Anime is a diverse genre with all kinds of plots and characters. Genres range from slice-of-life like Nichijou and Ouran High School Host Club to romance like Kaguya-sama: Love is War and HoriMiya to psychological thrillers like Death Note and Boogiepop Phantom. Of these overlapping yet distinct genres, action and adventure rise to the top.
There are abundant options in anime for shonen, seinen, and action fans to choose from. These anime feature some of the most appealing storylines that keep the viewers hooked. However, some go overboard with the graphic imagery and violence. While this utilization of gore may help the story move along, sometimes it is just unnecessary and a bit too much.
10 A Failed Escape Attempt Results In Tragedy (Seraph Of The End)
Seraph of the End is a textbook dystopia that features the struggle between humans and vampires. A virus wrecked the world, allowing vampires to take control and rule over humans. These vampires hoard and use human children as food sources.
The main protagonist, Yuichiro, tries to escape his confinement with his family. This escape attempt fails miserably, resulting in Yuichiro's family's death. When Yuichiro makes it to the outside world, he joins the Japanese Imperial Demon Army to avenge his friends and kill all vampires. Yuichiro's journey is full of murder and loss, depicted graphically.
9 What You See Is Not What You Get (Attack On Titan)
Eren Jaeger is one of the most popular anime anti-heroes. His world turns upside down when Titans attack his home, destroying his city. A twisted journey filled with action, betrayal, and politics ensues. Attack on Titan has some of the most grueling wars in anime.
AOT depicts some of the most brutal and gory scenes in anime, from a Titan eating Eren's mother in the first episode to Gabi shooting off Eren's head in the most recent season. As the series progresses, Eren discovers more about the outside world, dragging his people into a terrible war.
8 A Teacher Teaches His Students How To Kill Him (Assassination Classroom)
Koro-sensei, an octopus-like alien, is the principal antagonist of one of the funniest shonen anime of the 2010s, Assassination Classroom. He becomes the homeroom teacher of the worst performing class at Kunugigaoka Junior High School. Along with teaching his students the syllabus, Koro-sensei also taught them how to be successful assassins. This results in too much onscreen combat.
This anime focuses on middle school children trying to kill their beloved teacher to save the world. That's a tremendous burden for mere teenagers to carry. The government also employs the services of world-class assassins to train these students.
7 Artificial Intelligence Governs Civilization (Psycho-Pass)
Psycho-Pass is another dystopia where artificial intelligence, Sibyl System, governs the Japanese people. The System judges people based on the color of their Psycho-Passes and their latent criminal intent. The inspectors and enforcers use all-powerful guns called TGR Dominators.
Psycho-Pass features some of the most heroic antagonists, clever inspectors, and violent rebels. As the main protagonist, Akane Tsunemori, struggles with moral issues, she and her team engage in graphic battles with criminals. When inspectors use the Dominator's decompose setting, it makes for a gruesome sight throughout the series.
6 The World Is Always At Stake (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has a unique concept in the adventure fiction genre. Following generations of the Joestar family, this anime series features some of the most terrific fights in anime. JoJo trains and practices to become the best Stand User and defend his planet from ancient supernatural threats.
Ancient supernatural creatures on the prowl give JoJo a run for his money. They threaten to wipe humanity off the earth and rule as kings. While fans enjoy subsequent JoJos facing mighty enemies, they believe the series goes overboard with the battle scenes.
5 Rebellion Is A Messy Affair (Code Geass)
Lelouch vi Britannia, the eleventh prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, is Code Geass' main character. Lelouch dons the mantle of the vigilante, Zero, leading a rebellion against the Holy Britannian Empire and his father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia.
Tricking his friends and family to join his cause, Lelouch uses unorthodox methods to achieve his goals. These methods lead to violence beyond measure, as the residents of the Japanese colony unite to rid their home of Zero.
4 A Ronin And A Child Defeat Demons In Sengoku-Era Japan (Dororo)
Osamu Tezuka's Dororo is an emotional anime that tugs at the heartstrings. Hyakkimaru is a ronin, whose parents abandoned him when he was a mere infant. His father, the feudal lord, sacrificed Hyakkimaru's body parts to demons for the prosperity of his people.
Many people provide Hyakkimaru with artificial body parts, enabling him to fight demons and reacquire his original limbs. A young child, Dororo, later accompanies Hyakkimaru on his mission. They witness and take part in some of the most gruesome battles. Dororo also keeps Hyakkimaru grounded when he loses control of his violent tendencies.
3 Takemichi Travels In Time To Save His Ex-Girlfriend (Tokyo Revengers)
Tokyo Revengers follows a 26-year-old Takemichi Hanagaki who travels back in time to save his high school girlfriend, Hina. He joins the Tokyo Manji Gang and tries to pinpoint the event that led to Hina's death 12 years in the future.
Because of the altering timelines, this anime takes viewers on the same emotional ride multiple times. Viewers see Takemichi's best friend betray his trust and jump off the roof, not once but twice. Tokyo Revengers goes overboard with graphic images from gang violence to accidents.
2 Cursed Spirits Put Up A Decent Fight (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen has taken the shonen anime genre by storm. Studio MAPPA has expertly executed Akutami's imagination. The anime starts with a powerful first episode where Megumi Fushiguro fights off a cursed spirit with the main protagonist, Yuji Itadori's help. The series keeps escalating from this point.
Vivid cursed spirits, overpowered characters, and the deaths of some fan-favorite characters make fans do a double take. While some enjoy the fast-paced action, many can't stomach the violence and heartlessness of cursed spirits like Mahito.
1 Guts Attempts To Escape His Fate (Berserk)
Kentaro Miura's Berserk is a dark fantasy anime of great renown. It follows a nomadic sellsword, Guts, who tries to defy death and escape his dreadful fate. He comes across Griffith, the leader of the Band of the Hawk mercenary group, who forces him to join his group.
As the series progresses, Guts fights alongside Griffith and his mercenaries in the Kingdom of Midland's century-long war. He later discovers Griffith's true intentions and leaves. From training arcs to war arcs, Berserk is one of the most violent anime of this generation.