The past few years have proven that adult animation is back and bigger than ever, with hit series such as Arcane, Blue Eyed Samurai, and Castlevania making waves among fans. There are plenty of reasons why animation is slowly building in popularity among older audiences, though one overarching point fans can agree on is animation’s ability to bring complex settings to life without reliance on heavy CGI that can take away from the watching experience. Nobody enjoys having poorly placed special effects or awkward fight sequences in the middle of an otherwise good live-action show, and animation handles a lot of those issues by simply cutting them out altogether.
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One of the recent animated hits in the adult sphere is Hazbin Hotel, an indie project that gained traction on YouTube before being green-lit for its own official production on Prime Video. The series is set in Hell with a colorful cast of characters, including Charlie Morningstar, the daughter of the literal devil, who aims to redeem sinners and send them to Heaven. With Hazbin Hotel’s second season recently coming to a close, fans are looking for a new series to watch in the interim of waiting for season three. I’ve compiled a list of five anime series that Hazbin Hotel fans might like based on vibes, visuals, character design, and overall narrative; consider giving them a watch if any stick out to you, because most of these shows are just as good, if not better.
5) Angels of Death
It’s no longer rare to find a darker, grittier anime series that doesn’t skimp on gore or morally grey main characters, but Angels of Death debuted during a time when it certainly wasn’t as common. Released back in 2018, the show was the first of a wave of modern seinen, containing a single season with only 16 total episodes. Angels of Death is an adaptation of a video game series, and due to a lack of content, there’s no real promise for a second season ever debuting, making this series a guaranteed quick watch.
The premise of Angels of Death starts with Rachel, a young girl who wakes up alone in a strange building with no memory of her past or how she arrived there. Rachel quickly learns of the danger surrounding her when she teams up with Zack, a disturbed serial killer who promises Rachel an escape through death if she helps him get out of their eerie containment. Angels of Death features a series of masters which serve as bosses for the main duo to face as they progress through the numerous floors. While there’s definitely plenty of violence, it’s important to note that Angels of Death addresses deeper themes such as trauma, codependency, and human nature.
4) Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man has easily gained a reputation as one of the best modern battle shonen series of the last five years. It’s included among the Dark Trio, a group of shonen anime that were published in Shonen Jump and known for their complex themes (this includes Jujutsu Kaisen and Hell’s Paradise). Chainsaw Man was originally released in 2022 and is still awaiting an official second season; however, the series did just have a theatrical release this past fall with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
The plot of Chainsaw Man revolves around teenager Denji, who is out of his luck, paying off his father’s debt by working with Yakuza members to hunt down Devils. This all changes when Denji dies and is brought back by his pet Devil-dog, Pochita, who merges with Denji and grants him the power to transform into the powerful Chainsaw Devil. The anime does not lack in graphic violence, intense battle sequences, and plenty of gore, as its title might imply. There’s also a really fun cast of main characters, particularly the trio of Denji, Rocket, and Aki, who work together to take down dangerous Devils deemed a threat to humanity.
3) Apocalypse Hotel
One of the most underrated anime shows of the last of couple years is easily Apocalypse Hotel, a fun take on the sci-fi genre that stands out among the typical space opera style series we tend to get. This anime debuted in April 2025 and has 12 episodes in its single season, with no current news on a second season in the making. It’s got some of the most stunning animation and art I’ve seen in recent years, with every frame feeling warm and almost nostalgic, making it such a visually appealing watch through.
The storyline behind Apocalypse Hotel is centered around a hotel located on a now-abandoned Earth, with humanity forced to leave after the planet becomes mostly uninhabitable to life. The hotel is run by a cast of androids and robots who eagerly maintain the hotel grounds and wait for the day humans return to populate the hotel and bring life back to its halls. There are a lot of philosophical undertones to this series that focus on the meaning of human nature, community, change, and finding purpose. Each episode feels almost self-contained despite the continuation of a main plot line throughout.
2) Death Parade
Death Parade is an often overlooked and underappreciated anime series from the mid-2010s that focuses on the concept of purgatory. The show was released back in 2015 and had a single season containing only 12 episodes before coming to a close; the series was based on the short film, Death Billiards, which was originally part of an animation project that took place in 2013. This series is very character-driven and focused, with most of its progress told through the changes and choices the main cast makes throughout the show. It focuses heavily on themes of redemption, free will and personal choice, trauma, and healing.
In Death Parade, the plot takes place in Quendecim, a mysterious bar that acts as a sort of purgatory holding for the souls of the recently deceased who must be judged before moving on. Decim acts as the bartender and judge, holding a series of Death Games meant to reveal the inner darkness and turmoil of each soul before they’re summarily sent to their eternal afterlife. Death Parade is all about the workings of human nature and morality, playing with the idea of competition in order to obtain a better afterlife and a chance at reincarnation. It’s a unique concept that no other anime has ever truly tackled before, with a great way of blending comedy, drama, and the supernatural into one.
1) Dandadan
Dandadan is probably one of the biggest anime hits of the past year, growing in popularity and acclaim among the anime community pretty quickly after its initial release. The show debuted in 2024 and already had its second season released back in September 2025; the anime’s success has led to a third season already being green-lit, though no official release date has been stated yet. This series is a unique blend of science fiction, supernatural, action, and comedy genres, combined to create a really fun, fresh vibe that stands out among other contemporary titles.
The anime’s general plot focuses on two high school students who become unlikely friends due to their respective beliefs in the supernatural, namely aliens and ghosts, respectively. Looking to prove each other’s beliefs right or wrong, the two students end up entrenched in supernatural shenanigans when one of them is abducted by aliens, and the other is possessed by a powerful spirit. Dandadan might focus on things like ghosts, aliens, and possession, but at its heart, there’s a really emotional story of friendship and the importance of finding a person who accepts you for who you are.
Have you seen any of these anime series before? Tell us which anime show you’d compare to Hazbin Hotel in the comments below.
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