Delve Into Other Dangerous Environments In Other Anime
Made In Abyss became the 2018 Anime of the Year during the second annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards Show for its detailed world, colorful characters, and soothing soundtrack. Not only are fans excited for its next season, but the series has spawned three different movies. The first two movies are recaps, while the third is a sequel to the first season’s anime. The story follows Riko, a young cave raider who discovers a robot boy named Reg during her abyss expedition. After engaging in some conversation with Reg, Riko decides to travel down the abyss’s deepest layers to uncover the secrets behind Reg and the whereabouts of her long-lost mother. If you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Made In Abyss, fear not! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Made In Abyss. For your reading pleasure, we have included the similarities they all share. Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Made In Abyss!
The Promised Neverland
Similarities – Plot Twists & Stellar Mystery
Although Made In Abyss wasn’t the first anime to place children in dangerous circumstances, the scenes inserted into the anime left a mark on most anime fans. The Promised Neverland, despite its focus on mystery than gore, also had fans on the edge of their seat. Like Made In Abyss, The Promised Neverland delivers an expansive world filled with demonic-like creatures. Danger looms over the heads of the child protagonists’ in every corner. Despite being children, the kids in both series are intelligent, cunning, and skilled enough to traverse their worlds. The Promised Neverland takes place in an orphanage called the Grace Field House. This house is home to many orphans, who must complete rather complex tests while awaiting the day they’ll one day be a part of a loving family. However, the three oldest siblings, Emma, Norman, and Ray, grow suspicious of their living predicaments. This results in two of them leaving the orphanage one night to investigate. Upon their investigation, these two children will soon realize that their fairy tale endgame is nowhere near as grand as they’ve heard. As mentioned earlier, The Promised Neverland’s plot will keep everyone on their toes. Like Made In Abyss, this series takes many twists and turns that many will least expect. If you enjoy the mystery aspect of Made In Abyss’s abyss so far, The Promised Neverland promises to deliver as good of a puzzle.
Girls Last Tour
Similarities – Adventure & Exploration
Based on its promotional image alone, one would assume that Girls’ Last Tour is a comfy anime about two girls hanging out in a military facility. While that assumption isn’t entirely incorrect, the environment the girls traverse in the anime details the aftermath of an event that’s beyond happy-go-lucky. As with Made In Abyss, Girls’ Last Tour blends its character’s adorable aesthetic with a dark and mysterious world. While both anime feature these characters in lighthearted scenarios, they’re not afraid to flip their cozy atmosphere on its back. Girls’ Last Tour follows two girls named Chito and Yuuri as they travel through the remains of a dead civilization, whose demise was brought about by a past war. While exploring and searching for resources, Chito and Yuuri reflect on the city’s past to pass the time. While both series thrive off exploration and companionship, Girls’ Last Tour’s main takeaway is more in line with clinging to hope than being engulfed in despair. Although this paints Girls’ Last Tour as a cheerful tale, the remnants of Chito and Yuuri’s past will challenge them during their travels. This means fans should expect some emotionally dramatic scenes to occur.
Hunter X Hunter
Similarities – Plot & Imaginative Settings
Hunter X Hunter is one of Shōnen Jump’s dormant franchises and is beloved by many fans. Although the manga’s still ongoing, the series continues to surprise fans with its ensemble cast, clever twists, and insertion of new ideas. This epic journey follows the adventures of Gon Freecss, the son of a famous Hunter, and his quest to follow in his father’s footsteps. His journey is wrought with dangerous foes and incredible challenges that’ll put Gon at his limit. Like Riko, Gon will encounter well-rounded and cunning individuals with extraordinary physiques and power. Despite having an ally or two to aid them, both characters undergo traumatic circumstances that’ll cause harm to their joyous personas. Although the wildlife and environments in Made In Abyss are more imaginative and grand, Hunter X Hunter has a fair share of creature designs that’ll leave many viewers perplexed or disturbed. If you’re looking for something that features more Shōnen tropes but captures the same atmosphere as Made In Abyss, Hunter X Hunter’s worth watching.
Kaiba
Similarities – Tone & Story
Despite looking like they both came out of Walt Disney’s desk, Kaiba and Made In Abyss tackle mature themes meant to be indulged by older audiences. With its excellent world-building, distinct art style and amazing OST, Kaiba promises to deliver in every regard. The protagonist, Kaiba, awakens with a gaping hole in his stomach and no memory of his past life. Upon discovering a locket and photo of a girl, Kaiba seeks to traverse the solar system, find this mysterious girl, and get some answers regarding his past. Like Reg and Riko, memory loss and discovery are the ideas that serve as the crux behind Kaiba’s travels throughout the solar system. These travels will take him to multiple locations, each housing danger and mystery around every corner. Despite Kaiba having a more futuristic atmosphere in comparison, the raw feelings of dread and sadness will pop up many times in the series.
The Place Further Than The Universe
Similarities – Setting & Characters
When an adventure anime can capture the dangerous and exciting sensation of exploring an environment for the first time, you’d know you’re in for a treat. As with Made In Abyss, The Place Further Than The Universe delivers a breathtaking world filled with wonder and delight. This anime follows a group of high school girls that embark on a trip to Antarctica. While three of them only wish to have a fun time, one girl named Shirase Kobuchizawa aims to find her lost mother. As one can tell, the memories of a lost relative fuels Shirase’s passion for her expedition. Both series also cover themes concerning friendship and grief while dedicating some scenes depicting their characters in a lighthearted situation. While Made In Abyss’s tone gets darker as it progresses, unlike The Place Further Than The Universe, the feeling of curiosity shines through for both series.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Similarities – Supernatural & Companionship
The Ancient Magus’ Bride was a sleeper hit when it was released due to its fantastical setting and focus on romance between its protagonists. While it’s not as adventurous as Made In Abyss, The Ancient Magus’ Bride provided fans with enough mystical elements to keep them engaged. The Ancient Magus’ Bride is about a slave girl named Chise Hatori, who is sold to a mysterious magician named Eins Ainsworth during an annual auction. To Chise’s surprise, Eins doesn’t want to cause her any harm. He only wishes for her to become his apprentice and future wife. Not wanting to disappoint her new master, Chise accepts his offer, and the two embark on a spiritual quest filled with romance and astonishment. While romance sounds like The Ancient Magus’ Bride’s main focus, the series does provide enough magical and fantastical material. Like Made In Abyss, The Ancient Magus’ Bride features spectacular creature designs and beautifully animated visuals to help viewers immerse themselves with the story. The companionship that blossoms between Eins and Chise also resembles the growing friendship between Riko and Reg, especially in scenes where one wishes to protect the other from harm. Also Chise and Riko both share similar abandonment issues concerning their relatives.
Attack On Titan
Similarities – Fantastical World & Violence
Attack On Titan and Made In Abyss may appear different from an art style angle, but both ooze hardship and turmoil regarding the worlds they inhabit. The characters in both series encounter monstrous beasts whose purpose is to make their lives miserable or end them entirely. Attack On Titan takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humans live in isolated communities behind large solid walls. The reason is to protect themselves from man-eating monstrous humanoid creatures called Titans. Their last hope lies with the Survey Corps–a military unit trained to guard humanity from Titans. As one can tell, Attack On Titan’s world is a playground for those that love crafting theories or speculating. The series also likes to delve into its characters’ psyche, allowing for grand development and progression. Attack On Titan is also an absurdly violent anime like Made In Abyss and should give fans of the action genre a phenomenal time. You can read our thoughts on Attack On Titan in our full-season review here!
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Similarities – Shock Value & Dark Imagery
Shock factor is a key similarity between Made In Abyss and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Both appear as if fans will attain a joyous tale that wouldn’t involve characters getting injured or worse. While Made In Abyss’s world is more expansive, Madoka Magica has a tighter focus on characterization. In Madoka Magica, characters face mind-numbing scenarios that are more realistic than those dealt with in Made In Abyss. The witches in Madoka Magica have distinctly abstract designs, unlike the more eldritch horror art-style approach Made In Abyss takes with its beasts. Even still, both Made Magica and Made In Abyss are anime that will surprise fans, for the better or worse. Madoka Magica follows middle school girls Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki, stalked by a mysterious girl named Homura Akemi. During their getaway, they encounter a mysterious cat-like organism named Kyubey. Kyubey offers them an opportunity to become magical girls and informs them that he’ll grant them one wish. Madoka and Sayaka accept its offer and become magical girls. While it sounded nice on paper, the two would later learn that accepting Kyubey’s deal was a terrible decision. While different in premise, Madoka Magica and Made In Abyss are series that will subvert your expectations. They both feature disfigured characters, place children in near-death situations, and continuously grow darker.
School-Live!
Similarities – Tone & Mood
Like other deceptive anime before it, School-Live! is a series that shocked most anime fans. Everyone expected a kind-hearted anime that’d discuss the lives of highschool girls participating in exciting club-like activities. Instead, like Made In Abyss, they received a series that delved into death, hopelessness, and grief. School-Live! is a series best experienced without any knowledge going into it. It’s a series that does a fine job at blending its colorful characters in dark, depressing settings. Although the series doesn’t expand upon its scope in the same vein as Made In Abyss, the areas it displays will leave viewers feeling an ounce of dread. Even when School-Live!’s characters aim to lighten the mood with fun activities and cheerful dialogue, there’s always this uneasy feeling looming over them.
Similarities – Themes & Setting
Now and Then, Here and There follows Shuu Matsutani, a passionate kendo warrior who attempts to save a girl named Lala-Ru from harm. Unfortunately, he is transported to a strange desert world where water is not available. Shuu ventures out to save Lala-Ru and bring peace back to this new desolate world. Like Made In Abyss, Now and Then, Here and There thrusts innocent children into a dangerous, bone-chilling world. This forces the child protagonists to think more like adults as they need to conjure up clever ways to survive. The worlds depicted in both shows are gloomy and cruel, further heightening the tension during both’s intensely dramatic scenes. The characters will attempt to cling to happy thoughts despite the world around them replicating similar emotions. Now and Then, Here and There is a series that tackles and maintains a proper use of themes like war and exploitation. If you enjoy anime that features warm-hearted characters traversing a deadly but intriguing world, Now and Then, Here and There will surprise you! So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Made In Abyss! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!