Maidens, magic and MURDER! Join Ashley as we look over the fantasy anime that didn't hold back on the mature content
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00:00I need your help to swallow up this spell.
00:05You're a slave driver, you know that?
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the traditional fantasy anime that feature the darkest subject matter or tone.
00:17To be clear, we won't be including any fantasy anime set in the modern day.
00:22Just high fantasy set in another world, or past or future fantasy anime set in ours.
00:3020. Phantom Master – Dark Hero from the Ruined Empire
00:41This anime film, based on a South Korean manhwa, follows Munsu.
00:46The last of a group of wandering government agents in a fractured kingdom, Munsu continues with his task of delivering justice to corrupt and evil leaders.
01:01However, while his goals are noble, Munsu himself is more of an anti-hero, willing to use extreme methods in pursuit of his goals.
01:15With a hero nearly as bad as the villains he pursues, and plenty of blood resulting from the excellent action, Phantom Master is an excellent and oft-forgotten dark fantasy anime film.
01:3019. Legend of Lemnir
01:38Classic sword and sorcery stories tend to skew towards the darker side, and the anime medium is no exception.
01:47Taking some inspiration from the western adult animated movie, Heavy Metal, Legend of Lemnir follows the title character as she seeks revenge against the evil wizard, Gardine, who killed her people.
02:05Lemnir's quest certainly isn't bloodless, and her foes engage in some pretty despicable behaviour.
02:16There's also a fair bit of nudity, if you're into that.
02:26For those looking for a classic take on dark fantasy, Legend of Lemnir may be worth a look.
02:3318. Mashoku Tensei – Jobless Reincarnation
02:38Isekai fantasy shows often focus on wish fulfilment and overpowered characters, but Mashoku Tensei takes a different tact.
02:48While the newly reborn Rudeus Greyrat is indeed OP, not everything is easy for him or for his friends.
03:01Rudeus must often contend with his own inner flaws, and the series often delves into darker topics such as persecution.
03:10The show doesn't shy away from violence either, illustrating the lasting consequences of bloodshed.
03:16Although Mashoku Tensei has been polarising among some viewers, it remains one of the darker examples of the isekai genre.
03:24In terms of quality, it would be much higher on this list, but we're ranking more on how it fits the dark fantasy trope.
03:3217. Hell's Paradise
03:49Set in Edo period Japan, Hell's Paradise follows Gabimaru, a betrayed shinobi, and his fellow death row convicts
03:57who are sent to an outrageously dangerous mythical island in search of the elixir of life.
04:03Between the killers, the executioners sent to accompany them, and the island's supernatural dangers,
04:09horror lurks around every corner in this anime, and the bloodshed is the rule rather than the exception.
04:16Hell's Paradise is a tangled maze of conflicting motivations, violence, and intrigue in a fantastical setting as beautiful as it is savage.
04:26It's entertaining trying to unravel it all, though.
04:3616. Rage of Bahamut
04:39Based on the video game of the same name, this anime depicts the journey of a group of adventurers
04:45who seek to prevent the revival of the titular demon.
04:57The series tackles the contrasting ideologies of its heroes well, and features some sinister conspiracies as well as some intricate lore.
05:08It has epic battles and well-animated fight scenes that get every bit as violent as the eponymous demon.
05:15It does feature some lighter moments, but despite the pluckiness of some of its heroes, not everyone gets a happy ending.
05:3215. Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba
05:35Sure, Demon Slayer is a shounen series, so there's all the usual comic relief and optimistic characters.
05:45And yet, it's set in a nightmarish version of Taisho-era Japan, where immortal demons stalk the knights killing people with near impunity.
06:00It's up to Tanjiro and his fellow Demon Slayers to battle against overwhelming odds to defeat these terrifying foes, and to find a cure to his sister's demonic condition.
06:11Demon Slayer has certainly made a name for itself with its unprecedented success,
06:16but its dark tone and jaw-dropping action scenes should draw in anyone who somehow hasn't checked it out yet.
06:2914. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
06:32Also known as Grimgar, Ashes, and Illusions, this isekai fantasy sees a group of people awaken in a new world.
06:41Forced into becoming adventurers upon their arrival, the strongest are immediately recruited. This is not their story.
06:50Grimgar instead follows the weaker individuals who form a party, and their struggles just to survive in their new world.
06:58Despite the beautiful, watercolour-tinted backgrounds, Grimgar is as grim as its name implies.
07:05There are major character deaths, and the psychological impact of regular people forced to become mercenary monster-killers is examined in realistic and empathetic fashion.
07:15It may not have gotten the season 2 it deserved, but Grimgar of Fantasy and Ashes is one of the best.
07:2213. Bastard – Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy
07:25This isekai fantasy series is one of the best.
07:29It's a story about a group of people who are forced to become mercenary monster-killers.
07:35It's a story about a group of people who are forced to become mercenary monster-killers.
07:41It's a story about a group of people who are forced to become mercenary monster-killers.
07:47It's a story about a group of people who are forced to become mercenary monster-killers.
07:55Set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, Bastard sees humanity's last hopes ride on a most unexpected source.
08:04Dark Schneider, the former leader of the very army threatening them.
08:08After being sealed away, the immortal wizard is revived, and agrees to help, sort of.
08:14The problem is, he's almost totally amoral.
08:22But thanks to his overwhelming power and surprising charisma,
08:26Dark Schneider is able to slowly win back some of his former subordinates
08:31and fight back against the chaotic god threatening to destroy the world.
08:36After all, he can't rule it if it's destroyed.
08:39While Bastard is a little dated, since its manga began in the 80s,
08:44its atmosphere, entertainingly evil protagonist, and heavy metal inspirations
08:49make it a fantasy as wonderfully dark as its anti-hero's name.
08:58Taking on a vampire at night is a mission for morons and fools. Which are you?
09:02Based on a series of novels, the Vampire Hunter D films follow the titular character
09:08a half-vampire known as D.
09:11Set in a post-apocalyptic future, D wanders the world saving humans from the depredations of vampires.
09:18But bloodsuckers aren't the only ones killing in this unforgiving future,
09:22as humanity's darker side is also on full display.
09:26These films feature some fantastic animation, as well as an intriguing, well-realized future fantasy setting.
09:34Plus the action, violence, and melancholy that comes with the best of dark fantasy.
09:39Now, if only someone would animate the rest of the book series.
09:53The only thing worse than intelligent monsters with a hunger for human flesh?
09:57Intelligent monsters with a hunger for human flesh that can shapeshift.
10:01Who do you call when a youma has infiltrated your settlement?
10:09The all-female extermination squad with massive swords, zero emotion, and a permanently active kill switch.
10:16That's who.
10:20Of course, it isn't all murder and sunshine.
10:22Shown through the eyes of a claymore named Claire, not only does she have to contend with increasingly stronger monsters,
10:29but also the shady dealings of her own organization, as well as risk her own youma-infused blood getting out of control.
10:46You know things are messed up when a group of killers are the closest thing to good guys.
10:50After discovering just how twisted the Empire truly is, a young warrior named Tatsumi finds himself joining the elite ranks of the Night Raid.
10:59Battling against everything from corrupt nobles, all the way to the beautifully deadly Esdeth,
11:05this anime doesn't shy away from showing the horror that can come when the upper echelons abandon morality for greed.
11:20While the fight scenes are pretty awesome, we'd advise not growing too attached to any of the characters.
11:39From the moment we saw a group of young adventurers getting mauled and violated, we knew that we were about to enter a rather unforgiving world.
11:51Thankfully, wherever there are little green demons causing trouble, you can always count on the Goblin Slayer to arrive and do what he does best.
12:01Break them into tiny pieces with whatever he can get his hands on.
12:08While the show doesn't quite manage to maintain the level of darkness shown in its introduction,
12:13watching the goblin murdering machine and his merry band butcher their way through the worst kind of quests still makes for a great ride.
12:29Goes to show that getting transported to a fantastical world, and given the title of hero, isn't all it's cracked up to be.
12:37As one of four otherworldly souls tasked with saving the land from catastrophe,
12:43Naofumi's new life as the shield hero takes a bit of a tumble when he's framed and disgraced.
12:56Understandably embittered, Naofumi finds himself going from pariah to protector,
13:03as he somewhat reluctantly becomes the only one capable of saving the day, much to the dismay of his detractors.
13:23When the only thing you have going for you is the ability to keep coming back from the dead after each gruesome demise,
13:30you can understand why Subaru might have trouble adjusting to his new fantasy surroundings.
13:43Finding himself embroiled in the fate of the beautiful half-elf Emilia,
13:48all the once-neat can do to save his friends is die, die, and die again,
13:54all in the hope that each new reset will allow him to change the increasingly bleak future.
13:59There's only so many game overs one man can take.
14:14Why waste time as a wannabe do-gooder when you can conquer everything as a supreme skeleton ruler?
14:21After finding himself trapped inside his undead avatar,
14:25former gamer-turned-Emperor Einzel Gohn decides to set out on a campaign
14:31to take control of his new world by whatever means necessary.
14:35This often equates to plenty of deception and maybe the occasional massacre.
14:51Don't expect Bone Daddy to suddenly find the humanity in his heart.
14:56He's fully committed to that whole neutral evil alignment thing,
15:00which means a lot of good people are gonna die horribly.
15:11What happens when you take some of history's most famous warriors,
15:16What happens when you take some of history's most famous warriors,
15:19pluck them out of their own time,
15:21and set them up to battle it out in a world filled with elves and magic?
15:36You get Toyohisa Shimazu righteously slicing and dicing,
15:40Oda Nobunaga going war-crazy,
15:43Bunch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid popping gaps into orc asses,
15:48as well as an antagonist who could very well be...
15:51Well, let's not spoil it.
16:01The lunacy and body count in this one is pretty staggering,
16:05but it's also one that will somehow win you over with just how in-your-face it is.
16:14Number 4. Made in Abyss
16:17Don't let the beautiful animation and adorable lead characters throw you off.
16:22As soon as you step off into the mouth of the abyss, nobody is safe.
16:30Upon discovering her missing mother might be alive at the bottom of the otherworldly chasm,
16:36happy-go-lucky cave raider Riko and an amnesiac cyborg named Reg
16:41partner up in an attempt to reach the abyss' legendary lowest level.
16:52From there, things start to go very, very, very wrong.
16:57It's a stunning nightmare to behold,
16:59one that will have you wincing on behalf of the young duo as they continue their painful descent.
17:12Number 3. Redo of Healer
17:14We're not praising this show or anything, we're just saying it's extremely dark.
17:23The healing hero Kiaru is subjected to frequent and vile abuse from his fellow party members,
17:30so after getting the chance to go back in time,
17:33he decides to take revenge on everyone who terrorized him in his former life.
17:38He does so by brainwashing, enslaving, and worse to some of them, while mercifully killing the others.
17:45With its irredeemably evil protagonist and frequent depiction of, well, you know what?
17:51Redo of Healer is a revenge anime that goes to some truly dark depths.
18:03Number 2. Attack on Titan
18:05Nothing scarier than discovering you're no longer at the top of the food chain,
18:09especially when the replacements are none other than cannibalistic giants.
18:24With humanity on its last legs thanks to the rise of the fearsome colossal beings known as Titans,
18:30it falls to a new generation of survivors in order to turn the tide of the conflict,
18:35only for things to be made infinitely harder when they realize their enemies lie both beyond and within the walls.
18:53Showcasing the best and worst of mankind in the harshest of fantasy settings,
18:58there's a reason this series still dominates.
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19:23Number 1. Berserk
19:26Unrelenting in its tragedy and unapologetic in its depiction of violence,
19:31the tale of the feral swordsman Guts and his relationship with the charismatic mercenary leader Griffith is as dark as dark fantasies dare to go.
19:40As this man's ambition crumbles, it is your destiny to face your death.
19:46You cannot escape your fate!
19:52From their scuffles in the 100-Year War all the way to the infamous game-changer that is the Eclipse,
19:58this show perfectly balances the brutality of warfare with the savagery that lurks in the hearts of men,
20:05especially when prompted by the not-so-benevolent gods that scheme away in the shadows.
20:18Years on and the Black Swordsman remains undefeated.
20:25Is there a grim fantasy anime we somehow forgot? Cast your dark comments down below!
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