Animeis generally an uplifting medium. The most popular genre is action-adventure series, in which the protagonist grows to be a leader through hard work and dedication. However, there are plenty of dark series, such asAttack on TitanandJujutsu Kaisen, that blend into the mainstream. But just because dark shows are getting more famous doesn’t mean audience members don’t have a limit.
Bleak is a step above dark, commonly associated with some of the most depressing movies and TV shows ever put to screen. However, these are also some of the most well-made projects, which is whythis list will highlight ten bleak anime that are almost too much to handle. This list will include anime that areconsistently dark, depressing, disturbing, disheartening, nihilistic, have mature stories, and don’t have happy endings.
10’Kaiji' (2007)
Studio: Madhouse
Madhouse used to be the king of anime, delivering new, renowned works every year, with one of their best series beingKaiji. This survival gambling anime follows the titular character, who enters an agreement to pay off his debt. However, he never expected to put his life on the line to win games in order to entertain the rich, starting his apocalyptic gambling adventure.
Kaijiis an interesting anime to rank because it presents itself as an intense and suspenseful gambling anime where the stakes are high, but the rewards are even better. However, taking a deeper look, it isa depressing anime about a gambling addictwho finds himself in unimaginably exploitative situations.Kaijiis an underrated masterpiece, but it has an unfortunate layer that many fans don’t realize.
9’Serial Experiments Lain' (1998)
Studio: Triangle Staff
Not many anime can predict the future, and whileSerial Experiments Lainis exaggerated, it is eerily similar to things happening in the current day. After receiving an email from her dead classmate, Lain enters the dark world of the web/internet, learning twisted truths and unnerving secrets, which takes her down a spiral of emotions and chaos.
Serial Experiments Lainis a philosophical anime that highlights the effect the internet has on someone’s mental health, such as depression, alienation, and existentialism. The melancholic atmosphere also creates an unsettling vibe throughout the entire anime, whichdrags viewers through the dark, yet realistic story.Serial Experiments Lainis a timeless animefor the way it predicted the future through bleak themes.
Serial Experiments Lain
8’Neon Genesis Evangelion' (1995)
Studio: Gainax
Neon Genesis Evangelionis one of the greatest and most influential anime of all time, and was a big reason that other series explored mental health. In a world anticipating its third apocalyptic event and angel-like aliens attacking, the only hope is teenagers piloting mechs, specifically Shinji, who must overcome his trauma and fragile personality if he wants to save the world.
On the surface,Neon Genesis Evangelionisn’t too pessimistic or defeatist. Sure, there are moments, but there’s also a decent amount of comedy, humorous situations, and silly moments. However, the core of this anime is bleak, specifically the trauma of each character. Itsfocus on mental health and a dark endingmakeNeon Genesis Evangeliona bleak show and one of thebest anime of all time.
7’Girls' Last Tour' (2017)
Studio: White Fox
Anime often puts cutesy girls into horrific situations, leading to mixed results, butGirls' Last Tourdoes this more effectively than most. Chito and Yuuri are two of the last remaining humans on Earth in the remains of a war-torn world. Scavenging for fuel and food,their bleak existence doesn’t have much hope, but they brighten each other’s world with their presence.
Girls' Last Touris also a tricky anime to rank because it isbleak from start to finish. However, the anime’s point is tooppose nihilism and live each day with joyand curiosity, even if the world is over. Despite this uplifting message of the importance of friends/family/relationships, fans can’t help but feel depressed in this bleak and monotonous life that has a depressing ending.
Girls' Last Tour
6’Terror in Resonance' (2014)
Studio: MAPPA
Shin’ichirô Watanabe’s new serieshas been greatly anticipated, but while most fans know him forCowboy Bebop, he also made multiple underrated works, such asTerror in Resonance. After a terrorist attack rocks Japan, the police are clueless, but the appearance of two super-powered boys holds the answers they need. Unfortunately, they can’t stop them either.
Terror in Resonanceisn’t Watanabe’s most popular work, maybe because it isn’t as creative or profound. However, it still provides a strong story through a depressing lens while touching on themes such as despair, terrorism, justice, and free will. The mass destruction and death arehard to be optimistic about, andthe ending only adds to the bleak natureof the anime.
Terror in Resonance
5’Welcome to the N.H.K.' (2006)
Studio: Gonzo
Sometimes, bleak anime don’t need to be about war or drastically/unimaginably dark situations, but something most people have experienced.Welcome to the N.H.K. is a nuanced masterpieceof storytelling through mental health issues. After spending years in isolation, Tatsuhiro blames his situation on a wild conspiracy theory, but has a chance to right himself after meeting Misaki.
While most of the entries on this list are bleak because of dark themes, usually in a fictional world where the stakes are higher,Welcome to the N.H.K.isbleak because of how real it is. This depressing anime shows theeffects of isolation and mental illness,resulting in mass paranoia. While there is some hope, the anime provides a masterclass of storytelling that is unfortunately relatable and essential.
Welcome to the N.H.K.
4’Berserk' (1997)
Studio: OLM
Berserkis arguably the greatest manga of all time, and while many adaptations have gotten it wrong, the 1997 version is pretty good, highlighting the key parts of one of the best anime/manga arcs. Guts had a rough childhood, to put it nicely, but things start to look up when he joins the Band of the Hawk. But after a sudden betrayal, he goes on a bloody quest of revenge to sate his anger.
While the Golden Age arc has some fun moments andgreat anime character development, it is also home to some of the bleakest content in anime history. This content mainly consists ofgore, violence, dark subject matter, and sexual assault. It is rough to watch, from disembodied heads rolling everywhere to egregiously uncomfortable scenes.Berserkis gloomy and gory, making it an unforgettable yet challenging viewing experience.
3’Now and Then, Here and There' (1999)
Studio: AIC
Isekai is the most popular anime genre at the moment, and when people think about it, they imagine fantastical worlds with overpowered characters and unoriginal stories. However,Now and Then, Here and Thereis one of the most original works from the genre that pre-dated the others.
In a genre that is now all about escapism,Now and Then, Here and Thereis the exact opposite, deliveringa depressing world with no hope of survival, but that’s what makes it one of thebest Isekai anime series. It is emotionally taxing and doesn’t have a happy ending, leaving fans feeling blank and empty after finishing it. The showfinds the breaking point of each character, showing there is no hope in this world.
Now and Then, Here and There
2’Devilman Crybaby' (2018)
Studio: Science SARU
Most of the entries on this list weren’t too gory or violent, butDevilman Crybabygoes in the opposite direction,trying to be the most violent and bloody anime fans will ever see. When Akira helps his friend investigate a demon, he ends up being possessed, now having raw and visceral power. However, the difference between personality and power spells trouble for his friends and the world.
Bleak anime are usually a bit more subtle and deal with themes of hopelessness, the lack of faith in humanity, and the horrors they commit. However,Devilman Crybabyis a dark animethat is particularly tough to watch because of the sheer amount of consistent death. The way they showcase it is also gory and disturbing. And if that wasn’t bleak enough, it has asignificant ending to wrap up this depressing present.
1’Texhnolyze' (2003)
No one can predict what the future holds, but many say it looks bleak for one reason or another, but at least it won’t be as bad as what happened inTexhnolyze. In the underground city of Lux, gangs run the world, specifically the titular procedure, which gives humans cybernetic prosthetics. However, Ichise and Ran find themselves in the middle of the chaos as the city is ready to implode.
If an anime were in the dictionary under bleak, it would beTexhnolyze, which focuses on its themes ofnihilism, hopelessness, suffering, and humanity’s downfall at the hands of technology. The show starts dark and only gets worse, not giving the audience a chance to hope or dream, only falling deeper into its despair and nihilistic vibe. The gritty plot, shadowy setting/animation/art style, and depressing themes blend to deliver one of thedarkest anime showsthat is also the bleakest ever made.
