Are you tired of watching the regular spiceless animes? Do you want to binge-watch an anime that won’t bore you to tears? Well, then this list is definitely for you. Mostly, animes are manifested keeping the children in mind. The makers conveniently forget the part where we adults are also anime fans, more than the kids actually are. This is why they create a boring series where we are treated with some villains and a superhero and are expected to be happy with it.
We cannot make do with these kinds of animes any longer. Now, we need something spicier, something relatable, and something mature. We don’t want to omit the deadly apocalypses; we don’t want to skip to the part where the hero has ultimately won. We want the nitty-gritty, and we want them to feel real. And we want animes that can focus on our age and depict the struggles of an adult instead of being centred around kids. To cater to these demands, here is a list of the top 20 adult animes!
20. Neon Genesis Evangelion
What do you think when you hear about angels? Golden halo, shimmering white dress, a kind nature, and a bright smile, right? In this anime series, an angel is a kind of creature who is out to destroy the world. They are undefeatable, possess life-altering powers, and are out to annihilate the entire human race. Now, what kind of anime would it be if it didn’t have a superhero in it? Shinji Ikari, our fierce yet overwhelmed hero, is the son of a deadly military man, Gendo Ikari.
The father-son duo possess an unyielding dedication to protecting their nation. But Shinji would rather stay away from the battles, and yet he is forced to pilot the Evangelion. This supermachine works by synchronising itself with its pilot’s nervous system. And then begins the ultimate war, where Shinji has to fight not only the atrocious Angel race but also his emotions. The latter might prove more difficult than the former.
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19. Parasyte
When a parasite attacks you, it will surely harm you in some way or another. But these parasites devour you whole, capture your brain, and start ruling you. One night, the Earth is assaulted by millions of tiny aliens who are out to take over us humans and rule the planet. All these parasites successfully take over their host’s brain and start ruling it with no mercy. They start controlling their hosts and causing mass destruction.
But here comes a twist in this tragic story! Shinichi Izumi, a high school student, is attacked by a parasite named Migi, who instead of crawling into Shinichi’s brain ends up infecting his hand. This anime series raises intense questions about humanity and human selfishness. Both Shinichi and Migi fight a deadly battle, and in the end, they have to decide whether they could live with another species altogether or not. What would be their choice?
18. Berserk
There is a tragedy awaiting your presence! If you are looking for an anime that will keep you on your toes and has every element from angst to friendship, you need to watch Berserk. Just like its name assures, it will definitely drive you berserk and crazy. It has an incredible friendship story, violent fights, and raw emotions that will surely touch your heart.
Guts is an incredible fighter, knows how to balance his swordsman skills, and can become a knight easily. He joins The Band of the Hawk to improvise himself; what he doesn’t expect is an immeasurably close friendship. Griffith, the leader of the band, is as deadly as he is charismatic. Both of these fighters embark on a journey to get into the royal court. You will be treated to an ending that will put Gutt and Griffith’s friendship at major risk.
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17. Attack On Titan
Get ready to deal with heavy emotions, deadly fights, and a stellar storyline. Titans, the destructive humanoids, are out to destroy the human race. In their quest to conquer the world, they start eating whoever they can. Eren Jeager is a normal person who has to deal with his mother’s death at a very tender age. When he discovers that his mother is engulfed by the monstrous Titans, he vows to avenge her and destroy the Titans. But his revenge might not be as easy as he makes it seem; in fact, it could destroy him more than his mother’s death did.
Eren enrols himself in an elite group of warriors in order to fulfil his vengeance. He starts working on his fighting skills and naively believes he could take the Titans down with those skills. When he is also engulfed by a Titan, Eren discovers that he can control the Titans himself. Here begins Eren’s devastating revenge story, and it is anything if not heartbreaking.
16. Spy X Family
You cannot be an anime fan if you haven’t heard of this series. Spy X Family is a wonderfully crafted anime series that deals with a unique couple. Loid is a government agent and a spy who needs a family ASAP. Yor is an assassin who keeps hiding her true identity from the world until her colleagues start to question her. When Loid and Yor crash together, there aren’t sparks, but explosives that fly in the air.
If you are looking for an unconventional family trying to weave their way through the murky waters of a relationship. And we also have our telepathic mind-reader kid, Anya, who is the thread that binds the two together. Loid is cynical to his bones, while Yor wouldn’t recognise love even if it lingered thickly in the air. This anime deals with various mature issues and gives you a detailed outlook on this super weird family, all the while keeping it light and interesting.
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15. Baccano!
There aren’t many animes about the dark underworld of mafiosos, thugs, and cold-blooded murderers. If you feel comfortable mixing these alchemists with anime, you should definitely give this anime series a try. It is a bit too violent, contains mysterious murders, and is sure to give you a thrill ride if you are into criminals.
Generally, no two mafia gangs can coexist. They are at each other’s throats constantly and strive to be better than anyone. But now that there is an elixir that guarantees immortality, all of these gangs are more firmly opposed to each other than ever. There is a bloodbath; there are situations that will make you frustrated, but the thrill will keep you going. There is nothing like witnessing mafia fights, that’s for sure.
14. Death Note
We often get bored in our lives, even if we are not surrounded by corrupt people all the time. Imagine how bored Yagami would be when he is surrounded by criminals every day. Light Yagami is a young student who has an unrelenting desire to capture the devils and bring his town justice. Only his desire could prove to be more harmful than fruitful.
One day, while on a stroll, Yagami discovers a pitch-black book entitled Death Note. This magical notebook contains the name of the person who will die next. Though Yagami is initially sceptical, he soon discovers that the book is completely authentic, and all of the people listed in it die. Yagami uses this book to become the new god, and he begins annihilating all criminals in his town. What starts as a helping endeavour turns out to be something sinister.
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13. Claymore
Prepare yourself to be slayed by these half-demons. Silver-eyed, absolutely needed, yet dreaded. Claymores are half-witches and half-humans who belong to a unique creature race that helps humans fight deadly demons, yet they are not wholly accepted. They are treated with harsh glares and snide remarks whenever they are not needed. And when the villagers need them, these halfwits turn out to be whole gods for them.
Centred around a young Claymore, Claire, this series deals with the dark sides of the human race, our selfish nature, and a bit of violent tragedy. When Claire is called to help the villagers survive the demonic attack, she immediately drops in to offer help. Little does she know what she is signing herself up for.
12. Elfen Lied
When you are subjected to tremendous torture, your evil eventually overpowers your angel. You have only harshness left in you, and that’s something that becomes a possible threat. Lucy is one such Diclonius, tortured to her bones, who has seen the dark side of humanity and is now out to destroy. Diclonius is a race that is almost human with the exception that they have horns on their heads and are essentially invincible.
When scientists and researchers find out about the Diclonius creatures, they start to eliminate them or confine them in research labs. Under the disguise of experimenting, these scientists start torturing Diclonius and pass every limit of cruelty. Lucy somehow manages to escape this hell, but on her way out, she is badly injured and has a bullet in her head. Discovered by two young boys, Lucy battles a dual-personality disorder and her nefarious urges. Would she win this battle, or would her hatred towards humans overpower the kindness these boys treat her with?
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11. Black Lagoon
Don’t we all want to get a promotion and move up the corporate ladder? This is a story about Rokourou Okajima, a corporate worker who aspires to land a promotion and become an integral part of his organization. When he returns from a failed deal and is kidnapped by a deadly crime syndicate, Rokourou gets a reality punch that knocks his breath out; the company he was trying to be a part of denies giving the ransom amount.
So, instead of offering the ransom amount himself, Rokourou decides to be a part of the Lagoon Company. He joins this pirate syndicate and becomes as ruthless as them—or tries to be. Will Rokourou ever forego his humanity and truly become a corrupt criminal? Or will this anime take a roundabout turn and Rokourou bring this organisation down? Watch to find out!
10. Soul Eater
Yes, these creatures feast on human souls. In Death City, everything is twisted, and the humans live alongside Death Scythes. These creatures have the ability to consume human souls whenever they desire. Of course, the humans in Death City don’t fear them. And why would they? These creatures only consume evil souls.
Evans aspires to become a Death Scythe, but only if it were that easy. For a Soul Eater to become a Death Scythe, he has to consume 99 evil souls and the soul of a dark witch. Evan embarks on a journey to find out about these dark souls and eliminate crime and corruption from Death City. Watch out for this quirky journey in Soul Eater anime.
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9. Psycho-Pass
We live in a generation where robots are no longer a unique concept and machines are no longer limited to just computers and laptops. We have heard of every kind of intelligent machine. But a system that can detect the criminal intentions of a human? Now, we have something intriguing. Sibyl, a super-intelligent computer system, has the unique ability to analyse and report the criminal thoughts a human possesses.
It is all because of Sibyl’s authorised algorithms and remarkable results that its judgments are never questioned, no matter how much the accused deny it. When Akane Tsunemori joins the security department and starts questioning Sibyl’s judgments, havoc is raised, and Akane has to deal with the hurricane now. Of course, her journey wouldn’t be a piece of cake.
8. Shigurui: Death Frenzy
Let a deadly war begin and two enemies skin each other out. In Shiguirui anime, we are taken a few hundred years back when swordsmen had to prove themselves time and time again. Iwamoto is an undefeatable swordsman who runs a highly popular training school. Fujiki Gennosuke and Irako Seigen are the disciples of Iwamoto who stand against each other.
We’ve seen other anime centred on two fighters opposing each other, but none of them had the gripping storyline that this one does. While Fujiki has only one arm, Irako is totally blind, and yet, both of them are amazing fighters. What begins as a conquest to take over Iwamoto’s school and legacy soon turns out to be something personal. Though they stand against each other, fate soon turns on them, and they are trapped by their intertwined fates.
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7. FLCL
In the universe of Fooly Cooly, nothing is as it seems. This three-season anime series revolves around an alien investigator, Haruku Harahura. She has amazing restraint, can drive anyone crazy with her insolence, and will slay your heart with her honest innocence. Haruku loves helping people, especially kids, and crosses many lines in doing so.
If you’re looking for an apocalyptic anime where you have an alien protecting a foreign planet with her quirky intelligence, FLCL is made especially for you. Though it can be a bit ridiculous at times, and Haruku will certainly come off as naively stupid, this anime will definitely make you laugh and treat you to a good time. There are multiple enemies waiting to be slaughtered in this anime series as well.
6. Dragon Ball
Seven superballs, a monstrous dragon, and a duo are out to destroy this deadly creature. Goku has to endure rigorous training if he wants to stand a chance against this demonic dragon. On his journey to take down this dragon, he joins forces with a young teenager named Bulma.
Goku and Bulma run across various people who join them on their conquest. These mystical balls have the ability to conquer the dragon since they can grant any wish to their owner. When this super team starts to waste their wishes, their adventure turns out to be more thrilling.
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5. From The New World
This anime will let you dive deep into a magical world of superpower-possessing humans. Every human has some hidden power inside him and is expected to polish those powers. Saki is a young teenager who joins her friends at an academy where these superhumans develop their abilities. This ancient academy teaches all its disciples the rules and regulations for using those unnatural powers.
When Saki and her friends discover a historical book, they come across the secrets of the academy and start to question its purpose. They are not wrong, of course, but would the academy officials understand it? Saki and her team start to dig up the truth behind their powers and their graves as well.
4. Sekirei
How would you feel if you were suddenly someone’s slave or someone’s master? Sekirei follows the story of Sahashi Minato and Musubi. When Sashashi runs into Musubi and discovers that she is his Sekirei, everything falls into place for him. He starts to deny her and walks away, but the persistent Musubi follows him and here begins their extraordinary relationship.
This anime series is a bit absurd, a lot hilarious, and definitely worth watching. Minato has to incorporate Musubi into his already messed up life, which becomes even messier when he is kicked out of his house by the landlord for keeping Musubi. Though they somehow rent another place, they still have multiple other issues that need to be addressed. These issues multiply tenfold when Minato discovers more Sekireis and when Musubi’s feelings get complicated.
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3. Kaguya-Sama
Welcome to the tragic universe of Kaguya-Sama, where love is war and you can only win with dominance. Of course, love is difficult, but at Shuchiin Academy, it is a mind-numbing core. This academy is only for elite students, the ultra-rich kind who will make the future of their country. These rich kids are arrogant to their bones; their pride weighs more than their feelings.
This is a story about two not-so-secret lovers, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane. Their love is evident to everyone, and while both of them are aware of each other’s feelings, they are too proud to admit it. Now, struck at an impasse, both decide to make the other confess and make it a win-win situation. Now, only if it would be that easy. This hilarious anime definitely deserves a place on your watchlist.
2. Ghost In The Shell
Set in the 2030s, this is a police-criminal kind of story. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a bold and fierce police officer, serves her nation with all honesty and diligence. She tackles ruthless criminals on a daily basis, fears no one, and has a brain sharper than the computer.
When Motoko is assigned a new mission, she is confident that she will accomplish it. No one doubts her ability to take down the infamous puppet master. But as the investigation progresses further and Motoko discovers her target is an artificial intelligence-based machine that has started to use its acquired consciousness to take over humans, all bets are off. Will our supercop win over a supersmart machine?
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1. Blue Gender
Where humans are gone and aliens have possessed the Earth, can a love story bloom? Blue Gender is an anime series that highlights a forbidden love story, an apocalyptic Earth, and aliens that will make you glad they are still foreign entities. The blue-alien species have attacked the Earth with their harsh intentions and dangerous ammunition. The humans decide to migrate towards somewhere safe and start a fresh life there. But of course, there isn’t a safe place left; the aliens have conquered the entire Earth.
To avoid these aliens, the military forces decide to relocate the commoners to Second Earth, a massive space station that will protect them. Yuji, a B-cell carrier, falls in love with Marlene, a soldier who is fighting against the B-aliens. Can their love bloom in such a wild environment? Will these two ever overcome endless obstacles? Or would their love get suppressed under the gigantic burden?
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, all of these animes are available online.
Almost all of these animes are available on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Prime Video.
Most of these animes are adapted from manga series.
Some anime are more violent than others, but not beyond tolerable.
Almost all of these anime series have quirky trailers.
Not all, but the majority of these anime are made in Japan.
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