Discover the best of Asian cinema, film, and television
Discover the definitive list of popular and critically-acclaimed movies and TV shows from Asia. Find your next binge-watch, streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!
The cinema of Asia
To speak of 'Asian cinema' is to speak of a continent of stories, a vast and vibrant tapestry of film cultures, each with its own unique flavour. For decades, it has been a global powerhouse, shaping the very language of film. The story begins with the cinematic golden ages of Japan, where masters like Akira Kurosawa introduced the world to samurai epics, and India, where the colourful, musical world of Bollywood began its journey to global domination. In the 70s and 80s, Hong Kong action cinema exploded onto the scene, with the gravity-defying feats of icons like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, while filmmakers like Wong Kar-wai painted the screen with unforgettable style. More recently, the Korean Wave, or 'Hallyu', has taken the world by storm. Directors like Bong Joon-ho have achieved historic Oscar wins, and K-dramas have captivated millions with their addictive plots and emotional depth. Across the continent, from the poetic humanism of Iranian cinema to the epic blockbusters of China and the bone-chilling horror from Thailand, the creativity is boundless. What makes Asian cinema so compelling is its incredible diversity and its talent for blending genres. A story can be a sweeping romance, a sharp social commentary, and a nail-biting thriller all at once. It is a cinema deeply rooted in tradition yet constantly innovating, offering a universe of entertainment waiting to be explored.
Best Asian series
Squid Game 2021
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
77Death Note 2006
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But will Light succeed in his noble goal, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?
86Attack on Titan 2013
Many years ago, the last remnants of humanity were forced to retreat behind the towering walls of a fortified city to escape the massive, man-eating Titans that roamed the land outside their fortress. Only the heroic members of the Scouting Legion dared to stray beyond the safety of the walls – but even those brave warriors seldom returned alive. Those within the city clung to the illusion of a peaceful existence until the day that dream was shattered, and their slim chance at survival was reduced to one horrifying choice: kill – or be devoured!
87Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 2009
Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone. Enemies and allies – the corrupt military, the Homunculi, and foreign alchemists – will alter the Elric brothers course, but their purpose will remain unchanged and their bond unbreakable.
89One-Punch Man 2015
Saitama is a hero who only became a hero for fun. After three years of “special” training, though, he's become so strong that he's practically invincible. In fact, he's too strong — even his mightiest opponents are taken out with a single punch, and it turns out that being devastatingly powerful is actually kind of a bore. With his passion for being a hero lost along with his hair, yet still faced with new enemies every day, how much longer can he keep it going?
84Cowboy Bebop 1998
In 2071, roughly fifty years after an accident with a hyperspace gateway made the Earth almost uninhabitable, humanity has colonized most of the rocky planets and moons of the Solar System. Amid a rising crime rate, the Inter Solar System Police (ISSP) set up a legalized contract system, in which registered bounty hunters, also referred to as "Cowboys", chase criminals and bring them in alive in return for a reward.
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Best Asian movies
Parasite 2019
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
85Spirited Away 2001
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
86Snowpiercer 2013
In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
70Your Name. 2016
High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other.
86Howl's Moving Castle 2004
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
84Train to Busan 2016
When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival.
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Explore Asia by country
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