We discuss 10 anime shows like the highly popular Chainsaw Man you must watch. Check out these anime recommendations.
Arguably the most anticipated anime of this season, Chainsaw Man is certainly living up to the hype. It’s become an instant hit, with fans tuning in every week to catch a glimpse of their favorite devil-hunting squad in action. It’s another successful series for Studio Mappa, who has already made a name for themselves with series like Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen.
As the title implies, Chainsaw Man is about a young man named Denji who can channel the powers of a Chainsaw Devil when needed. Although the premise may sound a bit far-fetched, strong fight scenes and thought-provoking themes of control, ignorance and family make it a well-rounded show any anime fan can enjoy. If that sounds up your alley, here are 10 more anime shows like Chainsaw Man that you should consider.
10 anime shows like Chainsaw Man you must watch
Jujutsu Kaisen (2020)
There’s a common trope in anime where the main character often becomes like the very enemy humans are fighting against. They can find themselves becoming anything from a half-ghoul to a devil, or in Yuji Itadori’s case, the vessel for an ancient cursed spirit with immense power.
Instead of being irradiated immediately, he’s given the chance to enroll at the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School and become a Jujustu sorcerer, eliminating curses and protecting people. Yuji’s path to becoming a curse is reminiscent of Denji becoming part devil. Their personalities and motivations can sometimes overlap, especially when it comes to women. This is a good series to check out if you like Chainsaw Man because it can switch between lighthearted comedic moments and intense battle sequences.
Psycho-Pass (2012)
In the near future, Japan will enact the Sibyl System, and with so much as a scan on the street, they can now determine every citizen’s “crime coefficient” or their mental state and capacity to commit crimes. Whether or not a person has done something wrong matters little. If the system thinks they will, those people are now labeled latent criminals. To uphold the law, Inspectors and their Enforcers (former Inspectors flagged as latent criminals) use guns called Dominators to subdue or even eliminate criminals for the slightest transgressions.
It’s an unfair system, but that’s what makes this show so thought-provoking. Like in Chainsaw Man, the labels assigned to these characters define their lives, with little to no hope of changing anyone’s opinion. The intense action scenes also make this a hard one to turn away from.
Attack on Titan (2013)
Attack on Titan is one of the most popular anime out right now, and it’s not hard to see why. Set in a society where most of humanity has been massacred by giant, man-eating, humanoid monsters called Titans, this anime follows Eren Jaeger and his friends living inside massive walls meant to protect them. He hates the idea of being forced to live in fear and vows to one day eradicate the titans himself, but before that time comes, a new colossal-sized Titan breaks down the outermost wall, unleashing death and chaos onto the city. The story is mysterious and heartbreaking at times but compelling enough to keep viewers binging to discover more.
There are so many shocking twists it can be hard to pick a favorite. Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man also share the same studio, MAPPA, so fans can expect quality animation and fights.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
Akira Fudou, a particularly sensitive soul, has recently made a contract with a powerful devil to save his best friend. Most people would be completely taken over, but Akira’s one of the few strong enough the make the powers his own, becoming a Devilman. Now he has the ability to protect his loved ones, but does he have the power to remain true to himself as well? Despite having such a sensitive main character, this series does not hold back on the gore, raunchiness, or mature themes.
The dark tones and edgy subject matter add a sense of real stakes and struggle. Akira and Denji are both just teens who are randomly granted immense demonic power, but they both choose to use them very differently, almost like two sides of the same coin.
Parasyte (2014)
In a world where alien parasites are infiltrating the human race by taking over human brains, quiet high-school student Shinichi Izumi may have the worst luck ever. After trying, and failing to take over his brain, a parasite named Migi, takes up residence in Shinichi’s hand, forcing them to live together in a weird symbiotic relationship. Their unique situation makes them a target for other parasites, leaving the pair fighting for their lives, more often than not.
If, as a viewer, you thought you felt bad for Denji, you might feel even worse for Shinichi. It’s interesting to see a character navigate powers they never wanted but are forced to master.
Demon Slayer (2019)
With the exception of his sister, Nezuko, Tanjirou Kamado’s entire family is slaughtered by a demon while he is out to make money. He vows to take care of her and avenge his family, but there’s one problem – whoever led the attack also turned his sister into a demon.
This anime sort of takes the “main character becomes a monster” trope and flips it around, using the protagonist’s sister instead. It’s a unique twist that still offers the same worthwhile payout. Also, the animation in this series is stunning. So if the animation style is your favorite part of Chainsaw Man, be prepared to be blown away by some beautiful action scenes.
Inuyasha (2000)
Not only is this series a classic, but it’s also a great introduction to demon lore in anime. This anime follows a teenage girl named Kagome, who is suddenly thrust back in time to Japan’s feudal era. Here, demons are commonplace, and she is attacked almost immediately. One half-demon in particular, Inuyasha, seems to have immense hate for her on sight, but they must soon set their differences aside and work together.
This series not only hits on the half-monster trope but also explores some of the romantic aspects of this genre. Inuyasha is one of those animes that isn’t held back by the restraints of one genre, embracing actions, drama, fantasy, romance, comedy, and more without ever feeling like it’s doing too much.
Sankarea (2012)
If you’re most interested in seeing if any of Denji’s romantic pursuits work out, this show will give you a good mix of romance without skimping on the horror. Sankarea follows Chihiro Furuya in his pursuit of finding himself an undead girlfriend. While his prayers are finally answered, having a zombie girlfriend isn’t anything like he thought. Like Denji, he quickly learns that there are always strings attached when coming back from the dead. Still, seeing humans and monsters try to form romantic relationships can be pretty interesting, especially when their lives are always on the line.
Tokyo Ghoul (2014)
If you’re a fan of the “main character becomes the exact species of monster they’re going to exterminate later” trope, Tokyo Ghoul is an excellent example of that. Much like Denji, the main protagonist of Tokyo Ghoul finds themselves in an interesting predicament when he wakes up from surgery as a hybrid ghoul. The main plots of both stories are pretty similar, with shady government policies playing a prominent role in how society perceives these half-human monsters. Considering Denji and Kaneki both end up as government pawns, it’s interesting to see how differently they both react to their new situations.
Danganronpa (2013)
Chainsaw Man has not been holding back for squeamish viewers, and why would they? For some people, it’s not always about the story but about the death, action, and gore. Well, if that’s the case, this videogame turned anime franchise is perfect. It follows a series of sixteen gifted students who are trapped and forced into playing a series of killing games by an evil bear. The only way to escape is to kill another student and not be found guilty during the trials after. At times the series can be almost campy compared to its dark premise, but that only adds to the fun and ridiculousness of it. Yet, like Chainsaw Man, nothing is quite what it seems, and it’s the viewers’ job to figure out just who they can trust.
