Top 10 R-Rated Anime Moments

“Baki” franchise (2000-23)
Jack Hanma is no slouch. Just look at the guy. A slab of beef who carries the blood of the ogre. He knows how to take a beating just as much as to dish one out. Very few people in the world can overcome someone like him. And then there’s Pickle – a prehistoric specimen at their physical peak, thawed out, and on the hunt for carnal wants. While Jack gets his licks in, Pickle still puts him through the ringer, not only breaking Jack’s body but ripping the flesh of his face with teeth alone. That’s all kinds of gnarly.

“Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
The EVA Units are some of the most recognisable mecha in the anime scene. Unique, slick in their design, and capable of wiping out the encroaching threat of interstellar angels. There is, however, a caveat. Turns out that the EVA Units aren’t exactly all circuits and steel, and nowhere is that more evident than when Unit 01 goes on a rampage without Shinji operating it. Showcasing flesh beneath its plating and acting like more beast than man, it certainly got the job done when it came to angel killing, but also showed the EVA Units had something sinister about them beneath the surface.

“Death Note” (2006-07)
Vanquishing the likes of L while maintaining his secret as messianic serial killer Kira was undoubtedly Light’s greatest victory. And how did he celebrate? By taking out the other pieces of the board. Utilizing the Death Note to its fullest, Light more than lives up to his moniker as a god of death by wiping out his accomplices and enemies on either side of the law. Basically anyone who could be considered a loose end. It’s operatic, horrifying, and paints a pretty bleak picture as to Light’s continued, uncontested dominion.

“Goblin Slayer” (2018-23)
As any wannabe D&D player will let you know, even the smallest and seemingly inconsequential monster can spell your doom, depending on what the dungeon master has up their sleeve. The sudden arrival of a larger goblin brute throws the titular slayer and his group into chaos, with the Priestess under threat of meeting a hellish end. So, what does the Goblin Slayer do? Forcibly pulls out a Nat twenty, uses some hair as substitute rope…and chokes the big green machine to death with it. Hardcore.

“Vinland Saga” (2019-23)
King Sweyn is not a benevolent ruler. While his armies wage war across the world, he’s content to order the murders of his own children just to hold onto power. Alas, he goes too far when he tries to make a pawn out of Askeladd. He might have thought that forcing him to choose between loyalty to Canute and his homeland would have bought his sword, but instead all he earned was Askeladd’s rage and a long overdue decapitation. Should have thought twice about calling his mother a slave.

“Jujutsu Kaisen” (2020-23)
Satoru Gojo is the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer of the modern age. Nigh unkillable, his bag of tricks can wipe out practically any curse that comes at him. So, in a bid to limit him, Geto and his fellow murderous miscreants put him in an impossible situation – trapping him in small space where unleashing his full power would mean instant death for the surrounding innocents, while they in turn unleash a horde of monsters to add to the bloodbath. It would be a no-win situation for anyone…except for Gojo. By using sorcery to cause the minimum amount of human casualties, and then using his own physical capabilities to slaughter a thousand any creatures in the blink of an eye, Gojo threaded the needle in a way no other could.

“Cowboy Bebop” (1998-99)
With his beloved dead and a score to settle, Spike’s death march into enemy territory is the definition of the rule of cool. With but a few grenades, bullets and a whole lot of swag, Spike wades his way through the stronghold of the Red Dragon Syndicate with explosive results. While he doesn’t emerge out of it unscathed, he does succeed in reaching his quarry, while the legions of syndicate members behind him are left dead and covered in ashes. Shows what one man on the warpath can do when he’s made peace with no intention of coming back alive.

“Bleach” (2004-)
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with the Quincy invading, it means that even the strongest of Shinigami captains needs to level up. In a bid to finally have Kenpachi reach his full potential, he faces off against Unohana, who herself bore the title of strongest in centuries past. Their battle is as bloody and as breathtaking as it gets. Through a cycle of combat and near death, Kenpachi’s strength continues to grow, all the while we get to see how truly fearsome Unohana is behind that false smile of hers. They’re truly a match made in hell.

“Hellsing Ultimate” (2006-12)
Alucard was always a problem. Whether it be with his guns, invulnerability or the demonic dogs he could summon on a whim, there were none who seemed to be able to match his status as the ultimate monster. Turns out, all of this was him on practise mode. With nazi vampires and the Vatican’s crazy crusaders launching a full-scale war, Integra decides it’s time for the safety to come off…and commands Alucard to unleash his full power. This in turns allows the vampire king to summon all his previous victims in a tidal wave of blood and undead souls – an instant armada to trample through his foes. The bird of Hermes is not one to be trifled with.

“Berserk” (1997-98)
The epitome of hopelessness. A harrowing conclusion to one of anime’s greatest. The turning point that displays the true darkness and depravity to come. The eclipse is known for many things, and while none of them are happy, there’s no getting over how ingrained this apocalyptic event has become within the medium. In order to realize his dream, Griffith accepts the deal put forward by the God Hand, sacrificing his comrades to become a deity himself. As horrendous as that is, it only escalates when Griffith, now Femto, in an act of pure spite – assaults Casca in front of Guts’ eyes. This was the tipping point for many aspects of Berserk – Griffith becoming one of the genre’s most loathed villains, fantasy invading a series that had mainly been dominated by swords and military tactics, and when millions of fans started reading the manga demanding to know what happened next.
Which R-rated anime stands tall as your favorite? Let us know in the comments!