What do you do if your mother is noshed on by some Titan with creepy smiling dentures pasted on its piehole? You weep? You swear helplessly? Yes you do. But such an incident is most likely to morph you into a man, just like Eren. So, now that Eren is disposed to seek revenge and is busy exploring ambiguities of life and relationships, we present to you 8 good Anime series like Attack on Titan.
Did You Know?
Attack on Titan was originally called Shingeki no Kyojin.
Let us delve into this volatile world of humans and humanoids. The basic premise of the story evolves from an exceptionally ordinary but intriguing plot of frail shreds of humanity living under three-fold fortified walls as the remaining last-serving specimen of humanity for future generations (it’s a message akin to saving last exhibits of Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, wait but Dinos aren’t good creatures). The human remnants are thriving peacefully under the sophisticated concentric walls, which act as a bastion against the giant monstrous Titans. But like all the highly sophisticated security systems, their fortifying walls are compromised by a certain colossally crass Titan, as if trying to awaken humanity from the many years of complacent and thrill-less life.
The story, in the real sense, kick-starts when the aforementioned bad guy Titan hoovers up a human who happens to be our hero’s (Eren) mama, and the hero then decides to wreak vengeance on the whole Titan community. What also follows in the middle of this human-humanoid head-to-head are palpable hints of drama, romance, and humor (with those in-the-buff little Titans running around like drunken babies―you know it can’t get more funny in an otherwise grim plot).
With interesting characters and combat sequences like Attack on Titans, the following anime options will give you ample for your tedious discourses with fellow Anime lovers.
1. Gantz
Directed by: Ichiro Itano
Run Time: April 12, 2004 – November 18, 2004
This anime is an unrestrained gore banquet that features nudity and horror as sweet afters. Gantz is pretty edgy, well not just because of its characters’ unbridled birthday suit appearances, but also for its unduly and blow-by-blow violence, which is clearly not meant for those who have been nursing fears about losing their body parts. The story revolves around hormones-gone-wild-pervert, Kurono Kei who chances on his childhood friend, Masaru Kato (a comfort aunt for bullied victims) at the subway, where both of them lose their life in an attempt to save a drunken drifter from an incoming train. They both are then transported into a different sphere of existence, which is luxuriate with fancy Gantz suits (apt for cosplay) and other highly cool weapons. These two boys are told that their lives now belong to the Gantz, and they will be assigned with alien assailing missions. What follows these missions is explicit, graphic violence that is doled out like Halloween candies.
2. Claymore
Directed by: Hiroyuki Tanaka
Run Time: April 3, 2007 – September 25, 2007
Claymore, just like Attack on Titan, is harangued by humanoids called Yoma. The story follows sword-wielding, half-human, half-Yoma women warriors who have pledged their lives to purge the human world from the evil creatures, Yoma. One such Claymore is Clare, an impassive Yo-woman (this sounds more cool), who goes around slaying Yomas in her burlesque-meets-science-fiction custom-made costume. She meets an orphaned boy for whom she initially has motherly feelings, but after seeing him grow as a young, good-looking guy, she develops romantic feelings for him (after all, she’s part human, folks); all these developments amidst high-octane action sequences. Overall, Claymore has fleshed-out characters, maintains the dark theme throughout, and has an interesting plot that keeps your interest piqued.
3. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Directed by: Hideaki Anno
Run Time: October 4, 1995 – March 27, 1996
Neon Genesis Evangelion will make all 14-year olds feel special and also give them a good reason to slip into woolgathering, for only they are highly qualified to pilot gigantic mechas that can destroy nasty Angels (quite ironic). The world was still recovering from the catastrophic Second Impact, but science and life are unmerciful, and the Earth is again under attack from bad aliens called Angels. But this time, NERV, a special military force, is determined to free the world from the bad guys by seeking help from 14-year-old teenagers to operate the giant mechas known as Evas. Neon Genesis Evangelion can make you a deeply religious person or at least make you treat religion with some respect, as it hands out a good dose of theology and philosophy. Characters are at the forefront of this anime show and are very relatable with typical teenage frailties of self-deprecation, overconfidence, repression of traumatic feelings, etc. You’ll like it.
4. Chrome Shelled Regios
Directed by: Itsuro Kawasaki
Run Time: January 11, 2009 – June 20, 2009
There’s no reprieve for humanity. Remnants of mankind are cooped up in isolated, domed mobile cities called Regios because the world known to humans is now full of miasma and infested with Filth Monsters. Hence, the relocation. Layfon Alseif, the protagonist of the show, is like this warrior with a blot on his escutcheon, who enters Zuellni to start afresh. But, just like it is mandatory for every superhero to unwittingly demonstrate his super abilities, Layfon, in keeping with the same tradition, exposes his skills and attracts the attention of the leader of 17th Platoon, Nina Antalk who forces him to join her squad. Layfon instantly realizes that he has got himself deeply mired.
5. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Directed by: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Run Time: April 1, 2007 – September 30, 2007
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (it’s tough on the tongue) or Gurren Lagann (thank god!) is about this quirky young man Kamina and timid Simon, who dare to venture out of the ground limits imposed by the village elder as the subterranean life doesn’t excite them anymore. Simon, also a digger by profession, alights on a mystical device, shortly after which the village is assaulted by giant Gunmen. But with the village attracting troubles like flies to rotten mangoes, the responsibility to save the underground community now falls on Simon, Kamina, and Yoko. Gurren Lagann, in a nutshell, is brotherhood, optimism, galaxy-sized robots, evil beastmen, and physics defying action rolled into one.
6. D.Gray-man
Directed by: Osamu Nabeshima
Run Time: October 3, 2006 – September 30, 2008
D.Gray-man is a story about a teenager called Allen Walker with body parts functioning beyond what they are essentially given to mankind for―like his left arm that can transmute itself into a killer claw or his left eye that can detect sneaky Akumas (demons), that’s some crazy stuff. At his mentor’s command, Allen becomes an Exorcist of the Black Order to foist Millennium Earl’s sinister plan to end humanity. In his quest to overcome the evil Akumas, Allen is required to find the pieces of MacGuffins, also known as Innocence. D.Gray-man has all likable elements: interesting character development, riveting plot, with accents of humor to offset the dark tone of the anime.
7. Hellsing Ultimate
Directed by: Naoto Hosoda
Run Time: October 10, 2001 – January 16, 2002
As if humanoids and bad angels weren’t enough for the enfeebled mankind to handle, that the makers of this anime borrowed age-old yet potent, formulaic blood-sucking vampires to scare the hell out of people. So, we have this British organization called the Hellsing organization that is dedicated to protecting the blissfully ignorant hoi polloi from the undead villains. The Hellsing organization has an ace up its sleeve in the form of a vampire. Don’t worry, he’s a good vampire who doesn’t feel any affection for his community. This good-natured vampire is called Alucard, whose exterminating services are employed by the organization when the human infantry feels incapacitated by the vampire attack, which happens pretty often. But, humans are cynic beings; Alucard isn’t really accepted with open arms by the Vatican, and we find this highly unwarranted.
8. Mirai Nikki
Directed by: Umanosuke Iida
Run Time: October 10, 2011 – April 16, 2012
Mirai Nikki focuses on a reticent boy called Amano Yuki who enjoys observing people, and life and doesn’t shoot the breeze unlike people of his age. He may be friendless in the real world, but he has one that resides in the figment of his imagination, Deus―the God of Time and Space. Yuki unbosoms himself to Deus, and things are going pretty hunky-dory until Yuki realizes that Deus is not just an agony aunt in his head as he puts Yuki in a deadly tournament that plays with the participants’ future along with the accompaniment of gruesome murders, mysteries, and twists. However, Mirai Nikki’s treatment is frivolous, and umm, a bit salacious, at some places, but overall, it’s a fun-filled and exciting anime to watch.
If you want to experience adrenaline-engendered excitement, then the above selection of anime series like Attack on Titan is definitely your thing.
