Darker than Black, released in 2007, follows Hei, a contractor with supernatural abilities navigating a shadowy world of espionage, assassinations, and moral ambiguity in a dystopian Tokyo. At its core, the series explores intricate power systems where abilities come at a personal cost, underdog protagonists rising against oppressive forces, and subversions of expectations through episodic noir storytelling that builds to profound revelations.
These 15 underrated anime deserve more attention for echoing these elements—offering dark atmospheres, complex characters, and innovative narratives—while often flying under the radar compared to mainstream hits, providing fresh takes on supernatural intrigue and human resilience.
1. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom (2009)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Amazon Prime Video
- Brief Plot Summary: A young man awakens with amnesia and is brainwashed into becoming an assassin named Zwei for a criminal syndicate called Inferno, forming a tense partnership with fellow killer Ein as he seeks to reclaim his identity.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Like Hei’s dual life as an assassin with hidden emotions, Zwei grapples with identity loss and moral dilemmas in a noir world of organized crime and superhuman feats, subverting expectations through psychological depth and power dynamics without overt superpowers.
- MAL Rating: 7.92
- Episode Count: 26
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Koichi Mashimo (Bee Train studio), based on a visual novel by Gen Urobuchi (known for Fate/Zero)
- Awards/Recognition: Praised for its character development but remains underappreciated, with no major awards
2. Boogiepop Phantom (2000)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Pluto TV, RetroCrush
- Brief Plot Summary: In a city plagued by mysterious disappearances, high school students encounter the enigmatic Boogiepop, an urban legend tied to supernatural events and evolving human abilities following a pillar of light.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Mirrors the episodic, noir mystery of contractors awakening powers, with underdog characters subverting horror tropes through psychological horror and themes of hidden identities in a distorted urban landscape.
- MAL Rating: 7.15
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Produced by Madhouse, directed by Takashi Watanabe with screenplay by Sadayuki Murai
- Awards/Recognition: Cult classic based on light novels, influential in psychological anime but no formal awards
3. Wolf’s Rain (2003)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll (limited regions), Roku Channel
- Brief Plot Summary: Four wolves disguised as humans embark on a perilous journey to find Paradise, guided by the scent of a mythical Lunar Flower, while evading human hunters in a dying world.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Shares underdog protagonists with hidden abilities (shape-shifting) in a post-apocalyptic setting, subverting adventure tropes with emotional depth and power systems tied to survival instincts, akin to Hei’s quiet determination.
- MAL Rating: 7.79
- Episode Count: 26 (plus 4 OVAs)
- Notable Staff/Studio: Studio Bones, created by Keiko Nobumoto (Cowboy Bebop writer) with music by Yoko Kanno
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Best TV Series at Tokyo Anime Awards (2004)
4. Towa no Quon (2011)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE, Amazon Prime Video (limited), Crunchyroll (select regions)
- Brief Plot Summary: Quon, an immortal leader of superpowered “Attractors,” protects others like him from a secret organization hunting them in a futuristic Tokyo, uncovering his own ancient origins.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Echoes power systems where abilities awaken unpredictably, with underdog heroes subverting sci-fi norms through themes of protection and hidden societies, much like Hei’s syndicate battles.
- MAL Rating: 7.50 (for part 4; series averages ~7.4)
- Episode Count: 6 movies (total ~4.5 hours)
- Notable Staff/Studio: Directed by Umanosuke Iida (Bones studio)
- Awards/Recognition: None major, but noted for fluid animation in action sequences
5. Code: Breaker (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation
- Brief Plot Summary: High school girl Sakura discovers her classmate Rei is a “Code: Breaker,” a government assassin with flame powers who eliminates evildoers, drawing her into his world of vigilante justice.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Features contractors-like power systems with costs (e.g., moral erosion), underdog assassins subverting shonen expectations through dark, consequence-heavy narratives.
- MAL Rating: 6.71
- Episode Count: 13
- Notable Staff/Studio: Kinema Citrus studio, based on manga by Akimine Kamijyo
- Awards/Recognition: None, often overlooked despite strong action elements
6. Witch Hunter Robin (2002)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Roku Channel
- Brief Plot Summary: Teenage witch Robin joins a secret organization to hunt awakened witches whose powers manifest genetically, but her own abilities make her a target in a shadowy conspiracy.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Parallels the noir hunt for powered individuals, with Robin as an underdog subverting hunter tropes through personal growth and ethical dilemmas in a secretive world.
- MAL Rating: 7.24
- Episode Count: 26
- Notable Staff/Studio: Sunrise studio, directed by Shuko Murase
- Awards/Recognition: Won Best Original Anime at Tokyo International Anime Fair (2003)
7. Speed Grapher (2005)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll (limited)
- Brief Plot Summary: Photographer Tatsumi gains the power to explode anything he captures on film after infiltrating a secret club, using it to expose corruption in a dystopian society.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Power systems activated by unique triggers (like contractors’ costs), with an underdog journalist subverting thriller norms in a dark, urban underbelly.
- MAL Rating: 7.32
- Episode Count: 24
- Notable Staff/Studio: Gonzo studio, directed by Kunihisa Sugishima
- Awards/Recognition: None major, cult following for grotesque visuals
8. Dimension W (2016)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: In a future powered by infinite energy coils, collector Kyouma hunts illegal devices with android Mira, uncovering conspiracies tied to dimensional anomalies.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Sci-fi power systems with societal costs, underdog duo subverting action tropes through mystery and anti-hero dynamics1.
- MAL Rating: 7.08
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Studio 3Hz, based on manga by Yuji Iwahara
- Awards/Recognition: None, praised for world-building
9. Akudama Drive (2020)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Ordinary girl Swindler is mistaken for a criminal and joins a heist with superpowered “Akudama” in a cyberpunk dystopia, evading executioners.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Underdog criminals with unique powers in episodic chases, subverting crime genres with moral twists akin to Hei’s world1.
- MAL Rating: 7.58
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Studio Pierrot, directed by Tomohisa Taguchi
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Best Original Anime at Crunchyroll Awards (2021)
10. Eden of the East (2009)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Amnesiac Akira joins a game granting billions to save Japan, partnering with Saki to unravel his past and a larger conspiracy.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Amnesia-driven underdog with hidden powers subverting mystery tropes in a tech-noir setting.
- MAL Rating: 7.78
- Episode Count: 11 (plus movies)
- Notable Staff/Studio: Production I.G, directed by Kenji Kamiyama
- Awards/Recognition: Won Best TV Anime at Tokyo Anime Awards (2010)
11. Texhnolyze (2003)
- Streaming Availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: In underground city Lux, fighter Ichise gains cybernetic limbs and navigates gang wars and existential decay.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Bleak power systems (cybernetics) with underdogs subverting dystopian norms through silent, brooding narratives.
- MAL Rating: 7.76
- Episode Count: 22
- Notable Staff/Studio: Madhouse, directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki
- Awards/Recognition: Cult status, no major awards
12. From the New World (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- Brief Plot Summary: Children in a utopian society discover dark secrets about their psychokinetic powers and societal controls.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Awakening powers with heavy costs, underdogs subverting sci-fi expectations in a controlled world.
- MAL Rating: 8.28
- Episode Count: 25
- Notable Staff/Studio: A-1 Pictures, directed by Masashi Ishihama
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Best TV at Japan Media Arts Festival (2013)
13. Heavenly Delusion (2023)
- Streaming Availability: Hulu, Disney+
- Brief Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world, teens search for “heaven” amid monsters, blurring lines between human and beast.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Underdog survivors with mysterious abilities subverting horror through identity and trauma themes.
- MAL Rating: 8.20
- Episode Count: 13
- Notable Staff/Studio: Production I.G, directed by Hirotaka Mori
- Awards/Recognition: None yet, emerging cult hit
14. Ajin: Demi-Human (2016)
- Streaming Availability: Netflix
- Brief Plot Summary: Immortal “Ajin” Kei is hunted by the government after his powers awaken, allying with others to fight back.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Immortal power systems with underdog evasion, subverting action via ethical hunts.
- MAL Rating: 7.40
- Episode Count: 26
- Notable Staff/Studio: Polygon Pictures, directed by Hiroyuki Seshita
- Awards/Recognition: None, noted for CGI innovation
15. Blood Blockade Battlefront (2015)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation
- Brief Plot Summary: Photographer Leo joins a secret society in monster-filled Hellsalem’s Lot, using his eyes’ power to combat threats.
- Specific Similarities to Darker than Black: Urban power systems with underdog agency work, subverting chaos through episodic noir.
- MAL Rating: 7.62
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio: Bones, directed by Rie Matsumoto, based on manga by Yasuhiro Nightow
- Awards/Recognition: Nominated for Best Action at Crunchyroll Awards (2016)
Why These Anime Work for Darker than Black Fans
These series capture the essence of Darker than Black’s blend of supernatural powers, underdog resilience, and narrative subversions, often in underrated packages that emphasize psychological depth over spectacle. They offer fresh explorations of identity, morality, and hidden worlds, making them ideal for fans seeking more atmospheric, thought-provoking anime that challenge expectations while delivering engaging action and character arcs. If you enjoyed Hei’s shadowy journey, these hidden gems provide similar thrills with unique twists, proving there’s plenty more to discover beyond the mainstream.
