By Barbara James
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Attack on Titan is one of the more popular new-gen manga and anime, first airing in 2012 with its exciting first season that introduced main character Eren Jaeger as humankind battled 20-foot creatures—with an eerily similar appearance to humans—known as titans. The first episode garnered attention quickly for its quick world-building and introduction to the dystopian world where humans are devoured by these monstrous creatures, establishing a sense of fear in the audience almost immediately.
Since then, Attack on Titan Season 1 has been followed up with an additional four seasons and a film, establishing its place in the anime community and solidifying itself as one of the greats. But now that the series has officially ended—both for the manga and anime—many fans are left with a certain emptiness that not all, ordinary anime can fill. Despite there being a great amount of anime out there, there are a select few that can provide a similar feeling that Attack on Titan once did, be it through the core concepts, character development, world-building, or general atmosphere. Here are some of the best anime to watch that are like Attack on Titan.
10 'Death Note' (2006-2007)
An adrenaline rush
Death Note follows high school student Light Yagami whose intellect remains unmatched. Bored of his ordinary life, Light Yagami one day sees a notebook fall from the sky. He approaches the notebook and discovers it is called the Death Note. As he studies it, Light learns that this notebook allows him the highest privilege of killing others. The Death Note is meant for Shinigami, but its owner Ryuk wanted some excitement in his own life, so he dropped it for any passerby to pick up. Light then takes it upon himself to rid the world of corruption and criminals, though it’s not too long before intelligent detective L is on the case, creating a battle of the wits between the two of them as Light tries to hide his identity.
Death Note and Attack on Titan aren’t exactly similar at first glance. One show is about two differing minds and a murder mystery that traverses years; the other is a dystopian where essentially giants exist and devour humans. Though their core features are different, one main and essential thing that Death Note and Attack on Titan have in common is their fast-paced and adrenaline-rushing storytelling that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Death Note has always been known for its exciting twists, and for Attack on Titan fans who enjoyed the cliffhangers and surprises, Death Note is the next anime to watch for its excitement alone.
Death Note (2006)
TV-14
Animation
Crime
Drama
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
- Release Date
- October 21, 2007
- Cast
- Mamoru Miyano , Brad Swaile , Vincent Tong , Ryō Naitō , Trevor Devall
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1
9 'Chainsaw Man'
To obey governmental figures
Denji is a teenager trying to survive on his own by doing odd jobs with his pet devil, Pochita. One day, while out on a job, Denji is ambushed by a zombie devil and is killed. Pochita merges with Denji via a contract, under the condition that Denji lives out his life as a regular person. This merge grants Denji the ability to transform into the powerful Chainsaw Devil, and Devil Hunter leader Makima decides to hire him to keep him under her watch. From there, Denji grants his service to Makima, destroying devils and fiends alike.
Chainsaw Man is another anime and manga that focuses on the sudden transformation from a regular human into something inhumane, such as a devil in Denji’s case. Both, while wildly different, maintain a similar vibe to one another: both anime evoke a claustrophobic feeling in the setting, as both Denji and Eren are under strict, governmental obligations, leaving them with little to no choice of their own as their bodies are no longer theirs. Instead, their bodily autonomy is micromanaged by the powerful figures in their respective shows, creating for an uncomfortable and tense atmosphere as both characters are judged for something that is out of their control. For those who enjoy tense partnerships that bloom into meaningful relationships, with emotional moments that tug on viewers’ heartstrings, Chainsaw Man is the anime to watch.
Chainsaw Man
TV-MA
Anime
Action
Adventure
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- October 11, 2022
- Cast
- Kikunosuke Toya , Suzie Yeung , Ryan Colt Levy , Tomori Kusunoki
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
8 'Tokyo Revengers' (2021-)
Having the power to change the future
Tokyo Revengers follows adult loner Takeamichi who lives an unfulfilling and ordinary life. That is until one day he learns via the news that Hinata, his high school ex-girlfriend, has been murdered by the Tokyo Manji gang. After an incident where he is shoved onto train tracks, Takemichi is teleported 12 years into the past, back into his high school days. From there, he works to change the future so that Hinata can live a full life. This involves joining the Tokyo Manji gang back in its early years and operating from the inside.
One would think Tokyo Revengers is the furthest thing from Attack on Titan; after all, how are human-devouring titans any similar to enemy gangs? While the real-world dangers are quite different from one another, one distinct characteristic of both anime that Attack on Titan lovers would appreciate is the heroic main character, which Takemichi is. He harbors similar, if not all the same, qualities as Eren, as both are so determinedly stubborn in their goals that they will allow themselves to be beaten, both physically and mentally, even when everyone else has given up completely. Just like Eren, Takemichi is more of an inspiration than a fighter; he is resilient and, like Eren, is trying to change the future and has some control over that.
Tokyo Revengers
TV-14
Anime
Action
Adventure
- Release Date
- April 10, 2021
- Creator
- Ken Wakui
- Cast
- Griffin Puatu , Adam McArthur , Nicolas Roye
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 3
7 'The Promised Neverland' (2019-2021)
The world is not what you think it is
Emma is one of many orphans living at the Grace Field House. Every day is a day filled with learning and fun. Then, at a certain point, orphans are adopted and live on to lead better lives. However, shortly after the adoption of a “sibling,” Emma and fellow sibling Norman discover that no one is actually adopted; instead, orphans are fed to demons outside the gate. With this horrific discovery, Emma and her siblings decide to escape at any cost necessary so that they may live a full life.
The Promised Neverland promises a horrifying dystopia at the premise. It presents a somewhat idyllic life, which is then torn away from the characters and reveals the true dystopian nature of the story. This is similar to the way Attack on Titan enacts its story, and Promised Neverland’s premise and first episode carry an eerie vibe that resonates with the first episode of Attack on Titan, where a completely normal day turns into something disastrous and world-changing. Both feature survival in a world that has lied to its characters and essentially fed them to the enemy.
The Promised Neverland
TV-14
Anime
Adventure
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- January 11, 2019
- Creator
- Kaiu Shirai
- Cast
- Mariya Ise , Lynn , Yoshino Aoyama , Hiyori Kono
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 2
6 'God Eater' (2015-2016)
To become a monster-killing machine
God Eater is an adaption of the RPG series of the same name. It’s set in the year 2071 in a post-apocalyptic world where Aragami roam the world and humanity faces extinction. Aragami are man-eating monsters that can only be killed by God Arcs, which are weapons wielded by God Eaters, soldiers within the organization known as Fenrir. Lenka Utsugi is a fellow God Eater who is considered a Newtype, with his Gun Arc being able to transform from sword to gun and vice versa.
God Eater shares obvious similarities with Attack on Titan, the most important one being its very similar protagonists. Eren Jaeger and Lenka Utsugi are both main characters who undergo training to become what they were trained to be: monster-killing machines in their own rights. Not only that but both God Eater and Attack on Titan exhibit exciting fight scenes that pull viewers in. Though short, God Eater is worth the watch for its appealing graphics, premise, and fight scenes.
5 'Demon Slayer' (2016-2020)
The loss of family and how it changes a person
Tanjiro Kamado is a coal burner who returns to his home one day to find all of his family murdered, with the exception of his sister, Nezuko, who has unfortunately been turned into a demon. Determined to save his sister from a bloodthirsty life, Tanjiro joins a group of demon slayers, eventually becoming a Hashira, all in an attempt to find a cure to turn Nezuko back into a human and take down Muzan.
Demon Slayer is one of the most popular anime currently, being praised for its beautiful and smooth animation and lovable wide cast of characters. Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan are far different from each other. However, both feature a strong-willed main character who is determined to go against all odds, even if said odds are extremely difficult. For those who are in it for the personal journey and growth of relationships within an internal unit striving for the same end goal, Demon Slayer is that kind of dystopian.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
TV-MA
Animation
Action
Adventure
- Release Date
- January 22, 2021
- Cast
- Natsuki Hanae , Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Akari Kitō , Yosh*tsugu Matsuoka
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4
4 'Parasyte - The Maxim' (2014-2015)
Becoming a monster to fight monsters
One day, worm-like aliens called Parasites invade Earth and take humans as hosts by entering through their noses or ears and thus controlling their brains. Seventeen-year-old Shinichi Izumi’s body is almost taken by a Parasite but wakes up, causing the Parasite to fail and instead burrow into his arm. Normally, when Parasites take control of the host, the human host is essentially mute, and the Parasite is in complete control. However, in the case of Shinichi, both the Parasite and himself are able to exist as separate beings in one body. As a result, due to their odd circ*mstance, both Shinichi and his Parasite are targets, so they must learn to fight for their survival—together.
Parasyte -the maxim- is an interesting and popular anime and manga that focuses on, yet again, alien transformation and the sudden inheritance of powers that the main character has to learn to grow. Though Parasyte focuses on philosophical topics, it is essentially a story that pits monsters against monsters. In the case of Parasyte, it is the concept of becoming a monster to fight monsters. Although Attack on Titan doesn’t delve too deeply into philosophical concepts and focuses more on political conversations, it does follow the same formula of becoming a monster to fight others, and this is where Parasyte and Attack on Titan link together in similarity.
3 'Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress' (2016)
Saying goodbye to humanity
A virus that turns humans into kabane, undefeatable undead creatures, infects much of the population. The people on the island of Hinomoto have sheltered and protected themselves against the kabane by building their island into a fortress. Ikoma, an aspiring engineer, has developed a weapon that is meant to defeat the kabane; however, when a station within Hinomoto is hijacked and overrun by kabane, Ikoma, unfortunately, becomes infected by the virus. Despite this, Ikoma does not transform into a kabane; rather, he is able to resist and fight the virus within his body, thus turning him into a Kabaneri, a human-kabane hybrid, and with other fellow Kabaneris, Ikoma and his group fight the kabane in an attempt to find a new place of shelter.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is another anime that follows the half-human, half-creature hybrid that Attack on Titan is so commonly known for. It is a successful formula that garners attention immediately because of the struggle the characters face; either they remain true to their human selves, or they become the thing that they sought to destroy. Eren and Ikoma are similar in this regard, and the catastrophic situation in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’s world evokes a sense of fight-or-flight in viewers. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress might not be as popular or as well known, but it is developed by the same studio that produced the first season of Attack on Titan, and its unique premise is one that is worth the watch for its story and makes for a hidden gem in the anime world.
2 'Tokyo Ghoul'
Turning into the monster you despise
Within Tokyo Ghoul is a world inhabited by both ghouls and humans. Humans are known to stray far away from ghouls, as ghouls are known to devour humans because they cannot consume human food. In this world, Kaneki Ken is a shy college student who has finally summoned up the courage to ask out his crush, Rize. However, during their date, Kaneki is quickly surprised by Rize, who turns out to be a ghoul, and she begins to devour him. However, to his fortune, Rize is crushed by a steel beam, and parts of her are implanted into Kaneki, turning him into the first artificial ghoul.
Tokyo Ghoul tends to be a very dark manga, involving heavy topics of cannibalism, torture, and abuse. It is not for the lighthearted, as these dark themes subjected to the characters are graphic in nature. But beyond the dark subject matter is a story of a person becoming the exact thing they hate and despise; in Kaneki’s case, he is subjected to torture as a ghoul, being forced to become something that his own kind fears and hates. In a similar manner, Eren Jaeger of Attack on Titan is also subjected to becoming something he hates, not of his own accord, but by outside forces that rip his true dreams away and make him become a monster, ultimately creating a tragic story of becoming the one thing that each main character hates and having to face those who, too, hate their existence.
Watch on Amazon Prime
1 'Knights of Sidonia' (2014-2015)
In the case of an unlikely hero
Knights of Sidonia takes place in the year 3394. Humanity has left Earth due to its destruction by shape-shifting aliens known as Gauna. Spacecrafts were thus created by the remains of the planet, and the spacecraft Sidonia hosts a population of at least 500,000 people, with those at the top of society given immortality. Although the other ships and their fates are unknown, Sidonia has proven to be successful in maintaining the human race. Gardes, huge mechanized weapons, defend this ship, and Nagate Tanikaze is one of the many pilots of these Gardes. He has only known life aboard the Sidonia and has spent his time perfecting his skills, and when Gauna threatens the lives of Sidonia, Nagate is selected as a Garde pilot.
Knights of Sidonia is an intriguing sci-fi anime that is reminiscent of popular mecha anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion. While it shares its own, more obvious similarities with its distant cousin Neon Genesis Evangelion, Knights of Sidonia is also similar to that of Attack on Titan in the way that humanity is on the brink of extinction, and one unlikely hero is destined to stop a human-killing species from completely wiping out humanity. Both anime feature an isolated country of humans—in this case, a spaceship—that have adapted and grown to combat their dystopian monsters.
KEEP READING: After ‘Attack on Titan,’ This Is Your Next Anime Binge
- TV
- Anime
- Demon Slayer (2021)
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