Top 10 Anime For Adults Only

Anime violence comes in many flavours. And while kids love nothing more than to see animated characters get to blasting, we’re not sure an in-depth look at the inner workings of arm dealerships would be up their alley. Koko’s trade of death covers everything from arms races, casualties by the thousands and even has a former child soldier acting as her ward. With blood and bullets a plenty this action fest is for those who enjoy their anime carnage with a bit more grit.

While the original flick featured an abundance of nudity and minor body horror, and admittedly its series spin off is far tamer, there’s still enough here to ensure SAC gets slapped with that r-rating. Cyber terrorism, actual terrorism, limbs getting blown off, Major Kusanagi in the tightest fitting leotard you will ever see – this anime is very much for daddy’s eyes only. Look if you wouldn’t dream about showing kids the movie, just take the series out of the equation as well. Now excuse us while we watch Makoto shoot down that armoured tank again…

Everyone loves a good treasure hunt…though rarely do they contain a bunch of wanted criminals with a treasure map inked onto their skin. Sugimoto’s journey to uncover a hidden stash of ancient gold leaps between bizarre and bloody at a moment’s notice. With so many sadists waiting in the winds, the violence is the furthest thing from campy, even if it does have some crazy comedic chops on it! An underrated gem by any standards, and that’s including the horrendously animated CGI bear.

While this anime will do wonders about teaching the importance of financial responsibility, it certainly isn’t the kind of PSA young fans of the medium should be casually watching. After losing every bit of cash he has to his name, Kaiji is thrown from one hair-raising situation to the next, that almost always ends in some manner of torture or death. Those without wealth are used as playthings by the elite before being tossed aside to often dismal fates, and while Kaiji certainly makes for a compelling lead, he is hardly what you’d call a role model, given the non-stop gambling!

The future is here and it is a dismal sight. While adored for its meditation on humanity’s obsession with security and the sacrifices made in pursuit of it, this sci-fi slam dunk is about as adult as it gets, especially when it comes to the violence, even if you forgo the bleak and unsettling Orwellian commentary. Kogami and Akane investigations against those rebelling against the all-controlling, all-problematic Sibyl System leads them from one bloodied crime scene to the next. And if that’s not visceral enough – their assigned weapons cause limbs to expand and eventually explode. Doraemon this is not.

You know an anime is hardcore when the bloodsucking vampire with two hand cannons isn’t even the most salacious part of the series. In service to an organisation that slays what goes bump in the night, Alucard is a menace to all who get in his way, tearing limbs and blasting body parts with little interest in who is guilty or innocent. The fact he’s taking on both zealot Catholics with a mission of murder in mind, along with the resurrected Third Reich – now turned into vampires themselves – is just the edgy icing on top that makes this show a delight. Though again, it is the strictest of r-ratings! Even adults can barely handle some of the nightmarish content that befalls out cast along the way.

They don’t make em’ like these anymore. Following a small group of smugglers living on an island where crime is the main export, this series holds nothing back. There’s the usual suspects such as guns, prostitution, murder, torture, blackmail, and everyone cursing a mile a minute, but then you’re introduced to the identical twin child serial killers pretending to be vampires, as well as Nazis showing up – again. Black Lagoon is a must-see for those who pride themselves on being an action anime fan, just be warned that it has zero filter.

You can’t paint a somewhat historically accurate picture of the life and times of Vikings without alluding to a hell of a lot of violence and brutality. And Vinland Saga does not hold back. Thorfinn’s epic tale of revenge and eventual redemption has plenty of bright spots that display the value of hope and peace…but it’s also surrounded by a sea of bodies. Between the invasions, sword fights, decapitations, depictions of slavery and abuse – both the best and worst of humanity are put on display here. Make no mistake – as soon as your child turns eighteen – you show them this anime!

It may not be the bloodiest anime out there, but thanks to its villain and his sinister antics, this exploration of the darkness in the hearts of man is one that requires both maturity and experience to be fully appreciated. Also, there’s Nazis. Again. Sort of a running theme. Following a conscientious decision to save a child over a political figure – Dr Tenma unwittingly unleashes the likes of Johan Liebert onto the world – a psychopath with zero empathy, extreme intellect, who can cause a person to end themselves after a single conversation. The series battles with questions of morality and the nature of killing like few can, and while the experience will take you to some dark places – it is well worth the venture.

Whether you’re a connoisseur of the medium or a partial partaker, everyone should watch this adaptation of one of dark fantasy’s greatest entries at least once in their life. Adult life that is, because Berserk is unrelenting in its portrayal of swords and savagery. Going from battlefield to battlefield ever since he was a child, the series follows Guts as he finds himself joining the mercenary group known as the Band of the Hawk, leading to a whirlwind of combat, camaraderie, love…and devastating loss. The writing is as sublime as the content is unnerving – and while every vicious act of it is earned and plays a crucial part in the overarching, endlessly bleak narrative – just know that nothing is shied away from here.
Which of these adult anime stands tall as your favorite? Let us know in the comments!