20 Best Anime Like Demon Slayer You Need to Watch
Most people would agree that Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is among the best, if not the best anime of the decade and we’re certain that history will show that it will and a place among the best anime in history. Sure, the formats of modern-day anime are much shorter than Drago Ball, Bleach, Naruto, or One Peace, which means that Demon Slayer will never have such a large quantity of material, but that makes its success even more impressive. That is why today’s article is dedicated to the show.
In today’s article, we’ve composed a list of 20 anime that are very much like Demon Slayer while we wait for the second season of Demon Slayer to kick off You’re going to get some basic information on the anime, the plot and why the anime is so similar to Demon Slayer. If you’ve loved Demon Slayer and you’re waiting for new materials, you should definitely check out these shows!
20 Best Anime Like Demon Slayer
1. D.Gray-man
Original run: October 3, 2006 – September 30, 2008 / July 4, 2016 – September 26, 2016
Number of episodes: 103 + 13
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, science fiction
D. Gray-man is a shōnen manga by Katsura Hoshino. It was published between May 2004 and April 2009 in the weekly magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump and then in the monthly magazine Jump Square between November 2009 and December 2012 due to the author’s health problems. After three years of absence, the publication of the series resumed in the quarterly magazine Jump SQ.Crown from July 17, 2015. An animated television series adaptation produced by TMS Entertainment aired between October 3, 2006 and on September 30, 2008 on TV Tokyo; a 13-episode sequel, named D. Gray-man Hallow, aired from July 4 through September 26, 2016.
The story follows the young Allen Walker, an exorcist belonging to a special order called the Shadow Congregation. The goal of this order is to confront and eliminate living weapons called Akuma, as well as their creator, the Millennial Count, whose goal is to destroy the world and the human species.
2. My Hero Academia
Original run: April 3, 2016 – present
Number of episodes: 110 + 5 OVAs
Genre: Adventure, science fantasy, superhero
My Hero Academia is a shōnen manga written and drawn by Kōhei Horikoshi. It has been published since July 2014 in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump by publisher Shūeisha, and has thirty-one volumes to date. An anime adaptation by studio Bones has been airing since April 2016 on MBS in Japan and globally.
In a world where 80% of the world’s population has superpowers, here called “Quirks”, we follow the adventures of Izuku Midoriya, “Deku”, one of the rare humans who does not have a Quirk. Despite this, Izuku dreams of joining the super-heroic current of the great superhero academy and one day becoming one of the greatest heroes of his time. One day, Izuku had the chance to meet his lifelong idol, All Might, the number 1 superhero. This one will bequeath to Izuku his Quirk, the One For All.
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
Original run: October 4, 2003 – October 2, 2004
Number of episodes: 51
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, steampunk
Fullmetal Alchemist is a 51-episode Japanese animated television series based on the eponymous manga by Hiromu Arakawa. In Japan, it aired from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004. The Elric brothers (Edward and Alphonse) inherited their alchemical talent from their father who left the family home and never returned.
Following the death of their mother, the two young people try to revive her thanks to alchemy, by making a human transmutation despite the prohibition. The operation fails and the two brothers suffer the backlash – Al disappears and Ed loses his leg but saves his brother deprived of his body by fixing his spirit in the metal body of medieval armor with a transmutation circle traced with his blood, but for this must sacrifice an arm.
Ed then takes the exam and becomes State Alchemist, so he can travel and find the Philosopher’s Stone, so he and his brother can find their bodies.
4. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Original run: April 5, 2009 – July 4, 2010
Number of episodes: 64
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, steampunk
In the land of Amestris, a land where alchemy is elevated to the rank of universal science, two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, roam the country in search of the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. Their father left them and their mother, Trisha Elric, died a few years later of an illness, leaving her two young children behind.
Some time later, the two brothers try to bring her back through alchemy, defying the law which formally prohibits human transmutation. They will pay a heavy price for it. Edward, the eldest, will lose his left leg, his little brother his whole body. Ed will sacrifice his right arm by sealing the soul of his little brother Alphonse in armor.
Edward decides to enlist in the military at the age of 12 as a State Alchemist, passes the exam with flying colors, and gets his alchemist name: Fullmetal. Helped by Edward’s status as a state alchemist, the two brothers will seek, at the risk of their lives, the stone that will give them back what they have lost, but the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone is well kept.
5. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Original run: April 4, 2016 – March 24, 2021
Number of episodes: 50
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, isekai
The story follows Subaru Natsuki, a NEET who suddenly finds himself in a parallel world in the evening after buying some groceries. After initial confusion, he is saved from a group of thugs by a silver-haired half-elf who introduces herself to him as Emilia. He stays close to her as he wants to help her find her locket, which was stolen from her recently and is very valuable to her. After a while they find the thief’s hiding place in the city’s slums.
Subaru enters the thief’s house, but only finds a man’s body covered in blood. Thereupon he is fatally injured by an unknown woman, Emilia, who has been waiting outside so far, becomes suspicious of the noises and also enters the house, whereupon she too is killed by the woman. With his last breaths, Subaru promises to save Emilia.
6. Black Clover
Original run: October 3, 2017 – March 30, 2021
Number of episodes: 170
Genre: Adventure, fantasy
Black Clover is a shōnen manga written and drawn by Yūki Tabata. It has been published since February 16, 2015 in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump, then published in bound volumes by the Japanese publisher Shūeisha.
Black Clover follows Asta, a determined young boy who lives with his childhood friend, Yuno, in an orphanage in Clover Kingdom. From a young age, Asta’s ambition was to become the most powerful magician in the kingdom, “Emperor-Mage”, which also inspired Yuno to want the same. But unfortunately, Asta was born without any magical talent, while Yuno has spectacular predispositions. Asta and Yuno both vow to fight for the title of Emperor Mage.
As their paths separate on the Knight-Mage route, their goal is still the same: to become the next Emperor-Mage.
7. Goblin Slayer
Original run: October 7, 2018 – present
Number of episodes: 12
Genre: Dark fantasy
In a fantasy world where the fate of each is governed by the dice rolls of the fate of the deities, adventurers in search of wealth and glory come from all over the world to join the Adventurers Guild.
An inexperienced young priestess who has joined the Guild joins a group of novice adventurers, but her first quest turns into a nightmare when the rest of her team is slaughtered by Goblins: she owes her salvation only to a mysterious man in armor, the “Goblin Slayer”, an adventurer whose one and only objective is the eradication of these creatures.
8. Fairy Tail
Original run: October 12, 2009 – September 29, 2019
Number of episodes: 328
Genre: Adventure, fantasy
The story focuses mainly on the missions carried out by one of the teams of the Fairy Tail guild, composed of Natsu Dragnir (fire dragon hunter), Lucy Heartfilia (constellationist), and Happy (an Exceed, blue cat that can be done appear wings, fly and speak), who will soon be joined by Erza Scarlett (knight mage) and Gray Fullbuster (Ice mage and later Ice demon hunter), two other members of the famous guild.
They are joined on the adventure by Carla (an Exceed white cat, like Happy), Wendy (Heavenly Dragon Slayer), and many more.
9. Bleach
Original run: October 5, 2004 – March 27, 2012
Number of episodes: 366
Genre: Adventure, supernatural
Bleach is an animated television series, based on the manga of the same name by Tite Kubo, published in the Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001; it has 366 episodes (subdivided into narrative arcs) of 25 minutes and was created in 2004 by the Studio Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe. The series premiered from October 5, 20041 to March 27, 20122 on TV Tokyo, Japan.
The story follows Ichigo Kurosaki’s adventures after acquiring the powers of a Shinigami – a personification of death similar to the Grim Reaper – from another Shinigami, Rukia Kuchiki. His newfound powers force him to take on the duties of defending humans against evil spirits and guiding dead souls to the afterlife.
10. Berserk
Original Run: October 7, 1997 – March 31, 1998 / 1 July 2016 – 23 June 2017
Episodes: 25 / 24
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Epic, Sword and Sorcery
In a sort of alternative Middle Age, Guts is a formidable mercenary warrior who in his life has known nothing but war and violence. In the following period, Guts becomes deeply attached to Griffith, experiences affection and friendship for the first time for his new companions, and falls in love with Caska.
The final clash between Griffith and Emperor Ganishka leads to the transformation of the world and the overlapping of the astral and real dimensions. With the engagement to Princess Charlotte and the blessing of the pope and the people, Griffith takes possession of his new capital Falconia, and transforms it into a utopian kingdom sheltered from monsters that have begun to invade the world.
11. Dororo
Original run: April 6, 1969 – September 28, 1969
Number of episodes: 26
Genre: Action, dark fantasy, historical fantasy
Dororo is a Japanese animated series produced by Osamu Tezuka’s animation studio, Mushi Production, and aired on Fuji TV between April 6, 1969 and September 28, 1969. This is the adaptation of Dororo, a manga by Osamu Tezuka that appeared in the 1960s. The anime, set during the Sengoku period, tells the story of Hyakkimaru, a young man whose 48 body parts are offered to 48 demons at the time of his birth.
His father has, in fact, concluded a pact with them in order to acquire powers. He immediately abandons his son who is brought up by a doctor. This replaces the missing parts of Hyakkimaru’s body with prosthetics, some of which turn out to be weapons (for example, his fake arms hide swords). As sight, hearing and his other senses have been stolen from him, the young man develops supernatural senses which allow him to defend himself against demons.
12. Sword Art Online
Original run: July 8, 2012 – December 23, 2012 / July 5, 2014 – December 20, 2014 / October 7, 2018 – September 20, 2020
Number of episodes: 25 + 24 + 47
Genre: Adventure, science fiction
The story takes place in the year 2022, when a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing video game – VRMMORPG – called “Sword Art Online” has just been released. There, players can control their avatars just as they would their real bodies through the NerveGear, a virtual reality headset capable of stimulating their five senses through their brains.
However, players find that they cannot get out of the game; a short time later, the creator of SAO, Akihiko Kayaba, appears and informs them that if they die in the virtual world they will also die in the real world, as well as revealing that in order to exit the game they must first overcome a hundred floors of the game.
As the players try to cope with their situation, two of them Kazuto Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki, are determined to win and be free.
13. Ushio and Tora
Original run: September 11, 1992 – October 1, 1993 / July 3, 2015 – June 24, 2016
Number of episodes: 11 / 39
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, supernatural
Ushio and Tora is a Japanese supernatural manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiro Fujita. It was published in Shōgakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday between 1990 and 1996, and compiled in thirty-three tankōbon volumes. The manga was first adapted into two OVA series (including a parody episode) produced by Pastel released from 1992 to 1993. In 2015, an adaptation of the manga into an animated television series was broadcast from July 2015 to June 2016 and was produced by MAPPA and Studio VOLN.
Ushio one day discovers a monster in his basement, the very one that was “impaled” by one of his ancestors 500 years ago with the Lance of the Wild. Ushio, who had never believed in this story, notes that this discovery will pose a problem because the monster will release negative energies which will make specters appear which attack everyone!
Ushio no longer has a choice, he is forced to free this man-eating monster, in order to help him restore order.
14. The Rising of the Shield Hero
Original run: January 9, 2019 – present
Number of episodes: 25
Genre: Dark fantasy, isekai
The Rising of the Shield Hero is a Japanese light novel series written by Aneko Yusagi. The story follows the epic tale of Naofumi Iwatani who is mysteriously summoned to another world where he is the hero in the Shield. Originally published online as an amateur novel series in 2012, it has since been edited as a collection with illustrations by Minami Seira. The novel series has been adapted into a manga series written and drawn by Aiya Kyu. An anime adaptation by animation studio Kinema Citrus premieres on January 9.
Naofumi Iwatani was summoned to another world along with three other boys from parallel Japan to become the “Legendary Four Heroes”. Each of the Heroes was equipped with their own legendary equipment as soon as they were summoned. Thus begins his journey in this world where he will have to progress alone.
15. InuYasha
Original run: October 16, 2000 – September 13, 2004 / October 3, 2009 – March 29, 2010
Number of episodes: 167 + 26
Genre: Adventure, fantasy, romance
The plot featured in InuYasha is based on the adventures of a half-demon, a teenager from modern Japan, a pervy monk, a fox demon, and a demon exterminator from the Sengoku period, as they search for all the fragments of the Sacred Jewel and try to keep it away from criminals, especially Naraku.
Throughout the series, InuYasha is constantly torn between the desire to have the Sacred Jewel and his feelings for Kagome, considering that his demonic side is what gives him the most power; however, it is revealed that his human side is the strongest, the side exploited when InuYasha finds the Tessaiga sword.
It can only be wielded by a being who has compassion for people or tries to protect them, a skill acquired when Inu no Taisho made the sword to protect Inuyasha’s mother.
16. YūYū Hakusho
Original run: October 10, 1992 – December 17, 1994
Number of episodes: 112
Genre: Adventure, martial arts, supernatural
Fourteen-year-old Yusuke Urameshi is the perfect thug: brawler and rebel. Yet one day he dies saving a little boy from an accident, but this child would have miraculously survived even if Yusuke hadn’t intervened. Not foreseen by the authorities of the kingdom of the dead, his sacrifice poses a problem.
This is why he is offered to come back to life, after having succeeded in proving that he is worthy of it. He then becomes a detective of the spirit world without knowing it, and is endowed with powers that will help him in his various tasks, both in the human world and in that of the spirits.
Helped by Botan, the “ferryman of souls” who settled her case at the time of her “death”, of her friend Kuwabara, and under the direction of Enma junior, the son of the Dark King in charge of the examination of souls, he is tasked with finding three demons (Goki, Hiei, and Kurama) who have stolen three relics from the world of darkness: the sword of darkness, a mirror and the ball of Gaki.
17. Cells at Work!
Original run: July 8, 2018 – February 27, 2021
Number of episodes: 21 + Special
Genre: Biology, comedy
Cells at Work is a manga series written and drawn by Akane Shimizu. It presents the anthropomorphized cells of a human body, the two main protagonists of which are a red blood cell and a leukocyte (white blood cell) that it often encounters. The series was published in Kōdansha’s Monthly Shōnen Sirius shōnen manga magazine between January 2015 and January 2021.
An adaptation into an animated television series of 13 episodes by David Production was broadcast for the first time between July and September 2018, with a special episode airing in December 2018; a second season aired between January and February 2021. The story is about anthropomorphic blood cells living in the human body, which is represented as a huge industrial world. Together, they fight against pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria that enter them, for example through the nose, mouth or open wounds.
18. Phantom Thief Jeanne
Original run: February 13, 1999 – January 29, 2000
Number of episodes: 44
Genre: Magical girl
The year 2000 is approaching. The power of Kami-sama (God) is blocked on Earth, and if he does not recover enough energy before the year 2000, he will die. Mahou (the demon), who is waiting for this, sends his men to recover the energy that is in the form of chess pieces.
The young Maron Kusakabe, aged 16, is a student like any other, except that, with the help of the angel Fin Fish, she can transform and become the reincarnation of Joan of Arc, for hunt demons that camouflage themselves in works of art. When a demon is defeated, the work disappears and is replaced by an angelic design (in the manga) or as a chess piece (in the anime).
Maron’s best friend is Miyako, the daughter of a police officer who pursues Jeanne. Maron will fall in love with Chiaki Nagoya, who also secretly hunts demons under the name of Kaitou Sinbad.
19. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Original run: October 6, 2012 – July 28, 2019
Number of episodes: 152 + 4 OVAs
Genre: Adventure, fantasy, supernatural
The plot revolves around the story of the Joestar lineage, a powerful family of British origin destined to combat evil supernatural forces using acquired powers; the work covers several generations of said lineage, which are adapted in each part with a descendant as the protagonist, beginning with Jonathan in the year 1880.
Parts 1 to 6 have a continuous and linear history, while 7 and 8 occur in an alternate universe. The genres it encompasses range from action, adventure, supernatural, suspense, comedy, tragedy, mystery, and horror. It is perhaps best known popularly for its Stand phenomenon.
The story arc Stardust Crusaders and its characters Dio Brando and Jotaro Kujo; the expressive rendition of their proud glamorous personalities; and its hundreds of nominal references to western popular music.
20. Fire Force
Original run: July 6, 2019 – December 12, 2020
Number of episodes: 48
Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, science fiction
Fire Force is a shōnen manga written and drawn by Atsushi Ōkubo. It has been published since September 2015 in Weekly Shōnen Magazine by publisher Kōdansha, and thirty volumes were released as of August 2021. An adaptation into an animated television series by studio David Production aired in Japan between July 6 and December 28, 2019. A second season aired from July 4, 2020 through December 12, 2020.
In the year 198 of the solar calendar, the world faces the phenomenon of human combustion where humanity can ignite without warning and turn into a “human torch”.
Members of the special Fire Force brigades of the Kingdom of Tokyo seek to discover the reasons for this phenomenon and among them is Shinra Kusakabe, nicknamed “the Demon”, who joins the 8th brigade to eradicate the phenomenon of human combustion and uncover the truth about it, as the fire claimed the lives of his mother and brother twelve years ago.