Deca-Dence has been one of our favourite series of the year thus far, standing out not just because of its episode 2 twist but also because of its strong action direction, distinctive art style, and endearing characters.
Deca-Dence exploded onto the Summer 2020 season with its distinctive blend of action and sci-fi that takes the tired concept of “the game is real life” in an interesting direction. Even though Deca-Dence is a rather distinctive concert, there are still others just like it, and that’s what we’re concentrating on today. As usual, we’ll base our selections mostly on how closely the narrative, setting, themes, and characters resemble each other. Let’s get going!
1. Accel World
Accel World is based in the year 2046, where augmented and virtual reality are widespread thanks to widely used collar-like Neuro Linker computers that can wirelessly connect to users’ brains to easily transport them into VR and AR. This setting thrusts us squarely into “the world is a game” terrority. Arita Haruyuki, a hilariously tiny and chubby middle school kid who is harassed and lacks confidence but is an expert at games—VR racketball, at least—is the protagonist of the novel.
He receives an unexpected call from the popular and attractive vice-president of the student council, who introduces him to a top-secret VR fighting game called Brain Burst that allows players to jump outside of their bodies in the real world by accelerating their brain waves to the point where time seems to stand still. This power is removed if a player runs out of points.
Accel World does cover some of the same themes as Deca-Dence, even though their overall feels are debatably not all that comparable. This should appeal to such people, especially if they also enjoy some extremely anime-style school romance subplots. There are also some really nice Haruyuki faces to be seen.
2. DARLING in the FRANXX
The appearance of enormous creatures known as klaxosaurs in a post-apocalyptic future put humans in jeopardy. Everything started when groundbreaking mining discoveries allowed for the inexpensive extraction of abundant energy sources from magma, accelerating the development of human civilisation.
The abrupt arrival of the klaxosaurs as a result of the magma extraction ultimately brought humanity to the verge of extinction. Scientists developed the enormous mecha known as Franxx and used kids as parasites to combat klaxosaurs. Together, young boys and girls who were born as parasites control Franxx to repel the advancing klaxosaurs.
The need for natural resources by humans has led to the creation of the monsters in the anime. Despite spending a lot of time in battle with the monsters, the main protagonists know very little about them. The primary protagonists are kept in the dark about the past of the prehistoric human civilisation.
3. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Simon, a fourteen-year-old orphan who lives in the underground community of Giha and makes a fortune by excavating antiquities, is an orphan. He considers Kamina to be his older brother and is close with him. Kamina is a stubborn rebel who longs to leave the hamlet despite the elder’s repeated cautions.
Simon comes upon an unusual key in the form of a drill on a fateful day. Soon later, a huge robot responded to the key by emerging from the surface and began attacking Simon’s underground town. Simon accidentally activates a mini-robot with the key to help rescue the hamlet, and with Kamina’s assistance, he manages to take down the adversary robot. So starts Simon’s battle with other individuals to reclaim control of the surface.
The anime is set in a bleak future when people live underground to avoid being attacked by unidentified foes. The primary characters are a mentor and a learner. The main protagonists engage in combat on a ship that resembles a moving castle and may change while fighting.
4. God Eater
The year is 2071, and creatures known as Aragami have brought the Earth to the verge of annihilation. Fenrir, an organization made up of God Eaters, a particular race of humans was established to battle the Aragami. The God Eaters can use the divine weaponry known as God Arc.
A God Eater named Utsugi Lenka is capable of using a brand-new God Arc that can transform into either a cannon or a sword. Utsugi joins one of Japan’s most fearsome defence squads with the might of his new weapon in an effort to end the danger to mankind once and for all.
In the anime, the weapons used in battle are fueled by the bodies of the opponents. Following a monster onslaught, the main character lost his family.
5. Drifting Dragons
Similar to Deca-Dence, Kuutei Dragons takes place in a world where monsters are harvested for both food and fuel, in this case the titular dragons. The narrative centres on a group of dragon hunters, or drakers, who are travelling on the airship Quin Zaza. One of the characters is Takita, a newcomer who not only resembles Natsume from Deca-Dence in appearance but also has a fairly typical genki-girl protagonist personality and a knack for creating instantly recognisable facial expressions.
She also receives guidance from Mika, an older male crew member who, although being more outlandish than his Deca-Dence counterpart, has a similar dynamic. The dragons in Kuutei Dragons have very peculiar and intriguing looks and are a part of some great action scenes, much like the Gadoll.
There isn’t a major surprise as in Deca-Dence, and instead, a lot more time is focused on the world of “eating the monster” and some oddly mouthwatering dragon recipes. For your knowledge, Kuutei Dragons is a completely 3DCG anime that occasionally feels a bit too close to real-world whaling. For Deca-Dence lovers who value its world-building, Kuutei Dragons is unquestionably a series worth checking out.
6. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
When terrifying monsters arise from a mystery virus during the industrial revolution, they rip through human flesh to satisfy their insatiable appetites. These “Kabane” creatures can only be eliminated by severing their steel-coated hearts. But if one of these creatures bites the victim, the outcome is worse than death, as the dead rise once more to join the ranks of the undead.
Only the most well-protected civilizations have survived this upheaval, as is the case with the island of Hinomoto, where mankind has built a huge wall to defend itself from the unending hordes of Kabane. It is only possible to enter these massive strongholds by trains that have been extensively armoured, which are maintained and constructed by young men like Ikoma. Ikoma is excitedly anticipating the day when he will be able to battle with his new creation, a lethal weapon that he believes can easily pierce through the hearts of Kabane. He has no idea, though, that his opportunity will arrive much sooner than he anticipated.