The Imperial Nation of Germania has taken up arms and have decided to invade its neighbouring country. The entirety of Europe is plunged into war and this includes the Principality of Elystadt, the central nation of the story. The Principality is doing too hot and even seems to be losing to Germania, even to the point of getting their Princess captured by enemy forces. Enter Izetta, the figurative witch, who comes riding in on a giant gun to rescue the Princess. And so begins a retelling of the World War that engulfed countless lives, but with a Witch.

Though it does not hit that sweet spot of resurrection, Izetta definitely has plenty that is similar to Youjo Senki. A dramatic retelling of World War 2, but with a magical girl as our protagonist? Check! While our main character certainly isn’t a villain like Tanya, the anime is chock filled with plenty of dark themes that will send tingles up the spine of any viewer. If you’re looking to satiate your dark and grisly appetite, this is the show for you!

Countless players have played the MMORPG, Elder Tale since its inception. When the game launches its latest update, 30 thousand players are whisked away into a world similar to that of Elder Tale in the blink of an eye, leaving them confused and bewildered. One of these players is the very awkward yet competitive, Shiroe, who immediately begins to explore the strange new world that he has entered. Together with his friends, he must learn to navigate the strange world of Elder Tale, trying his best to keep afloat of game mechanics, political intrigue and monster invasions. With the logout function disabled forever, they must do their very best to survive their new homeland, all the while trying to maintain some semblance of normality.

Admittedly, Log Horizon is a much lighter series when compared to the death filled series of Youjo Senki. Their main characters, Shiroe and Tanya, share so many similarities. It is an amazing joy to watch both of them. Instead of despairing in their new world, they immediately try to find a way to exploit the resources at their disposal. The way that they manipulate the circumstances to their advantage, and the payoff from doing so, is just oh so sweet nectar for those looking for something more intellectual than standing up from pure grit. The way the two get everyone and everything around them to dance to their will is just a marvel to behold. Now kiss!

Ikta Solork can’t be bothered with most things in life. It is much easier and less strenuous to just be a lazy guy and maybe sometimes chase after some skirts. All in all, he’s satisfied with his lot in life…if he wasn’t forced to become a High Grade Military Officer in defence of his land. Despite his lacklustre attitude and unseeingly appearance, Ikta is not just smart, he has been trained in the numerous sciences that permeate the land. When the Katjvarna Empire takes arms against the Republic of Kioka, Ikta will be forced to use every idea and inspiration he can gather to win the day, despite his protests.

Neither Ikta nor Tanya want to be in the military at all, but circumstances have forced their hands. In order to escape from their shoddy circumstances and prevent the worst from befalling, they are forced to use their superior skills and knowledge to climb the ranks of a failing military in order to secure an advantage in their precarious positions. These aren’t people who want to do what they have to, but are forced to do what they must simply for the sake of survival. One is a hero and the other a villain, but both are just trying to survive in the end. If that kind of deal is your cup of tea, then we recommend Alderamin for you for sure!

During an intense battle, Shimazu Toyohisa manages to wound an important enemy combatant, but is dealt fatal blows in the process. With his body broken and mangled, Toyohisa trudges the battlefield to live another day, but gets transported into a strange dimension filled with doors. There, a mysterious entity sends him into another world, one with Samurais and Katanas. He meets others that have been forced into another world like him, and they call themselves the Drifters!

Toyohisa certainly isn’t the brightest man around. While he possesses some level of strategic planning, there is a certain finesse that he lacks in comparison to the true manipulative characters that have surfaced throughout the years. Whatever he lacks in finesse is made up with a complete lack of aversion to violence and killing. He and Tanya are killers true and true. As long as it will fulfil their goal just a little more, they will kill anything in their way. These are shows of mass slaughter. Avert the eyes of your children, while you gleefully watch the murder porn of the anime industry.

While Yggdrasil was popular for its time, the MMORPG has had its popularity fade and decline after it reached its peak. With those factors in consideration, the game has been shut down. In the final hour of its lifespan, Momonga, a wizard and master of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown, decides to stick around due to a sense of nostalgia and reluctance. However, when the promised hour is reached, instead of being logged out, he finds himself becoming his in-game character. Furthermore, the NPCs seem to have developed personalities of their own! He must do all that he can to investigate this strange phenomenon, and to answer the question; is he the only player?

When it comes to NPCs suddenly becoming real, some characters might find it hard to empathise with what was once a scripted character. Momonga faces that very challenge, and thus he kills without remorse whatsoever. As a max levelled character skilled in magic, he runs roughshod over the world of Yggdrasil in order to fulfil his whims and desires. Whilst somewhat more light hearted than Youjo Senki, many of the darker themes are retained and death of characters, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’, are both present within the series. Overlord is basically the Saga of Momonga the Evil.

With the surge of Knightmare Frames, a revolutionary technology involving humanoid robot suits that allow their pilots to adapt to any terrain easily, the Holy Empire of Britannia has established itself as a superpower in the world, conquering countless countries. One of those countries is Japan. Lelouch Lamperouge is a Britannian student studying in Japan after its conversion by the Empire. He quickly finds himself embroiled in a conflict between the rebel forces and the Empire. When Lelouch stumbles upon a girl named C.C, she grants him a Geass, the power of absolute obedience. With his cunning mind and new found powers, Lelouch sets off to recreate the world in his image.

Both anime feature very similar circumstances, minus that whole reincarnation bit. They are both retellings of the World War 2 era, that ended went somewhat different because of an introduction of a new element, the Knightmares/Mages. They have a main character that constantly tips between the lines of anti-hero and villain, sometimes shocking us with their cruelty and sometimes garnering our sympathy. Also they both get that one power that lets them get an instant edge over their adversaries. On a side note, there’s also vaguely something about God?