12 Anime Like Demon Slayer June 2026
Demon Slayer fans come for ufotable's jaw-dropping animation and stay for the heart: a kind-hearted demon-hunting shonen set in Taisho-era Japan, built on found family, tragic villains, and sword fights that feel like moving paintings. Every recommendation below appears across multiple independent "anime like Demon Slayer" lists and community threads — consensus picks first, with the exact reason each one matches. Last verified June 12, 2026.
💖 The list, ranked
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1
Jujutsu Kaisen
The other defining 2020s shonen: cursed-spirit hunting with sakuga fights to rival ufotable — and Season 3 (Culling Game) aired through early 2026.
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2
Hell's Paradise
Same Jump 'dark trio' DNA in historical Japan — ninja and condemned criminals battling monsters on a deadly island; Season 2 aired January 2026 (MAPPA).
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3
Chainsaw Man
Devil-hunting instead of demon-slaying, with a grim-upbringing hero like Tanjiro, MAPPA's film-grade action, and the 2025 Reze movie as a follow-up.
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4
Dororo
The closest tonal cousin: a cursed swordsman slays demons across feudal Japan to reclaim what they stole from him, with a found-family bond at its core.
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5
Attack on Titan
A ranked corps fighting man-eating monsters after a family tragedy — Demon Slayer's structure with apocalyptic stakes, and it's fully complete.
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6
Fire Force
Flashy elemental combat against human-turned-monsters from the Soul Eater creator; the series just wrapped its finale in Winter 2026, so it's bingeable end to end.
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7
Blue Exorcist
Sword-wielding brothers join an exorcist order to fight the demons that wrecked their family — the closest sibling-bond parallel to Tanjiro and Nezuko.
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8
Dandadan
2024-25 breakout with Science Saru's wildly inventive animation: spirits and aliens fought with the same heart, humor, and visual flair Demon Slayer fans crave.
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9
Kaiju No. 8
A defense-force-vs-monsters underdog story with blockbuster Production I.G visuals; two seasons aired by 2025 and Season 3 is on the way.
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10
Bleach
The genre's sword-and-spirits blueprint — a teen Soul Reaper cutting down soul-devouring Hollows, with the Thousand-Year Blood War finale arriving July 2026.
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11
Claymore
Half-monster warriors hunt the shape-shifting Yoma that prey on villages — a darker, grittier take on the demon-hunter-corps premise.
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12
The Elusive Samurai
Gorgeous CloverWorks production set in 1333 Japan with an orphaned-heir hero whose setup mirrors Tanjiro's; Season 2 arrives July 2026.
❓ FAQ
What is the closest overall match to Demon Slayer?
Jujutsu Kaisen — every major list ranks it first: a likable hero joins an organization hunting monstrous spirits, with animation quality in ufotable's league.
Which shows have animation comparable to ufotable's Demon Slayer?
Jujutsu Kaisen and Hell's Paradise (both MAPPA), Dandadan (Science Saru), Kaiju No. 8 (Production I.G) and The Elusive Samurai (CloverWorks) are the most-cited rivals for pure visual spectacle.
Are there other demon-hunting anime set in historical Japan?
Yes — Dororo (feudal-era demon slaying), Hell's Paradise (Edo-period dark fantasy) and The Elusive Samurai (1333 Kamakura period) all pair period-Japan settings with supernatural action.
What should I watch right after finishing Demon Slayer?
In 2026 the timing is ideal for Jujutsu Kaisen (Season 3 aired January-March 2026), Hell's Paradise (Season 2 aired January-March 2026) and Fire Force, whose final season wrapped in Winter 2026.
What are the shortest shows with the same vibe?
Chainsaw Man (12 episodes), Hell's Paradise Season 1 (13 episodes) and Dandadan Season 1 (12 episodes) each deliver the dark-supernatural-shonen feel in a single weekend binge; Dororo is a complete story in 24.
📚 Sources
Cross-checked against: GameRant · CBR · Anime-Planet user recommendations. Last verified June 12, 2026.