Not everyone can effortlessly absorb anime shows packed with violence, bloodshed, and gruesome killings. This may be why people enjoy romantic and comedic series so much. Even the anime‘s most violent and action-packed series, like Demon Slayer and Assault on Titan, aren’t a challenge against some of the animated movies when it comes to gruesome and sadistic killings.
If you believe these shows won’t disrupt your peace of mind. We’ve prepared the perfect collection of violent animated movies and shows for you. Surprisingly, every animation on the list was released many years ago, with some dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. This demonstrates how modern best-animated movies attempt to separate themselves from severe and gory content.
So, without ado, here have been our selections for the ten most brutal but instead violent animated films.
10 Violent Animated Movies:
1. Blood C
- Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
- Writer: Nanase Okhawa
- Cast: Saya Kisaragi, Fumito Nanahara, Tadayoshi kisaragi, Yuko Amino, Itsuki Tomofusa, Shinichiro Tokizane, Nene and Nono Motoe, Kanaku Tsutsutori, Dog.
- IMDb: 6.2/10
- Platforms: Hulu
About Blood C:
Blood-C takes place in Nagano Prefecture, in a remote rural village on the shores of Lake Suwa. Saya Kisaragi is the sanctuary maiden of the Shinto shrine operated by her father, Tadayoshi. She, therefore, is superficially a friendly but instead clumsy high school girl—her circle of friends includes neighbor and cafe shareholder Fumito Nanahara.
During the day, Saya, a teenage girl with her father, goes to school, but at night, they defend the community from Elder Bairn monsters who use inanimate items for hunting humans but instead feed on their blood. Saya’s abilities in the “art of the sword” allow her to beat Elder Bairns.
Those competent of speech condemn Saya and the humans for breaking a covenant nicknamed “Shrovetide.” Saya also meets a talking dog who claims to be here to grant someone’s request, and she suffers through blanks in her memory and migraines every time she attempts to remember.
Fans Reviews:
Blood C is arguably one of the most contentious animes I’ve seen in my anime-watching career. But I’ve never seen such vitriol and hatred directed at a performance. So, let me take the opportunity to present the polar opposite of popular opinion: I enjoyed Blood C. Before you turn away, please allow me to explain.
Blood C is a creative emancipation from the Blood franchise’s two sibling series; the only relationship (so far) is that each centers on a girl named Saya, who carries a sword and kills monsters.
2. Higurashi When They Cry
- Director: Chiaki Kon
- Writer: Toshifumi Kawase
- Characters: Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo, Shion Sonozaki, Keiichi Maebara, Miyo Takano, Mion Sonozaki, Rena Ryugu, Satoshi Hojo, Jirou Tomitake.
- IMDb: 8.1/10
- Platforms: Hulu
About Higurashi When They Cry:
Keiichi Maebara arrives in Hinamizawa in June 1983 and befriends colleagues Mion Sonozaki, her twin sister Shion, Rena Ryg, Rika Furude, and Satoko Hj. Keiichi eventually discovers the village’s yearly Watanagashi Festival, honoring the native deity Oyashiro. Hinamizawa appears tranquil and pleasant at first, but Keiichi discovers shortly before the festival that killings and abductions have occurred on the day of the festival for the past four years.
The answer arcs show that each subsequent turn represents a different universe in which Rika attempted and succeeded in saving herself and her friends. Rika, as a Furude Shrine priestess, may connect with the spirit Hany, who served as the foundation for Oyashiro and is the Furude clan’s ancestress.
Hany could transfer Rika to another reality each time she died; however, the very end of Rika’s life is not maintained in her recollections when she moves, preventing her from learning the source of her death. Keiichi seems either vividly or instinctively aware of the prior realities after many hundred loops, allowing him to avoid several critical instances where various individuals would be slaughtered or driven insane.
Fans Reviews:
Higurashi exemplifies how you should never evaluate a book by its cover. It is a plain, generic harem series or a dull, trite romance. On the other hand, this anime would be nothing short of brilliant. The entire scene, ambiance, and tone are superbly accomplished.
The plot may appear straightforward at first, with a young kid moving to a strange place and making new friends. The terrible story of murder, brutality, and mystery lurks beneath the surface of this seemingly innocent series.
3. Deadman Wonderland
- Director: Koichiro Hatsumi
- Writer: Yasuyuki Muto
- Characters: Ganta Igarashi, Shiro, Kiyomasi Senji, Rinichiro Hagire, Toto Sakigami, Yo Takami, Minatsuki Takami, Makina, Nagi Kengamine, Karako Koshio, Hibana Daida, Bundo Rokuro, Tsunenaga Tamaki.
- IMDb: 7.1/10
- Platforms: Crunchyroll and Netflix.
About Deadman Wonderland:
Ganta Igarashi, a perfectly regular 9th grader entering Nagano Prefecture’s middle school, penetrates the story ten years later. Ganta, as an escapee and survivor of the great earthquake, has no recollection of the tragedy and has led a regular life. Everything changes when a mysterious creature dressed in blood and crimson armor floats across his classroom windows.
The “Red Man,” grinning maniacally, slaughters Ganta’s entire class. Instead of killing Ganta, the “Red Man” implants a red crystal shard in his chest. Ganta is charged with murder just days after the atrocity. Ganta plans to discover the “Red Man” to acquit himself while attempting to survive as a death row convict.
In an unexpected turn, Ganta develops the capacity to control his blood, even turning it into a weapon. Unbeknownst to Ganta, he has evolved into one of the prison’s “Deadmen,” a segregated group of prisoners with the Branches of Sin. This talent allows them to manipulate their blood for their purposes.
Fans Reviews:
The plot of Deadman Wonderland centers around an unhappy hero named Ganta Igarashi. Ganta has already been attempting to function normally for ten years. Still, after a catastrophic event that destroyed the entire city of Tokyo, all of those changes when a man dressed in red appears out of nowhere and murders all his classmates with unique abilities. To complicate things worse, the protagonist of this violent anime film is blamed for all his classmates’ deaths, so he is condemned to death row.
4. Shiki
- Director: Tetsuro Amino
- Writer: Kenji Sugihara
- Characters: Natsuno Yuuki, Natsuno Koide, Ritsuko Kunihiro, Shiki the Golden Lion, Soma Shiki, Shiki Nanaya, Seishin Muroi, Toshio Ozaki, Tooru Mutou, Toshio Ozaki, Shiki Tohno, Indigo, Megumi Shimizu, Kaori Tanaka, Sunako Kirishiki, Shiki.
- IMDb: 7.6/10
- Platforms: Funimation
About Shiki:
The Shiki animation is a version of the Shiki manga created by Ryu Fujisaki, a remake of a novel series of the same name by Fuyumi Ono. The plot starts in a little isolated hamlet in rural Japan called Sotoba, where a succession of mysterious deaths occurs, corresponding with the entrance of the Kirishiki family that has recently moved into something like a castle built mainly on the outskirts.
Toshio Ozaki, dean of Sotoba’s only hospital, decides to investigate but discovers otherworldly appearances at work, notably vampires known as Shiki, which corresponds to “corpse demon” in English. Each overarching plotline is a homophone transcription of Japanese numerals employing On’yomi.
Each word typically relates to death or the deterioration of the physical body, both of which are recurrent themes in the series. The Rokuyo appellation accompanies dates for that day, which provides the day’s excellent fortune prediction.
Fans Reviews:
In my opinion, Shiki has such a fantastic premise, yet it manages to do that premise justice. I’ll do my best to convey a sense of the tale while avoiding spoilers. The story and artwork were not my cups of tea, although I understand that other people may appreciate this type of narrative/cast, so I’ll avoid blatant trolling.
5. Akira
- Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
- Writer: Katsuhiro Otomo, Izou Hashimoto, Izo Hashimoto.
- Cast: Tetsuo Shima, Engineer Sakiyama, Committee A, Ryusaku, Mitsuru Kuwata, Kaneda, Inspector, Committee F, Kei, Yuji Takeyama, Kiyoko, Kaori, Harukiya Bartender, Doctor Onishi, Spy, Eiichi Watanabe.
- IMDb: 8/10
- Platforms: Hulu Plus
About Akira:
In 2019, Neo-Tokyo was afflicted by bureaucracy, anti-government riots, terrorism, and gang warfare, succeeding in a world war caused by the catastrophic devastation of Tokyo on 16 July 1988. Throughout a violent protest, Shtar Kaneda leads the Capsules, a vigilante bszoku gang, even against a rival Clown gang. However, Tetsuo Shima, Kaneda’s best friend, accidentally smashes his motorcycle with Takashi, an esper who fled from a government lab with the help of a rebel organization.
Colonel Shikishima of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, helped by fellow esper Masaru, recaptures Takashi, hospitalizes Tetsuo, and arrests the Capsules. Kaneda encounters Kei, an activist in the rebel forces while being questioned by the police and convinces the investigators to leave her with his group. And Kaneda also witnesses Tetsuo and the espers’ childhoods in the singularity, including his and Tetsuo’s relationship and the espers’ psychic training before Tokyo’s destruction.
Kaneda is returned to Neo-Tokyo by the espers, who inform him that Akira will take Tetsuo to protection and that Kei is gaining psychic powers. Nishi experiences the birth of a cosmos but is killed in the devastation of his lab. The singularity vanishes after devouring much of Neo-Tokyo, and seawater floods the crater left in its wake.
Fans Reviews:
Akira is a divisive work of art, but it is nonetheless exceptional. It’s not an easy view, nor is it an easy review topic: the movie’s ambition and influence make understanding and appreciating it in its totality far from trivial. Like practically every other foundational piece of art, this violent animated movie, Akira is far from flawless, which is why many individuals don’t even think it’s a great movie—because of the gratuitous bloodshed, plot gaps, and bizarre side characters.
6. Devilman Crybaby
- Director: Masaaki Yuasa
- Writer: Ichiro Okouchi
- Cast: Akira Fudo, Miki Kuroda, Wamu, Psycho Jenny, Akiko Makimura, Babo, Miki Makimura, Ryo Asuka, Sirene, Moyuru Koda, jinmen, Taro Makimura, Noel Makimura, Silene, Miki Makimura.
- IMDb: 7.6/10
- Platforms: Netflix
About Devilman Crybaby:
Zennon sends Devilman, one of the Demonic Tribe’s fiercest warriors, to lead a military strike on the human realm. After ambushing and killing Akira and his father in the Alps, not far, according to the Demon Tribe’s base of operations, he chooses Akira as his host, returning him to life but imbuing him with an untamed and unpredictable streak.
Akira meets and becomes infatuated with Miki Makimura after coming to Japan, and Devilman is domesticated by his desire to shield her. Devilman decides to defy his orders and begins fighting a host of opponents dispatched by Zennon as well as his Demon Generals.
Fans Reviews:
The story of Crybaby was excellent; the pacing was consistent throughout, there were no unneeded dips, and it succeeded in pressing through to the finish and concluding in a satisfactory manner, which many programs nowadays fail to achieve.
Since I had never read Devilman or seen any translation, all of the twists in the original show were new to me, and the majority were well done; they are difficult to guess until the program demands you to know or gives primary indications. And it does an excellent job of subverting your assumptions.
7. Corpse Party: Tortured Soul
- Director: Akira Iwanaga
- Writer: Shoichi Sato
- Cast: Sachiko Shinozaki, Ayumi Shinozaki, Yuuya Kkizami, Yuka Mochida, Yoshiki Kishinuma, Ryou Yoshizawa, Tokiko Tsuji, Yoshikazu Yanagihori, Naho Saenoki, Yoshikazu Yanagihori, Yui Shishido, Satoshi Mochida, Takamine Yanagihori, Mayu Suzumoto.
- IMDb: 6.4/10
- Platforms: Crunchyroll
About Corpse Party: Tortured Soul:
A team of Kisaragi Academy students executes “Sachiko Ever After,” a friendship charm, for colleague Mayu Suzumoto, who is set to relocate to another school. When they finish the magic, they are separated by an earthquake and brought to the dreadful Holy Host Elementary School.
Naomi Nakashima with Seiko Shinohara reconcile and hunt for an exit simultaneously, but all of the building’s windows and doors are blocked. The Kisaragi pupils discover that Heavenly Host was the location of a homicide in which schoolteacher Yoshikazu Yanagihori purportedly cut out the tongues of four youngsters. Ayumi Shinozaki and Yoshiki Kishinuma are ambushed by one of the victims’ ghosts but saved by Naho Saenoki’s ghost.
Fans Reviews:
Viewing Corpse Party is like watching a horror film. You’re trapped there. I can’t even scream or cry since the risks are approaching. Screams are heard when you understand death is coming, but you will not be heard. But that’s just the start of this violent animated movie. Because once you’re kidnapped, Corpse Party will transport you to a location where your livelihood will never be precisely the same again.
8. Elfen Lied
- Director: Mamoru Kanabe
- Writer: Lynn Okamoto
- Cast: Lucy, Nyu, Kouta, Yuka, Mayu, Nana, Nozomi, Kurama, Bando, Mariko, Kakuzawa, Anna Kakuzawa, Arakawa, Kanae, Kisaragi, Saito.
- IMDb: 7.9/10
- Platforms: Prime Video
About Elfen Lied:
Elfen Lied is set in Kamakura but instead Kanagawa and centers on the “Diclonius,” a recently altered species. Their physique is similar to humans but with numerous changes, particularly horn-like indentations on the forehead and unseen telekinetic arms named “Vectors.”
Lucy, one of these Diclonius, is the series’ primary character: Initially imprisoned in an experimenting facility off the coastline of Kamakura, she eludes capture and wreaks havoc but is wounded in the process, causing her to acquire a secondary, infantile personality known as Nyu. Two residents, Kouta, a university student, discovered Lucy with his cousin Yuka.
Fans Reviews:
Elfen Lied is a unique character. Even after only 10 minutes of the first episode, it is clear that this is not your usual anime. Elfen Lied, a series fashioned in many respects after Shakespeare’s catastrophes and Ancient Greek tragedies, is not something you want to watch on a beautiful day. For some people the grottiest brutality and nudity in this series maybe scaring. But I have to admit that the plot would not have the same effect without it.
9. Ninja Scroll
- Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
- Writer: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
- Cast: Kagero, Jubei Kibagami, Tessai, Benisato, Dakuan, Genma, Genma Himuro, Yurimaru, Mushizou, Mujuro Utsutsu, Hyobu Sakaki, Zakuro, Shijima, Masked Samurai, Shinkurou, Hanza.
- IMDb: 7.8/10
- Platforms: Crunchyroll
About Ninja Scroll:
The Yamashiro clan harvests gold clandestine in Edo period Japan, then delivers a consignment to the Toyotomi Shogun of the Dark as compensation for his patronage. The Shogun of the Dark aims to spend the wealth on modern Spanish weaponry to destabilize the reigning government, the Tokugawa Shogunate.
In a tempest, the ship runs ashore in Mochizuki land, and the Yamashiro’s ninja team possessing supernatural powers, the Eight Devils of Kimon, kills the people of adjacent Shimoda Hamlet to preserve the hidden gold shipment. Jubei with Dakuan board the ship that is leaving. Gemma discloses his true motivations on board – instead of serving as an ally to the Toyotomi – to a disguised samurai who works as the Shogun of something like the Dark’s messenger and then murders him.
Fans Reviews:
Ninja Scroll became one of the first instances of animation I saw, and it negatively affected me. Fortunately, I was already persuaded that anime could withstand something live action would throw at it. This, in contrast, let me realize that, like any other, not all animation is excellent.
10. Another
- Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
- Writer: Yukito Ayatsuji
- Cast: Koichi Sakakibara, Mei Misaki, Yosuke Sakakibara, Reiko Mikami, Kirika, Misaki Fujioka, Amane, Tomohiko Kazami, Yukari Sakuragi, Naoya Teshigawara, Yuya Mochizuki, Yumi Ogura, Izumi Akazawa, Takako Sugiura, Ikuo Takabayashi, Junta Nakao, Manabu Maejima, Shigeki Yonemura, Shoji kubodera, Tatsuji Chibiki.
- IMDb: 7.5/10
- Platforms: Crunchyroll
About Another:
Misaki, a beloved student in Yomiyama North Middle School’s class 3-3, died unexpectedly midway through the school year in 1972. Devastated by the death, the students and teachers at the school family of classes 3-3 continued to act as if Misaki was still alive, resulting in a peculiar presence in the graduation photo. In the spring of 1998, Kichi Sakakibara switches to Yomiyama’s class 3-3; after that, he meets Mei Misaki, a shy girl their classmates and instructor appear to overlook.
The class soon becomes engulfed in a very weird phenomenon. When the pupils and their families begin to die in unusually horrible ways. Recognizing that these tragedies are linked to the long dead “Misaki of 1972,” a yearly disaster that has afflicted almost every school 3-3 since 1972, Kōichi with Mei strive to determine how to eliminate it from becoming kills additional of their classmates and them.
Fans Reviews:
The horror genre in anime is a difficult one to navigate. A critical problem emerges immediately, as everyone has their idea of horror based on how imaginative they are. While some may instantly know of grisly killings, others may picture more creepy, otherworldly events. And so on; the category has a high probability of failure due to each person’s interpretation of horror.
