There are a lot of TV shows out there and in this golden age of TV streaming, the choices have never been greater. So how do you cut through the noise and find the “Best of” for any chosen topic? Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest and unforgettable shows through the years.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, our attention this time turns to revenge. From sci-fi and psychological narratives to goofy action series, there’s a good choice to whet your appetite.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
Claymore
Claymore is an action-packed anime full of intense fights and gore. This anime features an incredible cast of powerful female warriors who fight off terrifying monstrosities called Yoma. The anime covers a multitude of themes regarding death and revenge.
There are subtle cheery vibes sprinkled throughout the anime, though. These occur whenever the show’s female lead Clare is paired up with her sidekick, Raki, or her role model Teresa. Besides those, Claymore’s tone remains gloomy and depressing.
The fight scenes in this anime are immaculate. Fans of brutal action and carnage will find Clare’s bouts appealing and thrilling. The other characters introduced in the series also have remarkable personalities. If you’re looking for an impressive action anime with powerful female protagonists, check out Claymore.
Code Geass
Code Geass delivers an impeccable revenge plot and well-written characters. Its mind games and twists will keep fans speculating while its action scenes will fill viewers with exhilaration.
Its art style may be hit or miss, though. The character designs make the characters appear pencil-thin to some degree and a tad uncanny. At the same time, the animation is remarkable in this series. From its fluid mech movements to its exaggerated facial expressions, there’s about the series’ animation.
This anime is about a boy named Lelouch Lamperouge. He finds himself in the midst of a war between the Britannia Empire and its former lords. Due to his curiosity, Lelouch is spotted by a few Britannia soldiers who are about to shoot him down.
Fortunately for him, a mysterious woman grants him a supernatural power called the Geass. The Geass allows him to command anyone to do his bidding upon looking them directly in his eyes. This power is a staple to Lelouch’s arsenal, as he utilizes it to climb the hierarchy ladder to seek vengeance upon Britannia’s King.
Blade of the Immortal
Blade of the Immortal is a 24 episode anime series that starts off rough but gradually gets better over time. This anime features a wise-cracking protagonist who endures much brutal and violent combat. These fights are wonderfully executed and offer stellar visuals.
Blade of the Immortal isn’t all doom and gloom. In the anime, you’ll find characters sharing peaceful words toward others and the situation they find themselves in. These moments offer viewers a chance to breathe and take in the bloodshed and horrors implemented throughout the anime.
The main character is highly flawed but doesn’t hold a candle to the show’s side characters. The side characters offer incredible personalities and intriguing goals. The anime takes its time showcasing the growth of the side characters’ strengths and wit. The villains in this anime are varied in strength and ability, too.
If you’re looking for a stellar samurai anime with a phenomenal revenge plot and interesting side characters, check out Blade of the Immortal.
Attack On Titan
Attack On Titan is one of the most popular shows of the past decade. This anime offers impressive plot twists, a grand overarching storyline, lovable characters, and phenomenal animation. The world is full of life and offers enough doom to keep fans at bay.
The anime contains a good amount of wholesome moments, though. This world’s not all gloomy, as there are many scenes depicting its protagonist and his friends in a brighter, happier light. However, these moments don’t hold a candle to the carnage shown throughout its many seasons.
Attack On Titan takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where humans live in large colonies behind massive walls. They live behind closed doors to prevent large humanoid-like monsters called Titans from invading their home. These beasts love feasting on human flesh, and while some aren’t the brightest tools in the shed, others are highly intelligent.
Our protagonist, Eren Jaeger, had been involved in an incident in his homeland involving one of the intelligent Titans tearing a pathway for his Titan comrades. These Titans tore everyone apart and even got to Eren’s mother. Fortunately, Eren and his two friends survive, but Eren develops emotional scars. Through the help of his friends and the Survey Corps, Eren plans to murder every Titan imaginable.
You can read our thoughts on Attack On Titan in our full-season review here!
91 Days
This is an anime wreaking of character development and homages to American history. With its stellar character cast, beautiful visuals and animation, and heart-pumping soundtrack, 91 days is sure to delight most action and historical enthusiasts.
Our tale follows a man named Angelo Lagusa, who witnesses the murder of his parents and younger brother by the infamous Vanetti mafia family. This leads Angelo to adopt his new alias Avilio Bruno to successfully start a new life. Several years pass, and Avilio gets his chance at vengeance when he receives a mysterious letter telling him to return to his hometown.
Avilio meets the Vanetti don’s son, Nero, and befriends him. This is a brutally dark tale revolving around Avilio’s quest for revenge. You’ll see him utilize skills and techniques he honed for many years on each member of the Vanetti family. The plot is full of twists and tension. You’ll find yourself immersed in the story 91 Days shares and rooting for Avilio to end his perpetrators’ livelihoods.
Vinland Saga
Looking for a viking-themed anime with a revenge plot? Vinland Saga has you covered. This anime contains a beautiful historical-themed world full of wonderfully developed characters. From its intense action and emotional scenes to its excellent storytelling, Vinland Saga promises to deliver on many fronts.
Our tale takes place amidst a war between England and the Danes. This war has been happening for a while, leading to the death of many innocent individuals. On the side-lines lies the Vikings who are adoring every minute of it. All of them except for a boy named Thorfinn. Thorfinn is on a quest to murder a man named Askeladd for killing his father.
Vinland Saga is an anime wrapped around survival and bloodlust. Every character in this anime has a wonderful personality and backstory. You’ll see many characters die in this anime and the impact of their deaths will leave you depressed. This is because the anime spends time fleshing out these characters, allowing viewers to grow attached to them.
Vinland Saga also discusses issues surrounding the political system of its world. If you’re looking for an anime with incredible revenge and a historic-centric storyline, check it out.
Monster
Monster is an unbelievable detective anime by manga author Naoki Urasawa. This anime contains a slew of thought-provoking elements from mind games to plot twists. The characters are well-developed and entertaining to watch on screen.
Our tale follows the stressful livelihood of Dr. Kenzou Tenma. Tenma was wrapped up in an incident where he chose to save a random child’s life over his area’s mayor. To make matters worse, this child went on to become a mass killer and criminal mastermind. To make amends for his errors, Tenma plans to bring this child, Johan Liebert, to justice.
Monster’s story is seeping in guilt, revenge, and despair. While its pacing is slow, fans will appreciate the many mysteries, twists, and shocking shenanigans inserted inside this work. Every action follows up with an incredible explanation. This allows viewers to peer into the incredible minds of our characters. The soundtrack is excellent and is utilized to an incredible degree to build suspense.
Kill La Kill
Studio Trigger is known for creating wild and over-the-top anime series. Kill La Kill follows that trend and delivers mouth-watering visuals, an adrenaline-boosting soundtrack, and colorful characters. Be warned that this anime has a great deal of fan service and sensual humor. If you can look past those issues, you’re in for a stellar treat.
Our series follows the rambunctious female, Ryuko Matoi who is hunting for her father’s killer. With half of his scissor blade to go by, she stumbles across Honnouji Academy and meets their student council president Satsuki Kiryuin. They tussle for a bit, resulting in Ryuko getting overpowered by Satsuki’s formidable powers.
She flees and finds refuge in her razed home. Ryuko stumbles upon a mysteriously supernatural vest called Senktesu. Senketsu attaches himself to Ryuko, granting her newfound abilities and strength. With the help of Senketsu and her new friend Mako, Ryuko plans to challenge Satsuki again to claim veangence.
Unfortunately, she’ll need to fight Satsuki’s underlings before getting the opportunity to do so. Kill La Kill is an incredible action-centric series with mesmerizing animation. Its characters have energetic personalities and charm. The comedy features a bit of vulgar humor and slapstick. If you’re looking for an anime to watch that will excite you, check out Kill La Kill.
Yona of the Dawn
Yona of the Dawn is an underrated gem. It’s an action-adventure anime series full of fantasy, romance, and comedic elements. Our tale takes place in the kingdom of Kouka, where its princess named Yona, has lived at peace for her entire life.
Unfortunately, her peaceful life ends abruptly, when a maniacal act of treason threatens to shatter her wholesome livelihood. With her trusted friend Son Hak, Yona flees from her palace and plans to survive in the wild. With a target on her back, Yona trains to become stronger so that she can enact revenge upon the people who wronged her.
This show’s cast has likable personalities and develops gradually throughout the series. You’ll adore seeing Yona’s communicating with her friend and training to become a formidable warrior. The animation is beautiful from its fight scenes to the movement of its environments. The world feels lively in this show and fans will be amazed at the many lifeforms Yona and her friends meet.
If you’re looking for an action-adventure anime with a strong female protagonist, beautiful animation, and an enjoyable soundtrack and storyline, give this show a shot.
Btooom!!
Battle royales have become an infectious concept in media today. Whether you’re playing a round of Fortnite or watching a survival show on a streaming platform, the whole idea of doing whatever it takes to live can feel exhilarating and terrifying. Btooom is an incredible anime that presents this notion excellently.
It’s about a boy named Ryouta Sakamoto, who wakes up one day on a deserted island with a green crystal embedded in his left hand. He has no memory of what happened before. To his surprise, he finds out that he’s been selected to participate in a survival game based on his favorite online video game, Btooom. Ryouta learns he must murder seven other participants and swipe their crystals to return home.
While Btooom is Ryouta’s favorite video game, he doesn’t condone real-world violence. Thankfully, he meets a girl named Himiko, who shares a similar sentiment. With their combined teamwork, Ryouta and Himiko plan to get off the island and enact revenge upon the evil-doer that placed them here.
If you’ve watched survival television shows or played battle-royale like games before, you can expect those instances to crop up in Btooom. Our characters will meet a mix of shady, fragile, and ballistic individuals during this competition. All the characters have wonderful and distinct personalities to help them stand out from others.
Considering this is an anime with a focus on life and death, there are many gruesome moments that may be too brutal for the faint of heart. The vocal work in this anime is top-notch. You can expect to hear and see these characters beg for mercy. Fans looking for a brutally fun action anime should give Btooom a chance.
So, there we have it, our picks for the best anime through the years about revenge!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!