After only six years since the anime first came out, “Demon Slayer” has become one of the most popular and beloved shows in the world. The adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who wants to become a Demon Slayer after his entire family is slaughtered by demons. He also fights for his younger sister Nezuko, who is turned into a demon but still retains part of her humanity.
The fantasy series has received critical acclaim for its beautifully-animated action scenes and compelling characters. Not only has the anime itself received immensely high TV ratings in Japan, but its films have also set international box office records and even received a red carpet premiere event in the United States. Few other anime can boast the level of success that “Demon Slayer” has achieved, but there are still plenty of other stories that scratch that same itch for action and dark fantasy. If you’re all caught up on “Demon Slayer” and want more shows like it, here are some you can check out.
“Attack on Titan”
Eren Yeager lives inside a giant walled city, where the final vestiges of humanity are protected from giant man-eating Titans that roam the fields and forests outside. Though he and his friends long for a life of freedom, they receive a grim reminder of the world they live in after a massive Titan breaches their walls and allows other Titans inside. The monsters make quick work of devouring humans, including that of Eren’s mother. Several years later, Eren and his friends train to join the Scout Regiment to fight the Titan threat directly while learning more about their origins. Having never forgotten how the Titans destroyed their lives, Eren swears to eliminate every last Titan in existence.
If “Demon Slayer” can be said to be one of the most popular anime of the 2020s, “Attack on Titan” is the same for the mid-2010s. This violent and brutal fight for freedom quickly took the anime world by storm and made an enormous contribution to the broader international appeal of Japanese animation. If you’ve never gotten into “Attack on Titan” before, now would be the time.
“Garo: The Carved Seal of Flames”
In the fictional Spanish kingdom of Valiante, the Spanish Inquisition begins targeting Makai Knights and Makai Alchemists, mystical warriors who are the only line of defense against Horrors who threaten society. One Makai Alchemist named Anna is burned at the stake for her “witchcraft,” but not before giving birth on the pyre to León Luis, the next to inherit the coveted mantle of the Golden Makai Knight Garo. Years later, León receives training from his father to become a proper knight, but the fledgling Garo is more focused on revenge for his mother than performing his sacred duties.
This animated spin-off of the long-running tokusatsu series is a stylized and gorgeous foray into the world of animation for the franchise. Featuring an emotional narrative and unique animation from beloved and hard-working studio MAPPA, “The Carved Seal of Flames” is a modern classic not to be missed.
“Dororo”
The Sengoku period of Japan is plagued by demons after a daimyō strikes a deal with them. He is promised power over his own domain. In exchange, 48 demons are granted residence in his territory as well as pieces of his newborn son’s humanity. As a result, the boy is born severely disfigured and missing his limbs, organs, and bodily functions. In order to save him from being executed, his mother sets him adrift on a river where a craftsman finds him.
The boy, named Hyakkimaru, is raised to become a rōnin using prosthetic limbs to fight. He now wanders the country defeating the demons that torment his father’s lands. Each fallen demon restores one of Hyakkimaru’s missing functions. Hyakkimaru eventually meets a young orphan named Dororo, who inadvertently teaches him that there are more ways to reclaim his humanity than simply fighting demons.
The 2019 version of “Dororo” is the latest anime adaptation of the 1967 manga from renowned mangaka Osamu Tezuka. Its beautiful period setting and intense action sequences make for a perfect complement to the similar aesthetic found in “Demon Slayer.”
“Fire Force”
This popular anime sets the world on fire, literally. After the Great Cataclysm sets the world ablaze, Earth is left with few habitable cities. Some survivors take refuge in the newly-formed Tokyo Empire. Meanwhile, humans are subject to spontaneous human combustion and become flaming monsters known as “Infernals.” The only thing that can stop them are the Fire Force, special firefighting brigades equipped with skills and abilities to combat rampaging Infernals.
Shinra Kusakabe is the latest recruit, being assigned to Special Fire Force Company 8. Though his own brand of pyrokinesis ostracized him as a child, he strives to protect humanity all while searching for the truth behind the fire that killed his family.
From the twisted mind of “Soul Eater” mangaka Atsushi Ohkubo comes a heated and exciting ongoing series that is sure to please action fans.
“Hell’s Paradise”
Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the deadliest shinobi in the land. Even after being caught during a mission, his execution proves to be tricky after his executioners discover that nothing seems to kill him. So instead of being punished for his deeds, executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri offers him a chance at a pardon. He is tasked with retrieving a fabled elixir of life on a mysterious island in exchange for his freedom. Gabimaru and several other death row convicts travel there as they compete for the Shogunate’s favor. However, they get more than they bargained for when they encounter an island full of bizarre and dangerous creatures.
This unsung series from MAPPA features all the macabre horror and gorgeous action that fans of “Demon Slayer” have grown to love. “Hell’s Paradise” is sure to satisfy that similar craving.
Any “Demon Slayer” fans interested in checking out these recommendations? Comment below!
