M for Mature, M for Masterful. Join Ashley as we look over the best anime aimed at an adult audience
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best anime with strong
00:10adult-oriented content.
00:20Number 30.
00:21Ninja Scroll
00:22While modern media is generally regarded as being more violent and prone to adult content,
00:28there are some bloody and bloody great classics to be found.
00:35Ninja Scroll follows Jubei, a ninja turned mercenary who intervenes when a group of powerful
00:40ninja seek to overthrow the Shogun in feudal Japan.
00:52A Madhouse production, Ninja Scroll proved influential in exposing the West to how dull
00:58and dark anime could go.
00:59The violent exchanges, gripping storyline, and tremendous animation that holds up well
01:05make Ninja Scroll a must-view for connoisseurs of older anime with an edge.
01:16Number 29.
01:18Technolize
01:19Cyberpunk anime were in their heyday in the 90s and early 2000s, but Technolize still
01:25flew under many people's radars.
01:34Another Madhouse production, Technolize follows Ichize, a former underground fighter who,
01:40after having his limbs replaced, becomes involved in a conflict between his city's major factions.
01:45The series is primarily a thriller with plenty of violence throughout.
01:57The bleak atmosphere and occasional dips into surrealism are also decidedly not for the
02:03younger crowd.
02:04It may be pretty depressing, but if you can handle the existential nihilism, Technolize
02:09is a hidden gem of a cyberpunk series.
02:16Number 28.
02:18Prison School
02:19After miraculously finding themselves enlisted as the only guys in an all-girls school, it
02:25doesn't take long for our cast of characters to completely ruin whatever luck they had.
02:35When their peeping plan goes south, this crew finds themselves locked up in a school
02:39prison that is run by the student council themselves.
02:48What follows is quite possibly the most ridiculous prison break you'll ever witness, with twists
02:53and turns and outlandish shenanigans that'll have you laughing every step of the way.
03:03Number 27.
03:04Goblin Slayer
03:06If you're looking for a fantasy romp with more edge than a Go-Gaia roleplay, you needn't
03:11look any further than old GS over here.
03:23Due to a traumatising event from his past, this ironclad killer has only one thing in
03:29mind – slaughtering every little green S.O.B. he can find.
03:33While the premise may sound pretty thin, this is a surprisingly hard-hitting tale that doesn't
03:39know the meaning of boundaries.
03:43You'll soon find yourself getting an endorphin rush every time Slayer takes down one of these
03:51little freaks.
03:52Trust us, they more than deserve it.
04:02Number 26.
04:04Interspecies Reviewers
04:06You are damn right we're going to be recommending this one.
04:09How could you not want to feast your eyes on the show that managed to blur the line
04:13between aro-comedy and something you have to watch on an incognito browser to such an
04:18extent that it ended up pushing the boundary too far for modern audiences?
04:32So what sets it apart from the other fanservice-based shows out there?
04:36It's hilarious as it follows a cluster of wannabe adventurers going around and reviewing
04:41the various, ahem, businesses made up of mythical ladies.
04:46It knows exactly what it is, and does it better than anyone else.
04:56Number 25.
04:57Drifters
04:58Ever wondered what it would look like if an all-powerful, enigmatic entity picked up and
05:03dropped off several historic figures into a medieval setting with elves and dragons
05:08and had them run wild?
05:12Chances are it's not nearly as slick and ferocious as this.
05:24With the Black King and his horde of famous real-life villains running amok and causing
05:29chaos, the likes of Toyohisa Shimazu, Oda Nobunaga, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid,
05:35along with numerous other icons, are forced to band together and start slaying their way
05:40through every orc, corrupt noble and evil figure that comes their way.
05:49Number 24.
05:50Dorohedoro
05:51A guy with a lizard head, slicing apart sorcerers all in the hope of trying to reclaim his lost
05:57memories and discover why there's a random guy living inside his mouth.
06:03Bonkers, bloody and brutal.
06:08Caiman's exploits in this crazy-ass world are nothing short of a delight.
06:20It's a wild mystery made all the sweeter thanks to so many colourful characters to
06:25bounce off of, especially Caiman's adorable badass bestie, Nikaido, and the smiling Amazon
06:31goddess, Noi.
06:33How can such a bloodbath of a show have this many great girls?
06:41Number 23.
06:42Chainsaw Man
06:43After pulling its cord back and letting it rip, Chainsaw Man and its accompanying hype
06:48have scarcely let up.
06:58The series follows Denji, a teenager whose contract with a chainsaw devil gets him in
07:03volved with an organisation that polices devils that threaten the public.
07:08Shocking is perhaps the best word to describe Chainsaw Man, as its ultra-violent action,
07:14dark humour and boundary-pushing perverse moments are all extreme, even by the standards
07:19of most other R-rated anime.
07:29Its tone and content may not appeal to everyone, but Chainsaw Man is a rip-roaring good time
07:35for fans of darker anime.
07:41Number 22.
07:42Kengan Ashura
07:44Underground tournaments, death matches, absurdly powerful fighters and one man's yearning for
07:49revenge.
07:50Welcome to Netflix's most kick-ass action romp to date.
07:59With the illustrious position of chairman on the line, numerous martial artists, killers
08:04and borderline monsters are dispatched to represent their respective companies in the
08:08Kengan matches.
08:15This includes Oma Tokita, whose personal goal continues to push him to beat the crap out
08:20of anyone who steps up to him and his Niko style, all in the hope of landing some much
08:26deserved vengeance.
08:28As silly as it sounds, they really don't pull their punches here.
08:35Number 21.
08:37Parasite – The Maxim
08:39Aliens walk among us, and they just so happen to be hiding inside of people, just so they
08:44can continue their insatiable hunger for human flesh.
08:54This guy Shinichi unfortunately finds himself caught up in this bloody struggle, when one
08:58of these intergalactic parasites takes up sentience inside his right hand, allowing
09:03him to retain his humanity, while relying on his new shape-shifting partner to help
09:08defend him and his loved ones from some not-so-friendly body snatchers.
09:19Fair warning, they don't skip out on the gore here.
09:29Number 20.
09:30Baki Franchise
09:32If you can withstand the whiplash that is this martial arts fiesta's continuity, then
09:37prepare yourself for plenty of do-or-die fistfights.
09:47During the muscular exploits of the fighting prodigy, he along with his fellow ridiculously
09:52ripped allies find themselves hauled into an endless series of grudge matches, where
09:57you simply can't guess what's going to happen next.
10:04You may come for the showdowns, but you'll be sticking around for the absurdity that
10:08is Baki.
10:11Number 19.
10:13Cyberpunk Edgerunners
10:15Based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077, Edgerunners takes the gritty cyberpunk world envisioned
10:21there and goes nuts with the concept, as only Studio Trigger can.
10:37Teenager David Martinez falls in with a group of underworld mercenaries after a personal
10:42tragedy.
10:48His journey into the neon-lit underbelly of Night City is as entertaining as it is bloody.
10:53The series has a beautiful, frenetic art style and some unforgettable characters, despite
10:58its short runtime.
11:06Number 18.
11:08Psycho-Pass
11:09A neo-noir detective thriller from the mind of the man that gave us such traumatising
11:20hits such as Fate Zero and Madoka Magica.
11:23Yeah, expect plenty of darkness going into this, along with an unhealthy amount of hate
11:28against mankind as a whole.
11:31In a future where your very emotions are monitored and can land you life imprisonment should
11:37they spike to dangerous degrees, rookie detective Akane, along with hard-edged enforcer Kogami,
11:43are thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a mastermind looking to disrupt the New
11:48World Order, only to discover that the status quo might be the greatest evil of all.
12:02Number 17.
12:04Black Lagoon
12:05We could go into great detail about how this show doesn't shy away from violence, how
12:16its setting allows the worst that humanity has to offer to run rampant across the screen.
12:22Hell, we'd be happy to delve into the intricacies that come with seeing a boat full of baddies
12:27get wiped out.
12:31However, all we really need to highlight in order to prove this series isn't for the
12:38kids is Revy's motor mouth.
12:41This woman can curse like no other, to the point where it's kind of poetic.
12:52Number 16.
12:53Higurashi When They Cry Franchise
12:55Don't let the fact that it's mostly about school kids fool you.
12:59If real kids watch this show, they will be traumatised.
13:11The residents of a small village repeatedly find themselves experiencing some violent
13:16and disturbing events in the summer of 1983.
13:20And by repeatedly, we mean time loops.
13:23And by violent, we mean mostly a lot of murder.
13:31Unravelling the how and why of it all takes several loops and multiple anime, but if you
13:37have the stomach for the grisly events and an eye for mystery and time travel, Higurashi
13:43may be the anime for you.
13:54Number 15.
13:55Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
13:57This anime starts with a kid who will one day be a vampire moving into an upper-class
14:02family and it only gets stranger from there.
14:10The generational tale of the Joestar family and their many encounters with the supernatural,
14:15Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is never afraid to go to the most outlandish and bloody places.
14:28The battles are as strategic as they are weird, and while the cast changes frequently,
14:33each group of characters is as entertaining as the last, though there are some recurring
14:38faces.
14:39Plus, the music and art style are killer too.
14:42There's just nothing quite like Jojo.
14:50Number 14.
14:51Jujutsu Kaisen
14:53It may be a shounen battle series, but Jujutsu Kaisen goes darker than most in the genre.
15:05Itadori Yuji and his friends battle against villainous curses, and fellow sorcerers are
15:11as action-packed as they are grisly or heartbreaking.
15:20While the series features all of the comedy and fight scenes that pervade the genre, JJK
15:25delves deeper into its characters' psychologies, while also pushing both them and the audience
15:31to their limits with shocking developments, elements of horror, and tragic deaths galore.
15:37Particularly from season two onwards, although it's not as mature as some other series,
15:42among its competitors, it's downright grown up.
15:46Mostly.
15:47Number 13.
15:48Fate Zero
15:49The Fate franchise is no stranger to adult content, if you know what I mean, but its
16:00darkest chapter is arguably Fate Zero.
16:03The Fourth Holy Grail War sees seven mages summon an equal number of heroic spirits – famous
16:09historical or legendary figures – to compete over the wish-granting object.
16:18Given that it's essentially a deathmatch with the ultimate prize on the line, underhanded
16:23tactics, betrayals, and plenty of killing are basically expected.
16:32Yet, Fate Zero also features mature themes and delves deep into the motivations and minds
16:39of its cast.
16:40Of course, that only makes the inevitable tragedy hit that much harder.
16:51Number 12.
16:52Hellsing Ultimate
16:54On one side, you have the crazed Catholics seeking to exterminate all sinners.
16:59On the other, you have the vampiric remnants of the Third Reich, led by a major who adores
17:04nothing more than war and killing.
17:16And in the middle, a gun-wielding Dracula who might just be the most bloodthirsty of
17:21them all.
17:26If you're looking to witness pure stylistic carnage, then you can't go wrong with watching
17:31Alucard go on one of his signature rampages.
17:35One thing is for sure, it sucks to be a civilian in this series.
17:45Number 11.
17:46Kaiji
17:47It's just an anime about gambling.
17:50Surely this can't be more intense than a fighting series?
17:53You wanna bet?
17:59The titular Kaiji is a gambler through and through, and the series sees him get involved
18:04in the world of high-stakes wages.
18:06The way the show manages to ratchet up its stakes with each new game is incredible, with
18:12the relief and despair that accompany them flying off the screen.
18:23While it's not as consistently violent as some other anime, that only makes the few
18:28brutal moments even more shocking.
18:30There's no need to roll the dice on whether Kaiji will be good or not, it's a guarantee.
18:40Number 10.
18:41Perfect Blue
18:42A running theme of all great R-rated anime appears to be that the worst monsters out
18:47there are none other than human beings.
18:50After immersing ourselves in this whirlpool of a psychological thriller, we're inclined
18:54to agree.
18:55While pursuing a career as an actress, former singer Mima soon finds herself on the receiving
19:00end of a dangerous stalker, all the while her grip on reality seems to slowly be starting
19:06to slip.
19:17Primal in its presentation, with a visceral truth to it, this classic will have you holding
19:22your breath right up until its fever dream of a finale.
19:32Number 9.
19:33Attack on Titan
19:35It's survival of the fittest, and unfortunately, mankind is no longer at the top of the food
19:40chain.
19:44As giant humanoid beasts known as Titans wander the land, the duty of expanding humanity's
19:50reach is handed to the poor souls at the Survey Corps.
19:58After his mother is killed and he finds himself inexplicably cursed with the power to transform
20:03into a Titan himself, a vengeful young man named Eren decides to take the fight to the
20:08enemy.
20:14Prepare to see a lot of characters get digested.
20:18Number 8.
20:19Ghost in the Shell
20:21What separates man and machine?
20:23The answer might just be trickier than you think, especially when AI enters the picture.
20:33As Major Motoko Kusanagi hunts down the elusive hacker known as the Puppet Master, the film
20:39explores the concepts of life, death, and the ways in which technology holds sway.
20:44Don't worry if metaphorical musings aren't really your thing, there's plenty of disturbing
20:48imagery to pull you over.
20:50There's some scenes you really can't unsee.
20:59Number 7.
21:01Barkuno
21:02Gangsters, immortality, and a whole lot of bullets.
21:14Thanks to the show's dynamic cast of characters and their endless supply of charm, you'll
21:19find yourself falling head over heels for them in spite of their large body counts.
21:23Don't get us wrong, there's blood and guts galore, but that doesn't make Isaac
21:27and Miria's antics any less funny.
21:30Just like how captivating it is to see Claire Stanfield talk about how he is nothing short
21:35of a blood-soaked, omnipotent being, there's so much to love about these guys that by the
21:43end of it all, you won't even blink twice at all the murders that occur on a flying
21:48pussyfoot.
21:52Number 6.
21:53Vinland Saga
21:54You can't be a historical fantasy that chronicles the Viking occupation of England without highlighting
22:00the bloodshed and brutality involved.
22:13Going from innocent youth to an animal driven by an overwhelming desire for revenge, Thorfinn's
22:18journey is as compelling as it is heartbreaking.
22:21While the fight scenes between the various factions make for quite the spectacle, it's
22:26the narrative and character interactions that propel this series to the title of masterpiece.
22:37Do not miss out on experiencing this unfiltered epic, even if it's only to watch Thorkell
22:42punch horses.
22:50Number 5.
22:51Devilman Crybaby
22:52Are you feeling good about life at the moment?
22:58Then just watch this latest adaptation of the 1970s classic, and you'll soon be reminded
23:03of how our species is no more virtuous than demons.
23:08After being informed by his bestie that the denizens of hell are using human bodies as
23:13hosts, local wimpy kid Akira finds himself unwittingly turned into a devil himself, but
23:19one with a human heart.
23:27Everything in this modern masterpiece is hardcore, from the violence to the feels.
23:31Won't be long before you're crying just as hard as Akira.
23:40Number 4.
23:41Monster
23:42What happens when you save the life of a monster?
23:45Dr. Tenma finds out after he chooses to save a boy over the mayor of a town.
23:54The boy-turned-man, Johann Liebert, proceeds to haunt Tenma's every step.
23:59The psychological thriller examines the darkest parts of human nature in a mature and measured
24:05way.
24:12The nature of good and evil, and other weighty topics, can be difficult to convey well, yet
24:17Monster does so with grace and through nail-biting tension.
24:22Actions can have unintended consequences, but chances are good that the result of watching
24:26Monster will be you calling it a masterpiece.
24:38Number 3.
24:39Berserk
24:40It's a cruel world, and one the swordsman Guts knows all too well.
24:49Born from a corpse, beaten, thrown on the battlefield from the time he could walk, this
24:54guy has seen more carnage than any can imagine.
24:57And that's all before he finds himself drafted into the mercenary company known as the Band
25:02of the Hawk.
25:10From there, he finds himself embroiled into a 100-year war, facing down creatures not
25:15of this world, and suffering the greatest betrayal in anime history.
25:25Number 2.
25:26Akira
25:27As far as dystopian futures go, this is one you certainly wouldn't want to be caught
25:31up in.
25:32Well, maybe for those slick motorcycles, but that's about it.
25:40As gang warfare erupts around the city of Neo-Tokyo, friends Kaneda and Tetsuo find
25:45themselves thrown into a whole new kind of hell, when the latter finds himself imbued
25:50with immense psychic abilities.
25:59From that point, it's odd.
26:01As Tetsuo's powers rage out of control, you can expect to see plenty of wanton destruction,
26:06along with what could quite possibly be the most disgusting transformation sequence of
26:11all time.
26:35There may not be as much blood, arrow, or violence as other entries on this list, but
26:41in terms of sheer style, nothing tops the Space Cowboy.
26:48As the likes of Spike Spiegel and his mix-matched crew traverse the galaxy hunting down bounties,
26:54each find themselves thrown into a variety of hotspots with dangerous criminals, deadly
26:59assassins, and the infamous Red Dragon Syndicate.
27:14There really is no other word for this show than cool.
27:23Is there an R-rated anime we forgot?
27:25Don't restrict your comments and tell us your favorite down below.