9 best anime to watch if you like Castlevania

Castlevania has become one of the most popular anime series in recent years. With its dark gothic aesthetic, vampire hunting action, and complex characters, it has garnered a huge fanbase. If you're a fan looking for more anime series that capture a similar vibe and style, here are 9 of the best anime to watch if you like Castlevania.

The anime series in this list feature dark fantasy worlds, vampire protagonists/antagonists, gothic architecture, intense action sequences, and multifaceted characters that grapple with internal conflicts. Much like Castlevania, these shows offer an escape into grim, macabre universes brimming with supernatural forces.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and is not ranked in any particular order.

9 anime series that echo the Castlevania experience

1. Hellsing

Hellsing is one of the first anime that likely comes to mind when looking for a series similar to Castlevania. This dark fantasy OVA follows the Hellsing organization and its leader, Integra, as they defend England from vampires and other deadly creatures. The main protagonist is Alucard, an immensely powerful vampire in the service of Hellsing.

With its vampire-hunting premise, Gothic visual aesthetic, and abundance of action, Hellsing can appeal to fans. Alucard from Hellsing also resembles Castlevania's Alucard in design and personality. Moreover, Hellsing explores conflicts between humans and vampires in dark, haunting European settings.

2. Devil May Cry

This anime adaptation of the popular video game series is known for its high-octane action and otherworldly style. The protagonist, Dante, operates as a mercenary, using his demon-hunting abilities to take on dangerous jobs involving supernatural forces.

With his massive sword and dual pistols, Dante dispatches hordes of demons in slick, hyper-stylized battles. Like Castlevania's Trevor and Sypha, Dante brings plenty of attitude and skill to his monster-hunting adventures.

Devil May Cry's creepy, Gothic settings and a menagerie of demons can also appeal to fans. If you want more arrogant demon hunters battling evil creatures with insane weapons and abilities, Devil May Cry is a perfect choice.

3. Vampire Hunter D

This dark sci-fi/fantasy OVA series follows the adventures of D, a brooding, half-vampire demon hunter for hire. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, D slays various supernatural foes like vampires, mutants, and demons with his formidable combat skills and weaponry.

Like Castlevania's Belmont clan, D comes from a long lineage of esteemed vampire hunters. Fans of the Gothic horror aesthetic and vampire hunting action can find plenty to love in Vampire Hunter D. D himself bears similarities to Alucard as a half-vampire grappling with his identity.

4. Blood+

For another anime series with a strong female vampire hunter protagonist, look no further than Blood+. The show follows high school student Saya as she learns she's part of a vampire-hunting clan with special blood powers.

Awakening as a vampire hunter, Saya uses her blood-transformed katana in intense battles against chiropteran creatures. As Saya uncovers lost memories and the history of her origins, Blood+ balances vampire-hunting action sequences with deeper character drama.

The show's Gothic visual design and Saya's struggles with her identity as a vampire-like being also parallel Castlevania's themes and aesthetic.

5. Trinity Blood

Set in a post-apocalyptic future where vampires and humans war for control, Trinity Blood shares plenty of DNA with Castlevania. The series follows vampire Abel Nightroad, a Vatican special ops group member who tries to quell conflicts between vampires and humans.

With his crusnik nanomachine powers, Abel can transform to battle deadly vampiric foes. Like Alucard and the other dhampirs, Abel grapples with his vampiric abilities and role in the world as he fights to protect humans and vampires.

Trinity Blood matches Castlevania's style with its dystopian future Earth settings, Vatican intrigue, and complex character dynamics between humans and vampires.

6. Hell Girl

Hell Girl focuses not on a demonic protagonist but on a mysterious girl named Enma Ai who ferries hatred-consuming souls to Hell. The series follows Ai's interactions with various humans who access her supernatural services through a website called "Hell Link."

Each disturbing, emotionally charged story culminates in Ai taking vengeance on the requestor's tormentor. While not focused on hunting vampires or demons, Hell Girl still shares plenty of Gothic horror ambiance and morally gray character writing.

Much like Alucard, Ai grapples with her role and the ethics of her actions as she dishes punishment to evil-doers. If you enjoy Castlevania's darker themes, you can find the anthology-style supernatural horror of Hell Girl compelling as well.

7. Claymore

Claymore occurs in a dark medieval world plagued by shapeshifting demons called Yoma that feed on human flesh. To combat the threat, a shadowy organization has created half-human, half-Yoma hybrid beings called Claymores to track and kill the demonic predators.

The anime follows Claymore, known as Clare, as she travels the land on Yoma's assassination assignments. With its female protagonist on a quest to slay demonic beasts, Claymore should appeal greatly to Castlevania fans. Clare's backstory also echoes Hector's arc, as both grapple with losing their humanity after being transformed into demonic beings ordered to fight their own kind.

8. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (Image via Wit Studio)

If you want more steampunk horror action, look no further than Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. This series takes place in feudal Japan, overrun by zombie-like beings called Kabane that spread a deadly virus. Ikoma, the protagonist, gets infected, but instead of turning fully, he becomes a Kabaneri - a hybrid with both human and Kabane traits.

With Ikoma now a powerful half-zombie battlesuit inventor, he aids other survivors against the Kabane threat. Like Castlevania's dhampir warriors, Ikoma straddles two worlds, fighting to protect humans from bloodthirsty monsters. Kabaneri's blend of supernatural horror, steam-powered technology, and tense action echoes Castlevania's signature style.

9. Demon Slayer

No list of Castlevania anime alternatives would be complete without Demon Slayer. After demons slaughter his family, young Tanjiro trains to join the Demon Slayer Corps to turn his sister Nezuko - now a demon - back into a human.

This historical dark fantasy anime features terrifying demon battles, supernatural powers, and a complex core relationship between two siblings on opposing sides. Fans obsessed with flashy demon-hunting fight choreography can watch Demon Slayer.

Tanjiro's creative, acrobatic sword skills should delight viewers craving more badass animated monster battles. And Nezuko's inner turmoil echoes Sypha and Alucard's struggles with their dhampir identities.

Conclusion

Castlevania has become a contemporary anime classic with its stellar animation, multifaceted characters, and the perfect blend of Gothic horror and high-octane action. For fans yearning for more vampire-hunting adventures or demonic battles after finishing the series, the anime titles above offer thrilling, dark fantasy worlds to immerse themselves in.