Netflix is getting a stacked list of anime for its May slate — here’s 5 you can't miss

Netflix is looking to make it a truly stacked ani-May season with a thorough list of bangers landing on the platform next month. From the return of fan favorites like Devil May Cry, the delightfully unhinged Dorohedoro, and the action-packed Jujutsu Kaisen, to fresh arrivals, like Kill Blue and Akane-banashi, there’s no shortage of anime to keep in rotation.

Whether you’re catching up on modern hits or looking to jump into something new, Netflix’s May lineup spans high-octane comedy action, offbeat dark fantasy, and some of Shōnen Jump’s most exciting recent hits. And don’t worry, One Piece fans, there’s more than enough Grand Line adventures on Netflix this season.

Here’s a full rundown of the best anime coming to Netflix in May.

5 Devil May Cry Season 2

Not to be confused with Madhouse's 2007 anime, Netflix’s eight-episode Devil May Cry series follows a younger version of Dante as he tumbles into a conspiracy surrounding the White Rabbit and a government agency called DARKCOM.

Netflix took a swing with the series, basing the show on an entirely fresh storyline instead of adapting any of the games, and it’s proven a smash hit. One major twist on the source material is how the show approaches demons, often depicting some to be refugees and sympathetic creatures, which adds more nuance and weight to the story versus what you see in the games.

The stakes are set to be amplified even further as Devil May Cry is making a major change to Vergil in season 2. Slightly tweaking the source material is nothing new to Netflix, but this small change to Vergil’s motivations could drive the plot in some fascinating ways. The sorcerer Arius will also be serving as the main antagonist this season, which should give us some slick action sequences.

Devil May Cry season 2 releases May 12 on Netflix

4 One Piece: Whole Cake Island (Part 4) & Elbaf Island Arc (Part 1)

One Piece fans, rejoice. You’re eating good in May with not one but two different drops coming to Netflix in the form of the Big Mom Saga and the Elbaf arc. On top of the second season of the smash-hit live-action One Piece series and even the upcoming two-part Lego special, there’s a lot of adventure on the open seas to enjoy this year — the kind only the Grand Line can offer.

Since some of the rights to the anime catalog belong to Crunchyroll, specific One Piece arcs are still slowly being rolled out on Netflix over time, which is seemingly making May the season of the Straw Hats. With both Whole Cake Island and Elbaf, Netflix is finally sealing up some of those gaps later in the One Piece series timeline on the platform.

Whole Cake Island sees the crew infiltrating Big Mom’s territory to rescue Sanji from a forced political marriage. It’s your emotional deep dive into the backstory of one of the show's most iconic characters, showing us a side of Sanji rarely ever seen before.

If Whole Cake Island is hype for Sanji fans, Elbaf is for the long-time One Piece connoisseurs as it finally shifts the setting to the long-teased land of the Giants. The Elbaf arc already started in April, but new episodes continue into May starting with episodes four and five, offering fans that first taste of the series’ culmination with lore-heavy worldbuilding built on a Nordic vibe. The rest of the 13-episode Elbaf Island series will be released weekly, ending on July 4.

One Piece: Whole Cake Island releases May 1 on Netflix. One Piece: Elbaf Island arc begins airing April 11.

3 Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

On the heels of a stellar third outing — with animation that looked better than ever — Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is finally coming to Netflix this May. Even in the wake of such incredible action and gorgeous cinematography in season 3, it’s hard to top some of those jaw-dropping moments from its predecessor, like Sukuna’s dance with Mahoraga, or Toji Fushiguro meeting his own son from beyond the grave.

Those scenes alone will be difficult to match, but few moments will ever come close to that shot of Kento Nanami holding Haruta by the hair. Fortunately, you can now relive them all over again on Netflix starting May 1. Crunchyroll still holds exclusive streaming rights to Jujutsu Kaisen season 3, so it’s unclear when Netflix might get its hands on that coveted prize. In the meantime, along with the Sukuna-filled second season, you can also dive into the horrifying backstory of Yuta Okkotsu featured in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which is also available on the platform.

Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 releases May 1 on Netflix

2 Akane-banashi

Although it’s already airing in Japan and is available on YouTube, Akane-banashi will debut on Netflix on May 17. It’s one of the few original anime series Netflix has geared up for its Summer slate, featuring a rather interesting story revolving around the daughter of a rakugo performer who vows to master the art on her own terms.

Despite being adapted from a Weekly Shonen Jump manga, Akane-banashi doesn’t have all the same trappings you might find in other Jump works. As opposed to featuring city-leveling powers and masterclass action, the series instead steps into the slice-of-life genre while still keeping that battle manga concept alive through expert timing and punchy deliveries.

Where the anime will shine is in its high-stakes rakugo performances, in which the protagonist, Akane Osaki, learns to adapt to the art form and test her ability to command the room. Akane-banashi is an exciting departure from shows like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, where the action takes center stage.

Akane-banashi begins airing May 17 on Netflix

1 Kill Blue

Getting stung by a wasp can be excruciating for some, but they typically don’t alter your physical appearance like they do for Juzo Oogami. The 39-year-old assassin has his entire life flipped on its head after a suspicious wasp stings him, changing his physical form into a 13-year-old boy overnight. Despite his new look, Juzo’s shady employers are still willing to work with the underage assassin, granting him a new assignment: infiltrate a middle school and protect his boss’s daughter.

Welcome to Kill Blue, arguably set to be one of this year’s funniest action comedies, right up there with Marriagetoxin and Rooster Fighter. It pulls from the manga of the same name by Tadatoshi Fujimaki, creator of the wonderful sports series Kuroko’s Basketball.

Under all the silly hijinks that come with an adult assassin’s mind stuck in a boy’s body, there’s this emotional core layered within the narrative that should make Kill Blue an anime you won’t want to miss this May.

Kill Blue begins airing April 11 on Netflix