Attack on Titan is a Japanese dark fantasy anime series based on the manga by Hajime Isayama. It aired from April 7, 2013, to November 5, 2023: the first three seasons were made by Wit Studio, the final one by MAPPA. The remnants of humanity live behind enormous walls that protect them from giant humanoid Titans, and Eren Yeager joins the corps that goes beyond the walls to fight them. We picked ten anime series that echo this story through the same creators, humanity’s war with monsters, military units or a world hiding a secret. Each entry gives the years, the number of seasons, the studio and what makes it similar, without spoilers. We do not list age ratings: they differ between countries. Titles are given as English Wikipedia gives them; the facts were checked against Wikipedia on October 21, 2026.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Official trailer · “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress” (2016)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Crunchyroll YouTube channel
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (Kōtetsujō no Kabaneri) is a steampunk survival story. During the industrial revolution, a mysterious virus turns people into kabane, aggressive living dead that are very hard to stop. In the land of Hinomoto, people hide in fortress stations linked by armored steam trains. A young engineer, Ikoma, builds his own weapon against the kabane, and when the monsters break through his station’s defenses, he sets off on a steam train with a mysterious girl named Mumei and the other survivors. Its 12 episodes aired in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block from April to June 2016, and a sequel film came out in 2019.
How it’s similar: it was directed by Tetsurō Araki, who directed the first season of Attack on Titan, the music is by Hiroyuki Sawano, who scored Attack on Titan, and people likewise hide from monsters behind walls.
Seraph of the End
Official trailer · “Seraph of the End” (2015)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the NBCUniversal Anime/Music YouTube channel
Seraph of the End is a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy based on the manga by Takaya Kagami and Yamato Yamamoto. A virus devastates the world, leaving only children under 13 alive, and vampires emerge from underground. Yuichiro Hyakuya joins a vampire extermination unit to avenge the death of his family and to get back his best childhood friend, Mikaela, who remained with the vampires. The anime was made by Wit Studio and directed by Daisuke Tokudo; its 24 episodes were released in two parts in spring and fall 2015.
How it’s similar: the same studio and composer Hiroyuki Sawano, and at the center a young man who, after a tragedy, joins a military unit to fight creatures that threaten humanity.
Vinland Saga
Official trailer · “Vinland Saga” (2019)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Sentai YouTube channel
Vinland Saga is a historical drama based on Makoto Yukimura’s manga about Vikings in the early 11th century. After his father is killed by Askeladd, young Thorfinn ends up among the Vikings and at war: the first season is about the struggle over a new king of the Danes, the second about the life of slaves on a farm. Both seasons (48 episodes) were directed by Shūhei Yabuta, and the series was shown on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Wikipedia highlights its themes of violence, slavery and pacifism.
How it’s similar: the first season was made by Wit Studio and the second by MAPPA, the same studios behind Attack on Titan; it is also a story about war, revenge and how they change a person.
Kaiju No. 8
Official trailer · “Kaiju No. 8” (2024)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the TOHO animation チャンネル YouTube channel
Kaiju No. 8 is an anime based on Naoya Matsumoto’s web manga. In this world, giant monsters called kaiju constantly cause disasters, and Japan suffers their attacks more often than anywhere else, so it has set up the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. Kafka Hibino once promised a childhood friend that they would serve there together, but instead he works on a crew that cleans up monster remains; one day a strange creature gets into his body, and he gains the ability to turn into a kaiju himself. The first season came out in spring 2024 and the second in summer 2025.
How it’s similar: a military corps against giant monsters and a hero who hides what he has become from his own side. For Godzilla fans: Wikipedia lists the Ultraman franchise, Shin Godzilla (2016) and Pacific Rim among the author’s inspirations, and Studio Khara supervised the kaiju designs.
86
Official trailer · “86” (2021)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the アニプレックス チャンネル YouTube channel
86 is military science fiction based on the light novels by Asato Asato. The Republic of San Magnolia has been at war with the Giadian Empire for nine years and assures its citizens that the fighting is done by unmanned machines. In reality, they are piloted by the “86”, members of a minority who were stripped of their rights and forced to fight on the front line. Major Vladilena “Lena” Milizé remotely commands an elite squad of 86 and, unlike the others, treats them as human beings. The 23 episodes by A-1 Pictures aired in two parts from April 2021 to March 2022.
How it’s similar: young soldiers in a war whose truth is hidden from society, and music by Hiroyuki Sawano (together with Kohta Yamamoto).
The Promised Neverland
Official trailer · “The Promised Neverland” (2019)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Aniplex USA YouTube channel
The Promised Neverland is an anime based on the manga by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu. Orphaned children live in a seemingly perfect orphanage until they learn a terrible secret about their existence and the true purpose of the place, and then they start planning an escape. The CloverWorks series, directed by Mamoru Kanbe, aired in the Noitamina block: the first season (12 episodes) in 2019 and the second (11 episodes) in 2021. According to Wikipedia, the first season is considered one of the best anime of the 2010s, while the second was criticized for its rushed pacing and for simplifying the manga’s story.
How it’s similar: the characters very quickly realize that their safe world is an illusion, and the world’s mysteries are revealed gradually.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Official trailer · “Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a classic anime series directed by Hideaki Anno. It is set in 2015, after a global catastrophe: in the fortress city of Tokyo-3, teenager Shinji is brought by his father into the mysterious organization NERV to pilot an Evangelion, a giant biomechanical robot, and fight creatures called Angels. Wikipedia describes it as a deconstruction of the mecha genre that delves into the pilots’ feelings and mental state. Its 26 episodes aired on TV Tokyo from October 1995 to March 1996; the ending sparked controversy, and in 1997 the film The End of Evangelion was released.
How it’s similar: a fortified city defends itself against giant creatures, and behind the battles lie secrets that are revealed step by step.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the second anime adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa’s manga, and unlike the 2003 series it follows the plot of the source material in full. Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric try to bring their mother back to life with alchemy, but pay dearly for the forbidden experiment: the younger brother’s soul now lives in a suit of armor. They set out to find the Philosopher’s Stone to get their bodies back and gradually stumble upon a state conspiracy. It was directed by Yasuhiro Irie; its 64 episodes aired from April 2009 to July 2010.
How it’s similar: an army, secrets of the state and of the world revealed little by little, and heroes who stick together.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Official trailer · “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Aniplex USA YouTube channel
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an anime based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga. After a demon attacks young Tanjiro Kamado’s family and his sister Nezuko becomes a demon herself, Tanjiro decides to become a demon hunter and searches for a way to make his sister human again. Studio Ufotable released four TV seasons (63 episodes) from 2019 to 2024; in between came the film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train (2020), and in July 2025, the first film of the Infinity Castle trilogy.
How it’s similar: a corps of demon hunters and a hero who joins it after a family tragedy.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Official trailer · “Jujutsu Kaisen” (2020)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Crunchyroll YouTube channel
Jujutsu Kaisen is an anime by studio MAPPA based on Gege Akutami’s manga. High school student Yuji Itadori becomes the vessel of the powerful curse Ryomen Sukuna and joins a secret organization of sorcerers who seek to destroy that curse. The first season (24 episodes) aired from October 2020 to March 2021, the second (23 episodes) in 2023, and the third, The Culling Game: Part 1, from January 9 to March 27, 2026. There is also a prequel film, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021).
How it’s similar: MAPPA is the studio that made the final season of Attack on Titan; here too there are many battles with monsters, and the hero has to carry a dangerous power inside him.
How we chose
For fans of Attack on Titan who want more of that same grim tension, we’ve gathered anime that share something specific with it: Wit Studio or MAPPA behind the scenes, music by Hiroyuki Sawano, humanity at war with monsters, military squads or a world that hides a secret. We chose them with an eye on viewer reviews, what critics say and our own viewing experience. The closest in atmosphere is Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, from the director of the first season, and it has only 12 episodes.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| From the same creators | Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Seraph of the End, Vinland Saga, Jujutsu Kaisen |
| Giant monsters | Kaiju No. 8, Neon Genesis Evangelion |
| War and moral choice | 86, Vinland Saga |
| A world with a mystery | The Promised Neverland, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Neon Genesis Evangelion |
| Battles with demons and curses | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Jujutsu Kaisen |
| Short, for a few evenings | Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (12 episodes), 86 (23 episodes), Seraph of the End (24 episodes) |
For more anime with serious themes, see our selection of anime for adult viewers, and legal services with Ukrainian translation are collected in the article where to watch anime in Ukrainian.
Tip. If you want the closest in atmosphere, start with Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: only 12 episodes. For a long watch, try Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, with 64 episodes.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch first after Attack on Titan?
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: it was directed by Tetsurō Araki, director of the first season of Attack on Titan, at the same Wit Studio, and it has only 12 episodes. If you want a longer and more serious story, go for Vinland Saga.
Do I need to know the source material?
No. Most series in the selection adapt manga, 86 adapts light novels, and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and Neon Genesis Evangelion were created directly for the screen.
How many episodes are out?
As of October 21, 2026: Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, 12; Seraph of the End, 24; Vinland Saga, 48; 86, 23; The Promised Neverland, 23; Neon Genesis Evangelion, 26; Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, 64; Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, 63 across four seasons; Jujutsu Kaisen, 59 across three seasons; Kaiju No. 8, two seasons.
Where can I watch these anime?
Service catalogs change, so we do not list them. Check the page of the series you want on a service available to you.
Sources
- Attack on Titan (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (Wikipedia)
- Vinland Saga (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- Kaiju No. 8 (Wikipedia)
- The Promised Neverland (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 21, 2026.
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