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Dark anime feature bleak themes told right. It's not often a series is able to tell such a dark narrative, but some series do it well. Dark anime series can highlight the parts of life other anime series don't want to touch, finding interesting areas to explore in worlds without hope. Series like Neon Genesis Evangelion do a great job of pitting their protagonist against nearly unbeatable odds, forcing their main character to find an unbeatable inner strength if they want to make it throughout their scenario.
Other series, like Overlord, are bleak for an entirely different reason. Their worlds aren't as tough to live in as other series, so they find ways to dominate and subjugate the people around them, making it dark for other characters. For a series to be considered a good dark anime, it needs to feature bleak themes, moments of hopelessness, and nearly unwinnable odds.
10 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Animated By Gainax and Tatsunoko, By Hideaki Anno
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Created by Hideaki Anno
First Film Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
Character(s) Shinji Ikari , Rei Ayanami , Asuka Langley Soryu , Toji Suzuhara , Kaworu Nagisa , Mari Illustrious Makinami , Gendo Ikari , Misato Katsuragi
Video Game(s) Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion isn't just one of the best dark animes ever, it's a staple of modern anime. It's a thought-provoking, oftentimes disturbing series that questions identity, purpose, and the meaning of life itself several times. It features several of the most tragic events of mass destruction in anime, killing nearly the entire population of Earth on a couple of different occasions. To say it's hard living in the world of Neon Genesis would be an understatement and a half.
Main character Shinji Ikari has had a tough life. His mother died when he was young, and when she did, his father completely abandoned him. His father, Gendo Ikari, only called Shinji back to his workplace when he needed to use his son. If using his own son isn't bad enough, Gendo wanted to use Shinji to end all life on Earth in another impact, just so he could be reunited with his wife. It's a dark anime that only gets darker as the series progresses, with little to no hope found throughout.
9 Nier: Automata Ver 1.1a
Animated By A-1 Pictures, Based on the Video Game By PlatinumGames and Square Enix
In a distant future where humanity has fled to the Moon, androids 2B and 9S are deployed to Earth to battle the alien-created Machine Lifeforms threatening to eradicate the remnants of civilization. As they fight for survival, the truth about the world and their purpose begins to unravel, revealing deep existential mysteries.
Cast Yui Ishikawa , Natsuki Hanae , Kaoru Akiyama , Hiroki Yasumoto , Chiaki Kano , Keiko Isobe , Hina Natsume , Atsumi Tanezaki
Character(s) 2B , 9S , Pod 153 , Pod 042 , Commander , Operator 6O , Little Sister Machine , Lily
Release Date January 7, 2023
Seasons 2
Nier: Automata Ver 1.1a is an excellent anime adaptation of the Nier: Automata video game. It's a series, like Neon Genesis, that explores themes of identity, purpose, and even fate, three ideas not found in most other light anime series. Few characters survive the events of Nier:Automata, and depending on which ending the viewer saw, no characters survived. The entire plot of Nier is a game that main characters 2B, 9S, and A2 are pawns in, and it's not until much too late that they realize their true roles in the series.
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2B is assigned with killing 9S every time he gets too close to finding out the truth, forcing her to take her lover's life over 40 times. 9S can't handle the truth and breaks down mentally over-and-over again. Even though the final ending shown in the series revives the main cast, it comes at the cost of literally everything. They have no more friends, humanity has been gone for years, and it's going to be up to them if Earth is going to be rebuilt in any meaningful way.
8 Overlord
Animated By Madhouse, Based on the Light Novel Written by Kugane Maruyama and Illustrated By so-bin
Overlord follows a salaryman who, after being trapped in a virtual reality game, assumes the role of an all-powerful skeletal overlord. As he navigates this new world filled with magic and mythical creatures, he seeks to understand the game's mysteries and conquer its challenges. The series blends elements of fantasy and adventure, exploring themes of power and identity.
Cast Satoshi Hino , Chris Guerrero , Yumi Hara
Release Date July 7, 2015
Seasons 4
Overlord is an interesting dark anime, as it's not particularly dark for the main character, Ainz Ooal Gown. Sure, he's trapped inside the video game Yggdrasil, but he's closer to a God than a normal character. He's one of the most overpowered isekai protagonists, and he's more than happy to show it off. Ainz is essentially alone in his new world. He hasn't found any other non-NPCs yet, so he's the only real person trapped in the video game to his knowledge. While he has a pretty lonely existence, he's not going to stop there.
Ainz is brutal, cunning, and willing to kill hundreds of thousands of enemy soldiers in seconds. He's decided to become the titular Overlord of his new world, and he's going to stop at nothing to achieve his goals. While being lonely in his new world is pretty dark for Ainz, he's made the world so much darker for everyone else in it. When they see the Sorcerer King up close, death is never too far behind.
7 Chainsaw Man
Animated By Mappa, Based on the Manga By Tatsuki Fujimoto
Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man is a dark fantasy manga created by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The series follows Denji, a young man who merges with his devil-dog Pochita to become Chainsaw Man. He joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters to fight devils threatening Japan. The series explores themes of violence, power, and survival. Since its debut in 2018, Chainsaw Man has gained immense popularity, leading to a critically acclaimed anime adaptation.
Created by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Upcoming Films Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (2025)
First Episode Air Date October 12, 2022
Cast Kikunosuke Toya , Tomori Kusunoki , Shôgo Sakata , Ai Fairouz , Mariya Ise , Kenjiro Tsuda , Shiori Izawa , Reina Ueda
Character(s) Denji , Pochita , Makima , Power , Aki Hayakawa , Kobeni Higashiyama , Himeno , Reze
Chainsaw Man is one of the few shows that can be both dark and hilarious. Power and Denji's relationship is one of the funniest in anime, but unfortunately for the pair of psychos, the world they are in is as dark as it gets. The first season of Chainsaw Man features so many main character deaths, it feels like the show is messing with the viewer. There isn't any other series as big as Chainsaw Man so willing to kill off so many important characters in such a short time frame.
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Outside the slew of main character deaths, the world of Chainsaw Man is dark. It's a world basically run by Devils and the people using their power for evil. For the few characters looking to stand up against this evil, their days are numbered. They're outmatched, outgunned, and get betrayed more times than they can count.
6 The Saga of Tanya the Evil
Animated By NUT, Based on the Light Novel Written By Carlo Zen and Illustrated By Shinobu Shinotsuki
Saga of Tanya the Evil is a fantasy anime series set in a parallel universe during World War I. The story follows Tanya Degurechaff, a young girl who is reincarnated as a soldier in a fantasy world, and rises through the ranks of the Empire's military to become a powerful mage.
Cast Aoi Yuki , Saori Hayami , Daiki Hamano , Hochu Otsuka , Nobuo Tobita
Release Date January 6, 2017
Seasons 1
Creator(s) Carlo Zen
The Saga of Tanya the Evil is one of the darkest isekai series available. It stars a salary man who was killed by a disgruntled coworker. As he goes to the afterlife, he forsakes Being X, the supposed metaphysical God of his universe. Frustrated and intrigued by the salary man's righteous indignation, he decides to reincarnate the man into the body of a small girl, named Tanya von Degurechaff. Tanya's mentality is the exact same as when she was a salary man, and with her newfound power, she's going to continue blaspheming against her 'creator'.
Tanya herself is a wild animal. She's a walking one-man-army more than happy to bring her foes to the slaughter. Being X is still actively working against her too, powering up her enemies to try and kill her when she's least expecting it. The Saga of Tanya the Evil is set in a world where Gods aren't only real, but they're actively working against the main character.
5 Dororo
Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Osamu Tezuka
Dororo (2019) is a Japanese anime series based on Osamu Tezuka's classic manga. Set in the Sengoku period, it follows the journey of Hyakkimaru, a young samurai whose body parts were sacrificed to demons by his father in exchange for power, and Dororo, a young thief. Together, they seek to recover Hyakkimaru's stolen body parts by defeating the demons that possess them.
Cast Adam Gibbs , Chaney Moore , James Belcher , David Wald , Blake Jackson , Ty Mahany , Patricia Duran
Release Date January 7, 2019
Seasons 1
Franchise(s) Dororo
Writers Yasuko Kobayashi
Directors Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Creator(s) Osamu Tezuka
Dororo is one of the first mature anime series ever, created by the 'God of Manga' Osamu Tezuka. It's a series that's bleak to its core. Main character Dororo is a thief who meets fellow protagonist Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru was born without eyes, ears, limbs, and even his internal organs, forcing him to live a blind life of considerable pain. He was born with so many afflictions because his father, the governor of the land, made a pact with several demons to gain considerable power by sacrificing his son to the demons.
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Hyakkimaru then goes on to slay the demons feeding on his life force, regaining his body back in the process. Unfortunately, Hyamkkimaru's father was using his son's body to nourish his people's land. While Hyakkimaru is in the right when it comes to reclaiming his own body, it comes at the cost of the land's prosperity. It's a lose-lose situation for the young boy who had no say in the exchange in the first place.
4 Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
Animated By A-1 Pictures, Based on the Light Novel Written By Ao Jūmonji and Illustrated By Eiri Shirai
In Grimgar Ashes and Illusions, a group of strangers finds themselves in a picturesque but perilous fantasy world with no memories of their pasts. To survive, they must learn basic skills like fighting and magic as they become volunteer soldiers.
Cast Haruhiro , Manato , Yume , Shihoru , Ranta , Moguzo , Mary
Release Date January 11, 2016
Seasons 1
Writers Ao Jumonji
Directors Ryosuke Nakamura
Creator(s) Ao Jumonji
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions is one of the deepest isekai series around. It's also one of the most realistic isekai series, as it pits normal Japanese children in a world filled with monsters and magic. While most other series would give their main character considerable powers or incredible allies, the characters in Grimgar are as normal as it gets, and that's not good. They're forced to kill monsters to get stronger, but it isn't that easy.
The first few episodes of the series feature the main cast struggling to kill a single goblin, the weakest monster in their new world. When they finally kill the goblin, a creature who tried desperately to cling to his own life just as they would, they react appropriately. They throw up, have mental breakdowns, and can barely continue their quests. It's one of the few series that brings some realism to such an unrealistic genre and forces its normal, everyday characters into some of the hardest situations they could have imagined.
3 Berserk
Animated By OLM, Based on the Manga By Kentaro Miura
Berserk
Berserk is a dark fantasy manga series by Kentaro Miura, first published in 1989. Set in a medieval Europe-inspired world, it follows Guts, a lone mercenary, and his struggle against demonic forces after his betrayal by Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk. The franchise has expanded into multiple anime series, films, video games, and merchandise.
Created by Kentaro Miura , Kouji Mori
First Film Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 1: The Egg of the King
Latest Film Berserk: The Golden Age Arc 3: The Advent
First Episode Air Date October 7, 1997
Cast Nobutoshi Canna , Toshiyuki Morikawa , Yûko Miyamura , Hiroaki Iwanaga , Takahiro Sakurai , Kazuki Yao , Unshô Ishizuka , Kenta Miyake
Character(s) Guts , Griffith , Casca , Judeau , Pippin , Corkus , Rickert , Gaston (Berserk) , Puck (Berserk) , Farnese de Vandimion , Serpico , Isidro , Schierke
Video Game(s) Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage , Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Sho , Berserk and the Band of the Hawk
Berserk is a quintessentially dark anime. It's such a good, dark anime, that legendary creator Kentaro Miura's influence can be found throughout the medium. Guts is the Black Swordsman, a tenacious, tragic character that has seen more loss than most other anime characters combined. He was born into war, was used as nothing more than a tool during his childhood, and eventually, goes on to suffer one of the biggest betrayals in anime.
There's not much of Berserk that isn't aggressively dark. Guts was born from a hanging pregnant corpse, his love interest lost her sanity when they were betrayed, and everyone that he once called a friend was sacrificed by another one of his closest friends. He can barely understand how bleak the world is, and it's not hard to see why. Luckily, with his Berserker Armor and Dragon Slayer sword, Guts is able to at least cut through his enemies on his way to finding the truth.
2 Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World
Animated By White Fox, Based on the Light Novel Written By Tappei Nagatsuki and Illustrated By Shin'ichirō Ōtsuka
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- follows the story of Natsuki Subaru, a young man suddenly transported to a fantasy world. Struggling to understand his new environment, he discovers he has the ability to return from death, allowing him to change past events. With each resurrection, Subaru forges alliances and confronts the challenges of this alternate realm, endeavoring to protect those he grows to care for while unraveling the mysteries surrounding his predicament.
Cast Yûsuke Kobayashi , Rie Takahashi , Yumi Uchiyama , Chinatsu Akasaki , Yuichi Nakamura , Inori Minase , Rie Murakawa , Takehito Koyasu , Satomi Arai , Kōhei Amasaki , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Kaori Nazuka , Aimi Tanaka , Maaya Sakamoto , Marika Kouno , Mugihito , Kenta Miyake , Hibiku Yamamura , Koki Koyasu
Release Date April 3, 2016
Seasons 1
It's hard not to feel bad for Natsuki Subaru in Re:Zero. He was isekai'd to a new world without his permission, and when he got there, he was given one of the most bittersweet powers in anime. Subaru has the ability to Return by Death, and as the name implies, he's able to return to a predetermined point in time after he dies. While it might seem like a handy ability, and sometimes it is, it's absolutely horrific. Subaru feels every death like a normal person would.
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Instead of a normal person suffering a single death, Subaru has died dozens of times. He's died so many times that he's even gone temporarily insane for some portions of the show. He's not able to open up about his affliction either, as the Witch Factor will either choke him for speaking, stop him from speaking entirely, or kill the people around him to keep in submerged in a world of loneliness.
1 Attack on Titan
Animated By Studio Wit and MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Hajime Isayama
Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is a globally successful manga and anime franchise created by Hajime Isayama. The story is set in a world where humanity lives inside walled cities, threatened by giant humanoid creatures called Titans. The series follows Eren Yeager and his friends as they fight to uncover the truth about the Titans and the world. First serialized in 2009, the franchise has expanded into anime series, films, video games, novels, and live-action adaptations.
Created by Hajime Isayama
First Film Attack on Titan: The Crimson Bow and Arrow
Latest Film Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters (2023)
Upcoming Films Attack on Titan The Movie: The Last Attack (2024)
First Episode Air Date April 7, 2013
Cast Yûki Kaji , Yui Ishikawa , Marina Inoue , Hiroshi Kamiya , Daisuke Ono , Romi Park , Kazuhiro Yamaji , Takehito Koyasu , Yoshimasa Hosoya
Video Game(s) Attack on Titan , Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle
Attack on Titan is the best dark anime for a couple of key reasons. It's first episode is easily one of the darkest in anime. Eren's world is peaceful, small, but not too bad. He lives with his family in the Walls, and while he's curious about the world outside of them, he's relatively happy within them. That changes when the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan break down Wall Maria, pouring in Titans and flying debris, killing thousands horrifically.
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Main character Eren Yeager becomes evil incarnate. He sees the devastation in the world and surmises that his only option is to deliver the same devastation back to the people who hurt him. He plans on killing 80% of the world's population, and unlike most evil characters, he pulls it off. He slaughters billions of innocent people to protect his friends, a decision most of them don't even agree with. In most shows, when the enemy becomes evil, the main character beats them with inherent goodness. Eren decided to do the opposite, and get even darker than the villains themselves.
English (US) ·