Anime Like Muramasa

A deadly menace lurks in Tokyo: man-eating "ghouls" that look exactly like humans and hide among them. Reserved college student Ken Kaneki keeps his head in books and pays no attention to reports of the escalating crisis. But the arrival of a beautiful woman named Rize Kamishiro breaks his solitude when she boldly asks him out on a date. As Kaneki walks Rize home, he realizes she is far from the kind person she seemed—she lured him with malicious intent. After a violent struggle, he wakes up in a hospital to find out his life was saved by having the organs of the now-dead Rize transplanted into his body. Kaneki's body starts changing in terrifying ways, turning him into a human-ghoul hybrid. As he begins his grim new path, Kaneki desperately holds onto his humanity amid the growing bloody war between society's new monsters and the government agents hunting them.

Parasitic aliens suddenly descend upon Earth, infiltrating humanity by burrowing into the brains of vulnerable targets. These insatiable creatures seize complete control of their hosts and can morph into various forms to hunt unsuspecting prey. Sixteen-year-old high school student Shinichi Izumi is attacked by one of these parasites, but it fails to take over his brain, ending up in his right hand instead. Unable to move to its intended location, the parasite, named Migi, must rely on Shinichi to survive. This forces the duo into an uneasy coexistence as they defend themselves against hostile parasites determined to eliminate this new threat to their kind.

Ken Kaneki has finally begun to embrace the monstrous, flesh-hungry side of himself that he once dreaded and loathed. After managing to escape being held captive and tortured, Kaneki decides to align himself with Aogiri Tree—the same violent ghoul group that originally kidnapped him, causing his friends to doubt his true intentions and allegiance. As hostilities between the government and ghouls keep escalating, the Commission of Counter Ghoul, the state's dedicated anti-ghoul task force, has stepped up its campaign to eliminate all ghouls from Tokyo. This endangers the fragile peace enjoyed by Kaneki's friends and former allies—the ghouls of the Anteiku café. Fully aware of the peril, Kaneki endures several fights that test his precious, fleeting humanity.

Lucy belongs to a subspecies of humanity known as Diclonius, characterized by small horns and invisible telekinetic limbs—traits that make her a target for brutal government experimentation. When a chance to flee arises, the years of confinement and torture have twisted her, and she slaughters her way through her captors in a bloody escape. During the breakout, a severe head injury fractures her psyche, creating a second personality resembling a childlike innocent with barely any speech. In this vulnerable state, she crosses paths with Kouta and his cousin Yuka, two college students who take in the wounded fugitive, having no idea of her lethal nature. Their compassion sets off a chain of events that plunges them into a hidden world of government secrets and conspiracy.

It all began without warning: the dead rose from their graves, plunging Japan into utter chaos. When these creatures invade a high school, Takashi Kimuro is forced to kill his best friend after he is bitten and becomes one of the walking dead. Swearing to protect Rei Miyamoto, the girlfriend of the man he just put down, they manage to escape their school-turned-deathtrap, only to find a society that has already collapsed. Takashi and Rei soon join forces with other students, embarking on a journey to locate their families and discover the source of this overwhelming outbreak. Their group includes Saeko Busujima, the refined president of the Kendo Club; Kouta Hirano, an otaku obsessed with firearms; Saya Takagi, the daughter of a powerful politician; and Shizuka Marikawa, their attractive school nurse. Yet even with their combined strength, they must question if it will be enough to survive the undead apocalypse.

Two years have elapsed since the CCG's assault on Anteiku. While the atmosphere in Tokyo has shifted considerably with the CCG's heightened presence, ghouls remain a persistent issue as they have grown more cautious, particularly the terrorist syndicate Aogiri Tree, which recognizes the CCG's escalating danger to their survival. The formation of a specialized unit called the Quinx Squad could give the CCG the advantage needed to eliminate Tokyo's unwanted inhabitants. These are humans who have undergone surgery to harness the unique abilities of ghouls, and they take part in missions to eradicate these perilous creatures. The squad's leader, Haise Sasaki, is a half-ghoul, half-human trained by the renowned special class investigator Kishou Arima. Yet there is more to this young man than appears, as buried memories claw at his mind, gradually recalling the person he once was.

Devils require a living host to manifest. However, if a person's will is sufficiently strong, they can overcome the demon and claim its power for themselves, becoming a Devilman. Akira Fudou is a timid and gentle soul with an overly compassionate nature. When his childhood friend Ryou Asuka asks for assistance in hunting devils, Akira agrees without a second thought. But to Akira's shock, their destination is Sabbath, a hedonistic gathering of depravity and excess. As bloodshed erupts, demons possess the revelers, transforming them into grotesque monsters and causing chaos. In a desperate bid to save his friend, Akira inadvertently fuses with the demon Amon, transforming into a Devilman and gaining the strength to defeat the remaining demons. This new union grants him immense power, but it also awakens a primal, uncontrollable side of Akira. Now bearing a devil's body while retaining his compassionate heart, Akira joins forces with Ryou, destroying those who threaten humanity and those he holds dear.

Creatures of darkness and evil roam the night, devouring any humans unfortunate enough to fall into their grasp. Standing against these supernatural threats to humanity is Hellsing, an organization dedicated to their destruction. The group is led by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who commands a formidable military force and dedicates her life to combating the undead. Yet, Integra’s vast army is overshadowed by her ultimate weapon: the vampire Alucard, who serves as an exterminator for Hellsing against his own kind. Alongside his new vampire servant, Seras Victoria, Alucard must fight not only monsters but anyone who opposes Hellsing, regardless of whether they appear good or evil. In the struggle for humanity’s survival, Hellsing Ultimate demonstrates that appearances can be deceiving, and the greatest weapon may take the form of one’s worst nightmare.

Following the Tsukiyama Family Extermination Operation, the Commission of Counter Ghouls (CCG) has become significantly stronger and continues its mission to wipe out all ghouls in Japan. Having left the Quinx Squad, the now apparently emotionless Haise Sasaki takes on increasingly difficult assignments from the CCG without concern for their danger. Despite his blank expression, Ken Kaneki's memories are slowly resurfacing within Haise, causing him inner turmoil. At the same time, his newly cold demeanor affects those around him. The Quinx Squad is left in disarray, struggling to cope with the loss of one of their members while lacking their former mentor's support. Amid this chaos, both the Quinx Squad and Haise must continue carrying out their duties for the CCG, whether they want to or not. However, Haise has become aware of a mysterious group operating behind the CCG, and the Quinx Squad has also caught wind of certain whispers about corruption.

In 1988, a boy wielding psychic abilities triggers a catastrophic explosion in Tokyo that sparks World War III. To avert further devastation, he is detained and disappears from public knowledge. Three decades later, the rebuilt Neo-Tokyo is plagued by gang warfare and anti-government terrorism. Shoutarou Kaneda commands "the Capsules," a crew of delinquents famous for their oversized custom bikes and ongoing feud with their rivals, "the Clowns." During a clash with these rivals, Kaneda’s best friend, Tetsuo Shima, collides with an esper who has fled a government facility. This incident awakens latent, dangerous powers within Tetsuo. As the authorities move to contain this new psychic threat before it can destroy the city once more, Tetsuo’s escalating abilities place him at the center of the chaos.

In the age of the industrial revolution, a strange virus gives rise to monstrous beings known as Kabane, which attack humans to feed. The only way to defeat them is to shatter their iron-coated hearts. Anyone bitten by a Kabane is cursed to become one of the undead themselves. Only the most heavily guarded settlements have managed to survive, such as the island of Hinomoto, where huge walls protect humanity from the endless swarms. Entry to these enormous fortresses is limited to armored trains, which are built and run by young men like Ikoma. Ikoma has created a powerful weapon designed to pierce the hearts of Kabane, and he is eager to test it in battle. Yet his opportunity to fight arrives much sooner than he ever expected.

The Hellsing organization, which specializes in handling supernatural threats, is summoned to Cheddar where a vampire has been turning villagers into ghouls. To stop this, the organization's head, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, deploys her most powerful weapon: a mighty vampire named Alucard. With nothing more than a single handgun, Alucard unleashes destruction upon the monsters terrorizing Cheddar. But a young policewoman, Seras Victoria, gets drawn into the conflict and ends up fatally injured. Feeling sympathy for her, Alucard offers Seras an ultimatum: perish as a human or continue existing as a vampire. She chooses the latter and starts a new chapter as part of Hellsing. Even though it was her own choice, Seras finds it hard to accept that she is no longer human. However, she must quickly come to terms with her new nature if she intends to endure on the battlefield of the war between mankind and the supernatural.

Guts, who will later be known as the Black Swordsman, is a young mercenary traveling from place to place, recognizable by the enormous greatsword he carries. He takes on jobs that pay the most, but never stays with any group for long—until he comes across the Band of the Falcon. After completing a job, Guts is ambushed and defeats many members of the band in combat. Griffith, the founder and leader of the Band of the Falcon, becomes interested in Guts and challenges him to a duel. Though the other members are no match for Guts, Griffith defeats him with a single blow. Incapacitated and brought to the Band of the Falcon's camp to recover, Guts awakens two days later. He confronts Griffith, and they duel again, this time under a condition: if Guts loses, he must join the Band of the Falcon. Because of his still-healing injuries, Guts loses the fight and is inducted by Griffith. Over the next three years, Guts rises to become one of the Band of the Falcon's commanders. On the battlefield, his combat skill is second only to Griffith's, as he takes on large groups of enemies by himself. With Guts' immense strength and Griffith's leadership, the Band of the Falcon dominate every battle they fight. But something sinister lurks in the shadows, threatening to change Guts' life forever.

Hole is a dark, decaying, and chaotic district where the strong exploit the weak and death is a routine event—a name that perfectly suits this lawless realm. Cut off from morality and justice, it serves as a playground for the magic users who rule over it. As a race at the top of society, magic users view Hole’s inhabitants as nothing more than insects. Murdered, mutilated, and used in experiments without a second thought, the powerless residents of Hole fill the hospital’s halls every day. With free access to and from this cesspool and little resistance to their dominance, the magic users seem unstoppable to most—except for a few. Caiman, more reptile than human, is one such exception. He hunts them on a reckless quest for answers, armed only with a trusted pair of bayonets and his immunity to magic. Cursed by his appearance and tormented by nightmares, magic users are his only lead to restoring his life to normal. With his biggest obstacle being his stomach, his female companion Nikaidou, who runs the Hungry Bug restaurant, is his greatest ally.

The mysterious immortal entities known as Ajin first appeared in Africa seventeen years ago. Because their indestructible bodies pose a threat to humanity and they could be exploited for malicious purposes, they are immediately detained upon discovery. Kei Nagai, a hardworking high school student with aspirations of becoming a doctor, largely ignores the school curriculum concerning these beings, having only seen them occasionally in the news. Although he is taught that Ajin are not human, his ignorance proves irrelevant when he survives a fatal accident that triggers his transformation into an Ajin, plunging him into intense suffering. As he flees alone from a world that hunts him, Kei learns that other members of his kind might be hiding in plain sight.

During the day, Saya Kisaragi lives as a quiet high school student, but at night, she becomes a fearsome hunter of monstrous beings. Wielding a sacred blade given to her by her father for ceremonial duties, she destroys any creature that endangers her tranquil village. Yet her understanding of reality is shattered when she hears the monsters speak of a broken pact, a secret she was never told about. Soon after, a mysterious dog appears and challenges her regarding her vow to safeguard the village, questioning what might happen if she were to break it. Haunted by strange visions as her world unravels, Saya sets out to find the truth in a village where nothing is as it seems.

Saya Otonashi leads an ordinary life with her adopted family in Okinawa City, appearing to be a typical high school girl. Her only unusual traits are a tendency toward anemia and a complete lack of memories from before the past year. But Saya's forgotten history resurfaces when she is attacked at school by a blood-drinking creature. A mysterious man named Haji intervenes to drive the monster away. When he forces her to drink his blood, Saya enters a trance and uses her own blood as a weapon to easily kill the beast. Saya discovers the existence of Red Shield, an organization created specifically to combat these monstrous beings. Together with Haji, she must join forces with Red Shield to battle the terrifying creatures and uncover the truth behind her lost memories.

Marked for death and doomed to be pursued by demons until his last breath, Guts resolves to challenge this terrifying fate as endless waves of monsters chase after him. With his resolve steeled, he brandishes the enormous Dragonslayer and vows vengeance against the man he once admired and considered a friend. Along his journey, he encounters unexpected allies such as the tiny elf Puck and Isidro, a young thief eager to learn the art of the sword from the former mercenary. As this unlikely band comes together to accompany Guts on his mission, they must face threats more horrifying than any they have encountered before.

After giving his life to rescue a homeless man from a speeding train, Kei Kurono regains consciousness in a peculiar room alongside several other freshly dead individuals and a mysterious black orb. While they attempt to make sense of their situation, the sphere unveils a collection of weapons and black bodysuits, then orders them to eliminate an alien before teleporting them to an unfamiliar destination. With few explanations, Kei teams up with his childhood friend Masaru Katou and an unnamed woman. As they explore their surroundings, they soon understand that they have entered a grim and treacherous realm filled with constant threats.

When 16-year-old Yuri Honjou sees a man’s skull split open by an axe, she runs in panic only to realize she is trapped inside an abandoned building with all exits mysteriously blocked. Desperate to get out, she makes her way to the rooftop, only to find herself stranded in a barren world of endless high-rises with no sign of life. Despite the crushing despair, Yuri decides to survive and search for her brother after learning he is trapped in this same strange reality. But masked killers who take pleasure in terror and violence make her question whether she will ever escape alive.

After escaping from Hope's Peak Academy, Makoto Naegi and his fellow survivors join the Future Foundation, an organization dedicated to fighting despair. But the situation takes a turn when Naegi is arrested for treason after defending the Remnants of Despair. Alongside Kyouko Kirigiri and Aoi Asahina, he appears before the Foundation's executives, facing an uncertain fate. Things worsen when Monokuma infiltrates the organization's supposedly impenetrable security, immediately announcing the start of a new killing game. As the first victim appears as an omen of renewed despair, Naegi, the Super High School-Level Lucky Student, must once again solve the mystery while his comrades fall one by one. However, without class trials, the rules have changed: among the sixteen desperate participants, there is only one killer, and their death will finally bring this hellish game to an end.

The unusual Class 77-B at Hope's Peak Academy gets a new homeroom teacher, Chisa Yukizome, a former student known as the Super High School-Level Housekeeper. Full of energy and skill, she works to heal the broken relationships among her varied students, who include a princess, a nurse, a yakuza member, and an incredibly lucky person. Trusting in the strength of hope, she tries to steer them through their disputes. At the same time, Hajime Hinata, a Reserve Course student who feels he lacks any special ability, meets Chiaki Nanami, the Super High School-Level Gamer. Through their time together, she gives him a new way of looking at life. But without Hajime's knowledge, the school's administration is engineering a dark scheme involving him that could bring down Hope's Peak and devastate the world. Zetsubou-hen follows the daily life at the famous academy while dark forces work in the background. As despair slowly takes over hope, those responsible for the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History start their plan, marking the start of the end.

Having survived their narrow escape from death, Kei Nagai and his new ally Kou Nakano scheme to take vengeance on Satou, a fellow Ajin obsessed with ruling the world. While Satou carries out a series of public executions, humanity scrambles to find a way to halt the immortal threat. Kei finds unexpected support from former enemies: Yuu Tosaki, a high-ranking government official whose deep knowledge of Ajin provides a strategic edge against Satou, and Tosaki’s Ajin subordinate, Izumi Shimomura. As Kei’s group expands, he must act quickly to halt Satou’s campaign before it destroys civilization.

Former baseball player turned delinquent Taishi Fura witnesses the man-eating "ghoul" known as Lantern injuring his old friend and killing another. Before things escalate, Fura's classmate Kishou Arima arrives—revealing himself as an undercover investigator for the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG)—and forces the ghoul to flee. Driven by vengeance for his friends, Fura teams up with Arima to hunt down ghouls in the 13th Ward, with the ultimate goal of taking down Lantern. Tokyo Ghoul: "Jack" reveals glimpses of the past life of the CCG's feared "Reaper," Arima, offering insight into how he spent his high school years.