What is this genre all about? Anime that fit in the alternative present category usually have technology and society that is very similar to ours, but with differences in both, history and culture, which sometimes are blatantly obvious, but sometimes harder to place; this one can at times be very subjective.
We present you the list of Alternative Present anime you should watch right now.
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Top 20 Alternative Present anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 20. Death Note
- 19. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
- 18. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
- 17. Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
- 16. Fate/Zero
- 15. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
- 14. Kill la Kill
- 13. Soul Eater
- 12. Hunter x Hunter
- 11. Mahoutsukai no Yome
- 10. Fate/Zero 2nd Season
- 9. Toaru Majutsu no Index
- 8. Yu☆Gi☆Oh! Duel Monsters
- 7. Fate/stay night
- 6. Darker than Black
- 5. Hellsing
- 4. Majo no Takkyuubin
- 3. Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island
- 2. K
- 1. Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini
20. Death Note
A shinigami, as a god of death, can kill any person—provided they see their victim's face and write their victim's name in a notebook called a Death Note. One day, Ryuk, bored by the shinigami lifestyle and interested in seeing how a human would use a Death Note, drops one into the human realm.
High school student and prodigy Light Yagami stumbles upon the Death Note and—since he deplores the state of the world—tests the deadly notebook by writing a criminal's name in it. When the criminal dies immediately following his experiment with the Death Note, Light is greatly surprised and quickly recognizes how devastating the power that has fallen into his hands could be.
With this divine capability, Light decides to extinguish all criminals in order to build a new world where crime does not exist and people worship him as a god. Police, however, quickly discover that a serial killer is targeting criminals and, consequently, try to apprehend the culprit. To do this, the Japanese investigators count on the assistance of the best detective in the world: a young and eccentric man known only by the name of L.
Death Note has finished airing and it has 37 Episodes. It is also Known as: デスノート, DN
19. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Hunter x Hunter is set in a world where Hunters exist to perform all manner of dangerous tasks like capturing criminals and bravely searching for lost treasures in uncharted territories. Twelve-year-old Gon Freecss is determined to become the best Hunter possible in hopes of finding his father, who was a Hunter himself and had long ago abandoned his young son. However, Gon soon realizes the path to achieving his goals is far more challenging than he could have ever imagined.
Along the way to becoming an official Hunter, Gon befriends the lively doctor-in-training Leorio, vengeful Kurapika, and rebellious ex-assassin Killua. To attain their own goals and desires, together the four of them take the Hunter Exam, notorious for its low success rate and high probability of death. Throughout their journey, Gon and his friends embark on an adventure that puts them through many hardships and struggles. They will meet a plethora of monsters, creatures, and characters—all while learning what being a Hunter truly means.
Hunter x Hunter (2011) has finished airing and it has 148 Episodes. It is also Known as: HUNTER×HUNTER ハンターハンター, HUNTER×HUNTER ハンターハンター, HxH (2011), Hantā Hantā (2011)
18. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
On August 10th of the year 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia began a campaign of conquest, its sights set on Japan. Operations were completed in one month thanks to Britannia's deployment of new mobile humanoid armor vehicles dubbed Knightmare Frames. Japan's rights and identity were stripped away, the once proud nation is now referred to as Area 11. Its citizens, Elevens, are forced to scratch out a living while the Britannian aristocracy lives comfortably within their settlements. Pockets of resistance appear throughout Area 11, working towards independence for Japan.
Lelouch, an exiled Imperial Prince of Britannia posing as a student, finds himself in the heart of the ongoing conflict for the island nation. Through a chance meeting with a mysterious girl named C.C., Lelouch gains his Geass, the power of the king. Now endowed with absolute dominance over any person, Lelouch may finally realize his goal of bringing down Britannia from within!
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch, コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch
17. Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
"Why does no one remembers the true world...!"
The era when the great race of the five tribes competing for hegemony on the ground ended with the victory of mankind led by hero Sid. However, that world was suddenly "overwritten" in front of a boy Kai. In the rewritten world, Kai saw the scene where humans lost to the five tribal wars because of the absence of hero Sid—here dragons and demons dominate the ground, and Kai is a forgotten existence from all human beings. However, after encountering the mysterious girl Rinne, Kai decides to break this rewritten destiny. In a world without heroes, he inherits the hero's sword and martial art and challenges the mighty enemy races who reign.
Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World? has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: なぜ僕の世界を誰も覚えていないのか？, Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
16. Fate/Zero
With the promise of granting any wish, the omnipotent Holy Grail triggered three wars in the past, each too cruel and fierce to leave a victor. In spite of that, the wealthy Einzbern family is confident that the Fourth Holy Grail War will be different; namely, with a vessel of the Holy Grail now in their grasp. Solely for this reason, the much hated "Magus Killer" Kiritsugu Emiya is hired by the Einzberns, with marriage to their only daughter Irisviel as binding contract.
Kiritsugu now stands at the center of a cutthroat game of survival, facing off against six other participants, each armed with an ancient familiar, and fueled by unique desires and ideals. Accompanied by his own familiar, Saber, the notorious mercenary soon finds his greatest opponent in Kirei Kotomine, a priest who seeks salvation from the emptiness within himself in pursuit of Kiritsugu.
Based on the light novel written by Gen Urobuchi, Fate/Zero depicts the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War—10 years prior to Fate/stay night. Witness a battle royale in which no one is guaranteed to survive.
Fate/Zero has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: フェイト/ゼロ, Fate/Zero
15. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
One year has passed since the Black Rebellion, a failed uprising against the Holy Britannian Empire led by the masked vigilante Zero, who is now missing. At a loss without their revolutionary leader, Area 11's resistance group—the Black Knights—find themselves too powerless to combat the brutality inflicted upon the Elevens by Britannia, which has increased significantly in order to crush any hope of a future revolt.
Lelouch Lamperouge, having lost all memory of his double life, is living peacefully alongside his friends as a high school student at Ashford Academy. His former partner C.C., unable to accept this turn of events, takes it upon herself to remind him of his past purpose, hoping that the mastermind Zero will rise once again to finish what he started, in this thrilling conclusion to the series.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2, コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ 続編, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch 2nd Season, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Second Season
14. Kill la Kill
After the murder of her father, Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of his killer. Following her only lead—the missing half of his invention, the Scissor Blade—she arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. The academy is ruled by the imposing and cold-hearted student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin alongside her powerful underlings, the Elite Four. In the school's brutally competitive hierarchy, Satsuki bestows upon those at the top special clothes called "Goku Uniforms," which grant the wearer unique superhuman abilities.
Thoroughly beaten in a fight against one of the students in uniform, Ryuuko retreats to her razed home where she stumbles across Senketsu, a rare and sentient "Kamui," or God Clothes. After coming into contact with Ryuuko's blood, Senketsu awakens, latching onto her and providing her with immense power. Now, armed with Senketsu and the Scissor Blade, Ryuuko makes a stand against the Elite Four, hoping to reach Satsuki and uncover the culprit behind her father's murder once and for all.
Kill la Kill has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: キルラキル, KILL la KILL, KLK, Dressed to Kill, Kiru ra Kiru
13. Soul Eater
Death City is home to the famous Shibusen, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami–Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul.
Soul Eater Evans, a Demon Scythe who only seems to care about what's cool, aims to become a Death Scythe with the help of his straight-laced wielder, or meister, Maka Albarn. The contrasting duo work and study alongside the hot headed Black☆Star and his caring weapon Tsubaki, as well as the Shinigami's own son, Death the Kid, an obsessive-compulsive dual wielder of twin pistols Patty and Liz.Soul Eater follows these students of Shibusen as they take on missions to collect souls and protect the city from the world's threats while working together under the snickering sun to become sounder in mind, body, and soul.
Soul Eater has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: ソウルイーター, SOUL EATER
12. Hunter x Hunter
Hunters are specialized in a wide variety of fields, ranging from treasure hunting to cooking. They have access to otherwise unavailable funds and information that allow them to pursue their dreams and interests. However, being a hunter is a special privilege, only attained by taking a deadly exam with an extremely low success rate.
Gon Freecss, a 12-year-old boy with the hope of finding his missing father, sets out on a quest to take the Hunter Exam. Along the way, he picks up three companions who also aim to take the dangerous test: the revenge-seeking Kurapika, aspiring doctor Leorio Paladiknight, and a mischievous child the same age as Gon, Killua Zoldyck.Hunter x Hunter is a classic shounen that follows the story of four aspiring hunters as they embark on a perilous adventure, fighting for their dreams while defying the odds.
Hunter x Hunter has finished airing and it has 62 Episodes. It is also Known as: HUNTER×HUNTER（ハンター×ハンター）, HxH, HUNTER×HUNTER（ハンター×ハンター）, Hantā Hantā
11. Mahoutsukai no Yome
Hatori Chise has lived a life full of neglect and abuse, devoid of anything resembling love. Far from the warmth of family, she has had her share of troubles and pitfalls. Just when all hope seems lost, a fateful encounter awaits her. When a man with the head of a beast, wielding strange powers, obtains her through a slave auction, Chise's life will never be the same again. The man is a "magus,"a sorcerer of great power, who decides to free Chise from the bonds of captivity. The magus then makes a bold statement: Chise will become his apprentice--and his bride!
The Ancient Magus' Bride has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法使いの嫁, The Magician's Bride, Mahou Tsukai no Yome, Maho Yome, MahoYome, まほよめ
10. Fate/Zero 2nd Season
As the Fourth Holy Grail War rages on with no clear victor in sight, the remaining Servants and their Masters are called upon by Church supervisor Risei Kotomine, in order to band together and confront an impending threat that could unravel the Grail War and bring about the destruction of Fuyuki City. The uneasy truce soon collapses as Masters demonstrate that they will do anything in their power, no matter how despicable, to win.
Seeds of doubt are sown between Kiritsugu Emiya and Saber, his Servant, as their conflicting ideologies on heroism and chivalry clash. Meanwhile, an ominous bond forms between Kirei Kotomine, who still seeks to find his purpose in life, and one of the remaining Servants. As the countdown to the end of the war reaches zero, the cost of winning begins to blur the line between victory and defeat.
Fate/Zero Season 2 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: フェイト/ゼロ 2ndシーズン, Fate/Zero Second Season
9. Toaru Majutsu no Index
Academy City, Japan, is at the forefront of science. Besides being 30 years ahead of the world technologically, more than three-fourths of this peculiar city's population consists of students developing their psychic abilities as espers in various institutions. Among these students is Touma Kamijou, a high school boy with the lowest psychic rank of zero, but with a mysterious power no scientist can understand: "Imagine Breaker," which allows him to negate other supernatural abilities.
This, however, doesn't affect Kamijou's life in the least as he plays his role as a regular teenager; that is, until he meets the strange Index Librorum Prohibitorum, a young girl who has memorized the entire forbidden grimoires, and now a dangerous organization is hunting Index down. With several magicians looking to harm the girl, Kamijou will defend his new companion at all costs as he discovers a strange new realm of the supernatural.
A Certain Magical Index has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: とある魔術の禁書目録, Toaru Majutsu no Kinsho Mokuroku
8. Yu☆Gi☆Oh! Duel Monsters
Legend says that the enigmatic Millennium Puzzle will grant one wish to whoever deciphers its ancient secrets. Upon solving it, high school student Yuugi Mutou unleashes "another Yuugi," a peculiar presence contained inside. Now, whenever he is faced with a dilemma, this mysterious alter ego makes an appearance and aids him in his troubles.
Wishing to unravel the mystery behind this strange spirit, Yuugi and his companions find themselves competing with several opponents in "Duel Monsters," a challenging card game used by people seeking to steal the Millennium Puzzle in a desperate attempt to harness the great power within. As the questions pile on, it is not long before they figure out that there is more than pride on the line in these duels.
Yu-Gi-Oh! has finished airing and it has 224 Episodes. It is also Known as: 遊☆戯☆王 デュエルモンスターズ, Yugioh, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters, Yugioh: Duel Monsters, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Yuu Gi Ou!
7. Fate/stay night
After a mysterious inferno kills his family, Shirou is saved and adopted by Kiritsugu Emiya, who teaches him the ways of magic and justice.
One night, years after Kiritsugu's death, Shirou is cleaning at school, when he finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly encounter between two superhumans known as Servants. During his attempt to escape, the boy is caught by one of the Servants and receives a life-threatening injury. Miraculously, he survives, but the same Servant returns to finish what he started. In desperation, Shirou summons a Servant of his own, a knight named Saber. The two must now participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War, a battle royale of seven Servants and the mages who summoned them, with the grand prize being none other than the omnipotent Holy Grail itself.Fate/stay night follows Shirou as he struggles to find the fine line between a hero and a killer, his ideals clashing with the harsh reality around him. Will the boy become a hero like his foster father, or die trying?
Fate/stay night has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: Fate - Stay Night
6. Darker than Black
It has been 10 years since Heaven's Gate appeared in South America and Hell's Gate appeared in Japan, veiling the once familiar night sky with an oppressive skyscape. Their purposes unknown, these Gates are spaces in which the very laws of physics are ignored. With the appearance of the Gates emerged Contractors, who, in exchange for their humanity, are granted supernatural abilities.
In the Japanese city surrounding Hell’s Gate, Section 4 Chief Misaki Kirihara finds herself at odds with an infamous Contractor codenamed Hei. Called "Black Reaper" in the underground world, Hei, like his associates, undertakes missions for the mysterious and ruthless Syndicate while slowly peeling back the dark layers covering a nefarious plot that threatens the very existence of Contractors.
From the mind of Tensai Okamura comes a sci-fi thriller taking the form of a subtle exposé on a war in which political positions and justice have no sway—a war waged exclusively in the shadows.
Darker than Black has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha, Darker than BLACK -黒の契約者-, DTB
5. Hellsing
Decades ago, the legendary Dr. Abraham Van Helsing and his companions defeated Count Dracula, one of the world's deadliest vampires. After this success his name was used in the founding of the Hellsing Organization, a British task force with the duty of eliminating supernatural threats.Hellsing follows the exploits of that very organization. Led by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, the Hellsing Organization finds its trump card not in the power of man, but in the strength of a monster it has tamed. Alucard, one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in existence, now hunts his fellow monsters at Hellsing's bequest. Alongside new recruit Seras Victoria, Alucard will find that a new threat has arisen, one greater than anything the Hellsing Organization has ever dealt with before.
Hellsing has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: Hellsing [ヘルシング], Hellsing
4. Majo no Takkyuubin
Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training, must spend a year living on her own in a distant town in order to become a full-fledged witch. Leaving her family and friends, Kiki undertakes this tradition when she flies out into the open world atop her broomstick with her black cat Jiji.
As she settles down in the coastal town of Koriko, Kiki struggles to adapt and ends up wandering the streets with no place to stay—until she encounters Osono, who offers Kiki boarding in exchange for making deliveries for her small bakery. Before long, Kiki decides to open her own courier service by broomstick, beginning her journey to independence. In attempting to find her place among the townsfolk, Kiki brings with her exciting new experiences and comes to understand the true meaning of responsibility.
Kiki's Delivery Service has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔女の宅急便, Witch's Express Delivery
3. Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island
After the battle with the Spiders, the search for Ging continues as Gon and Killua decided to once again attempt to purchase the rare game "Greed Island". However, Gon came up with a better plan, which was to volunteer to complete the game for the billionaire who owned it. But some training must be done, as Gon and Killua's abilities are still at a developing stage and "Greed Island" is no simple game for anyone to play with. It is the infamous game that could easily lead to one's death. Based on the manga by Togashi Yoshihiro.
Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island has finished airing and it has 8 Episodes. It is also Known as: ハンターｘハンター: Greed Island, Hunter X Hunter OVA 2, Hantā Hantā Greed Island
2. K
"Kings" are individuals who have been bestowed with incredible supernatural powers and granted the ability to recruit others into their clans. Protecting the lives and honor of their clansmen is an integral part of the Kings' duties. After a video depicting the heinous murder of a Red Clansman spreads virally, the unassuming student Yashiro Isana is accused of homicide. Now, a manhunt is underway for his head, bringing him into contact with the infamous "Black Dog" Kurou Yatogami—a skilled swordsman and martial artist determined to follow the wishes of his late master, the Seventh King.
Meanwhile, the current Red King, Mikoto Suou, faces his own imminent demise as the search for Yashiro narrows. But during Yashiro's struggle to prove his innocence, a greater conspiracy is unraveling behind the scenes; clouds begin to appear in his memory, and close friends start to question his very existence. What began as a simple murder is now leading towards a full blown war between Kings with the very fate of the world at stake.
K has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: K-Project, K -eine weitere Geschichte-
1. Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini
One night, as meteors streak across the star-studded sky, Shion Pavlichenko becomes a Contractor. Despite her brother's transformation, Shion's twin sister Suou continues to live a fairly ordinary life, attending middle school with her friends and getting caught up in the awkwardness of growing up. However, everything changes when her home is invaded by a masked man cloaked in black, destroying any sense of normality she once had. Revealed to possess latent Contractor abilities of her own, Suou is caught between family, friends, and her own sense of purpose as she ventures into the ruthless world of cutthroats and espionage that Contractors call home.
Meanwhile in Tokyo, investigation surrounding Hell's Gate's sudden collapse is underway, and prophetic signs of doom point in the direction of a silver-haired doll.
Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: DARKER THAN BLACK 流星の双子, Darker than BLACK 2nd Season, Darker than BLACK Second Season, DTB2
