Berserk
Anime Like Attack on Titan
Much like the series’ titular monsters, Attack on Titan is a force to be reckoned with in anime. A runaway hit back when it first premiered in 2013, the show offered viewers a fresh take on a post-apocalyptic world where humans aren’t at the top of the food chain, yet still struggle for their lives and freedom. It has since gained praise for the shift in tone in its second season and has fans excited to see how it will change come the third season this summer. With the wait, however, comes a need to fill the void left by its absence, and we’ve got you covered with five anime to watch if you’re looking for something similar.
Berserk is one of the most famous dark fantasy series in anime, and for good reason. Set in a medieval world of warring kingdoms and hidden magics, the story centers around the black swordsman Guts as he searches for revenge against his former comrade Griffith. Along the way, he meets a variety of characters with their own drives and flaws, each putting a twist on traditional character tropes and altering Guts’ view of the world. It may be a bit disorientating jumping from one hour to the next – the first series premiered in 1997 with 2D animation, while the most recent continuation was in 2017 with 3D animation – but the story and character interactions will make the whiplash more than worth it.
Hunter X Hunter
Anime Like Attack on Titan
Don’t let the bright color palette and cheery nature of this show fool you. Behind its facade of traditional Shonen stylings is a dark and devilish world on par with the best mature Seinin shows. Delving into humanity’s cruel tendencies, the need to survive, and even nuclear war, viewers will be taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions alongside Gon, Killua and the rest of the series’ protagonists. That isn’t to say it can’t be fun as well though, with each character boasting individualized powers and attacks which make for some amazing fights. If you have the time for a 148 episode series, don’t miss out on this fantastic show.
Hellsing Ultimate
Anime Like Attack on Titan
There are anime about the occult, and then there’s Hellsing Ultimate. Set in an alternate history London where a faction of the government is devoted to hunting down and eliminating vampires, the world finds itself on the brink of destruction when vampiric Nazi rise up to kill, maim and slaughter everyone they can. The only one who can stop them is Alucard, the dual pistol wielding lord of darkness, and his team of supernatural allies.
While it may not have as much subtlety as Attack on Titan, it does match up to it beautifully with buckets of blood and some legitimately creepy monster designs. It also boasts some great city-spanning battles with characters zipping and screaming through buildings, making for a great stand-in for vertical-maneuvering gear fights.
God Eater
Anime Like Attack on Titan
Where Attack on Titan offers gargantuan humanoid creatures to plague humanity, this series pits them against rapidly mutated creatures known as Aragami. Luckily, humanity has created special weapons crafted with the monsters cells and has equipped special individuals with these weapons to bring the fight to their enemies. Stunning to look at and filled to bursting with fun fight scenes, this series was one of the few shows to follow AoT while still delivering good quality in terms of the premise and presentation. Plus, at only 13 episodes, it’s an experience that can be taken in over the course of a weekend.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Anime Like Attack on Titan
Set in a world where a virus strikes humanity at the advent of the industrial revolution, viewers follow Ikoma and other survivors as they seek a new home after theirs is overrun by the zombie-like victims of the virus. Along the way though, Ikoma discovers he is immune to the virus, making him one of a select group of warriors able to fight back against the undead hoard known as Kabaneri. With his new found powers, he aims to save his fellow survivors and find a path to a more peaceful life for everyone he can, tearing through undead monstrosities along the way.
Though the second act isn’t flawless, there is a lot to enjoy with this series from its characters to its world. Also, if you’re a fan of fun large-scale battles, this show brings it in spades with a zombie-slaughtering aesthetic.
Know of any other shows perfect for Attack on Titan fans? Mention them in the comments below, and check out some of Twinfinite’s other great anime content.
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