In our “Anime to Approach with Caution” list, we will explore anime that we have serious concerns about—but we understand that some Christians may have a different viewpoint.
Recently, we discussed anime that Christians should avoid (from our perspective). This list contains anime that we consider extremely graphic, sexual, explicit, or disturbing. We don’t advise even researching the titles on that list due to the possibility of exposing yourself to problematic content.
However, there are plenty of anime that may not belong in the “do not watch because it’s extremely explicit and not justifiable for Christians” category, but still aren’t necessarily “safe” for Christians either. That’s why we made a second list that we will dive into today.
These are the anime that Christians should approach with caution, and Renewed Mind Reviews does not recommend these titles. Most of the titles on this list we have not personally watched. Our evaluations are therefore based on research. A few titles we have seen at least partially, but the majority are included based on content research rather than direct viewing.
Remember: Christian discernment involves more than age ratings or standard content flags and includes spiritual themes, moral framing, and whether sin or evil is normalized or justified. Caution does not equal recommendation, and most Christians should avoid these titles (in our opinion).
Using this anime to approach with caution list can help Christians navigate complex, nuanced content while maintaining discernment.
Anime to Approach With Caution: Consider Carefully & Wisely
This anime list exists to warn you about other anime that, although potentially justified for Christian viewership in some cases, are still not recommended as of the time of this writing due to content that we believe conflicts with a Christian worldview.
Below, you’ll find our curated anime to approach with caution, with notes on content flags and moral concerns.
Please note: this list reflects the perspective of Renewed Mind Reviews. We update it as needed, including adding new titles or revising content as new information becomes available. We recommend you avoid the anime on this list.
This list reflects the research-based opinions of Renewed Mind Reviews and is intended for educational and discernment purposes only. It is not a statement of fact or an official rating of these titles.
Akira | 1988 | R
While Akira is considered a visually stunning and thought-provoking film, it is known for its graphic violence. It also contains a bit of nudity/sexual content and rather heavy profanity.
Black Clover | 2017-Present | 14+ (Crunchyroll Rating)
Black Clover is included due to its occult content: devil contracts, demons, Qliphoth Tree, The Dark Triad Ritual, etc. We don’t recommend the show for Christian viewers due to these concepts.
Blue Exorcist | 2011 | TV-14
Blue Exorcist, also known as Ao no ekusoshisuto, contains occultic themes, demonic sacrifices, and is a fictionalized take on spiritual warfare where the son of Satan becomes an exorcist.
Though his goal is to defeat Satan, the storyline conflicts with biblical truth—Biblically, it’s God who defeats Satan, not us. According to Wikipedia, the author of Blue Exorcist was inspired by The Brothers Grimm, a film by Terry Gilliam. If you want to know how we feel about this film, read our review here. From a Christian perspective, Blue Exorcist is certainly an anime to approach with caution.
Bokurano (Bokura no) | 2007 | R – 17+ (violence & profanity)
This one is sneaky. It presents itself as a sci-fi mecha anime about middle schoolers piloting a robot to save Earth. But it quickly turns dark and disturbing: each child must sacrifice their life after piloting, and the show is soaked in themes of hopelessness and despair.
The Devil is a Part-Timer! | 2013, 2022–2023 | TV-14
Comedy that portrays Satan and demonic characters as humorous and sympathetic. Distorts Christian theology by presenting evil as harmless or misunderstood. This is why we consider it an anime to approach with caution.
Danganronpa: The Animation | 2013 | TV-14
Contains violence & some sexual content. Main premise according to IMDB: “A group of teenagers enroll in a prestigious high school, which turns out to be a devious trap designed to tempt the pupils to murder one another in order to graduate.“
D.Gray-man | 2006–2008 (Hallow: 2016) | TV-14
Series with exorcists, demons, and symbols tied to real life occultism (Rose Cross) and distorted Christian symbols.
Drifters | 2016 | TV-MA
Drifters is a violent, dark fantasy isekai anime that throws historical warriors into a brutal otherworldly battle. One character is “heavily implied to be Jesus Christ” which, from a Christian worldview, is heavily concerning. The main characters “are as bloodthirsty as the villains.” Finally, “Drifters is all about the horrors of war and shows it in all its gritty realism.” All of these elements require heavy caution when considering this anime. We’d recommend skipping this one entirely.
The Eminence in Shadow | 2022-2023 | TV-MA
The Eminence in Shadow is described by Common Sense Media as “…an extremely mature anime featuring adult themes like suicide, despair, death, kidnapping, sexual assault…Demons, cults, and magic play prominent roles throughout. The dialogue contains violent and sexually explicit threats…[the] protagonist Cid is only 13, with many characters being high school age.” Based on these observations, we do not recommend The Eminence in Shadow for Christian or discerning viewers.
Food Wars! | 2020 | TV-14
Food Wars, also known as Shokugeki no Soma, is well known for its fanservice. Though the show is known for its amazing food, the excessive fanservice requires strong caution when considering it from a Christian perspective.
From the New World | 2012-2013 | TV-14
Contains homosexuality, teen sexual/suggestive content, heavy violence/gore and intense content. Also contains demons/occult themes. This is why we consider From the New World an anime to approach with caution from a Christian perspective.
Ghost Stories (English Dub) | 2000 | TV-MA
The English dub of Ghost Stories is a total parody of the original. It contains crude jokes, innuendo, religious mockery, and offensive humor as well as occult content. This is definitely an anime to approach with caution.
In Search of the Lost Future (Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete) | 2014 | TV-14
Based on a visual novel from the eroge (erotic) genre. The anime adaptation is said to be tamer, but since the source material is erotic, we encourage caution.
Magi Series | 2009–2017 | PG-13
This fantasy anime integrates magic, spiritual power, and occultic elements—including references to real-world occult texts. Some sexual content appears as well. Here’s an article from Beneath the Tangles if you want more information on Magi!
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 2021-Present | TV-MA
Known for its sexual content and morally problematic main character, Mushoku Tensei is an anime that we do not recommend for Christian viewers.
Occultic;Nine | 2016 | TV-14
Explores themes related to the occult, including black magic, fortune-telling, curses, and supernatural elements. We do not recommend this entry in the Science Adventure series due to its occultic themes, and this is why we consider it an anime to approach with caution from a Christian perspective.
Overlord | 2015–2024 | TV-MA
This dark fantasy series follows a player trapped in a game world who becomes an undead sorcerer. The story heavily features magic, using corpses as slaves (at least in the lore; not sure how heavily this appears in the anime), spellcasting, sexual content, and violence. The main character is also extremely morally problematic.
Paprika | 2006 | R
While it’s visually creative and widely praised in film circles, the surrealist film contains suggestive content, sexual content, unsettling imagery, and violence.
Parasyte: The Maxim | 2014-2015 | TV-MA
Parasyte: The Maxim, also known as Kiseijû: Sei no kakuritsu, contains sexual content and contains severe violence. Although the concept is intriguing, the intensity of the show requires heavy discernment.
According to the Wikipedia page about the manga (the source material for the anime), the main character, who shares his body with a parasite “question[s] if humanity has any right to claim moral superiority to the Parasites.” The Biblical answer is yes. We are made in the image of God; parasites are not.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World | 2016 | TV-MA
This isekai starts off with a lighter tone but quickly spirals into intense violence, graphic death scenes, disturbing characters, and psychological horror. The protagonist is repeatedly killed in gruesome ways, and the show introduces spiritually unsettling elements, including twisted villains like the cultist Betelgeuse.
While the story seemed intriguing at first, I personally had to stop watching due to how creepy and disturbing it became. I’m not 100% certain that I’ll never revisit it in the future, but I had to stop because it was highly disturbing to me. Re:Zero is definitely an anime to approach with caution from a Christian perspective.
Saga of Tanya the Evil (Yojo Senki: Saga of Tanya the Evil) | 2017 | TV-MA
This series follows an atheist salaryman who refers to the deity of the story as “Being X.” This deity reincarnates the protagonist as a magical, female child soldier named Tanya in a place similar to pre-WWI Imperial Germany. If she doesn’t die from natural causes or find faith in Being X, she will be sent to hell and stop reincarnating entirely. To avoid this fate, she decides to become a high-ranking soldier in order to avoid the front lines. However, Tanya is sadistic, ruthless, and cold-hearted. (source).
School-Live! (Gakkougurashi!) | 2015 | TV-14 (IMDB) R – 17+ for violence & profanity (My Anime List)
Known for being emotionally traumatic and severely frightening, School-Live! may not be as graphically gory as some of the anime on this list, but this zombie psychological horror series is extremely frightening as it plays with your emotions and expectations.
Yuri!!! On Ice | 2016 | TV-14
While many anime fans enjoy this title, it prominently features themes of homosexuality. As a Christian organization, we believe viewers should approach this series with spiritual discernment.
Disclaimers: Anime to Approach with Caution
This anime to approach with caution list reflects our perspective on what requires discernment; it is not a recommendation to watch.
This list is curated based on personal knowledge, research, IMDB/Common Sense Media content guides, Brave AI, Google, Reddit, other resources, and ChatGPT.
Our list is intended for educational use only, and is consistently updated as we discover new information. We have tried to be accurate in emphasizing the content flags/concerns but we acknowledge that we could make mistakes. Always use wisdom and discernment.
The opinions expressed in this content are those of Renewed Mind Reviews. We are not affiliated with any of the creators of the series mentioned and are simply sharing our faith-based perspective on anime that our readers may encounter during their research.
The intent of this commentary is to inform and provide insight and our perspective.
All series mentioned are the property of their respective creators and studios.
We do not claim intent of creators, and this list is based on our perspective and opinions.
Many write-ups in this list are based on research and not firsthand viewing.
FAQs for Anime Christians Should Avoid
What anime can Christians watch?
Despite there being many anime that Christians should skip, some family-friendly anime and anime that’s safe for Christians does exist. To read our list of family-friendly anime (with discernment) click here, and to visit our list of anime that Christians can consider (using discernment), click here.
Are these anime safe for Christians to watch?
Generally, no. These anime are not considered safe or recommended for most Christian viewers by Renewed Mind Reviews. They are listed here because they are not as extreme as some titles Christians should avoid entirely, but they still contain heavy spiritual, moral, or thematic concerns along with violence, gore, sexual or suggestive content, etc. in our opinion.
Why aren’t these anime on the “do not watch” list?
These anime are not included on our “do not watch” list because, while problematic, they are not necessarily as explicitly graphic as the titles on our “do not watch” list from our perspective. However, we still urge extreme discernment because they do still contain mature content in our opinion.