Netflix finally stepped into the anime industry. They have the production budget and there are some great stories ready to be adapted. One of those stories is of Castlevania, originally a game, which was adapted into an anime of the same name. It was released in 2017 and has an 8.2 rating on IMDB.
The show's story is a lot different from the games. It features brilliantly animated fight scenes, dark humor, and apocalyptic cinematics like blood raining from the sky. Until now, three seasons have been released and fans are actively looking for similar shows to keep themselves busy in the meantime.
10 Hellsing Ultimate
Among all the vampire anime, Hellsing Ultimate is a show that executes the overpowered protagonist trope perfectly. This show is good because it's cliched. Alucard is a vampire who is loyal to his master, Integra Fairbook. She operates a secret agency, that works under the British Government and is tasked to protect it from threats.
Their enemy is a nazi army Batallion from WW2, which launches an attack on England. Hellsing Ultimate contains huge amounts of blood, cool fight scenes, and catchy music. Fans fall in love with Alucard by the end.
9 Claymore
Situated in a world full of shapeshifting monsters called Youma, Claymores are female mercenaries hired to exterminate them. They are created by mixing Youma blood with human blood. Clare, a claymore, is accompanied by a young boy named Raki, in her journeys of killing Youma.
Claymore gives off the same gothic, eerie vibe as Castlevania. The anime explores the past of Clare, why did she became a Youma, and is there any humanity left in her after becoming half-youma. It even manages to fit in humor.
8 Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy is situated in a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity only exists inside the city of Romdo. Human-like robots are created to assist humans but they start catching a virus that gives them consciousness. Inspector Re-I Mayor sets out to find the truth.
This anime plays tricks on the mind. It's a cyberpunk thriller but its beauty lies in the scenes of exploring the world. The wilderness and miles of fields with nothing in sight are awe-inspiring. The story unfolds slowly and it turns into a completely different anime by the end.
7 Fate Series
The Fate series is already famous for its action sequences and story. It has a huge library of anime, movies, and manga. So the material never runs out. The story is simple: 7 mages are given a servant( heroes from the past like King Arthur) and they have to defeat other masters.
The last one standing gains the Holy Grails, which can grant any wish. There are spinoffs with different stories as well. There are no heroes or villains, everyone is aiming for the same thing. So no one is bad or good. Fate franchise has no signs of slowing down as new movies are released every year.
6 Devilman Crybaby
If there is one anime that can surpass Castlevania in R-rated content, it's Devilman Crybaby. At first look, the animation will ugly and weird- as a 10-year-old kid drew it. But the animation is what gives it an edge. The story is simple and apocalyptic: everyone in the world starts getting possessed by demons, and then they turn into monsters and consume humans.
Humans turn on each other and the world plunges into chaos. Some moments pierce the heart and the background music only makes it more painful. Viewers cannot end it without crying once.
5 Goblin Slayer
The mixing up of various fantasies and genres results in Goblin Slayer. It centers around a hunter who only kills goblins. He gets ridiculed because everyone thinks he's afraid to take on stronger monsters.
The anime took some heat for its controversial scenes in the first episode. It was established that this anime is not meant for children but it's perfect for Castlevania fans who love this type of content. There are dwarfs, elves, huge talking lizards, and fairies in it as well.
4 Attack On Titan
Attack On Titan is an anime by Hajime Isayama, who says that he used to go to a forest in his childhood and observe the circle of life. That experience led him to create an anime where titans- giant humanoid creatures- are at the top of the food chain. Humanity lives inside walls until one day, a titan penetrates it.
Attack On Titan is a mysterious action anime. It's considered the best in its genre. Like Castlevania, it has beautiful animations and a vast world. Its first episode has a 9 rating on IMDB.
3 Jojo's Bizarre Adventures
The reference archive Jojo's Bizzare Adventures has garnered a cult following. It goes over the heads of many but those who understand the references ascends to another level. There are a total of 6 Jojo parts, following a linear story starting from part 1.
Jojo may not hit the spot with gore and cruor but it certainly does with its catchy music and fluid animations in fight scenes. It references many pop cultures and includes fantasy elements like vampires, immortality, etc. It can be enjoyed by anyone.
2 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Castlevania has betrayal, riveting characters, and moments that makes the viewers question their morals. No other anime achieves the same level of self-reflection as Castlevania. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is another show that pulls off the same stuff in its own unique way.
Two brothers, Edward and Alphonse are on a journey to get back their limbs and body respectively, when they lose it in an alchemic ritual. They discover government schemes and have to find allies in their fight. It also has dark, inhumane moments, which haunt the heroes to the end.
1 Golden Kamuy
Sugimoto the Immortal, that's the name given to the soldier who survived the Russo-Japanese war while fighting on the frontlines. Sugimoto will do anything for his survival. He's of the mentality of kill or be killed. It's fitting for a person who was trained to kill.
After the war, Sugimoto sets out to find a hidden treasure with an Ainu girl. Golden Kamuy strikes the perfect balance between bloodshed and comedy. It teaches many real-life survival skills and explores the ways of the Ainu people.