best post-apocalyptic film anime are also some of the most intriguing in the medium, as they take place in immersive worlds that are completely different from reality. Through catastrophic events that nearly destroy and redefine the world, societies end up either regressing or evolving in new and unique ways, adapting to their new conditions and needs.
These types of shows tend to have a few common strengths that make them so popular. One of them will be world building in the form of interesting ruined cities and relics of the past, and another will be the characters and their journeys. When faced with desperate situations in which survival is hardly guaranteed, the worst sides of humanity can be exposed as instincts take over reason.
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School-Live!
Producer studio: Lerche
A fresh take on the classic zombie anime formula, World School-Live! There is a sudden outbreak of infection, believed to be caused by a biological weapon, that turns people around the world into cannibalistic zombies. It follows the High School Life Club, a group of high school girls who struggle to make sense of their new situation and survive against all odds. Meanwhile, one of the girls, Yuki Takeya, appears to have lost her mind as a result of these shocking events, refusing to see reality as it is and leaving her unable to acknowledge the traumatic deaths she witnessed.
School-Live! stands out among other post-apocalyptic anime with its shocking twist in the first episode.. The series then develops this twist in funny and interesting ways. Any fan of zombie anime will want to give School-Live! shot.
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Heavenly delusion
Producer studio: Production IG
Production of IG Heavenly delusion The action takes place in a world that collapsed in 2024, when an unexpected disaster occurred, as a result of which man-eating monsters lurk in the ruins of civilization, threatening the peace of the survivors. It is in this world that Maru and Kiruko search for a place known as Heaven, each trying to unravel the mysteries of their tragic lives, as well as the fate of the world. At the same time, the children were sheltered and raised in an isolated facility, away from the dangers of the outside world, but their inquisitive nature will not allow them to remain idle.
One of the most underrated anime of 2023. Heavenly delusion stands out for its deep themes and likeable characters. More so than many other post-apocalyptic anime that only use the apocalypse as a backdrop. Heavenly Delusion uses its settings to explore deeper topics.
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Girls’ last round
Producer studio: White Fox
Girls’ last round The story takes place in a war-torn world where civilization is almost dead, except for two girls, Chito and Yuri, who roam the desolate wasteland on their beloved Kettenkrad motorcycle and do everything they can to survive. It has never been clear exactly how the world reached its current state, but it is clear that much of the damage was caused by merciless wars, possibly using highly advanced technology. However, such details don’t matter to the main characters, who are more concerned with finding their next meal, exploring the environment, and wondering what the world used to be like.
What distinguishes anime from other representatives of its genre is that Girls’ last round combines post-apocalypse with a slice of life. This combination of two very different genres works much better than it should. Girls’ last round is one of the best post-apocalyptic anime.
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The end of the world
Production Studios: Satelight/C2C
WorldEnd: What will you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us? The action takes place in a world where humanity was practically destroyed, and the only survivor was Willem Kmetsch. When humans became extinct, he was frozen in ice for 500 years and wakes up in a world different from the one he remembers. The surviving races must coexist on floating islands in the sky, far from the Beasts that threaten to destroy all life on Earth. Willem is tasked with caring for the Leprechauns, a group of young humanoid girls capable of wielding ancient weapons.
Even despite its strange premise, The end of the world stands out among post-apocalyptic anime for its unique world-building.. Although most post-apocalyptic stories are based on science fiction, The end of the world instead, fantasy is used as the basis. Considering how well this is implemented, it’s no surprise that WorldEnd’s The world building makes it one of the best post-apocalyptic anime.
11
Guilty Crown
Producer studio: Production IG
IN Guilty CrownThe day known as “Lost Christmas” marks the time when Japan was almost completely destroyed by the deadly Apocalypse virus, which plunged the entire country into chaos and anarchy. The source of this virus was a meteorite, which led to a widespread pandemic.
Stability in the country was maintained only thanks to the efforts of the United Nations, which successfully contained the outbreak and at the same time stripped away all political autonomy.a situation that has remained unchanged for more than ten years. Unsatisfied with the situation in Japan, a resistance group known as the Funeral Home sets out to regain their freedom.
10
Train to the End of the World
Producer studio: EMT Squared
EMT Squared’s Train to the End of the World The story takes place two years after the disastrous launch of the 7G cellular network, which completely distorted reality and turned every part of Japan into a completely bizarre landscape. Despite the danger this entails, Shizuru and her friends decide to take the train to Ikebukuro, now a seemingly impossible distance away from them, to try and find their lost friend Yoku, who disappeared during the 7G incident.
Because of how well it combines a whimsical idea and strong character writing, Train to the End of the World perfectly conveys its absurd take on a post-apocalyptic setting from start to finishand each new element is always funnier than the previous one. It may be a fairly new series, but it’s still worth watching to understand what it does for such a tried and true genre of fiction.
9
Dr. Stone
Producing studio: TMS Entertainment
World Dr. Stone determined by a unique cataclysm known as the Petrification. This global event stunned civilization for thousands of years, virtually nullifying all human progress. Everything created by human hands has disappeared, and nature has once again taken over the world, turning once prosperous cities into unrecognizable jungles. However, even in such conditions, there are people, such as Senku Ishigami, who will not retreat from the task of reviving civilization. Although most of them remain terrified, Senku intends to use his scientific knowledge to save the world and restore it to its former glory.
Dr. Stone This is one of the biggest post-apocalyptic anime of all time, and for good reason. The show’s emphasis on rebuilding society through science is fun, and the mystery of how the world ended up the way it did is enough to keep fans watching episode after episode.
8
Sabikui Bisco
Producer studio: OZ
in the world Sabikui BiscoJapan was devastated by a mysterious apocalyptic event that completely changed its landscape but still threatened the survival of the remaining civilization. Rust has not only turned much of the country into a sandy wasteland full of dust, but it is also affecting people.affecting them with the so-called rust disease.
The only one who can save this world is Bisko Akaboshi, the Mushroom Guardian, who is searching for the legendary Rust Eater mushroom, but he is also often unfairly blamed for the state of the world, which only makes his mission even more difficult.
7
Song Vivy – Fluorite Eye – Pop Idols Meets The Terminator
Producing studio: Wit Studio
Although this is not post-apocalyptic in the traditional understanding of the world, the events Vivi – Fluorite Eye Song– unfold only after the start of an apocalyptic event, during which highly advanced AIs seek to eradicate humanity, burning everything in their path.
In a desperate attempt to save the world by changing the past, a scientist places all his hopes in the titular Vivi. the first autonomous humanoid AI to send another AI to ask him to rewrite history. With no time to process the information, Vivi finds herself on a dangerous journey that exceeds her original goal.
6
Ultimate Seraph: Reign of the Vampire
Producing studio: Wit Studio
IN Ultimate Seraph: Reign of the VampireHumanity was virtually wiped out by a virus that killed most people over the age of thirteen. As if one apocalyptic event wasn’t enough, then the Four Horsemen appear, bent on destroying the few survivors.
Fearing for their food supplies, vampires emerged from the shadows, enslaving humans to be used as livestock.. In these dire circumstances, the Moon Demon Company arises, resisting sentient weapons and seeking to regain their freedom. These factors combine to make Ultimate Seraph: Reign of the Vampire A really interesting series that everyone should watch.
5
Fire power
Producing studio: David Production
David Production Fire power The story takes place 250 years after the Great Cataclysm, an apocalyptic event that burned almost the entire world to the ground and led to the birth of the Infernals, powerful demons born from spontaneous combustion. To fight the Infernals, the pyrokinetics of the Tokyo Empire fight as part of the Fire Forces, and their latest recruit is Shinra Kusakabe, a boy who shoots fire from his legs and is gradually revealed to be connected to all of the Infernals’ hidden workings. world.
Fire powerthe works are always good at depicting how society will be forced to change even after the apocalypse is far behind us.with much of the world-building devoted to showing how different the world is from real life. Add to this a gripping mystery plot, incredible action and visual effects, and you have a phenomenal series that is worth watching from start to finish.
4
Land of the Lustrous
Production studio: Orange
Orange Land of the Lustrous The story takes place in the distant future after the extinction of humanity, whose only inhabitants are now the titular Luminaries, a group of non-binary beings created from gemstones. The Shiny Ones constantly battle the Lunarians, an alien race willing to make jewelry from their bodies, and although the series’ protagonist Foss is considered too weak for battle, they find value in their new assignment to create a natural history encyclopedia with the other outcasts. and poisonous shiny cinnabar.
Land of the LustrousThe writing always strikes the perfect balance between the horrors of the apocalypse and the beauty of the natural world.and it’s all presented in some of the most gorgeous animation and 3D art of any anime in the last decade. Land of the Lustrous showed how good CG anime could be, and luckily their script matched it perfectly.
3
Fist of the North Star
Producer: Toei Animation
Toei Animation Company Fist of the North Star The story takes place in a world devastated by nuclear war, where those hungry for power constantly pray for the innocent. The only hope of salvation lies with Kenshiro, a master of Hokuto Shinken, the greatest martial art in the world, and his efforts to bring peace to the land gradually bring him and others into conflict with various people from his controversial and mysterious past.
Featuring stellar performances and incredible dystopian aesthetics, Fist of the North Star presents the perfect combination of classic kung fu stories with madness Mad Maxand all of this is further enhanced by a surprisingly thoughtful, character-driven narrative. No other anime gets to the heart of a post-apocalyptic story like Fist of the North Starand with Fist of the North Star reboot in development, this will definitely be seen by even more people.
2
Gurren Lagann
Producing studio: Trigger Studio
Although the origins Gurren LagannRussia’s post-apocalyptic world is unclear, it’s easy to see why it falls into this category. In the distant future, most of humanity lives in underground villages, mostly unaware of what the surface entails but terrified of its possibilities. After a series of events, Kamina and Simon see blue skies for the first time and join Yoko on an adventure to fight the Beastmen who are terrorizing people. However, the wasteland on the surface is even more dangerous than they could have imagined, making their mission impossible without an insane level of determination and willpower.
Although Gurren Lagann At first glance it seems funny, but in fact the anime is much deeper than it seems at first glance. Gurren Lagann bold attitude and exciting topics make it stand out from other mecha and post-apocalyptic anime.
1
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Production studio: Studio Ghibli.
Studio Ghibli Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind The story takes place a millennium after the world has been reduced to an ecological wasteland by a group of deadly living weapons called the Giant Warriors. As people struggle to survive in a toxic world overrun by giant insects, one kingdom tries to revive the Giant Warrior to take back the world by force, and Nausicaä, Princess of the Valley of the Wind, must stop them before they destroy everything.
Nausicaä from the Valley of the WindsThe direct expression of themes of environmentalism and war results in one of the most powerful narratives of any Studio Ghibli film.and combined with the rich world-building and its simultaneously gorgeous and terrifying visuals, it always does a great job of drawing people into its story. The film has only improved with age, so it’s an easy contender for the best. best post-apocalyptic anime Always.