Top 10 Mature Anime Series

Lets start this list with a bloody tale of star-crossed lovers. In “Basilisk” fans follow two lovers from two warring ninja clans. Gennosuke and Oboro struggle with their dedication to each other and their loyalty to the clans. The series depicts a numerous amount of historical Japanese events during the Edo period, and definitely doesn’t hold back on the violence. Just add a dash of politics to the mix and you have a samurai series not fit for children.

When you need someone to do your dirty work you can call the Lagoon Company. In this crime drama audiences follow hostage turned mercenary Okajima Rokuro (oh-kah-jee-mah ro-koo-row), the duel pistol wielding bad ass Revy, and the rest of the Lagoon Company as they smuggle corporate secrets out of Southeast Asia. Are you looking for a monumental amount of violence and bad language? You’re in the right place. Filled to the brim with bloody gun ballet, this one is definitely not for younger audiences. Just ask Revy.

If this is truly our future, boy is it grim. Hitching a ride on this apocalyptic mecha anime, audiences watch as Japanese teenager Shinji is recruited to pilot the giant Evangelion mech against invading monsters known as Angels. While the violent action scenes are incredibly over-the-top, “Evangelion” earns its spot on this list for its analysis of various philosophical and spiritual concepts. You don’t have to look hard, as the series is riddled with biblical symbolism and nods to other conceptual ideologies. Our advice? Wait a couple of years to bring this one around your kids.

Not many anime touch on immortality as well as our next entry. “Mnemosyne” follows immortal detective Rin Asougi (ass-oo-gi) as she discovers Koki, a man that has been affected by a mysterious orb known as a “time fruit”. The orbs are brought from a mysterious tree known as Yggdrasil (ieg-dra-sill) that appears randomly in the human world. “Mnemosyne” tackles difficult subjects such as cloning and immortality, while showing us that the inability to die isn’t always a good thing, especially when you have something your enemies want.

Forget the glitter and love triangles, this is how you properly portray the all mighty Dracula. In this OVA series, audiences watch as the all powerful vampire Alucard, along with his apprentice Seras Victoria, rip the enemies of humanity limb from limb. But it’s ok because they’re Nazis so screw those guys. While the original “Hellsing” series is fantastic, “Hellsing Ultimate” just kicks it up a notch by giving the audience more blood, gore and action.

The next dark fantasy to earn a spot on our list, “Claymore” tells the story of soldiers created to hunt humanoid shape shifters known as Yoma that are feeding on the human population. While there is plenty of pulse-pounding action, “Claymore” is a much more character-driven story than many of the other entries on this list. You will sympathize with hero and villain alike as characters are killed off one after another in some of the best demon slaying found in anime.

When it comes to this list, maturity and misery seem to go hand in hand. In this horror mecha series, audiences watch as our protagonist Yuji Kaido awakens after a 22 year cryogenic. Awakening to a massive war between what is left of humanity and a race of alien insects simply known as the “Blue”, Yuji finds himself caught up in a battle to save the human race. Add a few sexual situations and over the top graphic violence and you’ve go yourself one of the best mature sci-fi anime series.

Its time for us to enlist in the survey corps. Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, “Attack on Titan” follows one of the last remaining colonies of humanity as they defend themselves from the impeding monstrous humanoids known as Titans. “Attack on Titan” doesn’t hold back on the death and despair as your favourite characters get beaten, crushed and eaten by the menacing Titans. It’s rare for a fantasy series to explore the duty of an average soldier as well as keep the true horror of war on full display, if you haven’t seen this series yet, what are you waiting for?

Thus enters in the legendary black swordsman. In this dark fantasy series, viewers follow wandering swordsman Guts as he is recruited to join the mercenary group Band of the Hawks by their enigmatic and brilliant leader Griffith. Easily the most violent entry on our list, Berserk will test the fortitude of everyone’s stomach. “Berserk” tackles many other rather taboo subjects, but you will have to uncover those on your own. Just don’t blame us for what you find.

Before we paint finish painting the list red, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Monster” (2004-05)

“Planetes” (2003-04)

“Paranoia Agent” (2004)

“Serial Experiments Lain” (1998)

“Fate/Zero” (2011-12)

Is this any surprise? For those that aren’t familiar with the series, Elfen Lied is a psychological drama that follows the Diclonius Lucy, a blood thirsty mutant with no regard for human life, and her attempt to blend into normal society. Plenty of nudity, limb removal and the occasional decapitation, “Elfen Lied” is not one to share with the little ones. This doesn’t even take into account the themes of abuse and exploitation the series dives head first into, while our favourite blood-stained Diclonius takes the top crown.
Do you agree with our list? What is your favourite mature anime series? For more brutal top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.