One of the genres of fiction that is written most frequently is revenge. The majority of the time, it takes the heroes down a dark alley, obscuring the distinction between good and evil through dubious deeds. If you dig shows with this theme, then you’re in luck. Because, in this article, we will be taking a look at the best anime about revenge.
These anime have characters with extreme tunnel vision and an inability to think about anything but their vindictive plans.
Even though we have seen several revenge stories in anime and manga, there are very few with a good plot and thrilling action. Which is why we will be ranking the best titles in the genre according to their rating.
Anime with Revenge and Romance
In this section, we will be taking a look at anime with stories that is about revenge and also have a bit of romance in it.
- Akatsuki no Yona
- Masamune-kun no Revenge
- Osananajimi ga Zettai ni Makenai Love Comedy
- Vanitas no Karte
- Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari
5. Akatsuki no Yona
Yona is a charming young princess who has never known the struggles of life. She has always been loved and taken care of by her father and his subjects. Not to mention, she also has a very handsome and loyal bodyguard who is secretly in love with her.
But her peaceful little world was destroyed when her father was murdered and his kingdom was taken over. Thanks to the bodyguard, the princess makes it out alive and is determined to avenge her father.
Yona of the Dawn is a beautiful anime about revenge and romance where we see several handsome men fall for the beautiful princess. The princess herself goes through massive character development in order to take her kingdom back.
4. Masamune-kun no Revenge
This is a rom-com anime about a fat kid who proposes to the girl he loves. But he was rejected and called a “Piggy.” The girl seemed to be completely disgusted by the sight of him. This incident made the MC train rigorously, and he became a handsome man with a ripped body. Now, years later, he gets all the attention from girls without even trying.
However, his goal is simple. To make that same girl who made fun of him fall for him so that he can reject her. Obviously, since it has been years and because he has lost a lot of weight, the girl does not recognize him. Regardless, our MC is confident and determined to succeed in his attempt.
3. Osananajimi ga Zettai ni Makenai Love Comedy
Osamake is a hilarious romantic comedy anime series that starts out with the MC being brutally rejected. This is when his childhood friend encourages him to take revenge on her.
With this motive in mind, the MC becomes friendly and supportive in order to make the girl fall for him. His plan was to reject her in front of everyone and make her feel the same pain.
But what he did not realize is that the girl might actually be interested in him, and the childhood friend is completely head over heels for the MC too. How will this love triangle play out?
2. Vanitas no Karte
The case study of Vanitas is a very unique anime about revenge. This anime takes place in a world where both humans and vampires exist.
The MC of the show is a human who somehow has the powers of a vampire. This is actually thanks to the book that he possesses. His powers allow him to find the “true name” of a vampire and free them from their shackles of rage.
What’s unique about Vanitas is that he seeks revenge on a vampire by saving as many as he can. While that’s a unique take on the concept, we clearly see hatred and vengeance in the main character throughout the show. Meanwhile, he also finds his true love, and we get to see him romance a powerful vampire girl who sees him as an enemy.
1. Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari
Naofumi, the chosen hero to symbolize the shield, is called to a parallel reality in the anime series Rising of the Shield Hero. The princess of the realm, Malty S. Melromarc, falsely accuses him of sexual abuse, which worsens the situation. He is treated poorly and shunned as a result by practically everyone in the kingdom.
However, he finds a slave girl whom he buys off in order to fight monsters. Together, they overcome all sorts of obstacles, and the girl falls in love with Naofumi. On the other hand, he only loves her as a daughter.
They set off on a voyage of self-discovery and self-improvement because they are determined to clear Naofumi’s name and exact retribution on those who wronged him. We also get to see Naofumi exact his sweet revenge on the princess and her father. Fans of vengeance stories and anime will like the series’ original and compelling storyline.
Anime with Betrayal and Revenge
In this section, we will be taking a look at anime with stories that have an MC who is betrayed and seeks revenge. Alternatively, it might also be the main character who commits the betrayal because of their vengeance.
- Gungrave
- 91 Days
- Code Geass
- Shingeki no Kyojin
- Berserk
5. Gungrave
Gungrave is an anime that explores themes of betrayal, revenge, and organized crime. It follows the story of Brandon Heat, who was betrayed and killed by his friend Harry MacDowell. However, Brandon is resurrected through a process called necrolyzation and becomes known as Beyond The Grave. He seeks revenge against the crime syndicate responsible for his death.
The series begins thirteen years after Brandon’s death but goes back to his youth, showing his journey with Harry as they grow up on the streets and become involved in the criminal underworld. It details the events and circumstances that led to their falling out and eventual confrontation.
For fans of crime dramas and revenge stories, Gungrave is a must-watch anime.
4. 91 Days
Fans of vengeance and mafia tales will enjoy the outstanding anime 91 Days since it has beautiful art and strong character development. Its distinctive ambience is set in America’s Prohibition era.
The anime’s plot centers on Avilio, a young man who goes back to his hometown of Lawless, where the mafia rules the black market for alcoholic beverages. In order to exact revenge on the Vanetti mafia for the murder of his family during a mob war, Avilio sets out on a risky quest.
He becomes a gangster and joins the mafia family. He plans to betray them and kill them all, one by one. This anime is about how the angry main character takes out the people he hates.
3. Code Geass
Code Geass is a revenge-themed anime featuring an intelligent and strategic protagonist. Lelouch initially emerges as a brave leader of a righteous rebellion against the corrupt Holy Britannian Empire, but his pursuit of vengeance gradually blinds him and leads him to commit heinous acts.
Although Lelouch’s ultimate aim is noble, some viewers view him as a villain due to these actions. The story of Code Geass follows Lelouch, a young prince who employs the power of Geass to clandestinely lead a rebellion and exact revenge against his father, who abandoned him and his sister.
With tons of mind blowing strategies and backstabbing, this anime is a must watch for fans of psychological battles.
2. Shingeki no Kyojin
Initially, Eren appears to be a typical Shounen protagonist who desires to save humanity from the Titans and avenge his mother. However, he lives in a brutal world that holds back heroes like him to remind them of reality.
Despite Eren’s efforts, he is consumed by the Titans, fails to protect his comrades, and transforms into the very creature he loathes to fight them.
While some may criticize Attack on Titan for what it lacks, the series has its own pace of development and effectively communicates its themes. The show’s strength lies in its ability to provide a thrilling seinen revenge narrative filled with action and well-crafted characters.
As a fan of revenge stories, there are many to choose from, but Attack on Titan stands out as a spectacular example of the genre.
1. Berserk
OLM’s Berserk is an exceptional anime that explores mature themes such as morality and human nature. The show takes viewers on a journey through a dark fantasy world inspired by medieval Europe. The protagonist, Guts, is one of the most tortured heroes in anime history, and seeks revenge after surviving the Eclipse.
Although Guts has experienced countless atrocities, he reaches his breaking point when Griffith betrays the Band of the Hawk. Fueled by rage, Guts vows to take revenge and embarks on a violent journey to protect his loved ones. Berserk’s narrative follows Guts’ tragic and action-packed exploits, making it a must-watch for anime fans.
Anime with Satisfying Revenge
In this section, we will be taking a look at anime with stories where the MC achieves his sweet revenge.
- Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi
- Goblin Slayer
- Dororo
3. Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi
Redo of the Healer is one of the most controversial anime of recent times. The story features a main character who is a healer in a fantasy world. He is abused, mistreated, and left to suffer, despite having a valuable ability.
This broke the MC’s mind, because of which he used all of his powers to turn back time. Now, he is in the past, where none of the bad things have happened.
However, driven by vengeance, the main character decides to take revenge on those who tortured him. This leads to several adult scenarios where the MC forcefully subjugates the characters who have done him wrong.
2. Goblin Slayer
Goblin Slayer is one of the best anime about revenge, where the main character is absolutely driven by hatred for goblins.
Goblins, despite being the weakest monsters, are smart and cause several atrocities. From kidnapping human women and forcing them to bear their kids to straight-up brutalizing people, they do them all.
Only our MC takes them seriously and spends his entire life slaying them. However, the other adventurers think they are weak and make fun of the MC for only killing them.
In this show, we see the true horror of unchecked monsters that sneakily overpower people with their numbers and cause destruction.
1. Dororo
Dororo is an anime that follows the story of a samurai who sells his newborn son’s organs to forty-eight demons in exchange for battlefield power. However, the son is saved by a doctor who replaces his missing organs with artificial ones. As an adult, the son sets out on a mission to recover his stolen organs from the demons, ultimately targeting his father for revenge.
Dororo is an outstanding anime that distinguishes itself through its nuanced character portrayals and exploration of moral ambiguity. Each character in the series has a captivating personal story, and the action scenes are expertly executed. Even though there may be occasional quality drops in animation, it doesn’t detract from the overall viewing experience. Dororo is a revenge anime with a sophisticated and masterfully executed plot, populated with excellent characters.
Anime with Murder and Revenge
In this section, we will be taking a look at anime with stories where the MC has their loved ones murdered. These shows are usually about the main character’s journey to avenge the fallen.
- Tekken: Bloodline
- Blade Of The Immortal
- Sirius the Jaeger
- Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens
- Kengan Ashura
- Owari no Seraph
- Kuroshitsuji
- Claymore
- Zetsuen no Tempest
- D Gray-man
- Kill la Kill
- Vinland Saga
12. Tekken: Bloodline
Tekken Bloodline is one of the best 3D martial arts fighting anime series that is centered around the theme of revenge.
The main character, Jin Kazuma, lived alone in a faraway village where he was practicing martial arts. His mother’s teachings were to always be patient and kind.
However, Jin had trouble forgiving people who wronged him. While he was still learning to control his emotions, a green ogre appeared to attack him.
Jin’s mother saves him, but he loses his life in the process. The ogre is also alive and went somewhere after killing the mother.
Craving for blood and revenge, Jin visits his grandfather, Heihachi, who is a billionaire martial artist. Jin learns an unforgiving and brutal martial art style from him and prepares to slay the monster that murdered his mother.
11. Blade of the Immortal
Blade of the Immortal is a popular samurai anime with a badass main character. It takes place in feudal Japan during the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period and centers around Manji, a samurai who is cursed with immortality until he kills 1,000 evil men. Along his journey, he meets Rin, a young girl seeking vengeance against the sword school that murdered her family, causing them to be outcasts. Together, they embark on a dangerous and violent quest to achieve their own goals, which ultimately leads to redemption and self-discovery.
10. Sirius the Jaeger
Sirus the Jaeger is an anime about vampires with a bit of mystery and revenge themes. Jaegers are selected individuals who are tasked with slaying vampires across the world. However, they work in the shadows, and the public does not know about their existence.
They are not doing this aimlessly, though. The Jaegers fight to obtain the Ark of Sirius, a magical weapon that can change the world’s fate. Such an item should not fall into the evil vampire’s hands.
The main character, Yuliy, is the man with werewolf blood and is the sole survivor of his village, which was attacked by vampires. With grude and thrist for revenge, he is determined to find the artifact before them.
9. Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens
This is probably the only anime that has introduced “professional” revenge seekers. In a city teeming with all sorts of dangerous people moving in the shadows, there existed a detective named Banba.
Banba is a cool, laidback guy who is investigating a hitman company. Along the way, he meets a crossdressing guy who is actually a hitman himself and ends up helping the detective. Originally, he was supposed to kill Banba, but he betrayed his company because of their unfair payment policies.
Overall, this is an amazing action-mystery anime series that you shouldn’t miss.
8. Kengan Ashura
Kengan Ashura is yet another revenge themed martial arts anime with impressive 3D animation.
The story is about Tokhita Ohma, a handsome and muscular man who is one of the best fighters there is.
The MC of this anime is a vengeful man who wants to find the person who killed Niko, his teacher and closest friend. After all, Niko was killed right in front of Ohma and was challenged to take revenge if he could.
This anime is filled with intense MMA battles, epic soundtracks, and a good storyline. All of this makes Kengan Ashura our favorite pick in this genre.
7. Owari no Seraph
The anime series “Seraph of the End” is a dark fantasy with a post-apocalyptic theme that tells a tale of revenge. It is produced by WIT Studio and written by Takaya Kagami. The story is set in a world where a virus, believed to be man-made, has wiped out most of the population, leaving only children under thirteen untouched.
As the world faces this catastrophic event, vampires emerge from the depths of the earth, along with other ancient horrors previously thought to be mere myths. Amidst the chaos, a young man named Yūichirō Hyakuya joins a group committed to exterminating vampires. He seeks to avenge his family’s deaths and save his childhood friend Mikaela from the clutches of these blood-sucking creatures.
6. Kuroshitsuji
Fans have grown to love the manga series Black Butler, which was created by a woman.
It was turned into an anime series that was praised for its tasteful character designs.
The protagonist of the tale is a young orphan kid named Ciel Phantomhive who, with the aid of his demonic butler, Sebastian, seeks retribution for the murder of his parents.
However, the show’s departure from the manga’s original plot may displease some viewers. Despite this, the series maintains a devoted following because of its distinctive blending of genres and enjoyable content.
5. Claymore
The number of anime featuring a female cast, let alone a female lead, is relatively low. However, Claymore shatters this stereotype by showcasing an exceptional female protagonist named Clare. Her journey is both inspiring and empowering, as she starts from the bottom, considered a failure, but gradually grows stronger as she navigates through life’s challenges.
Claymore is a captivating series that revolves around one woman’s quest for vengeance. The story takes place in a world where monstrous creatures called Yoma can blend seamlessly among humans by taking on human form and feeding on them. Claymores, female warriors, are tasked with stopping these demons. While the series predominantly features female characters, the intriguing dynamic between both genders is a delight to watch.
4. Zetsuen no Tempest
Blast of Tempest is an anime with two main characters who are best friends. However, one is secretly dating the other’s sister. While everything is going well for the duo, suddenly the sister character is murdered. In order to find the killer and avenge his sister, the MC wanders off to seek help.
He later appears again with a witch who has sworn to help him find his sister’s killer. In return, the duo ends up helping the witch save the world.
This is the perfect anime for those who are fans of psychological drama series that include murder mystery. Not to mention, the animation is top notch because Studio Bones took care of the production.
3. D Gray-man
D Gray man is a dark anime series with demons and devils in it. The show is about a kind hearted boy who has to kill demons in order to save them. This is because human souls are trapped inside the demons that give them life.
This is all the doing of the main villain, the millenial Earl. The main character, Allen Walker, with his artificial hands and supernatural abilities, is determined to defeat him.
The more the show progresses, the more we see the Earl destroy everything the MC holds dear. While Allen is not thinking only about revenge in his fights, he definitely has a part of him that wants vengeance.
2. Kill la Kill
Kill la Kill is yet another revenge anime where the main character is searching for the person who killed her father.
The MC of this show is a young girl with a tomboy attitude. In her attempt to find the killer, she ends up finding an old invention of her father. The invention we are talking about is a uniform that can talk and think.
It consumes the wearer’s blood in order to become alive and give its user supernatural abilities. With this new weapon, she has to fight her way through her school’s hierarchy, where she believes she will find the clues she is looking for.
1. Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga is a historical anime about Thorfinn, a powerful warrior seeking revenge. Viking adventure fans looking for a sophisticated retribution story with well-developed characters and a believable environment will love the show.
Thorfinn is smart and strong in the series. He was a fun loving child until a nasty organization killed his family. In Vinland Saga, Thorfinn risks his life to find Askeladd, his father’s murderer, and avenge his death.
What’s more interesting is that the second season of the anime explores Thorfinn’s life after his quest for revenge is over. We get to see him as a wise man who follows the path of non-violence.
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