Gleipnir captivated audiences with its visceral blend of body horror, high-stakes survival, and a uniquely codependent power dynamic between its leads. It subverted standard battle-shonen tropes by focusing on an underdog protagonist whose power literally requires someone else to “pilot” him, set against a dark world of monstrous secrets.
The following 15 series are underrated gems that mirror these themes of identity crises, supernatural evolution, and the blurred lines between human and monster.
1. Battle Game in 5 Seconds (2021)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 6.75
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: SynergySP, Vega Entertainment
- Plot: Akira is a genius gamer abducted into a death game where participants are given unique “programs” to fight each other. He must outsmart opponents using a power that only works based on what the opponent thinks his power is.
- Similarities: Like Gleipnir, it features a tactical “survival game” setting where an ordinary boy is thrust into a supernatural conflict.
2. Darwin’s Game (2020)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- MAL Rating: 7.22
- Episodes: 11
- Studio/Staff: Nexus
- Plot: Kaname unknowingly joins a mobile game where players fight to the death using supernatural “Sigils.” He soon allies with a ruthless girl named Shuka to survive the urban battlefield.
- Similarities: Both series feature a weak-to-strong protagonist pairing up with a lethal, dominant female lead in a hidden city-wide death match.
3. Killing Bites (2018)
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
- MAL Rating: 6.54
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: LIDENFILMS
- Plot: Human-animal hybrids participate in underground death matches funded by major corporations. The story follows a honey badger hybrid, Hitomi, and a timid student who becomes her unwilling “investor.”
- Similarities: It shares the “monster transformation” gimmick and high levels of “ecchi” and gore found in Gleipnir.
4. Juuni Taisen: Zodiac War (2017)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 6.53
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: Graphinica
- Plot: Twelve warriors representing the Chinese Zodiac fight a bloody battle royale where the winner is granted a single wish. Each warrior possesses unique physical enhancements or supernatural traits.
- Similarities: It mirrors the grim, “last man standing” atmosphere and the pursuit of power through supernatural combat.
5. Btooom! (2012)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- MAL Rating: 7.26
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: Madhouse
- Plot: Ryouta is a top-ranked gamer who wakes up on a deserted island forced to play a real-life version of his favorite bomb-based game. He must find allies and kill other players to collect enough chips to escape.
- Similarities: The series focuses on survivalist themes and a central duo whose trust is constantly tested by a cruel, external authority.
6. Ajin: Demi-Human (2016)
- Streaming: Netflix
- MAL Rating: 7.38
- Episodes: 13 (Season 1)
- Studio/Staff: Polygon Pictures
- Plot: Kei discovers he is an “Ajin,” an immortal being capable of summoning a powerful ghost-like entity called an “IBM.” He is forced to go on the run from the government and other extremist Ajin.
- Similarities: Features the concept of a “separate self” (the IBM) used for combat, similar to Shuichi’s monstrous transformation.
7. Deadman Wonderland (2011)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- MAL Rating: 7.13
- Episodes: 12 + OVA
- Studio/Staff: Manglobe
- Plot: Framed for his class’s murder, Ganta is sent to a private prison where inmates fight for survival using their blood as weapons. He meets Shiro, a mysterious girl who seems to know his hidden powers.
- Similarities: Both involve a framed or cursed protagonist and a deep, psychological bond with a mysterious female character.
8. Inuyashiki: Last Hero (2017)
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
- MAL Rating: 7.63
- Episodes: 11
- Studio/Staff: MAPPA
- Plot: An elderly man and a teenager are rebuilt into cyborgs by aliens; one chooses to be a hero while the other becomes a mass murderer. The series explores how newfound power reveals a person’s true nature.
- Similarities: Explores the “monster within” theme and the consequences of sudden, god-like power in modern society.
9. Cencoroll (2009)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll (Cencoroll Connect)
- MAL Rating: 6.95
- Episodes: 1 (Movie/Short)
- Studio/Staff: Anime Innovation Tokyo
- Plot: In a town where strange monsters appear, a boy named Tetsu has the ability to control one. A curious girl named Yuki discovers his secret and becomes his “co-pilot” during battles.
- Similarities: Directly mirrors the “girl pilots the monster” dynamic central to Gleipnir.
10. Talentless Nana (2020)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 7.20
- Episodes: 13
- Studio/Staff: Bridge
- Plot: On an island school for superpowered teens, students are being murdered one by one. The story follows Nana, a seemingly sweet girl tasked with eliminating these “enemies of humanity.”
- Similarities: Subverts expectations and explores the moral ambiguity of characters who aren’t what they seem.
11. Jouran: The Princess of Snow and Blood (2021)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 6.30
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: Bakken Record
- Plot: In an alternate 1930s Japan, a woman named Sawa seeks revenge for her family’s murder using blue-blood powers that allow her to transform. She works for a secret government organization to hunt down dissidents.
- Similarities: Shares the gritty, revenge-driven tone and supernatural “transformation for combat” elements.
12. Boogiepop Phantom (2000)
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 7.18
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: Madhouse
- Plot: A pillar of light appears in a city, followed by a series of strange disappearances and urban legends. The story is told through nonlinear perspectives, focusing on the entity known as Boogiepop.
- Similarities: Captures the eerie, supernatural mystery atmosphere where high schoolers deal with monstrous forces.
13. Revisions (2019)
- Streaming: Netflix
- MAL Rating: 6.10
- Episodes: 12
- Studio/Staff: Shirogumi
- Plot: Five students are transported 300 years into the future and must pilot mechanical “String Puppets” to fight an alien race. One boy, Daisuke, has lived his whole life believing he is the “chosen one” to protect them.
- Similarities: Focuses on a codependent relationship with machinery/monsters and the psychological toll of being a “protector.”
14. Akame ga Kill! (2014)
- Streaming: Hulu, Crunchyroll
- MAL Rating: 7.47
- Episodes: 24
- Studio/Staff: White Fox
- Plot: A country boy joins a group of assassins called Night Raid to overthrow a corrupt government. They use “Teigu,” powerful artifacts that often require a physical or psychological toll from the user.
- Similarities: Known for its brutal violence, high stakes, and characters who must sacrifice their humanity to win.
15. Devilman Crybaby (2018)
- Streaming: Netflix
- MAL Rating: 7.75
- Episodes: 10
- Studio/Staff: Science SARU
- Plot: Sensitive Akira Fudo merges with a demon to save his friend, becoming “Devilman.” He must use his new demonic strength to fight other demons while trying to retain his human heart.
- Similarities: The definitive “man-to-monster” story that explores the same dark, existential horror found in Gleipnir.
Why These Anime Work for Gleipnir Fans
These series resonate with Gleipnir fans because they emphasize the duality of the protagonist and the weight of supernatural power. Whether it is through the literal transformation of Killing Bites or the psychological survival games of Darwin’s Game, these shows explore characters who must rely on a “monstrous” side to protect what they love. They often feature a similar narrative tension where the protagonist’s survival is tied to a complex, often toxic, partnership with a more capable but morally grey ally.
