10 Darkest New Gen Anime

Dark anime series aren’t for the faint of heart. For the fans that can tolerate bleak themes, however, they can be some of the most refreshing franchises around. These series don’t pull their punches and highlight the parts of life that most other series would avoid.

When it comes to the best dark anime of all time, there’s one name that comes out on top: Berserk. It’s a staple of anime and the cornerstone of brutality within the genre, but it’s from an older generation.

The new generation, thankfully, has a handful of titles that look to take the same path as Kentaro Miura’s creation and make it their own. These new-gen dark anime series explore depravity, cruelty, and more gripping themes through intriguing stories, amazing animation, and some of the best fights in anime.

Dorohedoro

Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Q Hayashida

Dorohedoro is a fever dream of an anime series in the best way possible. Animated by the powerhouse that is MAPPA, Dorohedoro isn’t really like most other anime series, and that’s a good thing.

The series stars Caiman as a man who was recently turned into a reptile and struck with amnesia. He spends the series hunting down the sorcerer who did this to him alongside his best friend Nikaido.

Dorohedoro features a great art direction, entertaining characters, and a world that feels like it can’t get much darker. It’s a great pick for anyone who wants to laugh while they watch one of the darkest new-gen anime series around.

Goblin Slayer

Animated By White Fox, Based on the Light Novel Series By Kumo Kagyu and Noboru Kannatsuki

Goblin Slayer has one of the most gripping premier episodes in anime. The first episode of the series was so shocking that streaming platform Crunchyroll had to issue a warning before anyone could watch it, a decision they have rarely made in the past.

It was a smart choice by the streaming service, as the first episode of Goblin Slayer let fans know exactly what type of series it was going to be right away. It’s a dark, heavy series that takes itself very seriously. It’s another excellent choice for someone who wants to watch an anime series that isn’t worried about offending anyone.

86

Animated A-1 Pictures, Based On The Light Novel Series By Asato Asato

86 (sometimes stylized as 86: Eighty-Six) is an overtly political show that tells the story of the so-called ‘losers’ of a conflict. The series is set in a relatively dystopian society where 85 districts have banded together against the 86th, forcing them to fight their battles for them.

It’s a well-animated series brought by the same studio behind Solo Leveling, A-1 Pictures. At its core, 86 is an action-packed thrill ride comprised of some of the most nihilistic, existential characters around. On its surface, it looks like it’s just another shōnen series, but even after just a few episodes, it’s easy to see that it’s so much more than that.

Lord of Mysteries

Animated By B.CMay PICTURES, Based on the Web Novel By Cuttlefish That Loves Diving (Yuan Ye)

Lord of Mysteries has the potential to become China’s One Piece. It’s an unbelievably good series with an animation matched by its ambition, showcasing some of the most delicious views in anime through an overwhelmingly amazing story.

Lord of Mysteries is dark in a way that other series aren’t. It doesn’t focus on darkness, nor does it put it on a pedestal. Instead, darkness is simply part of everyday life for the characters in the series. It’s a humble, honest series that showcases loss and trauma on a very real level, making the show an easy pick for a mature anime viewer.

Hell’s Paradise

Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Yuji Kaku

Hell’s Paradise is set to be one of Crunchyroll’s most popular anime series when it comes back to the streaming giant in January 2026. The first season took the world by storm in just a few episodes, conveying a brutal story through amazing fights, one of the most interesting worlds around, and a main character who couldn’t even die if he wanted to.

Gabimaru the Hollow is the perfect protagonist for a dark anime series. He’s ruthless, unhinged, and so nonchalant that nobody can really tell what he’s thinking about. If it wasn’t for his wife back home, he would’ve lost himself to his own abyss. Thankfully for the characters around Gabimaru, she’s keeping him grounded.

Made in Abyss

Animated By Kinema Citrus, Based on the Manga By Akihito Tsukushi

Made in Abyss has no business being as dark as it is. From the cover art, and even the first episode, the series looks like a lackadaisical adventure. The series looks like a fun anime about kids adventuring into a giant hole in the ground, finding somewhat scary monsters as they progress further.

Made in Abyss is nightmare fuel, full stop. There are moments so dark in the series that fans’ jaws can hit the ground in an instant, forcing them to rewind just to make sure they saw what they thought they saw. It’s an insanely dark series at times, and it feels even darker when its occasional jovial theme is taken into consideration.

Clevatess

Animated By Lay-duce, Based on the Manga By Yūji Iwahara

Clevatess is Berserk’s true spiritual successor. There are a ton of great, dark anime out there, but no other series truly captures the essence of Guts and the Band of the Hawk more than Clevatess. Clevatess looks like an anime from the 80s with its grainy animation style and over-the-top violence, and that’s a key reason that it stands out.

Like most other amazingly dark franchises, Clevatess could never be accused of taking it easy. It chooses to take the more difficult path every time, and it’s absolutely worth it. The story is gripping from the first few minutes, and somehow, it only gets better from there.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Animated By Trigger, Based on the Cyberpunk 2077 Video Game By CD Projekt Red (Set in the Cyberpunk Universe Created By Mike Pondsmith)

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has one of the most devastating endings in anime. In just 10 succinct episodes, Edgerunners showcases the underbelly of Night City, highlighting the lowlights of David Martinez’s reality.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is one of the best anime series that’s less than 15 episodes long. It’s an amazing series that can make a viewer laugh, cry, and more in no time at all.

Thankfully, a second season of the amazing series is coming out soon, so fans can head back to Night City and check out all the depravity once again.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Gege Akutami

Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t just one of the best dark anime of the latest generation: it’s one of the best shōnen series as well. The latest crop of top-tier shōnen series are markedly darker than their predecessors. Sure, One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto could be pretty dark, but they have nothing on Jujutsu Kaisen.

There aren’t many characters who make it out of Jujutsu Kaisen alive. Sukuna, one of the best villains in anime, is also great at making Yuji feel guilty for his own actions, adding yet another bleak layer to the show.

While the fights in the series are certainly one of the biggest reasons to talk about it, the darkness surrounding the series absolutely deserves a mention.

Chainsaw Man

Animated By MAPPA, Based on the Manga By Tatsuki Fujimoto

Chainsaw Man is one of the most impressive anime series of the past decade. It could rank as one of the funniest anime series, one of the best shōnen, and one of the darkest all at once. While a lot of other series are bogged down by the multitude of themes they try to tackle, Chainsaw Man is elevated by them.

Even though Chainsaw Man is downright hilarious, it can be incredibly dark. Like Jujutsu Kaisen, there are few characters who survive this series. The characters that do get to walk away from deadly battles aren’t scot-free, as the weight of their actions seems unshakable at times.