When it comes to saving the world, nobody does it better than anime. This plot point is so prevalent within the medium, finding a series that doesn't revolve around saving the world is actually more difficult. The sekaikei genre commonly utilizes this trope, as it refers to stories wherein two characters establish a relationship in order to prevent a catastrophe that both are involved in.
Not every entry on this list fits perfectly into the sekaikei genre, but all of them heavily feature ordinary teenagers who are wrapped up in some sort of plot about preventing a disaster, whether it's world-ending or on a smaller scale.
Warning: There are some minor spoilers for the anime featured here.
10 Their Love Transcends Time (Your Name)
A prime example of the sekaikei genre, Your Name tells the story of two high schoolers, Mitsuha and Taki, who suddenly begin to switch bodies intermittently. The two leave notes for one another about how they spent the day and any other important details that the other should know about.
Eventually, Mitsuha and Taki deduce that they are living in two different time periods, Mitsuha in the past and Taki in the present. The two must then work together to prevent an imminent disaster in Mitsuha's time.
9 Their Bond Is Unbreakable (Darling In The FranXX)
While Darling in the FranXX's leading lady, Zero Two, is not exactly "normal," Hiro and the rest of the main cast are all human teenagers working together to save the world. The group uses mechs, which require one male and one female pilot, to fight creatures called Klaxosaurs.
Hiro and Zero Two connect quickly and agree to become partners, and it is their unbreakable bond that saves the world. At the start, they are defending the remnants of civilization against the Klaxosaurs, but soon come to realize that the threat is much larger than they originally thought.
8 His Relationships Give Him Strength (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Another mecha anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a classic twist on the sekaikei genre. This beloved series inspired many other anime that came after, including Darling in the FranXX. As with that series, the main cast consists of ordinary teenagers that pilot giant robots to fight alien beings called Angels.
Shinji's primary motivation almost always comes from his relationship with another character. He originally agrees to pilot Evangelion Unit-01 to protect Rei, continues piloting for Misato, gains control of his unit because of his deceased mother, and he is able to prevent the Third Impact partially thanks to his feelings for Asuka.
7 These Teens Must Fight An Unstoppable Force (Attack On Titan)
Any Attack on Titan fan knows that the protagonist, Eren Jaeger, is not a normal teenager. Early on in the series, it is revealed that Eren has the ability to transform into one of the series titular Titans. However, many of the other main characters rely only on their brains and physical prowess.
Mikasa Ackermann, Eren's adoptive sister, is one of the series' most skilled combatants. She is shown taking down Titans with ease, as well as engaging in hand-to-hand combat with other characters. While the series does establish that members of the Ackermann family are gifted with immense talent, Mikasa remains an ordinary teenager just trying to protect her brother.
6 These Teens' Swords Cut Deep (Demon Slayer)
Demon Slayer's premise revolves around supernatural elements, but the members of the Demon Slayer Corps do not have any special powers. They are highly skilled in swordplay and physical combat, and while their sword techniques are accompanied by elemental visuals, their attacks are not magical.
As a result, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke are normal teenagers using their unique skill set to save the world. The trio must work together to stop the threat of demons.
5 They're Fighting Each Other To Stop The Apocalypse (Future Diary)
In Future Diary, twelve individuals must compete to become the new God of Space and Time in order to prevent the apocalypse. The current God, Deus Ex Machina, sets up this competition by granting each of the participants a "future diary" in the form of a cell phone, which tells the future, ninety days in advance.
The main character, Yuki, partners with his classmate, Yuno, to eliminate the other players and win the game. Yuno loves Yuki unconditionally and gladly helps him, killing anyone who threatens him or their relationship without hesitation. Together, they are determined to win.
4 A Different Type Of School (Assassination Classroom)
Assassination Classroom tells the story of the students of class 3-E, who are tasked with assassinating a powerful tentacled creature to save the world from destruction. The cast of teenagers are all highly skilled in different areas of assassination and must work together to prevent this disaster before it is too late.
The students might be normal in that they do not possess special powers, but their skills are anything but ordinary. By banding together, they are sure to put an end to this planet-wide threat.
3 The Fate Of A City Hinges On Their Love (Weathering With You)
Hina from Weathering With You is not exactly a normal girl, given that she can control the weather with her emotions and clear the skies by praying. However, her love interest (and the protagonist), Hodaka, is a completely ordinary boy trying to figure out his life and his feelings for Hina.
Ultimately, it is his love for her that saves her, and the weather in Tokyo hinges on their relationship. Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, the creator of Your Name, this anime is a great pick for fans of that film.
2 He's Protecting A Secret Civilization (The Secret World Of Arrietty)
The protagonist of The Secret World of Arrietty, Sho, is a normal, curious boy who resolves to protect the world of the Borrowers, who appear to be tiny humans living underneath his house. As the Borrowers strive to remain hidden from humans, Arrietty becomes fascinated by Sho. Despite warnings from her family, she continues trying to communicate with him.
After another human discovers their world, Arrietty's family makes plans to leave. Sho becomes determined to ensure the family's safety and protect their secrecy.
1 A Teen Detective Saves The World Using Only His Brain (Death Note)
Death Note's protagonist, Light Yagami, possesses a magic notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written inside. However, detective Near is just an ordinary teen with no special powers of his own trying to stop the mass killer, known as Kira.
Near only has his wits at his disposal and must use his intelligence to bring Light to justice. After the death of L, he is the only hope for saving the human race and stopping Light from remaking the world in his image.