Koyoharu Gotouge’sDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibadebuted onWeekly Shonen Jumpin 2016, producing 23 volumes before coming to an end in 2020. The manga was successful enough to spawn a 2019 anime by Ufotable, which had a somewhat slow start before exploding in popularity thanks to the 19th episode’s stellar final scene. Since then,Demon Slayerhas been firmly established as one of the biggest shonen properties of all time, with the anime going on to produce multiple seasons and two movies. While gradually creeping towards its end, the adaptation still has a few manga arcs to cover before concluding Tanjiro’s story; consequently,Kimetsu no Yaibais not going to disappear from the public consciousness anytime soon.
Ufotable’s series set a high standard for action anime in general, and very few shows can matchDemon Slayerin terms of production value. However, at its core, the show tells a fairly by-the-numbers action shonen story, and it is not that difficult to findanime likeDemon Slayerthat touch upon similar themes and ideas. The challenge is discovering alternatives that can reach the bar set by Ufotable’s series.
Updated on May 24, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Demon Slayer is, naturally, skipping over theSpring 2025 season, so fans will need to look elsewhere to get their fill of shonen action. Let’s highlight a couple of shows that might be able to serve as alternatives.
Spring 2025 Anime Like Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer’s return is written and fixed, so it is only a matter of time before Tanjiro’s story continues. However, due to ufotable’s decision to end the story with a trilogy of movies, there is a very big chance thatDemon Slayerwill never be part of a seasonal lineup again. Considering the show has produced a great annual season nearly every year since 2019, its absence will be felt moving forward.
Consequently, the Spring 2025 lineup might not seem that exciting to fans who just want to return toDemon Slayer’s universe. While not containing anything relating to the franchise, the current season might just be able to offer a few shows that could scratch a similar itch and fill the void left by Tanjiro. Check out the following anime.
Spring 2023 had quite a few exciting anime, and while most of the shows were not all that similar toDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc,Hell’s Paradisewas the one exception. Based on a Shonen Jump+ manga, the anime follows a group of convicts who are sent to a mysterious island to find an elixir of life, creating a battle royale sort of scenario. If someone finds this item, they are granted their freedom. As these characters are primarily murderers, they are accompanied by executioners who are meant to take off their heads if they step out of line.
Gabimaru the Hollow is one such criminal, and he might be the scariest of the bunch. However, he has a reason to survive and change: his wife.Hell’s Paradisefollows Gabimaruand his executioner as they explore a surreal island defined by horrific monstrosities, death, and flowers. Similar toDemon Slayer,Hell’s Paradiseis very action-heavy and is not afraid to throw out buckets of gore; in fact, the latter can get more violent and unsettling than the former.
Airing alongside the Hashira Training Arc,Kaiju No. 8was the most hyped new anime of Spring 2024, a situation that could have backfired if the first few episodes failed to hit the ground running. Fortunately, that was not the case, and Production I.G’s series is an easy recommendation for anyone remotely interested in battle shonen stories. Despite the popularity of franchises likeGodzilla, kaiju anime are not particularly common, especially removed from the mecha genre; consequently,Kaiju No. 8feels fresh, even though it is not doing anything particularly original.
While they have alotof differences,Kaiju No. 8andDemon Slayershare one important thing in common: humanity is fighting an uphill battle against significant supernatural entities. In this alternate reality, kaiju attacks are very common, and they tend to be unpredictable and feature a wide assortment of monster types. Naturally, Japan has developed aspecial unit whose members use unique weaponsto take out these threats, which is not that different from the Hashira in Demon Slayer.
Beyond that,Kaiju No. 8’s male protagonist is refreshingly different for a shonen lead. In his early 30s, Kafka has regularly failed to qualify for the Defense Force; however, he gets a final chance when he accidentally swallows a small kaiju and gains unique powers. While he can transform and become incredibly powerful, he is still pretty weak as a human.
While lacking a prominent supernatural element,The Elusive Samuraishould otherwise be a safe pick forDemon Slayerfans, particularly ones who want an action-heavy show set in historical Japan. Set during the 14th century, the anime tells the story of Hojo Tokiyuki, a child lord who had to go into hiding after his clan was eradicated. Hoping to start a revolt and bring his family’s name back into power, Tokiyuki begins to study under the tutelage of a unique monk, all the while collecting allies who are drawn to his charisma.
The Elusive Samuraiprimarily revolves around Tokiyuki’s attempts to stay one step ahead of the Ashikaga clan, something he accomplished by hiding in plain sight and relying on his incredible fleeing ability. While trying to keep a low profile, the lord’s big heart means he cannot take a backseat when innocent lives are in danger, prompting Tokiyuki and his allies to take on threats beyond their current abilities.
Although no demons are involved,The Elusive Samuraicertainly exaggerates history to an extent, giving its characters powers that are borderline supernatural.The action sequences are almost always fantastic, and they can get quite bloody as well. The anime even has over-the-top humor similar toDemon Slayer, althoughThe Elusive Samuraiis arguably funnier.
One of the most hyped anime of 2022,Chainsaw Manarguably struggled to live up to expectations, unreasonably high as they were. Nevertheless, season 1 is still pretty great and does a good job of setting things up for a sequel. In this universe, Devils are real and manifest from the emotions of humans. As these creatures are extremely dangerous and powerful, the Public Safety Division was created to hunt them down, although its members tend to have very short careers (and lives).
On the verge of death, Denji merges with his Devil friend, allowing him to not only survive but transform into the eponymous Chainsaw Man. Driven by nothing but his animalistic urges, Denji agrees to join the Public Safety Division, starting him down a path of personal growth and bloodshed.
One of thegreatest horror animeof all time,Shikiis nothing likeDemon Slayerin most areas, so this recommendation is mainly for people who want to see a somewhat similar premise handled in a very different way. A countryside town has recently found itself falling victim to strange deaths, along with rumors about walking corpses. Unable to face the reality that something sinister is feasting upon them, the citizens generally try to continue like nothing is wrong, a false comfort that eventually comes crumbling down.
Similar toDemon Slayer,Shikiis about humans fighting back against monsters, with vampires being used instead of demons. However, rather than indulge in glorious sword battles, these humans take a rather uncomfortable approach to the situation.Shikiis filled with intense and upsetting moments.
Undead Murder Farceis an absolute blast. Similar toDemon Slayer, the 2023 anime blends a historical setting with supernatural elements, taking specific inspiration from fictional sources likeSherlock Holmes. There are vampires, immortals, oni, Frankenstein’s Monster, magicians, and even Arsene Lupin. If that sounds excessive, well, it is. However, everything comes together to create a ridiculously entertaining and surprisingly balanced whole.
Undead Murder Farceis primarily a mystery serieswith action rather than a full-blown fight fest, so the pacing is slightly slower than the typical battle shonen. That said, the second half of the series has quite a few battles, all of which are well-animated and incredibly engaging due to featuring such a diverse roster of characters with unique abilities. The core trio are fantastic too, being both charismatic and enigmatic.
An oldie but a goodie,Basiliskis gory, action-packed, and narratively tense. Set during the 1500s, the story follows two ninja clans that crave each other’s destruction, resulting in an agreement to stage a war pitting their best warriors in a to-the-death battle royale. Caught in the middle are Kouga and Iga, lovers from opposite sides who struggle to decide their allegiances.
While theRomeo & Juliet-style story is pretty engaging,Basiliskis primarily worth watching for his top-notch fight sequences, which are fantastically animated and constantly unpredictable. At its best, Gonzo was capable of producing some of the greatest animation in the industry, and this series represented the studio at its peak.
Drifterscan be difficult to recommend since a sequel seems unlikely to ever come to fruition, which is a shame as season one is among the most enjoyable action anime of the 2010s. Similar toFate, the isekai series brings together famous historical figures and makes them fight to the death; however,Drifterstakes place in a fantasy world and essentially divides its characters into two groups.
Unapologetically gory and over-the-top, the anime does not hold back during its many fights, which compare favorably with most other series. Silly as its core premise might sound,Driftersoffers an interesting take on the isekai theme, and the anime has a lot of fun presenting outlandish versions of figures like Joan of Arc and Oda Nobunaga.
Based on Norihiro Yagi’s shonen manga,Claymoretakes place in a world where humans live in constant fear of Yomas, which are essentially shape-shifting demons. As these creatures can easily overpower a regular person, towns and villages hire powerful knights called Claymores to take down these threats. Half-human, half-Yoma, these women are generally stripped of emotion, with their identity being largely defined by their loyalty to their organization.
Clare is one such Claymore, and while on a mission, she saves an orphaned boy named Raki. The latter ends up joining the former on her travels, creating a bond that inspires Clare to grow and change. Featuring good production valuecourtesy of Madhouseand a story that starts slowly but blooms into something fairly complex and engaging,Claymoreis a minor classic.
One of battle shonen’s big three manga,Bleachenjoyed a decent anime run between 2004 and 2012 before making a successful comeback in theFall 2022 season. Currently adapting the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, the show has never been better, and Pierrot has pulled no punches when it comes to the animation.
In this universe, spirits can roam the land as Hollows, which are put to rest by a secret otherworldly organization known as the Soul Society. One night, a normal student named Ichigo meets Rukia, a Soul Reaper, and soon finds himself face to face with a Hollow.Bleachgets complicated quite quickly, and the anime nearly always nails its battle sequences.
