If Devilman Crybaby is any indication, there’s something people like about an over-the-top, hyper violent anime.
Whether it’s the way they make the buckets of blood shimmer or the downright bonkers fight scenes, violent anime can be a treat when you just want to watch something less than safe for everyone. It’s no surprise then that Netflix’s new remake of the gore-soaked anime classic has been met with widespread popularity, with many applauding its general embrace of the stylistic extremes of violence and adult themes. It’s not the only exemplary anime of its kind however, and if you enjoyed Devilman Crybaby, these 10 anime series will offer a similarly visceral experience. Also, fair warning that these anime series are NSFW.
Attack On Titan
When humanity loses its place at the top of the food chain, the result is anything but bloodless. After fighting a losing battle against gargantuan creatures known as Titans, humankind finds itself cornered within cities protected behind massive walls. For a time there is peace, until one of the walls is brought down and a third of the population is devoured or slaughtered. From the tragedy, however, a chance at victory is found through Eren Jaeger, a young man with an endless hatred for the Titans and a power to become one himself.
The series doesn’t pull any punches with how it conveys the fear of its characters, showing in graphic detail what awaits those caught and eaten by the Titans. Likewise, fights are vicious and bone crunching, many times showing the more gruesome side of combat most shonen offerings glaze over. Much like Devilman though, Attack on Titan handles this subject matter beautifully, and it stands as one of the best anime in recent years for older audiences.
Hellsing Ultimate
A vampire armed with supernatural powers and twin pistols can cause enough havoc all on his own, but pit him against an army of undead Nazis and all hell breaks loose. Set near the end of the 20th century, the story follows Alucard, an immensely powerful vampire under the control of a British occult task force known as Iscariot. When an army of Nazis made immortal by vampire blood threatens to engulf the world in chaos, he must tear his way through them with fang and bullet, cutting a bloody swath across the city as he does it.
Intense, fast-paced and far from considerate, Hellsing revels in its ability to set a legendary Victorian-era monster loose on redeemable villains, sending limbs and blood flying as it does. Viewers will come for the cool take on vampire mythology, but they’ll stay for the balls to the wall action and fights.
Blood-C
As this series shows, first impressions can be deceiving. Initially presented as a slice of life offering, the tone quickly goes off the rails as flesh-rending monsters start to invade a rural Japanese town with increasing frequency. Saya, a young girl armed with a sword and charged with dispatching these monsters, sets out to find the cause behind their appearance, raising questions about them, her town, and herself along the way.
Great for those looking to see something unnerving and irreverent, Blood-C lures viewers into a false sense of calm before ripping the carpet out from underneath them. The fights are entertaining, and if you enjoy horror filled to the brim with gore, you won’t be disappointed by what the monsters in this series can unleash on the world.
Akira
A shining example of 80’s body horror and cyberpunk anime, Akira has no qualms about putting sex, drugs, and violence on full display. Set in a dystopian future Tokyo, citizens live under martial law after a cataclysmic event wiped the city away 20 years prior. Gangs and criminals run amok, while governments carry out their agendas undeterred. That all changes when a psychic test subject, freed by anti-government terrorists, meets a motorcycle gang member named Akira, injuring him with his powers and inadvertently awakening his own terrifying potential.
Between casual sex and drug use, brutal detailed violence, and body horror scenes that would put an acid trip to shame, this film is a standout as one of, if not the, best of anime’s adult-aimed offerings. Add in the fact that it has one of the most iconic art styles around, and you won’t be disappointed by this bloody good film.
Sword of the Stranger
Set in feudal Japan, this series follows a mysterious young boy and his dog on the run from ruthless assassins. None have survived their run-ins with them, and, desperate for protection, the boy finds himself traveling with a lone wanderer armed with a sealed sword. He soon discovers the wanderer is more than capable of protecting himself against the assassins, and despite having his own demons to run from, he must convince the wanderer to guide him to the safety of a temple he calls home.
Embracing the violent nature of the samurai legend, This film revels in the raw power and carnage of a well-trained swordsman clashing with killers for hire. Fights are lightning fast, with steel clashing second by second and sparks flying besides. It may not have as much notoriety as some other entries on this list, but it more than deserves a look if you’re a fan of more stylistic takes on violent subject matter.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
While not as inclined to violence as Devilman Crybaby, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is more than a match in terms of visual flair. Set against the backdrop of a family inclined to strange, over the top experiences, every season offers a new space for the show to stretch its artistic muscles. One generation, the protagonist might be punching their way through ancient vampires, causing them to explode in a burst of pure color and energy; the next, the hero could take on an immortal psychic with the power to stop time, flinging machine gun punches and hurling steamrollers at one another with multicolored ghosts known as Stands. If you prefer your action with a hefty dose of stylized insanity, you can’t go wrong with this series.
Kizumonogatari
The prequel to the long running Monogatari series, Kizumonogatari explains how the series’ protagonist Araragi Koyomi came to be embroiled in the occult, right down to the bloody details. After encountering a limbless vampire named Shinobu in an abandoned subway station, Araragi offers his life to save hers. Shortly after, he awakens to learn he was instead turned into a vampire himself. Now, to return to being human and to fully heal her, he must challenge three vampire hunters and take back Shinobu’s stolen limbs, giving up a little bit more of his humanity with each battle.
Oozing with style and indifferent to the carnage it conveys, this three film series is a must-see for those who love more modern takes on anime. Whether in the quieter moments of their characters’ conversations or the breakneck gut-punches of their flesh rending fights, it leaves the viewer awe struck with just how much of a spectacle it can make out of otherwise simple premise.
Re-Zero
After being transported to another world, Subaru is ecstatic, sure that his life as a fan of video games and nerd culture has prepared him perfectly for what lies ahead. It doesn’t take long, however, for him to be killed, only to be brought back to life and forced to try and figure out how he can properly survive without suffering the same fate over and over again.
An interesting take on both being transported to another world and the idea of reincarnation, Re-Zero offers a darker perspective, asking what the toll would be on a person who is not only thrown into a new environment but also forced to live through their own death countless times, in many different ways. It’s a grim premise, but one that is executed brilliantly the whole way through.
Evangelion
A deconstruction of traditional mech anime, the original Neon Genesis Evangelion had a way of making mech fights seem animalistic and savage. Where other giant mechs were clunky and slow, the show’s EVA units were lightning fast, ripping into their targets with a ferocity only matched by their enemies, the invading extraterrestrial Angels.
It’s good, then, that the recent film remakes only improved on this, taking those same elements and ramping them up to 11. Titanic battles regularly turn into straight hand-to-hand brawls, and the winner usually walks away with bits of the loser in their teeth. If you enjoyed the way Devilman ripped through his enemies with his bare hands, you’ll love watching the EVAs go to town on their enemies at 100 times the scale.
Made in Abyss
Don’t let the cheery appearance fool you; this anime is as dark and brutal as it is artistically gorgeous. Set in a world where an otherworldly chasm holds untold wealth and wonders, the story follows two young children, Reg and Riko, as they venture into the chasm’s depths. Within lies various horrors and abominations, and the consequences for even the slightest mistake could result in death.
From the Lovecraftian monster designs to the downright terrifying obstacles the two children face, this series quickly proves itself as one of the darker series to be created in the past decade. Though there is currently only one season available, it should more than scratch the itch of anyone who enjoyed Devilman’s occult themed plot and world building.
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