These thrilling anime series will get your blood pumping just as Demon Slayer did.
1. Dororo (2019)
What happens when you cross a historical setting with supernatural themes? Dororo happens. Set during the Sengoku period, Dororo follows Hyakkimaru, a ronin born grotesquely disfigured due to his father offering him up to demons for personal gain. Hyakkimaru embarks on an epic journey of vengeance, hunting the demons that stole his body parts. To further enhance this perilous journey, we have Dororo, a resourceful orphan who accompanies him. While the plot sounds darker than a black hole, it's interspersed with moments of humor and light-heartedness that keep it from being overwhelmingly grim. Dororo is a re-adaptation of a 1969 series, and it's fascinating to see how animation techniques have evolved over five decades.
2. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (2016)
What's scarier than demons? Zombies. Specifically, steel-hearted zombies. This steampunk horror-action anime creates a post-apocalyptic world where humans live in fear of the Kabane – monstrous, undead creatures with hearts shielded by a layer of iron. The protagonist, Ikoma, is a steamsmith living in Aragane Station, who develops a weapon to fight these ironclad nightmares. Following a series of events, he becomes a Kabaneri – half-human, half-Kabane – and, armed with his weapon and newfound abilities, he fights for humanity's survival. Despite its grim premise, the anime offers moments of humor and camaraderie among the characters, similar to Demon Slayer. It's like watching an intense zombie survival movie, except it lasts an entire season.
3. Jujutsu Kaisen (2020)
If you're itching for some demon hunting action, look no further than Jujutsu Kaisen. In this universe, curses born from negative human emotions lurk among us, wreaking havoc. Enter Yuji Itadori, a high school student with astonishing physical prowess, who gets embroiled in the world of jujutsu sorcery following a fateful encounter with a cursed artifact. Itadori ends up sharing his body with Sukuna, the King of Curses, setting the stage for numerous heart-pounding battles and tantalizing plot developments. The anime's intense action and dark themes, coupled with a good dose of humor, are reminiscent of Demon Slayer, and it's no surprise that it has quickly garnered a strong fanbase.
4. Vinland Saga (2019)
Who needs demons when you've got burly, blood-thirsty Vikings? Vinland Saga takes us on a thrilling ride through the Viking Age. The story revolves around Thorfinn, the son of a respected warrior, who embarks on a path of revenge after his father is murdered. As the plot unfolds, we watch Thorfinn grapple with concepts of war, honor, and revenge, all set against the brutal yet mesmerizing backdrop of the Viking era. The series doesn't shy away from showcasing the harsh realities of war, making it a gritty, intense watch. What makes it even more remarkable is its historical accuracy, with many characters and events drawn from actual historical accounts.
5. Bungo Stray Dogs (2016)
What if the likes of Mark Twain, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Agatha Christie had superpowers? A pretty wild thought, right? That's the concept Bungo Stray Dogs runs with. The series centers around the Armed Detective Agency, a group of individuals with superpowers who tackle cases the police can't handle. These characters, who bear names and traits from notable literary figures, add an extra layer of enjoyment for literature buffs. The cherry on top? The charismatic lead, Atsushi Nakajima, who possesses the ability to transform into a white tiger. Neat, right?
6. Drifters (2016)
Take a deep breath, because we're about to plunge headlong into an alternate universe where historical figures come to life... and then promptly start brawling. Drifters is a chaotic whirlwind of a show, where the likes of Oda Nobunaga, Nasu no Yoichi, and Shimazu Toyohisa – figures from Japanese history – find themselves yanked from their own timeline and hurled into a fantastical world. It's here that they must confront their very reality, forced to grapple with armies of demi-humans, elves, dwarves, and other mythical creatures. And if that's not enough of a whirlwind for you, there's a subplot involving the Ends, a group of historical figures with a bone to pick with humanity. Nothing quite like seeing Joan of Arc and Anastasia Romanov teaming up for some good old-fashioned human hunting.
7. Attack on Titan (2013)
Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) takes place in a world where humanity's remnants cower behind massive walls to shield themselves from Titans – gigantic humanoid creatures with a disturbingly voracious appetite for humans. Eren Yeager, our hot-headed protagonist, joins the Survey Corps (an elite group of soldiers) after a traumatic event involving a Titan and a significant family member (we'll leave it at that for the sake of spoilers). The plot unfolds with the intensity of a heart pounding against its rib cage, featuring one of the most fleshed-out (and disturbingly creepy) worlds in anime.
8. Parasyte: The Maxim (2014)
Okay, imagine this: you wake up one day and find out your right hand has been possessed by an alien parasite. No, this isn't a wild dream after a late-night cheese binge, but the premise of Parasyte: The Maxim. Our protagonist, Shinichi Izumi, finds himself in this exact predicament, leading to a peculiar partnership with the parasite he names 'Migi.' It's not all buddy-comedy though, as they face off against other parasites who view humans as nothing more than a McDonald's drive-thru meal. It's an interesting blend of body horror, action, and philosophical musings on the nature of humanity. I'd say it's like a mashup of The Thing and Pulp Fiction, but that doesn't quite do it justice.
9. Claymore (2007)
Claymore sets its story in a medieval world plagued by shape-shifting monsters called Yoma, creatures that love to snack on human innards. To combat them, a mysterious group known as 'The Organization' creates human-Yoma hybrids called Claymores. The narrative follows Clare, a Claymore, who is cold and aloof, yet there is a softness to her, a lingering trace of her humanity that contrasts her violent lifestyle. We follow her journey, accompanied by the young boy Raki, as she grapples with her dual nature and slices through Yoma like a knife through butter.
10. Blue Exorcist (2011)
Blue Exorcist introduces us to Rin Okumura, who seems like your typical teenager – until he finds out he's the son of Satan. Quite a bombshell to drop on a kid, right? As you can imagine, Rin's not too thrilled about this, especially after a disastrous family reunion. He decides to use his demonic powers to become an exorcist and fight against his old man. Cue epic battles, drama, and emotional turmoil.