Whether it's a twisted elimination game or trying to get out of bizarre circumstances, survival anime can be one of the most addictive genres you'll ever see.
For this post, I have listed some of the shows I recommend that span the gamut of this crazy genre. Be sure to check it out!
25. King's Game Animation
This 2017 anime follows a common survival anime pattern: the quest mechanic.
King's Game The Animation focuses on Nobuaki Kanazawa's new student. Suddenly, past memories are brought to life when his entire class receives an invitation to play the King's Game.
The survivor of this deadly game, Nobuaki tries to warn his new classmates... but who will survive the trials?
Given the staging, this series can be considered a good gateway to the world of survival anime. Fun and easy to get into.
24. Mayoiga (Lost Village)
Sometimes your past and your deepest secrets end up catching up with you.
That's what makes this weird survival anime an interesting choice to watch.
Released in 2016, the series tells the story of 30 people on their way to an obscure village called Nanakimura.
Here, as some say, people who want to start over can live.
But all is not well in this village. Upon arrival, the group discovers that the village is uninhabited.
Stranger still, a looming fear begins to build among them, revealing bizarre secrets best kept secret. This anime has some weird and different survival mechanics - so watch it to find out!
23. 7 seeds
Several groups of people are placed in cryogenic sleep as a countermeasure in case the Earth is in dire straits.
When these groups wake up, they find that the world they knew is now harsh and unforgiving.
How will they survive these circumstances?
Based on the popular shojo manga, this 2019 series shows a scenario of how people with different skill sets need to work together to survive. It's kind of a take on the bloody deathmatches found in other survival series.
22. Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)
Yukiteru Amano learns that his cell phone can predict the future.
And with that amazing power comes a strange game.
The power of divination, bestowed by a god named Deus Ex Machina, turns other people with this power against each other. Eliminating others, a person gets a chance to become a new god of time and space.
This anime combines exciting psychological and violent themes. It may be an odd setup, but it's still an interesting entry in the genre, no doubt.
21. School of the Dead
Who would have thought that ecchi, survival and zombies could be combined into one interesting anime?
School of dead. the 2010 edition proved it.
It's basically an MC with a harem of women with special skills (handy, the member is great at using a katana to take out zombies).
And then another guy joined the group, very fond of firearms. This motley team will have to get out of the city filled with zombies.
The series also focuses on a specific group of otaku. So expect tons of fan service balanced with amazing action scenes.
20. Project to Raise Magical Girls
From a cute plot to a frightening survival game, this 2016 series shows just how twisted the world of magical girls can be.
The protagonist Koyuki Himekawa is invited to participate in a social game to become a magical girl.
Happy to have the opportunity to live out her wildest fantasy, Koyuki was devastated to learn that the game's administrators had decided to shorten the list of girls.
This is not a simple avatar removal. Magical girls ripped out of the game are killed for good!
Expect desperation in this other deadly game.
19. Ganz
What will happen when you die? Actually nobody knows.
Well, in this 2004 anime series, you might have a chance to come across this strange black ball that will make you play a freaky fight to the death.
Gantz brings gore (and some ecchi) to the survival anime genre.
The series also features some quirky gameplay mechanics for every match that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is definitely a show you will never forget.
18. Kyochuu Retto (Giant Insect Island)
Terror has always been with us. We just don't notice it.
This 2019 anime has a strange setting that the survivors of the plane crash must leave the island they are stranded on.
And they must do it quickly. The insects on the island are huge!
What's really interesting about this OVA is the protagonist Oribe Mutsumi. Perhaps her sophisticated knowledge of insects is what the group needs to survive.
17. Deadman Wonderland
Deadman Wonderland finds an otherwise simple protagonist caught in a strange situation involving death games, illegal human experimentation, and blood powers.
It's one feature in a series, that's for sure.
Ganta Igarashi had to have fun with his classmates. When their class was visiting this special prison, the students were suddenly attacked by this strange man in red.
It was a massacre in which Ganta was the only survivor.
And to make matters worse, he was sentenced to live in the prison he visits. Ouch!
With just 12 episodes, some may find that Deadman Wonderland is lacking. But it does offer some memorable and exciting action sequences.
16. Btooom!
Do you consider yourself a professional player?
Have you ever thought that your gaming skills can be tested in real life situations?
Btooom! puts the protagonist in such a situation. Ryuta Sakamoto, a hikikomori, suddenly wakes up and finds himself alone on an island. All he has with him are some essentials and, oddly enough, a bag of bombs similar to those in the game he loves.
From the looks of it, Ryouta is living the video game fantasy.
Except for the harsher reality, given that there is no rebirth here!
Btooom! has an amazing battle royale atmosphere with some highly anticipated game mechanics mixed in with storytelling.
15. Ibara no Ou (King of Thorns)
The Medusa virus pandemic is forcing the authorities to put a select group of people into cryogenic sleep - there remains little hope that these people will help kick-start civilization.
Waking up instead in a world of bizarre monsters, these people must find a way to survive and make sense of the madness around them.
This 2009 anime based on the popular manga really shows how frightening waking up in a strange world can be.
Get ready for some fear in this series of survival games.
14. Eden of the East
Released in 2009, this 11-episode miracle survival anime has a truly mysterious plot that will keep you hooked.
Amnesiac protagonist Akira Takizawa must solve the mystery of why he has a lot of money in his cell phone.
Also, it looks like he and other people with similar phones are locked in a death game. Strange, right?
It's a show with lots of twists and turns and creative game mechanics that you won't want to miss.
13 Danganronpa: Animation
A 2013 series based on the amazing Danganronpa games, this anime best demonstrates what a death match is.
All participants in this battle royale are students with certain skills.
These students are made to fight each other and need to make the most of what they have in order to survive.
With a distinct art style and truly amazing deathmatch mechanics, this is truly an unforgettable survival anime series for the ages.
12. Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance)
Let's turn the tables for a minute.
What if the protagonists are the ones who created the game of death?
Well, this 2014 release sort of focuses on that concept.
Sphinx, essentially two teenagers, suddenly uploads a video threatening widespread destruction in Tokyo.
Alarmed by the authorities, steps were taken to detain the teenagers. But what made these two boys go against the world? Expect a gripping storytelling if you buckle up for this ride.
11. Ghost: Requiem for a Ghost
This 2009 series, filled with action and plenty of thrilling moments, will make you wish matches never ended.
What would you do if you, a tourist, were mistaken for someone else?
And in some foreign and foreign country?
This is what happened to Zwei, who was also forced into a deadly game that he needed to fight. Worth a look, although they may not be to everyone's taste, they are definitely classics.
10. Imawa no Kuni no Alice
If you want to enjoy diving into humanity's deepest minds and some of the deadliest game's most interesting mechanics, look no further.
These OVA episodes will offer one hell of an unforgettable anime experience.
Ryuuhei Arisu and his friends suddenly find themselves in an alternate reality called Borderland.
Wanting to return home, the three must participate in different games that will challenge them physically, mentally and emotionally.
The only concern about this OVA is that it doesn't have a clear ending. If you've read the manga then honestly you expect more. But on their own, these OVAs are still great, especially if you're new to the genre.
9. Ju Oh Sei
In just 11 episodes, Ju Oh Sei proves that when done right, even short series can surpass the epic plots of larger shows.
This action-packed series wastes no time and sends the main characters, the twins Thor and Rai Klein, to a terraformed planet.
Left to the mercy of fate, the brothers must not only survive, but also solve the mystery of why they even stayed on this strange planet.
Quite a niche series but a highly recommended series, you can consider Jyu Oh Sei a gem among survival anime films.
8. Sunan Desu ka? (You get lost?)
Surviving outdoors can be difficult.
Especially if you have lived in the urban jungle for almost your entire life.
Luckily for a group of schoolgirls stranded on the island, one of them is trained in just that situation.
If you're a fan of popular Western survival shows like the ones featuring Bear Grylls, then you're in for a treat. This 2019 anime features various survival tips and tactics. This is a fresh take on how to survive in the wild - anime style.
7. Terra Formars
When you thought the good guys would make it...
Well, you're wrong.
Terra Formars is a 2014 series that uses some really cool mechanics to improve survivability.
Since humanity suddenly encountered mutant cockroaches on Mars, a detachment of specially enhanced people is sent to fight these creatures.
This is a strange but very interesting show.
Being able to explain the properties of insects in equally strange circumstances makes this series delightful to watch.
6. Bocurano
Piloting a giant robot to defeat the bad guys can be a dream come true.
Bocurano, the thrilling 2007 anime, brings that to your screen. But with one twist: the robot feeds on the life of a child.
Yep, that's weird.
15 children signed up to try out the eccentric inventor's "fun" game.
As most of the group is excited to make their superhero dreams come true, now they have a chance to defeat the alien forces that are closing in on Earth.
Little do they know that a pilot's life is sacrificed after every battle. This is what drives the robot!
This quickly dispels expectations for a fur show. And it offers a twisted way of thinking about… well, a rather bleak situation.
5. Mujin Wakusei Survive
Let's take a look at a few things that make a survival show great. Limited resources, know-how on how to use what you have, and a plan to overcome your circumstances are all elements of an entertaining survival anime.
Now introduce another unexpected topic in the mix: anime for younger audiences.
Didn't think that such an anime could exist?
You'll want to watch Mujin Wakusei Survive from 2003.
Sometime in the future, humanity will be forced to live on other planets. Now that space travel is possible, education can also be obtained in several intergalactic communities.
But a bizarre accident during a school field trip forces a group of young students to fend for themselves on a desert planet.
Surprisingly, despite the fact that the show is aimed at younger viewers, Mujin Wakusei Survive has some emotional scenes that even an adult audience will enjoy.
4. Gakkougurashi! (School-Live!)
A piece of anime from a life dedicated to zombies and survival?
Yeah. This 2015 series shows that it is possible. And it was done in such a pleasant and touching manner.
When the entire city is overrun by zombies, the Megurigaoka High School Life Club members struggle to survive.
But what makes their whole situation completely unique is that they need to survive in a blissful manner, as one of their members, Yuki Takeya, has a distorted view of reality!
Also, prepare some tissues: you can cry in a few scenes, but there are no spoilers here.
3. Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)
First aired in 2013, the amazing movie Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) shows what a great survival anime should be.
Filled with breathtaking action scenes and a terrible sense of gloom, this anime may be the best selling point is its amazing storyline.
Humanity seems to be on its last legs.
As the remaining population is trapped within the city, the walls are constantly guarded and fortified to resist attacks.
And this is not the usual attacks of other nations and the like. Instead, humanity is facing a completely different enemy.
We have titans: creatures that tower over humans and seem to delight in tormenting and killing. It is they who keep mankind in a state of despair.
There is so much more to this amazing story than what I can quickly tell here. But one thing is for sure – you will never be sure who will bite the dust next.
2 Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin
Get ready for the ride of your life.
This survival anime features a gritty setting that will really make you sympathize with the characters.
This anime is set in a realistic scenario set in 1955 in a Japanese youth reform institution.
The survival theme kicks in when a group of young inmates have to band together against prison authorities and doctors who routinely use gruesome torture.
This series is gripping, dark and definitely underrated.
You really need to watch it to understand why it became a hit among anime survival fanatics.
1. Tokyo magnitude 8.0
What makes survival anime such an exciting genre? I say it's insecurity.
There seems to be some kind of hook around every corner when you hope your favorite characters don't die.
And another element that makes this genre even more special is its realism.
Of course you have shows with special powers and monsters. But survival returns reality to fiction.
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 excels at this.
And he does not rely on fantastic screen elements. It is based on frighteningly realistic scenarios.
But as bleak as the setting is, this series still provides some semblance of optimism. You can survive, believe in yourself!
If you like this genre, you owe it to yourself to watch it. At least try the pilot and see what you think.
