While there is a time for wholesome, family-friendly humor, occasionally nothing hits the spot like some truly dark, depressing, or mean-spirited anime comedies. These are the type of shows that constantly push the envelope in terms of common decency and subject matter. While many of these types of series deal with adult themes, that does not necessarily mean they are mature; in fact, some of the funniest black comedies blend serious topics with amazingly juvenile humor.
Anime has an overabundance of fluffy and sweet comedies, but there are a few series that go in the complete opposite direction. Whether they are thematically dark or remorselessly violent, these 10 anime black comedies can be relied upon to deliver a hearty laugh.
10 Magical Witch Punie-Chan
Puella Magi Madoka Magica was hardly the first to turn the magical girl genre on its head, although Magical Witch Punie-Chan provided a more comedic take. In order to prepare herself for Magical Land's throne, Punie spends a year in a high school on Earth.
Although she pretends to be an angel to her classmates, Punie is actually closer to a devil, and an incredibly violent one at that. The humor can be a bit repetitive, but the OVA series does not overstay its welcome.
9 Oruchuban Ebichu
Do not be fooled by the adorable hamster, as Oruchuban Ebichu does not have a wholesome bone in its body. Gainax's 1999 anime centers around a hamster who has an unfortunate habit of serving as the target of slapstick shenanigans courtesy of his owner and her awful boyfriend.
Oruchuban Ebichu has a lot of sexually charged humor and goes into great detail when showcasing the titular hamster's painful punishments. As long as the thought of seeing a cute mascot get repeatedly hurt is not too offputting, Oruchuban Ebichu is well worth checking out.
8 Detroit Metal City: The Animated Series
As bills need to be paid, Souichi Negishi has no choice but to front a death metal band known for its fiendish lyrics and demonic presentation. While Detroit Metal City's frontman, Johannes Krauser II, comes across like a monster in human skin, Negishi is kind-hearted and nothing like the infamous ideal he portrays.
Detroit Metal City shows Negishi trying to balance these two lives, while periodically throwing out a song or two with lyrics that could make even the heaviest of metal bands blush.
7 Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan is a slapstick comedy that depicts its comedic attacks with a more realistic edge than other similar anime. Dokuro is an angel sent to kill Sakura Kusakabe, a junior high student; however, she decides to annoy him instead. This involves Sakura going through a lot of brutal death scenes before he is brought back to life by Dokuro.
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan is difficult to watch and also quite formulaic, but the creative death scenes are regularly entertaining.
6 WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Unpopular!
WataMote is a black comedy that relies on awkward humor, which is not going to be for everyone. Tomoko Kuroki is so socially insecure that every situation becomes uncomfortable, especially due to the protagonist's heartfelt desire to fit in at high school.
While other dark comedies provide laughs through their absurdity, WataMote is a more relatable beast that touches upon loneliness, depression, and insecurity. While Welcome to the NHK handles these themes better, WataMote is not quite as soaked in drama.
5 Humanity Has Declined
Humanity Has Declined is a stunning work of comedic brilliance. The 2012 anime takes place in a fantastical post-apocalyptic Earth, and those two somewhat contradictory descriptors accurately represent Humanity Has Declined's bizarreness.
While the anime boasts a cute art style and generally well-meaning characters, there is an element of darkness that undercuts the entire series. Watashi – Humanity Has Declined's protagonist – works as a bridge between the last few humans and the chaotic Fairies, a job that has more than its share of challenges.
4 Joshiraku
Joshiraku is about five girls who meet to discuss their days, which naturally involves a lot of weirdness, parodies, and topics. With a minimalistic presentation, Joshiraku's humor comes from the quirky personalities of the girls and the wide-range of subjects the anime is willing to tackle.
This can include discussions about casual attire, stereotypes, tooth cavities, and even politics. Each character brings their own comedic style to the conversations, with Kukuru Anrakutei's humor being particularly dark.
3 You're Being Summoned, Azazel
Irreverent is the only way to describe You're Being Summoned, Azazel, an anime about a rowdy demon summoned by the assistant of a harsh supernatural detective. Azazel is a lust demon who lives up to his reputation. While the character does grow slightly and can even be sympathetic, Azazel is also unflinchingly repugnant.
The other main characters – the cruel Akutabe and the seemingly timid Rinko Sakuma – are also hilarious, as are a number of the anime's minor personalities.
2 Prison School
When Hachimitsu Private Academy finally begins to accept boys, five male students are "welcomed" into the school. Unable to mingle with their female schoolmates, the boys try their hand at peeping, a vile act that leads to them being imprisoned for a month by the academy's Underground Student Council.
Prison School's humor is unapologetically adult-oriented and sexual in nature, with the anime pulling no punches when it comes to depicting the characters' various vices.
1 Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
Perhaps the definitive anime black comedy, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is about a teacher obsessed with suicide and his students who generally have their own psychological struggles. The anime is cynical, respectfully tackles subjects like depression, prejudice, and social anxiety, and – most importantly – is consistently hilarious.
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is also a slice of life anime, so the focus is on the characters' unique everyday lives rather than any overarching storylines. Despair has never been so funny.