Dark Fantasy Anime Mixes Steampunk With Zombies Is Incomplete On Netflix

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, currently streaming on Crunchyroll, takes place during the Industrial Revolution, during which a mysterious and fast-spreading virus has appeared and infected humans, turning them into kabane—zombies. But there aren’t just any regular zombies; kabane are incredibly aggressive and undead, with glowing golden hearts encased in a layer of iron, which has to be pierced in order to kill the creatures. Sadly, this also means that most melee and steam-powered weapons aren’t as effective against the zombies.

In response to extremely resilient and tough-to-kill zombies, humans of the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress build fortress-like stations that offer shelter and protection with fortified steam locomotives serving as transport for people and wares between different fortresses. The story is mainly focused on Ikoma, a young engineer wielding a piercing gun, who also happens to transform into a human-kabane hybrid after resisting the virus following an infection—of course, he gains all the benefits of immortality without any of the drawbacks.

The anime was a massive success that won numerous awards—including the Best TV Anime—and nine nominations at Crunchyroll’s inaugural Anime Awards, including the one for Anime of the Year. It also spawned a theatrical anime film titled Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato, which was also released on Netflix as a three-part series in 2019, gaining plenty of traction. Sadly, this also means that Netflix has only the movie and not the entire anime, prompting Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress fans to pay two subscriptions just to complete the entire narrative.

Naturally, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress on Crunchyroll implies a more extended plot and detailed character development. The Netflix movie version condenses the narrative of the original series in its first episode to familiarize the viewership with the premise and provide a foundation for further storytelling. Overall, the steampunk setting blurs the lines between sci-fi and fantasy, which grants Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and its Netflix continuation some incredibly creative storytelling possibilities.

In the end, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress isn’t the only anime that’s either split between Netflix and Crunchyroll, present on both platforms, or has shifted from one platform to another. Ever since Netflix announced a new Devil May Cry anime, Devil May Cry: The Animated Series has disappeared from Crunchyroll; the upcoming Dandadan is scheduled to release on both Netflix and Crunchyroll simultaneously, and please don’t get us started on Dragon Ball—that one is all over the internet. Those interested in watching Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress would have to be subscribed to both Netflix and Crunchyroll to complete the narrative.