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When adapting particularly violent or explicit manga to anime, it’s not uncommon for the adaptations to tone down the more graphic parts of the source material. From greater studio oversight to reliance on sponsorships, anime productions have to abide by more rules when it comes to the content they’re allowed to show, whereas manga can get away with taking more risks, even when published in big magazines.

However, sometimes, the opposite is true, and the anime takes the tamer aspects of the source material and ups them to eleven, leaning fully into the twisted and objectionable aspect of what it is adapting. These dark anime series are so extreme in the violence, gore, or profanity they portray, even manga readers might be surprised by how they choose to interpret the original.

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Go Nagai is one of the most successful mangakas and is currently famous for creating series like Devilman, Mazinger Z, and Violence Jack. Devilman Crybaby, a popular Ona, is also based on Nagai’s initial Devilman manga. The series has mature content and portrays a battle between demons and humans.

The mix of s*xual and violent acts makes it slightly traumatizing for even adults. Crybaby was far darker and grittier as well as more explicit than its source material, but you should not judge Nagai’s manga solely based on that. After all, one of his very first works had teachers and PTA protesting on every other street in Japan.

Go Nagai’s most explicit manga was never Devilman Devilman Crybaby was based on Devilman by Go Nagai | Credits: Science Saru, Netflix

Harenchi Gakuen by Go Nagai was one of the first manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, the...

Berserk's manga is widely known around the world for being among the most fantastic dark fantasy stories of the century, but in one of author Kentaro Miura's final interviews, he revealed his impression on the series that might have helped make it so unique. Miura spent years crafting the story of Guts, and during that time, he took inspiration from manga of the past to create something that revolutionized the genre.

The very first chapter of the Berserk series was published in August 1989 in a Japanese magazine called Monthly Animal House, which later changed to Young Animal. A prototype of Berserk was released in 1988, an early sign that Kentaro Miura took his time creating his tale and its characters. But a translated interview on the Berserk Wiki during the Great Berserk Exhibition in December 2020 revealed what type of manga he originally intended to make.

"I got a lot...

Every story or narrative needs inspiration that could help its creators in forming a base for the story. Something similar happened with one of the biggest dark fantasy mangas, Berserk. While Berserk offers a plot that was never seen before, there were some things within the series that Kentaro Miura borrowed from other popular manga series.

Mangaka Kentaro Miura’s Berserk | Studio Gaga

In an interview once, Miura confessed that he had used three legendary manga stories for Berserk’s reference, and all three of these have played a different role in designing one of the best dark fantasy narratives of all time. These were some of his favorite works before he entered the industry.

These references and inspirations can be deemed Miura’s way of honoring the works that persuaded him to become a mangaka, and those who have read them can clearly spot the influence in the story.

Shoujo Tsubaki is a banned anime known for its disturbing content, including graphic scenes of abuse and trauma. Director Hiroshi Harada faced challenges and personal sacrifices to bring the dark and unsettling story to life. Other banned anime, like Violence Jack and Urotsukidoji, also push boundaries with intense violence and sexual content.

Trigger Warning: This article contains descriptions about disturbing subject matter, including pedophilia and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.There are several anime that are products of their proverbial environment, with the content being deemed inappropriate when released outside Japan. Examples range from mere kids shows to the most heinous adult content. Most countries, including Japan, have outlawed an anime film called Shoujo Tsubaki.

Also known in the West simply as Midori, Shoujo Tsubaki tells the story of a 14-year-old girl named Midori that undergoes extreme emotional and sexual trauma at the hands of a group of deranged circus performers.

Quick Links Gunsmith Cats is a Scorching Blend of Gunplay, Fast Cars, and Deadly Villains Gunsmith Cats Only Ever Received One Direct Sequel and a Short Ova Series In the Age of Anime Reboots and Remakes, Gunsmith Cats Deserves Another Go

Take a few high-performance cars, add a couple dozen guns and grenades, toss in some incredibly lethal bounty hunters for good measure, and screw the lid on tightly. Give it all a good shake and open it up for an incredibly explosive and exhilarating time. Action is fundamentally an easy genre to create: guns, big booms, and plenty of fist fights are usually the bare necessities for a by-the-numbers action romp. To get action right, however, is a bit harder. Sure, anyone can enjoy a giant explosion, but ensuring the choreography is on point, making sure every firearm and vehicle is depicted accurately and within reason, and creating engaging...

Quick Links Tatstunoko’s Original Tekkaman Series Was an Ardent, Yet Short-Lived Series Tekkaman Blade Brought the Star Knight Back Into the Limelight With a Brand New Story and Cutting-Edge Look Tekkaman Blade Nearly Never Happened and Was Almost Pushed Aside For Another Classic Tatsunoko Series Tekkaman Blade Has Enjoyed a Lively Legacy Since His Last Adventure Anime series were once only viewable in Japan, making it difficult for Western fans to access and enjoy them. Tekkaman: The Space Knight was an ambitious but short-lived series that faced cancelation after only 26 episodes. Tekkaman Blade revitalized the series with a new hero, improved animation, and a more fleshed-out story, running for 50 episodes and receiving various spin-offs and games.

Anime fans today may be horrified to learn this, but once upon a time, most anime series were only released in Japan. That’s right—there once was a time when a vast...

Quick Links A General Overview of Alchemy Common Forms of Alchemy: Elemental and Combat Alchemy Forbidden Forms of Alchemy: Human Transmutation, Chimeric Alchemy, and Soul-Binding Alchemy Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist consists of transmutation, which involves understanding, breaking down, and reshaping matter using energy. Alchemy follows laws and limitations such as Equivalent Exchange, Conservation of Mass, and Natural Providence. Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist includes elemental alchemy, combat alchemy, alkahestry, human transmutation, chimeric alchemy, and soul-binding alchemy.

Aside from its captivating storytelling, Fullmetal Alchemist is also known for its world-building, based on the mystical science known as alchemy. Alchemy is the art of manipulating and reshaping matter or substances using natural energy.

In reality, alchemy is a pseudoscience, but Hiromu Arakawa's creativity brought the fake science to life in her manga. The series showcases some of the most captivating forms of alchemy. Yet, even though the series has stunning alchemy sequences,...

Quick Links Violence Jack Pioneered the Brutal Post-Apocalyptic Setting in Manga and Anime Violence Jack Was Adapted Into Three Separate OVAs, Each Telling Their Own Story Violence Jack Uses Ultra-Graphic Violence as a Message and a Metaphor For Those Who Can Stomach It, Violence Jack Is a Cautionary Tale Worth Heeding

This article discusses sensitive themes centered around graphic violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Violence in pop culture is inherent and has been a form of entertainment since ancient times. Violence Jack pushes the boundaries of anime, with intense and graphic violence that challenges viewers' sensibilities. Violence Jack serves as a mirror, asking viewers to confront their own perspectives on violence and where they draw the line on what is acceptable versus what is unacceptable.

Violence in pop culture is a necessity. As much as people would like to believe otherwise, humans have loved watching violence for entertainment since antiquity.

The following article contains discussion of cannibalism, plus graphic and sexual violence.

Anime has become more mainstream than ever, with kids and adults around the world enjoying the medium. Back in the proverbial day, however, there were far more "mature" anime and manga produced on the regular, with many of them being downright horrific. One such example was Violence Jack from legendary creator Go Nagai, which broke boundaries in several grisly ways.

An arguable follow-up to Nagai's other series Devilman, Violence Jack started one of the most popular storytelling trends in manga and anime. It was also often brutal nearly and devoid of hope and optimism, making the stories even more visceral. This was never more apparent than in the Ova adaptation, which featured unspeakably depraved acts in a way that made the future look anything but bright. It's since become infamous for its graphic nature, with this element of...

Spinning off from the “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” universe, the character of Kishibe Rohan rests as the one standout from the Joestar family to see moderate success in stand alone series,. Combine this with the success of the long running Jojo’s anime series, also directed by Toshiyuki Kato, Rohan’s leap to his own series is no surprise. However “Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan” focus on the titular character seems secondary, with the 4 episodes mini series offering tales within the “Jojo-verse” with Rohan being the binding factor.

The four different tales that were chosen from the manga series offer a complimentary balance to the work of mangaka Hirohiki Araki, with horror, fantasy, mystery and homo-eroticism to varying degrees. In addition, each tale allows an exploration of recurring themes without being tied to ‘stands’ that define the flow of action in the majority of Araki’s world. As a result, “Thus Spoke...