10 Anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy

From its very first episode, The Umbrella Academy carved out a space in fans' hearts with its mix of emotionally fractured superheroes, trippy timelines, and doomsday drama. With a story that explores a dysfunctional family of adopted super-powered siblings, each harboring dark secrets and tangled relationships, it’s no wonder viewers are eager for similar experiences.

The strange yet lovable Hargreeves siblings, the quirky tone balanced with emotional depth, and the ever-present end-of-the-world stakes make it a unique viewing experience.

So, what kind of anime hit those same high notes? When looking for anime to watch, if you like The Umbrella Academy, the criteria are clear: anime shows that feature found families, supernatural abilities, emotional baggage, and yes, time travel or apocalyptic threats.

Whether it’s the brutal gang wars of Tokyo Revengers or the identity-crushing dimensional drift of Sonny Boy, each entry here reflects a different piece of the chaotic brilliance that fans love in The Umbrella Academy.

Disclaimer: The article solely reflects the author's opinion and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

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The Umbrella Academy vibes in Steins;Gate and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

1) Tokyo Revengers

Still from Tokyo Revengers (Image via Liden Films)

Tokyo Revengers is a gripping anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy, especially for fans drawn to time travel and high emotional stakes. Takemichi Hanagaki repeatedly leaps into the past to prevent the murder of his loved ones, mirroring Number Five's frantic mission to save the future.

The Bloody Halloween arc stands out, packed with brutal gang conflicts, deep betrayals, and shifting loyalties, capturing the emotional grit and loyalty versus destiny dilemmas that fans of The Umbrella Academy crave. Watching Takemichi struggle to rewrite fate hits just as hard as Five's desperate attempts to stop the apocalypse.

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2) Bungo Stray Dogs

Still of Bungo Stray Dogs (Image via Studio Bones)

Searching for anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy, Bungo Stray Dogs checks every box: superpowers, found families, and broken psyches. The Armed Detective Agency features a misfit with bizarre abilities who protects their city while grappling with personal demons.

The Guild Arc pits them against a powerful foreign organization and pushes each member to their limits, mirroring Umbrella Academy’s clash with the Commission. Atsushi’s self-worth issues and Dazai’s trauma-laced backstory echo Klaus’s instability and Diego’s need for validation, giving this anime a familiar emotional rhythm.

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3) Steins;Gate

Still from Steins;Gate (Image via White Fox)

Steins;Gate is a must-watch anime if you’re into The Umbrella Academy, particularly because of its heart-rending approach to time travel. Rintarou Okabe learns a way of sending messages to the past, which disintegrates his world and his mind. The Alpha World Line arc is a lesson in emotional pay-off, examining guilt, sacrifice, and whirling repercussions.

It echoes Five’s character arc in Umbrella Academy, as the character and the protagonist struggle with the loss of self in the endless endeavours to change time. The emotional impact of their decisions and their ultimate breakdown feels to the bone.

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4) Paranoia Agent

Still from Paranoia Agent (Image via Madhouse)

For fans of The Umbrella Academy who revel in psychological chaos, Paranoia Agent is a surreal masterpiece. The seemingly random attacks by Lil’ Slugger evolve into a dark, layered dissection of societal pressure and collective breakdown.

The narrative becomes increasingly fragmented, reflecting how each character’s psyche crumbles, similar to how each Hargreeves sibling’s trauma bubbles to the surface. The episode Happy Family Planning, with its harrowing depiction of loneliness, mirrors Vanya’s transformation and isolation in Umbrella Academy, making this anime a haunting mirror.

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5) Sonny Boy

Still from Sonny Boy (Image via Madhouse)

Sonny Boy is an artistic, cerebral anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy and appreciate abstract storytelling. A class of students is cast into a series of shifting dimensions where logic fails and identity blurs. The Void World arc unpacks themes of alienation, purposelessness, and leadership struggles, echoing Allison’s feelings of invisibility and Ben’s quiet torment.

The slow breakdown of the group dynamic feels eerily close to the Hargreeves siblings' unraveling under pressure.

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6) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Still from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Image via Studio Bones)

Few anime explore the weight of family and power as poignantly as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, making it one of the strongest anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy. Edward and Alphonse Elric’s tragic mistake in resurrecting their mother echoes the cost of power seen in the Hargreeves’ upbringing.

The Ishvalan War arc, in particular, dives into systemic violence, moral compromise, and the scars left behind. These complexities align with Umbrella Academy's themes of legacy, sacrifice, and redemption.

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7) Mob Psycho 100

Still from Mob Psycho (Image via Studio Bones)

Mob Psycho 100 describes the emotional weight of powers in a better way than almost every anime. Mob, a reserved teenager of gigantic psychic strengths, struggles so much to lead a normal life. The World Domination arc, in which he goes up against the evil group Claw, requires him to acknowledge not only baddies, but his submerged feelings.

Mob’s transformation into accepting his identity is as on par with Vanya’s self-discovery, as it is with Klaus’s spiritual development, all held together by eye-watering visuals and visceral emotional beats.

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8) Darker than Black

Still from Darker than Black (Image via Studio Bones)

Darker than Black is tailor-made for fans looking for anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy. In a world where Contractors wield supernatural abilities with a heavy price, Hei, a stoic assassin, works through shadowy missions while hiding his true self.

The Heaven’s Gate arc delves into the origins of these powers, much like The Umbrella Academy explores the creation of the siblings. With political intrigue, moral ambiguity, and brooding characters, this show delivers the same dark elegance and intrigue.

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9) Deadman Wonderland

Still from Deadman Wonderland (Image via Manglobe)

Deadman Wonderland is pure chaos and tragedy, exactly what fans would expect in Umbrella Academy. Ganta, a wrongfully imprisoned teen, is thrust into a gladiator-style death game after discovering his blood can be weaponized.

The Carnival Corpse arc is brutal, showcasing humanity at its worst and resilience at its best. Its raw portrayal of manipulation, control, and rebellion is reminiscent of the Sparrow Academy’s upbringing and Reginald’s cold experimentation on his children.

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10) The Promised Neverland (Season 1)

Still from The Promised Neverland (Image via CloverWorks)

The eerie charm of The Promised Neverland makes it a dark horse contender in anime to watch if you like The Umbrella Academy. Grace Field House hides a horrifying secret: its orphans are being raised as livestock for demons. The escape plan led by Emma, Ray, and Norman channels the same desperation and strategy as the siblings’ revolt against Reginald or the Commission.

Season 1's psychological cat-and-mouse tension mirrors the second season’s farm escape arc in The Umbrella Academy, hitting that same nerve-wracking pace.

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Final thoughts

Fans of The Umbrella Academy who are captivated by its chaotic sibling dynamics, time travel conundrums, and emotionally scarred superheroes will find that these anime offer a similar impact. Each title on this list captures the unique energy and layered storytelling that define the Hargreeves' saga. These 10 shows deliver a potent mix of fractured families, psychic turmoil, and looming apocalyptic stakes, resulting in unforgettable and emotionally rich experiences.

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