What is this genre all about? The Special Squads are called in when the police is completely outclassed, e.g. fighting criminal syndicates. These special forces are trained to combat specific forms of crime, e.g. the anti-cyber-crime division.
There are several such squads: Whereas Section 9 of Ghost in the Shell is an official government organisation, there are also "benevolent" vigilante groups like the Knight Sabers (Bubblegum Crisis).
Criminal syndicates also have their special forces e.g. "death squads".
We present you the list of Special Squads anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 20 Special Squads anime you should watch right now. [2025 List]
- 20. One Piece
- 19. Psycho-Pass
- 18. D.Gray-man
- 17. Hellsing Ultimate
- 16. Ghost in the Shell
- 15. Date A Live
- 14. Mato Seihei no Slave
- 13. Hellsing
- 12. Koi wa Sekai Seifuku no Ato de
- 11. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- 10. Mato Seihei no Slave 2nd Season
- 9. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
- 8. Death Note: Rewrite
- 7. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
- 6. Pumpkin Scissors
- 5. Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor
- 4. Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda
- 3. Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka
- 2. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
- 1. Kai Doh Maru
20. One Piece
Gol D. Roger was known as the "Pirate King," the strongest and most infamous being to have sailed the Grand Line. The capture and death of Roger by the World Government brought a change throughout the world. His last words before his death revealed the existence of the greatest treasure in the world, One Piece. It was this revelation that brought about the Grand Age of Pirates, men who dreamed of finding One Piece—which promises an unlimited amount of riches and fame—and quite possibly the pinnacle of glory and the title of the Pirate King.
Enter Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy who defies your standard definition of a pirate. Rather than the popular persona of a wicked, hardened, toothless pirate ransacking villages for fun, Luffy’s reason for being a pirate is one of pure wonder: the thought of an exciting adventure that leads him to intriguing people and ultimately, the promised treasure. Following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Luffy and his crew travel across the Grand Line, experiencing crazy adventures, unveiling dark mysteries and battling strong enemies, all in order to reach the most coveted of all fortunes—One Piece.
One Piece is currently airing and will have Episodes. It is also Known as: ONE PIECE, ワンピース
19. Psycho-Pass
Justice, and the enforcement of it, has changed. In the 22nd century, Japan enforces the Sibyl System, an objective means of determining the threat level of each citizen by examining their mental state for signs of criminal intent, known as their Psycho-Pass. Inspectors uphold the law by subjugating, often with lethal force, anyone harboring the slightest ill-will; alongside them are Enforcers, jaded Inspectors that have become latent criminals, granted relative freedom in exchange for carrying out the Inspectors' dirty work.
Into this world steps Akane Tsunemori, a young woman with an honest desire to uphold justice. However, as she works alongside veteran Enforcer Shinya Kougami, she soon learns that the Sibyl System's judgments are not as perfect as her fellow Inspectors assume. With everything she has known turned on its head, Akane wrestles with the question of what justice truly is, and whether it can be upheld through the use of a system that may already be corrupt.
Psycho-Pass has finished airing and it has 22 Episodes. It is also Known as: サイコパス, Psychopath
18. D.Gray-man
Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence."
After spending three years as the disciple of General Cross, Allen Walker is sent to the Black Order—an organization comprised of those willing to fight Akuma and the Millennium Earl—to become an official Exorcist. With an arm as his Innocence and a cursed eye that can see the suffering souls within an Akuma, it's up to Allen and his fellow Exorcists to stop the Millennium Earl's ultimate plot: one that can lead to the destruction of the world.
D.Gray-man has finished airing and it has 103 Episodes. It is also Known as: ディー・グレイマン, D. Gray-man, D. Grey-man
17. Hellsing Ultimate
There exist creatures of darkness and evil that plague the night, devouring any human unfortunate enough to be caught in their grasp. On the other side is Hellsing, an organization dedicated to destroying these supernatural forces that threaten the very existence of humanity. At its head is Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who commands a powerful military and spends her life fighting the undead.
Integra's vast army, however, pales in comparison with her ultimate weapon: the vampire Alucard, who works against his own kind as an exterminator for Hellsing. With his new vampire servant, Seras Victoria, at his side, Alucard must battle not only monsters, but all those who stand to oppose Hellsing, be they in the guise of good or evil.
In a battle for mankind's survival, Hellsing Ultimate proves that appearances are not all they may seem, and sometimes the greatest weapon can come in the form of one's worst nightmare.
Hellsing Ultimate has finished airing and it has 10 Episodes. It is also Known as: HELLSING OVA, Hellsing Ultimate
16. Ghost in the Shell
2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from Section 9, Kusanagi embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity.
Ghost in the Shell has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: GHOST IN THE SHELL（攻殻機動隊）, Koukaku Kidoutai
15. Date A Live
"Before the world ends, kill me or kiss me."
Thirty years before the events of Date A Live, an enormous explosion devastates east Asia and kills 150 million people. This is the first known "Spacequake", an inexplicable natural disaster that has since become commonplace. Fast forward to the future. High school second year Shidou Itsuka lives alone with his cute little sister while their parents are away.
What do these things have to do with each other? While rushing to save his sister from a sudden Spacequake, Shidou is caught in the blast and, in the midst of the chaos, finds a mysterious girl. It turns out that this girl is actually a Spirit, a powerful being from another world whose arrival devastates the surrounding area. Thankfully, Shidou is rescued by an anti-Spirit strike team... led by his little sister?!
This vicious task force is locked and loaded, ready to exterminate Spirits with extreme prejudice. But this violent method is not for Shidou. He discovers the one way to neutralize these Spirits peacefully: make them fall in love. Now, it's up to Shidou to save the world by dating those who threaten to destroy it!
Date A Live has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: デート・ア・ライブ, Date A Live
14. Mato Seihei no Slave
The demon-filled dimension known as "Mato" has opened to threaten humanity, and a type of "peach" tree that grows there yields fruit that confers special powers to those who eat it, giving humanity a fighting chance, but this only works for women. As such, as protectors of humanity, women rise in social status while men are relegated to second-class citizens scraping for basic occupation and acknowledgment.
Cue Yuuki Wakura, a domestically crafty and laborious high school senior whose older sister was taken during a Mato event 5 years before; while lamenting the hardships of the life ahead of him, an event opens before him, and while being rescued from demons by Captain Kyouka of the Anti-Demon Corps, she confers his powers as her "slave" and turns him into a mighty beast mount that mows down the demons.
However, there is a surprising price to pay for being her "slave"... and it's not him who has to pay it.
Chained Soldier has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔都精兵のスレイブ, Slave of the Magic Capital's Elite Troops
13. 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
12. Koi wa Sekai Seifuku no Ato de
It’s love at first sight for Fudo and Desumi, except it was during a battle of life and death. Fudo, leader of the hero squad Gelato 5, and Desumi, the Death Queen of the evil society Gekko, have found themselves caught in a forbidden love—and it’s their first relationship! Moving in secrecy, they live holding hands with one weapon in the other, finding out what’s truly fair in love and war.
Love After World Domination has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 恋は世界征服のあとで, Koiseka
11. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
In the not so distant future, mankind has advanced to a state where complete body transplants from flesh to machine is possible. This allows for great increases in both physical and cybernetic prowess and blurring the lines between the two worlds. However, criminals can also make full use of such technology, leading to new and sometimes, very dangerous crimes. In response to such innovative new methods, the Japanese Government has established Section 9, an independently operating police unit which deals with such highly sensitive crimes.
Led by Daisuke Aramaki and Motoko Kusanagi, Section 9 deals with such crimes over the entire social spectrum, usually with success. However, when faced with a new A level hacker nicknamed "The Laughing Man," the team is thrown into a dangerous cat and mouse game, following the hacker's trail as it leaves its mark on Japan.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex, 攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX, Ghost in the Shell SAC
10. Mato Seihei no Slave 2nd Season
The second season of Mato Seihei no Slave.
Chained Soldier Season 2 has not yet aired. It will air on January 8, 2026. It is also Known as: 魔都精兵のスレイブ 第２期, Mato Seihei no Slave 2nd Season
9. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
Following the closure of the "Laughing Man" case, Section 9 is re-established by Japan's newly elected Prime Minister, Youko Kayabuki, to combat the persistent threat of cyber-terrorism.
A group calling themselves "The Individual Eleven" has begun committing acts of terror across Japan. While Motoko Kusanagi, Daisuke Aramaki, Batou, and the other members of Section 9 investigate this new menace, the Japanese government faces a separate crisis, as foreign refugees displaced by the Third World War seek asylum in Japan. But as the members of the special-ops team continually encounter Gouda Kazundo—a leading member of the Cabinet Intelligence Service—in their hunt, they begin to suspect that he may be involved, and that the events of the refugee crisis and The Individual Eleven may be more connected than they realize...
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: Koukaku Kidoutai S.A.C. 2nd GIG, 攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. 2nd GIG, , Ghost In The Shell S.A.C. 2nd GIG
8. Death Note: Rewrite
1. Genshisuru Kami (Visions of a God)
A two hour episode of Death Note, mainly a compilation of the confrontations between Light and L, re-edited from Ryuk's perspective with new dialogue and soundtrack along with additional animation that could not be included in the original series. An Unnamed Shinigami comes to Ryuk to question him about his new story in the human world.
2. L o Tsugu Mono (L's Successors)
This story continues where the previous left off, continuing the story of Light. As the previous special told Light and L's battles, this story does the same with the conflicts between Light, Mello, and Near.
Death Note: Relight has finished airing and it has 2 Episodes. It is also Known as: ディレクターズカット完全決着版 〜リライト, Death Note Director's Cut: The Complete Ending Edition Special, Death Note Special, Genshisuru Kami, Visions of a God, L o Tsugu Mono, L's Successors
7. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
Kodansha and Production I.G announced that a new anime based on Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell manga has been green-lit.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 攻殻機動隊 SAC_2045, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2045, Koukaku Kidoutai: SAC_2045
6. Pumpkin Scissors
A ceasefire put an end to the long war between the Royal Empire and the Republic of Frost. Three years later, the Empire is still plagued by starvation, pestilence, and soldiers turning into bandits. To aid in the war relief effort, the Empire created the Intelligence Army State Section III, also known as the Pumpkin Scissors.
Considered a waste of resources by some, and just an instrument of propaganda by others, the Pumpkin Scissors still takes their role in the country's reconstruction seriously. One day their life starts to change when a certain corporal with a mysterious past joins the team.
Pumpkin Scissors has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: パンプキン・シザーズ, PumpSci
5. Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor
In the future, rapidly advancing technology gives birth to giant robots known as "Labors," so named for their usefulness in heavy industry. However, this also gives rise to "Labor crimes," resulting the the need for a new branch of law enforcement equiped with and dedicated to the policing of Labors. When Izumi Noa, a female police officer, becomes the newest recruit of Special Vechicals Devision 2, she and her top of the line "Patrol Labor" (or "Patlabor") Alphonse are swept into a series of adventures featuring crazed construction workers, eco-terrorists, and sea monsters.
Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor has finished airing and it has 7 Episodes. It is also Known as: 機動警察パトレイバー, Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Original Series, Kido Keisatsu Patlabor: Early Days, Mobile Police Patlabor
4. Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda
What does it take to conquer the world?! Every leader of the past has thought of it... but all they have done was to merely dream of its greatness. World domination... nobody has been able to achieve it. Until one little girl by the name of Kate Hoshimiya came along. Kate Hoshimiya will shock the world! How was she able to carry out such a magnificent stunt? So frightful! So glorious! Could this be... the Zvezda Plot?! Let the light of our great Zvezda shine upon this land far and wide!
World Conquest Zvezda Plot has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 世界征服～謀略のズヴィズダー～, Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda
3. Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka
Legends, myths, magic... Humanity has finally had a chance encounter with a world that had been all but forgotten among all its scientific developments. However, this reunion is not a happy one. Monsters invading from the world of the dead render modern weapons useless, leaving the fate of humanity uncertain. But with help from the Otherworld Trade Agreement, mankind gains a possible means of returning from the brink of death in the form of magical girls. These girls finally lead humanity to victory. However, even this victory proves to be no more than the beginning of a new battle.
Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女特殊戦あすか, Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka
2. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
After witnessing the suicide bombing of a terrorist girl, Constable Kazuki Fuse becomes haunted by her image, and is forced to undergo retraining for his position in the Capital Police's Special Unit. However, unknown to him, he becomes a key player in a dispute between Capital and Local Police forces, as he finds himself increasingly involved with the sister of the very girl he saw die.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Jin-Rou, 人狼 JIN-ROH, Jin Roh, Jin-Ro, Jinrō
1. Kai Doh Maru
This story takes place during the Heian Period of Japan`s history, when evil spirits still resided in the forests, mountains and rivers. A girl, accompanied by her loved one, battles against these evil spirits, while she is disguised as man. This brave woman, aka "Kaidomaru", with a Chinese character "Flame" tatooed on her upper arm, was one of the "Four Devas". Kaidomaru fights for the honor of her lost love, Raikou Minamotono, who had sacrified his life in order to protect the capital Kyoto, from the evils deeds of a "princess" cursed by a malicious ogre. The princess, whom Kaidomaru used to play with as a child, has now become her ultimate enemy.
Kai Doh Maru has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 怪童丸, Kaidoumaru, Kaidomaru
