Top 20 Zombie Anime Series

From post-apocalyptic survival to offbeat idol comebacks, anime has put its own spin on the living dead in all kinds of settings. This list gathers series where zombies or reanimated corpses drive the plot, whether the threat comes from a sudden outbreak, a cursed ritual, or a mad science experiment. You’ll find gritty action, school-set horror, black comedy, and even music industry satire. Each entry includes what it’s about, where it takes place, and the core hook that sets it apart.

‘Highschool of the Dead’ (2010)

This series follows students and a school nurse escaping their high school after a sudden zombie pandemic engulfs Japan. The story tracks the group through urban collapse, supply runs, and shifting alliances as social order breaks down. Action scenes emphasize improvised weapons and barricades along with tactical movement. The plot also spends time on disaster logistics like fuel, communication, and shelter choice during a fast-moving outbreak.

‘Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’ (2016)

Set during an industrial era with fortified stations and armored trains, this show pits survivors against kabane, humans infected by a heart-protected virus. The leads rely on steam-powered tech and specialized piercing weapons to fight through rail lines. Settlement politics, quarantine protocols, and chokepoint defenses define each mission. The series highlights resource constraints such as steel production, ammunition, and boiler pressure that keep the trains running.

‘School-Live!’ (2015)

At first glance this appears to be a slice-of-life club anime, but the setting is a zombie-ravaged city and the characters live inside their barricaded school. The show explores survival routines like rooftop gardening, classroom fortification, and rotating watch shifts. It uses in-universe journals and field trips for supply scavenging and situational awareness. Mental health and denial are central, shaping how the group interprets danger and keeps cohesion.

‘Zombie Land Saga’ (2018–2021)

A mysterious producer resurrects girls from different eras to form an idol group that boosts a struggling prefecture. Each member brings a unique backstory to the team, from a biker legend to a child star, while performing as literal zombies. Episodes cover training, branding, regional promotion, and live show logistics in small venues and festivals. The undead element adds problems like makeup management, durability stunts, and secrecy around their condition.

‘Is This a Zombie?’ (2011–2012)

After a fatal encounter, a high schooler is revived as a zombie and ends up sharing a house with supernatural roommates. The protagonist gains unusual durability and occasionally borrows powers that lead to chaotic battles. Daily life mixes with monster incidents around the city, producing episodic fights and comedic fallout. The show catalogs abilities, weaknesses, and odd rules that apply to an undead body trying to live normally.

‘Sankarea: Undying Love’ (2012)

A teen fascinated by zombies meets a girl who becomes undead after a botched resurrection attempt. The narrative examines what it takes to preserve an undead body, from temperature control to dietary needs. Characters experiment with remedies to slow decay and maintain mobility. The series treats zombification as a chronic condition that requires planning, secrecy, and caretaking to manage day to day.

‘Corpse Princess’ (2008–2009)

A murdered girl is revived as a shikabane hime and hunts hostile corpses animated by grudges. The structure pairs her with a contracted monk who handles intel, purification, and support. Missions involve tracking patterns in unexplained deaths and confronting specific undead with tailored tactics. The show builds a rule set for reanimation tied to regrets, giving each enemy a case file and motive.

‘Gungrave’ (2003–2004)

This crime saga evolves into an undead war when a syndicate deploys necrolyzed soldiers called orgmen. The plot follows weapon research, clandestine manufacturing, and black-ops teams used to control urban zones. Characters deal with supply chains for the process that creates the reanimated fighters. The series contrasts human power struggles with the escalating costs of deploying an undead army.

‘Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness’ (2021)

Set in the world of the long-running survival-horror franchise, this limited series follows federal agents handling a bioterror incident. The investigation moves between a White House attack and operations in a conflict-scarred region. Evidence trails include lab procurement, shell companies, and data tampering around a weaponized pathogen. Action sequences stress containment choices in enclosed spaces and chain-of-command complications during emergencies.

‘Zombie-Loan’ (2007)

Two students survive fatal accidents by taking on debt that must be repaid by hunting down stray undead. The premise creates case-based episodes where they identify targets through telltale signs and specialized sight. Financial and contractual rules determine what missions they accept and how they get compensated. The show catalogs categories of reanimated threats and the procedures used to neutralize them.

‘Gibiate’ (2020)

Set in near-future Japan after a global virus turns humans into mutated undead, the story adds time-displaced warriors to the response effort. Survivors operate mobile camps that juggle medical triage, research, and defense. Encounters focus on mapping creature variants and adapting melee and ranged tactics. The plot centers on finding carriers, protecting scientists, and testing prototype treatments under fire.

‘Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead’ (2023)

An office worker discovers freedom when a sudden zombie outbreak lets him ditch an exhausting job and write a bucket list. The show tracks supply gathering, vehicle upgrades, and route planning as he and friends cross regions. Episodes frame goals like visiting landmarks or helping communities as missions with risk assessments. The zombie presence shapes every plan, from protective gear to backup exits.

‘Princess Resurrection’ (2007–2008)

A human teen gets bound to a royal from the monster world and becomes entangled in clashes with undead and other creatures. The household manages territory protection, safe rooms, and emergency protocols for surprise attacks. Tools range from traditional weapons to improvised traps deployed around town. The series catalogs enemy types and how status hierarchies affect who commands the undead in battle.

‘Hellsing’ (2001–2002)

This series covers a private organization that counters occult threats, including ghouls that function like controlled zombies. Operations involve rapid deployment teams, urban cordons, and specialized firearms. Intelligence work maps how artificial methods create mass reanimation events. The storyline examines supply logistics for anti-monster equipment and the political fallout of large-scale incidents.

‘Tokyo Majin’ (2007)

Students with supernatural abilities confront waves of reanimated corpses raised by dark rituals across Tokyo. The team divides roles for reconnaissance, close combat, and support, coordinating through school and city landmarks. Episodes revolve around identifying summoners and disrupting the source behind each outbreak. The show outlines weaknesses, barriers, and purification methods used to end the incidents.

‘Zo Zo Zo Zombie-kun’ (2020-)

This short-form comedy features a kid and his zombie friend getting into everyday mishaps with an undead twist. Gags often hinge on detachable limbs, durability, and odd fixes to bodily problems. The format uses very brief segments that show creative applications of being undead. Episodes introduce simple tools and workarounds that turn zombie traits into solutions for small challenges.

‘Sirius the Jaeger’ (2018)

Although centered on vampire hunters, several episodes feature reanimated bodies and ghoul-class enemies used as expendable shock troops. The organization at the core sets up safehouses, weapons caches, and intel networks. Fight choreography emphasizes coordination between melee specialists and marksmen in city streets and docks. The plot tracks supply thefts and smuggling routes that move occult tech and corpses.

‘Hitori no Shita: The Outcast’ (2016–2018)

This action series involves martial artists and necromancy users, with episodes that feature corpse manipulation and zombie attacks. Secret schools and clans maintain registries of techniques used to control the undead. Investigations document crime scenes tied to body snatching and illegal experiments. The show builds a taxonomy of abilities and counters used during street fights and ambushes.

‘Junji Ito Collection’ (2018)

This horror anthology adapts multiple stories, some of which involve the dead returning in unsettling, zombie-adjacent ways. Each segment establishes rules for the phenomenon and the limits of escape. Settings range from rural towns to cramped apartments, with emphasis on atmosphere and cause. The format focuses on the immediate consequences of contact, evacuation choices, and personal fallout.

‘Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre’ (2023)

Another anthology that adapts different stories, including episodes where crowds of the dead overwhelm towns. Entries detail how the threat starts, spreads, and traps residents. Characters map escape routes, hide in makeshift shelters, and ration supplies during short, intense scenarios. The series presents compact case studies of outbreak behavior and human responses under extreme stress.

Share your favorite zombie anime moments in the comments and let everyone know which series you’d add to the list.