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The 15 Best Survival Anime of All Time
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With so many survival anime shows in the industry, ranging from horror to apocalyptic, it's hard to choose what to watch. With that in mind, here are the best survival anime series you can watch right now.
15. Gantz
Gantz is one of those survival horror anime that you either love or hate, but one thing is certain: it's a survival horror anime everyone should watch. While it's not as good as the manga, which is the industry norm, it offers a great experience with plenty of gore and action.
When Kei Kurono is killed, he returns to life in perfect health, but unfortunately, he's trapped in a world where he must slay terrifying monsters to survive. If he's killed again, he'll be replaced by others.
14. Mi Yu Xing Zhe (Uncharted Walker)
Uncharted Walker is an incredibly well-made Chinese survival anime, focusing heavily on the concept of survival while also providing a tense atmosphere with some interesting characters. The first few episodes are confusing, but it quickly picks up pace, becoming a great anime.
Ning Yuan finds himself on a secluded island after narrowly escaping a deadly trap. After encountering a few others trapped on the island like himself, he must join forces with them to survive all the island's threats, including deadly viruses, hostile tribes, and mutant creatures.
13. Deadman Wonderland
Deadman Wonderland isn't a standout anime, but it delivers when it comes to survival tension. While the anime isn't finished, with only twelve episodes currently available, with no second season in sight, you can always continue the rest of the series in the manga.
Ganta Igarashi's life takes a turn when his entire class is massacred by a mysterious red man, and he is accused of the murders. As punishment, he is imprisoned in an amusement park called Deadman Wonderland, where inmates perform dangerous acts for spectators. Can Ganta survive this hell and clear his name by discovering the mysterious killer?
12. High School of the Dead
When flesh-eating zombies are rampant throughout the world, the chances of survival gradually diminish, making this type of story a great addition to post-apocalyptic survival anime. High School of the Dead is one such anime with its fair share of gore, fan service, and some incredibly well-crafted action choreography.
When the world is mysteriously thrown into chaos with zombies spreading the virus everywhere, Takashi, the main protagonist, teams up with some of his schoolmates to reunite with their families. However, every step they take involves stepping on zombies, making their journey incredibly challenging.
11. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a new zombie survival anime that also received a live-action film, which is surprisingly disappointing, but that's not the case with the anime. With a great mix of serious, lighthearted, and funny moments, Zom 100 has an intriguing premise, offering something for everyone.
Akira Tendou, 24, has been working hard at a mining company in Japan and has lost his motivation due to the immense stress. One morning, he discovers that the world is full of zombies, but instead of feeling fear, he feels excited for the first time in a year because he no longer has to work.
10. Btooom!
Too Good! is probably one of the most underrated anime with a very intelligent main character. It's not a generic anime, but it's definitely one of the best survival anime out there, with the story set on a secluded island.
Ryouta Sakamoto, a professional gamer, is stranded on a dead-end island with a few others. They're each given a bag of various bombs used in the popular game, Btooom!, and they must kill each other to survive. With his accumulated knowledge, how will Ryouta survive the brutal competitors and escape the island?
9. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Imagine Attack on Titan, but without giants and adding zombies that don't fall the usual way, and you have Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. It's one of the most underrated anime shows, with its well-paced and spectacular animation from Wit Studio proving it.
When the world is doomed by mysterious zombie-like creatures known as Kabaneri, humans begin living in fortified stations, the only way to travel from one station to another being via heavily armored trains. However, when a train crashes into a station, breaching its only defense, humanity's downfall begins—unless they can somehow stop the ravenous monsters.
8. School-Live!
School-Live! is the perfect example of "Don't judge a book by its cover." In this anime's sense, its lighthearted and seemingly lighthearted plot isn't something you should take seriously because, behind it, there's gore, horror, and many other traumatic situations for the characters.
Yuki Takeya enjoys a carefree life with her School Living Club, which has one rule: they must spend their entire lives on school grounds. However, she must find a way to survive when she discovers that her entire school has been transformed into a zombie-infested wasteland.
7. Mirai Nikki
Future Diary, or Mirai Nikki, is one of the most popular anime thrillers that many veteran anime fans have ever watched. While everyone has a thing or two to say about the anime, and most lean toward criticism, the film provides a stark depiction of survival situations with no silver lining.
Yukiteru Amano has a habit of recording his daily activities in his digital diary, but one day something strange happens. His diary shows him things that are yet to happen in the future.
After learning that there are several others with similar diaries – each with their own powers – he teams up with his classmate Yuno Gasai to triumph in this survival game and become the successor to a mysterious deity.
6. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is an anime based on a true story. It's not the full story, but it loosely portrays the situation in Japan when the devastating earthquakes hit, and it does a fantastic job. With a good mix of humor, drama, and tragedy, the anime hits you right away.
Mirai Onozawa reluctantly accompanies her younger brother, Yuuki, to a robot exhibition during their summer vacation, but the children are left defenseless when a sudden earthquake strikes the area. Fortunately, a skilled motorcycle driver decides to help the young siblings and ensure they return to their families.
5. Tengoku Daimakyou
Tengoku Daimakyou is a recent survival anime released on Disney+ that instantly attracted many viewers with its excellent animation and voice acting. While it certainly has an atmosphere that feels like a mix of Attack on Titan and The Promised Neverland, it's much more than that, and you'll definitely find it entertaining.
After an unknown disaster struck human civilization, everything was left in ruins, with man-eating monsters roaming everywhere. Amidst this chaos, young people being raised in an isolated daycare center become curious about a place called Paradise. What mysteries and dangers await these people as they attempt to navigate the perilous outside world?
4. Astra Lost in Space
Contrary to its title, Astra Lost in Space is more than just a space adventure, and with its spectacular animation, there's no reason not to watch it. It also boasts excellent characterization, which is quite rare in survival anime series. It's quite short, at only twelve episodes, but you'll wish there were more after watching it.
The story takes place in 2063, when space travel has become relatively normal, and Kanata Hoshijima, along with some other teenagers, is chosen to go on a space excursion.
However, after arriving at the camp, a mysterious black sphere sucks them in and leaves them thousands of light-years away from home. Now, they must find a way to survive and return to their home planet while facing countless tribulations along the way.
3. To Your Eternity
To Your Eternity is a complicated anime in terms of survival themes, but it certainly delivers everything you'd expect from one. It's a niche show where supernatural elements play a crucial role, and it's sure to attract new viewers.
The story follows a boy awaiting the return of his tribe from paradise, where fish and fruit are supposedly abundant. Accompanied by a mysterious wolf, he embarks on a journey to explore the outside world in the hope of finding his lost tribe.
2. Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone needs no introduction when it comes to the survival aspect because no matter the scene, every minute of the anime resonates with the concept. On the other hand, it's a fantastic anime for science lovers and an entertaining one for those who don't even know what science is.
When a mysterious light from the sky strikes Earth, everyone is petrified. However, after 3,700 years, Senku, the main protagonist, a scientific genius capable of creating any science-related invention, awakens with the help of a mysterious fluid. Determined to save humanity, he begins his journey into the Kingdom of Science, where creativity and fun have no limits.
1. Attack on Titan
If you ask anyone which anime world they'd rather not travel to, they'll probably say Attack on Titan because it's so terrifying and survival isn't guaranteed no matter which character you choose to be. Overall, it's the perfect survival anime and a must-watch if you haven't already.
Humanity was wiped out by man-eating giants, and a small percentage of the surviving civilizations live on an island surrounded by massive walls that have protected them all these years.
Eren Yeager, the protagonist, loses his mother to a giant after the wall breaks, and he swore revenge for her mother, exterminating all giants since then.
