The survival genre has brought us many amazing shows such as Btooom! and Gantz. These anime have shown fans what it takes to survive unbelievable situations like alien attacks or when a corporation wants to play a sinister game. However, these two aren’t the only series that’ll help you navigate sticky situations. Here are five survival anime that’ll help you outlast your enemy.
Jyu-Oh-Sei: Planet of the Beast King
Thanks to technological advancements, humanity has left Earth to live in space colonies. Jyu-Oh-Sei: Planet of the Beast King follows 11-year-old twin brothers Thor and Rai Klein — who are banished by authorities to the prison planet Chimaera after finding their parents dead. Their new home is overrun by carnivorous plants and dangerous wildlife. Despite this, there are four communities, or “Rings,” who live on the deadly planet. Only the person who conquers all four Rings, the Jyu Oh Sei (Beast King), is allowed to leave Chimaera.
With a path home now in sight, Thor decides to do whatever it takes to leave this hellish place. But the boys find themselves in danger from the start, and it isn’t just the carnivorous plants they need to worry about but also the humans determined to kill them. Making matters even worse, these young boys have no idea how to defend themselves. It’s a good thing that Thor can pick up survival skills — including combat — so quickly. Now he’s one step closer to becoming the Beast King.
Danganronpa: The Animation
Hope’s Peak Academy is one of the most prestigious high schools in the country. As such, it only accepts the most talented students. So when Makoto Naegi, a seemingly ordinary teenager, gets the opportunity to attend Hope’s Peak, he earns the title Ultimate Lucky Student. But his good fortune runs out when he and the other pupils get trapped in the school by the headmaster, a black-and-white bear named Monokuma.
The only way for them to escape is to graduate, but that means successfully murdering one of their own without getting caught. If they do get caught, it means immediate death for the perpetrator, and the rest of the students must continue the deathmatch until only one of them remains.
Witness the students’ fear and despair as they fight to survive while also searching for the person who’s really behind this horrible game. But with the bodies piling up, who’ll succumb to despair before the end?
Terra Formars
A lot of people are afraid of cockroaches, especially when they start to fly. However, the small pests are nothing compared to those on Terra Formars‘ Mars. In the 21st century, humanity took its first step toward colonizing Mars by sending two species to the planet that could endure its harsh environment, algae and cockroaches. Unfortunately, in the distant future, the lethal disease Alien Engine Virus arrives on Earth. Scientists around the world suspect that the cure is on the red planet. But there’s a huge problem: The creatures that they’d sent centuries ago have evolved into strong and intelligent humanoid cockroaches.
To stop these monsters and find a cure, the Annex I team travels to the planet. The group consists of genetically enhanced men and women capable of defeating the cockroaches. Too bad they’ve underestimated how strong and resourceful these pests actually are. Will humanity be able to reclaim its title as the dominant species, or will the cockroaches reign supreme?
King’s Game: The Animation
Based on the cell phone novel game of the same name, King’s Game: The Animation isn’t your typical mobile pastime — it’s a game for survival. New transfer student Nobuaki Kanazawa isn’t interested in making any new friends. The reason why becomes clear when his entire class receives a text from someone called “The King.” The message includes instructions for the “King’s Game,” a game all the students are expected to play. Students who refuse to participate, and even those who quit halfway or don’t follow a command in time, will be punished.
Having played the game before, Kanazawa tries to warn his new classmates about the dangers of defying the rules. Unfortunately, they don’t listen to Kanazawa’s warnings until the King’s Game claims its first victims. Now the students must play the game and follow the rules no matter how horrifying or challenging they might be.
Juuni Taisen: Zodiac War
In Juuni Taisen: Zodiac War, astrological signs are more than just marks that map out the sun’s path. Every 12 years, dangerous mercenaries take part in the Zodiac Tournament, a series of vicious battles between warriors who possess the name and attributes of one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The winner of this bloodbath gets a wish granted.
But this time around, the stakes are much higher. Each participant must ingest a poisonous gem, which consequently imposes a time limit on the tournament and their lives. To win, they must gather all the gems before the deadline. Brute strength, cunning wit, and deadly precision will clash, leading to massive battles for survival. And with such a coveted prize on the line, the Zodiac Warriors will go to unimaginable and sinister lengths to win. Their ruthless encounters will teach you the necessary skills to survive any situation, including a bloody battle royale.
