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Karyl Trejo

Karyl’s first introduction to anime was none other than Sailor Moon, and when she had finished watching the complete series, she realized she was completely hooked. She soon graduated to Trigun, Hellsing, and Cowboy Bebop — and thus, her lifelong love of anime was born. These days, she remains a voracious watcher of anime and fills in the gaps of her downtime with whatever manga she can get her hands on. When she’s not arguing about the differences between sub and dub to the unwary (team sub all the way!), she’s memorizing the lyrics to her favorite J-pop songs so she can sing them to her cats.

Latest posts by Karyl Trejo (see all)

• Strongest Bleach Characters Ranked - June 22, 2022
• What is Baryon Mode in Naruto - June 7, 2022
• Best Psychological Anime of All Time - May 30, 2022

Attack on Titan features an unapologetic western-style element as its main underlying theme. However, this is not its only unique approach to storytelling.

Attack on Titan has also been significantly influenced by other genres, such as action, mystery, drama, and fantasy. When combined together, it weaves a tapestry of themes that create an anime that is both extremely entertaining and starkly intelligent.

While many people may be familiar with the anime version of Attack on Titan, it was actually adapted from the Hajime Isayama written and illustrated manga series of the same name.

In the anime (and the manga), people dwell in a vast Renaissance-era walled fortress, and horrific Titans are trying to get in to infiltrate the community. The residents must fight these endless onslaughts to help safeguard their fortress.

A Brief Overview of Attack on Titan

The Attack on Titan begins in a city of three walls, and the area outside of these walls are surrounded by massive monsters, called Titans.

The population of the town, stratified into castes and controlled by a repressive military regime, believe that they are the last survivors of humanity. Horrific beings stay beyond the walls and are called Titans, and Titans are giant humanoid beasts that consume humans without purpose and wander in the wild.

Three friends — Mikasa, Armin, and Eren — dwell within the city. Their home city and their families were devastated by two evidently intelligent Titans, the “Colossal Titan” and the “Armored Titan,” who smashed the walls and destroyed their homes and family.

This horrific incident has banded them together and taken them to the Scout Regiment, an army of elite human warriors who have risked their lives to take the planet out of the Titans.

Attack on Titan, at a glance, has a straightforward storyline that seems to be promising to sell. However, for anime enthusiasts, it has been such a depth of emotion that shocks all viewers who watch it.

What Makes Attack on Titan a Great Show?

Many viewers regard Attack on Titan as the best anime tale of the last five years. In fact, it’s now the world’s second-highest selling manga, beating Bleach, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z in recent surveys.

The central idea of Attack on Titan is to battle the beast that threatened to destroy your life — when your apparently happy life, so far, is nothing more than an illusion.

What makes it a fantastic series is that traditional storytelling is not practiced, so it ensures that something will happen at any moment. 

Even more interesting is the lack of protections made available to the characters in the show. At every moment in the plot, no main protagonist is safe. 

Furthermore, none of the characters in Assault on Titan slip into the more common tropes, either. A weak character may become more robust, for instance, or a strong character may display vulnerability.

In certain situations, a previously unimportant character later on in the plot may unexpectedly become a prominent figure. The characters’ duality and weakness make them flawed and more human, so that the viewer feels connected to them and responds empathetically to their problems.

Attack on Titan manages to combine violent action and suspenseful mystery with the development of a realistic, relatable character.

It tells a profoundly thematic tale with some of the most emotional, visceral moments ever seen on the screen. It’s evident that the studio really made an effort, paying attention to every aspect, to create fantastic sequences and landscapes in this anime.

The Top 10 Anime Series for Attack on Titan Enthusiasts!

With so much to discover, you have to begin somewhere. Otherwise, your watch list never truly flourish. While it is very hard to find an almost similar anime, we have compiled few of the anime which are similar enough to Attack on Titan to satisfy hungry viewers.

These are listed below in a list, in no particular order:

• God Eater
• Tokyo Ghoul
• Berserk
• Fullmetal Alchemist
• Claymore
• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
• Hellsing Ultimate
• Neon Genesis Evangelion
• Black Bullet

 A Cosmic Look at God Eater

God Eater’s post-apocalyptic futuristic world is somewhat similar to Attack on Titan, where individuals are drafted into the army and equipped to protect mankind.

An elusive type of entity, named “Oracle Cells,” will appear to eat all life on Earth in the year 2050. Since they are resilient to all nuclear weapons, nations crumble one by one, taking mankind close to extinction. 

In order to fight off creatures (called “Aragami”) to successfully bring back the promise of humankind, an elite army that uses “God Arcs” (live weapons that incorporate Oracle Cells) is mobilized.

The show has invested an impressive amount of time creating all of its main characters. It has sustained losses quite a number of times in the series, but the squad has grown closer over time, as they’re seen evolving from being bored of working together to fighting in unison. It establishes the affection and respect that each character has for each other in their own way.

God Eater is much like the Attack on Titan, an issue that much of the team does not automatically overcome the obstacles which are thrown at them.

Group mates die every minute, without any time to decide the next action plan. All are hurled into conflict so unexpectedly at the chief antagonist, that they have no other choice than to use their hidden weapon to knock the enemy out. 

The art and animation in God Eater is great, and the battle scenes were fairly amazing and really well done, too. Ufotable (the studio that made God Eater) did a solid job in making this an incredible, well-rounded anime. You can find it on streaming on Netflix, Funimation, or Crunchyroll. 

A Critical Analysis of Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo Ghoul is another excellent anime and manga, which shares a few things in common with Attack on Titan. Tokyo Ghoul manga is made by Sui Ishida, and the anime is produced by Studio Pierrot.

There is nothing lighthearted about Tokyo Ghoul, as it is a dark fantasy and violent exhibition set up in Tokyo. Ghouls are monsters who live on human flesh and behave like humans by their presence. 

The series follows Ken Kaneki, a college student who becomes part of the Ghoul after narrowly surviving a fatal confrontation with one.

In Tokyo Ghoul, there are different types of ghouls, both malevolent and benevolent in nature. Loads of ghouls race across the city, bearing a human appearance, and they lead together with their comrades to search and save the city. Conversely, there are many other ghouls who want to create problems and disharmony in the society.

Much like Eren, Kaneki (a monster-human hybrid) is the protagonist in Tokyo Ghoul. Ghouls have a similar appearance like humans, but they must live by drinking human blood and coffee. They have several super-human abilities, as well, and will go astray if they are too starved or nervous.

The entertaining plot, excellent animation, outstanding background music, and fantastic character development will definitely keep you on your couch, and all but force you to binge-watch the show.

Both Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul have similarity with each other, and if you loved the former, it is almost a guarantee that you will fall in love with Tokyo Ghoul. You can binge watch it on Amazon, Hulu, and Funimation.

The Insane Themes Found in Berserk

Berserk was released in 1997, and the producers aired 25 episodes, up until 1998. (The manga, however, is still going strong.)

While it’s been almost 23 years since this anime was first launched, and although the animation is a bit dated and old, it still remains a big favorite for those who like a dark fantasy horror story. 

A mercenary party, named Band of the Hawk, accompanies the plot and tags along with the lead character, who is named Guts. Griffith, their master, becomes Guts’s close friend, but still remains fairly distant and enigmatic.

It is a tale of a world of evil and violence, of aspirations and desperation, in which people strive to get in the middle of all and establish the purpose of their life.

Friendship and passion are sluggish to arrive, but it will bring tears to your eyes when it is there, as the connections forged in Berserk are more profound than almost any anime you will find. Upon watching it, you will soon discover that there are no boundaries to Griffith’s determination or charm.

Berserk is not for the faint of heart (or the very young), as it is brimming with brutal fights and head-to-head confrontations culminating in some fairly graphic and gory scenes — including dismemberment, blood, disembowelment, corpses, and some very explicit adult activities and abuse. Get your fill of all of it on Amazon and Crunchyroll.

The Explosive Plot of Claymore

The manga and anime universe of Claymore is placed on a fictional island, in which inhabitants are afflicted by demonic creatures (known as Yoma), a humanoid shape-shifter that feeds on humans.

To strike back against this threat, a collective, known as The Organization, produces human-Yoma hybrids that kill Yoma for a price. The public refers to these creatures as Claymores, as they use clay swords as their primary weapon. 

The series follows the tale of a boy named Raki — who, after a Yoma assault, loses everything — and Clare, a Claymore with unimaginable devotion to her sworn target. 

We all know how much conflict and misery Attack on Titan has, but it almost pales in comparison to Claymore. In order to attain power in the battles against Yomas, the Claymores produced by The Organization have sacrificed their humanity.

In order to become half-Yoma, half-human orphaned girls are embedded with the flesh of a Yoma. There are a few issues with this, however. These Claymores are not only robbed of love and grace in their lives, they also have the ability to become monsters if they use their ability too much. 

Both Attack on Titan and Claymore are similar, as both are set in medieval times, where humans battle against humans eating monsters.

Both shows have thrilling surprises and spectacular arcs, as well. There are also some personality characteristics shared by Claire and Mikasa. Overall, however, a more depressing tone is present in Claymore.

You can feed your desire to watch Claymore on Funimation, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.

A Synopsis of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric are searching for the Philosopher’s Stone in order to restore their dead bodies. As they are trying to accomplish this, they are also trying to revive their deceased mother by using their expertise in alchemy. 

Edward, who had lost only limbs (an arm and a leg), joined the State Military, which has allowed him the liberty of continuing to hunt as he sought to recover his brother, whose spirit was armored to the ground.

But it is not just Edward and Alphonse who are searching for the powerful Philosopher’s Stone. And as they quest for the Philosopher’s Stone, for reasons they can’t comprehend, wind up transmuting the whole country.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood shares so many similarities with Attack on Titan, that if you like the latter, the chances are high that you will also love Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

There are many common elements that the anime share. For instance, both shows are set in Germany. Furthermore, both protagonists share so many things in common.

For instance, Eren promises to destroy the Titans after his mother’s death, and similarly, Ed attempts a human transmutation after the death of his mother.

Genocide is also a common theme in both of these anime. Opponents (the Homunculus in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Titans in Attack on Titan) are really very tough adversaries in both anime. Despite their similarities, though, both anime have different intriguing storylines which you certainly should not miss.

And of course, if you don’t want to miss it? You can catch it on Netflix, Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.

The Story Behind Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

 Gurren Lagann is an action, adventure, mecha, and science fiction driven anime set in a futuristic world. It exists in a deep underground village, which is hidden from the surface.

Simon and Kamina are two of the main protagonists in Gurren Lagann, and they were born and bred in this underground dwelling. Kamina is a free-spirited loose cannon who makes his mark, while Simon is a reserved young boy without real ambitions.

Simon stumbles across a riddled object one day when he excavates the earth. This mysterious object turns out to be the gateway to ancient warfare, called Lagann. Using their latest armaments, Simon and Kamina — with the aid of Yoko Littner, who carries a giant sniper rifle — fend off a surprise assault from the surface to defeat the evil Anti-Spiral.

There are several common themes in both Gurren Lagann and Attack on Titan. In both series, mankind is guided to an eccentric role by a superior antagonist who causes it to exist under oppressive conditions. The idea is very similar in both, but in Gurren Lagann, the atmosphere in each show varies. 

Gurren Lagann gives you a sense of a warrior spirit and hopes more while Attack on Titan gives you a sense of survival of fittest and desperation more.

Attack on Titan is also darker and more grim, when compared to Gurren Lagann. One major difference between the two anime is that Gurren Lagann is futuristic and often devotes more to spaceships and robots, while Attack on Titan is more historic (set at least a thousand years in the past) and seems to focus more on giants.

We strongly recommend you check it out on any of the popular streaming sites that have it, including Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Netflix.

What About Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress?

In Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, the planet is in the midst of the Industrial Revolution when horrible monsters arrive.

These undead beings, known as “Kabane,” start to tear into human flesh to settle their never-ending hunger, which is caused by a sinister virus. Only by crushing their steel-coated cores, and piercing their hearts, can these creatures be vanquished. 

If bitten by a Kabane, the fate of the victim is grim. Those who have sustained a bite from one of them are given something called a “Suicide Bag,” which helps them end their own lives swiftly, instead of waiting for the virus to take over them and transform them.

If they refuse, they will rise up and join the vile ranks of the Kabane. Because of this, their fellow soldiers will oftentimes shoot them in the heart with an arrow to save them from this outcome.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is very similar to Attack on Titan, as both anime are produced and developed by the same director (Tetsuro Araki), producer (Wit Studios), and even same animation studios. The production team is almost the same as in Attack on Titan, too.

Another big correlation is that at the beginning of the anime, the monsters burst into the castle. The main character, like Eren, is also a type of human mutant hybrid creature. 

These two characters share several characteristics of personality: they’re both stubborn, ambitious, foolish, passionate, and impulsive.

In comparison, both Ikoma and Eren witnessed the assassination of their loved ones by Kabane or Titans, which fueled their resolve to destroy these creatures. Ikoma seems more competent because he invented the knife, but he still seems to have more sympathy and less hate for Kabane because he mentions helping already infected people instead of merely killing them.

There is no denial that Attack on Titan and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress have a few things in common. However, it does not mean that they are precisely the same or that the former can be treated as a clone of the latter.

Maybe it would be easier to take note of the individuality of Kabaneri rather than dwelling on comparisons, which takes a different approach to tackle both an external threat and a threat within society.

You can get your fill of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress at both Crunchroll and on Amazon.

Singing Praises for Hellsing Ultimate

The Hellsing Organization is one of the few organizations in the world to confront the evil vampire powers that endanger mankind. Led by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, she leads an elite army of trained warriors, and her trump card — the Alucard vampire (and whatever you do, don’t read his name backward!) — is a power to be dealt with. Hellsing specializes in destroying the supernatural creatures that prey on humans. 

Vampires and zombies are replacing the Titans as the enemy of humankind in Hellsing Ultimate. The “good guys’” use vampires to battle the “evil” vampires the way Eren is used to fight the Titans.

Over the duration of the season, the stakes continue to rise, until the destiny of the whole universe is balanced. Like Attack on Titan, it’s mad, frantic, bloody, and gory.

If you love gratuitous brutality and bloodshed, this series is going to make you fill-up. It also raises a lot of crucial questions about the distinctions between good and bad.

Female characters Seras Victoria is both cute and a completely tough babe. Conversely, Integra is a frozen fox of ice. Hellsing Ultimate is rich and satisfying to witness the world it explores, populated by a swath of extraordinary characters.

If you’re looking to get your hands on Hellsing Ultimate, you can secure the complete box set on Amazon. Or, if you prefer to stream it, then head on over to Funimation or Crunchyroll.

Training a Spotlight on Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an anime that aired from October 1995 to March 1996 and had a total of just 26 episodes. The show was produced by the groundbreaking animation company Gainax, and was followed by a feature film in July 1997.

Evangelion is an apocalyptic type anime, in the genre of mecha. The series is set in a dystopian Tokyo, fifteen years after a worldwide cataclysm.

The core plot revolves on Shinji, a young boy who is hired by the mysterious NERV organization, which is a special organization of the United Nations designed to battle the Angels. He is asked to pilot a gigantic bio-machine, named the Evangelion, in the war against monstrous entities known as Angels. 

Shinji is confronted by his father, who is the head of NERV, and grapples with serious abandonment problems. He is thrust into the center stage of this fight for life in humanities as the pilot of Evangelion Unit-01.

However, he is barely able to hold his own feelings in check, as he is only 14 years old. The series discusses the perspectives and feelings of other Evangelion pilots and NERV participants as they try to avert another tragedy. 

The giant monsters (Angels) are analogous to the Titans, who aim to annihilate the last of mankind. Humanity struggles for life on its own. In order to kill them, the way they fight and research the Angels is similar to the Survey Corps exploring the Titans.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is ranked among the most popular and highest-rated anime shows ever, and so you really can’t go wrong with the anime.

If you’re interested in the anime that was released in the ’90s, then this is a must-watch, as it has been — and it’s still known — to be one of the most successful shows to this day.

Although it can be a little difficult at times to witness certain characters suffer, their faults and imperfections are actually too believable in many respects. Because of this, the characters in this series are genuinely engaging and robust when they come into their own.

The only place to currently sit back and relax with Neon Genesis Evangelion is Netflix.

Taking One for the Team with Black Bullet

Perhaps Black Bullet is not one of the best anime shows, but it is undoubtedly a fantastic anime that is very much like Attack on Titan. Even though the plot weakens as you progress through the series, the action scenes are fun and still make you enjoy a pretty decent journey with it.

In Black Bullet, you have these giant bug-like monsters, instead of Titans, called Gastrea. Furthermore, the series is set in Japan, in the future, rather than an older civilization type found in Attack on Titan.

These Gastrea transform humans into creatures that are senseless beings. However, within the walls of their community, a limited number of survivors live. They are able to do this because of a specific material called Varanium, which is a type of metal that weakens and kills the Gastrea.

In order to defend and counter the threat of these Gastrea, partners are created to protect Cursed Children. These Cursed Children carry a small amount of the Gastrea virus inside them, which makes them develop supernatural abilities. 

The similarities between these two shoes are notable. Humankind fled back from the walls in both series to avoid a catastrophic threat. Furthermore, both anime pick up the pace after the walls begin to collapse. While only a few people in Attack on Titan can destroy Titans with some effectiveness, only a few are special enough in Black Bullet to kill Gastrea. 

If a few minor shortcomings don’t deter you and prevent you from watching an anime, then you’ll definitely love this one. With that in mind, you will want to make sure to add this anime to your watch list — and you can find it on Crunchroll, or grab the complete edition on Amazon.

What is Our Ultimate Recommendation?

All the anime on this list are absolutely worth your time, but there can only be one winner — as much as we want there to be several! So, without further ado, let’s give you the best alternate anime to watch after Attack on Titan.

Our top pick among this wonderful list of anime has to be a tie between Tokyo Ghoul and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood; one for the sheer amount of intense action scenes, and the other for a compelling storyline.

If you like Attack on Titan for the gore and excellent action scenes, a protagonist that has a power similar to the enemies he’s trying to destroy, and many amazing characters, then you won’t be disappointed by Tokyo Ghoul. It is everything Attack on Titan is, with just ghouls in place of Titans.

Despite having immense similarity in the gory part, however, Tokyo Ghoul lacks that compelling storyline of Attack on Titan (although the manga readers would disagree) and for that reason, our ultimate recommendation is going to have to go to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood has hands down the most exciting, and beautifully laid plot. Not one episode seems like a filler, and everything is connected in the most sensible way. That said, it’s not like the show lacks in action, either. It has some of the best fight scenes ever, but it does not have that gore and bloodthirst combat of Attack on Titan. It is more focused on the story and characters, rather than action.

Our final word? If you feel as though Attack on Titan has the best storyline ever, then Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will make you reconsider that thought. It is, without a doubt, absolutely worth the watch and our favorite contender for best anime for Attack on Titans fans.

FAQs

Final Verdict

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) is an exciting anime filled with action, adventure, unexpected occasions, and amazing pictures.

It provides information throughout the series makes viewers aware of incidents, yet still gives the characters some focus. This anime is simple and resort to cheap scares to portray aggression. While it’s not for everyone, it offers incredible fighting scenes and a dazzling soundtrack as a backdrop to a calm, fascinating premise.

The artwork is excellent, the music improves as the season progresses forward, the character, and the story production is high quality and leaves lots of question in the audience’s mind after each episode, making them wonder what will happen in the next episode.

Overall, this is an exciting and enthusiastic series, and we would certainly suggest that people at least try at least one episode to see if they get hooked.