Top Orphan Anime Recommendations

Shingeki no Kyojin

Also known as Attack on Titan.

Studio: WIT STUDIO
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery

Several hundred years ago, humans were nearly exterminated by titans. Titans are typically several stories tall, seem to have no intelligence, devour human beings and, worst of all, seem to do it for the pleasure rather than as a food source. A small percentage of humanity survived by walling themselves in a city protected by extremely high walls, even taller than the biggest of titans.

Flash forward to the present and the city has not seen a titan in over 100 years. Teenage boy Eren and his foster sister Mikasa witness something horrific as the city walls are destroyed by a colossal titan that appears out of thin air. As the smaller titans flood the city, the two kids watch in horror as their mother is eaten alive. Eren vows that he will murder every single titan and take revenge for all of mankind.



Tags: Kaiju , Revenge , Military , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Post-Apocalyptic , Male Protagonist , Super Power , Henshin , Gore , Memory Manipulation , Swordplay , Dystopian , Ensemble Cast , Steampunk , Survival , Vore , Orphan , Cannibalism , Espionage , Shounen , Time Skip , Amnesia , Coming of Age , Kuudere , Suicide , Rural , Medieval , Adoption , Primarily Male Cast

Kimetsu no Yaiba

Also known as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Studio: ufotable
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Supernatural

It is the Taisho Period in Japan. Tanjiro, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal for a living, finds his family slaughtered by a demon. To make matters worse, his younger sister Nezuko, the sole survivor, has been transformed into a demon herself. Though devastated by this grim reality, Tanjiro resolves to become a “demon slayer” so that he can turn his sister back into a human, and kill the demon that massacred his family.



Tags: Demons , Shounen , Swordplay , Male Protagonist , Vampire , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Travel , Monster Girl , Revenge , Orphan , Gore , CGI , Primarily Male Cast , Mythology , Rural , Historical , Rotoscoping , Body Horror , Super Power , Curses , Chibi , Time Skip , Animals , Food

Jujutsu Kaisen

Also known as JUJUTSU KAISEN.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Supernatural

A boy fights... for "the right death."

Hardship, regret, shame: the negative feelings that humans feel become Curses that lurk in our everyday lives. The Curses run rampant throughout the world, capable of leading people to terrible misfortune and even death. What's more, the Curses can only be exorcised by another Curse.

Itadori Yuji is a boy with tremendous physical strength, though he lives a completely ordinary high school life. One day, to save a friend who has been attacked by Curses, he eats the finger of the Double-Faced Specter, taking the Curse into his own soul. From then on, he shares one body with the Double-Faced Specter. Guided by the most powerful of sorcerers, Gojou Satoru, Itadori is admitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Technical High School of Sorcery, an organization that fights the Curses... and thus begins the heroic tale of a boy who became a Curse to exorcise a Curse, a life from which he could never turn back.



Note: The first episode received an early web premiere on September 19th, 2020. The regular TV broadcast started on October 3rd, 2020.

Tags: Urban Fantasy , Shounen , Curses , Super Power , Youkai , Male Protagonist , Exorcism , Primarily Teen Cast , Dissociative Identities , Demons , Orphan , Urban , Body Horror , Primarily Male Cast , Magic , Martial Arts , Ensemble Cast , Shapeshifting , Gore , Anthropomorphism , School , Swordplay , Boarding School , Rotoscoping , Slapstick , Mythology , Archery , Surreal Comedy , Twins , Tragedy , Baseball

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST

Also known as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

"In order for something to be obtained, something of equal value must be lost."

Alchemy is bound by this Law of Equivalent Exchange—something the young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric only realize after attempting human transmutation: the one forbidden act of alchemy. They pay a terrible price for their transgression—Edward loses his left leg, Alphonse his physical body. It is only by the desperate sacrifice of Edward's right arm that he is able to affix Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Devastated and alone, it is the hope that they would both eventually return to their original bodies that gives Edward the inspiration to obtain metal limbs called "automail" and become a state alchemist, the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Three years of searching later, the brothers seek the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical relic that allows an alchemist to overcome the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Even with military allies Colonel Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, and Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes on their side, the brothers find themselves caught up in a nationwide conspiracy that leads them not only to the true nature of the elusive Philosopher's Stone, but their country's murky history as well. In between finding a serial killer and racing against time, Edward and Alphonse must ask themselves if what they are doing will make them human again... or take away their humanity.



Tags: Alchemy , Conspiracy , Military , War , Tragedy , Shounen , Politics , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , Coming of Age , Fugitive , Super Power , Foreign , Gods , Steampunk , Cyborg , Revenge , Disability , Necromancy , Travel , Lost Civilization , Anachronism , Religion , Chimera , Dissociative Identities , Primarily Male Cast , Gore , Orphan , Body Horror , Slapstick , Urban Fantasy , Kuudere , Tomboy , Shapeshifting , Guns , Demons , Chibi , Swordplay , Adoption , Trains , Cannibalism , Heterosexual , Desert , Tanned Skin , Vore , Tsundere , Crossdressing , Snowscape , Cultivation

NARUTO

Also known as Naruto.

Studio: Studio Pierrot
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Supernatural

Naruto Uzumaki, a hyperactive and knuckle-headed ninja, lives in Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf village. Moments prior to his birth, a huge demon known as the Kyuubi, the Nine-tailed Fox, attacked Konohagakure and wreaked havoc. In order to put an end to the Kyuubi's rampage, the leader of the village, the 4th Hokage, sacrificed his life and sealed the monstrous beast inside the newborn Naruto.

Shunned because of the presence of the Kyuubi inside him, Naruto struggles to find his place in the village. He strives to become the Hokage of Konohagakure, and he meets many friends and foes along the way.



Tags: Ninja , Shounen , Criminal Organization , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Orphan , Super Power , Revenge , Martial Arts , Found Family , Philosophy , Primarily Child Cast , Shapeshifting , Necromancy , Ensemble Cast , Kaiju , Battle Royale , Bullying , Slapstick , Primarily Teen Cast , Achronological Order , Travel , Unrequited Love , Anachronism , Heterosexual , Death Game , Estranged Family , Gender Bending , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , Assassins , Love Triangle , Anthropomorphism , Gambling

Yakusoku no Neverland

Also known as The Promised Neverland.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Horror , Mystery , Psychological , Thriller

Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn—what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.



Tags: Dystopian , Survival , Primarily Child Cast , Orphan , Tragedy , Found Family , Prison , Demons , Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Gore , Ensemble Cast , Shounen , Tanned Skin , Male Protagonist

NARUTO: Shippuuden

Also known as Naruto: Shippuden.

Studio: Studio Pierrot
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Supernatural

Naruto: Shippuuden is the continuation of the original animated TV series Naruto. The story revolves around an older and slightly more matured Uzumaki Naruto and his quest to save his friend Uchiha Sasuke from the grips of the snake-like Shinobi, Orochimaru. After 2 and a half years Naruto finally returns to his village of Konoha, and sets about putting his ambitions to work, though it will not be easy, as he has amassed a few (more dangerous) enemies, in the likes of the shinobi organization; Akatsuki.



Tags: Ninja , Shounen , Criminal Organization , Male Protagonist , Super Power , Revenge , Tragedy , Orphan , Coming of Age , Martial Arts , War , Conspiracy , Philosophy , Cultivation , Fugitive , Ensemble Cast , Time Skip , Politics , Necromancy , Gods , Terrorism , Military , Achronological Order , Swordplay , Anti-Hero , Anachronism , Kaiju , Travel , Aliens , Unrequited Love , Shapeshifting , Slapstick , Gender Bending , Estranged Family

Black Clover

Also known as Black Clover.

Studio: Studio Pierrot
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy

In a world where magic is everything, Asta and Yuno are both found abandoned at a church on the same day. While Yuno is gifted with exceptional magical powers, Asta is the only one in this world without any. At the age of fifteen, both receive grimoires, magic books that amplify their holder’s magic. Asta’s is a rare Grimoire of Anti-Magic that negates and repels his opponent’s spells. Being opposite but good rivals, Yuno and Asta are ready for the hardest of challenges to achieve their common dream: to be the Wizard King. Giving up is never an option!



Tags: Magic , Shounen , Found Family , Male Protagonist , Super Power , Ensemble Cast , Orphan , Demons , Revenge , Elf , Estranged Family , Dissociative Identities , Medieval , Reincarnation , Adoption , Conspiracy , Swordplay , Class Struggle , Cult , Heterosexual , Bullying , Lost Civilization , Time Skip , Cultivation , Kuudere , Henshin , Love Triangle , Politics , Tsundere , Disability , Travel , Nun , Food , Espionage , Curses , Age Regression , Dungeon , Suicide , Episodic , War , Tomboy , Coming of Age , Philosophy , Nudity

SPY×FAMILY

Also known as SPY x FAMILY.

Studio: CloverWorks , WIT STUDIO
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Everyone has a part of themselves they cannot show to anyone else.

At a time when all nations of the world were involved in a fierce war of information happening behind closed doors, Ostania and Westalis had been in a state of cold war against one another for decades. The Westalis Intelligence Services' Eastern-Focused Division (WISE) sends their most talented spy, "Twilight," on a top-secret mission to investigate the movements of Donovan Desmond, the chairman of Ostania's National Unity Party, who is threatening peace efforts between the two nations.

This mission is known as "Operation Strix." It consists of "putting together a family in one week in order to infiltrate social gatherings organized by the elite school that Desmond's son attends."

"Twilight" takes on the identity of psychiatrist Loid Forger and starts looking for family members. But Anya, the daughter he adopts, turns out to have the ability to read people's minds, while his wife, Yor, is an assassin! With it being in each of their own interests to keep these facts hidden, they start living together while concealing their true identities from one another.
World peace is now in the hands of this brand-new family as they embark on an adventure full of surprises.



Tags: Espionage , Family Life , Found Family , Fake Relationship , Parenthood , Assassins , Shounen , Adoption , Conspiracy , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Urban , Slapstick , Crime , Super Power , School , Ensemble Cast , Heterosexual , Surreal Comedy , Parody , Episodic , Politics , Unrequited Love , Cohabitation , Guns , Urban Fantasy , Orphan , Martial Arts , Tsundere , Bullying

Violet Evergarden

Also known as Violet Evergarden.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Slice of Life

A certain point in time, in the continent of Telesis. The great war which divided the continent into North and South has ended after four years, and the people are welcoming a new generation. Violet Evergarden, a young girl formerly known as “the weapon”, has left the battlefield to start a new life at CH Postal Service. There, she is deeply moved by the work of “Auto Memories Dolls”, who carry people's thoughts and convert them into words. Violet begins her journey as an Auto Memories Doll, and comes face to face with various people's emotions and differing shapes of love. There are words Violet heard on the battlefield, which she cannot forget. These words were given to her by someone she holds dear, more than anyone else. She does not yet know their meaning but she searches to find it.



Tags: Rehabilitation , Writing , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , Kuudere , War , Work , Orphan , Disability , Episodic , Military , Philosophy , Travel , Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Steampunk , Heterosexual , Age Gap , Foreign , Assassins , Trains , Guns

VINLAND SAGA

Also known as Vinland Saga.

Studio: WIT STUDIO
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama

Thorfinn is son to one of the Vikings' greatest warriors, but when his father is killed in battle by the mercenary leader Askeladd, he swears to have his revenge. Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band in order to challenge him to a duel, and ends up caught in the middle of a war for the crown of England.



Tags: Vikings , Revenge , Foreign , War , Historical , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Coming of Age , Seinen , Tragedy , Primarily Male Cast , Anti-Hero , Military , Politics , Swordplay , Primarily Adult Cast , Medieval , Gore , Travel , Heterosexual , Survival , Ships , Conspiracy , Slavery , Time Skip , Orphan , Religion , Pirates , Language Barrier , Snowscape , Spearplay , Archery , CGI , Nudity , Achronological Order

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen

Also known as Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train.

Studio: ufotable
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery , Supernatural

This Demon Slayer movie sees Tanjiro Kamado and friends from the Demon Slayer corps board the Infinity Train on a new mission to investigate a mysterious series of disappearances, perpetrated by a demon who has been tormenting people and killing the demon slayers who oppose it.

Tags: Demons , Swordplay , Shounen , Tragedy , Trains , Curses , Male Protagonist , Body Horror , Super Power , Monster Girl , Primarily Teen Cast , Gore , CGI , Primarily Male Cast , Orphan , Travel , Suicide , Shapeshifting , Historical , Vampire , Rural , Martial Arts

Darling in the Franxx

Also known as DARLING in the FRANXX.

Studio: TRIGGER , CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mecha , Psychological , Romance , Sci-Fi

The distant future: Humanity established the mobile fort city, Plantation, upon the ruined wasteland. Within the city were pilot quarters, Mistilteinn, otherwise known as the “Birdcage.” That is where the children live... Their only mission in life was the fight. Their enemies are the mysterious giant organisms known as Kyoryu. The children operate robots known as FRANXX in order to face these still unseen enemies. Among them was a boy who was once called a child prodigy: Code number 016, Hiro. One day, a mysterious girl called Zero Two appears in front of Hiro. “I’ve found you, my Darling.”



Tags: Cohabitation , Psychosexual , Super Robot , Orphan , Post-Apocalyptic , Dystopian , Primarily Teen Cast , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Robots , Demons , Conspiracy , Kaiju , Lost Civilization , Heterosexual , Found Family , Monster Girl , Memory Manipulation , Aliens , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Travel , Environmental , Love Triangle , Military , Politics , Unrequited Love , Survival , Family Life , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tsundere , Space , Fishing , Virginity , Clone , Marriage , Body Horror , Monster Boy , Femdom , Pregnancy , Yandere , Gore , Time Skip , Drawing , Medicine , Agriculture , Pandemic , Reincarnation , Aviation , Femboy

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen

Also known as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc.

Studio: ufotable
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Supernatural

After visiting the Rengoku residence, Tanjirou and his comrades volunteer for a mission within the Entertainment District, a place where desires are sold and demons dwell. They journey alongside the flashy Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, in search of a monstrous foe terrorizing the town. Sworn to slay creatures of the night, the hunt continues.



Note:
- The first episode aired with a runtime of ~47 minutes.
- The last episode aired with a runtime of ~33 minutes.

Tags: Demons , Swordplay , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Oiran , Revenge , Curses , Primarily Teen Cast , Polyamorous , Super Power , Gore , Primarily Male Cast , Tragedy , Ninja , Body Horror , Historical , Crossdressing , Monster Girl , CGI , Orphan , Urban , Time Skip , Vampire

Mirai Nikki

Also known as The Future Diary.

Studio: Asread
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Horror , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural , Thriller

This psychological thriller, based on the manga written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno, is about Yuki, a loner who's not very good with people. He prefers to write a diary on his cell phone and talk to his imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machina – The God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is more than a figment of his imagination when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven others. The contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, each diary possessing unique features that give it both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to survive until there is only one left standing. The winner will become the new God of Time and Space.



Tags: Battle Royale , Death Game , Survival , Yandere , Tragedy , Alternate Universe , Psychosexual , Body Horror , Gore , Gods , Male Protagonist , Suicide , Crime , Urban , Heterosexual , Shounen , Female Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Anti-Hero , Clone , Terrorism , Guns , Super Power , Netorare , CGI , Meta , Adoption , Nudity , Orphan , Slapstick , LGBTQ+ Themes , Bisexual , Tanned Skin

Bungou Stray Dogs

Also known as Bungo Stray Dogs.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Mystery , Supernatural

Stalked by a beastly white tiger, Atsushi Nakajima has no idea that the menace lives inside him—a power that catches the attention of the Armed Detective Agency. Using inhuman abilities to combat crime, this team takes Atsushi under the wing of their most eccentric member, Dazai. Together, they tear through mafia-muddled mysteries while enemies keep an eye on the tiger’s lofty bounty.



Tags: Super Power , Crime , Detective , Mafia , Urban Fantasy , Male Protagonist , Classic Literature , Yakuza , Urban , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Orphan , Work , Seinen , Gangs , Suicide , Slapstick , Found Family , Guns , Terrorism , Gore , Shapeshifting , Kuudere , Anti-Hero , Assassins , Episodic , Homeless , Tragedy , Bar

Kill la Kill

Also known as Kill la Kill.

Studio: TRIGGER
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi

After the murder of her father, Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of his killer. Following her only lead—the missing half of his invention, the Scissor Blade—she arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. The academy is ruled by the imposing and cold-hearted student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin alongside her powerful underlings, the Elite Four. In the school's brutally competitive hierarchy, Satsuki bestows upon those at the top special clothes called "Goku Uniforms," which grant the wearer unique superhuman abilities.

Tags: Henshin , Female Protagonist , Revenge , Nudity , Surreal Comedy , Class Struggle , Parody , Dystopian , Super Power , Tomboy , Aliens , Coming of Age , School , Cosmic Horror , Primarily Teen Cast , Military , Anti-Hero , Cult , Orphan , Incest , Psychosexual , Age Gap , Bullying , Tsundere , Villainess , Delinquents , Ensemble Cast , School Club , Meta , Tokusatsu , Exhibitionism , Found Family , Ojou-sama , Yuri , Tragedy , Gore , CGI , LGBTQ+ Themes , Cosplay , Urban Fantasy , Yandere , Cheerleading , Space , Butler

Made in Abyss

Also known as Made in Abyss.

Studio: Kinema Citrus
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Horror , Mystery , Sci-Fi

The "Abyss" is the last unexplored place in the world. Strange and wonderful creatures roam within, and it is full of precious relics that present humans can't recreate. Those that dare to explore the depths are known as "Cave Raiders." An orphan girl named Riko lives on the rim. Her dream is to become a Cave Raider like her mother and solve the mysteries of the cave system. One day, Riko starts exploring the caves and discovers a robot who resembles a human boy.



Note: The last episode aired with a runtime of ~48 minutes as opposed to the standard 24 minute long episode.

Tags: Survival , Outdoor Activities , Primarily Child Cast , Environmental , Travel , Chibi , Body Horror , Tragedy , Cosmic Horror , Curses , Lost Civilization , Dungeon , Philosophy , Seinen , Female Protagonist , Gore , Amnesia , Orphan , Wilderness , Robots , Male Protagonist , Steampunk , Anthropomorphism , Food , Tanned Skin , School , Crossdressing , Agender , Religion , Rehabilitation , Time Manipulation , Dissociative Identities , Maids , Femboy , Amputation , Nudity , Eco-Horror

Dororo

Also known as Dororo.

Studio: MAPPA , Tezuka Productions
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Supernatural

Dororo, a young orphan thief, meets Hyakkimaru, a powerful ronin. Hyakkimaru's father, a greedy feudal lord, had made a pact with 12 demons, offering his yet-unborn son's body parts in exchange for great power. Thus, Hyakkimaru - who was born without arms, legs, eyes, ears, a nose or a mouth - was abandoned in a river as a baby. Rescued and raised by Dr. Honma, who equips him with artificial limbs and teaches him sword-fighting techniques, Hyakkimaru discovers that each time he slays a demon, a piece of his body is restored. Now, he roams the war-torn countryside in search of demons.

Tags: Demons , Revenge , Disability , Swordplay , Tragedy , Samurai , Estranged Family , Curses , Youkai , Anti-Hero , Orphan , War , Male Protagonist , Parenthood , Historical , Travel , Rural , Urban Fantasy , Gore , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Crossdressing , Tomboy , Body Horror , Episodic , Kuudere , Shounen , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Ghost , Cannibalism , Prostitution , Heterosexual , Nun , Body Image , Martial Arts

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Also known as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Studio: TRIGGER
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Psychological , Sci-Fi

An original anime series set in in the universe of Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an edgerunner—a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.



Note: The first episode received a pre-screening at Anime Expo on July 2, 2022. The first 3 dubbed episodes were streamed on Twitch as part of a co-stream promotion on September 12, a day before the show’s premiere.

Tags: Cyberpunk , Tragedy , Crime , Dystopian , Cyborg , Male Protagonist , Class Struggle , Gangs , Urban , Body Horror , Orphan , Guns , Gore , Heterosexual , Revenge , Anti-Hero , Primarily Adult Cast , Drugs , Terrorism , Nudity , Coming of Age , Ensemble Cast , Artificial Intelligence , Time Skip , Time Manipulation , Robots , Space , Software Development , Age Gap , Cars , Tomboy , Advertisement , Bar