Summary
- Dark fantasy anime offers mature and cynical stories with tragic events that affect the characters.
- Shows like
Drifters
,
Claymore
, and
Hellsing Ultimate
explore cruel and brutal worlds filled with supernatural elements. -
The Promised Neverland
,
Overlord
, and
Castlevania
offer subversions, comedic relief, and intricate stories in their dark fantasy settings.
While the fantasy genre may be quite common, given the medium’s ability to immerse and transport viewers to any world, no matter how mythical, dark fantasy anime are not nearly as widespread. Most fans know the best fantasy anime, but few of these could be said to be truly dark, leaving viewers who prefer a more cynical and mature story dissatisfied.
While some fans may look to the fantasy genre hoping to find interesting worlds that they would like to live in, others prefer the intricate and depressing worlds of dark fantasy, wherein survival is seldom guaranteed and the worst horrors of humanity are revealed. The best dark fantasy anime do not shy away from subjecting their characters to tragedies and traumatic events, instead asking how such events can affect them.
10 Drifters is The Ultimate Subversion of Isekai’s Easy Life
Production Studio: Hoods Drifters Studio
An isekai with a unique premise, Drifters follows three important figures as they are summoned to a different world to fight against the “Ends”, other historical figures whose tragic lives caused them to reincarnate as twisted versions of their former selves possessing supernatural abilities.
Though
Drifters
is unavailable from streaming, it is available for purchase through Apple TV.
Though all three are great warriors, that doesn’t necessarily translate into an easy victory when fighting in an unknown magical world. The cruelty and brutality of the fights they participate in are clear to see, proving that this is not a typical case of an overpowered isekai protagonist taking it easy. Isekai is bigger than ever, and Drifters is the dark take on isekai more fans should check out.
9 Claymore is a Dark and Bitter Tale of Revenge Against the World
Production Studio: Madhouse
Not too dissimilar from other dark fantasy anime, the story of Claymore’s protagonist Clare is one of loss and revenge. After her family is attacked by youma, mysterious flesh-eating demons, and she herself becomes subject to abuse and trauma, she is finally rescued, only to once again lose everything she held dear. This is when she decides to become a Claymore and start fighting back, driven by nothing but pain and vengeance. The world she lives in is a dangerous and gruesome one, where tragedy and massacre are all but guaranteed, and even the strongest are never truly safe.
Given that the manga is widely loved, it’s no surprise that Claymore’s anime features some of the most incredible action in dark fantasy history. This combined with its unique premise makes Claymore a must-watch for any fan of dark fantasy anime.
8 Hellsing Ultimate is a Fantastical Gorefest Set in a Modern World
Production Studio: Satelight/Madhouse/Graphinica
As more of an urban fantasy, Hellsing Ultimate‘s world may not be as fantastical as others, but it is still absolutely defined by its supernatural elements and dark ambiance. The titular Hellsing is a secret organization working to keep ordinary people safe from fearsome creatures, and the protagonist Alucard is their strongest ally, an impossibly powerful vampire seeking out and taking down other vampires who pose a threat to society.
Alucard’s methods are brutal and ruthless, and, while not everyone may appreciate the excessive gore, those looking for dark and grimy action are sure to enjoy Hellsing Ultimate’s bloodbath.
7 The Promised Neverland’s Dark World Sees Children as Cattle
Production Studio: CloverWorks
Similarly to other anime shows that like to subvert expectations with surprising episode 1 reveals, The Promised Neverland starts out by presenting viewers with the image of a peaceful orphanage, where kids see each other and their loving caretaker Isabella as a family, living comfortable lives, learning, and playing freely, only for this image to soon be shattered.
Fans of the series generally hold a poor view of
The Promised Neverland
anime’s second season, so picking the manga after season 1’s ending is generally recommended.
Once they learn that the supposed adoptions that were happening regularly were actually sales of kids to man-eating demons, they decide to find a way to escape their fate, even without the assurance that there is safety in this dark fantastical world. Despite the presence of children, The Promised Neverland is one of the darkest shonen series in recent memory, ensuring its status as a classic of dark fantasy anime.
6 Overlord Presents a Unique Take on Trapped-in-a-Game Stories
Production Studio: Madhouse
Though Overlord‘s stakes may not seem as high as those of other dark fantasy anime, given that the events take place in the world of a video game, this world is completely real to its inhabitants, including Ainz Ooal Gown, a former player who was somehow trapped here on the day of the VRMMO’s shutdown.
Now living as a powerful mage skeleton commanding fearsome minions, he has no choice but to act the part and play the role of a ruthless villain. As great a dark fantasy as this series is, it also differentiates itself with occasional moments of comedic relief. This adds up to making Overlord one of the funniest dark fantasy anime of all time.
5 Castlevania Adapts the Classic Game Perfectly for Dark Fantasy
Production Studio: Frederator Studios
Though Castlevania‘s status as an anime may be up for debate, its quality as a dark fantasy work is assured. Inspired by the classic video game franchise, Castlevania follows members of the Belmont family and Alucard as they fight against Dracula and his minions, in an attempt to defend the nation of Wallachia.
Boasting an intricate, dark story, the foundation of which many viewers may already be familiar, as well as an impressive art style reminiscent of typical anime, Castlevania is not only a must-watch for fans of the video games, but also genuinely enjoyable for dark fantasy fans.
How Castlevania: Nocturne Is Connected To Castlevania
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4 Made in Abyss Juxtaposes a Child’s Innocence With a Brutal World
Production Studio: Kinema Citrus
Though Made in Abyss starts out rather innocent, presenting itself as a mysterious fantastical world waiting to be explored, it gradually reveals itself to be much darker and gruesome than unsuspecting viewers may expect. The titular Abyss refers to a massive, largely unexplored chasm, wherein strange creatures roam freely and relics of long-lost civilizations await.
Riko, an orphan and aspiring Diver, and Reg, a robot with unknown origins, team up and choose to brave the depths of the Abyss together, each for their own reasons, but nothing could possibly prepare them (or audiences) for the events that are to unfold. Only truly brave anime fans should watch Made in Abyss as it is one of the most brutal anime series in recent memory.
3 Fate/Zero Battles to the Death for an Impossible Wish
Production Studio: Ufotable
Fate/Zero follows the events surrounding the Fourth Holy Grail War, the winner of which is said to be granted any wish, no matter how impossible. As such, this war is also terribly dangerous, with the survival of its participants is far from guaranteed. There are seven players in this cutthroat game, each commanding a different powerful familiar, with origins typically inspired by real-life history.
Though they all have their own unique situations and desires, none are willing to give up easily, making the battles in Fate/Zero truly tense and epic, with shocking violence guaranteed, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
2 Dorohedoro Features a Dark World Where Magic Makes Life Worse
Production Studio: MAPPA
While most magical worlds tend to be on the bright and positive side, seemingly inviting viewers to imagine the possibility of living a life enhanced by sorcery, Dorohedoro is completely different. Here, ordinary humans without magic are not only shunned by sorcerers, but also used in experiments by them and even killed, despite living separately, in a depressing and merciless place known as the “Hole”.
Moreover, even magic users live dangerous lives, as their own place of residence is just as lawless. No matter how strong, no one can ever truly be safe in the dark fantasy world. What makes Dorohedoro standout is just how unique and wild its dark fantasy setting is. This alone is enough to make the series an easy recommendation for any dark fantasy fan.
1 Berserk is The Ultimate Dark Fantasy Anime
Production Studio: OLM Inc.
No list of dark fantasy anime would be complete without including Berserk, one of the most influential dark fantasy works ever created. Berserk‘s world shows no hesitation in proving how dark it can be, with abuse and massacre being the order of the day. Yet it is also intricate and thoroughly fantastic, with elves and demons being likewise commonplace.
While fan reception of the
Golden Age
trilogy of movies is mixed, the 2016
Berserk
is generally considered a poor adaptation, meaning fans may want to pick up the manga after finishing the 1997
Berserk
manga.
Guts’ journey is fraught with trauma, tragedy, and betrayal, with him and his loved ones being subject to profound psychological horror. Truly, there is no story quite as emblematic of the dark fantasy subgenre as that of the Black Swordsman, and that’s exactly what makes it one of the best. While the 1997 Berserk anime does end on a massive cliffhanger, it still hasn’t been topped as the greatest dark fantasy anime.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
