Best Anime Like Demon Slayer

Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba debuted on Weekly Shonen Jump in 2016, producing 23 volumes before coming to an end in 2020. The manga was successful enough to spawn a 2019 anime by Ufotable, which had a somewhat slow start before exploding in popularity thanks to the 19th episode’s stellar final scene. Since then, Demon Slayer has been firmly established as one of the biggest shonen properties of all time, with the anime going on to produce multiple seasons and two movies. While gradually creeping towards its end, the adaptation still has a few manga arcs to cover before concluding Tanjiro’s story; consequently, Kimetsu no Yaiba is not going to disappear from the public consciousness anytime soon.

Ufotable’s series set a high standard for action anime in general, and very few shows can match Demon Slayer in terms of production value. However, at its core, the show tells a fairly by-the-numbers action shonen story, and it is not that difficult to find anime like Demon Slayer that touch upon similar themes and ideas. The challenge is discovering alternatives that can reach the bar set by Ufotable’s series.

Updated on August 27, 2025, by Mark Sammut: The Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie is set to make its US debut in September, with special screenings taking place on the 9th and the full release happening on the 12th. The wait is almost over, and the film should be fantastic. However, once the credits roll, you will likely have to wait months, if not years, for the second part in ufotable’s cinematic trilogy. To help pass the time, we’ve added two new anime similar to Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Fire Force

Hell On Earth (With Great, Great Action)

Based on a manga by the author responsible for Soul Eater, Fire Force made its anime debut around the same time as Demon Slayer, and it proved to be relatively popular in its own right. Currently, the show has 60 episodes across three seasons, with the final part scheduled for Winter 2026. Due to the ending being on the horizon, right now is the perfect time to jump into this shonen anime, especially if you are craving another action-heavy adventure with (mostly) likable characters, great animation, and a story that primarily revolves around two organizations going up against each other.

Rather than a historical setting, Fire Force imagines an alternate reality where Earth has been shaped by a cataclysm that reduced many civilizations to ash. Nowadays, the Tokyo Empire employs the Fire Force to take on cases of spontaneous human combustion, and certain people have abilities relating to pyrokinesis. While avoiding spoilers, Fire Force revolves around Shinra, who bears some similarities to Tanjiro, as they are both driven by a personal tragedy that has taken most of their family away from them. That said, they have quite different personalities. As part of Fire Force Company 8, Shinra quickly finds himself targeted by a cult that is seeking to bring about doomsday.

Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentosho

Another Historical Swordsman Anime All About Fighting Demons

Some anime are so similar to Demon Slayer that recommending them almost feels unnecessary. However, Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentosho deserves a mention for a couple of reasons, beyond just the fact that it is about a swordsman who travels through historical Japan in search of demons to slay. Firstly, the anime is an HIDIVE exclusive, making it fairly easy to miss if somebody mainly watches shows available on Crunchyroll or Netflix. Secondly, Yokohama Animation Laboratory does not have a particularly great reputation due to the troubled production of Whisper Me a Love Song and polarizing shows like The Kingdoms of Ruin and The New Gate. Lastly, and most importantly, the anime is good.

Honestly, I suggest newcomers stop reading here and check out the first episode, which does a great job of setting up the story, characters, and tone. After an intro that establishes the main antagonist, the series adopts a demon-of-the-week structure and even throws in a few mysteries along the way. That said, the core storyline is advanced frequently, so it is not like the anime is happy to just spin its wheels.

If you love Demon Slayer, you will likely enjoy Sword of the Demon Hunter‘s historical setting, intense action, the protagonist’s backstory and personal stakes, and memorable villains.

Kaiju No. 8

Overcoming Larger-Than-Life Threats

Airing alongside the Hashira Training Arc, Kaiju No. 8 was the most hyped new anime of Spring 2024, a situation that could have backfired if the first few episodes failed to hit the ground running. Fortunately, that was not the case, and Production I.G’s series is an easy recommendation for anyone remotely interested in battle shonen stories. Despite the popularity of franchises like Godzilla, kaiju anime are not particularly common, especially removed from the mecha genre; consequently, Kaiju No. 8 feels fresh, even though it is not doing anything particularly original.

While they have a lot of differences, Kaiju No. 8 and Demon Slayer share one important thing in common: humanity is fighting an uphill battle against significant supernatural entities. In this alternate reality, kaiju attacks are very common, and they tend to be unpredictable and feature a wide assortment of monster types. Naturally, Japan has developed a special unit whose members use unique weapons to take out these threats, which is not that different from the Hashira in Demon Slayer.

Beyond that, Kaiju No. 8‘s male protagonist is refreshingly different for a shonen lead. In his early 30s, Kafka has regularly failed to qualify for the Defense Force; however, he gets a final chance when he accidentally swallows a small kaiju and gains unique powers. While he can transform and become incredibly powerful, he is still pretty weak as a human.

The Elusive Samurai

A Historical Epic With Fantastic Animation

The Elusive Samurai

Release Date

July 6, 2024

Network

Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV

Directors

Yasushi Tomoda

While lacking a prominent supernatural element, The Elusive Samurai should otherwise be a safe pick for Demon Slayer fans, particularly ones who want an action-heavy show set in historical Japan. Set during the 14th century, the anime tells the story of Hojo Tokiyuki, a child lord who had to go into hiding after his clan was eradicated. Hoping to start a revolt and bring his family’s name back into power, Tokiyuki begins to study under the tutelage of a unique monk, all the while collecting allies who are drawn to his charisma.

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The Elusive Samurai primarily revolves around Tokiyuki’s attempts to stay one step ahead of the Ashikaga clan, something he accomplished by hiding in plain sight and relying on his incredible fleeing ability. While trying to keep a low profile, the lord’s big heart means he cannot take a backseat when innocent lives are in danger, prompting Tokiyuki and his allies to take on threats beyond their current abilities.

Although no demons are involved, The Elusive Samurai certainly exaggerates history to an extent, giving its characters powers that are borderline supernatural. The action sequences are almost always fantastic, and they can get quite bloody as well. The anime even has over-the-top humor similar to Demon Slayer, although The Elusive Samurai is arguably funnier.

Chainsaw Man

Humans Vs. Devils

One of the most hyped anime of 2022, Chainsaw Man arguably struggled to live up to expectations, unreasonably high as they were. Nevertheless, season 1 is still pretty great and does a good job of setting things up for a sequel. In this universe, Devils are real and manifest from the emotions of humans. As these creatures are extremely dangerous and powerful, the Public Safety Division was created to hunt them down, although its members tend to have very short careers (and lives).

On the verge of death, Denji merges with his Devil friend, allowing him to not only survive but transform into the eponymous Chainsaw Man. Driven by nothing but his animalistic urges, Denji agrees to join the Public Safety Division, starting him down a path of personal growth and bloodshed.

Shiki

A Horrifying War Between Humans And Vampires

One of the greatest horror anime of all time, Shiki is nothing like Demon Slayer in most areas, so this recommendation is mainly for people who want to see a somewhat similar premise handled in a very different way. A countryside town has recently found itself falling victim to strange deaths, along with rumors about walking corpses. Unable to face the reality that something sinister is feasting upon them, the citizens generally try to continue like nothing is wrong, a false comfort that eventually comes crumbling down.

Similar to Demon Slayer, Shiki is about humans fighting back against monsters, with vampires being used instead of demons. However, rather than indulge in glorious sword battles, these humans take a rather uncomfortable approach to the situation. Shiki is filled with intense and upsetting moments.

Hell’s Paradise

Action-Fantasy Anime With A Samurai Setting

Spring 2023 had quite a few exciting anime, and while most of the shows were not all that similar to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Hell’s Paradise was the one exception. Based on a Shonen Jump+ manga, the anime follows a group of convicts who are sent to a mysterious island to find an elixir of life, creating a battle royale sort of scenario. If someone finds this item, they are granted their freedom. As these characters are primarily murderers, they are accompanied by executioners who are meant to take off their heads if they step out of line.

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Gabimaru the Hollow is one such criminal, and he might be the scariest of the bunch. However, he has a reason to survive and change: his wife. Hell’s Paradise follows Gabimaru and his executioner as they explore a surreal island defined by horrific monstrosities, death, and flowers. Similar to Demon Slayer, Hell’s Paradise is very action-heavy and is not afraid to throw out buckets of gore; in fact, the latter can get more violent and unsettling than the former.

Undead Murder Farce

A Historical Supernatural Epic With A Dark But Silly Tone

Undead Murder Farce is an absolute blast. Similar to Demon Slayer, the 2023 anime blends a historical setting with supernatural elements, taking specific inspiration from fictional sources like Sherlock Holmes. There are vampires, immortals, oni, Frankenstein’s Monster, magicians, and even Arsene Lupin. If that sounds excessive, well, it is. However, everything comes together to create a ridiculously entertaining and surprisingly balanced whole.

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Undead Murder Farce is primarily a mystery series with action rather than a full-blown fight fest, so the pacing is slightly slower than the typical battle shonen. That said, the second half of the series has quite a few battles, all of which are well-animated and incredibly engaging due to featuring such a diverse roster of characters with unique abilities. The core trio are fantastic too, being both charismatic and enigmatic.

Basilisk

A Battle Royale Between Two Ninja Clans

An oldie but a goodie, Basilisk is gory, action-packed, and narratively tense. Set during the 1500s, the story follows two ninja clans that crave each other’s destruction, resulting in an agreement to stage a war pitting their best warriors in a to-the-death battle royale. Caught in the middle are Kouga and Iga, lovers from opposite sides who struggle to decide their allegiances.

While the Romeo & Juliet-style story is pretty engaging, Basilisk is primarily worth watching for his top-notch fight sequences, which are fantastically animated and constantly unpredictable. At its best, Gonzo was capable of producing some of the greatest animation in the industry, and this series represented the studio at its peak.

Drifters

Gloriously Violent Fights

Drifters can be difficult to recommend since a sequel seems unlikely to ever come to fruition, which is a shame as season one is among the most enjoyable action anime of the 2010s. Similar to Fate, the isekai series brings together famous historical figures and makes them fight to the death; however, Drifters takes place in a fantasy world and essentially divides its characters into two groups.

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Unapologetically gory and over-the-top, the anime does not hold back during its many fights, which compare favorably with most other series. Silly as its core premise might sound, Drifters offers an interesting take on the isekai theme, and the anime has a lot of fun presenting outlandish versions of figures like Joan of Arc and Oda Nobunaga.