Best Anime Like Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan’s reign as an anime phenomenon is complete. The manga finished in 2021, and the anime adaptation aired its final episode in November 2023. The journey is done, and it was an incredible ride that sparked discourse every step of the way. Regardless of whether someone loves or dislikes the series, AoT‘s impact cannot be denied.

For the first time since 2013, the future does not hold any new Attack on Titan anime content; luckily, there are plenty of other anime out there with similar premises or vibes. If one had to place this anime into a set of categories, they would include horror, action, and Kaiju. Unexpected death is also kind of a theme. What anime fit these perimeters and are any of them as good as or even better than Attack on Titan?

Updated November 17, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Attack on Titan ended roughly a year ago. Considering the anime lasted for approximately a decade, it is hard to believe that it has already been over for that long. Soon, AoT will be referred to as a classic that aired during anime’s glory days, conjuring up think pieces discussing whether the show has aged gracefully. Fall 2024 has no AoT, but it has two series that could hit the mark.

21 Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Fall 2024)

Fighting Back Against An Oppressive And Overwhelming Force

Part of the Fall 2024 anime season, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is a wildly different beast than Attack on Titan. Madhouse’s series is a historical drama set during the 1400s in Poland, a society that lives entirely under the thumb of the church. People are expected to never doubt god’s word, which means believing in an interpretation of the universe that puts Earth at the center.

Challenging this doctrine is not recommended, and anyone who does quickly finds themselves trapped in a cell and staring at torture devices. If they recant, they get a second lease on life. If they do not, death awaits them, along with eternal damnation. Certain people just cannot accept the church’s vision of the universe. They pursue the truth, willingly putting everything on the line due to an unquenchable thirst to understand.

OK, none of that sounds at all like AoT, but Orb: On the Movements of the Earth has a surprisingly similar feel. While the protagonists are not going up against Titans, they are fighting against an entity that is just as powerful and dangerous. Also, AoT‘s later arcs eventually dive into politics and cover-ups, which is not too far removed from Orb‘s premise.

20 Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Season 3 Is Part Of Fall 2024)

An isekai series might not seem like a natural pick for an anime like AoT, but Re:Zero is something of an exception. In fact, the two shows have quite a few things in common, even if the latter lacks an equivalent to Titans. For one, both stories feature protagonists who are considerably weaker than their enemies, at least at first.

Subaru not only finds himself in a fantasy world where magic and monsters exist but also in the crosshairs of powerful reality-altering witches who treat humans as playthings. Except for a time-loop ability triggered by death, Subaru has no abilities and must rely on his wits and allies to survive ordeals that are just as terrifying as Titans. Similar to AoT, Re:Zero is a fantasy anime that incorporates elements of psychological horror and is more than willing to put its heroes through absolute hell.

19 Kaiju No. 8

Protecting Humanity Against Skyscraper-size Monsters

Kaiju No. 8 shares a lot of things in common with Attack on Titan. Both series feature protagonists who, as kids, experienced tragedies at the hands of massive monsters, motivating them to try and annihilate them as adults. Furthermore, both main characters earn the ability to transform into variants of these monsters. Most importantly, humanity’s defense force arrives in the form of soldiers equipped with special weapons that can neutralize kaiju (or, at least, level the playing field), and they prioritize teamwork.

Despite all these similarities, Kaiju No. 8 is hardly a clone of AoT. For one thing, Kafka has a completely different personality than Eren, with the former being far more comedic. He is also in his early 30s and has plenty of vulnerabilities as a cadet, and he must also keep his transformation a secret. Kaiju No. 8 is fun, energetic, and well-animated, making it one of the better anime like AoT on the market.

18 Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress

Attack On A Train

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is set in a steampunk version of a classic samurai anime. The land has been overrun with what are basically zombies and most of humanity tries to survive within walled cities or on armored trains.

Tetsuro Araki, the director of this series, was also in charge of most of the anime adaptation of Attack on Titan. That’s why this series has a very similar vibe to AoT, and why fans of the latter are likely to enjoy it. Beyond that, Kabaneri delivers constantly fantastic action and animation, with fluid and intense fight sequences that can rival most other shows. The story loses steam as it goes along, but it remains fairly entertaining for the most part.

17 Neon Genesis Evangelion

Humanity’s Future Rests On The Shoulders Of Children

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most well-regarded anime of all time. It only had one season but has lived on through manga adaptations, video games, and reboot movies. The last of which can be streamed on Amazon, whereas the original series is on Netflix.

NGE takes place in a future wherein angels keep attacking Earth and the only ones who can stop them are angsty teenagers in giant mechs. It has a lot of themes shared with Attack on Titan (child soldiers being the most obvious), and both shows dive into the psyches of their heroes and antagonists. Similar to AoT, NGE initially seems to be a fairly conventional mecha anime, only to steadily become more character-driven and psychological. By End of Evangelion, the story is fully transformed into a surreal nightmare.

16 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a

A Pointless & Never-Ending War

Based on PlatinumGames and Yoko Taro’s peculiar action JRPG, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a adapts the source material while taking a few twists along the way. Although prone to overcomplication at times, the story is quite gripping as it explores the emptiness of war through a conflict between androids and machines. When the latter invaded Earth, the former were created by humanity to take back the planet. However, that was a long time ago, and things are no longer as they seem.

Similar to AoT, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a balances action, drama, and mystery well. 2B and 9S’s dynamic serves as the narrative’s emotional core, helping ground the story and add a human touch despite both of them being android soldiers. Assuming somebody has not played the game, this anime can be quite a ride in terms of reveals and twists.

15 86 Eighty-Six

Grim War Anime

Attack on Titan‘s brilliance lies in its willingness to break its characters. Eren, Mikasa, and company have been through absolute hell, and these experiences have steadily changed them in both positive and negative ways. In many ways, AoT is a war story, which puts it right in line with 86 Eighty-Six.

For years, two powerful states have waged war using robots, with the Republic claiming to suffer no casualties since their machines are autonomous; however, in truth, these mecha are piloted by people who have been rejected by the wider society. These fighters are known as the 86, and they are treated as disposable pawns. 86 Eighty-Six focuses primarily on its characters, crafting an anime that is driven by the soldiers’ personal struggles rather than their heroics. The story also examines the political and social backdrops of both nations, while also exploring things like propaganda.

Blend Of Action & Politics

An all-time (modern) classic, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood sits alongside Attack on Titan as a staple gateway anime, arguably even dethroning older series like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Cowboy Bebop. The show is of such high quality that it is basically an automatic recommendation for any anime fan, be it newcomers who are looking to sample the medium’s offerings or people who have been around for years but have yet to experience the Elrics’ adventure.

That said, FMA:B and AoT share more things in common than just mainstream appeal. Both series explore human experimentation, obsession, and grief. While not always the focus, they also envision complex political climates and touch upon philosophical themes. Last but not least, both anime have fantastic characters, action, world-building, and animation.

13 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

Humanity Vs Demons

Alongside Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and the eternal One Piece, Demon Slayer is the most popular battle shonen anime of the last decade. Like AoT, Kimetsu no Yaiba has helped raise the bar in terms of visual spectacle, with ufotable pulling out all the stops to ensure the adaptation not only does justice to the manga source material but also improves upon it. If nothing else, Demon Slayer nails its fights, which are arguably even better than AoT‘s battles, even if they cannot quite match the latter’s scale.

The shows’ similarities go beyond just high production value as well since both stories revolve around humans fighting an uphill battle against a supernatural-themed threat that, initially, seems impossible to overcome. Similar to the Survey Corps, the Hashira are humanity’s (secret) offensive force tasked with stopping demons, and both professions tend to be death sentences.

12 Gurren Lagann

Larger-Than-Life

Gurren Lagann is a mech-based anime with humans going underground due to beastmen taking over the surface. They are literally animal-like humans, but they also have mechs.

One day, the citizens below get restless, break out, and try to reclaim the surface world. The premise may sound similar to other anime like Attack on Titan, but Gurren Lagann throws out a twist toward the end of its first arc that changes the story’s tone moving forward. There is more to these beastmen than meets the eye.

11 The Promised Neverland

Darkness & Tragedy Awaits

A disappointing second season has made The Promised Neverland somewhat difficult to recommend, but the anime’s first cour is still top-notch and ends on a satisfying enough note for it to stand on its own. Taking place within an orphanage under the rule of Mother, two children find out that their “adopted” friends are being sold off to demons as food.

From this point, an intense struggle for survival begins as the children attempt to leave the orphanage before their time is up. The Promised Neverland has the same looming sense of doom as Attack on Titan​​​​​.

10 Saga Of Tanya The Evil

An Aggressive Protagonist

Before Attack on Titan: The Final Season, Saga of Tanya the Evil would not have been considered a viable recommendation for fans of the shonen anime, which shows how significantly the former changed. Nowadays, the isekai anime feels almost cut from the same cloth as AoT, as both shows deal with warring nations, have an aesthetic inspired by the World Wars, and feature a protagonist who is willing to perform unsavory acts to pursue their goals.

Saga of Tanya the Evil is less ambiguous than AoT since there is no doubt that viewers are meant to side with the eponymous lieutenant, but the anime also does not paint Tanya’s actions as unequivocally good. In fact, Tanya is considerably more selfish and unforgivable than Eren, hence the “evil” in the title.

9 Deca-Dence

Humanity’s Struggle

Deca-Dence is set in yet another post-apocalypse with alien creatures taking over the world. Humanity lives in one giant moving city, and hunters are sent out daily to fight these creatures and their jet pack-like devices look very similar to the ODM gear in Attack on Titan.

It may seem like a copycat anime at first, but like Gurren Lagann, there is a huge twist to Deca-Dence. This is given away very early in the anime, but for the sake of surprises, it still won’t be discussed here.

8 Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion

Fighting Against Insurmountable Odds

Sunrise’s Code Geass is a mecha classic. Even though it has its share of plot holes and contrivances, especially during season 2, the anime still holds up thanks to its strong protagonist, brilliant fight scenes, and political intrigue. In this universe, Japan has been subjugated by a world power called the Holy Britannian Empire, a process that naturally inspired an internal rebellion. For the longest time, the latter has struggled to make a notable impact, but the tide begins to turn when a new charismatic leader named Zero appears, promising to bring change and free Japan of its overlords.

In truth, Zero is a Britannian prince named Lelouch who has the ability to force someone to comply with a single demand. The teenager’s motives are nowhere near as noble as he pretends they are, and he is driven by revenge more than anything else. Lelouch’s mind games are legendary, and his actions are likely to remind a viewer of later day Eren. Like Eren, Lelouch also changes significantly throughout Code Geass‘ story.

7 Seraph Of The End

Humans Vs Vampires

Seraph of the End is about the world being taken over by vampires. There is a small resistance trying to fight back, but most of society’s members are brought up like livestock for these vampires to feast on.

It has vibes of Attack on Titan, including friendships being torn apart due to two sides not cooperating with each other. The only bad part is that there hasn’t been a season since 2015 with no word of any more coming anytime soon. Thankfully, the manga is still ongoing.

6 Shiki

Humans Vs Vampires, But Horror

Although not horror, Attack on Titan does occasionally dip its toes in the genre’s motifs, imagery, and tone. Anime, in general, is not the greatest medium when it comes to fright fests, but there are a few shows and movies that can inspire a couple of nightmares. Shiki is one of the best horror anime of all time, provided someone can look past the somewhat over-the-top character designs. A string of strange deaths turns a quiet rural Japanese village into an uncomfortable and haunting place, building a deep sense of fear that is allowed to fester since the residents seem unwilling to properly face the situation. To make matters worse, the deaths seem to be vampiric in nature.

Similar to Attack on Titan, Shiki revolves around an isolated community that falls victim to attacks perpetrated by supernatural entities they do not understand. And, like AoT, the anime steadily blurs the line dividing monster and human, raising moral questions that paint neither side as purely good or evil.

5 Vinland Saga

Consumed By Revenge

A historical anime and one of the best shows of the last few years, Vinland Saga almost feels like the successor to Attack on Titan. That said, the shows’ premises are not especially similar; set during the 11th century, Vinland Saga uses a revenge story as an entry point into the war between England and the Danish Vikings.

After witnessing his father’s murder, Thorfinn joins the Viking crew of the person responsible for killing him, Askeladd. As he searches for an opportunity to get his revenge, Thorfinn accompanies Askeladd to England on a politically driven journey that provides a nuanced representation of war. Season 2 is a wildly different beast than its predecessor and dives deep into Thorfinn’s psyche as he tries to find a reason to live beyond revenge, and it is fantastic in its own right.

4 Black Bullet

Humans Vs Insects

Attack on Titan and Black Bullet share a lot of things in common. Both anime present mankind as being on the brink of annihilation as they are forced to live behind walls to stay out of reach of a colossal threat. In Black Bullet, these generally take the form of insects, and the only ones who can stand against them are children who were born already infected by the Gastrea virus.

Black Bullet‘s anime is nowhere near as great (or complete) as Shiden Kanzaki’s light novel series that it is based upon. However, it offers fun action, two likable leads, and introduces an interesting world. The anime barely scratches the surface of the story, though.

3 Hell’s Paradise

A Horrifying Island

One of the better anime of Spring 2023, Hell’s Paradise has bloody action, vulnerable characters, horror overtones, and a setting shrouded in intrigue. At the behest of the shogun, criminals are sent to a mysterious island to retrieve an immortality elixir, and they are kept in line by executioners. The person who brings back the substance will be granted a pardon, so it is everyone for themselves; at least, that was the initial plan until they actually arrived at the island. This place is very much hell on Earth.

Hell’s Paradise features an array of creative monster designs, including a few bigger creatures that give off strong Titan vibes. While largely outmatched and ill-prepared, the criminals and executioners are still fairly powerful and border on having supernatural powers themselves, so the show does not fully replicate Attack on Titan‘s human versus insurmountable beast appeal.

2 Ragna Crimson

Humanity’s Desperate Struggle Against Dragons

While overshadowed by a few other Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 anime, Ragna Crimson is a pretty good show by most metrics and an easy recommendation for AoT fans. The shonen anime envisions a world where humans are in a constant struggle against dragons. On the surface, the balance appears to be even; however, this perception changes when the dragon monarchs begin to take the conflict seriously. Desperate to avoid a bleak future that involves the death of his hero, Ragna fast-tracks his development, allowing him to put up a fight against the dragons. To eradicate them all, Ragna joins forces with Crimson, a dragon who wants to do the same.

Ragna and Eren’s motives are quite similar, with both of them being blinded by revenge to an extent. Although powerful, Ragna is quite vulnerable as well, and he tends to get into trouble when he rushes head-first into battle. In comparison, Crimson is a strategist who generally tries to avoid direct encounters, and he is comfortably the best character in the show. While not as complex as AoT, Ragna Crimson blends action, drama, and humor quite well, and it is only slightly let down by average animation.