Attack on Titan’sreign as an anime phenomenon is complete. The manga finished in 2021, and the anime adaptation aired its final episode in November 2023. The journey is done, and it was an incredible ride that sparked discourse every step of the way. Regardless of whether someone loves or dislikes the series,AoT’s impact cannot be denied.
For the first time since 2013, the future does not hold any newAttack on Titananime content; luckily, there are plenty of other anime out there with similar premises or vibes. If one had to place this anime into a set of categories, they would include horror, action, and Kaiju. Unexpected death is also kind of a theme. What anime fit these perimeters and are any of them as good as or even better thanAttack on Titan?
Updated July 31, 2025 by Mark Sammut:There will probably never come a time when Attack on Titan will once again be part of a seasonal lineup. Consequently, fans looking for something towatch during Winter 2025will need to prioritizeanime like Attack on Titan.
Does Winter 2025 Have Any Anime That Might Fill An AOT-Shaped Void?
A new season has arrived, meaning roughly 40 anime will be airing episodes over the next three months.Winter 2025has a pretty decent line in the grand scheme of things, although it is not quite as impressive as most of its immediate predecessors. At this point,Attack on Titanis becoming a distant memory, and the series will likely never feature in a seasonal lineup again. Consequently, fans will need to look elsewhere to get their fill.
Does Winter 2025 have anyanime likeAttack on Titan? On paper, the answer is closer to “no” than “yes.” However, there are a couple of shows that might be able to scratch similar itches.
An isekai series might not seem like a natural pick for ananime likeAoT, butRe:Zerois something of an exception. In fact, the two shows have quite a few things in common, even if the latter lacks an equivalent to Titans. For one, both stories feature protagonists who are considerably weaker than their enemies, at least at first.
Subaru not only finds himself in a fantasy world where magic and monsters exist but also in the crosshairs of powerful reality-altering witches who treat humans as playthings. Except for a time-loop ability triggered by death, Subaru has no abilities and must rely on his wits and allies to survive ordeals that are just as terrifying as Titans. Similar toAoT,Re:Zerois a fantasy anime that incorporates elements of psychological horror and is more than willing to put its heroes through absolute hell.
Kaiju No. 8shares a lot of things in common withAttack on Titan. Both series feature protagonists who, as kids, experienced tragedies at the hands of massive monsters, motivating them to try and annihilate them as adults. Furthermore, both main characters earn the ability to transform into variants of these monsters. Most importantly, humanity’s defense force arrives in the form of soldiers equipped with special weapons that can neutralize kaiju (or, at least, level the playing field), and they prioritize teamwork.
Despite all these similarities,Kaiju No. 8is hardly a clone ofAoT. For one thing, Kafka has a completely different personality than Eren, with the former being far more comedic. He is also in his early 30s and has plenty of vulnerabilities as a cadet, and he must also keep his transformation a secret.Kaiju No. 8is fun, energetic, and well-animated, making it one of the betteranime likeAoTon the market.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortressis set in a steampunk version of a classic samurai anime. The land has been overrun with what are basically zombies and most of humanity tries to survive within walled cities or on armored trains.
Tetsuro Araki, the director of this series, was also in charge of most of the anime adaptation ofAttack on Titan. That’s why this series has a very similar vibe toAoT, and why fans of the latter are likely to enjoy it. Beyond that,Kabaneridelivers constantly fantastic action and animation, with fluid and intense fight sequences that can rival most other shows. The story loses steam as it goes along, but it remains fairly entertaining for the most part.
Neon Genesis Evangelionis one of the most well-regarded anime of all time. It only had one season but has lived on through manga adaptations, video games, and reboot movies. The last of which can be streamed on Amazon, whereas the original series is on Netflix.
NGEtakes place in a future wherein angels keep attacking Earth and the only ones who can stop them are angsty teenagers in giant mechs. It has a lot of themes shared withAttack on Titan(child soldiers being the most obvious), and both shows dive into the psyches of their heroes and antagonists.Similar toAoT,NGEinitially seems to be a fairlyconventional mecha anime, only to steadily become more character-driven and psychological. ByEnd of Evangelion, the story is fully transformed into a surreal nightmare.
Based on PlatinumGames and Yoko Taro’s peculiar action JRPG,NieR:Automata Ver1.1aadapts the source material while taking a few twists along the way. Although prone to overcomplication at times, the story is quite gripping as it explores the emptiness of war through a conflict between androids and machines. When the latter invaded Earth, the former were created by humanity to take back the planet. However, that was a long time ago, and things are no longer as they seem.
Similar toAoT,NieR:Automata Ver1.1abalances action, drama, and mystery well.2B and 9S’sdynamic serves as the narrative’s emotional core, helping ground the story and add a human touch despite both of them being android soldiers. Assuming somebody has not played the game, this anime can be quite a ride in terms of reveals and twists.
Attack on Titan’s brilliance lies in its willingness to break its characters. Eren, Mikasa, and company have been through absolute hell, and these experiences have steadily changed them in both positive and negative ways. In many ways,AoTis a war story, which puts it right in line with86 Eighty-Six.
For years, two powerful states have waged war using robots, with the Republic claiming to suffer no casualties since their machines are autonomous; however, in truth, these mecha are piloted by people who have been rejected by the wider society. These fighters are known as the 86, and they are treated as disposable pawns.86 Eighty-Sixfocuses primarily on its characters, crafting an anime that is driven by the soldiers' personal struggles rather than their heroics. The story also examines the political and social backdrops of both nations, while also exploring things like propaganda.
An all-time (modern) classic,Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodsits alongsideAttack on Titanas a staple gateway anime, arguably even dethroning older series likeDragon Ball Z,Sailor Moon, andCowboy Bebop. The show is of such high quality that it is basically an automatic recommendation for any anime fan, be it newcomers who are looking to sample the medium’s offerings or people who have been around for years but have yet to experience the Elrics' adventure.
That said,FMA:BandAoTshare more things in common than just mainstream appeal. Both series explore human experimentation, obsession, and grief. While not always the focus, they also envision complex political climates and touch upon philosophical themes. Last but not least, both anime have fantastic characters, action, world-building, and animation.
AlongsideAttack on Titan,My Hero Academia,Jujutsu Kaisen, and the eternalOne Piece,Demon Slayeris the most popular battle shonen anime of the last decade. LikeAoT,Kimetsu no Yaibahas helped raise the bar in terms of visual spectacle, with ufotable pulling out all the stops to ensure the adaptation not only does justice to themanga source materialbut also improves upon it. If nothing else,Demon Slayernails its fights, which are arguably even better thanAoT’s battles, even if they cannot quite match the latter’s scale.
The shows' similarities go beyond just high production value as well since both stories revolve around humans fighting an uphill battle against a supernatural-themed threat that, initially, seems impossible to overcome. Similar to the Survey Corps, the Hashira are humanity’s (secret) offensive force tasked with stopping demons, and both professions tend to be death sentences.
Gurren Lagannis amech-based animewith humans going underground due to beastmen taking over the surface. They are literally animal-like humans, but they also have mechs.
One day, the citizens below get restless, break out, and attempt to reclaim the surface world. The premise may sound similar to otheranime likeAttack on Titan, butGurren Lagannthrows out a twist toward the end of its first arc that changes the story’s tone moving forward. There is more to these beastmen than meets the eye.
A disappointing second season has madeThe Promised Neverlandsomewhat difficult to recommend, but the anime’s first cour is still top-notch and ends on a satisfying enough note for it to stand on its own. Taking place within an orphanage under the rule of Mother, two children find out that their “adopted” friends are being sold off to demons as food.
From this point, an intense struggle for survival begins as the children attempt to leave the orphanage before their time is up.The Promised Neverlandhas the same looming sense of doom asAttack on Titan.
