Revenge anime are some of the most thrilling and darkest anime series that take their viewers on epic adventures and terrifying rides. Thanks to these twisted stories, anime lovers can get to know some of the most tortured characters in the world of anime who have decided to avenge the horrible things that happened to them and their loved ones.

Related

8 Underrated 90s Anime

The 90s saw a big anime boom in the United States, but these great shows flew under the radar.

Anime fans can meet anime heroes fueled by hatred who eventually went too far and became villains as well as warriors and demons, and deadly ghosts who help others to take revenge on merciless villains and murderers. These highly entertaining and adrenaline-boosting stories capture human emotions in a unique and raw way and show their viewers just how obsessive one can get while blindly seeking revenge.

Updated April 2nd, 2024 by David Heath: Revenge has been fueling drama in stories since antiquity, be it ancient tales like The Epic of Gilgamesh, classic novels like The Count of Monte Cristo, and movies like Memento and John Wick. Sometimes, these stories keep it simple and justify the hero's search for retribution. Others showcase it as a dark path that can make its seekers arguably worse than those who wronged them.

The same is true of manga and anime, where the mediums' different stories have explored revenge from multiple angles. Alongside the modern classics and underrated series, this list has been updated with more examples of iconic revenge anime. On top of that, the entries have been tweaked and expanded, and arranged by how key revenge is to their stories.

14 Basilisk

MyAnimeList Score: 7.54

Basilisk is one of the most intriguing anime ninja shows around, set amid the bitter rivalry of two ninja clans in feudal Japan, the Iga and the Kouga. As these clans are pitted against each other, a tragic love story unfolds between Gennosuke, of the Kouga and Oboro, of the Iga, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet.

However, Basilisk is not just about romance, since its story delves deep into vengeance as each side suffers losses, leading to a cycle of retribution that culminates in a battle royale which pits the two clans against each other, and tears Gennosuke and Oboro apart. This anime is remarkable, as it blends traditional ninja combat with a deeply emotional narrative, demonstrating the devastating consequences of revenge on love and unity.

13 Tokyo Ghoul

MyAnimeList Score: 7.79

Tokyo Ghoul is no doubt one of the scariest and most violent revenge anime shows. Set in a supernatural world, this beloved anime plunges viewers into a world where flesh-eating ghouls live secretly among humans. The story centers around Kaneki, a college student, who, after an encounter with a ghoul, becomes a half-ghoul himself. It was the only way to save his life, but it's ruined what's left of it.

Kaneki is stuck on a grueling journey where he struggles with his new identity, his newfound thirst for human flesh, and threats from ghoul hunters. Detested by humanity, and under threat of dissection from other ghouls, his quest for survival becomes a revenge story against a society that ostracizes him. Tokyo Ghoul brilliantly portrays the internal and external battles of a young man caught between two worlds, making it a poignant and gripping revenge tale.

12 Berserk

MyAnimeList Score: 8.98

While it's not as in-depth as the original manga, and its animation has its dated aspects, Berserk is one of the best anime by OLM. It transports its viewers into a dark medieval Europe-inspired fantasy world, and showcases Guts, the Black Swordsman. It starts off with him brutally killing off a band of ne'er-do-wells, before flashing back to reveal how he became one of the most tortured heroes in anime history.

Related

Berserk: 8 Most Dangerous Characters In The Series

Even the most nefarious monsters in Berserk cower at the first sight of these dangerous characters.

The anime series follows the manga's 'Golden Age' arc, detailing how Guts became part of the Band of the Hawk, befriended its leader Griffith, fell in love with its captain Casca, and how Griffith betrayed them all to achieve his ambition. While most of Guts' revenge story is told in print (or the lesser 2016 anime), the original anime showcases how he became embittered, and why Griffith's betrayal was a form of revenge in return.

11 Hell Girl

MyAnimeList Score: 7.61

Hell Girl follows a ghost girl named Ai who helps others via her 'Hell Correspondence' website. If they access the site at exactly midnight, they can submit their grievance and meet Ai herself. As the titular 'Hell Girl,' she'll torment their targets before dragging them to the underworld alive. However, in return, the person who made the request will be reunited with their target when they die, as they'll be damned to hell as well.

It also goes into how Ai became one of the scariest magical girls in the medium via her own darkly fascinating backstory. Like some of the people who request her services, it goes into the drawbacks of revenge, as people can end up damning themselves and innocents to eternal darkness over petty grudges and mistakes. Just because it's satisfying in the moment doesn't mean it'll be right, or worth the high cost.

10 Kill La Kill

MyAnimeList Score: 8.03

Kill la Kill is one of the most energetic action anime shows, combining humor, action, and a deep-seated quest for revenge. The show's fiery protagonist, Ryuko Matoi, is armed with half of her father's old weapon, the Scissor Blade, and is on a mission to avenge his death at the hands of his murderer. As she confronts the powerful student council of Honnouji Academy, the truth unravels in the most unexpected ways.

Beyond its dynamic battles, this action-packed anime touches on themes of friendship, identity, and the lengths one will go to for family. Kill la Kill stands out for its unique animation style and its compelling revenge-driven storyline, making it a must-watch in the genre. It's also got plenty of fan service, given the characters' 'Goku Uniforms' and Ryuko's Senketsu aren't exactly the most practical battlewear.

9 Vinland Saga

MyAnimeList Score: 8.75

Despite the anime being relatively new, debuting in 2019, Vinland Saga's Thorfinn has become one of anime's most popular vengeance-seekers. When he was young, his family was caught in the growing conflict between Denmark and England, until his father sacrificed himself to save Thorfinn from being kidnapped and sold into slavery. Now grown up, he seeks revenge against his father's killer, Askeladd.

Related

Vinland Saga: 7 Things The Anime Changes From The Manga

As with all adaptations, the Vinland Saga anime takes a few liberties with the manga source material.

During his journey, he not only becomes one of the strongest, but also one of the smartest characters in Vinland Saga, as he ends up getting close enough to his target by joining Askeladd's group of mercenaries. From there, things get more complicated. This historical anime is perfect for those who love tales about Vikings and those who fancy a more complex revenge anime, with great world-building and strong character development.

8 91 Days

MyAnimeList Score: 7.83

91 Days is set during America's Prohibition Era, a unique period not often covered in anime. Following a dispute, the Lagusa family are killed by the ruling Vanetti mafia family, leaving Angelo as the only survivor. With nothing left, he leaves his hometown and takes a new name: Avilio Bruno. But when he's invited back to his hometown seven years later to aid the Vanetti don's son, Nero, Avilio has the opportunity to get revenge.

Aside from its beautiful art style, 91 Days has rich character development, as Avilio and Nero do become friends. However, he's still after the men who killed his family, and he takes his time settling in among the Vanettis. That way, he learns how they operate their illicit liquor business, who is involved in what, and when he can strike back. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Avilio tries his best to serve it up freezing.

7 Black Butler

MyAnimeList Score: 7.66

Very few anime shows get as dark as Black Butler. It's set in a fictional version of Victorian-era London and follows a young boy, Ciel Phantomhive, and his faithful butler, Sebastian. On the surface, they seem like an ordinary pairing of an aristocratic kid and his guardian, aiding Queen Victoria herself in sorting out anomalies and 'unsettling events,' but looks can be deceiving.

When Ciel was tortured and his family murdered, he was left with a need for vengeance. The demon, Sebastian Michaelis, was all too willing to help. He forms a contract with the boy: he'll help Ciel find his family's killers and finish them off. In return, he'll get Ciel's soul. Ciel agrees, thus leading to a complex and unique revenge story where one of the most iconic anime butlers and his charge become increasingly torn by their deal.

6 Demon Slayer

MyAnimeList Score: 8.47

Samurai stories, or chambara, are no stranger to tales of revenge. Demon Slayer just happens to be one of the most recent examples. It started off as a manga, then it became a 3-season anime, with a 4th due to debut in May, and received a movie in Mugen Train. Yet its premise is one of the more straightforward ones around, as Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps in his quest to get revenge on the demons who killed his family.

Related

Demon Slayer: Every Member Of The Hashira, Ranked In Terms Of Strength

The Hashira are humanity's last line of defense against demons. Here's how every single one of them ranks based on their strength.

There are still some twists in its tale. Tanjiro isn't an anti-hero, or a hero-turned-villain like Eren or Lelouch. Yet he still faces moral conundrums. His sister, Nezuko, was the only survivor of the attack, but was turned into a demon. She still shows signs of humanity, so Tanjiro is seeking a way to cure her too. Yet it tempers his willingness to slay other demons as, like Nezuko, they were people once too. If she can be cured, maybe they can too.

5 Blade Of The Immortal

MyAnimeList Score: 7.42

Prior to Demon Slayer, one of the most famous samurai vengeance stories was Blade of the Immortal. Though, like Berserk, it's more famous as a manga than an anime. Its 2008 anime adaptation got a so-so reception, and its 2017 live-action adaptation was one of Takashi Miike's better anime/manga-based works. But if fans fancy an animated look, the 2019 ONA series Mugen no Tanin -IMMORTAL- is a strong start.

It follows Manji, a notorious samurai whose actions led to the deaths of 100 people. He meets a girl called Rin, who requests his services to help avenge her parents' murder by killing the master swordsman, Kagehisa. Manji is reluctant at first, but seeing a resemblance between her and his deceased younger sister, he accepts. For one, it could help him in his own quest to kill 100 bad men to make up for his personal death toll, and convince the nun Yaobikuni to cure him of his immortality.

4 Dororo

MyAnimeList Score: 8.25

Technically, as far as the term 'iconic' goes, this should go to the original 1969 series Dororo and Hyakkimaru. Just as the original manga was one of the first chambara revenge strips, its cartoon adaptation was one of the first chambara revenge anime. It's where Demon Slayer, Blade of the Immortal, Samurai Champloo, and many more tales of katana-wielding fighters can trace their origins to. However, it's much easier to track down its stellar 2019 adaptation.

Despite being the title character, the story is about the tomboy thief Dororo's partner, Hyakkimaru. He was born without limbs, skin, or facial features, as these were claimed by demons in recompense for his father's desire for power. Saved from abandonment by a medicine man, Hyakkimaru survives with prosthetics and a deadly arrangement of weapons. To regain his lost features, he must kill the demons who claimed them, and eventually slay his father too.

3 Code Geass

MyAnimeList Score: 8.70

Code Geass combines a twisting revenge anime story with a calculating and intelligent lead. As Lelouch vi Britannia, exiled prince of the Holy Britannian Empire (not actually British, surprisingly enough), seeks to strike back against his father, Emperor Charles, who he blames for the murder of his mother and the trauma-induced disabling of his sister. Once Britannia defeats and annexes Japan, Lelouch vows to tear apart what his father built, and he'll do so with the newfound 'Power of Kings', or 'Geass'.

Related

20 Best Anime To Watch If You Love Code Geass

Code Geass brought fans amazing mecha battles and rebellion, which in turn made fans crave more anime like it.

Even though Lelouch starts as a brave leader of a righteous rebellion, he eventually becomes so blinded by hatred and revenge that he commits some truly dreadful acts. Many fans consider him a villain, since Lelouch's dark misdeeds were merciless, brutal, and didn't justify his ends. After all, not everyone who seeks revenge is good, and they don't necessarily have everyone else's best interests in mind.

2 Attack On Titan

MyAnimeList Score: 8.54

Speaking of complex revenge stories following morally gray protagonists, Attack On Titan takes anime lovers on a one-of-a-kind ride into the terrifying world of gigantic human-eating Titans. Its story follows Eren Yeager from his youth onwards, as he seeks to avenge his mother's death at the hands of the giant, cannibalistic Titans. He joins his walled city's Survey Corps with his friends in order to find a way to finish them off.

It sounds straightforward, as Eren only wanted to protect his loved ones, but he gets so blinded by hatred and his desire for revenge that he eventually becomes a monster himself, figuratively and literally. Once he learns more about the city walls and the Titans, he ends up causing more pain, suffering, and death than the giants themselves, as he turns his aim towards the Subjects of Ymir, a racial group who could become the titular Titans.

1 Fist Of The North Star

MyAnimeList Score: 7.96

With all that said, when it comes to iconic revenge anime, it's hard to outdo Fist of the North Star. It was one of the most famous and influential anime around during the 1980s, inspiring similar tales like the first two parts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and the buff boy brawler Sakigake!! Otokojuku (and its parody Cromartie High School). It's also got plenty of vengeance on offer.

The main plot sees Kenshiro, master of the deadly martial art of Hokuto Shinken, try to find Shin, his former friend who kidnapped his fiancée, Yuria, and left him for dead. He also steps in to aid and avenge anyone suffering at the hands of the bandits who roam the wasteland. Whether they've tortured villagers, murdered farmers, or abused women and children, they're all worthy of vengeance in the face of Ken's rage.

More

7 Anime Heroes Who Swear Vengeance But Do Not Get It

These anime heroes encounter unfortunate events, forcing them to swear vengeance on the culprits involved; however, they never get their revenge.