Katanagatari is set in a fictional version of Japan’s Edo era. While many different schools of swordplay are in practise across the country, Shichika Yasuri practises the unique Kyotouryuu where he uses his own body as a weapon. Quietly living in exile with his sister and focusing on his sword techniques, Shichika’s life is changed forever when a mysterious girl named Togame appears. She invites him to help her find twelve swords called the Deviant Blades for the shogunate. Shichika agrees to help her, and the two begin a dangerous journey to complete Togame’s mission and become an unstoppable team.

Sword Gai and Katanagatari have the same core idea - a man whose body is also a weapon used for sword fighting, and his journey to become more powerful and fight against his adversaries with this unique style. Both anime have a similar setting as well in fictionalised historical Japan, so that means fans of samurai and Japanese history are likely to enjoy both anime. The art may be different but the ideas and themes are the same. So if you want more Japanese sword fighting with the added twist of the main character wielding their body as a weapon, watch Katanagatari. It’s a great follow up to Sword Gai that will likely leave you feeling satisfied.

Soul Eater is set at a very special school in a unique world where people fight using well, other people. Some people are meisters, meaning they have the ability to wield weapons. And other people are these weapons! They can transform into various kinds of demon weapons from swords and scythes to guns and more! Meisters and weapons are bonded together and learn how to fight as one. And at Death Weapon Meister Academy, students are studying under Lord Death himself to create and become Death Scythes by consuming 99 evil souls and one witch’s soul. Soul Eater follows a young meister named Maka and her weapon partner, Soul, and their friends on their journey to do just that!

The time of Soul Eater and Sword Gai are admittedly very different. But their themes are actually quite similar! Both anime focus in the idea of a human-weapon hybrid that has demon powers. Gai is the only one struggling with his weapon ability in Sword Gai, but Soul Eater has so many characters that are demon weapon hybrids! On character named Tsubaki’s struggle to come to terms with the Samurai-esque power within her is especially similar to Sword Gai. Both Soul Eater and Sword Gai are also about using these weapon hybrids to fight against evil in exciting battle scenes. The style may be different, but the idea is the same. If you want to see more demon weapon humans but are looking for a lighter and more fun style, give Soul Eater a try.

KILL la KILL is the story of Ryuuko Matoi, a girl in search of her father’s killer. Following what little trail she has, she finds herself at Honnouji Academy. This school is dominated by its student council president and the Elite Four, a group of students who have special clothes called Goku Uniforms that grant them superhuman power. When Ryuuko is bested by the Elite Four, she returns to her old family home only to come into contact with a rare sentient being called Senketsu. Senkentsu is awakened by Ryuuko and attaches to her, also granting her incredible power to return and face the Elite Four to find her father’s killer once and for all.

KILL la KILL and Sword Gai have a central idea in common - both anime are about a main character who becomes attached to a sentient form that grants them superhuman powers. For Gai, it’s the demon sword that takes the place of his arm and makes him into a powerful weapon. For Ryuuko, it’s the God Clothes that attach to her body and give her superhuman strength in battles. Both of these characters have an edge in their fights because of this sentient powerful force that has become a part of them, turning their very bodies into nearly unstoppable weapons. One is a sword and the other a kind of armour, but the idea is the same. Both Ryuuko and Gai have to learn how to wield their new power against their enemies to reach their goals.

Karas is set in a world where humans and yokai, or demons, live side by side. However, the humans live without knowing that there are demons amongst them, unable to see them even as they walk down the same streets. This is because of a human named Yurine and her servant the Karas who maintain balance between the worlds and allow humans to live without fear. Angry that humans seem to have forgotten the demons, one Karas named Eko creates an army of mechanised demons to attack them. It’s up to a young man named Otoha who inherits the power of the Karas to help Yurine stop Eko’s dark plot.

Sword Gai and Karas are both stories about humans and demons, and most importantly, humans with demon powers. For Gai it comes in the form of the demon sword that takes the place of his arm, granting him demon powers as the arm possesses him. For Otoha, he receives the power of the Karas, with Yurine claiming that his soul always called out to that power. Both young men have little choice in their fates but now have to face what life means having demon powers, and the responsibility and trouble that comes with that. Their lives have been changed forever because of this merge with a demon, and they have to learn how to use their unique “gift” to keep evil at bay.

InuYasha follows the story of a teenage girl named Kagome Higurashi whose normal life is changed forever when she is dragged into a deep well by a demon. She ends up transported into Japan’s Sengoku era, with the Shikon Jewel inside of her. This jewel is what the demon was really after because it has wish-granting powers! But when the jewel is shattered in a battle, Kagome teams up with a dog-demon/human hybrid named InuYasha to find all the pieces and keep them from falling into the wrong hands. Along with an unlikely team of mix-matches people, they journey across Feudal Japan together to stop the demon threat.

InuYasha is another tale of humans and demons having to work alongside of, as well as battle against, one another. That makes it already a great choice for fans of the demon element of Sword Gai. The time period InuYasha is set in is also similar to Sword Gai; it’s a piece of Japanese history, but with a supernatural and fantasy twist that keeps it from being very realistic. That doesn’t stop it from having epic sword battles though, which is another thing that Sword Gai and InuYasha have in common. There’s a lot of really cool katana fights against demons and more! Plus much like Gai having demon powers from his replaced magic arm, Kagome has to deal with having a magic demon jewel inside of her. InuYasha is a classic anime these days, but if you haven’t watched it yet and enjoyed these parts of Sword Gai, give it a try.

Garo: Vanishing Line is set in Russell City, an otherwise prosperous metropolis that is plagued by terrible Horrors that are the manifestation of negative emotions. Only the Makai Order can stop them, using Makai Knights and Alchemists to fight back against these Horrors. One such warrior is simply called Sword, and he weirds the powerful Garo armour and blade against his enemies. But when a threat that could bring down the entire Makai Order surfaces, Sword is determined to stop it. With only the mysterious phrase “El Dorado” to guide him, he works with a girl called Sophie Hennis to uncover the threat and save the Order.

Garo: Vanishing Line and Sword Gai may not initially seem like they have much in common, but you might be surprised. While the stories are generally quite different, the style and tone are the same. Both Sword Gai and Garo: Vanishing Line are gritty, dark anime full of the supernatural, intense battles, and violence. They have a similar realistic style of animation that used a lot of dark and neutral colours that aid to the overall tone in both anime. And both Gai and Sword employ weapons (and in Sword’s case, armour too!) that give them a superhuman edge over their enemies. So if it’s more the tone and style of action that really drew you into Sword Gai, you might enjoy watching Garo: Vanishing Line as well!