'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBAAAgEFAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFBhExEiEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQFEQACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRACESBBMxQYH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJB0TJpq+ayItoS5EU0YcyEMFHH6CPG/PRV943HbDd460nXctihWW3jcRrNAVQMoPyC0RPBSlGltCWBNtV7J8DLEDd7poI3VOMYfjShTtvZGz9z/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With the announcement of Goblin Slayer season 2’s imminent 2023 arrival, fans are ecstatically preparing by binging all the ultraviolent fantasy-setting anime they can. While it is difficult to find anime series that cover both themes, there are certainly some that exist, and even more that address one of the two.
Series such as Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man will satisfy the ultraviolence delights of Goblin Slayer fans. Meanwhile, the Record of Lodoss War creates an engaging fantasy world while maintaining a respectable level of gore. For fans of Kumo Kagyu and Noboru Kannatsuki's light novel-turned-anime, series like Made in Abyss provide a rare combination of both aspects.
Here are 10 anime series fans that Goblin Slayer should try.
Drifters, Made in Abyss, and 8 other anime Goblin Slayer fans should try
1) Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a teenage boy who starts the series living in a shed with his pet Chainsaw Devil, Pochita. The two are very poor, having been forced into a debt trap with the yakuza thanks to the death of Denji’s father. Thus, the two hunt Devils for the yakuza and are paid, until they’re one day betrayed and killed after the yakuza are convinced to join up with the Zombie Devil.
However, through an unintentional contract, Pochita becomes Denji’s heart, merging the two together and allowing Denji to live. He’s eventually found by Makima, a Public Safety official, who recruits him to the force, starting his “normal” life. Although Chainsaw Man is much more character-driven and plot-driven than Goblin Slayer, fans should give it a shot if only for the extreme violence shared by the two.
2) Drifters
Drifters is an adaptation of Kouta Hirano's manga series, and it is just as focused on ultraviolence above all else as Goblin Slayer is. The anime features Shimazu Toyohisa, a warrior from feudal Japan who is mortally wounded during the Battle of Sekigahara, when he’s suddenly transported to a corridor of doors with a man named Murasaki at a desk.
Murasaki sends Toyohisa through a nearby door, where he then wakes up in a fantastical world with elves, dwarves, and the like populating it. Here, he meets other great warriors from history who’ve been transported like him, calling themselves and him "Drifters." Before long, Toyohisa finds himself being asked to participate in a war against another group of great warriors known as the "Ends."
3) Hellsing Ultimate
Also by Kouta Hirano, and likely his more popular series, Hellsing Ultimate is a canonical adaptation of his manga series of the same name. The original series started off as a canon adaptation, but eventually shifted into original narratives. This adaptation closely follows the manga, even down to the Goblin Slayer-esque ultraviolence that the manga is known for.
Viewers follow the vampire Alucard, the original and most powerful vampire, who is now the loyal underling of the Hellsing organization after being bested by the original Van Helsing. Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, the group’s current leader, leads Alucard and others in a battle against a Nazi sect called Millennium. The group’s goal is to begin a new Reich, which starts by killing Alucard and getting revenge on him.
4) Record of Lodoss War
Record of Lodoss War follows Parn, leader of an adventurer party that becomes caught up in the struggle against a plot to conquer the continent of Lodoss and revive an ancient evil deity. His friends Etoh, Slayn, Ghim, Woodchuck, and Deedlit have joined him on his quest to find out what is causing the world to become much more dangerous, as well as for more personal reasons.
The series is quintessential 90s anime, in everything from animation style to characters and plot. While much less violent than Goblin Slayer, the overall plot and setting are similar enough that it’s worth a try, especially for those who are big fans of the 90s anime look.
5) Rising of the Shield Hero
Rising of the Shield Hero follows protagonist Naofumi Iwatani, who is summoned into a parallel world to become one of its four Cardinal Heroes. Naofumi’s Legendary Weapon is the shield, while others receive a sword, spear, and bow. While things seem to be going great at first, his first ally betrays him, resulting in his being shunned by everyone from nobility to peasants.
Thus, Naofumi's journey truly begins when he encounters his first true companion, Raphtalia. This is quickly followed by more as he embarks on his quest to form a party, grow strong, and defend this land from the Waves of Calamity. While nowhere near as violent as and much more story-driven than Goblin Slayer, the similar settings make it an easy recommendation.
6) Akame Ga Kill!
Akame Ga Kill! is one of the most infamous and ultraviolent anime series ever, often first experienced as a beginner anime series. It follows protagonist Tatsumi who originally sets out to the capital of his country in an effort to save his village. However, after being rescued by the Night Raid from murderous nobles with friendly faces, he decides to join their ranks and cleanse the capital of corruption.
The story then follows Tatsumi as he and the other members of the Night Raid fight to make their home a better, less-corrupted place. Unfortunately, such a noble goal forces them to pay incredibly heavy prices along the way. It’s a series that is every bit as violent, intense, and gory as Goblin Slayer, and makes for a great appetizer while fans wait for the second season’s arrival.
7) Made in Abyss
Made in Abyss, like Goblin Slayer, follows its protagonist through a mythical setting filled with violence galore, but in a much more grounded framework. Protagonist Riko lives in the town of Orth, which surrounds a giant hole descending into the earth known as the Abyss. The enigmatic Abyss houses artifacts and remnants of long-gone civilizations, inspiring those known as Cave Raiders to venture forth in search of riches.
Riko, however, desires to enter to find her mother rather than become rich. After descending one day and finding a half-human, half-robot boy named Reg, her mother’s whistle and a message for Riko are pulled up from the Abyss. Learning that her mother may be alive, Riko says goodbye to the surface and those on it, descending into the Abyss with Reg by her side.
8) Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World
The smash-hit isekai series Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World, often shortened to just Re:Zero, is an anime series that is very similar to Goblin Slayer in terms of tone. The series follows hikikomori Subaru Natsuki as he is transported into a medieval-esque world, where he meets half-Elf Emilia and assists her in recovering something stolen from her.
Subaru and Emilia are both tragically murdered, but the former wakes up in the same world from hours earlier rather than dying. As a result, he discovers his ability to resurrect himself after death indefinitely, retaining all of his knowledge and memories, including the painful ones. While very different in subject matter from Goblin Slayer, the fantasy world and ultraviolence make it worth a try.
9) Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online follows protagonist Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya, who is one of 10,000 to log into the eponymous VRMMORPG only to find they’re now trapped. Kayaba, the game's creator, tells the players that if they want to be free, they must beat all 100 floors of Aincrad, the steel castle that serves as the game's setting. However, if they die in game or are forcibly logged out externally, they will die.
Thus, Kazuto begins climbing the floors, eventually forced to kill other players to survive despite his best attempts to belay such actions. Although very different in terms of story from Goblin Slayer, the two are similar in their ultraviolence and portrayal of conflict. Furthermore, with Sword Art Online also being set in a fantasy world, it’s certainly worth a try.
10) Overlord
Overlord follows a NEET named Momonga, the screen name used by a player in the VR MMORPG YGGDRASIL. As YGGDRASIL’s servers shut down permanently, Momonga is still logged into the game, reminiscing, and finds himself unable to log out afterward. He also finds that the world’s NPCs are becoming more lifelike, developing new personalities, emotions, and other sentient qualities.
Rather than find a way out, Momonga decides to adopt the name of his former high-ranking guild, rebranding himself Ainz Ooal Gown and deciding to conquer this new, lifelike world. Although the core plot and themes are very different from Goblin Slayer, the two series are incredibly common in almost every other aspect, from setting to violence and everything in between.
