These Are the Dark Fantasy Anime I Can Honestly Say Are Masterpieces

10. Dororo

The ronin, Hyakkimaru, born without body parts or organs as a result of his father's trade of those parts to demons in exchange for happiness, sets out on a path of recovery. It's a story of how one life measures against a kingdom at peace.

9. Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners)

This series of films is a real treat for the eyes and follows a story centered around Shiki Ryougi, a young lady who has the ability to see all things' death. It's a very dense and rather metaphysical take on murder and souls.

8. Devilman Crybaby

This is a reinterpretation of a classic story retold as a visceral animated series about demons and the end of the world. But there is a deeper message about the dangers of mob mentality and prejudice in which the "monsters" are, in fact, human.

7. Hellsing Ultimate

A work of definitive "vampire" action with the mighty Alucard. While renowned for its extreme violence, its roots actually exist within the struggle between man and monster and the worth of dying as a human as opposed to the emptiness of eternal life.

6. Fate/Zero

This series is a prequel to Fate/Stay Night. It shows a brutal Holy Grail War. It is a tragic "deconstruction" of heroism and utilitarianism, and how even the noblest ideals will cause complete destruction when fueled by obsession and sacrifice.

5. Shinsekai Yori (From the New World)

The series is set a millennium into the future, when mankind has the ability to use their minds to move objects through their powers of psychology. This series is scary because it examines the "utopia" established through dark and sinister secrets.

4. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Don't be misled by the visuals; this is a groundbreaking subversion of the "magical girl" genre. The wish-making itself is treated as a kind of intergalactic contract with ghoulish relish, exploring the weight of hope versus the certainty of despair.

3. Monster

A grounded psychological thriller that has all the hallmarks of a dark fairy tale, set in post-Cold War Germany. The story begins when a young boy is saved by a surgeon who turns out to be his future victim when he grows up to become a serial killer.

2. Attack on Titan

What begins as a survival tale in the face of man-eating giants quickly unfolds into the gargantuan political epic of hatred’s cycle and the price of freedom. It is renowned for its world-building and lack of simple solutions in the presence of ‘monsters’ in this world.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The gold standard of the genre. Based on the "Law of Equivalent Exchange," it explores the story of the two brothers who attempt to rebuild their bodies through a failed alchemy ritual. It is the best mix of science, religion, and politics, highlighting the idea that real power can only come through sacrifice and connection.