Black Torch (IMDb rating as of August 21, 2026: 7.2/10) is a new anime available on Crunchyroll, and it has quickly become a fan favorite this season. It makes sense why. It has amazing fleshed-out characters; the anime wastes no time getting into each character arc, and the animation is, while not the best, good enough to keep you hooked.
However, there are many more anime on Crunchyroll that happen to be way better than Black Torch. Some of them even follow the same tropes, and you will see how. Let’s take a look at seven such dark shonen anime, while ranking them on the basis of their quality.
7. Blue Exorcist Follows the Same Template With a Better Twist
Rin from Blue Exorcist | Credit: A-1 Pictures
Blue Exorcist follows Rin and Yukio, two brothers who grew up in an orphanage. They led a pretty happy life, but it didn’t last long. It turns out that both of them are sons of Satan himself, who is actually looking for a way to get into the human world.
Unlike Black Torch, where the protagonist has a demon enter his body, the protagonist here is a half-demon himself. Rin is actually a lot like Jirou, as both of them are rash and full of a sense of justice. However, this anime ranks this low because, quality-wise, while it surpasses Black Torch, it is still pretty weak.
6. Hell’s Paradise Offers One of the Darkest Worlds
Sagiri and Gabimaru from Hell’s Paradise | Credit: MAPPA
Hell’s Paradise follows Gabimaru, a violent ninja, and a bunch of other dangerous criminals who are sent to a mysterious island to look for the Elixir of Life. However, things go south, as it turns out that the island is full of chimera-like monsters and immortal beings.
This is one anime that knows what it takes to be a good dark shonen. There aren’t even proper good or bad guys, and everything is about survival. The only reason this anime doesn’t rank higher is that this list simply gets even better.
5. Daemons of the Shadow Realm – Arakawa’s Latest Masterpiece
Asa from Daemons of the Shadow Realm | Credit: Bones Film
Daemons of the Shadow Realm follows Yuru and Asa, twins whose births were separated by day and night. According to the legend, both of them possess mystical powers that multiple factions of this world want to take hold of. This war between the factions leads to many dark moments where blood is spilled like it’s nothing.
This anime also offers a much better power system, with daemons that come in pairs and can form contracts with humans to aid them in a fight. However, this anime cannot rank any higher than this because, while it shows quality, it hasn’t finished yet. This means there is a lot of room for it to fall off.
4. Gachiakuta Offers One of the Most Creative Worlds
Riyo from Gachiakuta | Credit: Bones Film
Gachiakuta easily outshines Black Torch in ambition and execution – its trash-world premise is visually inventive, its social commentary on discarded people gives real emotional weight, and its art direction (courtesy of Kei Urana) feels far more distinctive panel-to-panel.
Black Torch, by contrast, leans on familiar shonen beats with a likeable but generic lead. The only reason this anime doesn’t rank any higher is that the top three have proven again and again that they stand at the top of the subgenre.
3. Chainsaw Man Understands Demonic Transformations
Makima from Chainsaw Man | Credit: MAPPA
In Chainsaw Man, the concept of a devil practically sitting inside the protagonist and the protagonist using that devil’s powers to fight is a lot like what happens to Jirou and Ragou. However, unlike Black Torch, the transformations in this anime feel very painful, and if you cannot handle blood, you might not be able to watch it.
Furthermore, just because the protagonist has this power doesn’t make every fight easy. There is still a lot of both psychological and physical struggle that Denji has to go through, a theme which makes this anime also rank high. It doesn’t rank higher because some viewers feel it’s one of those anime with the most insufferable MCs who keep making the same type of mistakes.
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Is an All-Time Classic
Edward from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Credit: Bones
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has one of the best power systems in the entire anime landscape, with hard-coded rules that keep everything grounded. It follows Edward and Alphonse, two brothers who have lost more than everything in their lives after they tried to resurrect their dead mother.
The reason this anime ranks this high is because of the track record. With a single, complete 64-episode run that concluded years ago, this anime manages to stay relevant. In fact, the majority of the fans got into Daemons of the Shadow Realm because it was made by the same creator. However, it still doesn’t land at the top because the dark aspect of it can feel very light at times.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen Is the Superior Alternative to Black Torch
No list about shonen anime is complete without talking about Jujutsu Kaisen. But when we add “dark” to it, we get this anime automatically on top. An entity from ancient times that was feared for being the strongest is now living inside a cheerful young protagonist who had to leave his entire life for it and join a special force? That’s both Black Torch and Jujutsu Kaisen.
However, the reason it’s considered better is that it subverts classic tropes with brutal consequences, features a fast-paced and unpredictable plot, and explores the heavy psychological weight of death and trauma on its young characters – something Black Torch hasn’t touched upon yet.
Which of these anime have you watched? And which is the one you’re going to watch? Let us know in the comments.
All anime mentioned are streaming on Crunchyroll
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
