The best dark, gory and violent anime series of 2019

I figured there are already too many mediocre tech blogs on the Internet, so from here on out I’ll embrace my true passion instead. Well, anime blogging is over-saturated as well, so my niche will be the sick and depraved side of anime. Thankfully, there are plenty of riches to choose from.

Content warning: The following post contains violent imagery and descriptions and absolutely no mention of Fruits Basket.

With the disclaimer out of the way, let’s dig right into the meat of things. The following list contains the anime series that brought us the most blood and gore during their 2019 run.

Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2

I’ll admit I had begun to lose faith in Attack on Titan after a noticeable degrade in quality during the previous season. However, all is forgiven as the show picks up the formula that had me at hello back in 2013: glorious battles, fast-paced action, and gruesome deaths.

This season moves the plot forward as we approach the inevitable conclusion. Along the way, old acquaintances are finished off in merciless and violent fashion. This anime is must-see tv and I’m beyond stoked for the final season.

Rating: 9.0/10 bloodied penguins.

Dororo

Upon birth, Hyakkimaru’s body parts were sacrificed to twelve demons by his father in exchange for power. Somehow Hyakkimaru survived the ordeal and was provided with prosthetics and weapons to survive. Hyakkimaru starts on a quest to retrieve the missing parts of his body, but for that to happen, he has to hunt down and kill the demons. If that’s not a great premise for a show I don’t know what is.

The show delivers on blood and gore as Hyakkimaru goes on a rampage slaughtering demons and humans alike. But then he meets Dororo and difficult choices lay ahead. Will it be revenge or redemption for Hyakkimaru?

Rating: 8.5/10 bloodied penguins.

Mugen no Juunin: Immortal

Rin’s family was brutally killed by members of a sword school after her father had refused to join them. In an effort to take her revenge, Rin hires Manji, an immortal swordsman trying to regain his mortality by killing one thousand evil men.

What the show lacks in story and character development, it makes up for in abundance with some of the most violent action I’ve ever seen animated. Limbs and body parts are flying everywhere while gushing blood is coloring the landscape red. If that was not enough, the show also gifts us with the most evil, sadistic psychopath of a villain to ever grace the screen.

Rating: 8.0/10 bloodied penguins.

Kimetsu no Yaiba

Tanjirou Kamado returns home to find his family massacred by a demon. The only survivor is his younger sister, who unfortunately has been turned into a demon herself. Tanjirou trains to become a demon slayer to take his revenge. But more importantly, that will allow him to look for a way to turn his sister back into a human.

This gorgeous looking anime provides a lot of action mixed with a bit of comedy. The comedy is not exactly on point and the show suffers from a few slow episodes as well. However, when it’s good it’s really good, and that’s good enough for me.

Rating: 7.5/10 bloodied penguins.

Yakusoku no Neverland

A compelling story about a group of children living in an orphanage, excitedly awaiting the day when they’re to be adopted into a kind and loving family. What the children don’t know, however, is that they’re high-quality livestock living on a breeding farm. When the children learn the truth, they start plotting their escape. Who can they trust and what will they find on the other side of the fence.

The art style dulled my senses a bit in regard to what to expect from this series. I was taken by surprise when the true nature of the orphanage was revealed, but nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise. The season only consists of twelve episodes and I think that helped with the pacing of the story as it never got boring or predictable.

Rating: 7.0/10 bloodied penguins.

Beastars

The story takes place at Cherryton Academy in a world where human-like carnivores and herbivores live side by side. Tension boils when the drama student Tem, an alpaca, is killed by a carnivore overnight. All this makes life complicated for our main protagonist Legoshi, a sheepish grey wolf struggling with his growing blood-thirst and a shameful rabbit fetish.

A slice of life anime isn’t my thing, but I did rather enjoy this series somewhat against my better judgment. Most of the characters have depth and interesting backstories. Even the potential Beastar himself, Louis the magnificent elk, has a dark past and his future doesn’t look much brighter.

Rating: 6.5/10 bloodied penguins.

Vinland Saga

Young Thorfinn witnesses the death of his father by the hands of Askeladd, the smug leader of a mercenary band of Vikings. Thorfinn somehow ends up joining Askeladd’s band hoping to one day be able to defeat and kill Askeladd in single combat. However, Thorfinn is soon engulfed along with Askeladd’s merry men in a war against England.

Vinland Saga indulges heavily in Viking lore and culture to the extent that I expected to hear the tunes of Bathory’s Song to Hall Up High to come on at any moment. However, this anime is highly overrated with its dull story and non-engaging characters. The only redeeming part of the series for me was Askeladd and his ever mischievous string-pulling.

Rating: 6.0/10 bloodied penguins.

One Punch Man Season 2

Saitama, the hero who defeats every opponent with a single punch is back for another season. The number of monsters is steadily increasing, and they’ve even added a human monster to their ranks. Garo, the human monster quickly turns the hero business into a hazardous occupation.

The first season of One Punch Man was great, the sequel, well not so much. Saitama spends his days playing video games and eventually joins a martial arts exhibition tournament. What saves the season from being a total disaster is the aforementioned Garo, who’s pretty much the only character worth following this season.

Rating: 6.0/10 bloodied penguins.

Babylon

This anime introduces itself as a dark and atmospheric crime mystery. We follow Zen Seizaki, a public prosecutor investigating a mysterious death. Zen also has to deal with a sudden wave of unexpected and disturbing suicides, including that of his colleague.

The first few episodes showcased an intense and exciting psychological thriller with great potential. Sadly everything fell apart as the story traveled into the realms of ridiculousness and ended up somewhere far beyond.

Rating: 4.5/10 bloodied penguins.

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Alright, that concludes my list for 2019. In the next installment, we’ll move on to the top ten most violent horror animes of all time. It’ll be awesome.