8 Anime Like My Daemon That Deserve Your Attention

Netflix’s ‘My Daemon’ introduces viewers to a chaotic world that has been influenced dramatically by the collision of Earth with Hell following a nuclear explosion. Sometime after the bizarre incident, a small daemon creature is adopted by elementary school student Kento Tachibana. The two of them soon become inseparable despite the fact that such creatures are considered abominations. But Kento’s kind-hearted mother allows him to let his new friend live with them unbeknownst to the consequences of that decision.

Soon the life of the Tachibana family is turned upside down by evil forces beyond their control and it sends Kento on a seemingly hopeless long journey to change his mother’s tragic fate. ‘My Daemon’ is an emotional show driven by a personal tragedy that uses supernatural elements to weave an engaging story that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats- an experience that you could potentially relive in the 8 anime like it that are listed below.

8. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019 -)

The central theme of ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ has always been about family and a seemingly hopeless journey to rescue a loved one just like Netflix’s ‘My Daemon.’ Both anime uses supernatural elements to create an action-packed drama that is interestingly often quite emotional. ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ follows Tanjirou who is desperately trying to turn his now demon sister into a human being again. Along the way, he discovers frightening mysteries about demons and their origins and ends up becoming a slayer to hopefully conclude a long battle between good and evil so that peace and progress can flourish. You can watch the anime here.

7. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009 – 2010)

Despite knowing that human transmutation is a grave sin in the alchemy world, brothers Edward and Alphonse are driven by emotional reasons to use it and end up losing their leg and body respectively in the process. Many years after getting rescued, the duo sets out on a long journey so that they can get their hands on the sought-after Philosopher’s Stone, to defy the alchemical law of equivalent exchange to get their bodies back. But little do they know that they will end up discovering a dangerous conspiracy that puts the world in an existential crisis. ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ is an exciting series that is undoubtedly one of the most well-written Shounen anime of all time. While it may seem that it does not share many similarities with Netflix’s ‘My Daemon,’ interestingly Edward and Alphonse’s reasons for disregarding ban on the human transmutation was actually their desire to bring their deceased mother back to life. Feel free to watch the series here.

6. Steins;Gate (2011)

Eccentric scientist Rintarou Okabe is a relentless experimentalist who hopes to invent something of value someday. To his surprise, he realizes one day that he has managed to create a device that can send text messages to the past. Not knowing the consequences of his timeline-altering actions, he ends up getting himself in a world of trouble. ‘Steins;Gate’ primarily revolves around Okabe’s efforts to save a loved one after his initial mistakes made by using the makeshift time machine. You can watch the series here.

5. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (2009)

After some disputes with her family, Mirai Onozawa hopes to tear everything apart not realizing that she should be careful what she wishes for. Sometime afterward when she is visiting a robot exhibition with her younger brother, a devastating earthquake turns her world upside down. Although the siblings get rescued by Mari Kusakabe, a motorcyclist and single mother, the fate of their family remains uncertain. ‘Tokyo Magnitude 8.0’ revolves around the long journey of the eccentric group that is desperately trying to find the remaining members of the Onozawa family. Just like Netflix’s ‘My Daemon’ the anime is about rescuing loved ones, even though the circumstances seem hopeless and the chance of success is very low. The anime is accessible for streaming here.

4. Erased (2016)

‘Erased’ revolves around a 29-year-old manga artist Satoru Fujinuma who is gifted with the mysterious power to go back in time just before a tragedy occurs. So when he is accused of killing someone close to him, he tries to use his powers to rescue the loved one only to realize that the crime is interestingly connected to someone he used to know in his school days. Interestingly, the loved one Satoru is desperately trying to save is actually his mother, just like Kento who goes to great lengths to rescue his mother. You can watch the show here.

3. Orange (2016)

Naho Takamiya is an ordinary high schooler whose life is turned upside down when she starts receiving letters addressed to her. Interestingly, these letters are from herself—10 years in the future and they hauntingly reveal that she has made some mistakes over the years that she continues to regret. In order to ensure that Naho from the present timeline does not commit the same mistakes, she receives instructions on how to make better choices. Interestingly, ‘Orange’ is not just limited to Takamiya and one of its main storylines is the protagonist’s efforts to save someone’s life. Her selfless efforts to rescue someone are quite similar to what Kento tries to do for his mother. You can watch the anime here.

2. Dororo (2019)

Greedy samurai lord Daigo Kagemitsu makes a pact with demons following which his son is born without skin, eyes, limbs, or nose. Since he does not wish to save him, Kagemitsu abandons him and disposes him off in a river thinking he would end up dying there. Interestingly, the boy ends up getting rescued by a medicine man who provides him with all the necessary medical help he needs and even goes as far as giving him prosthetics so that he can eventually become independent. He later finds out that in order to gain different parts of his body, he must defeat all the demons that are involved in the pact with his father.

This marks the beginning of his hopeful journey which is quite lonely for the first few years. But eventually, he meets Dororo, an orphan boy, and becomes friends with him. They join hands to face the cruel demon-infested world and fight for their survival. ‘Dororo’ has very few similarities with Netflix’s ‘My Daemon’ but both shows primarily revolve around supernatural beings and recount a story of protagonists who embark on long and life-changing journeys. You can watch the anime here.

1. Mushishi (2005 – 2006)

Mushi is considered the basic form of life on the planet and exists without a purpose or sometimes without even a concrete form. Their existence completely disregards humanistic value judgments as they are amoral and have no goal apart from just being. Interestingly, they are very flexible in the sense that they can easily transform themselves by mimicking the natural world. Mushi can take the form of a disease, animal, plant, or even any naturally occurring phenomenon. The truth about their origins is still buried in secrecy and even the information available is not enough to draw any meaningful theories. Mushishi, who are basically researchers, studies Mushi to learn more about them. Mushishi Genko is also curious about their place in the world and studies them diligently so that he can unravel the mysteries about them. He travels all the time trying to examine any reports about Mushi, in hopes of making a breakthrough. ‘Mushishi’ is a great watch for viewers who are looking for anime that inculcates supernatural entities in its premise and revolves around a protagonist who embarks on a long journey driven by a selfless goal. You can watch the series here.