56+ Anime Like Demon Slayer (Recommendations)

Updated March 31, 2023 by Ernie

Demon Slayer was arguably the most hyped anime of 2020. Boasting sales that rivaled One Piece, it’s clear just how popular this series is. Kimetsu no Yaiba broke the internet after releasing its glorious fight scenes. The first episode left watchers intrigued while the rest left us hooked.

The premise of Demon Slayer is quite simple. Our protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, finds his family slaughtered by demons with his little sister being the only survivor. Since that day, he’s vowed to turn his sister back into a human.

Of course, Demon Slayer is a series that has left its mark on modern shonen as a whole. Here’s a list of 56+ anime that are similar to Demon Slayer!

56+ KIMETSU NO YAIBA LIKE ANIME!!

57. Ninja Scroll

Also known as “Juubee Ninpuuchou”, this anime is a classic because this was released way back from the 90s era where it showcases the brutality uncensored. This is a Japanese movie from 1993 and Yoshiaki Kawajiri directed this rare gem. JVC, Movic, and Toho also co-produced the film. The movie runned for 94 minutes.  It then sprung to a series released in 2003 which spanned to 13 episodes with 24 minutes each.

The story follows Jubei Kibagami, a rogue swordsman that travels through feudal Japan and has a livelihood of being a “swordsman for hire”. He has a past where he betrayed his master and wandered without one and doesn’t want to get involved with political wars between factions anymore. But with a twist of fate, he will be drawn back to the center of conflict again when Kagero, a female ninja was saved by him from an opponent that has an ability of making his body very hard like a rock. What will unfold after meeting this mysterious girl? I guess we’ll find out once we watch this series like we enjoyed watching Demon Slayer!

56. Inuyashiki

Anime Storyline:

A lot of you would be surprised to see Inuyashiki on this list. But trust me, if you loved the artwork of Kimetsu no Yaiba, you’ll love Inuyashiki.

The show will provide us with dark fantasy, dark humor, and the human mind. There are two main characters. One of them is our protagonist and the other is our antagonist. Both of them got in touch with alien technology and became cyborgs with full control over their minds.

The first part of the anime describes the life of our antagonist, the second part focuses on our protagonist. The animation quality and the fighting scenes will make you love the show if not the story.

55. Devil May Cry

Anime Storyline:

This is the anime from my childhood game. Back in the early 2000s, kids or teenagers who loved games had at least once played this game. The anime is exactly like the story of the game and with softer graphics and more animated visuals rather than boring 3D.

Dante is a mix of demons and humans and hunts around demons. Just like in the game, he fights with a sword and two guns. He calls his sword Rebellion and the guns are called Ebony and Ivory. Dante doesn’t join any organization but runs his own group. to fight against demons and exterminate them. Devil May Cry has great sword fights, visuals, and a protagonist that you’ll enjoy as a Demon Slayer lover.

54. DOTA: Dragon’s Blood

Anime Storyline:

DOTA is the rework of the game mod from Warcraft III. The game mod was created back in 2003. The game quickly got its fame and after a decade in 2013, the game got rebooted with better animations, graphics, HUD, UI, music, and lore. 

The game got so famous that it became the highest prize money esports title. Thus, the lore of the heroes and cosplays slowly became famous. The series was released in March 2021. Although it doesn’t follow the original lore from Warcraft III, it did a pretty solid job on the storytelling.

The hero Dragon Knight, Davion from the game, is the protagonist in the show, while Invoker or Karl is the antagonist. The plot is about Davion hunting dragons and on his journey,  he finds bigger secrets about the world. The show is similar to Kimetsu no Yaiba with the fantasy world and adventure. Both the protagonists have similar aims for a peaceful world and finally, both of them are helping someone on their journey.

53. Devilman Crybaby

Anime Storyline:

Devils take over human bodies if the human’s minds are weak enough to control. But the ones who have greater willpower possess the devil powers instead and become superhumans called Devilman.

With the bad influence from Ryo Asuka, the high schoolboy Akira Fudou became an overpowered creature which he later declares as a Devilman. Ryo planned to destroy the world and create a new world where he will live as a God with the help of Akira. Ryo fuses “Amon” the devil with Akira to make him a bad person. But little did he know Akira had very strong willpower. In the process, Akira became a superhuman with devil powers.

Akira is an orphan who was adopted by a rich family with an older sister, Miki Makimura, and a younger brother Taro Makimura. Akira hid the fact of his recently found powers from his whole family. Akira and Ryo continue their journey to destroy the other bad influencers and devils to create their perfect world. If the gore fight against demons in Demon Slayer gives you an adrenaline rush, then you’ll enjoy the plot of this one.

52. Katanagatari

Anime Storyline:

The story is about a samurai from the Edo period in Japan, Shichika Yasuri. He specializes in an ancient Japanese sword fighting technique where the user himself becomes the blade. In other words, he uses his body as a sword to cut his opponents.

Shichika got interested in a woman called Togame. She invited him on a hunt to find twelve ancient swords called Deviant Blades. Shichika gladly accepts and the journey starts.

51. Kekkai Sensen / Blood Blockade Battlefront

Anime Storyline:

New York City has turned into Hellsalem’s Lot in an imaginary future time. The city resides with normal human and supernatural beings. To keep peace maintained in the city there is a secret organization called Libra.

Leonardo Watch with the power of “All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods”, came to Hellsalem’s Lot. He came here to help his sister know about the powers of his eyes. He received the power in exchange for his sister’s eyesight. Libra sought him out and Leonardo joined them in a very awkward situation. His quests with Libra are weird and he has some strange friends there.

50. Samurai Champloo

Anime Storyline:

Samurai Champloo Watanabe is a master in creating visuals that blend seamlessly with the music playing in the background. The follow-up to his classic anime, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo was even better than its predecessor. Jazz music became the staple of the Bebop series, and hip-hop music became the staple of the Samurai Champloo. The story is once again set in the Edo period where Samurai rule the lands. The animation is on par with movies. Hip-hop music makes the show one of a kind.

Samurai Champloo is a fun series using the influence of hip hop throughout the show. The series is about the quest to find the samurai “who smells of sunflowers”. The anime has a very chill vibe to it. The use of hip hop contrasting the serious samurai works strangely well with the anime’s vibe. The anime excelled in its sword fights and has stunning animation to complement the choreography.

The animation is fluid and stunning; with every hit, you can feel the weight of each slice and the impact each attack has. Samurai Champloo delivers on being a great sword-fighting anime. The visuals are equally as impressive. The backgrounds give life to the samurai era of Japan. Character designs are impressive and bold, showing importance in keeping the designs diverse.

Samurai Champloo is one of the classics and has similarities to Demon Slayer in the aspects of classic sword fighting. You will enjoy Samurai Champloo’s sword fights just as much as you enjoyed Demon Slayer’s.

49. Sword Art Online

Anime Storyline:

Sword Art Online Kazuto has become a beta tester for the release of virtual games. Everything seemed to be going well when gamers realized they couldn’t log out. In other words, he was stuck in a game lurking in every corner of death. The only way out of this virtual world is to complete 100 levels of the game, and it’s up to Kazuto to achieve it and become a hero in the process.

Sword Art Online gets a bad reputation from anime watchers, due to its “Fairy Dance” and “Mothers Rosario” Arcs. However, Alicization feels like a complete rehaul of the SAO series. Featuring a new challenge, Kirito now has to adapt to a new game.

The animation is more pristine, the fight sequences have improved a lot and many problems with the characterization have been fixed. SAO: Alicization features stunning animation and interesting settings. Each moment of the anime is tense and leaves you wondering what could happen next. If you are interested in this series, you may also check our Sword Art Online watch and read order guide. You’ll love it!

48. Berserk

Anime Storyline:

Guts is a mercenary with a unique physique and a love for sword fighting against worthy opponents. He won almost all the sword fights in his life without competition. That streak was broken by Griffith and Casca. Griffith is a former nobleman who created the Band of the Hawk. Griffith offers Guts to join the Band of the Hawk and stay until he becomes strong enough to beat Griffith. Guts keeps fighting for the Band of the Hawk and slowly becomes the center of attention for the whole band. He also develops romantic chemistry with Casca.

The overpowered Band of the Hawks, with the raw battle power of Guts, and the unavoidable battle plan of Griffith, stops a hundred-year-old war. For his amazing skills, the Midland Army promoted Griffith as their General. The problem starts from when Guts wants to leave the Band of the Hawks as he felt Griffith achieved what he aimed for. Griffith reminds him that he has to beat Griffith to leave. Little did he know Guts was getting stronger day-by-day, and beat Griffith in the duel.

Getting depressed from the loss, Griffith made the mistake of sleeping with the princess. Captured by the King’s Guard he was taken to prison and tortured. Once this news goes to Guts, he goes on to rescue Griffith. After getting rescued, the permanently disabled Griffith hallucinates and falls. His blood drops onto the magical Behelit and he gets to make a decision that ends up recovering him.

47. Vinland Saga

Anime Storyline:

The story is based on the rivalry of a son of a great Viking leader and a mercenary group. Thorfinn is the son of Thors Snorresson. He seeks vengeance for his father’s death. He aims to kill Askeladd, leader of the mercenary group, who killed Thorfinn’s father.

To kill Askeladd, Thorfinn gets into the mercenary band to invite him to duel. There, he gets stuck by some uninvited guests. Thorfinn’s dream is to reach a land without war and slavery in the far west called Vinland. If you’re wondering who are the strongest characters in the series, you may check out our strongest Vinland Saga characters list!

46. Assassin’s Pride

Anime Storyline:

At 46, we have Assassin’s Pride. The show represents the discrimination we face in our daily life. The ones who have got the power to fight or mana are hailed and given nobility or aristocracy. The ones who don’t, have to live their lives as cattle.

The protagonist, Merida Angel, even after being an aristocrat, doesn’t hold the ability to fight monsters. She has this cute vibe throughout the whole anime. She has a proud-egoistic teacher, Kufa Vanpiel. He is determined to bring out the mana within her. The show is similar to Demon Slayer with the perspective of a fantasy-based world fighting against monsters or demons. The protagonists also give off a similar vibe.

45. Yasuke

Anime Storyline:

Yasuke is a 2021 Netflix original anime featuring the historical aspects of samurai. It tells the story of Yasuke, the first black samurai. Fantasy aspects are added to make the story more interesting and visually appealing.

Yasuke features the historical aspects of the samurai and gives valuable information as to how life was. If you like the old aspects of demon slayer you’re sure to enjoy this.

44. Re: Zero

Anime Storyline:

Although, Re: Zero does not have a bunch of delinquents with some nasty tempers, the one thing that both Tokyo Revengers and Re: Zero shares in common is the ability to travel back in time to save their loved ones. Re: Zero revolves around Natsuki Subaru who got hit by our famous Truck-Kun and was issekai’d to a completely different world. As soon as he gets to the new world, he meets a silver-haired half-elf, Emilia, and gets killed while saving her. 

Subaru finds himself alive again after a few hours just to die again. After experiencing death a few times, he realizes he has this mysterious power to return to life and turn back time whenever he dies.  Subaru finally succeeds in helping her and out of gratitude, Emilia takes him to her palace and lets him stay there as a butler. He slowly develops feelings for Emilia and decides that he’d help her become the next queen no matter what. 

Subaru’s journey is full of pain and suffering as he comes across a lot of deadly villains that are after Emilia. Now, will Subaru overcome all the suffering while having a bunch of good companions by his side and be able to make Emilia’s wish come true?

Re: Zero is another isekai fantasy anime. After being hit by a truck, Subaru finds himself in another world with the ability to never die. Any time he dies he wakes up earlier that day and has to repeat dying until finding out how to stop his death.

Re: Zero has interesting characters and 30-minute episode lengths which is substantially longer than most anime. Each character feels genuine and especially Subaru’s struggle against Life and Death. Re: Zero adds a psychological aspect to the anime that most series gloss over. Subaru’s emotions and mental state is explored heavily throughout the show.

43. Gintama

Anime Storyline:

Gintama takes the sword fighting aspect of the demon slayer and emphasizes comedy. Gintama doesn’t follow a set narrative. Sometimes episodes may be completely unrelated.

The setup for the series is that aliens have taken over the world. Gintoki is a samurai that must do odd jobs to survive, as most samurai have died out. Each episode is funnier than the last, with hilarious jokes and parodies of other anime that are timeless.  As well as comedy, the show balances extreme topics such as drugs, gore, and trafficking.

42. Castlevania

Anime Storyline:

Castlevania is a series that involves a large conflict against demons. Dracula summons an army of demons after being wronged and it is up to Trevor Belmont to combat this army. Castlevania is a dark fantasy anime that manages to captivate its audience with its use of horror and detailed animation.

The realistic art style emphasizes how brutal some moments truly are. If you want a shocking, mature watch then make sure to start watching Castlevania as fast as you can. It’s truly a good watch.

41. Assassination Classroom

Anime Storyline:

In Assassination Classroom, Earth gets threatened by an octopus-like alien. He offers only one option to mankind. He wanted to teach in a school on how to kill him. If the students can kill him within a year, all of humanity would be saved but if they fail, he will destroy the world. Security forces around the world tried their best to get rid of him and failed miserably.

Our protagonist here is the antagonist himself. Koro-sensei is an amazing character. He has a ten-billion-yen bounty on his head for reducing the moon to a permanent crescent shape. The animation of the show is top-notch. If you liked the animation and graphics quality of Kimetsu no Yaiba, you’ll have a great time during these 47 episodes of the show.

40. Chainsaw Man

Anime Storyline:

Chainsaw Man is an imaginative series about a world where negative human feelings can spawn devils. Denji, the protagonist, works to clear his inherited debt with the Yakuza. While out devil hunting, Denji dies and fuses with his devil Pochita to become Chainsaw Man. Denji uses Pochita’s power and joins an organization to exterminate devils from the world. But what if we tell you that Chainsaw Man is not a devil?

Although it hasn’t been released yet, the Chainsaw Man manga is thrilling and imaginative. Chainsaw Man has great characters, amazing fights, and great worldbuilding. If the anime is anything like its source material, then it’s sure to be a success.

39. Sirius the Jaeger

Anime Storyline:

Sirius the Jaeger is a fantasy anime set in the 1900s. It features Jaegers, people with the ability to turn into werewolves. The main conflict is against vampires fighting for possession of an ancient relic with the power to eliminate either side.

The aesthetic of the anime is quite dark but still manages to look beautiful. Sirius the Jaeger has brilliant character design and pleasant animation. It delivers on being a vampire anime, with some scenes being heavily shocking. The setting truly works, as the 1900s is a period not often explored in anime. It’s refreshing to see the setting explored in a way that highlights its features. Sirius the Jaeger is a good watch if you’re looking for an interesting vampire story.

38. Rurouni Kenshin

Anime Storyline:

Rurouni Kenshin the author of this anime, based the main character, Himura Kenshin, on a real-life murder named Gensai. Like the historical figure he was based on, Kenshin was a merciless killer, undefeated till now on the battlefield. He suddenly disappeared when the Japanese Revolution began.

Disgusted by himself and regretting ever shedding the blood of any human being, he started feeling the urge to atone for his crimes by protecting those who cannot protect themselves and never taking another life even if it’s a good or an evil one. Kenshin was a master in the Hiten Kenjutsu style from the rather old era that was created so that a single samurai can obliterate multiple ones in one go! Sounds exciting, right? Although it turns into a bit of a romantic love story, it will also show us how Kenshin tries to pass down his fighting style to his pupil to keep this beautiful technique alive. And the struggles he will face while defending his friends while making sure he doesn’t kill anyone in the process.

This series is about Rurouni, a swordsman who protects the citizens of Japan. Rurouni Kenshin is set in the past, during the Meiji period of Japan. It features a genuine romance which is refreshing in the shonen genre. Rurouni Kenshin boasts stunning displays of sword fighting. Ruroni Kenshin has a nostalgic 90’s anime aesthetic that only magnifies the greatness of this anime. The soundtrack is also amazing, providing an added boost to the series as a whole. If you liked the fights in Demon Slayer, you’re sure to enjoy this series.

37. Rising of the Shield Hero

Anime Storyline:

Naofumi Iwatani, a college student, got summoned to a land called Melromarc and has become one of the four protagonists whose mission is to protect the land from various obstacles. As a shield champion, his reputation was further affected when people mocked his weaknesses and were accused of not exploiting a woman called Marti. The purpose of the nerd is to clarify his name and gain the respect of those around him.

Rise of the Shield Hero follows Naofumi Iwatani’s rise to power. After being transported to a fantasy realm, Naofumi is unfairly painted with a target on his back. The world’s army is set on hunting him down. With the odds against him, Naofumi has to grow and survive in a world that constantly seems against him.

Such as being forced to only use a shield as his only form of defence, Naofumi has to scrape by carefully making sure he survives. The show makes the viewer feel sympathetic to Naofumi in a natural way. Rise of the Shield Hero is a fantasy anime that delivers in exciting its viewers to their core. Some people like Shield Hero for the action, some for the fantasy, others for the fights.

36. Claymore

Anime Storyline:

Claymore is similar to Redo of Healer in a few ways. It depicts the controversial themes just like Redo of Healer. It also leans more towards gore than actual fight scenes that include some hardcore action. The dark fantasy elements are really impressive in this one so if you liked Redo of Healer, you’re going to love it!

The story takes place in older times when Yoma (Demons) spread chaos everywhere. Those demons can easily blend in with other humans by taking the shape of those whose memories they’ve eaten. The only creatures Youmas are truly scared of are Claymores who are half-human and half-demon women. The Claymores are fully fated to become Yomas eventually. Our main character Clare shows a bit of humanity and saves an orphan Raki who swears to help her retain her humanity till the end.

Claymore is a dark fantasy series featuring a struggle between humans and demons. However, the only people strong enough to fight back against demons are halfbreeds of humans and demons. The show has a secret organization built on killing any of the demons known as “Youma”.

The fight scenes are well thought out and don’t drag on for too long, compared to some other anime. Claymore is a gritty anime series filled with realistic characters and overall clean animation. You can feel the impact of the characters and each struggle they have, living in a world where danger is around every corner.

Claymore is similar to Kimetsu no Yaiba because both shows represent contracted monster hunters trying to protect humans. Also, the dark theme and tragic stories behind the characters relate to each other.

35. Black Clover

Anime Storyline:

Black Clover has been a hit in the anime world and is now getting its first movie! Every single one of us was dreading the day the series would end and knowing that it’s not over yet gave us something to look forward to. Unfortunately, the details of the movie are still draped in mystery. Only a short video is available on Youtube giving us an idea about the design and art but nothing concerning the plot. The release date is also unknown. The producers I’m sure are having a blast bottling up the excitement of the fans waiting to see their reaction when the suspense will end. Release date: TBA (To Be Announced)

Black Clover is an underdog story, following the protagonist Asta. Asta is an orphan born without any magical prowess. In contrast, his rival is Yuno who is extremely talented in magic. Their rivalry is friendly and a refreshing take for shonen. Asta’s goal is quite generic; wanting to become ‘Wizard King’, a position for the most powerful. The animation gets better the further you watch the series, as you watch the characters improve. All uses of magic are interesting and creative.

34. Boku no Hero Academia / My Hero Academia

Anime Storyline:

Fundamentally, My Hero Academia is a pillar of modern shonen. The characters and fight sequences are badass, which helps it appeal to most watchers. My Hero Academia is one of the most popular shonen of today.

Perhaps it could be due to the simple setup of the show? 80% of the population are born with “quirks”, their universe’s version of superpowers. Izuku Midoriya was born without a quirk but still strives to be a hero. The show’s main core of hard work helps solidify it as a great series. The plot starts basic but the more you watch the further the series develops and grows more interesting. If you’re looking for a good watch, My Hero Academia is a great place to start!

33. Nanatsu no Taizai / Seven Deadly Sins

Anime Storyline:

A fantasy series with the personification of the seven cardinal sins. SDS has an imaginative cast and well thought out fantasy setting. The power scaling is interesting enough to keep you watching and wondering how the characters will deal with a problem ahead of them.

Seven Deadly Sins has plenty of fanservice, so if you weren’t already enticed by the combat there’s another thing to keep you watching. The cast is full of fun and bright characters that oddly work well when paired with each other. Seven Deadly Sins is a fun show filled with dark moments. Watch for a fun ride of emotions!

32. Hellsing Ultimate

Anime Storyline:

Hellsing is an organization that dedicated itself to the destruction of creatures that threaten the existence of humanity. It’s controlled by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. They train people to fight the monsters with physical training and with modified ammunition.

The most powerful weapon of Hellsing is Alucard. Alucard is the most overpowered vampire with a poetic way of killing. He is also the personal bodyguard of Integra. Alucard with his assistant, Seras Victoria, continues their journey against monsters. The main similarity between Demon Slayer and Hellsing Ultimate is the organizations against demons/monsters. We can also see the connection of both female characters becoming hybrid demons/vampires.

31. Death Note

Anime Storyline:

Who doesn’t know Death Note? I think most of the anime watchers started their journey with Death Note or at least at some point they thought Death Note changed their perspective of anime. The Shinigami, Ryuk, dropped his notebook on Earth just because he wanted to see how bent the human mind can be. The notebook has power, the user who touches it can see Ryuk and they can kill the person they want by writing their name in the notebook.

 In the process, Ryuk finds Light Yagami who later becomes our anti-protagonist-like character with a fake name: Kira. Our protagonist, Lawliet, has analyzing powers beyond the capacity of an average human being. He soon finds out about Kira and almost pinpoints his location. Kira has the determination of killing all the bad guys using the Death Note to create the perfect world and become its God. We enjoy Kira becoming a godlike character along with the deduction capabilities of Lawliet. If want to give this series a try, you might also want to check our Death Note watch order guide!

30. Fire Force

Anime Storyline:

Coming in at the start of the list we have Fire Force. The anime follows Shinra Kusakabe in a dangerous setting. Humans can randomly combust and become ‘Infernals’. Shinra trains to stop the attacks and further minimize the damage that the Infernals do. Fire Force has stellar animation and a compelling story.

The use of fire is well done, and every character has an interesting way of fighting. For something closely related to reality, Fire Force is an anime that manages to be incredibly creative every step of the way. If you are done watching the series and wondering where you can continue with the manga, you can visit our guide to where to start Fire Force manga after the anime!

29. Code Geass

Anime Storyline:

The time of the series is based on some time in the future. An army called the Holy Britannian Empire with powerful robots controlled by humans conquered the whole world. The story is about freeing the whole world from this army.

Lelouch Lamperouge is a student of a Brittanian family who gets a power called Geass (Power of Kings) with the help of a mysterious green-haired sloppy girl called C.C. With the help of this newly discovered power and the hatred for Britannia, Lelouch plans an all-out war against Brittania.

28. Owari no Seraph/Seraph of the End

Anime Storyline:

This story has similarities with recent COVID situations because it’s about a virus taking over the world. The infected people die and thus vampires take advantage of the situation. They capture the rest of the people to use them as livestock.

Yuichiro Hyakuya, an orphaned boy with a tragic backstory is our protagonist. He fights against the vampires to eradicate them and joins the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Both Kimetsu no Yaiba and Owari no Seraph have similar introductions to the stories. Also, demon-fighting and survival against evil are similar storylines that both have. If you liked demon-fighting in Kimetsu no Yaiba, you’ll love this one.

27. Fate Series

Anime Storyline:

Fun fact: the series that made Fate also animated Demon Slayer! Fate follows multiple people attempting to reach ‘The Holy Grail’. Multiple wars are started over the Holy Grail and it is viewed to be the main conflict/goal of the series.

Fate boasts stunning animation that beats most anime produced now by a long shot. For new time anime series watching it can be confusing, due to the multiple timelines that the series follows. Fate is an anime series based on a light novel by the same name. Each character is extremely powerful and watching their fights is breathtaking.

26. Fairy Tail

Anime Storyline:

Fairy Tail is similar to Kimetsu no Yaiba when it comes to the concept of friendship and teamwork. Though, Fairy Tail has a much lighter tone. The concept of “Never giving up” is also similar in both. We also notice the personalities of both the MCs are quite similar to each other.

Apart from the MCs, both the anime offer a set of distinct and unique characters that’ll grab your attention right away! This anime revolves around Natsu who’s in search of his foster father and teacher. For that, he joins a magician’s guild by the name of “Fairy Tail” which are notorious for destroying cities while doing their job. Natsu soon meets Lucy who shows interest in joining his guild and ends up being in the guild with Natsu’s help. The team appears to be a strong family who helps the ones in need and fight the forces of evil during their journey!

Fairy Tail is a fantasy anime centered around a guild going around and accepting quests. The series is quite light-hearted, making use of comedy throughout the show. Fairy Tail is primarily about the bond that the main characters have with each other, often using their friendship as a power-up. The show has elemental magic quite like the breathing forms and demon blood art in Demon Slayer. The anime is bright and colorful, making it visually attractive. Primarily, Fairy Tail is an entertaining show meant to not be analyzed too seriously. For a show that is more light-hearted, be sure to watch Fairy Tail.

25. Naruto

Anime Storyline:

Naruto follows the story of an orphan, wishing to stop being hated by the members of his village. He trains hard every day to become a full-fledged ninja, and eventually the Hokage, leader of his village. Naruto features the shonen aspects of Demon Slayer.

To become Hokage and impress his village, Naruto seems quite different from Demon Slayer. However, Naruto displays the same balance of storytelling aspects that Demon Slayer does. A healthy mix of comedy, fights, and character development, Naruto is the pinnacle of what shonen should aspire to be like.

24. Dragon Ball Series

Anime Storyline:

Arguably the most popular anime series of all time, Dragon Ball is the grandfather of shonen. It features thrilling fights, impactful antagonists, and emotional scenes. Dragon Ball follows Goku as he grows ever stronger, facing fiercer opponents who will stop at nothing to kill him and his friends. Watch as Goku trains to become stronger, forced into new challenges and threats.

23. Afro Samurai

Anime Storyline:

Afro Samurai is about a fight for the number one headband. It is a declaration of status, showing how powerful you are. The number two samurai wishes to challenge the first, but he has to constantly fight to stay alive while attempting to find him. The dub features Samuel L Jackson as the voice of Afro Samurai. The show has a wow factor that isn’t seen in a lot of anime.

22. Bleach

Anime Storyline:

As a part of the ‘Anime Big Three’, Bleach was one of the most popular anime running in the 2000s. Bleach follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a hot-blooded teenager. The audience is first introduced to him effortlessly beating down local delinquents for knocking down vases left for a deceased child.

Immediately you can see that he’s a passionate and caring soul who has his priorities set straight. The series soon takes a darker turn with Ichigo becoming a soul reaper and fighting against tougher opponents. To learn more, you can check out our list of the best characters in Bleach!

21. Mushishi

Anime Storyline:

One of the most underrated shows that have a very unique story, twisted plot, and interesting MC. The anime is based on an imaginary time-period. Based on the past, we see some eye-soothing ancient Japanese-style artwork. The MC is called Ginko and he aims to find the true meaning of Mushi. What is the Mushi you ask? Well, Mushi can be defined as terminology for some specific type of human beings who are existing just because they are beings.

You might wonder where the connection is with Demon Slayer here. I think, if you found the aesthetics of Demon Slayer good enough, you’ll love Mushishi more. The period of both anime has a similar vibe. Tradition, culture, music, and mysterious MCs – all give off a similar vibe.

20. One Punch Man

Anime Storyline:

Saitama becomes a hero for fun and tries to fight someone with whom he can fight toe to toe. But he ends up beating all his enemies with just one punch. On his way to becoming this strong, he killed a lot of monsters that were trying to cause trouble at random.

Saitama and his disciple, Genos the cyborg, join the Hero Association to get paid for their living costs. Later, he finds out the monsters are getting united to eradicate humans from the earth so that only the monsters live in harmony. Saitama continues his journey to get a worthy opponent and Genos continues the goal of climbing the hero ranking set by his master, Saitama. If you want to continue the story of Saitama after watching the anime, you can check our guide on where to start One Punch Man manga after the anime!

19. Soul Eater

Anime Storyline:

Soul Eater follows a set of three teams at Death Weapon Meister Academy. The series has meisters (students that control the weapons) and a person who can transform into a weapon.

Soul Eater has striking visuals that while uncommon, make the series unique and stand out. The characters all share a common goal to get stronger but for various reasons. Each character is so memorable that they’ll last in your mind for a long time after watching.

18. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Anime Storyline:

The story is based on two brothers, Kamina and Simon. They live underground and slowly become determined to go to the upper surface. The reason no one lives on the surface is that the spiral king forces everyone to live there.

The spiral king controls human-like creatures – Beastmen, to maintain the surface land from the underground dwellers. The older brother, Kamina, along with the younger brother, Simon and Yoko, get determined to land on the surface and fight with their robots called Gunmen.

The trio faces a lot of tragedy along their journey to live on the surface. But through their challenges, they see a lot of success too. And finally, they fulfill their dream. Gurren Lagann is a famous show and enjoyed by most anime fans out there. Though we miss the sword fights of Demon Slayer, both are Shonen with great visuals, aesthetics, and music tracks.

17. Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan

Anime Storyline:

Globally known as Attack on Titan, is an anime that is based on human extinction, walls that keep titans out  and the struggle for survival. The protagonist, Eren Jaeger, loses his mother to a titan. From there on, his hatred for titans grew larger day by day. Eren joins the part of the army that’s called the Survey Corp. Their goal is to roam beyond the walls and destroy the titans. On his journey, Eren is accompanied by his childhood friend Mikasa Ackerman. She is arguably the strongest character of the show.

The villain is a character they seek for a long time, his arrival gets ugly and the reason behind the titans’ existence becomes very interesting. Shingeki no Kyojin has a lot of similarities with Kimetsu no Yaiba. The protagonists are overpowered, strong female characters, the tragic childhood of the protagonist, similar sword fights, and only one person being the reason behind the demons. If you want to know the ending of Attack on Titan before the final season part 3 will be released, you can check our Attack on Titan manga ending!

16. Dororo

Anime Storyline:

Dororo features the tragic tale of Hyakkimaru. As a result of a deal made by his father, Hyakkimaru was born without any of his limbs or major organs. He was found by a doctor and given prosthetics that allow him to live normally.

Dororo features many historical aspects that other anime doesn’t, and doesn’t romanticize the Sengoku period, making it entertaining and educational. Dororo has moral questions that leave the watcher pondering over right and wrong, making it a superb anime.

15. Shiki

Anime Storyline:

In the small village of Sotoba, a disease outbreak became an epidemic.It started with the first victim as Megumi Shimizu, who wanted to lead a regular life with glamour and fame in a city. The story is based on survival in a place where good and bad look the same.

Natsuno, a boy from the city, is mourning badly for his friend Megumi’s death. In the meantime, a doctor named Toshio Ozaki soon realizes that the disease is not normal and caused by a vampire. He and Natsuno work together to save the village of Sotoba from becoming a graveyard. 

14. D. Gray-man

Anime Storyline:

This series is based on a manga that was written by Katsura Hoshino. He also illustrated the manga. The TV adaptation was released in October 2006 and lasted until September of 2008. This has spanned to 103 episodes with 23 minutes per episode. Then a sequel titled “D.Gray-man Hallow” was released in July 2016 and finished airing in September of 2016. It has 13 episodes with 24 minutes each.

The plot is set in the 19th century but in an alternate timeline where Allen Walker joined an organization called the Black Order. The order’s duty is to protect humans from the family of Noah and the reincarnation of his 12 apostles that has hatred towards God and the entire humanity. They are being spearheaded by a mysterious person named Millennium Earl. Those who are members of the Black order are called Exorcists. The Millennium Earl creates creatures similar to demons by bending the wish of being able to see his long-gone loved ones. He traps the dead souls in the demon bodies and calls them “Akuma”. There is only one way to free them, and that is the use of the weapon called “Innocence”.

The show also offers powerful female characters and an interesting character like Zenitsu in Demon Slayer. She goes by the name Miranda Lotto. Later in the show, she shows some badass fighting skills. If you enjoyed Demon Slayer’s storyline, you’ll enjoy D. Gray-Man. Both of the anime have good fighting animation and similar antagonists. And both of them have light comedy from time to time that will give you a good watch. You may also want to check our D.Gray-Man filler list guide if you want to see more of our exorcists!

13. Noragami

Anime Storyline:

The self-proclaimed Fortune God Yato spends his life doing odd jobs. He dreams of having a shrine with dedicated followers worshipping him. One day, a young girl named Hiyori saves him from being hit by a bus and takes the hit for him.

She finds out that her spirit will sometimes leave her body and wishes to return to normal. Yato enlists on a journey to help her return to the way she was. Noragami features interesting fight scenes with uses of swordsmanship and gun displays. The choreography has to be unique due to the different types of weapons used. Noragami delivers in the character department as well, making each character convincing and well thought out.

12. Akame ga Kill

Anime Storyline:

The series follows a young boy named Tatsumi who has dreams of enlisting in his country’s army. A noble goal, as he wants to save his home village from poverty. After a minor setback, he is derailed and spends the night at a rich girl’s estate. At night, the house is attacked by a group of assassins. It is then revealed that the family was planning on killing him.

Tatsumi decided to join the group of assassins instead of joining the army. Akame ga Kill is a dark story, not for the faint-hearted. Gore is apparent in each episode and the series seems to turn darker the more you watch. Akame ga Kill is a show with many horrifying moments. The anime is filled with gory animation and fierce characters, making it a good watch for those that like more chilling series give Akame ga Kill a watch.

11. Hunter x Hunter

Anime Storyline:

Gon Freecss goes on a journey to find his father. He finds out his father is a legendary Hunter. Hunters are special people who do dangerous jobs, treasure hunts, or capture rare animals for other people or themselves, to become financially stable or even for the passion of collecting.

On his way to find his father, he gets inspired to become a hunter himself. To become a hunter, he trains for the Hunter Exam, so he can get recruited as one. He befriends more people and becomes a part of a group.

10. Tokyo Ghoul

Anime Storyline:

Kaneki suffers a lot in this show, but his suffering managed to make him one of the most loved anime protagonists of all time. In a world plagued with ghouls, who devour humans,

Kaneki is a normal kid. But one incident changes his life forever. After that incident, Kaneki has become a ghoul and can’t eat human food, the psychological trauma that Kaneki goes through is really hard to see. Tokyo Ghoul is a classic and should be watched by every weeb regardless of their taste. If you want to know the strongest characters in this series, be sure to check out our strongest Tokyo Ghoul characters list!

Tokyo Ghoul features the struggle of Ken Kaneki, a boy who becomes half-ghoul after receiving ghoul organs in a transplant to save his life. Kaneki has to deal with the repercussions of his new life and adjust accordingly while knowing he could be one of the strongest ghouls to ever exist. However, he doesn’t want to lose his old life and seems apprehensive about the idea. Tokyo Ghoul is filled with heart-wrenching scenes and twists that live up to its seinen genre. For a mature story, be sure to check out Tokyo Ghoul.

9. Mob Psycho 100

Shigeo Kageyama aka Mob, is a 15-year-old schoolboy with psychic powers that he usually tries to hide from others. He tries to suppress his powers when he learns the dangers of his abilities.

Being a simple-minded kid, Mob quickly becomes a fan of Arataka Reigen – a fake psychic. When Arataka finds that Mob has the powers, he uses them to gain money from people. Mob’s power can go out of control if he ever becomes emotionally unstable or hurt badly. His emotions slowly become unstable and when they reach a maximum level, he can’t be stopped.

8. Goblin Slayer

Anime Storyline:

Similarity with Demon Slayer: 16 Goblins are evil creatures who raid villages for women. They use the females for disturbing things. They slaughter the males ruthlessly and destroy the whole place. Goblins are famous for their rapid breeding.

The world of Goblin Slayer is earning ground for adventurers who are freelance mercenaries under the Adventurer’s Guild, who take quests based on reward and capabilities. So often, the rural villages go unnoticed by most adventurers. The adventurers are ranked by the Association of the Adventurers Guild. There are a total of 10 ranks. Platinum is the highest and Porcelain is the lowest rank of an adventurer.

Goblin Slayer is a silver-ranked adventurer who is obsessed with killing goblins. He is a socially awkward character. Despite his outlook, in battle, he portrays ability beyond his armor. He has cunning reasons behind his armors too. Priestess is a porcelain-ranked adventurer, saved by the Goblin Slayer during one of her quests. Since then, she joined the party of Goblin Slayer. As a person, she is very charming, kind, and empathetic.

Kimetsu no Yaiba and Goblin Slayer have similar hunters of goblins, or demons in Demon Slayer. Both have sword fighting, not the same, but sword fighting in general. Goblin Slayer is a bit more gore and bloody than Kimetsu no Yaiba but enjoyable if you like that type of anime.

7. Inuyasha

Anime Storyline:

Inuyasha is an adventure series about a half-demon and human searching for fragments of a crystal spread across Japan. Inuyasha is set in the past, the Sengoku period of Japan.

A time where wars and conflict were common. The anime features some downtime where the characters can have fun and are further humanized.  The old anime aesthetic fits beautifully with the main themes of the show. Every character is well thought out and the anime has a strong emotional impact. If you don’t want to miss out on this series, be sure to check our Inuyasha watch order!

6. Fullmetal Alchemist

Anime Storyline:

In the world of alchemy, two brothers, Edward and Alphonse, lost a lot during their trial of bringing their mother back to life. This led them to abandon their house, burn it and go away in search of getting back what they lost.

They need a stone called the Philosopher’s Stone, to regain what was taken from them. They train in alchemy to become good enough to find the location of the stone. The stone allows alchemy rules to bend its law and ignore the equivalent exchange. On their journey, they wreak havoc upon a lot of people using alchemy that gives Edward his nickname “Fullmetal”. If you want to know more about the characters in this series, you may also want to check our list of all Fullmetal Alchemist characters’ birthdays. Maybe you can see a character’s birthday matching yours!

In Demon Slayer, Tanjiro tries to recover Nezuko and FMAB shows the attempt of Edward to regain the body of Alphonse. Tanjiro fights demons and Alfred fights demon-like creatures known as the seven deadly sins.

5. Blue Exorcist

Anime Storyline:

What do you get, when you cross the son of Satan with a world full of demons? Blue Exorcist is an anime series that follows Rin Okumura, the son of Satan.

After watching his parental figure die, he vows to kill Satan himself. Blue Exorcist excels in providing a visually interesting series. Each design is bright and vibrant. The demons have frightening designs and unique powers, making the series a fun watch. If you are inspired by the characters in this series, you might also want to check our Blue Exorcist quotes that will make you love them more!

4. Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan

Anime Storyline:

Nurarihyon no Mago or better known as Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan has a very pleasing and calm plot. Even though the show has a very simple plot, it catches on to the viewers fast. Our protagonist, Nura, is the grandson of Nurarihyon. Nurarihyon is an overpowered character with very few background details. But we get to know his battles, enemies, and how easy it was for him to overwhelm his opponents.

The clan resembles Japanese gang cultures. Nura doesn’t want to learn or take over the responsibilities of the clan as he wants to live a normal life. But there’s a secret to the clan that’s stopping him from doing so. Our protagonist has to create a balance between the youkai factions and live with humans in harmony. To do so, he has to gain some powers. We get to enjoy him getting powerful as he trains under his grandfather’s observation.

3. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Anime Storyline:

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure follows the Joestar family in their fight against evil. Each ‘part’ is set in a different era than the next. For instance, Part 1 is set in the 1880s while part 4 is set in 1999. JoJo’s is known for its rapidly changing art style, creatively choreographed fights, and intriguing characters.

Each character feels distinct and leaves a large impact on the series. JoJo’s is not only successful in its faithful adaptation but also spawning internet memes. Many facets of pop culture originated from JoJo’s, such as the ‘to be continued meme’. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an impactful anime that is a great watch.

2. Ajin: Demi-Human

Anime Storyline:

Humans who are not prone to normal causes of death are marked as Ajin or demi-human in the show and treated like criminals. Because, most who gained this power used it to cause trouble to normal human beings.

Kei Nagai is a simple-minded high school student who got into an accident that was supposed to kill him. But as soon as he stood up unharmed from the accident, everything began to fall apart for him. As he ran away from the police, he found out more of the demi-humans that were very close to him. So, their survival from the bad Ajin and humans continues within the show with some gory actions and a mysterious plot.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen

Anime Storyline:

Winner of the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, it’s no surprise that Jujutsu Kaisen is recommended. It’s similar in the way of fighting evil entities, yet is distinct enough to make it a good watch. Jujutsu Kaisen features a wide range of enjoyable characters, brilliant animation, and stunning fight choreography.

Jujutsu Kaisen follows the story of Yuji Itadori, who after a fateful encounter, finds himself the vessel of the strongest cursed entity in history. Itadori deals with many other problems while battling the demon inside of him. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most popular series currently due to how it masterfully handles its aspects of storytelling. Each fight sequence is delicately crafted so the audience feels each blow, understands the reasons for fighting and feels the emotions of the brawl. The characters are all well developed, even some of the background characters are fleshed out.

The world of Jujutsu Kaisen is so convincing that you feel almost as if it was real. It shares some similarities with Demon Slayer as the demons and cursed entities and organizations fixated on killing the evil creatures. However, both series are distinct to the point where it hardly seems like they are similar whatsoever. If you loved Demon Slayer, you’ll 100% enjoy Jujutsu Kaisen. For starters, you may check our Jujutsu Kaisen watch order guide!

Conclusion

The list mentioned above only resembles Kimetsu no Yaiba in some perspective. There are similarities in animation, protagonist, antagonist, time-period, fighting style, organization and plot. 

I think other than visual effects, story and characters there are more for the attraction of the show. The show also depends on arcs and the integrity of each arc with each other. If Kimetsu no Yaiba keeps on giving us fights, stories and characters constantly that might be enough for some and might not be enough for some audience. 

You might disagree with the scores I put up for the list but I deeply believe all the shows here are worth watching if you liked, if not the whole, then some part of Demon Slayer. If you are planning to spend your holidays binge-watching some good shows, this list could help you find some. If you also want to know how watch Demon Slayer, be sure to check our watch order on this series!