7 Best Fantasy Anime Movies to Watch on Netflix in December 2023

The popularity of anime is at an all-time high right now, with fans constantly looking for more to add to their watchlists. Luckily, as the world's most popular streaming service, Netflix is more than happy to serve up some fantastic anime releases as part of your subscription.

This December, the streaming giant is offering a handful of must-watch fantasy anime movies for free streaming. You might want to check them out while they're still available.

1. A Whisker Away

6.7/10 IMDB

A rare anime romantic fantasy, A Whisker Away is a film like no other. It sees the world through the eyes of an unhappy 8th grader, Miyo, who struggles to attract the attention of her crush. But after receiving the magical ability to transform into a cat, Miyo manages to form a close bond with him while in animal form. This modern classic has earned a positive reputation with awards for best animation and a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

2. Sol Levante

4.8/10 IMDB

Although this short film may be less than four minutes long, it's as much an exhibition of the streaming platform's ability to create some genuinely thrilling fantasy anime. An experimental animation project between Netflix and Production I.G. (GitS, Psycho-Pass, Haikyu!), the aim was to produce the first hand-drawn anime with 4K HDR quality. Fortunately, the effort was successful, and the result is some of the most visually stunning anime to date. For anyone interested in seeing what the cutting edge of visual effects can bring to the genre, it's definitely worth taking the short time to check out Sol Levante.

3. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

7.2/10 IMDB

Expanding upon The Witcher world and series, this original spin-off tells the origins of Geralt’s friend and mentor, Vesemir. Featuring the voices of renowned actors Theo James, Mary McDonnell, Jennifer Hale, Lara Pulver, and Graham McTavish, the story chronicles Vesemir's early life as he becomes a Witcher himself, rising from poverty to glory until an unexpected twist occurs. Even as an animated adventure, the movie has all the action and excitement of the Henry Cavill series.

4. NiNoKuni

6.1/10 IMDB

Based on the role-playing video game, this Japanese anime action fantasy tells the story of Yuu and Haru, who must travel between this world and a parallel fantasy universe to save their friend Kotona, whose life is in danger. Fans of the movie often say that if you enjoyed the games or are a Studio Ghibli fan, this is the one for you. But even if you aren't familiar with the games, you're sure to find something to enjoy in the film's beautiful animation, remarkable soundtrack, and entertaining story.

5. Bright: Samurai Soul

5.5/10 IMDB

For those that remember the Will Smith urban fantasy action film Bright (2017), you may be surprised to know that Netflix also released a spin-off anime series called ‘Bright: Samurai Soul’. Although set in the same fantasy universe, this film takes place in Japan, and follows a wandering samurai and an orc, as they work together to bring a young elf girl back to the land of the elves. The movie adds an entirely new narrative to the creative universe that made the original film so interesting.

6. Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild

5.1/10 IMDB

Based on the highly acclaimed video game, the movie is set in a world where both humans and monsters live amongst each other. A young hunter named Aiden must fight to save his village from destruction by a dragon. Fans have praised the movie for staying true to the game and its creative animation style.

7. New Gods: Nezha Reborn

6.8/10 IMDB

This movie is a little different being a Chinese 3D animated fantasy action film, but receives high acclaim nevertheless with a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on characters from the​​ Investiture of the Gods novel, the film follows the story of an ordinary delivery man and motor racing fan who encounters an old nemesis and must rediscover his powers as a Chinese deity to protect his loved ones. A prequel was even produced called New Gods: Yang Jian in 2022.