This meme typically applies to most shounen anime where, at some significant point in an important battle, a character will most likely power up or exude energy before performing a very powerful and potent attack. This energy can be seen as an aura, which emanates from the character. This glow can vary depending on a character’s alliance. If a character is one of the protagonists, the glow would most likely be light. If, on the other hand, the character is one of the antagonists, the glow that they emanate is usually from the darker side of the spectrum. As this meme states, in anime, if a guy glows, you can certainly be sure that he will get powerful. Definitely not a guy you would like to cross, anyway.

Just like shock horror films, anime has become quite infamous for its use of very red, realistic blood. Despite it being used at times for the all-infamous nosebleed scenes of male characters who happen to chance upon female characters in provocative poses, blood in anime is usually used during key action scenes. And when it does get used, there usually is a LOT of it. The infamous spray of blood coming out of a wound has been used in famous titles like Rurouni Kenshin and Neon Genesis Evangelion, as well as many more. Thus, netizens have created the all-too infamous anime blood meme. Why is this so? Simply because anime characters bleed a lot. A healthy, adult male of average size holds about 1.2 gallons of blood. However, in anime, even small, lithe characters bleed so much, they seem to hold hundreds of gallons of the crimson liquid. In fact, in comedy anime, nosebleeds become so powerful, they can flood whole floors of a building. Exaggeration aside, the gratuitous use of blood is something that is and will always be, anime.

This meme has become one of the most prolific anime memes in years. Targeting the fansub community in general, it pokes fun at the fact that most unofficial subtitles are not necessarily that accurate. Sometimes, fansubs, especially for early releases, tend to be inaccurate, both in grammar and in context. The poster child for this has been this meme, taken from a beach episode in Code Geass. Featuring a scene when lead character Suzaku holds a fish, the context of his dialogue, as well as the word choice, ended up having a very awkward, if not naughty connotation. Yes, pleasuring oneself with a fish may fly for non-native English speakers, but for those areas where these fansubs were released, it was definitely a hoot!

Throughout the epic storyline of Dragon Ball and all its adaptations, Krillin’s character has been killed off a number of times. Most notable of these would be when he was killed by Frieza, with Krillin’s body literally exploding in midair. His death at the hands of Frieza ultimately became one of the factors that motivated Goku enough to reach Super Saiyan for the first time. Of course, when the Dragonballs were finally gathered, one of the wishes the protagonists asked for is Krillin’s revival. And this happened multiple times. Something like this in such an important title such as Dragonball will undoubtedly be the stuff of internet memes. And indeed, it did become so, with this frame of Shenlong expecting that Krillin must be revived again becoming quite prolific on the world wide web. In fact, even if the image is not utilized, internet chatrooms such as 4chan and 9chat (the chat portal of meme site 9gag) are always rife with Krillin’s death references, making Krillin quite a household name.

Main characters in anime, especially in the sci-fi and shounen genre, are known for being epic and badass in their key battles. Of course, this is very true for Gunbuster, one of the most notable sci-fi anime ever made. This is simply because the titular mecha is so overflowing with machismo, it literally folds its arms like a boss when firing its powerful weapons. Wiping away multitudes of enemies must be done in style, after all. And it’s not only in Gunbuster, too! Other notable anime, even the modern titles, have adopted this particular trope as well and because of that, this meme was born. After all, in anime, who would want to defeat his/her enemies without at least a little bit of flourish, right?

One of the tried and tested tropes of anime is the death scene, where characters are usually killed off in an instant as a way to shock the viewer (think the third episode of Mahou Shoujo Madoka Majica), or characters die in such a dramatic way that they are actually given enough time to experience profound epiphanies before they fully pass on. This usually happens when a character gets gravely injured, which, of course, is a very contradiction of just how fatal their injuries really are. These scenes are undeniably memorable however, with characters in famous works such as Dragonball, Yu Yu Hakusho, Voltes V, Naruto and One Piece all utilizing the drawn-out death trope. As with other tropes, the meme makers of anime have not neglected this fact, and thus have immortalized it through this meme.

This meme, taken from Fate/Stay Night, is arguably the internet’s most prolific meme about the inaccuracy of anime subtitles. The line is from a rather serious scene in the anime, with Shirou Emiya thinking about the implications of the Holy Grail War. Just as it is with the Suzaku’s Fish meme however, the line as written in the subtitles may be grammatically correct, but it absolutely fails in context. In fact, this meme has been used in tandem with other famous memes like the Nicolas Cage “You Don’t Say” meme, because of the blatant obviousness of the line. The line, coupled with the seriousness of the scene, ultimately made it funny. After all, Shirou is right - people do die when they are killed.

The Bright Slap Meme came from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series way back in 1979, when the pilot Amuro Ray throws a tantrum by refusing to fight in the RX-78 Gundam, even in the face of a deadly attack. White Base Captain Bright Noa attempts to persuade him to join the fight, but the stubborn Amuro emotionally refuses. In order to smack some sense into Amuro, Bright slaps him. Twice. The Bright Slap has become one of anime’s most famous memes, with the Bright Slap becoming the slap that transforms whiny boys into real men. In the original series, the slap effectively does snap Amuro out of his self-absorbing phase, thereby making him into the man who would effectively shape the fate of the Universal Century. This meme, together with the Batman Slaps Robin Meme, are two of the most famous slapping memes in the internet.

Fullmetal Alchemist includes a lot of tear-jerking arcs, but most of them pale in comparison to the Chimera Arc, where mad scientist Shou transmutes his own daughter Nina and her dog Alexander into a chimera. Nina and Alexander are depicted to be inseparable best friends. Unfortunately, as the plot progressed, they eventually became inseparable - as one, twisted incarnation of a chimera. The chimera was eventually killed, in one of the anime’s most emotional moments. The emotional and twisted arc, coupled with the extreme popularity of Fullmetal Alchemist, has motivated the internet community to immortalize it by creating this meme. In fact, this meme has even garnered a lot of fans for FMA, whose interests get piqued by the existence of this meme. However, everyone, even in the darkest corners of the internet, cannot deny the sheer amount of feels behind this meme.

Yuno Gasai practically introduced, hammered, and cemented the attributes of a yandere to anime fans through her twisted, dark, obsession over Mirai Nikki’s main character, Yuki. In this scene, which unfolded during the last moments of the first episode, Yuno promises Yuki that she would protect him, but she does this in such a way that Yuki, instead of being consoled, gets positively freaked out. Why? Well, she kinda looked a little bit… unhinged. The Yandere Face Meme has become one of, if not the most well-known anime memes in the world. Used in tandem with the Overly Attached Girlfriend Meme, the Yandere Face Meme has been depicted using characters from other titles. Numerous characters, from Yu-Gi-Oh! to Bleach to Fairy Tail, even Transformers and Loki from the Avengers, have been transposed into the Yandere Face. Yuno may not be the first yandere in anime, but she sure became one of the most notable ones. This meme simply proves it.

Despite being very draggy and slow and sometimes the story shows no signs of progression, it still ran for two courses which showed the creator's willingness to extend the series. Strike the Blood may be one of the underrated series in that particular season, perhaps for good reasons. The story takes some time to develop, sometimes the balance between fan-service and actual progression is broken. All in all however, I actually quite enjoyed this series. Strike the Blood portrays Kojou Akatsuki, the Fourth Progenitor of the vampires and his sidekick - Yukina Himeragi as they fought on to protect the peace of Itogami from demons. As mentioned, there is a mix and match of a few different genres but the dark fantasy theme still is a main component in this show. Lust, death and loss are a few traits of this show. While the story progresses quite slowly, if you put everything together, it's actually a decent anime and keeps you entertained.

Now, as otakus and sometimes gamers, most of us would really love to be placed in a zombie apocalypse. Wielding weapons, the freedom to do anything without repercussions by the law and trying to survive - be honest, we all have those fantasies before to be the last few members of the world. High School of the Dead depicts just that, a group of high schoolers who were swamped by hordes after hordes of zombies. They realised how lucky they were to survive and not many of their friends are as lucky as them to survive, they fought on with a single intention in mind - the sole will to survive. Granted that there are many fanservice scenes (some form of 'fantasy'' for us too to lighten the mood), this show reminded me that a zombie apocalypse may not be the thing for me after all. Death, pain and suffering are few of the trials that we have to go through and this is what the anime shows best, the characters endeavours to survive while moving from Point A to Point B.

The prequel to the hyped Fate/Stay Night. Fate/zero is a more somewhat darker anime than its successor. It operates on the same premise. Servants are mythological figures that can be summoned for the pursuit of the Holy Grail, an artefact that grants both Servant and Master their wish. However, during this pursuit, themes such as death and human greed are accurately portrayed which makes Fate/Zero a dark fantasy genre. Just as Masters have their own intentions, servants too, have their own intention of what to do with the Holy Grail. Furthermore, they are placed in an elimination style battle royale to be the sole winner. Not everyone is born a winner, even if they are folklore legends.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is about Madoka Kaname journey as a magical girl and - "Why?, just oh why is a mahou shoujo anime on this list?" - is probably what many of you would be wondering. The Mahou Shoujo category has always been the quintessential genre to portray moe and sometimes (actually most of the time) loli MCs This is different, I promise. It is written by Gen Urobuchi. The famed creator of popular works like the Fate Series and Psycho-Pass. He is, and always will be, one of the best creators for darker settings in the market. Imagine my surprise when I heard this is one of Urobuchi-sensei's works. I cannot imagine him suddenly taking a break and delving into a lighter genre, much less the mahou shoujo genre. IMAGINE my surprise, when I realised that he took the mahou shoujo category to a whole new level that is unorthodox to this specific genre and manage to turn it into his field and line of work. You know it can be trusted if I say Urobuchi-sensei puts the "dark" in a fantasy series. He managed to turn the mahou shoujo category into something darker and that is what makes this show particular unique and one of the best ranked anime.

For ages now, ghouls have existed alongside humans and humans fear these creatures as they feed on them. Kaneki had a freak accident with a ghoul and he now exists as a part-ghoul part-human creature. He can't be truly called a ghoul as he cannot tolerate the consumption of human flesh; neither can he be called a human. Tokyo Ghoul portrays a boy who was granted such said power but it is a challenge for him to exist in the society as they shun him. As a human, he won't call himself a Ghoul either. As otakus, we all yearn for supernatural powers to be granted on us and live in anime-ish world. However, that would make it a fantasy anime. Being granted with a supernatural ability may not be the best thing in the world. Sometimes, you're better off dead.

Ever thought what would be like to be an assassin? The assassin archetype has long had associations to the shadows and stealth kills. It sounds very fanciful and even cool to a certain extent. Akame Ga Kill portrays a young boy, Tatsumi who sets off on a journey to save his poor village. He set his sights on the capital city. What he will find however, is corruption of an inconceivable nature within the city. After almost falling prey to the corruption himself, he is recruited by a band of assassins known only as Night Raid who are feared even by the ruling imperialists. Night Raid's objective is absolute - to end the corruption as well as the lives of those that caused it. Throughout the series, viewers will be shown what it truly means to be an assassin as it touches on morbid concepts like loss, suffering, death and despair. Murder is the trademark of the assassin archetype and it is not an easy thing to fathom as the common fantasy setting portrays it to be. By showing the underlying values and traits of the assassin, this anime earned its dark fantasy classification.

Attack on Titan is set in an alternative historic time but this is not some historical tale of heroes and dragons. Attack on Titan is a tale where humans live in fear of large humanoid creatures known as Titans - so much that they built walls to surround the city and protect themselves. This series portrays the human will to survive. This last remnant of society live in fear of the Titans as these monsters will not hesitate to consume them. After Eren Yaeger, the MC's own mother was eaten right in front of him; he joined the iconic Survey Corps in order to discover more about the Titans and their existence. Along the way, he will find out more about the Titan's origins as well as his father's (who never made an appearance) connections to them. This was a much hyped fantasy anime back in Spring 2013 and it shows that the dark fantasy trend is not dead yet.

When I search and source for anime, the art style and content always catches my attention first. It just so happens that one day, I was hoping to find a good simple, comedic, light hearted anime. WELL HELLOOO! Moe high school girls, catchy opening, descriptions and trailers be like "Let's have fun in this high school! YAYY!" I was so happy. It's been a while since I saw a slice of life anime so I mentally prepared myself to be treated to an afternoon session light natured anime. I cannot be more wrong... My first hint should probably be studio Nitro+. They are well-versed in the market... but for a different reason. They lied. That's what they did. Those liars! They're lucky they didn't lie to me in April, I would go on a murdering rampage. Enough of my ranting and I apologize that you have to read through all of that. You came here to find a dark fantasy anime and I give this to you. It's definitely a dark fantasy theme but I wouldn't want to spoil much. This can actually be the most misleading anime after Madoka but what's dark fantasy without a little twist?

Claymore is an anime set in medieval times. Raki was merely a teenager when his whole family was killed by demons. He tags along with a 'Claymore' named Clare who avenged him by slaying all of the demons. It would be a fantasy if the boy tagged with a heroic figure - but Claymores are despised by humans. Despite being despised, Claymores can blend perfectly with humans and are the ones that exterminate the demons that haunt humanity. Nevertheless, they are cast out by society and have no place amongst humans. This is why Claymore has more of the dark fantasy theme to it with attributes such as rejection, isolation, death and independence. It is not every day that a hero can be glorified and worshipped, that is why there are still heroes known as unsung heroes. Not only are they doing the world favour, they are the outcasts of society.

The fantasy genre has existed for quite some time now. It is only through recent innovations that the sub genre of dark fantasy came into existence. Before then, it was deemed as a unique deconstruction of the genre and nothing more. Berserk was an anime that aired before the 20th millennium, before dark fantasy came into cognizance of the anime industry. It was pretty unique for its time period but is easily classified as dark fantasy in today's standards - and for good reasons too. Known also as the Black Swordsman, Guts is a warrior with a desire for vengeance against his own best friend now turned rogue - Griffith. Guts is no glorified warrior of the century either. He had a terrible past and was raised to be soldier by his foster father. Guts knows only loss and despair, till the point that he is being portrayed as the Anti-Hero archetype. He cuts down the numerous enemies he faces mercilessly, making Berserk one of the notorious gory anime. Everything about this anime is dark and no doubt it is an aged piece, but it is still a very popular anime and manga today. As anime traverses through time, it no longer appeals to the newer generation. Berserk however negated that component and continues to be a hot favourite even today with the manga still ongoing deserving therefore, the No.1 Spot.

The Shinsengumi, an elite police force, existed at a time when the Tokugawa shogunate was beginning to lose power, and Japan was beginning to open its doors to foreigners. Historically, their main function was to keep anti-foreigner rebels at bay, though Hakuouki extends this further to include battling against monsters called Rasetsu. In the midst of it all is Yukimura Chizuru, a young woman who wanders into Kyoto while searching for her doctor father. She gets attacked by criminals, but is thankfully saved by the Shinsengumi (which, according to Hakuouki, is an all-bishounen group). Coincidentally, Chizuru and the group happen to be searching for the same person, and so she ends up staying with them for a while. Even though this show is pegged as a "reverse harem," it doesn't focus much on the romance. Instead, it has well-done fight scenes, great character development for each of the Shinsengumi members, and a mystery puzzle you can solve one episode at a time. Whether you're a fan of pretty boys or not, this show has something for you.

On the other hand, Sengoku Basara takes us back to the years before the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate. At the time, warlords from all over Japan fought for ultimate control of the country. None of them, however, came as close to their goal as Oda Nobunaga, who was willing to use any means necessary (read: massacring innocent people) to fulfill his ambition. Naturally, the other warlords decided to band against him… …and that's about as historically accurate as this show gets. Otherwise, it's one over-the-top scene after the other: Generals that literally wipe out entire armies with a single swing of the sword/axe/spear, horses decked out like Harley Davidson motorcycles (I'm looking at you, Date Masamune), and heaps of insanity all around. (That may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your preferences.) At any rate, this is definitely one of the most memorable shows to come out within the last decade — what with Masamune's random Engrish and Sanada Genjirou Yukimura's passionate declarations about his "oyakata-sama" and "burning soul," among other things.

Can't have a "top samurai shows" list without a Kurosawa-inspired piece, can we? Like its internationally-acclaimed predecessor, Samurai 7 revolves around a village constantly attacked by bandits. One day, the village elder decides that they've had enough, and tasks a group to recruit seven samurai in exchange for rice (since the village is too poor to offer money). The group had a bit of difficulty at first, until they encounter a shell-shocked veteran named Shimada Kambei, who helps them gather the rest of the warriors. Make no mistake, though: Samurai 7 isn't a carbon-copy of Kurosawa's film. It puts a steampunk twist to the story, with the bandits becoming mechas called Nobuseri. Additionally, the relationship between Kirara and Okamoto Katsushiro is further explored, and ends differently from that in the film. Lastly, the pacing is just right for each episode, and eventually leads to a bittersweet, but satisfying, conclusion.

Although Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled samurai, he never stays employed for long due to his awkward personality. This changes when he meets Yaichi, who offers him a job as a yojimbo (bodyguard) for a group called the "Five Leaves." As Masanosuke soon finds out, the group isn't what it seems, but he's intrigued enough to stay with them all the same. Unlike the shows we've listed so far, Saraiya Goyou isn't action-oriented. Instead, it slowly rounds out its characters, none of whom can be considered truly "good" or "evil." The art style and music also fit the show's gray themes perfectly, though the art can take time to get used to. Overall, if you want something different from the usual samurai show, Saraiya Goyou might just fit the bill.

Another slow samurai show is Hyouge Mono, which takes place during Japan's Warring States Period (Sengoku Jidai). Now, you normally wouldn't put "slow" and "Warring States Period" in the same sentence — until you realize that, hey, even samurai need to chill out once in a while. When samurai aren't slashing at each other, they participate in cultural pursuits like tea ceremonies. Such is the obsession of Furuta Sasuke, a vassal of none other than Oda Nobunaga himself. At the end of episode's run, a question is posed which sums up Sasuke's dilemma: "To be an aesthete or a warrior?" (Note: An aesthete is a person who appreciates art and beauty more than anything else.) To be fair, Hyouge Mono isn't for everyone. If 39 episodes of old men chattering about tea doesn't interest you, it'd be a total pain to sit through this show. But if you're willing to give it a chance, this show is great at showcasing a different, quieter side of the Sengoku era.

And now, let's get back to the action, shall we? This time around, we have a young boy named Kotaro, who's on the run from a group of elite Ming soldiers. Among these soldiers is Rarou (Luo-Lang in Mandarin Chinese), a blonde-and-blue-eyed Westerner who wants nothing more than to fight a worthy opponent. Fortunately for Rarou, Kotaro hires Nanashi — a mysterious but skilled samurai — as his bodyguard, and so the destinies of the three collide. First off, this movie's fight scenes are some of the best in anime. You can see every swing of the sword, every dodge of the foot and every cut into skin, but the action doesn't slow down for even a single frame. Also, everyone in this film is a badass (including the dog!), so you'll have a heck of a ride when characters go into Fight Mode. Lastly, the art and animation are fantastic, thanks in part to the efforts of Tsunenori Saito and Nakamura Yutaka — both of whom also worked on Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist and Eureka Seven, among others.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that "Sword of the Stranger" is a violent film, but most of the violence happens off-screen, or is blurred. Shigurui, on the other hand… Well, if you liked Ninja Scroll and Basilisk, Shigurui is pretty much on-par with them in terms of the "gore" factor. This anime follows Fujiki Gennosuke and Irako Seigen, both of whom are potential successors to the school of Iwamoto Kogan, Japan's greatest swordsman. Only one of them can take the post, however, so they battle it out in a bloody tournament that'll test not only their worth as warriors, but also their humanity. Shigurui may be one of the most disturbing shows — samurai or otherwise — you'll ever watch. There's the man who gutted himself to protest against a fight, and another whose bizarre sex scene will burn into your brain for days after you see it. If you can stomach all that, however, Shigurui offers an interesting — if extremely cynical — perspective about the samurai mythos.

On a lighter note, we have Samurai Champloo, which is on so many "Top X Anime" lists, I'm not sure what else I can say about it that hasn't been said before. But I'll recap the basic plot all the same. At the heart of this show is Fuu, a somewhat air-headed but plucky waitress who wants to find a "samurai who smells like sunflowers." When a violent fight breaks out in her workplace, and the participants were about to be executed, she saves two of them: Mugen, a bad-tempered warrior with a breakdance-like fighting style, and Jin, a straight-laced but strong samurai in his own right. Together, they set out to help Fuu complete her quest, and have zany adventures along the way. As many have pointed out, this show has awesome music. You'll bob your head in time with Nujabes' songs, and the soundtrack hits all the right notes (pun intended) with scenes like Mugen's flashbacks. Also, the combination of Edo period and modern elements may seem odd, but in true Watanabe Shinichiro fashion, they blend together as well as Samurai Champloo's main trio.

This show is a classic in the samurai genre, and for good reason. It's about Himura Kenshin, who was formerly known as Battousai, a hitokiri ("man-slayer") for the government during the Bakumatsu. For some mysterious reason, he decides to leave that old life, and now that he is in the peaceful Meiji era, he wants nothing more than to be a rurouni ("wanderer") who will never kill again. Unfortunately for him, former enemies keep coming back to haunt him. Rurouni Kenshin revolves around a simple, but powerful, conflict: Will Kenshin remain true to his "no-kill" vow, or will he become Battousai again to protect his country from powerful, bloodthirsty enemies? Granted, the TV series' quality can be uneven, with fillers taking up most of the latter part, but when this show is good, it's awesome.

To be honest, I wasn't sure whether to put this in the top spot or not. After all, Gintama is best known for its toilet humor, and this probably isn't the right list for Sorachi Hideaki's obra maestra to be number one. But, after taking into account everything that happened during the serious arcs, I think I've made the right decision. See, Gintama presents multiple perspectives on what it means to be a samurai. To the main character, Sakata Gintoki, being a samurai is about protecting what he wants to protect (read: his oddball group of friends). To Katsura "Zura" Kotaro, a joi rebel, it's about freeing the country from the Amanto. To Sakamoto Tatsuma, it's about bringing smiles to others through his business ventures. To Takasugi Shinsuke, it's about reclaiming the honor of the samurai — and avenging Shouyou-sensei — by any means necessary. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. You also have the Shinsengumi (made up of "country samurai"), the Shimura siblings and many others. Even the Yato — the universe's strongest mercenary race — view the samurai as worthy opponents. What I'm saying is, behind all of its dirty jokes and self-deprecating humor, Gintama is a show that handles its samurai themes unlike any other.

Mikakunin de Shinkoukei tells the story of sixteen-year-old Kobeni Yonomori, an average high school girl who has just learned she’s engaged to Hakuya Mitsumine, a boy of her age. Hakuya and his little sister, Mashiro, end up moving in with Kobeni and her older sister. All four of them will have to learn how to get along in this unusual and awkward situation. The show is inherently kawaii. All of the girls are really playful and everything they do is either silly or extremely sweet. Mashiro steals the show; she’s a great character and the smartest 9-year old you’ll ever meet. Everything about this show is just plain nice.

Tamako Market follows the everyday life of Tamako Kitashirakawa, the eldest daughter of a family that runs a mochi (sweet rice biscuit) shop. She knows everything there is to know about mochi, and she is just as sweet as this traditional Japanese snack! The show is about Tamako, her strict family, her friends and an overweight talking bird named Dela Mochimazzi. It is filled with cute girls, each one nicer than the next, and a very likeable and funny bird who certainly thinks a lot of itself.

Bunny Drop is a far more touching Anime than any other on this list. It’s not the typical kind of silly, playing around, kawaii Anime but it’s still cute and charming as hell. This is the story of a thirty year old single man named Daikichi Kawachi, who, at his grandfather’s funeral, learns of the existence of an illegitimate child his grandfather had. Knowing his family’s cruel intentions of giving her to an orphanage, Daikichi decides to take this six year old girl named Rin in adoption. Rin is a gorgeous little girl (similar in looks to Umaru-chan) who will captivate you and win over your heart. She’s a doll, helping poor Daikichi to be a good father. And Daikichi himself does not fall behind. He proves to have a golden heart, as he learns from scratch how to be a paternal figure and a positive influence on Rin’s life.

Because only few things are more kawaii than a bunch of teenage Japanese idols, Love Live School Idol Project had to be on our list. This is the story of nine high school girls who form a pop idol group named μ's in order to attract applicants and keep their school from closing. With commitment, positivity and a lot of attitude, these young girls will fulfill their ambitions, becoming huge pop idols in the process. Share these beautiful and dreamy girl’s hopes and dreams in this delightful show.

Probably the most popular show on this list, K-On is a successful comedy and slice of life show about four girls who play on the high school pop music band. Yui is the main character and the lead guitar in the band. She enters the music club thinking it will be a walk in the park, but far from being so she has to learn how to play guitar from zero. If you’re into Kawaii Anime chances are you have at least heard about K-On if you haven’t seen it already. It’s definitely a good choice for all kawaii addicts since it has pretty much everything you’re looking for in a cute show. The girls are joyful and playful. Yui is extremely talented but she’s also silly and every time she learns something she also forgets something. Also, the music they play is so full of life and uplifting that it’s impossible not to smile!

Cardcaptor Sakura is my personal favorite among the many Sailor Moon rip offs. It is also the best in my opinion and by far the cutest. From the very opening and the soundtrack to the characters and Sakura’s flashy costume, everything on this show screams Kawaii! And don’t even get me started on Kero. He’s the most huggable little flying mouse thingy ever! The show is about Sakura, an average nice and popular high school girl who accidentally releases a set of magical cards known as Clow Cards. Sakura is then assigned to gather the cards with her newly acquired powers and the help of her guardian Kero, fighting the personification of each magical card.

The title of this show pretty much sums up all the kawaiiness (yup, I just made up a new word) in this show. It’s about four little girls, Chika, Miu, Matsuri and Coppola, and a young girl who acts as their older sister, Nobue. Together they go through a series of funny and silly adventures that quite often turn a little too bizarre and uncommon. The illustrations are straightforward cute and so are the main characters. Each one of the girls is special and funny in their own way. The older one, Nobue is a nicotine addict, while Chika is rather serious and uptight. Miu is the annoying one, Matsuri the shy one and Anna Coppola is the fashion girl in the group. So we definitely have all sorts of cuteness for everyone to choose from.

Meet Konata Izumi, a lazy high school girl who’s only interested in videogames, Anime and joking around with her friends. The Hiiragi twins and Miyuki Takara are Konata’s best friends. All four of them go through the funniest situations on a regular basis. Lucky Star is one of the funniest shows on this list, and one of the cutest too. Merely judging from the characters looks, you’ll get right away just how much kawaii this show is. Everything about it is so pretty and the characters are all silly and childish and joyful and…and… OMG, it’s simply so nice to watch. Cuteness overload!

Eat, sleep, game, repeat! That’s all Umaru Doma does every day after school. As a student, she’s perfect, bright, popular and refined. What nobody knows is that she’s quite the opposite at home. After school, she puts on her hamster hoodie cloak and turns into a little spoiled and lazy brat. She does little at home other than eating potato chips, drinking soda and playing video games. Of course, when she’s not doing any of these things, then she’s probably bothering her brother and throwing a tantrum so that he goes out to buy her the new manga volume. That’s pretty much what the show’s about. It’s quite simple and straightforward cute. You’ll just fall in love with Umaru-chan and her playful view of things. This is the funniest kawaii anime I’ve ever seen and my personal favorite on this list. So go ahead and give it a try if you haven’t already.

What could possibly be any cuter than our lovely Umaru-chan? How about this kindergarten where the most adorable little children compete for the attention of their male teacher? The lovely Anzu with the help of her new friends, the shy Koume and the peculiar Hiiragi, attempts to win the heart of their caretaker, Tsuchida. Of course, she’s no match for the beautiful Yamamoto, the kindergarten teacher in charge of the class next door, who happens to be Tsuchida’s infatuation. Hanamaru Kindergarten presents the most charming kindergarten girls and a child’s crush on her teacher. You’ll be puking rainbows after watching it. It just can’t get any cuter than this, not in a million years.

Shigurui is a historically relevant Edo period drama where Lord Tokugawa Tadanaga holds a fighting tournament. In the past, matches were fought with wooden swords. This time, real swords will be used. One-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and blind Irako Seigen will fight each other in this match. Both are disciples of Iwamoto Kogan, who is known as Japan's greatest swordsman. Each of them are determined to prove himself the successor of Iwamoto's school. What follows is a visually striking animation the provides insight into life in Edo period Japan. Shigurui is worthy of a place on our list of darkest anime for its frank and brutal representation of life in historic Japan. The animation is beautiful, echoing traditional Japanese tapestry paintings while encapsulating the stark realities of life for people outside of the samurai classes in feudal Japan. The darkness of this anime doesn’t come from an archetypal ‘evil’ antagonist or from a psychologically disturbing phenomenon. It is instead a brutal reminder of how far society has come that we now longer live in an era in which a lower born person would have their head removed from their shoulders for forgetting to bow at the correct angle to their shogunate lord.

Despair. This single word perfect is at the epicentre of this 2013 anime adaptation of the equally excellent PSP/VITA visual novel series. Makoto Naegi is an average student with extraordinary luck when he is invited to join the prestigious Hopes Peak Academy, home to the brightest group of ‘ultimate’ talents in the country. However after awakening with no memories, Makoto and 15 other classmates each with a unique personality and ultimate talent are confronted by the deceptively evil teddy bear MonoKuma. What unfolds from here is a game of despair, where the only way to escape being trapped in the school forever is to kill one of your classmates and escape being caught by the rest of the group. If this isn’t enough motivation to kill, then MonoKuma is more than happy to provide Makoto and the others with ample motive. While the animation and voice acting may be relatively bright and far from groundbreaking, the overall theme and story is a dark and frank examination of how far individuals will go when back into a corner. The first murder that occurs will leave viewers shocked, even more so witnessing the execution of the culprit. The terror and despair felt by the characters is tangible, yet the reasons for murders taking place often hit very close to home. These aren’t bad people, they simply believe they have no other options. This sense of hopelessness is what gives DanganRonpa: The Animation a spot on our Top 10 Dark Anime.

From the mind of Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers) comes what initially seems as a simple premise but will later have all the hallmarks of his twisted, mind warping style. An elementary school kid dubbed with the title "shounen bat" or "lil slugger" has been going around attacking people with his bent, golden bat. Now, two detectives are investigating so they can stop this kid from making any more attacks, but they will find out soon enough... that this case is much more than they expected. As fans of Satoshi’s previous work will expect the initial detective ‘whodunnit’ story quickly diverges into the type of disturbing and psychologically dark anime that deserves to make our top 10 dark anime list. The animation is unique and has a rough dynamic along with a dark and earthy colour palette. The story involves more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, it will never let you feel comfortable in the knowledge that you know what will happen next. An excellent selection from one of the masters of twisted psychological anime.

Kasuga Takao is a boy who loves reading books, particularly Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal. A girl at his school, Saeki Nanako, is his muse and his Venus, and he admires her from a distance. One day, he forgets his copy of Les Fleurs du Mal, in the classroom, he finds not only his book, but Saeki's gym uniform. On a mad impulse, he steals it. Now everyone knows "some pervert" stole Saeki's uniform, and Kasuga is dying with shame and guilt. Furthermore, the weird, creepy, and friendless girl of the class, Nakamura, saw him take the uniform. Instead of revealing it was him, she recognizes his kindred deviant spirit and uses her knowledge to take control of his life. What follows is a black drama that is genuinely uncomfortable and disturbing to watch. Aku no Hana fully deserves a place on this list of dark anime, the whole show is a lesson in abusive control bordering on fetishism. The art style, which has drawn criticism from some corners of internet fandom, is a jarringly authentic portrayal of real high school students. The character models are often plain or ugly, not the usual, bikini figurine selling moe trope common among most modern anime. This is actually a bold change from the original manga release which helps to elevate this series above its source material. Kasuga’s inability to actively think and decide for himself and Nakamura’s abusive treatment of him make this a deep dark examination of personality. There are many scenes in which the protagonist is subjected to humiliation which is difficult to watch, however his character arc will come full circle by the excellent final episode for some hope of redemption.

Lain Iwakura, an awkward and introverted fourteen-year-old, is one of the many girls from her school to receive a disturbing email from her classmate Chisa Yomoda, the very same Chisa who recently committed suicide. When the technophobe opens the email, it leads her straight into the Wired, a virtual world of communication networks similar to what we know as the internet. Lain's life is turned upside down as she begins to encounter cryptic mysteries one after another. With the boundaries between reality and cyberspace rapidly blurring, Lain is plunged into more surreal and bizarre events where identity, consciousness, and perception are concepts that take on new meanings. A conceptually ambitious dark anime series, that examines the role of technology in society as well as the perception of reality. Very ahead of its time in 1998, with a uniquely jarring art style and brooding mystery filled atmosphere. This anime is able to make us truly question conventions of life we hold as truth and effectively deals with delicate issues like depression and suicide. With excellent characterization that is the main driving force behind the story, Serial Experiments Lain is a modern contemporary classic.

After the explosion of the methane hydrate layer, the remaining members of mankind are forced to live in isolated domed cities scattered across the arid and inhospitable planet. They live in a controlled society and are assisted in daily life by autonomous robots called AutoReivs. In one of these cities, Romdo, Inspector Re-l Mayer, granddaughter of the regent, leads an investigation concerning AutoReivs that have gone mad after being infected by the Cogito virus. In the process, she comes in contact with a monster called Proxy. Elsewhere in the city, immigrant Vincent Law is on the run after being framed for involvement in several Cogito cases. Together, along with the adorable child-AutoReiv Pino, they set out on a journey to the dome city Mosk in order to unravel the mystery of the Proxies. Ergo Proxy is a superb piece of post apocalyptic fiction and social commentary fusing a dark and mysterious aesthetic and story with a well developed and likable cast that deviate from typical anime archetypes. The story in particular can be difficult to decipher immediately, it requires you to pay attention and also to think for yourself and question your own beliefs. This mystery will last throughout the series with slight moments of clarity at the end of each episode that culminates in an excellent finale. If you like your sci-fi grounded, dark and gritty then Ergo Proxy is a must watch.

Mima Kirigoe, a member of a pop-idol group called "CHAM!", decides to quit singing to pursue a career as an actress. Some of her fans are displeased with this decision though, particularly a stalker named Me-Mania. As Mima progresses into her new career, those close to her are violently murdered one by one, and Mima begins to lose the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy. A harrowing psychological mystery that blurs the lines between the real world and the darker side of the human mind, perfect blue is certainly not a film to be viewed by our younger readers. This classic adaptation of a Japanese novel ticks all the boxes for what we consider dark or disturbing in any form of media, let alone in anime. Be forewarned there is sexual violence, graphic murder and an art style that rarely deviates from the darker side of the colour palette. This is all wrapped around a phenomenal story whose twists and turns will leave you stunned and hugging your nearest loved one/pillow.

Corpse Party: Tortured Souls is a 4 piece OVA owing its name to the Visual Novel series on PSP and also a short form manga. The story is set in Heavenly Host Elementary School, an elementary school that was torn down following the murders and disappearances of several of its staff and students. By the start of the story, another school called Kisaragi Academy has been built over the elementary school site. One night, a group of students from Kisaragi are telling ghost stories when a sudden earthquake transports them to another dimension where Heavenly Host Elementary still exists and is haunted by the ghosts of the school's murdered children. Murdered children in the description alone effectively conveys why this is consider one of our top 10 dark series. It is a shocking, isolating mystery horror that will draw viewers into feeling the same sense of entrapment and despair as Kisaragi and her friends. Drawing upon classic elements of Japanese horror and superstition, Corpse Party uses jarring examples of human brutality to bring realism to the supernatural mystery. We guarantee you will not be the same after finishing its short, 4 episode story arc.

After moving into the quiet town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi spends his days blissfully in school often playing games with his local friends. However, appearances can be deceiving. One fateful day, Keiichi stumbles upon news of a murder that had occurred in Hinamizawa. From this point on, horrific events unfold in front of Keiichi, as he soon learns his close friends may not be all that they seem. Based on the amateur mystery game by 07th Expansion, the story is told in a series of different scenarios. Higurashi is a compelling murder mystery that lulls viewers into a false sense of security with it’s typical romanitc comedy high school moe trope female casts. The true horror and shock is derived from the stark contrast of its character style, voice acting and setting, with the brutal acts of murder that effects likable multiple protagonists. Watching Higurashi is like observing a terrible experiment in human behaviour and the darkness that exists in unlikely places. Viewers will feel compelled to see the mystery through the end in the hope of being able to save these victims and prevent this picturesque town from fully descending into darkness.

Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a renowned young brain surgeon of Japanese descent working in Europe. Highly lauded by his peers as one of the great young minds that will revolutionize the field, he is blessed with a beautiful fiancé and is on the cusp of a high promotion in the hospital he works at. However, all of that is about to change with one critical decision that Dr. Tenma faces one night; whether to save the life of a young child or that of the town's mayor. Despite being pressured by his superiors to perform surgery on the mayor, his morals force him to perform the surgery on the young child, saving his life and forfeiting the mayor's. All of a sudden, Dr. Tenma's world is turned upside down by his decision leading to the loss of everything he previously had. The only long form series that will make this list, which is a testament to the quality of writing found throughout Monster. While most series would struggle to maintain darker themes over this length of time, Monster manages to eschew conventions and deliver a stark and realistic examination of morality and the value of human life. Dr. Tenma tries his best to try and fix the desperately broken world around him and the main antagonist Johan Liebhert will likely top many most evil characters in anime lists. The animation is grounded in the real world with a dour colour palette and non traditional anime design for the character models which all combines to makes Monster one of the dark pieces of fiction we have ever seen.

The first creature of the abyss that we come across is Hild, the Demon Leader of Hell, yes, that Hell. Who wouldn’t want a happy-go-lucky, all powerful demon as a mother? As long as you don’t sneak out late at night, you have nothing to fear from her. Let’s hope that Urd didn’t do that too much while she was a teenager. But, who knows, Hild might have made a younger version of herself to go out with Urd on those wild nights. Not a bad mother when you come to think of it. But, I must again warn you not to make her mad, she is powerful enough to level a city the size of Tokyo if she breaks her bonds and goes wild.

Occult research is an odd club to have in a school and the president at the Kouh Academy’s Occult Research Club is the next demon on this list. Yes, I am talking about Rias Gremory, a pure-blooded devil and the sister of Lucifer himself… well, maybe not that Lucifer, but still a devil in his own right. Rias, better known as the Princess of Destruction, is among the many women who fall in love with Issei Hyoudou, the Harem King himself. Rias was the reason that Issei became a Devil after his first girlfriend cast judgment on him and slew him with her holy powers. Being a powerful devil is good and all, but Rias has a horde of followers…. slaves, which she can command on a moment’s notice. She even brings a league of smaller devils to back her up if she needs it.

We all have that friend who is always starting fights. It doesn’t matter if it’s with one of his friends or a complete stranger, he always wants to fight. But when it comes to someone else who wants to pick a fight with you or another one of your friends, that brawler friend is always there for you to knock the other guy on his rump. This brings us to Natsu Dragneel, the next demon on the list. The human Natsu Dragneel died over 400 years ago. His story would have ended there, if it wasn’t for the most evil mage of all time, Zeref Dragneel, Natsu’s brother, who brought his beloved sibling back from the abyss to join the ranks of the demon race, Etherious.

Sometimes, you need a demon to fight a demon, this is something that the Organization knows all too well as it has made over 150 generations of these half demon Silver-Eyed Witches to fight full demons, known as Yoma. Claire, unlike most of the Claymores, choses to take the flesh and blood from a fellow Claymore instead of a Yoma when she became a Claymore, becoming the first Silver-Eyed Witch to be only one fourth Yoma, which lead everyone to think she was a failure. After being critically wounded in a fight, Claire went beyond the limits set on all Claymores and turned into an Awakened Being, a demon more powerful than any Yoma. After she defeated her foe, she was able to regain her control, becoming the first partially Awakened Being.

When you think of a demon, a snot-nosed brat is probably the furthest thing from your mind when you are picturing it. Well, in her child-form, Nelliel is just that, an almost powerless child Arrancar who is even weaker than most normal Hallows, the demons that inhabit the land of Hueco Mundo. However, the grown-up version of Nel is a force to be reckoned with. When Nel transforms into her grown-up self, she becomes the third-strongest Espada, and has a decent set of… cushions, that is typical in Japanese anime. When Ichigo and his team finish in Hueco Mundo, they leave her behind and we don’t see any more from her in the anime world. Back in the manga, she continues to be her child shelf for almost two years until she comes to Ichigo for help. After which, we get to see the grown-up version once again, ruling Hueco Mundo as they come to help Ichigo fight the final fight.

Just because you’re over 2000 years old, doesn’t mean you’re good with money. Dante, the son of the human Eva and the demon Sparda, has a thriving business, where he deals with the supernatural so us normal humans don’t have too much to worry about. Dante carries around a guitar case, but he doesn’t keep a guitar in it. Unlike other demons, he uses a sword and pistol to finish off his foes. Don’t steal his sweets, or you just might become one of those foes that will be served a bullet from the black and white pistols.

High school life is tough for everyone. It must be all those hormonal imbalances and discoveries that happen in a teenager’s life. Hair growing in strange new places, your voice changing, blue flaming horns appearing on your head and gaining interest in… wait, horns… that’s not right, well, not for most normal high school students. However, Rin Okumura is no ordinary student as he is a demon who was sent to Earth as a child since his father, Satan, couldn’t find a suitable human to wear. So, he sent his son to become that vessel when the time comes. Now, if only Rin wasn’t able to take care of himself, we might have trouble to look forward to.

“Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Ryuk must have been watching over the shoulder of Shakespeare when Puck spoke those words on the stage of a Midsummers Night’s Dream and took them to heart as he plays with humans whenever he is bored. He gives mortals the toys to create havoc and wreak mayhem in the mortal realm. It’s all good if it gives him a moment of entertainment and some juicy apples, must not forget the apples. Ryuk is a Shinigami (a God of Death) and a monster. He usually stays in the Shinigami Realm, eating dried up apples and sometimes plays games with the other Shinigami. But being an almost immortal being is boring, so he sends his Death Note to the mortal realm from time to time to wreak havoc and for a time, he is not as bored as usual.

No matter what anyone tells you, a demon makes one hell of a butler. Because, once you make a deal with a demon, that demon does anything to see it to the end. For, once a demon forms a contract with a human, that human’s soul belongs to the demon. Ciel Phantomhive sought the power to wreak vengeance on those who have mistreated him. Those currently tormenting Ciel were dealt with quickly, but the contract wasn’t complete until all of those who mistreated Ciel were gone. Sabastian decided that it was best to be there to protect Ciel and became his bodyguard/butler. Even going so far as checking for cavities, once and only once.

Many people might argue about the number one demon on this list, for many people don’t know the true legend behind the birth of the vampires. That legend has a man, making a deal with a devil for power and immortality. Unbeknown to the man, the cost of his trade was his soul. Upon losing his soul, that man became the first vampire, a demon of the highest ranks. Who that man was, is still up for debate, but many believe that it was Dracula. That Lord of Darkness has his own spot on this list as he rules over both demons and devils alike, though he no longer goes by the name Dracula, for a new name has been fashioned for him and he goes by “Alucard” now. Some time ago, Alucard made a deal with another human, Arthur Hellsing, for some services that we do not know. It is possible that Alucard respected the human, becausewhen he met Arthurs’ daughter, Integra, he recognized Arthurs’ will in her.