Top 20 Darkest Fantasy Anime

This anime film based on a South Korean manga follows Munsu. The last of a group of wandering government agents in a fractured kingdom, Munsu continues with his task of delivering justice to corrupt and evil leaders. However, while his goals are noble, Munsu himself is more of an antihero, willing to use extreme methods in pursuit of his goals. With a hero nearly as bad as the villains he pursues and plenty of blood resulting from the excellent action, “Phantom Master” is an excellent and oft-forgotten dark fantasy anime film.

Classic sword and sorcery stories tend to skew towards the darker side and the anime medium is no exception! Taking some inspiration from the Western adult animated movie “Heavy Metal,” “Legend of Lemnear” follows the title character as she seeks revenge against the evil wizard Gardein, who killed her people. Lemnear’s quest certainly isn’t bloodless, and her foes engage in some pretty despicable behavior. There’s also a fair bit of nudity, if you’re into that. For those looking for a classic take on dark fantasy, “Legend of Lemnear” may be worth a look.

Isekai fantasy shows often focus on wish fulfillment and overpowered characters, but “Mushoku Tensei” takes a different tact. While the newly reborn Rudeus Greyrat is indeed OP, not everything is easy for him or for his friends. Rudeus must often contend with his own inner flaws, and the series also delves into darker topics, such as persecution. The show doesn’t shy away from violence either, illustrating the lasting consequences of bloodshed. Although “Mushoku Tensei” has been polarizing among some viewers, it remains one of the darker examples of the isekai genre.

Set in Edo Period Japan, “Hell’s Paradise” follows Gabimaru, a betrayed shinobi and his fellow death row convicts who are sent to an outrageously dangerous mythical island in search of the elixir of life. Between the killers, the executioners sent to accompany them, and the island’s supernatural dangers, danger lurks around every corner in this anime, and bloodshed is the rule, rather than the exception. “Hell’s Paradise” is a tangled maze of conflicting motivations, violence, and intrigue in a fantastical setting as beautiful as it is savage. It’s entertaining trying to unravel it all though!

Based on the video game of the same name, “Rage of Bahamut” depicts the journey of a group of adventurers who seek to prevent the revival of the titular demon. The series tackles the contrasting ideologies of its heroes well, and features some sinister conspiracies, as well as some intricate lore. “Rage of Bahamut” has epic battles and well-animated fight scenes that get every bit as violent as the eponymous demon. “Rage of Bahamut” does feature some lighter moments, but, despite the pluckiness of some of its heroes, not everyone gets a happy ending.

Sure, “Demon Slayer” is a Shounen series, so there’s all the usual comic relief and optimistic characters. And yet…it’s set in a nightmarish version of Taishō Era Japan, where immortal demons stalk the night, killing people with near impunity! It’s up to Tanjiro and his fellow demon slayers to battle against overwhelming odds to defeat these terrifying foes, and to find a cure to his sister’s demonic condition. “Demon Slayer” has certainly made a name for itself with its unprecedented success, but its dark tone and jaw dropping action scenes should draw in anyone who somehow hasn’t checked it out yet!

Also known as “Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions,” this isekai fantasy sees a group of people awaken in a new world. Forced into becoming adventurers upon their arrival, the strongest are immediately recruited. This…is not their story. “Grimgar” instead follows the weaker individuals who form a party and their struggles just to survive in their new world. Despite the beautiful, watercolor tinted backgrounds, “Grimgar” is as grim as its name implies. There are major character deaths and the psychological impact of regular people forced to become mercenary monster killers is examined in a realistic and empathetic fashion. It may not have gotten the second season it deserved, but “Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash” is a dark fantasy like few others.

Set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, “Bastard!!” sees humanity’s last hopes ride on a most unexpected source - Dark Schneider, the former leader of the very army threatening them. After being sealed away, the immortal wizard is revived, and agrees to help…sort of. The problem is - he’s almost totally amoral! But, thanks to his overwhelming power and surprising charisma, Dark Schneider is able to slowly win back some of his former subordinates and fight back against the chaotic god threatening to destroy the world. After all, he can’t rule it, if it’s destroyed! While “Bastard!!” is a little dated (since its manga began in the ‘80s), its atmosphere, entertainingly evil protagonist, and heavy metal inspirations make it a fantasy as wonderfully dark as its anti-hero’s name.

Based on a series of novels, the “Vampire Hunter D” films follow the titular character, a half-vampire known only as “D.” Set in a post-apocalyptic future, D wanders the world saving humans from the depredations of vampires. But bloodsuckers aren’t the only ones killing in this unforgiving future, as humanity’s darker side is also on full display. These films feature some fantastic animation, as well as an intriguing, well-realized future fantasy setting. Plus, the action, violence, and melancholy that come with the best of dark fantasy. Now if only someone would animate the rest of the book series…

The only thing worse than intelligent monsters with a hunger for human flesh? Intelligent monsters with a hunger for human flesh that can shapeshift. Who do you call when a Yoma has infiltrated your settlement? The all-female extermination squad with massive swords, zero emotion and a permanently active kill switch, that’s who. Of course, it isn’t all murder and sunshine. Shown through the eyes of a Claymore named Claire, not only does she have to contend with increasingly-stronger monsters, but also the shady dealings of her own organization, as well as the risk of her own Yoma-infused blood getting out of control.

You know things are messed up when a group of killers are the closest thing to good guys. After discovering just how twisted the Empire truly is, a young warrior named Tatsumi finds himself joining the elite ranks of the Night Raid. Battling against everything from corrupt nobles all the way to the beautifully deadly Esdeath, this anime doesn’t shy away from showing the horror that can come when the upper echelons abandon morality for greed. While the fight scenes are pretty awesome, we’d advise not growing too attached to any of the characters…

From the moment we saw a group of young adventurers get mauled and violated, we knew that we were about to enter a rather unforgiving world. Thankfully, wherever there are little green demons causing trouble, you can always count on the Goblin Slayer to arrive and do what he does best – break them into tiny pieces with whatever he can get his hands on. While the show doesn’t quite manage to maintain the level of darkness shown in its introduction, watching the goblin murder machine and his merry-band butcher their way through the worst kind of quests still makes for a great ride.

Goes to show that being transported to a fantastical world and given the title of hero isn’t all its cracked up to be. As one of four otherworldly souls tasked with saving the land from catastrophe, Naofumi’s new life as the Shield Hero takes a bit of a tumble when he is framed and disgraced. Understandably embittered, Naofumi finds himself going from pariah to protector as he somewhat reluctantly becomes the only one capable of saving the day, much to the dismay of his detractors.

When the only thing you have going for you is the ability to keep coming back from the dead after each gruesome demise, you can understand why Subaru might have trouble adjusting to his new fantasy surroundings. Finding himself embroiled in the fate of the beautiful half-elf Emilia, all the once and future NEET can do to save his new friends is to die, die, die and die again, all in the hope that each reset will allow him to change the increasingly bleak future. There’s only so many game overs one man can take!

Why waste time as a wannabe do-gooder when you can conquer everything as a supreme skeleton ruler? After finding himself trapped inside his undead avatar, former gamer turned emperor Ainz Ooal Gown decides to set out on a campaign to take control of his new world by whatever means necessary. This often equates to plenty of deception and maybe the occasional massacre. Don’t expect Bone Daddy to suddenly find the humanity in his heart, he’s fully committed to that whole neutral evil alignment thing, which means a lot of good people are going to die horribly.

What happens when you take some of history’s most famous warriors, pluck them out of their own time, and set them up to battle it out in a world filled with elves and magic? You get Toyohisa Shimazu righteously slicing and dicing, Oda Nobunaga going war crazy, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid popping caps into orc asses, as well as an antagonist who could very well be evil Jesus Christ. The lunacy and body count in this one is pretty staggering, but its also one that will somehow win you over with just how in your face it is.

Don’t let the beautiful animation and adorable lead characters throw you off, as soon as you step off into the mouth of the abyss, nobody is safe. Upon discovering her missing mother might be alive at the bottom of an otherworldly chasm, happy-go-lucky cave raider Riko and an amnesiac cyborg named Reg partner up in an attempt to reach the Abyss’s legendary lowest level. From there, things start to go, really, really, really wrong. It’s a stunning nightmare to behold, one that will have you wincing on behalf of the young duo as they continue their painful descent.

We’re not saying this show is good - but it is extremely dark! The Healing Hero Keyaru is subjected to frequent and vile abuse from his fellow party members. So, after getting the chance to go back in time, he decides to take revenge on everyone who terrorized him in his former life. Keyaru does so by brainwashing, enslaving, and assaulting some of them, while outright murdering some of the others. With its irredeemably evil protagonist and frequent depiction of the “R” word, “Redo of Healer” is a revenge anime that goes to some truly dark depths.

Nothing’s scarier then discovering you’re no longer at the top of the food chain, especially when the replacements are none other than cannibalistic giants. With humanity on its last legs thanks to the rise of the fearsome colossal beings known as Titans, it falls to a new generation of survivors in order to turn the tide of the conflict, only for things to be made infinitely harder when they realize their enemies lie both beyond and within the walls. Showcasing the best and worst of mankind in the harshest of fantasy settings, there’s a reason this series still dominates.

Unrelenting in its tragedy and unapologetic in its depiction of violence, the tale of the feral swordsman Guts and his relationship with the charismatic mercenary leader Griffith is as dark as dark fantasies dare to go. From their scuffles of the 100 Year War all the way to the infamous game-changer that is the Eclipse, this show perfectly balances the brutality of warfare with the savagery that lurks in the hearts of men, especially when prompted by the not so benevolent Gods that scheme away in the shadows. Years on, and the Black Swordsman remains undefeated.

Is there a grim fantasy anime we somehow forgot? Cast your dark comments down below!