Popular animated series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has a very interesting approach to Japanese-style demons that have captivated fans, but it’s far from the only series that uses demons in interesting ways. Japanese demons can go by many names – like yokai, ayakashi, mononoke or akuma, to name a few. And while each of these has their own special meaning, they are often translated as “demon”.
While Demon Slayer is an archetypal Shonen anime series in many ways, its diverse cast of characters, heart-wrenching plot, and thrilling action easily set it apart from many of its contemporaries. There’s a reason Demon Slayer’s Mugen Train is still the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Now that season 3 of the epic series has come to an end, doubtful fans will be craving more of the same anime. Luckily, there are many great anime that every type of Demon Slayer fan will want to watch.
10 Sorcerer Kings
Shaman King is about special beings called magicians, who have the ability to connect and merge with the souls of the long dead, gaining the skills and abilities they have acquired. during life. Protagonist Yoh Asakura is on a quest to become the Sorcerer King, which he hopes to achieve by winning the Shaman Fight, a rare grand tournament. Of course, the winner will stick with the ultimate soul and essentially become a new god, so there will be a lot of risk. There are actually two Shaman King cartoons; the original from the early 2000s, unfortunately voiced by 4Kids, and a series reboot from 2021. However, the series turns surprisingly dark, making it more like Demon Slayer than what it was. one can think at first sight.
9 D. Gray Man
D. Gray-Man is about a boy named Allen Walker who fights against demons known as Akuma as a member of a group called the Black Order. Allen has some personal history with Akuma, as one cursed him as a child, causing his left arm to mutate and resulting in his parents abandoning him. Similar to the Demon Slayer, Akuma was actually created by someone known as the Millennium Earl, who sought to destroy humanity. Like the demons in that series, Akuma still somewhat resembles the humans they were made of. Allen actually has an ability that allows him to see their original souls, adding a dark twist like the demon’s backstory in Demon Slayer.
8 Mononoke
This series has a very unusual limited cartoon art style that can be divisive at times, but can also easily be seen as outstanding. Mononoke follows an unnamed drug dealer who travels to ancient Japan, defeating demons that have reached higher levels of power. To do this, drug sellers must distinguish their Appearance (what it looks like), Truth (how it forms) and Reason (the purpose of being). The series tends to have bittersweet endings in its short stories, sometimes empathizing with monsters that still have to be slain despite, as is often the case in Demon Slayer. And, at just 12 episodes, Mononoke is the perfect length to knock down in a weekend.
7 bleach
Yes, Bleach is one of the most popular anime of all time and its Hollows don’t quite look like traditional Japanese demons, but the origins are often comparable. More than that, however, Bleach is known to have influenced Demon Slayer creator Koyoharu Gotouge during the creation of the series. The Hashiras are clearly modeled after the captains of Bleach’s Soul Society, as well as the structure of the Demon Slayer organization in general. Tanjiro and Ichigo even have some similarities in that their father has an implicit connection to the organization, and they both control some truly amazing powers that no one else can wield. Arguably, the first episodes of Bleach are most similar to Demon Slayer, and the two series differ more and more as they go on.
6 Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is another series that greatly influenced Gotouge, one that can be easily seen in the many similarities between Jojo’s vampires and Demon Slayer’s demons. Both are cannibals, weak to sunlight, and both the product of an extremely cruel, arrogant, and long-lived man (Dio and Muzan, respectively). The first two installments of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, which is quite different from the rest of the series and its Stand-based freaks, actually have more in common with Demon Slayer. After all, the era of Jonathan Joestar is only a few years earlier than when the Demon Slayer was set. While the entire series may not be suitable for every Demon Hunter fan, the first season will be enjoyable for most.
5 Dororo
Dororo is a 2019 anime based on the works of AstroBoy creator Osamu Tezuka and the acclaimed “Grandfather of Manga”. Dororo tells the story of Hyakkimaru, an unfortunate boy whose father made a deal with a group of youkai at the expense of his son’s body parts. Abandoned and without his basic senses, Hyakkimaru was raised by a rural doctor named Jukai, who created prosthetic limbs for him. Hyakkimaru set out to find his lost body parts and was able to do a bit of good along the way. Hyakkimaru is eventually joined by a young orphan girl who claims to be a master thief, Dororo, and the two travel together. The series is similar to Demon Slayer in that it clearly deals with fighting demons with very personal motives, but also means having a sister-type character alongside the main character.
4 Inuyasha
Inuyasha follows the famous half-youkai as he sets out on a quest to defeat the demon that has ruined his own life, Naraku. Actually, Demon Slayer Naraku and Muzan have a lot in common, as they both like to let others do their dirty work and give no thought to killing and torturing their subordinates. The two are also extremely hostile, lashing out at anyone who even intends to oppose them, and are nearly impossible to kill. Like Nezuko, Inuyasha also has a weakness of its own (in his case the new moon) and must be careful to avoid fighting during those time frames. The series deals with a lot of different types of Japanese demons, both original and traditional.
3 Soul Eaters
Soul Eater is a series about a girl named Maka and her partner, Soul Eater (or Soul for short), who are both students at a place called “Death Weapon Meister Academy”, where They are trained to be the spirit of death. . Maka is a Meister, or a special kind of human warrior. The soul, on the other hand, is a “Weapon”, a type of person that can be turned into a weapon (in his case, a scythe). Together, they are tasked with capturing “Demon Eggs” or evil spirits that are about to turn into dangerous Kishin. Anime has a rather different story than manga, but youkai/kishin are related to both.
2 busy
In terms of tone, Mushishi is a far cry from the Demon Slayer one can get; it is often considered one of the most relaxing anime ever due to its calmness. The film stars Ginko, a “mushishi” or person who can see mushi, supernatural pests that can cause problems both big and small to those around them. Mushi can vary quite a bit in appearance; for example, one is that the entire swamp can be repositioned. The series takes a multi-episode approach, with Ginko traveling around Japan and helping the people he encounters with their local mushi problems. If the tension and action of the Demon Slayer gets viewers a little too excited, then Mushishi could be just the thing to relax again.
1 Yu Yu Hakusho
After dying in a car accident, Yusuke Yurameshi is given a second chance at life as long as he accepts the role of Spirit Detective, a job that involves more battles and much less investigation than with what one might expect. A ’90s classic from the creator of Hunter x Hunter, the show sees Yusuke both fighting against and working alongside a number of demons, including familiar Japanese demons like kitsune many tail. While most people don’t seem to know about demons, humans and demons have a very long history in Yu Yu Hakusho, and in a rare move, humans can treat demons worse than demons treat them. with humans. As a result, things tend to be a bit grayer than in Demon Slayer, but the movie is still famous for its great battles.
After the climactic finale of Demon Slayer Season 3, it’s understandable that fans will be looking for similar series to keep them going until Devilslayer 4 is released. While none of these sets are a replacement for demon slayereach of them can certainly stand on their own merits, and most give a unique take on traditional Japanese demons, like that series.