Even though Supernatural was one of the CW's longest-running and most beloved shows, there's no denying that it started to fall flat especially by the end of the series. Whether it's glaringly obvious plot holes or writers grasping at straws to conclude the show, it goes without saying that Supernatural had a lot of flaws, despite its popularity.
Supernatural was a phenomenon in its own right. The show took the world by storm, earning a massive fandom and becoming iconic. However, anime is another worldwide sensation, and several series within the medium have beat Supernatural at its own game.
10 Fire Force Is A Pretty Standard Battle Shonen
Nobody claims that Fire Force reinvented the wheel, but the series still has several merits. It introduces a nightmarish reality where people can become afflicted by Infernals and fall victim to spontaneous human combustion.
It's similar to Supernatural's monster-of-the-week premise, but it doesn't introduce new rules and types of supernatural enemies every other episode. Unlike Supernatural, this series knew when to pull the brakes and stop while it was ahead. That way, it never felt as predictable as Supernatural did in the show's later seasons. Fire Force's manga has recently ended, so new fans have plenty of time to become immersed in the series.
9 Noragami Doesn't Take Itself Too Seriously
For such a notoriously meme-worthy fandom, it seemed like Supernatural took itself too seriously most of the time. Even though there were plenty of hilarious one-liners throughout the show, it still felt too serious for its own good.
Noragami has a serious premise but isn't afraid to make fun of itself. It's a shonen, but it's different from the rest of what the genre offers. It's not a typical monster-hunting series, nor does it have many fights. However, it prioritizes well-written characters and their relationships. For that reason alone, the anime is a lot more fun to watch than Supernatural was.
8 Bleach Is One Of Shonen Jump's Best Titles
All of Shonen Jump's original big three have something unique to offer, and they all set the standard for the genre in their own way. However, Bleach is the best of the three, and there's no denying that it's miles ahead of Supernatural.
Ichigo is an excellent protagonist and the series is full of action-packed fights that put Sam and Dean's best battles to shame. Unlike Supernatural's contrived monster-of-the-week premise, Bleach's villains are diverse. Even though the Soul Reapers seemed like the ultimate bad guys at first, the Arrancar and Hueco Mundo arcs proved that the series had many more terrifying villains to offer.
7 Chainsaw Man Is About To Become A Smash-Hit
With its anime adaptation inching closer by the day, Chainsaw Man is generating tons of hype in online anime communities. Once its anime is released, the series will undoubtedly become a smash hit. Chainsaw Man combines the best aspects of horror with battle shonen to create a brilliantly gory setting with tons of grotesque imagery that immerses the audience in the story.
The characters are brilliantly written and feel like three-dimensional individuals rather than drawings on a manga page. Plus, there's still more to come. The first part might be over, but Chainsaw Man's second part is on the way to further rip through the audience's psyche. Unlike Supernatural, this series knew when to take a pause for the cause.
6 The Son Of Satan Fights Other Demons In Blue Exorcist
Supernatural's concept of Satan and demons was pretty edgy and revolutionary for its time, but the idea of humans exorcising evil demons just feels predictable. Blue Exorcist introduces Satan and his son in a brand new light.
Rin Okumura is the son of Satan, though he was unaware of it for most of his life. However, after discovering his true father, he devoted his life to exorcising other demons. Eventually, Rin hopes to defeat Satan and avenge the people he's lost because of his actions.
5 The Case Study Of Vanitas Is About Vampire Hunting
Vampires were a recurring enemy in Supernatural. Though some of the fights against them were exciting, their overall place in the world felt lackluster. The Case Study Of Vanitas is one of the best anime about vampires. Unlike in Supernatural, this anime humanizes these fanged beasts and forces the audience to decide for themselves if they're truly evil or not.
It's packed with brilliant, intriguing lore that proves how much care was placed on world-building. The anime is full of action-packed adventures as Noe and Vanitas use a magical book to heal the crimson moon vampires.
4 Berserk Is A Classic Dark Fantasy Anime
While Supernatural did play into some heavier subject matter, it always felt like the show was afraid of going too dark with its storylines. Berserk, on the other hand, became one of the most critically-acclaimed anime of all time because it wasn't afraid to drift into darker territories.
The anime follows Guts, a man defined by the string of tragic events that occurred throughout his life. He's determined to escape his cursed fate and becomes a mercenary with his massive Dragonslayer to defeat all the demons that want his head. Unlike Supernatural's protagonists, Guts is a man of fearless resolve and several layers.
3 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Constantly Reinvents Itself
Supernatural was a long-running series, but Jojo's Bizarre Adventure has been ongoing since the late '80s. Yet, it's never felt like Hirohiko Araki ever ran out of ideas for this wonderfully absurd series. It was pretty obvious when Supernatural was running out of steam, but Jojo's has never suffered from that issue.
The series plays out across generational parts, so it constantly reinvents itself with a rotating lineup of protagonists as one part ends and another begins. The series has never felt contrived or cookie-cutter because it seems that Araki always intends to take every risk he can in writing a story that's timelessly exciting, action-packed, and unique.
2 Demon Slayer Features An Even Better Sibling Duo
Imagine if Sam or Dean were permanently turned into one of the evil demons or vampires they swore to fight against. Would one of them have killed the other, or would they have done everything they could to save their sibling? It would have been an interesting plotline, but Supernatural never went that route.
Demon Slayer's sibling duo of Tanjiro and Nezuko is equally heartwarming and badass. After Nezuko was turned into a demon by Muzan, Tanjiro swore to heal her and joined the Demon Slayer Corps. Nezuko realized that humans were allies, not enemies, so she's a de-facto member of the Corps herself since she helps Tanjiro and his friends fight demons. These two make a killer duo, and any demon who crosses them should just quit while they're ahead.
1 Jujustu Kaisen Has Everything Fans Could Ever Want & More
Jujutsu Kaisen is perfect for fans of Supernatural's monster-of-the-week premise, but still want something with an overarching goal at the end. The cursed spirits and curse users in Jujutsu Kaisen are some of anime's most formidable villains, and the heroes are equally unforgiving. The anime follows Yuji Itadori after he's thrust into the world of jujutsu sorcery because he swallowed an ancient cursed spirit's finger.
Surprisingly, this new world of fighting cursed spirits is a lot more complex than one would believe, and Yuji learns that the hard way. Where Supernatural had plenty of pit-falls in the way of painfully obvious plot holes and terrible female representation, Jujutsu Kaisen has everything fans could ever want & then some. With plenty of strong, well-written female characters and a plot that never forgets the details, it's no question why this anime is one of shonen anime's most beloved hits.