Dhruv Sharma
Mirza Aaqib Beg
Coming from A-1 Pictures, a rather controversial studio, many fans were initially worried about the anime adaptation of ‘The Seven Deadly Sins‘. Known for creating other famous anime like ‘Blue Exorcist‘ and ‘Sword Art Online‘, the studio is infamously known for butchering the manga halfway through its adaptations. Although it does the same with ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, the anime still manages to shine in its own unique ways. The basic premise of the anime is quite generic which revolves around a young princess named Elizabeth. She then runs into a boy named Meliodas and that’s when we get to learn that he is actually the captain of the legendary Deadly Sins. The two then set out on a journey to look for the other remaining Sins.
As basic as its plot might seem, the world-building of the anime is its main attraction. It involves historic fortresses, dense detailed forests and other well-known fantasy gimmicks. There is nothing exceptional about its fantasy world but what makes it really interesting, is the influence of all these elements in its story. When it comes to the characters, it’s pretty much the major selling point of this show. You just cannot take your eyes off the two main characters and even their subtle development throughout the series is highly captivating. Overall, ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ may not perfect, but it still manages to execute its shounen tropes in the best possible way. That being said, if you have already seen it, I’m sure that you’re already looking for similar shows. So here’s our list of all the anime that are like ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’.
10. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (2012 – 2014)
Based on Shinobu Ohtaka’s Japanese manga series of the same name, ‘Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic’ is a fantasy adventure show. The show follows Aladdin, a compassionate magician who meets the courageous Alibaba Saluja who leaves his home behind to explore the world. However, after accidentally destroying a local merchant’s supply cart, the two decide to explore the Dungeons, the giant labyrinths that are overflowing with hidden treasures. Aware that supernatural beings that are known as Djinns guard these places, the duo embark on a life-changing quest unbeknownst to the fact that they will end up changing the world. You can watch the show on Funimation and Crunchyroll.
9. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (2009-2010)
You must be wondering how ‘Fullmetal Alchemist‘ ended up on this list. But if you think about it, both the shows have a young ambitious protagonist who also happens to have blonde hair. Meliodas is the overpowered head of the seven deadly sins and Edward Elric is the youngest state alchemist. But despite all of these similarities between their protagonists, the two anime are quite different when it comes to their premise. ‘Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood‘ is about two young brothers who attempt to perform a human transmutation and their lives go spiralling down. To make up for all the destruction caused after the forbidden act, the two set out on a journey to look for the Philosopher’s Stone. The anime is accessible for streaming on Hulu and Funimation.
8. Hunter X Hunter (2011-)
‘Hunter X Hunter‘ takes place in a fantastical world where monsters and several mythical creatures are still very well alive. Gon Freecss, the main protagonist, is the son of a very famous hunter who went missing during one of his adventures. When he discovers that his father is still alive, he decides to go out and look for him. But before he does this, he must become a licensed hunter. ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ and ‘Hunter X Hunter’, both are set in vast fantasy worlds that are driven by the dreams of a young character. Unlike Melodas from ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, Gon still seems to be full of wonder and his dreams seem to be more magical. But at the end of the day, both of these characters share a strong sense of purpose and are determined to reach their end goal. All the episodes are accessible for streaming on VRV and Crunchyroll.
7. Dragon Ball (1986-1989)
Just like Elizabeth from ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, Bulma from ‘Dragon Ball‘ sets out on a quest to look for something. In this case, Bulma seeks the seven Dragon Balls so that she can get her wishes granted. Later, just how Elizabeth meets an overconfident young boy named Meliodas, Bulma meets the strong kid Goku. The two of them meet several other characters along the way, many of whom, even join them for a small part of their journey. Unlike ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, the main cast of ‘Dragon Ball’ is just confined to the two characters but for the most part of it, the two anime have a very similar premise. The series is accessible for streaming on Funimation and Hulu.
6. Akatsuki no Yona (2014-2015)
Princess Yona is the female protagonist of the show who gets thrown out of her own kingdom. After having a very luxurious and comfortable upbringing, she is forced to survive a battle and now has to learn to survive with the help of her few friends. Despite her glamorous upbringing, she shows a lot of will power and tries to overthrow the new king till the very end. Princess Yona’s character is very similar to that of Elizabeth from ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’. She is also thrown in the middle of a battlefield and is forced to look out for herself. And just how Hak enters Yona’s life as a savior, Meliodas comes for Elizabeth. Both of these female characters end up showing immense mental strength and do not give up even when all the odds are against them. ‘Akatsuki no Yona‘ and ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ have so much in common that it’s almost like watching the same anime all over again with a slightly different setup and characters. You can watch the show on Funimation and VRV.
5. Rokka no Yusha (2015)
There are more than one similarities between ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ and ‘Rokka no Yusha’. The cast of both the anime has a wide variety of characters who possess unique abilities. Aldet from ‘Rokka no Yusha’ is very similar to Meliodas as both of them are quite overconfident when it comes to their abilities. Also, the groups of “heroes” featured in both the shows initially start battling against one another only to realise that the real threat is right in front of them. Aldet, who claims to be the world’s strongest man, is accompanied by Nashetania, as they embark on a journey to destroy the Demon Lord. They are joined by the six chosen Braves of the Six Flowers and everything seems to be going just fine. But suddenly one day, their peace is disrupted when a seventh member barges in and causes friction between all the members of the group. Now Aldet must find out who this black sheep is before the whole team comes crumbling down. The anime is accessibke for watching on HBO Max or Crunchyroll.
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4. Soul Eater (2008-)
‘Soul Eater‘ is a highly acclaimed anime because of its great sense of humor and top-notch shounen action. It tells the story of Soul Eater Evans who, along with his friends, sets out on a journey to collect the souls of evil creatures and witches to not only protect their city, but also to become a Death Scythe. Although Evans is clearly the main protagonist, all the members of his team bring something new to the story with their unique personalities. ‘Soul Eater’ is one of the best Shounen of our time and is certainly a must-watch for everyone. Similar to ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, ‘Soul Eater’ revolves around a Kingdom where evil forces have been trying to take over. To solve this issue, a group of powerful individuals try to battle these forces to protect the ones who are innocent. Both of them feature seven main characters who bring their own sense of flavor to the story. Even the action scenes share a lot of similarities and both the shows are so intense, that you’ll always be at the edge of your seat while watching. Funimation and Hulu have the show in its catalog.
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3. Trinity Seven (2014-)
‘Trinity Seven‘ again, has a much lighter tone compared to all the shows on this list. It is an Ecchi that tells the story of a boy named Kasuga Karata who almost dies when his entire town turns to rubble. After a series of unfortunate events that follow, he is forced to enroll himself into a prestigious magic school known as the Royal Biblia Academy. Here, he meets the Trinity Seven—seven deadly magical girls who have unique powers and skills. He must now work with the Trinity Seven to save world from all the danger that lies ahead. Arata is exactly like Meliodas and he never misses out on an opportunity to hit on other female characters. But apart from being extremely perverted, both the characters are determined to protect their worlds by casting out all evil forces. Both have a team of exactly seven members who also possess similar supernatural abilities. The show is available on VRV and Funimation.
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2. Akame ga Kill (2014)
‘Akame ga Kill‘ is about a group of assassins who set out on to unravel the true intentions of their Prime Minister. This political leader seems to be determined to completely destroy his own town. Tatsumi, the present leader of the group, goes through a rigorous transformation after he not only tries to dig out secrets of his empire, but also starts to challenge his own morals and previously held beliefs. Intense battles in diverse environments are common occurances in the show where Akame and the Night Raid do everything they can to save their world. ‘Akame ga Kill’ is again an anime that brings in a whole group of main characters who are all determined to protect their city from a corrupt ruler. Initially, just like ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, there are several clashes between the diverse personalities of all the team members. But eventually they get along just fine and learn work more cohesively with one another. Also, both the shows feature an antagonist who is a corrupt leader and the group of protagonists is determined to crush his nefarious rule. All the episodes are accessible for streaming on Hulu or VRV.
1. Fairy Tail (2009-)
On the surface, compared to ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, ‘Fairy Tail‘ has a lighter tone and its story mostly revolves around the relationships between all of its characters. The two shows follow an entirely different premise with barely any similarities, but their underlying themes of friendship and “never giving up” make them quite similar to each other. Both the anime grab your attention through their characters and with each passing episode, you get attached to atleast one of their main characters. If you really enjoyed watching ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’, ‘Fairy Tail‘ is one anime you should not be missing out on. The anime is accessible for watching on Funimation and Hulu.
