Jujutsu Kaisen made a name for itself as one of the greatest shōnen series of the modern era. It’s dangerous, captivating, and everything a shōnen needs to be great. It also includes the single most hyped fight of the past decade, and in a genre saturated with brutal battles, that’s saying something.
Season three of the jaw-dropping series only recently ended, and though season four has no officially release date, speculation suggests fans could see the next leg of The Culling Game arc in early 2027. Luckily, there are a handful of series that work as near-perfect replacements while fans wait for the return of Yuji, Gojo and Sukuna.
Gachiakuta Has Serious Potential
Gachiakuta stands out. It’s not easy to feel unique in shōnen, as sometimes, it feels like every possible story has already been told. Through an interesting power system, a rogue main character, and plenty of interesting side characters, however, Gachiakuta pulls it off with tenacity.
The fights in Gachiakuta, like Jujutsu Kaisen, are absolutely brutal. Every victory costs something significant, and it always feels like the Cleaners are moments away from serious danger. It’s a gripping series and the upcoming second season looks to ride the first season’s momentum masterfully.
There’s an argument to be made that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the single greatest anime ever made. It’s a pillar of the art form, and it’s somehow perfect for both newcomers to anime and veterans who have been watching it for years.
Nearly 20 years later, there still isn’t anything like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Jujutsu Kaisen is a little more centered on action than this series, but they both mix fights and story proficiently. Fans who love Jujutsu Kaisen’s dedication to a good narrative will love Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Is Amazing
In just 10 episodes, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners told one of the best stories in anime. It’s equal parts hopeful and hopeless, naive and wise beyond its years, grueling and absolutely captivating. There isn’t a series that has ever told such a great story so quickly, and there may never be again.
Jujutsu Kaisen is willing to be dark. It’s willing to subject both its main character and its fans to some of the most tragic moments in anime, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is right there with it. It never gets easier for David Martinez, and that’s exactly why fans gravitate towards this series.
Hell’s Paradise Is a Perfect Addition to the “Dark Big Three”
Outside a few select moments, the “Big Three” of shōnen (Bleach, One Piece, and Naruto) were never dark. The new “Dark Big Three” changed that massively. Hell’s Paradise, like Jujutsu Kaisen, isn’t about some aspirational dream — it’s about survival.
One Piece is fun to its core because it’s about Luffy’s journey to become the King of the Pirates. Neither Yuji nor Gabimaru have any real goals outside of surviving and getting back to their respective loved ones, an all-too-real situation that makes both series feel incredibly grounded.
Attack on Titan Is a Bona Fide Classic
Attack on Titan thrust anime into the mainstream of Western culture in the mid 2010s. It’s such a great series that it almost single-handedly made the art form what it is today, and there’s no doubting that anime couldn’t be the same without it.
Before the “Dark Big Three,” Attack on Titan showed how dark it could get. Dark anime weren’t popular, but Attack on Titan proved that a dark series was well worth the watch. It has one of the best first episodes in anime, and it only gets better from there.
Berserk Is Best for Fans Who Love Dark Anime
There are a lot of things that Jujutsu Kaisen does well. At times, it’s adorable, hilarious, action-packed, heart-pounding, and more. For fans who want pure darkness, however, it doesn’t get better than Berserk. Berserk is the single greatest dark anime series ever made, and nobody will ever top Kentaro Miura’s masterpiece.
Like Yuji, Guts isn’t trying to become a king. He isn’t trying to lead his people, nor is he trying to build an empire. He’s trying to save himself, his friends, and defeat Griffith at any and all costs. There’s nothing beautiful about it, and that’s the point.
Cowboy Bebop Has Similar Themes
Cowboy Bebop is a staple of anime. It’s an all-time classic, and it’s basically required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a hardcore fan of the medium. It’s a little more mature than Jujutsu Kaisen because Cowboy Bebop‘s core trio are adults facing the ramifications of their own choices, more often than not.
Despite its otherworldly, paranormal nature, Jujutsu Kaisen is more than capable of exploring deeply moving themes that make fans stop and think. The series has moments when there isn’t really a right answer, and each characters’ decisions feel right and wrong at the same time. For fans who like the more pensive side of Jujutsu Kaisen, check out Cowboy Bebop.
Before Dark Shōnen Were Popular, Hunter x Hunter Led the Charge
Hunter x Hunter is unbelievable. It’s such a great series because of how straightforward it is. There isn’t a skippable episode, and that’s incredibly rare when compared to the bloated Big Three and the Dragon Ball franchise.
Modern anime is much different from anime in the 2000s because of pacing. One Piece is notorious for having some of the slowest pacing in anime, and that’s where Hunter x Hunter comes in. It’s less than 200 episodes and features some of the best arcs in shōnen, making it a must-watch.
Demon Slayer Is the Closest Comparison Outside the Dark Shonen Trio
Demon Slayer has single-handedly changed how anime operates in the 2020s. In the past, the only anime films were one-offs. They were usually made by Studio Ghibli, and they were almost always lighthearted romps where everybody wins in the end. That isn’t the case anymore.
Demon Slayer’s massive success at the box office means that every anime franchise wants a share of the profits. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, and with two more films on the way, it doesn’t look like another franchise will be stealing Tanjiro’s record anytime soon.
Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen Go Hand-In-Hand
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Image via MAPPA -
Image via MAPPA -
Image via MAPPA
Fans that love Jujutsu Kaisen will love Chainsaw Man, full stop. The series are basically siblings at this point, and fans of dark shonen couldn’t be happier. Better yet, they have plenty of distinctions, as it feels like each series is doing its own thing masterfully.
Chainsaw Man is much sillier, and somehow, even darker. It’s a different kind of darkness though, as Chainsaw Man’s darkness feels much more existential than Jujutsu Kaisen’s inherently human brutality.
- Release Date
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October 3, 2020
- Network
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TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
- Directors
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Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi
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Yuichi Nakamura
Satoru Gojo
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