8 Dark Anime Picks To Watch If You Loved Chainsaw Man And Want More Chaos

Chainsaw Man has built a reputation for doing things differently. Its combination of brutal supernatural battles, absurd comedy, unsettling imagery and unexpectedly tender character moments has made it one of the defining anime of the modern shonen era. Following the release of Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc in 2025, Studio MAPPA confirmed that the story would continue with Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc, although a specific release date has not been announced. Until Denji returns, these eight anime are worth exploring.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is perhaps the most natural recommendation for anyone drawn to Chainsaw Man’s darker side. The two series emerged during the same period and helped push a more intense form of shonen storytelling into the mainstream.

Both anime combine supernatural threats with violent confrontations and characters whose lives are repeatedly shaped by loss. Jujutsu Kaisen, however, takes a more structured approach to its battles. Its cursed techniques and tactical combat give fights a strategic layer, while Chainsaw Man often embraces unpredictability and chaos.

For viewers who particularly enjoy spectacular animation, macabre themes and high-stakes action, Jujutsu Kaisen remains an obvious choice.

2. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners moves away from supernatural fantasy and into a dystopian science-fiction world, but its emotional DNA can feel surprisingly familiar. The story follows David, a teenager living in a brutal society where poverty, violence and corporate power shape everyday life.

Like Denji, David enters a dangerous world while chasing basic desires that seem painfully ordinary. What begins with excitement and ambition gradually becomes much darker.

The series is packed with kinetic action and graphic violence, yet its emotional core is equally important. According to fans of both shows, that balance between exhilarating spectacle and devastating character drama makes Edgerunners particularly appealing to Chainsaw Man viewers.

3. Kekkai Sensen

Also known as Blood Blockade Battlefront, Kekkai Sensen turns a transformed New York City into one of anime’s strangest urban fantasy settings. The city, now called Hellsalem’s Lot, has become a gateway between Earth and another realm, leaving humans and supernatural beings to coexist in an unstable environment.

Leonardo Watch arrives there while trying to understand the mysterious power he gained at a terrible personal cost. He eventually becomes involved with Libra, an organisation attempting to stop the city from descending into complete chaos.

The series is lighter than Chainsaw Man in several respects, but its bizarre characters, frantic battles and unpredictable atmosphere make it an easy recommendation for fans of supernatural disorder.

4. Dorohedoro

Dorohedoro may be one of the closest matches for viewers who love Chainsaw Man’s combination of grotesque violence and bizarre comedy. Its world is grimy, dangerous and deliberately strange, with humans living in the Hole while sorcerers from another realm experiment on them.

At the centre is Caiman, a man with a reptilian head and no memory of how he came to look that way. His search for answers sends him through a succession of violent and often ridiculous encounters.

What makes Dorohedoro stand out is the way it can shift from disturbing brutality to dark humour without warning. The storytelling is deliberately chaotic, and its characters are as eccentric as its world.

5. Monogatari Series

The Monogatari series does not resemble Chainsaw Man at first glance. Its emphasis is less on conventional action and more on dialogue, psychological drama, mystery and unusual supernatural encounters.

Yet the connection becomes clearer through its themes. Both stories examine identity, desire, trauma and complicated relationships while using supernatural elements to explore very human problems.

Tatsuki Fujimoto has also identified the Kizumonogatari film trilogy as an influence on his work. That connection helps explain some of the stylistic similarities between the two, particularly their willingness to combine strange humour, sudden violence and emotionally raw moments.

6. Devilman Crybaby

For fans interested in the darker ideas behind Chainsaw Man, Devilman Crybaby is an especially significant watch. The series is a modern adaptation of Go Nagai’s influential Devilman manga and follows Akira Fudo after he gains the ability to transform into the titular creature.

What starts as an attempt to protect humanity gradually develops into an increasingly bleak battle for survival. Human fear, violence and mistrust become as dangerous as the supernatural forces threatening the world.

Thematically, Devilman Crybaby shares Chainsaw Man’s fascination with fear, desire and the consequences of becoming something monstrous. Its increasingly apocalyptic story also gives its emotional moments considerable weight.

7. FLCL

FLCL is easily the strangest recommendation on this list, but it is also one of the most important influences on Chainsaw Man. Fujimoto has previously cited the six-episode sci-fi comedy as a major inspiration.

The series moves at an almost frantic pace, filling its short runtime with absurd jokes, visual experimentation, unexpected developments and deliberately chaotic storytelling. Beneath all that noise is a coming-of-age story about adolescence, confusion and emotional vulnerability.

FLCL is far less violent and considerably more hopeful than Chainsaw Man. Even so, both series use extreme energy and unconventional presentation to explore characters dealing with complicated emotions.

8. Chainsaw Man’s Dark Anime Legacy

For viewers who want something that feels closest to the spirit of Chainsaw Man, these recommendations cover several different sides of the series. Jujutsu Kaisen delivers dark supernatural action, Dorohedoro brings grotesque comedy, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners offers tragic dystopian drama, while Devilman Crybaby explores its darker thematic territory.

Kekkai Sensen provides eccentric urban fantasy, Monogatari focuses on psychological and emotional complexity, and FLCL shows the influence behind some of Chainsaw Man’s unconventional style.

With Assassins Arc still awaiting a confirmed release date, there is no shortage of unusual anime to explore in the meantime. For fans who value stories willing to mix violence, humour, tragedy and experimentation, these eight series offer plenty of reasons to keep watching.