Best Western Animated Series On Netflix, Ranked

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Netflix
has a large selection of animated features that include both movies and series, which means the impressive library is a healthy mix of both Western and Japanese animated media. Anime is made in Japan by Japanese studios, and the term “Western” animation is used to describe animation that comes from other parts of the world.

The Western animated shows on Netflix cover a wide range of genres, but Greek mythology and video game adaptations dominate the present selection. Most of these shows are for adult audiences only, so wait until the kids are in bed for these kinds of cartoons.

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7

Blood of Zeus

Ancient Greek Mythology With A Demonic Twist

The show is produced, created, and written by Americans, and the original dialogue is in English. Although the animation itself is done by Korean studios Mua Film and Hanho Heung-Up, it still counts as “Western,” and the subject matter is currently trending.

Blood of Zeus creates a fictional story of Ancient Greece that’s an amalgamation of several myths, mainly the fights between the gods and Titans, and the drama that ensued from Zeus’ sexual adventures and his various human hybrid children. Heron, one of these estranged children, must take his father’s place in a new fight against the Titans, who are depicted as undead creatures and demons in this story.

6

Arcane

Steampunk Action With Unique Modern Visuals

A daring adaptation of the popular MMO game League of Legends
, Arcane is one of Netflix’s most critically acclaimed shows and is trending now that season 2 has dropped. It was produced in France by studio Fortiche, using a unique animation style that resembles those in hand-drawn video games and distributed by Netflix.

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The setting, soundtrack, and voice acting have also been noted for their polish, bringing the world of Piltover and the main characters Violet and Powder to life. The plot doesn’t shy away from deadly personal drama or real social issues, like estranged and dead family or class warfare.

5

Krapopolis

Yet Another Take On Ancient Greece

This animated show is more like Kaos than Blood of Zeus in the sense that it combines modern comedy with an old idea. However, the intended setting of Krapopolis is intended to be a mythological version of Ancient Greece instead of a contemporary one.

The show tells the story of a motley crew of humans, monsters, and gods, and their dysfunctional relationships, both private and public. Their challenge is to build and run an ancient “polis,” or Greek city, without killing either the residents or each other.

4

The Cuphead Show!

An Adaptation Of The Popular Video Game

The Cuphead Show! is the on-screen adaptation of the notoriously difficult side-scrolling video game. The characters, stories, setting, and slapstick humor are very much the same. The animation and production were done in collaboration with Canadian animators at Studio MDHR and Americans at Netflix Animation and King Features Syndicate.

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It’s always the 1930s in Inkwell Isles, where the story is set, which explains not only the art style but also other details, like the appliances, clothing, and some of the jargon. The main character is the titular Cuphead, and his sidekick is the easily influenced Mugman. Their adventures are often drawn from the lore of the video games and include both their villains and allies.

3

Twilight of the Gods

Dark Fantasy From The Mind Of Zack Snyder

Twilight of the Gods is a story of Norse legend with everything that a viewer of a Zack Snyer film would expect. This means a lot of explicit sex, gratuitous violence, and a badass female lead character. This is also a story about ancient mythology, but from the chilly Arctic circle as opposed to the warm Mediterranean.

Sigrid is the warrior woman who is at the center of this legend, seeking revenge for her family, who were massacred at the hands of a vengeful Thor. Sigrid is half-Jotunn, beings with superhuman powers that are often compared to giants, monsters, or even gods. Her pursuit of revenge drives her away from her friends and fiance, and her journey to the realm of Valhalla at the end of season one might be a one-way trip.

2

Blue Eye Samurai

The Art Of Motion Capture Has Come Of Age

Blue Eye Samurai takes place in Japan’s Edo Period and many of the main characters are Japanese, so it’s easy to mistake this show for anime. However, it was produced by French studio Blue Spirit and Netflix animation, making it a Western animated show.

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The main character is Mizu, a mixed-race woman with blue eyes that give away her ancestry. She is also a fearsome “onna-musha,” or female warrior. The plot follows her trek across Japan to find any and all white men who might be responsible for fathering her, and taking revenge by killing them.

1

Castlevania

Richard Armitage Leads A Stellar Cast

Nobody expected this low-key animated series to be such a sleeper hit, but Castlevania made video game adaptations cool again after a long, dark hiatus. Most of the animation was done by Korean studios Tiger Animation and Mua Film, along with several American studios.

James Callis and Richard Armitage are perfectly cast as Alucard and Belmont, with the former returning to his role as the deadly Dhampir in Castlevania: Nocturne
. Dark fantasy was a niche genre until the apocalyptic setting of Wallachia made it more popular, and even the villainous characters are sympathetic and appealing. Most of the important plot points and major characters are lifted from various games in the franchise: Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness​​​​​, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
.