There are many forms of entertainment that engage in fantastical narratives and combine multiple genres together in extravagant ways, but anime is a medium that continues to push boundaries. Different anime series and movies cover an incredibly diverse spectrum of topics and it’s allowed some content to present some very nihilistic and depressing ideas.
Often one of the major reasons to check out an anime is the level of skill that’s put into the animation itself, but more anime present challenging stories that are just as engaging. Anime has gotten quite skilled with depictions of corrupt societies that have lost their ways and different series explore this theme in unique ways.
10 Attack On Titan Presents Humanity & Society As The True Monsters
Attack on Titan begins as a stunning story that pits man against monsters, but very quickly it digs into the toll of warfare on children and how much constant combat can warp impressionable minds.
Attack on Titan reaches a boiling point where no citizens know what to trust anymore and Eldia and Marley have been slinging propaganda for generations with no end in sight. Characters and entire nations are brainwashed into compliance and it pushes individuals to their breaking points in many equally destructive ways.
9 The World Is Full Of Manipulation & Deceit In Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mecha series that looks at a future society’s efforts to stave off alien attacks with giant robots, but it grows into something infinitely deeper. Neon Genesis Evangelion wallows in depression around nihilistic and defeated characters.
The anime builds a world where children are treated like nothing more than tools and weapons. Society itself is turned into collateral damage for Gendo Ikari’s wildly selfish plan that doesn’t care if all of humanity gets turned into primordial goo in the process. Gendo and NERV thrive through the illusion of protection and safety.
8 Code Geass’ Giant War Only Grows Worse & Corrupts The Just
It's shocking to see how many parallels between Code Geass and Attack on Titan have formed over the years, especially in terms of the transformation of their main characters.
Code Geass begins with Lelouch's pledge to get revenge on Britannia for the damage that they did to his home and family, but Lelouch faces greater corruption as he gets further in his mission. The war between Britannia, the Chinese Federation, and the European Union makes for a thrilling battle of ideals and by the end, it's very difficult to figure out whose intentions are the purest.
7 Terror In Resonance Presents A Society Where Terrorism Is The Norm
Shinichiro Watanabe is most commonly known for his iconic work on anime like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy, but Terror in Resonance is an underrated effort that allows Watanabe to explore seriously bleak territory.
Terror in Resonance is set around terrorist bombings that lock the public into fearful submission. A tight game of cat and mouse plays out, but it becomes unclear if there is any justice in this broken and tired representation of society. With only 11 episodes, Terror in Resonance doesn’t waste any time.
6 Akame Ga Kill!’s Empire Kills Anyone That Opposes Their Aggressive Ways
Some anime feature corrupt societies that inspired individuals are able to easily rise up against, but the nefarious Capital in Akame ga Kill! goes to vicious lengths to ensure that their rule is followed. The government publicly crucifies anyone that disobeys them in the Capital and they only care about fear and submission.
Starvation, homelessness, and slavery are the norm in the area and even survival feels like an extended form of punishment. This endless pain is exactly why newcomer Tatsumi gets indoctrinated into the revolutionist assassin group, Night Raid, to dismantle the Empire's rule.
5 Psycho-Pass Runs Rampant With Aggressive Justice Before Crimes Happen
Psycho-Pass is a very influential anime series that beautifully blends together science fiction with a gripping crime drama, but the anime owes more than a little to the works of Philip K. Dick and Minority Report.
Psycho-Pass concerns itself over preemptive crime and targeting and stopping individuals before they’re able to follow through with their monstrous thoughts. This opens up a ton of moral questions, but society is also forced into this tenuous arrangement where police tactics reach excessive levels, especially when the wrong people are in charge.
4 Extra Bureaucracy Can Get In The Way Of What’s Important In My Hero Academia
To be fair, out of the many dystopias looked at here, My Hero Academia experiences more benefits than disadvantages and their world is far from broken. However, My Hero Academia is still an anime that features a heavily regimented society where both heroes and villains must operate under a lot of red tape.
There are copious rules and an established structure that heroes must follow before they become pros. This is helpful for a lot of reasons, but it sometimes gets in the way of actual heroics. Sometimes what really matters gets buried in bureaucracy.
3 The Promised Neverland’s Children Are Lured Into Submission Through Lies
A hot debate currently rages on between the major differences in The Promised Neverland’s anime and manga, but they both feature the same premise where society operates as a deceptive incubator. Emma, Norman, and many other precocious humans obediently live in an orphanage where they trust those that look after them.
Their lives are forever changed when they figure out that this orphanage is actually a holding center where children will eventually be consumed by monsters. The reality behind the fractured nature of the world sends Norman and everyone else out into unexplored territory.
2 Society Is Held Under Constant Censorship In Shimoneta
Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist is a strange mix of storytelling that’s both oppressive as well as absurdly hilarious. The anime takes place 16 years after the "Law for Public Order and Morals in Healthy Child-Raising" passes, which outlaws any type of dirty language or humor.
The Anti-Societal Organization, SOX, headlined by Ayame Kajo and Tanukichi Okuma, set out to fix this skewed status quo. The two operate with very different methods, but both have the same goal to bring back freedom of speech to the people.
1 Legend Of Galactic Heroes Is Immersed In An Eternal War In Space
Many mecha and space series receive attention for their sprawling visuals and spectacles, but a lot of this content is concerned with questions of war and politics, just in a radically new setting.
The Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance have been locked in war for ages and it reaches the point where it's unclear if there will ever be peace at the end of this and if the original motivations behind this conflict even mean anything anymore. It's a great look into how the cause of war can get away from itself and just create more jaded soldiers.