Summary
- Sword of the Demon Hunter & Dororo share themes of loss and survival, set in ancient Japan.
- Demon Slayer and Blue Exorcist explore the battle against demons, family ties, and identity struggles.
- Blade of the Immortal & Kurozuka involve redemption journeys with swords, supernatural enemies, and immortal characters.
Set in Japan's Edo period, Sword Of The Demon Hunter tells the story of Jinta, a zealous young man with a sense of duty and the appointed guardian of the Kadono clan’s shrine maiden, who sets out to find his purpose and identity after a pivotal encounter with a demon and a painful past.
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The anime features an intriguing blend of the supernatural, time skipping, and divinity, and explores themes similar to duty, fate, destiny, sacrifice, loss, and an eternal struggle between man and demon. For fans who like the blend of swords, demons, and hunters, other shows that portray themes similar to Sword of the Demon Hunter would serve as an interesting watch.
1 Dororo
A Tale Of Grit And Survival
Dororo
- Release Date
- 2019 - 2019
- Directors
- Kazuhiro Furuhashi
- Writers
- Yasuko Kobayashi
- Studio
- Tezuka Productions, MAPPA
- Creator
- Osamu Tezuka
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Streaming Service(s)
- Prime Video
In a quest for power, a young man makes a pact with and sacrifices the body of his unborn child to demons. Upon birth, the child, Hyakimmaru, was deformed, missing essential body parts. Despite this, he strives to survive in a world destined to work against him and finds companionship in an orphaned child thief who joins him in his mission to recover his lost body parts.
Like in Sword Of The Demon Hunter, both series are set in ancient Japan and have heavy demon involvement. Hyakkimaru, like Jinta, also favors the use of a katana as their primary weapon of choice.
2 Demon Slayer
A Similar Demon’s Curse
Demon Slayer
- Release Date
- April 6, 2019
- Studio
- ufotable
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotoge
- Number of Episodes
- 63
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
Following a tragedy involving the murder of his entire family and the transformation of his younger sister into a demon, Tanjiro is overcome with hatred for the perpetrators of this crime—demons—and makes it his life mission to avenge his parents and reverse his sister's curse. Despite the difficulty of his training to become a demon slayer, he perseveres, maintaining his resolve and gaining friends along the way.
Being a shonen anime and heavily action-based, Demon Slayer, as with Sword of the Demon Hunter, highlights the dedication and protectiveness exuded by both protagonists to their familial relations. Both tell the story of loss, tragedy, and the process of overcoming both.
3 Inuyasha
Similar Tales Of History, Swords, And Spiritual Battles
- Network
- ANIMAX, Nippon TV, YTV
- Studio
- Sunrise
- Creator
- Rumiko Takahashi
- Number of Episodes
- 193
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Tubi
A young girl is transported into the Sengoku period through a well in her family’s shrine. Appearing in an unfamiliar era, the truth of her identity is unveiled, and she partners with a half-demon, Inuyasha, to find the complete fragments of the broken jewel shards embedded in her before evil demons do.
Set mainly in historical Japan, Kagome, like Jinta, is separated from her loved ones due to circumstances beyond her control. Inuyasha incorporates elements of time travel between modern and feudal Japan, supernatural battles with swords, and war against demons to make for an intriguing watch.
4 Blue Exorcist
Blending Demon-Hunting With An Identity Crisis
Blue Exorcist
- Release Date
- 2011 - 2011-00-00
- Directors
- Tensai Okamura, Koichi Hatsumi, Daisuke Yoshida
- Writers
- Ryōta Yamaguchi
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures, Studio VOLN
- Creator
- Kazue Kato
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu
Upon discovery of the nature of his birth, Rin Okumura’s world is upturned as he’s faced with a decision to either continue his previous lifestyle or embrace his recently discovered identity. Despite the obvious disparity in his heritage and personal convictions, he joins the True Cross Academy to settle a score against Satan and his minions—the demons.
Rin fights to control his powers and ensure that his ancestry is kept secret and is not a hindrance to his progress. Both featuring an obvious dichotomy between the two parts of the protagonist’s heritage and a fervent desire to rebel against one, this compelling narrative is a must-watch for fans of the genre.
5 Blade Of The Immortal
A Similar Journey Of Costly Redemption
Blade of the Immortal
- Release Date
- October 10, 2019
- Studio
- LIDENFILMS
- Creator
- Hiroaki Samura
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
An immortal swordsman is burdened with the responsibility of killing a thousand evil men to free himself of his curse. While on this mission, he meets a young girl and offers her aid in exacting revenge on the murderer of her parents.
Despite the many differences they might have, Blade of the Immortal and Sword of the Demon Hunter share particular thematic resemblances: the constant battles against supernatural enemies, a lone swordsman with excellent swordsmanship on a path to redemption, and a desire to provide help to persons with whom they share no familial relationship.
6 Kurozuka
Tragic Love, Time Skips, And Immortal Warriors
Kurozuka
- Release Date
- October 7, 2008
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Novel & Manga
- Creator
- Baku Yumemakura
- Number of Episodes
- 12
This anime series, produced by Madhouse, highlights Kuro, a soldier seeking refuge in the mountains with his wingman, Benkei. They encounter a young woman, Kuromitsu, with whom he falls in love. In a series of events leading to the discovery of a dangerous secret and subsequently her death, he becomes immortal, is awoken in a new era, and is forced to navigate the troubles that follow.
From exploring immortality as both a blessing and a curse to sharing themes of pursuit—involving hunting of various forms, time-skipping, and isolation—this historical dark fantasy fuses action and romantic elements to make for a captivating watch.
7 Chainsaw Man
Humans, Devils, And Madness
Chainsaw Man
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Creator
- Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll
In a world that favors the birth of devils through human fear, a broke teenage boy is left wallowing in debt incurred by his late father. In a quest for survival, he takes up devil hunting and is forced to pay off his father’s debt. Eventually, things get better until they don't.
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In a twist of events, he transforms into a demon-human hybrid himself, earning a title that alters the course of his life forever. Similar to Jinta, Denji undergoes a series of life-changing events leading him to fight against devils, except that devils are replaced with demons in Sword of the Demon Hunter.
8 Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon
Historical Fiction With Fantasy Elements And An Urban Twist
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon
- Release Date
- 2020 - 2022-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- Nippon TV, YTV, Chukyo TV, STV
- Producers
- Shin Sasaki, Hisakazu Naka
Produced by Production I.G., Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is divided into two distinct arcs, and the first arc features the story of Hikaru, the protagonist, being forced to take up a responsibility originally entrusted to her brother to save her country from certain misfortune. With the aid of a couple of trusted friends, she sets out to accomplish her goal.
She is then reincarnated in the second half into a modern world with her companions, and jointly they investigate supernatural occurrences happening across the city. Featuring themes of reincarnation, time travel, and a determined lead, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is a refreshing watch for fans looking for anime with a resemblance to Sword of the Demon Hunter but with a female lead.
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