of the divine arrow, Inuyasha has been put to sleep for all of eternity. Kikyo suggests that if Kaede, his younger sister, is fatally wounded—possibly by Inuyasha himself—she burns the sphere along with her body so that she doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Read More: 15 Best Suspense Movies on Netflix
Blue Exorcist
Blue Exorcist’s universe consists of two dimensions that are diametrically opposed to one another. The first is the Earth, Assiah, where people exist. The other is Hades, or Gehenna, the realm of the devils. Normally, travel between the two is not possible, and neither is regular contact.
Demons, however, can enter our world and take possession of everything in it. If there’s one thing the demons’ god, Satan lacks, it’s a strong enough vessel in the human realm to hold all of his evil.
