Stranger Issues captivated audiences when it first got here out in 2016. Specializing in a bunch of pals within the ’80s, the present includes a collection of unusual and supernatural occasions that flip all the things the characters thought they knew the wrong way up. Whereas the inspiration from Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and different horror greats is apparent, what many followers won’t know is that Stranger Issues additionally attracts closely from a number of anime.
With the fifth and remaining season of Stranger Issues set to premiere later this 12 months, we determined it was time to compile the anime that both straight impressed Stranger Issues or share the identical themes, character tropes, and/or total ambiance. From childhood adventures to supernatural nightmares, these anime are an awesome alternative to look at within the run-up to the collection’ finale.
10
‘The Promised Neverland’ (2019 – 2021)
The Promised Neverland
- Launch Date
-
April 14, 2019
The Promised Neverland presents a horrifying world the place youngsters are raised on a farm to be able to be fed to monsters. When certainly one of these youngsters, Emma, learns what’s taking place, she enlists the opposite youngsters to try to escape. Nevertheless, the evils of the world stretch far past the farm, and survival will come at a heavy price.
The Traumas and Bonds of Childhoods
Stranger Issues followers will recognize the primary season of The Promised Neverland, which focuses closely on the youngsters’s bonds. Friendship is a central theme of Stranger Issues, as evidenced by the give attention to D&D occasion members and the oft-repeated phrase, “Associates do not lie.” Followers will even don’t have any bother seeing the parallels between the supernatural struggles confronted by the youngsters in each reveals. Nevertheless, viewers ought to cautiously enter Season 2 of The Promised Neverland, since it is also horrifying, however for all of the fallacious causes.
9
‘Erased’ (2016)
Erased
- Launch Date
-
2016 – 2016
- Administrators
-
Tomohiko Ito
-
Shinnosuke Mitsushima
Satoru Fujinuma (29 years previous)
-
Tao Tsuchiya
Satoru Fujinuma (10 years previous)
-
Minami Takayama
Sachiko Fujinuma
-
Ben Diskin
Satoru Fujinuma (English – 29 years previous)
Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist who has the ability of “Revival,” aka time journey talents. After struggling a horrific loss, his Revival powers kick in, and he is transported far into the previous. Now, he has the prospect to undo a string of kidnappings and killings and save his classmates—if he is not killed first.
Scary Circumstances and Supernatural Powers
Though totally different from Eleven’s powers, Satoru’s personal are additionally compelling, and each characters face struggles controlling these powers early on. The present’s total ambiance can be harking back to Stranger Issues, largely in that each cope with some very unusual occasions. Excitingly, for many who benefit from the Erased anime, there’s additionally a live-action model.
8
‘Mob Psycho 100’ (2016 – 2022)
Mob Psycho 100
- Launch Date
-
2016 – 2022
- Administrators
-
Yuzuru Tachikawa, Takahiro Hasui
- Writers
-
Hiroshi Seko
Shigeo Kageyama, aka “Mob,” is a psychic center schooler. Whereas attempting to reside a standard life, he should additionally be taught to manage his talents and determine when’s the fitting time to make use of them, all whereas working below his mentor, the pretend psychic Reigen Arataka. However as Mob encounters different espers, he quickly realizes his targets won’t be fairly so easy.
Comparable Strangeness, Totally different Tone
Like with Stranger Issues, Mob Psycho 100 tries to stability motion, humor, and horror all of sudden. Each reveals succeed, although in numerous methods. Moreover, the principle characters each confront psychic adversaries however give attention to regular, on a regular basis issues alongside these supernatural threats. Tonally, they are not the identical, however they do appear to be stressing related classes and specializing in some related experiences.
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7
‘The Disastrous Lifetime of Saiki Okay.’ (2016)
Kusuo Saiki desires to reside a standard life, however his psychic powers typically make that inconceivable. Though he tries to cover them by sporting sun shades, styling his hair, and so forth., he at all times appears to draw consideration. And as classmates like Riki Nendou and Kaidou Shun attempt to befriend him, the peaceable life he aspires to begins to really feel disastrous.
Comparable Strangeness, Totally different Tone
The Disastrous Lifetime of Saiki Okay. is rather more comedic than Stranger Issues, which could create some tonal whiplash. Nevertheless, there’s additionally a whole lot of overlap between the reveals, together with their give attention to younger characters attempting to manage extraordinary powers whereas overcoming the hurdles of rising up. Plus, very similar to Stranger Issues, the anime sucks you in, making it arduous to look away.
6
‘Higurashi: When They Cry’ (2006)
Higurashi: When They Cry
- Launch Date
-
April 4, 2006
- Administrators
-
Chiaki Kon
- Writers
-
Toshifumi Kawase
Higurashi: When They Cry is a homicide thriller, a psychological thriller, and a narrative about rising up multi function. After Keiichi Maebara strikes to Hinamizawa village, he rapidly learns that, yearly in the course of the village’s Watanagashi Competition, somebody mysteriously dies. The story then reveals key occasions from totally different POVs and timelines, typically specializing in the characters’ makes an attempt to keep away from tragedies whereas attempting to uncover Hinamizawa’s secrets and techniques.
A Distinctive, Twisted Experience
Higurashi is usually a horrifying viewing expertise, and generally, even a complicated one. Followers of Stranger Issues will recognize the anime’s unpredictability and narrative complexity, however they need to know the present will get actually darkish, and actually, actually unusual.
5
‘One other’ (2012)
One other
- Launch Date
-
January 10, 2012
- Community
-
Tokyo MX, Chiba TV, KBS Kyoto
- Administrators
-
Hiroyuki Hata, Toshiya Shinohara, Heo Jong, Tarou Iwasaki, Takebumi Anzai, Fumie Muroi
-
Natsumi Takamori
Mei Misaki (voice)
-
Seiko Yoshida
Sanae Mizuno (voice)
-
Mitsuhiro Ichiki
Tomohiko Kazami (voice)
-
Shinya Takahashi
Matsunaga (voice)
The horror anime One other begins when scholar Kōichi Sakakibara goes to reside together with his grandparents in Yomiyama. After touchdown within the hospital, he meets Mei Misaki, a woman with an odd eye that helps her determine people who find themselves about to die. He then learns that his new class, Class 3-3, has a horrible secret, and he should work with Mei to finish a string of deaths and determine which classmate is inflicting them.
A Terrifying Story
Thought of one of many scariest anime of all time, One other is ugly, psychologically compelling, and simply plain disturbing. Though extra violent and outright horrifying than Stranger Issues, followers will recognize the bond between Mei and Kōichi, the general thriller, and the supernatural parts revolving round their classmates.
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4
‘Soul Eater’ (2008 – 2009)
Soul Eater
- Launch Date
-
2008 – 2008
- Administrators
-
Takuya Igarashi
- Writers
-
Akatsuki Yamatoya
Soul Eater takes place in a college referred to as the Loss of life Weapon Meister Academy. Right here, college students are taught easy methods to struggle and seize depraved spirits and witches by changing into “Meisters” (weapon wielders) and “Demon Weapons” (the weapons themselves). The principle character, Maka Albarn, is coaching to develop into the previous, and he or she’s decided to gather 99 evil human souls and one witch’s to assist her Demon Weapon, Soul Eater, develop into an omnipotent Loss of life Scythe.
Dungeons and Dragons
Followers of Stranger Issues will recognize Soul Eater’s give attention to friendship and bonds, in addition to its connection to Dungeons and Dragons. Whereas not a direct parallel, the characters might be seen as in-game adventurers with a particular quest to meet. Plus, the bond between the Meisters and their Weapons is central to the story, as are the bonds between Eleven and her newfound pals in Stranger Issues.
3
‘Elfen Lied’ (2004)
Elfen Lied
- Launch Date
-
2004 – 2004
- Community
-
AT-X
- Administrators
-
Keizo Kusakawa
-
Chihiro Suzuki
Kouta (voice)
-
Sanae Kobayashi
Lucy / Nyuu (voice)
-
Emiko Hagiwara
Mayu (voice)
-
Hiroaki Hirata
Professor Kakuzawa Yu (voice)
Elfen Lied facilities on the violent and traumatized Diclonius, Lucy, a creature who can use vectors, or invisible tentacles, to assault and defend herself. Upon escaping her imprisonment in a authorities facility, she loses her reminiscence and creates a second persona, Nyu, who is much extra childlike and harmless. Whereas appearing as Nyu, she is discovered and brought in by college college students, Kouta and Yuka, and shortly, the three are being pursued by authorities brokers who’re dead-set on getting Lucy again.
A Enormous Inspiration
One of many anime that significantly impressed Stranger Issues, Elfen Lied is a must-watch for any fan. A lot of the overlap might be seen within the character of Eleven, together with her personal escape and try to cover from these pursuing her. Nevertheless, viewers ought to know that the anime can generally be “edgy” and extremely violent, even when in comparison with a few of Stranger Issues’ most intense moments.
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2
‘Summer season Time Rendering’ (2022)
Summer season Time Rendering
- Launch Date
-
2022 – 2022
- Administrators
-
Ayumu Watanabe
- Writers
-
Hiroshi Seko
After the unintended drowning demise of his childhood pal, Ushio, Shinpei Ajiro returns dwelling to Hitogashima. He quickly suspects one thing extra is at hand when he discovers marks round Ushio’s neck, and upon studying about mysterious creatures referred to as “Shadows,” he is decided to uncover what occurred to Ushio and save the remainder of the island from an analogous destiny.
Supernatural Suspense
Each Stranger Issues and Summer season Time Rendering give attention to high-stake, supernatural mysteries and a bunch of younger pals coming collectively to resolve them. Whereas the precise specifics of these mysteries differ, followers of Stranger Issues will recognize the anime’s distinctive story, give attention to friendship, and surprising plot twists.
1
‘Akira’ (1988)
Akira
- Launch Date
-
July 16, 1988
- Runtime
-
124 Minutes
31 years after a bombing in Tokyo, the rebuilt, dystopian Neo-Tokyo is as soon as once more at risk. When biker gang chief Shotaro Kaneda tries to save lots of his pal, Testuo, from a authorities facility, Tetsuo awakens psychic powers that would repeat the devastation from many years earlier. Now, Kaneda should cease his pal and the federal government whereas additionally uncovering the secrets and techniques behind the mysterious “Akira” who prompted the unique tragedy.
Massively Influential
Like Elfen Lied, Akira additionally closely impressed Stranger Issues. That is unsurprising, given the sheer variety of different reveals and flicks it additionally influenced. The bike scene alone has been recreated repeatedly (although, as far as we are able to inform, not in Stranger Issues—no less than, not but). A must-watch for any Stranger Issues fan, Akira is an efficient option to spend a while as we await extra information in regards to the remaining season’s launch.