Since it splatted onto our screens in 2022, the anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man has been slicing and dicing its way into our chainsaw hearts with its unique, gory storytelling (aka gorytelling) centered around its main character, Denji. Now that Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has been released to near-universal acclaim, you’ll probably want other anime recommendations that are similar in tone or vibe, whether you started with Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga or fell in love with the anime series. With its often harrowing content and existential themes, we’ve done our best to fight off the FOMO Devil by assembling this list of the best anime that can help satisfy the need for more Chainsaw Man . And the best part? You don’t have to look far, because we’ve focused on titles that can be found right here on Crunchyroll. How considerate of us! JUJUTSU KAISEN RELATED: Which JUJUTSU KAISEN Character Are You? If you want a juggernaut MAPPA adventure that can stand toe-to-toe with Chainsaw Man for impact, JUJUTSU KAISEN is the perfect place to start with its action-packed storyline and memorable characters. It’s also set in Tokyo, and just like Denji and his team of Public Safety Devil Hunters, there is a range of horrifying ghouls to contend with. When high schooler Yuji Itadori consumes the finger of Ryomen Sukuna, he is enlisted as a student at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. Alongside his classmates and his eccentric — albeit downright gorgeous — instructor Satoru Gojo, Itadori must become a master sorcerer in order to overthrow the forces of darkness once and for all. Not only is JUJUTSU KAISEN similarly dark, with an emphasis on the supernatural, but Itadori’s newfound friend Megumi Fushiguro is the perfect stern parallel for anyone who considers themselves a fan of Aki Hayakawa. In other words, literally all of us. With the third season fast approaching, now’s a good time to check out the first season, if you haven’t already, and the second season if it’s been collecting dust in your watchlist. Kaiju No. 8 RELATED: Kaiju No. 8’s Kafka Hibino is the Hero We 30-Somethings Deserve Kaiju No. 8 is another popular anime full of notable action sequences, and much like Chainsaw Man , there’s more to it than what’s on the surface. The more you think about it, the more you begin to realize how much Denji and Kafka Hibino have in common. They were both chronic underachievers — while Denji was hamstrung by an inherited debt, Hibino fell short of his lifetime goals — until gaining access to a monstrous form that changed their whole world. In the case of Hibino, it occurred the day a creature forced its way down his throat. Now he can transform into a mighty Kaiju, capable of standing toe-to-toe with the beasts laying waste to Japan. With this boost in power, he can finally enlist in the Defense Force, with the caveat that nobody can learn about his secret new ability. It’s an inspirational tale of never giving up on your dreams, as well as a reminder to try new experiences like ingesting parasitic critters (though maybe you should give some more thought before trying that out yourself). Gleipnir Despite his overwhelming strength, Denji often finds himself deferring to the wisdom of others. He’s often referred to as Makima’s pet dog, after all. Well, allow me to introduce you to a guy who takes that notion even more literally. Shuichi Kagaya is an unspectacular young man with a spectacular (and altogether unnerving) ability, capable of morphing into a living, breathing mascot costume. It offers him enhanced physical acumen and unrivalled defensive prowess, but he’s still way in over his head. Thankfully, he then encounters the headstrong girl Claire Aoki, who climbs into his back and takes charge of the dangerous situations they soon find themselves in. Gleipnir is gruesome and unique, and the dynamic between Shuichi and Claire harkens to the relationship of Denji and Makima in more ways than one. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead RELATED: How Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Reminds Us to Do More Than Survive It’s a simple fact of the world: sometimes life sucks, and we will welcome any change with open arms. For Denji, it meant becoming the Chainsaw Man after making a deal with his trusted companion, Pochita, who just so happened to be the Chainsaw Devil. For Akira Tendo, it meant the world coming to an end. Wait, what? Isn’t that a bad thing? Not for Akira, who was stuck in a dead-end job being abused by his bosses day and night. A zombie apocalypse was just what the doctor ordered, allowing him to pursue his dreams and accomplish the 100 things on his bucket list before he bites the dust. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a lighthearted adventure across the Japanese countryside with Akira and his friends, evoking the same kind of optimism in the face of danger as Denji. There’s also plenty of gross visuals that you can really sink your teeth into. Tokyo Ghoul RELATED: What Is Tokyo Ghoul About? Let’s Unravel the Anime There’s a certain brutality to Chainsaw Man ’s skirmishes that can prove downright jarring. If that’s your kind of thing, you’re gonna love Tokyo Ghoul , where within the first 10 minutes, someone declares with glee that they’re going to “gently scramble up your insides for you.” Yeah, those ghouls sure don’t mess around. This is how poor old Kan Kaneki finds himself in a real spot of bother, forcibly transformed into a ghoul when a sweet date turns into a violent assault. Ghouls can be best described as vampiric in nature, though their true powers would surely give your average vampire a real run for their money. The animalistic feasting of the ghouls is often mirrored by the relentless cruelty of Chainsaw Man ’s devils. And of course, Mr. Kaneki is all the rage nowadays, owing to his playable role in Dead by Daylight . How did he get to be so fearsome? You’ll have to watch to find out. DAN DA DAN RELATED: 10 White-Haired Anime Characters Too Strong for This List There are a whole slew of adjectives you could attach to Chainsaw Man (many of which I already have, because gosh, I do love my adjectives). One potentially overlooked aspect of it is how cheeky it is. With eccentric personalities like Power bashing her way through every situation, you will have gotten quite a taste for characters who can deliver action and humor in equal measure. That’s where DAN DA DAN comes in. DAN DA DAN often has a similar, devil-may-care tone as Chainsaw Man . Perfect for fans of sci-fi, the supernatural, and rom-coms (trust me on this), the plucky duo of high school students Momo and Okarun typically find themselves in over their heads while they go toe-to-toe with some truly grotesque foes. With both spirits and extraterrestrials knocking on the door and keen to do them harm, they’ll have to master their newfound abilities to survive. Akudama Drive RELATED: Get To Know These Amazing Anime Girls and Women of the 2020s Chainsaw Man has a way of making bloody violence into something quite stylish and appealing. That sentence also perfectly applies to Akudama Drive . This anime is set in a dystopian future where mercenaries known as Akudama take on jobs for big paydays. When four such Akudama all converge on the same assignment to extract a criminal on death row, they discover that there is more to this gig than they first expected. But they’re not the only ones roped into this madness, as they’re joined by a lowly thug and a completely innocent girl whose only crime was not paying for takoyaki. I already alluded to the word stylish, and it’s fair to say that Akudama Drive is style personified; absolute carnage that is somehow lovely to behold. There’s even a found family aspect, just like in Chainsaw Man , brought together by pure obligation and a shared desire not to be killed. Aww, how sweet. DARLING in the FRANXX RELATED: 15 Pink-Haired Anime Characters to Brighten Your Day The Reze Arc of Chainsaw Man is a lot of things. It’s violent, gritty, and visceral. But at the heart of it all is a love story that can truly resonate deep within your soul. Just like Denji, Hiro of DARLING in the FRANXX has his life turned upside down the day a mysterious girl comes crashing into his life. A failed FRANXX pilot candidate without a partner, Hiro had nowhere to go until he crossed paths with the wild and unruly warrior, Zero Two. When a sudden monster attack forces Hiro into the cockpit of Zero Two’s FRANXX, the pair wipe out the threat with ease. Zero Two’s captivating personality really hooks you in, in a way that’s not dissimilar to Reze herself. And yes, there are plenty of explosions in both instances. FLCL RELATED: Rock Band the pillows on Creating the Iconic FLCL Soundtrack If you’re looking for more Chainsaw Man -type inspiration, where better than an anime that Tatsuki Fujimoto himself used to describe the series ? FLCL is all about larger-than-life, chaotic battles against supernatural foes. There are several anime chapters, including FLCL: Alternative and FLCL: Progressive , with the one constant factor being Haruko Haruhara. This pink-haired wild child from outer space is an absolutely electrifying figure, and you can definitely see similarities between the way she bounds into the fray with Denji’s reckless style of combat. No matter the adaptation, FLCL never takes itself too seriously and is definitely a more lighthearted option for this list. No Guns Life As we are all aware, Denji is capable of transforming into a creature composed of chainsaws. In No Guns Life , the lead protagonist is a man whose head is a literal firearm. That’s a pretty clear parallel, if ever you were going to hunt for one. No Guns Life has more of a film noir feeling to it, with Juzo acting as the perfect hard-boiled frontman. Juzo Inui is an imposing figure who has undergone a procedure to amplify his body, turning him into what is known as an Extended. Some folks opt for a robotic hand or a bionic eye, but he elected to go all-in by having his body and head fitted with weapons. He takes on odd jobs ranging from surveillance to roughing up other Extended, living a lonely existence of violence and distrust. One day, he receives a request to protect a child, leading him down a dangerous path against a corrupt corporation. Attack on Titan RELATED: Attack on Titan Watch Order You had to know that we would eventually arrive at Attack on Titan , the genre-defining magnum opus set in a fictional land with many dark real-life parallels. Just like the devils of Chainsaw Man , Attack on Titan is defined by its eponymous titans: towering behemoths with a hunger for human flesh. When Eren Jaeger’s walled town is breached and his mother devoured before his very eyes, he resolves to wipe out every last titan by joining the Scout Regiment. Little does he know, he has a dormant power within him that can really even the odds. One aspect that both of these anime tackle brilliantly is how grim yet compelling their worlds are. There is a certain sense of desperation that makes for essential viewing. Additionally, both Eren and Denji are put on a pedestal by some, viewed as humanity’s last hope. The former could buckle under the pressure at any moment, while the latter is more interested in food and pretty girls. Either is fairly relatable, really. Black Butler RELATED: Black Butler Creator Yana Toboso on Weaving Together Its Darkness and Humor At first glance, Black Butler may not appear to have much in common with Chainsaw Man . It is set in an opulent mansion, where the child heir of the Phantomhive empire conducts business with highly influential people. His trusted butler, Sebastian, capably keeps the household running with his quick thinking and diligent efforts — a task that is made all the more laborious thanks to the other bumbling servants working underneath him. Black Butler has that immutable whimsy of a 2000s anime, loaded with charm and silliness. So how does it relate to Chainsaw Man , exactly? This comes down to the fact that Sebastian is actually a demon, and he carries out the young master’s bidding with hellish efficiency. Black Butler has a certain gallows humor to it that belies its energetic style, balancing comedy and horror at all times. PSYCHO-PASS RELATED: How to Watch PSYCHO-PASS in Order Some of the most fascinating characters in Chainsaw Man are the fiends. As devils that have possessed a human body, they act as a kind of tweener, and can even be employed as Devil Hunters themselves. In PSYCHO-PASS , those deemed to be undesirable can also be put to work as Enforcers. It’s a fancy title for those poor souls who are treated as little more than government dogs. Shinya Kogami is one such Enforcer. Living in a dire future where people’s criminal potential is gauged before they even make an infraction, his latent capacity for crime was high enough to put him in the bad books. Now, he makes a living hunting down others once their Crime Coefficient becomes an issue. If it sounds bleak, that’s because it really is. PSYCHO-PASS is jam-packed with gore, as Kogami and his ilk pursue the downtrodden whose only crimes are those they haven’t yet committed. It’s an ideal blend of action, mystery and science fiction. D.Gray-man Of course, the supernatural need not always be quite so confronting. If you’re seeking out an alternative to Chainsaw Man with shonen vibes, D.Gray-man may well be just what you’re after. Allen Walker is a teenage exorcist capable of perceiving the misplaced souls of Akuma who have been called from beyond the grave by unnatural forces. While D.Gray-man isn’t quite as existential as Chainsaw Man , it dabbles with notions of morality and loss. And there’s still a healthy dose of gore added in, for good measure. The architect of this mayhem, the Millennium Earl, makes for a fascinating antagonist. He’s so mirthful and jolly, it’s almost hard to believe he could be behind such depravity. And what do you know, he’s also keen to make contracts with unsuspecting humans… Hellsing RELATED: Your Halloween Anime Watchlist, From Kooky to Spooky The dynamic of Denji and the Public Safety Devil Hunters is a fascinating mix of collaboration and a one-man wrecking crew. There are few who rival his fearsome power, but there’s a certain protagonist who quickly comes to mind. The eponymous Hellsing group is in charge of mitigating the supernatural threats terrorizing the United Kingdom. Their top vampiric agent, Alucard, is typically sent into the deadliest situations completely alone, a gun in his hand and a sickening grin on his face all the while. Alucard is cool under pressure, casually ripping ghouls apart without so much as breaking a sweat. A classic of gothic horror, Hellsing (and Hellsing Ultimate ) may well be one of the most stylish anime since the turn of the millennium. 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