World’s richest otaku Elon Musk shares his must-watch anime list – Your Name, Death Note and more

Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is known for many things – building rockets, running electric car companies, and posting wild tweets. But did you know he’s also a huge anime fan? In 2021, Musk surprised his followers by sharing a list of anime that he thinks everyone must watch.
It all started when a fan replied to one of Musk’s tweets about the game Genshin Impact, asking him to name his favourite anime. Musk responded with a solid list of seven titles that anime fans around the world instantly recognised. His picks include some of the most well-known and emotionally powerful anime series and films ever made.

Here’s the anime list Elon Musk shared on X:
All of these are critically acclaimed and have strong fan followings. Many of them are also known for their deep messages, mature themes, and philosophical questions about life, war, identity, and the human spirit.
For example, Death Note deals with morality and justice, while Evangelion explores depression, loneliness, and the human condition. Ghost in the Shell dives into artificial intelligence and the meaning of consciousness, a topic Musk often talks about. The Studio Ghibli films (Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke) are magical and thought-provoking, and Your Name mixes love, fate, and time-travel in a beautiful story.
One of the most iconic anime Musk listed is Death Note, which tells the story of a high school student, Light Yagami, who gains the power to kill anyone by writing their name in a supernatural notebook. He is chased by a mysterious and brilliant detective named L.

When a fan asked Musk, “Light or L?”, Musk answered with a GIF of L. This small reply caused a big reaction from fans, as it revealed Musk's support for L – the calm and clever investigator who tries to stop Light from becoming a god-like killer.
As someone who often tweets about sci-fi and futuristic tech, it's no surprise that titles like Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell made Musk’s list. He even once posted anime-style art of himself holding the DOGE coin in a Lion King-inspired Ghibli-style image.

From supporting AI to building spaceships — and now sharing anime tips — Musk continues to surprise people with his wide range of interests.
So, if you’re new to anime and wondering where to start, maybe Elon Musk’s list is a pretty good place to begin!