Summary
When the world ends, and the future has come and gone, leaving only a few precious survivors, there will only be one crucial question left to answer: did you watch enoughanimeto know what it takes to survive the apocalypse?
If you’re a seasoned anime fan, you may have already seen Zombieland Saga and High School of the Dead, but what if those aren’t enough to prepare you for the end of the world? Here’s our picks for the best post-apocalyptic anime to check out now…just in case.
12
Season:
Summer 2023
Have you ever thought maybe the only thing holding you back from doing anything you want is the drab office job you work, and the society that supports it? The thought had occurred to Zom 100’s protagonist, Akira Tendou, but untilthe zombie outbreakbegan, there really wasn’t much he could do about that.
The colorful animation and uplifting message about living life to the fullest can make Zom 100 feel a bitcheesy and lightheartedat times, but it’s those very aspects which make this anime and its apocalyptic setting so special. Check it out if you slept on it back in 2023.
Fall 2017
In an empty world oft called “dead” by its two main protagonists, rations and gas stops are the only good sights to see. An endless concrete labyrinth of human origin stretches out before two young girls, so among the rubble they travel in the hopes of one day unraveling the truth behind what happened to the world and its inhabitants.
Girls Last Tour uses its post-apocalypse to ask a lot of deep philosophical questions about war, religion, and the meaning of life, all from the comfort of a kettenkrad. If that sounds like just your type of slow burnanime goodness, we say give this one a watch.
15 (12 original plus 3 canon films)
Season(s)
Spring 2016 (with sequel films in 2016, 2017, and 2019)
If we could sum up Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress in one word, that word would be hype. Headed by the exact same team who made the first few seasons ofAttack on Titanwhat they were, Kabaneri is a post-apocalyptic thrill ride that might not have the strongest plot, but more than makes up for that with its mind-blowing animation and bass-heavy soundtrack by AoT composer Hiroyuki Sawano.
We cannot stress this enough: this is basically a re-skin of Attack on Titan, complete with iron zombies, molten hearts, ODM gear, armored trains, anda jaw-dropping steampunksamurai aesthetic. Get some friends together and give Kabaneri a watch; it’s a great time guaranteed.
Summer 2015
School Live starts out like any otherslice of lifeshow would, but the more you watch and the closer you pay attention, the more things start to feel out of place… like there’s something deeply sinister going on that you can’t quite explain.
Turns out, that feeling is completely warranted. We won’t spoil exactly what’s going on here, or how things got the way they are in School Live, but trust us, this is one of the more interesting post-apocalyptic stories in anime, and it really helps you empathize with the struggles of the human survivors left behind.
Spring 2024
One of the stranger takes on the apocalypse, Train To The End Of The World’s unique setup and quirky characters have already won over anime fans the world over, but if you haven’t given this bizarre anime delight a try yet, now is the time to hop onboard.
In a world where the introduction of the 7G network causedmutations of every kindin the humans within its range, Shizuru Chikura is on a mission to find her best friend. The wacky animation style and unique approach to the end of society as we know it give Train To The End Of The World a feeling unlike anything else we’ve seen, so give it a try if you’re looking for something truly new.
1h35m
Year of Release:
1984
While Nausicaa is a movie, not a series, nobody would argue that it isn’t one of the best anime ever made, let alone one of the best post-apocalyptic ones, and watching the film today, it’s easy to see why.
In a war-torn world where a toxic jungle threatens to consume the very earth, one brave princess must do all she can to protect the balance between people and nature. Though not technically aStudio Ghiblifilm as it predates the founding of the studio, Nausicaa still has the classic Ghibli touch, and is worth the watch if you have a Max subscription.
13
Spring 2023
One of 2023’s sleeper hits,Heavenly Delusion is a must-watch if you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic settings likeFallout. This show especially feels like it came right out of the Fallout series in terms of monster design, and though it’s ultimately a very different kind of story, the vibes here are still close enough that if you like one you’ll probably also like the other.
Heavenly Delusion is packed to the brim with exciting twists and turns to keep its audience guessing, and though we won’t spoil any of those twists here, we will say to pay close attention to everything you see and hear in this incredible anime series.
5
Summer 2016
As a rugged survivor stumbles through the forbidden ruins of a post-apocalyptic war-torn Japan, he is chased by a sentry bot into an abandoned department store,where he happens apon a robotnot built to kill, but to educate: Hoshino Yumemi.
A short but moving ONA by David Productions ofJojo’s Bizarre Adventurefame, Planetarian shows us all that even at the end of the world, the beauty of the night sky will never fade, and that as long as we look to the stars, there can always be hope for a better tomorrow. She may look like a vocaloid at first, but by the end, you’ll find that, like the protagonist, this blue-haired robot girl has stolen your heart.
24
Winter 2018
Darling in the Franxx drew community ire for itsoff the wall story and ending, but in recent years, most fans have come to appreciate the series for what it was, and with the infamous Zero Two a member of the show’s cast, it’s not hard to see why Darling in the Franxx has retainedits popularity.
Maybe mecha shows aren’t usually your thing, but this apocalyptic setting and Studio Trigger’s designs fill an otherwise cliché concept with the kind of style that only anime can pull off, and though critical reception is mixed, we found Darling to be worth the watch.
26
Fall 1995
Yep. This is it.TheNeon Genesis Evangelion. For years, anime fans everywhere have considered Eva to be a rite of passage of sorts, and despite a few odd choices and some very adult content here and there, we can’t help but agree.
If you haven’t explored this post-apocalyptic mecha anime for yourself, now is the time to give it a watch onNetflix. When it comes to stories about the end of the world, it doesn’t get much more “anime” than Neon Genesis Evangelion,and the openingis among the medium’s best, too.
