By the time you read this, Attack on Titan is either going strong or has already finished leaving fans (hopefully) ultimately satisfied with the journey that it took them on. Love it or hate it, this has been a journey for fans.
From its humble beginnings as a manga created by Hajime Isayama in the monthly Bessatsu Shonen Magazine back in 2009 to its first anime adaptation which began airing in April 2013, fans have stuck with this series through thick and thin. Even after having to wait four years (almost to the date) between seasons one and two, fans flocked back to this series in droves to see the continuing adventures of Eren Yeager and his friends in the Scout Regiment in their fight against the titans who have destroyed their world and their lives.
With the conclusion to season four fast approaching at the time of this writing, it’s never too early to plan out your next big obsession. Perhaps you’re already searching for it, which is why you’re reading these words right now. Or perhaps you’re like me and want to find something that is an alternative to Attack on Titan that will show you roughly the same things only without having to sit through episode after episode of “What’s in the basement?”.
No matter what brought you here today, here are just a few series you can watch which are similar to Attack on Titan.
The Promised Neverland
Starting with another series that revels in darkness, The Promised Neverland features a twisted story about a group of orphans who are being secretly raised as cattle. Literally. These kids are being raised to be eaten, which is kind of like how the Titans see Eren and his friends; merely food to be stuffed into their mouths.
Seraph of the End
If you really enjoy the look and feel of Attack on Titan and want to follow the rabbit hole further down, this dark survival story is from the same animation studio (WIT Studio) and features a director, Daisuke Tokudo, who directed a couple of episodes of Attack on Titan including the final episode of season one!
Black Bullet
While Black Bullet has a couple of more light-hearted moments shared between the main characters, the series itself is similarly dark and brutal. This is a series that knows how to get you invested in a character only to dash those good feelings on a jagged rock. Black Bullet might not have nearly the same episode count as Attack on Titan, but what it manages to pack into one season should last you a good long while in terms of sadness and bitterness.
Deadman Wonderland
Both Attack on Titan and Deadman Wonderland share a hopeless world filled with intense death and mayhem. In Deadman Wonderland, the main character is sent to a special prison where the inmates are forced to take part in deadly and grotesque games for the amusement of others. Once again, if you’re looking for a dark premise that will twist your mind in directions you didn’t know it could go, Deadman Wonderland is not a bad place to look.
Claymore
A bit of an older series from about a decade and a half ago, in this series, there is a group of warriors who fight against demons known as Youmu. In both series, the main character hides a sinister secret that threatens to overtake them at any given moment. Lasting for a full 26 episodes, this series does a fantastic job of setting up and executing the mystery behind the primary character.
Attack on Titan isn’t for everyone, but those who enjoy it will certainly be left with a Titan-sized void in their hearts once the last season comes to an end. Hopefully, something on this list strikes your personal fancy and gateways you into your next big obsession!
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