Tasūketsu (2024) captivates with its deadly survival game, moral ambiguity, and psychologically charged alliances.
These underrated picks share its DNA of high-stakes tension, underdog resilience, and narrative unpredictability—yet remain overlooked.
1. Future Diary (Mirai Nikki) (2011)
Streaming: Hulu, Crunchyroll
Plot: Teens wield future-predicting diaries in a battle royale orchestrated by a god.
Similarities: Twisted alliances, trust-betrayal dynamics, and a morally gray protagonist.
Details: 26 episodes | MAL 7.5 | Studio: Asread (Elfen Lied)
2. Deadman Wonderland (2011)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: A framed teen fights in a prison’s lethal games using blood-manipulating powers.
Similarities: Brutal survival mechanics and systemic oppression.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 6.8 | Studio: Manglobe (Samurai Champloo)
3. Danganronpa: The Animation (2013)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: Students trapped in a school must kill classmates to escape, unraveling a mastermind’s plot.
Similarities: Voting systems, classmate distrust, and escalating paranoia.
Details: 13 episodes | MAL 7.0 | Studio: Lerche (Assassination Classroom)
4. Btooom! (2012)
Streaming: HiDive
Plot: A gamer is forced into a real-life replication of his bomb-throwing survival game.
Similarities: Game-to-reality stakes and tactical teamwork.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 6.9 | Notable: Adapted from a cult manga.
5. Juuni Taisen (2017)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: Twelve warriors battle to the death, each representing a zodiac sign.
Similarities: High-concept elimination battles and morally complex motives.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 6.5 | Studio: Graphinica (Hellsing Ultimate)
6. King’s Game (2017)
Streaming: HiDive
Plot: A class obeys deadly phone commands or faces supernatural executions.
Similarities: Majority-rules mortality and chaotic group dynamics.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 4.5 | Studio: Seven (exclusive to HiDive)
7. Gleipnir (2020)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: A boy transforms into a mascot-like creature, aiding a girl seeking her sister’s killer.
Similarities: Mystery-driven survival and body-horror powers.
Details: 13 episodes | MAL 6.6 | Studio: Pine Jam (Just Because!)
8. Darwin’s Game (2020)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: A mobile app forces players into lethal battles using unique “Sigils.”
Similarities: Power-based strategy and factional warfare.
Details: 11 episodes | MAL 7.0 | Studio: Nexus (Granbelm)
9. Magical Girl Raising Project (2016)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: Magical girls are culled in a battle royale after a system glitch.
Similarities: Subverted idealism and ruthless elimination pacing.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 6.7 | Studio: Lerche
10. Selector Infected WIXOSS (2014)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: A card game grants wishes but corrupts players into emotional warfare.
Similarities: Psychological erosion and hidden game master tropes.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 7.0 | Studio: J.C.Staff (Toradora!)
11. Akudama Drive (2020)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: Criminals execute a heist in a cyberpunk dystopia, facing lethal consequences.
Similarities: Fast-paced moral ambiguity and anarchic teamwork.
Details: 12 episodes | MAL 7.6 | Studio: Pierrot (Bleach)
12. Kakegurui (2017)
Streaming: Netflix
Plot: A elite school’s hierarchy is disrupted by a gambling-obsessed transfer student.
Similarities: High-risk psychological duels and power hierarchy subversion.
Details: 24 episodes | MAL 7.2 | Studio: MAPPA (Chainsaw Man)
13. Terror in Resonance (2014)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: Teen terrorists challenge authorities with cryptic puzzles, exposing systemic rot.
Similarities: Cat-and-mouse tension and ethical ambiguity.
Details: 11 episodes | MAL 7.9 | Director: Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop)
14. Shiki (2010)
Streaming: HiDive
Plot: A village’s vampire outbreak forces residents into morally fraught survival choices.
Similarities: Majority-vs-minority conflict and ethical decay.
Details: 22 episodes | MAL 7.7 | Studio: Daume (Haibane Renmei)
15. Angels of Death (2018)
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Plot: A girl allies with a serial killer to escape a deadly facility’s floor-based trials.
Similarities: Unconventional partnerships and claustrophobic game structures.
Details: 16 episodes | MAL 6.4 | Studio: J.C.Staff
Why These Anime Work for Tasūketsu Fans
These series mirror Tasūketsu’s strengths: moral gray zones, innovative power systems, and narratives where trust is a liability. Lesser-known titles like Selector Infected WIXOSS and Juuni Taisen prioritize psychological depth over spectacle, while Shiki and Terror in Resonance dissect systemic cruelty. For fans craving survival-game tension with emotional weight, these hidden gems deliver.
