The medium of anime is no stranger to dark subject matter. From the gore-fests of the 1980s to the surprisingly dark and subversive series of the 2010s, anime has never been afraid to portray the grim and ghastly. Unfortunately, heavy topics aren't always handled well.

This is why it's so impressive to see anime that get darkness right. Far from unnecessarily cruel or mean-spirited, truly dark anime use these weighty subjects to make larger points that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

For a dark anime to rank among the best, it has to find the right balance between shock and a message that amounts to more than just a case for nihilism.

12 Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction

Animated by Production +h, Based on the Manga By Inio Asano

6.6 /10

Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Dest

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