Highlights
-
Go! Go! Loser Ranger!
offers a cynical twist on classic hero tales, perfect for fans of darker superhero stories. -
Love After World Domination
parodies
Super Sentai
themes with a goofy rom-com twist for a fun watch. -
Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department
provides a villain’s perspective on hero clashes.
Go! Go! Loser Ranger! is a brand-new anime airing this season, based on a manga written by the creator of The Quintessential Quintuplets, Negi Haruba. A parody of the Super Sentai series, the anime depicts the ongoing struggle between the Dragon Keepers and an invading force of evil. However, the force of evil has long been beaten, and only its footsoldiers remain, to be used by the Keepers to maintain their facade of heroism.
Go! Go! Loser Ranger! puts a cynical spin on the standard Super Sentai story, which is normally full of classic heroic tropes. For fans of darker, more cynical takes on superheroes, or those who just like poking fun at the standard hero tropes, this show is certainly a good choice for them, but there are some other anime to watch for those who enjoy Go! Go! Loser Ranger!’s brand of satire as well.
7 Love After World Domination
A Saucy Affair Between Good And Evil
- Japanese Title: Koi wa Sekai Seifuku no Ato de
- Studio: Project. No 9
- No. of Episodes: 12
- Streaming Services: Crunchyroll
In order to fight against the endless invasion of the villainous Secret Society Gekko, the Freezing Sentai Gelato 5 is formed. The leader, Fudo Aikawa, commands the team as Red Gelato, as they fight against Gekko’s many officers, including the beautiful yet powerful Reaper Princess. What neither society knows, however, is that Red Gelato and the Reaper Princess have fallen in love, and have started using their fights as dates.
Love After World Domination is a goofy fun rom-com that also serves as a parody on the Super Sentai concept. There’s also a bit of the star-crossed lovers trope, but the series is generally centered around comedy.
6 Miss Kuroitsu From The Monster Development Department
Looking At Hero Activities From The Villain’s Side Of Things
- Japanese Title: Kaijin Kaihatsubu no Kuroitsu-san
- Studio: Quad
- No. of Episodes: 12
- Streaming Services: Crunchyroll
The secret organization Agastia seeks to conquer the world, but is thwarted with every attempt by heroes. In order to create a being capable of defeating the heroes that are a constant thorn in their side, Agastia’s Monster Development Department works around the clock without thanks or success. Staffed by only a few employees, including the titular Miss Kuroitsu, the Department spends its day balancing their monster designs with the demands of their superiors.
Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department is another parody of Japanese superhero tropes. The series takes the perspective of the villains here, and how their many efforts to beat the heroes are often met with failure.
5 Samurai Flamenco
A Fake Hero Becomes A Real One
- Studio: Manglobe
- No. of Episodes: 22
- Streaming Services: Crunchyroll
Masayoshi Hazama seems to have it all as a handsome and successful male model. However, his true dream is to fight crime as a hero, just like in his favorite tokusatsu shows. To that end, he decides to fight crime as the vigilante Samurai Flamenco. Though he is nothing but a wannabe hero at first, things slowly start changing when real monsters start terrorizing the public.
Samurai Flamenco is an odd take on the superhero story, starting off relatively grounded before becoming more and more bizarre as the series goes on. The characters are quite different from the usual superhero archetypes, so anyone tired of the usual superhero stories should check this series out.
4 Casshern Sins
A Former Villain Seeking The Meaning Of Life
In a world where robots rule over humans, a girl named Luna begins to be hailed as the savior of humanity. Braiking Boss, leader of the robots, sends his strongest men to assassinate her, and Casshern is successful. The assassination of Luna triggers a mysterious ruin that causes the world to decay, and the one who caused it, Casshern, can’t even remember what he did.
Casshern Sins is a dark reboot of a classic superhero anime series, Neo-Human Casshern. While it’s not exactly a straightforward superhero series, elements and tropes from that subgenre do influence its storytelling and action.
3 Zetman
A Hero Of Darkness And A Hero Of The Light
- Studio: TMS Entertainment
- No. of Episodes: 13
- Streaming Services: Amazon Prime, AppleTV
Jin Kanzaki was a young man who lived a squalid life with his homeless grandpa. He soon learns that he has the power to transform into a being called Zet, a humanoid monster with enhanced strengths and abilities. As Jin begins to encounter monsters known as Players, he comes into contact with a young man named Koga Amagi, who also begins to fight monsters as a hero, using cutting-edge technology to become Alphas.
Zetman is a dark superhero manga by Masakazu Katsura, known more for rom-com series like I”s and Video Girl Ai. Zetman is completely the opposite, very dark and violent, which is perfect for fans of grittier superhero stories.
2 Tiger & Bunny
Superheroes As Reality Stars
45 years ago, people with powers, known as NEXT, began cropping up all over the world. As these people began using their powers for superhero activities, an industry was built around them, and now heroes wear sponsored brands on their outfits and have their heroics featured on TV. The series focuses on a hero duo with the same ability, Wild Tiger and Bunny.
Tiger & Bunny is a superhero series with a cynical take on the concept. It’s an incredibly corporate representation of superheroes, and the way heroes prioritize fame and popularity over helping others is largely unheroic. Nevertheless, the main characters do still work to make the world a better place.
1 One-Punch Man
The Ultimate In Superhero Parodies
Saitama is an amateur hero who fights monsters in his free time. Though he is relatively unknown, he is probably one of the strongest heroes around, killing any enemy he fights with a single blow. Unfortunately, this also leads him to become incredibly bored with hero work, and he begins desperately searching for a fight that might actually be a challenge.
One Punch Man is one of the most popular superhero series around, and one that isn’t as optimistic as a series like My Hero Academia can be. It has a more cynical take on things like hero associations and heroes in general, but is still a hilarious superhero satire romp for fans of the genre and newcomers alike.
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