31+ Intense Anime Series That Are Too Mature For Little Kids

How do you define mature anime series?

By their tag? Some anime in the 13+ range seem too mature for their rating.
By how explicit they are? This one is more accurate.
By their violence? This one is definitely justified.
Or their deep psychological traits? (Mental illness, etc).

No matter how you look at it, some anime are deep, graphic, obscene or a step away from being classified as Hentai.

Usually when they’re too Ecchi like Prison School. Yet some anime get away with safe ratings like 13+ (Food Wars).

So in this post, 30+ relates to profanity, nudity, strong themes and violence.

Here are some anime that match that description (according to ratings and content).

31+ Mature Anime Series List:

1. Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends

Haganai is a rare series of its kind. I mean, how many slice of life have nudity, and extreme profanity?

The story is about making friends and dealing with loneliness. But what they get up to is in the realm of Ecchi/wtf did I just see?

NOT for kids.

2. Food Wars

That’s right, this is a food/Ecchi series with plenty of “almost naked” scenes and obscene animation.

And Food Wars isn’t shy about its fan service either. Seeing as you see both boys AND girls in the flesh (almost).

13+ is too generous for a rating.

3. GATE

GATE is about another world that opens up in Japan at random.

This leads the story in a direction of both sides (Japan and the other world) calling a truce. Instead of senselessly trying to kill each other.

Trust me when I say GATE is violent. Too violent for kids (later into the anime that is).

4. Owari No Seraph

Owari No Seraph is one of the rare demon/monster anime that’s actually good. Like Attack on Titan, the first episode squeezes the emotions right out of your body. And hooks you in.

And what follows from there is NOT at all for little kids.

It all comes down to your mindset.

5. Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress

Like Owari No Seraph and AOT, Kabaneri is a supernatural anime. Focusing on humans vs monsters (basically).

It’s nothing new, but how it handles itself is impressive. And the gore is ruthless.

That shouldn’t surprise you once you realize AOT shares the same anime studio as Kabaneri.

6. Chrono Crusade

Chrono Crusade made back in the 2000s is a religious/demon anime with a deeper meaning under the surface.

Once you get into it you start to see why it’s not for kids. Both from a violence point of view, and a psychological perspective.

It’s deep, thought-provoking and merciless.

7. Shikabane Hime: Aka

Shikabane Hime is about Makina Hoshimura. Who’s nicknamed “corpse princess” because she’s dead but alive.

The themes, atmosphere and characters are dark by nature.

If you’re expecting all that “hero of justice” stuff you won’t find it here. With the exception of one character who’s caught up in the middle of the madness.

8. Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan goes without saying.

The first episode is horrifying. And the soul-crushing violence is enough to scare off any kid who dares to watch it.

It might be over the top sometimes, but that doesn’t make it anymore cuter than it is.

9. Full Metal Panic

Full Metal Panic is one of the classic Mecha shows in animes history. With a new season airing now in 2018.

The anime starts off slow, and so does the violence and cruelty. But it’s there, and it’s uncomfortable to watch. Especially once you start getting into the second season of FMP.

That’s when things get really messed up.

10. Code Geass

Does this even need an introduction?

Code Geass starts off with a ruthless introduction to the story. And that’s NOTHING in comparison to what the chefs of despair are waiting to serve you.

It’s bitter, disgusting, crude, unethical and tasty all at the same time. And you’ll have a love-hate relationship the longer you get to taste what each episode has to offer.

11. Witchblade

Witchblade is too mature for more reasons than violence. It’s also pretty Ecchi too.

Think of an anime like Kill La Kill, or even Darling In The Franxx. And then add a higher level of violence to the mix. And you basically have Witchblade as the outcome.

It’s forgotten in 2018, but I’d recommend it if you want something different.

12. Eureka Seven

On the surface, this anime is all the way Mecha. Plus romance is a consistent theme running throughout this series.

But once you gain some traction and get a little deeper, you start to understand something else.

And that something is:

Eureka Seven is surprisingly violent.
It goes deeper than most shows of its kind and makes you ask yourself all sorts of questions.
And the 13+ rating given to this show is misleading.

I wouldn’t even recommend this for a 13 year old. Never mind little kids. It’s too deep (but that’s why it’s one of my favourites.

13. Elfen Lied

Want to see a dog get tortured, and beaten to death, while the culprits laugh as if they’ve just finished watching a comedy show?

This isn’t even a tip of an ice bergs toe nails when it comes to what Elfen Lied has in store for you.

It’s a sad show, and it’ll make you think about how disgusting some human beings can truly be.

14. Bungou Stray Dogs

One thing I’ll say about Bungou Stray Dogs is: it’s weird!

Tons of the characters are either freaks, eccentrics, weirdo’s or mysterious. There’s something to be said about the level of violence and depth in parts of the story too.

NOT for kids!

15. Fate Apocrypha

If you’ve watched any Fate series, you know how violent they are (Fate Stay Night excluded).

Fate Apocrypha is the latest series in the world of Fate. And like Fate Zero, it doesn’t hold back.

Expect to see be-headings, hard to swallow episodes, and some depth to make it all interesting.

16. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist is a lesson in self-control. When you lose self-control, you do stupid sh** that’ll put you in harm’s way.

The anime shoves this truth down your throat in the first few episodes.

Later as the story gets deeper, you start to see the dark side of the Military, human struggles and similar themes too mature for little kids.

17. Btoom!

Btoom! isn’t a favourite. I don’t even like it. BUT the uncomfortable violence and outrageous scenes make it worth mentioning.

Some scenes are too graphic and intense to be watching with little kids. It would be wrong to suggest otherwise.

We’re talking about rape and other things of that nature.

18. God Eater

Graphical action/fantasy anime with disturbingly violent scenes showcased in CGI animation.

Of all the 18+ anime I’ve watched, God Eater is hands down one of the more uncomfortable shows to watch. Which is surprising considering it’s only 12+ episodes long.

The violence will make you cringe the further down the line you go.

19. Danganronpa

Danganronpa isn’t 18+ for its bloodshed or senseless violence.

No, it’s the psychological elements that makes Danganronpa too mature for little kids.

The anime takes pleasure in trapping unsuspecting kids in a prison-like-school, and then forcing them to fight for their lives to survive.

And in the process, you witness the psychological breakdowns of more than a few characters. With death being their final destination.

20. Black Lagoon

This gangster-like anime series goes without saying. It’s gritty, dark, and bred straight from the gutter.

Even the main character is literally born and bred in the gutter of New York City.

If diving into the depths of darkness makes you curious, Black Lagoon won’t disappoint. And it looks good doing it.

21. Jormungand

This anime will teach you about the dark underworld of an arms dealer, a person who funds wars for a living.

And it’s a realistic representation of what happens in real life. Making the experience of Jormungand even more depressing.

If you want a more “realistic” representation of the underworld, watch Jormungand. It takes it a step further than Black Lagoon, but they’re both still unique in their own way.

22. Gantz

Gantz is even worse than Haganai: I Don’t have Many Friends for its profanity. In fact, it’s even worse than Black Lagoon (or on par) for its foul language.

It’s not the most loved series, but it’s dark enough and too cutthroat for little kids to be watching it.

23. Akame Ga Kill

Akame Ga Kill is one of my personal favourites of all time. And it’s a mature series in every sense of the word.

It’s not the type of show that tries too hard to be violent. It’s more like the nature of the series, the plot, and the main theme is what makes it this way.

It’s genuine and one of the best examples of realism in anime.

24. Parasyte

Parasyte starts out with a parasite trying to take over the main characters brain. But it fails and takes over one of his hands instead.

Shinichi develops a relationship with the parasite, but he becomes a target to over parasites and that’s where things get violent.

Beyond that, this anime tackles mature topics, and there are some seriously messed up scenes later on.

25. Mirai Nikki

Mirai Nikki is an anime you love or hate, according to the anime community anyway. For me I enjoyed it.

Right from the first few episodes, you can see just how violent and mature this anime is. Murder, stalkers, and Stockholm syndrome, this anime highlights a lot.

It’s one of the most famous psychological series out there.

26. Ishuzoku Reviewers

Ishuzoku Reviewers caused a lot of controversy for a reason. It’s an anime about monster girl prostitutes and the main characters who “get laid”.

Not to mention they go around reviewing these brothels for their own entertainment and pleasure.

Every weird fetish you can think of is in this anime, as far as monster girls and sex anyway.

The creators need a high five because it took balls to make this one.

27. Monster

Monster is an anime series that’s so underrated these days, and yet in my eyes is a masterpiece of an anime.

Made by Madhouse Studios, Monster is about Kenzo Tenma, a doctor. And the mistake he makes in surgery: saving the life of a kid who turns out to be a mass serial killer.

This burden weighs heavy on the man, so he goes looking for him in order to stop him.

You haven’t seen realism, mature anime, and solid characters (and antagonists) if you haven’t seen Monster.

It deserves so much more credit.

28. Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is a horror series that was released in late 2020. And it’s done well for an anime series.

Within the first episode, a lot of sh*t goes down, and it doesn’t shy away from giving you the low down on what’s bound to happen.

With its literal 17+ rating, the violence here is undeniable. More so as you dig further into the anime itself.

29. Golden Kamuy

Golden Kamuy is an anime series that seems underrated and underappreciated. The quality is there, but it’s not so famous.

It’s about gold in a nutshell, and the main character: Saichi Tsugimoto wants to get his hands on it because of what it’s worth.

He’s not the only one, and so many soldiers are fighting for it. That’s where the violence and mature themes stem from. And mature content.

The anime is more than that though. It also highlights the history of the Ainu.

30. How Not To Summon A Demon Lord

How Not To Summon A Demon Lord is a mature series for its Ecchi elements, nudity, and more I’ll let you witness for yourself.

Fan service is an obvious element here, so if that’s for you, this is a good option.

It’s about a guy who’s transported into another world as the demon lord Diablo, and a harem follows from there.

I enjoyed more than I should have or more than I expected to. The comedy’s not too bad.

Relevant: 30+ GREAT Yuri Hentai That Will Satisfy Your Thirst

31. Hellsing

Hellsing is made in part by Madhouse studios. There are 2 versions, with Hellsing Ultimate being the most “genuine” adaptation.

It’s about a religious group of vampires who you can think of as a police unit for killing vampires in particular.

If a virgin human is bitten by a vampire, they become a vampire. But if they’re not a virgin, they become ghouls.

It’s a pretty savage anime series with pure violence, horror, gore, and tons of action. The kind that reminds me of Black Lagoon (when it comes to the MC).