Strong conflict is the foundation of any media narrative piece, from ancient myths and legends to today’s big-budget blockbusters. In the contemporary model of literary conflict, there are only four main types of oppositions in dramatic structure. However, the anime industry has a distinctive type of conflict that is prevalent in the medium. It features the characters facing off against an unnatural force from another world and can be called the Man vs. Supernatural type of conflict.
These animes explore the clashes between humanity and the fascinating and incomprehensible world of multifaceted paranormal beings. Some narratives may portray the supernatural as purely evil, while others explore its unique place in the world. However, the stories of humanity trying to coexist and fight against the occult are always impressive.
10 Ghost Hunt takes the best of the old occult tropes
Ghost stories are one of the most popular types of supernatural narratives in the media. The hidden manifestations of human souls wandering the Earth, unable to settle down or rest in peace, have been a part of many cultural myths and legends.
horror and mystery anime ghost hunt is a perfect example of a classic, chilling yet surprisingly seductive ghost story. The anime centers on Taniyama Mai, a schoolgirl obsessed with ghost stories. After Shibuya Psychic Research Company’s executive assistant is accidentally haunted, Mai is forced to replace him and join the company’s president on her mysterious ghost hunts.
9 Demon Slayer’s thrilling execution of its narrative conflict explains the show’s popularity
salyer demon he is rightfully considered the Goliath of the modern shonen scene. This supernatural epic consistently breaks all records in terms of views and popularity, backed by the show’s stellar animation and simple, engaging narrative structure.
Humanity has been suffering from the oppression of the terrifying man-eating demons in the world of the series for centuries. The noble Ubuyashiki family formed the Demon Slayer Corps, an elite organization of swordsmen trained to execute demons and protect the human race to combat these violent, superhuman creatures.
8 The hero of Blue Exorcist is a spawn of Satan who fights against his own family
For fans of early 2010s anime, Blue Exorcist it was an iconic supernatural shonen, combining exciting action with inventive and charismatic character writing. in the world of Blue Exorcist, demons are able to travel to the human realm only by possessing people. The protagonist of the story, a brash high school student Rin Okumura, leads a normal life until one day he discovers the secret of his identity.
Unbeknownst to Rin, he is the son of Satan, placed on Earth as a pawn for his father to take over the world. Unfortunately for Satan, Rin is not interested in fulfilling his plan, beginning the boy’s exciting journey as a demonic exorcist.
7 Chrono Crusade mixes ancient mythology with an unusual setting
The origins of dramatic conflicts date back to ancient times, but the concept itself has been present throughout the history of storytelling. The historical settings that are based on mythology are inspired by the roots of supernatural tales, which go back to the legends of different countries.
In the case of chroncrusade, the story takes place in 1920s New York, a city undergoing an uprising of powerful demons. The Order of Magdalena was established to combat the epidemic, entrusting an impulsive girl, Rosette, and a traitor of the demonic society, Chrno, with her execution.
6 Vampire Hunter D transforms the man vs. supernatural trope by making the protagonist part vampire.
In anime, the task of executing evil supernatural beings is often assigned to those most fit to fight them due to their spiritual or physical connection to otherworldly forces. In some cases, demons, spirits, vampires, and other supernatural monsters have to face their own kin to protect humanity.
The main character of Vampire Hunter D. he is a half human, half vampire known as a “dhampir”. Outlawed by both races, he made a name for himself hunting vampires in an attempt to gain a place among the humans.
5 The Vanitas case study is unlike any other vampire story.
Vampire stories have been a popular subject of supernatural fiction for decades. Inspired by the admired mythological trope, The Vanitas Case Study creates a world where vampires and humans exist in the same realm. The anime’s protagonist, Noah Archiviste, travels to Paris in search of the rumored gilmore, Book of Vanitas, created to take revenge on all the vampires of the Crimson Moon.
On board the plane, she meets a man named Vanitas, but it turns out he’s nothing like the legendary creator of the book. Claiming to be a vampire doctor, Vanitas forces his company on Noe, beginning his exciting adventure.
4 Jujutsu Kaisen Perfects Classic Dark Fantasy Shonen Tropes
The dark fantasy shonen genre was swept away with the appearance of jujutsu kaisen, one of the most universally loved action series of the current decade. The show takes place in a contemporary world where people’s fears and negative feelings manifest as supernatural beings known as curses. Most curses are meaningless and incapable of understanding human speech, but some special grade curses are completely conscious, almost indistinguishable from people.
The only ones who possess the ability to protect the world from them are the Jujutsu wizards, humans capable of seeing curses and manifesting their own cursed energy to fight the supernatural threat.
3 Mononoke has an unusual perception of good and evil.
Japanese folklore is full of legends of enchanting, creepy, and terrifying spirits, often inspiring anime creators. supernatural horror series Mononoke celebrates the history of the occult in Japanese myths. Following an anonymous exorcist known only as the medicine vendor, the show explores various evil spirits created by the negative feelings of humans and the hero’s investigations into his cases.
With commendable precision and skill, the protagonist confronts the spirits, learning all he can about them in order to perform his strange exorcism. The surreal and unconventional art style of the series makes the seductive and terrifying stories presented in the anthology even more effective.
two Mo Dao Zu Shi bases his supernatural enemies on Chinese myths
The Chinese subgenre of cultivation fiction, or xianxia, is a category of fantasy heavily inspired by the country’s mythology, religious practices, and folklore. While most xianxia stories originate in books, they have a strong following in the donghua community, and some of the genre’s most popular works have been adapted for the screen in recent years.
Mo Dao Zu Shi was the first xianxia donghua to become a smash hit in the West, making fans around the world fall in love with the charming story of cultivators battling demon spirits, perfecting their craft, and uncovering the political conspiracies of their society.
1 Mushishi suggests that a conflict between man and supernatural can be resolved peacefully.
Unlike most Men versus Supernatural anime, where the heroes perceive otherworldly beings as a non-negotiable threat, Mushishi it sees it as a different but valuable part of the global ecosystem. in the universe of MushishiTiny, simplistic spirits known as mushi co-exist with humans.
Without bad intentions, mushi can cause riots or even tragedies to ordinary people. However, the show’s protagonist, Ginko, follows clues about the unusual activity of the mushi in Japan, searching for the reason behind their existence, the purpose, and a way to exist in peace with the lovely supernatural beings.
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