11 Dark Supernatural Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen Packed With High-Octane Battles

Still not over the Shibuya Incident and craving more cursed-energy carnage? Plenty of anime like Jujutsu Kaisen deliver the same mix: young fighters trained at a secret school, a deep, rule-based power system, grotesque monsters born from human darkness, brutal stakes where nobody is safe, and the kind of visceral, show-stopping animation that made Jujutsu Kaisen a phenomenon. No show fully replaces it, but the closest ones hit that same nerve.

The timing could not be better. Jujutsu Kaisen is firing on all cylinders: the manga wrapped in 2024, and Season 3's Culling Game arc arrived in 2026 to bring the Shibuya aftermath to screens. If you are still catching up, our Jujutsu Kaisen filler list points you to the parts that matter.

We ranked these from closest match to loosest, judged on one thing: how much each shares Jujutsu Kaisen's actual build, a modern, dark-action shonen where young sorcerers at a secret school fight grotesque curses using a deep, rule-based power system, with tactical combat, found-family bonds, brutal stakes, and MAPPA-grade spectacle. There is a quick table up top, plus honest notes at the end. A heads-up: like Jujutsu Kaisen, several of these are intensely graphic.

11 shows like Jujutsu Kaisen at a glance

If you just want the fast read, here is the whole roster. The Similarity column is our call on how close each one gets to Jujutsu Kaisen itself, not how good the show is on its own.

Streaming rights shift by region, so these are a starting point. Check what is available where you are before you commit.

The anime most like Jujutsu Kaisen, ranked

Here are the anime like Jujutsu Kaisen that genuinely share its build, ranked from the closest match to the loosest. The Similarity Rating is our read on how near each one gets to Jujutsu Kaisen specifically, not how good the show is overall, and we kept the stars to whole numbers. The build we are measuring against is simple: a modern, dark-action shonen where young sorcerers at a secret school fight grotesque curses using a deep, rule-based power system, with tactical combat, found-family bonds, and brutal stakes.

1. Chainsaw Man

Similarity Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Denji, a destitute teenager crushed by debt, merges with his chainsaw devil to become a devil-hunting weapon for a shadowy agency. What follows is a blood-drenched, chaotic ride through a world where devils are born from human fears. Also animated by MAPPA, its violence is visceral and its tone lurches from bleak to absurd. It is one of the most talked-about modern anime.

Of everything here, this is the closest. Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen are the undisputed dark-shonen peers: both unfold in an urban, modern Japan under MAPPA's visceral direction, both put a monstrous ancient entity inside an outcast boy, and both pit their heroes against monsters born directly from human negative emotion and fear. The brutal violence with no plot armor, the shocking deaths, and the show-stopping animation feel of a piece. If you want Jujutsu Kaisen's exact modern-dark-monster energy, start here. Our Chainsaw Man filler list shows it is almost pure story.

2. Bleach

Similarity Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper and is thrust into a hidden war, guarding the living from corrupted spirits and battling through the ranks of the afterlife. As the threats escalate, so does his power, across sprawling arcs. The final saga has been brought to life with stunning modern animation. It is a cornerstone of the shonen battle genre.

Bleach is Jujutsu Kaisen's foundational inspiration, and the connection is personal: Gege Akutami has cited Tite Kubo as the reason he became a mangaka. The build shows it everywhere. High schoolers exorcise invisible, corrupted spirits in modern Japan, exactly as sorcerers do with curses, there is an ancient, bureaucratic soul society behind it all, and Bleach's Bankai states heavily influenced Jujutsu Kaisen's Domain Expansions. The ranked hierarchies, the named techniques, and the escalating, brutal battles all line up, and the final-arc animation matches Jujutsu Kaisen's modern spectacle. Our Bleach filler list sorts out where to start.

3. Hell's Paradise

Similarity Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: A ninja assassin on death row is sent to a deadly island to retrieve an elixir of immortality, alongside other condemned criminals and their executioners. The island is a nightmare of grotesque monsters and body horror, and the deaths come fast and strange. It is a gorgeous, gruesome survival gauntlet. The creature designs are nightmarish.

Hell's Paradise is the third member of modern anime's Dark Trio, alongside Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, and it earns the title. Its Tao mechanics mirror cursed energy as a structured, internal power source, its creature biology is grotesque and heavy on body horror, and its fights are genuinely lethal with zero plot armor, just like Jujutsu Kaisen's. The unnatural, half-divine horrors of the island echo the wrongness of curses exactly. It is a period setting rather than a modern city, which is the one real difference, but the grotesque-brutal-sorcery build is a near-perfect match.

4. Fate/Zero

Similarity Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Seven mages summon seven heroic spirits to fight a secret, deadly war for an omnipotent wish-granting relic. Alliances shift, ideals shatter, and the body count mounts as the war grows crueler than anyone imagined. It is a dark, gorgeously animated tragedy about ambition and its cost. It is a high point of the Fate franchise.

Fate/Zero shares Jujutsu Kaisen's taste for urban sorcery and lethal, high-concept tactical combat. Its Reality Marbles, reality-bending barrier clashes where a mage reshapes space itself, are a direct ancestor to Domain Expansions, and its battles are complex chess matches between cold, modern mages rather than slugfests. The ideological cruelty, the moral greyness, and the willingness to let noble ideals collapse into horror all carry a Jujutsu Kaisen weight. There is no school or found-family squad here, which keeps it a notch lower, but the urban-sorcery-and-barrier-combat build is a strong fit.

5. Hunter x Hunter

Similarity Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Gon sets out to become a Hunter and find his missing father, starting with a punishing exam, and the journey opens into one of the most carefully built power systems in anime. It gets darker and more complex than its bright start suggests. The tactical, rule-based fights are legendary. Many fans call it the best shonen ever made.

Hunter x Hunter is the blueprint for Jujutsu Kaisen's combat math. Its binding vows and heavenly restrictions are adapted almost directly from Togashi's Nen restrictions, prioritizing strict conditions and tactical traps over raw power, which is the exact thinking that makes a great Jujutsu Kaisen fight. Both reward outsmarting an opponent's rules rather than overpowering them, and both slide from a brighter start into real darkness. It is a globe-trotting adventure rather than an urban monster-war, which keeps it here, but as the source of the mechanics, it is essential. Our Hunter x Hunter filler list points you to the parts that matter.

6. Yu Yu Hakusho

Similarity Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Delinquent teenager Yusuke Urameshi dies saving a child and is brought back as a Spirit Detective, tasked with policing threats from the demon world. He gathers a crew of rivals-turned-allies and fights through escalating cases and tournaments. Its arcs grow steadily darker and more tactical. It is a foundational classic of the genre.

Yu Yu Hakusho is the 90s urban-exorcist masterwork that Jujutsu Kaisen clearly descends from. A delinquent gains spirit energy and is drafted into an underworld bureaucracy to fight malevolent spirits, which is Jujutsu Kaisen's setup a generation early, and its darkest stretch, the Chapter Black arc, takes the same sharp psychological and moral turns. The tactical spirit-energy fights and the found-family crew are shared, too. It is older and a little rougher, but the urban-exorcist build and the dark turns make it a strong match.

7. Dandadan

Similarity Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: A girl who believes in ghosts and a boy who believes in aliens discover both are terrifyingly real, and are swept into a frenetic world of occult spirits and alien invaders. The animation is explosive and the tone swings from horror to comedy to tenderness. It is one of the most exciting modern anime around. It is a wild, heartfelt ride.

Dandadan brings fast-paced, modern Japanese occult brawls that rhyme closely with Jujutsu Kaisen's. Its heroes fight curses, urban yokai legends, and bizarre spiritual threats with energetic hand-to-hand combat and jaw-dropping, kinetic animation, exactly the visceral spectacle Jujutsu Kaisen is known for. The grotesque creature designs and the blend of horror with real heart connect, too. It is far more comedic and romance-driven than Jujutsu Kaisen's grim war, which keeps it mid-list, but the modern-occult-brawl build is a genuine match.

8. Tokyo Ghoul

Similarity Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: A shy college student is nearly killed by a flesh-eating ghoul, survives via a transplant, and wakes up as a half-ghoul himself, caught between two worlds. He must live with a monstrous hunger as a brutal war between ghouls and their hunters closes in. It is dark, tragic, and soaked in body horror. It is a modern urban-horror landmark.

Tokyo Ghoul shares Jujutsu Kaisen's grounded, metropolitan dread and its flesh-morphing body horror. The psychological torment of having a monster forced into your own anatomy, and learning to live with it, echoes Yuji carrying Sukuna, and the grotesque designs and brutal, tragic tone match Jujutsu Kaisen's darkest turns. The hidden war between humans and monster-humans mirrors the jujutsu world's structure. It leans harder into bleak horror with less comic relief, which keeps it mid-list, but the modern-urban-body-horror build is a strong fit. Our Tokyo Ghoul filler list sorts out the rough patches.

9. Dorohedoro

Similarity Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll, Prime Video

Synopsis: In a grimy, rain-soaked slum called the Hole, a man with a reptile head and no memory hunts the sorcerers who did this to him, with the help of his fiercely loyal friend. The world is filthy, violent, and strangely cozy, full of gore and bizarre magic. The CG animation is an acquired taste that quickly becomes addictive. It is a cult favorite for good reason.

Dorohedoro is another MAPPA production, and it shares Jujutsu Kaisen's hyper-violent, sorcery-driven street fights, complete with grotesque body manipulation and a streak of dark, irreverent humor. The grimy, lived-in world and the casual brutality of its magic rhyme with Jujutsu Kaisen's nastier edge, and the MAPPA pedigree shows in the kinetic action. One note: it streams on Crunchyroll in some regions and Netflix in others, so check your area. It is weirder and more comedic in tone, which keeps it lower, but the violent-sorcery build is a solid match.

10. Blue Exorcist

Similarity Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: Rin Okumura learns he is the son of Satan, born with blue demonic flames, and enrolls at a secret academy to become an Exorcist and fight the demons that threaten humanity. He trains alongside classmates who become his found family while hiding his monstrous heritage. The tone balances darkness with warmth and humor. It is a modern dark-fantasy favorite.

Blue Exorcist matches Jujutsu Kaisen's literal training-academy setup. A demonic-vessel teen enrolls in a secret, modern academy to become a licensed exorcist, training with a specialized squad to fight the demons that threaten humanity, which is Yuji's path at Tokyo Jujutsu High almost beat for beat. The hidden organization, the specialized combat roles, and the found-family class all rhyme. It is a touch brighter and less brutal than Jujutsu Kaisen, which keeps it lower, but the demon-hunting-academy build is a strong fit.

11. Soul Eater

Similarity Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Anime Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch on: Crunchyroll

Synopsis: At a gothic academy for weapon-wielding meisters and their human weapon partners, teams of students hunt evil souls and face witches and madness. The series pairs stylish, cartoon-gothic visuals with fast, off-kilter action. It is weird, bold, and endlessly energetic. It is a cult favorite for its singular style.

Soul Eater shares Jujutsu Kaisen's specialized-partner combat and its supernatural academy. Students at a secret academy pair off and fight to maintain balance against madness and monstrous threats, which echoes Tokyo Jujutsu High and its squads, and the weird, grotesque, madness-tinged enemies rhyme with curses. The found-family dynamics land for Jujutsu Kaisen fans. It is delivered in a much more cartoony, stylized aesthetic than Jujutsu Kaisen's grim realism, which keeps it lowest, but the supernatural-academy build is a genuine match.

A couple that get recommended but watch differently

Search around for shows like JJK and two giants come up constantly that share a piece of it but land in a brighter place. They are well worth your time.

Demon Slayer is a monster-hunting corps of young fighters with a structured technique system and flagship animation, which sounds exactly like Jujutsu Kaisen on paper, but it is far more earnest and hopeful, set in a historical Japan rather than a modern grim one, so the tone is a different beast. My Hero Academia shares the powered school, the found-family class, and the escalating war with villains, and plenty of Jujutsu Kaisen fans love it, but it is a bright, inspirational superhero story, not a brutal monster-war. Both are excellent. Just go in knowing they trade Jujutsu Kaisen's grimdark edge for something sunnier.

Power up for your next cursed binge

Jujutsu Kaisen is firing on all cylinders: the manga wrapped in 2024, and Season 3's Culling Game arc arrived in 2026 to bring the Shibuya aftermath to screens, with more still on the way. The good news is that plenty of anime like Jujutsu Kaisen carry a piece of what made it special. Start at the top with Chainsaw Man and Bleach for the closest matches on modern dark-action and Gege's own inspirations, feel the Dark Trio brutality of Hell's Paradise, or dig into the tactical sorcery of Fate/Zero and Hunter x Hunter. The whole point of a good list of shows like Jujutsu Kaisen is to keep that mix of grotesque curses, clever combat, and gut-punch stakes going between cours.

While you line it all up, come hang out with us at Kaminari, where our weekly newsletter rounds up the shows worth your time, the news that actually matters, and takes written for people who love this stuff as much as you do. We will flag the moment Jujutsu Kaisen's next cour locks a date, so you never miss a beat.

FAQs

Is there an anime exactly like Jujutsu Kaisen?

Not a perfect twin, but two come very close. Chainsaw Man is the modern-dark-action twin, animated by the same studio and built on the same brutal, body-horror monster-hunting, while Bleach is Gege Akutami's own inspiration, with its invisible-spirit exorcism and Bankai states that shaped Domain Expansions. Each captures the core of what makes Jujutsu Kaisen tick.

What are the best anime like Jujutsu Kaisen?

For the closest match, Chainsaw Man and Bleach lead the pack, one for the modern dark-action, the other as Gege's foundational influence. For the grotesque, brutal edge, Hell's Paradise is the best anime like Jujutsu Kaisen to jump into next, with Hunter x Hunter close behind as the source of its tactical power system.

What anime to watch if you like Jujutsu Kaisen?

Start with the closest matches: Chainsaw Man, Bleach, Hell's Paradise, Fate/Zero, or Hunter x Hunter. Each one carries over the dark-action, the tactical rule-based powers, the grotesque monsters, or the urban-sorcery structure that made Jujutsu Kaisen so easy to love.

Is Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 out?

Yes. Season 3, titled The Culling Game Part 1, premiered in January 2026 on Crunchyroll, animated by MAPPA, adapting the battle royale that follows the Shibuya Incident. A second part is expected to finish the arc, and the manga itself concluded in 2024.

Where can you watch anime like Jujutsu Kaisen?

Most of these stream on Crunchyroll, including Jujutsu Kaisen itself and Bleach, with Dorohedoro split between Crunchyroll and Prime Video by region. Streaming rights shift by region and over time, so double-check what is available where you are before you settle in.