If The Last of Us left you craving more emotionally charged, survival-based stories set in zombie-infested or apocalyptic worlds, anime has some wonderful options. These post-apocalyptic zombie-themed anime pack everything from graphic violence and corruption of morals to extreme emotional loss and flickering hope of rebuilding. So, if you want something that gives the vibe of The Last of Us, these 10 anime suggestions won’t disappoint you.
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10. Black Bullet
- IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.07/10
- Episodes: 13
- Where to Watch: Netflix and Crunchyroll
This anime is set in a bleak future where humanity hangs by a thread as a result of a parasitic virus called Gastrea. Black Bullet taps into themes that’ll sound familiar to The Last of Us fans from the get-go. The story follows Rentaro and Enju, a child gifted, or cursed, with superhuman abilities, as they battle to keep what’s left of civilization.
Their relationship is filled with loyalty, concern, and emotional depth that reminds you of the intense bond between Joel and Ellie. Yeah, the infected here aren’t your typical zombies, but the constant tension, gut-wrenching decisions, and right and wrong conflicts pay off just as hard. It’s a suspenseful combination of tragedy, action, and moral depth that never lets go.
9. Corpse Princess: Aka (Shikabane Hime)
- IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.17/10
- Episodes: 13
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
In Corpse Princess, undead women called Shikabane fight other reanimated corpses after being resurrected from death by monks. It’s more supernatural in tone than your typical zombie story, but the world is just as dark and broken. Makina Hoshimura, the protagonist, exists on the edge of life and death, much like Ellie’s troubled existence in The Last of Us.
The series is packed with gory action, but underneath it all is the question: What does it mean to be alive if you’ve already died? While not nearly as emotionally exposed, the feeling of desperation and lost humanity makes it deserving of a spot on this list.
8. Sunday Without God
- IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.27/10
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll and HIDIVE
Sunday Without God takes place in a world where God has left humanity, and the dead don’t exactly die. It doesn’t involve classic zombies, but walking corpses and a decaying world give you the same vibe. Ai, a young gravekeeper, chooses to bury lost souls, a ray of hope in a desperate world.
It’s a slow, more introspective anime, with dark themes of existence. Fans who enjoyed The Last of Us for its quieter, more introspective moments will enjoy a similar vibe here. This TLOU-like anime features reflections on life, death, and the devastation of a broken world.
7. Seoul Station
- IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
- Episodes: 1 (Feature-length film)
- Where to Watch: Available on Prime
This Korean animated film is a prequel to Train to Busan, and it delivers raw emotion and dark social commentary. The zombie apocalypse begins with the homeless being disregarded by society, soon descending into outright chaos.
Its hardcore realism, helplessness, and moral ambiguity mirror The Last of Us in striking ways. The film is not afraid to show how class division and system breakdown magnify the horrors of a crisis. If you’re willing to watch non-Japanese anime and are in the mood for something intense, realistic, and heartbreaking, Seoul Station should be on your list.
6. Tokko
- IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 6.52/10
- Episodes: 13
- Where to Watch: Not available on any streaming platform
Tokko blends horror with a crime-thriller spin, where a special unit fights against horrific, zombie-like creatures born out of a violent past event. It’s loaded with graphic violence and psychological discomfort, and there’s a constant feeling of unease. These are not your typical zombies, they’re associated with something darker and mysterious.
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Tokko may not touch the emotional highs of The Last of Us, but its themes of trust and concealed trauma are firmly in that same dark storytelling universe. It’s especially appealing if you enjoy stories where nothing is as it seems.
5. School-Live! (Gakkougurashi!)
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.61/10
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll and HIDIVE
At first glance, School-Live! Looks like a fun, lighthearted slice-of-life school anime, but that illusion is shattered quickly in the show. It’s actually an anime about a group of girls surviving a TLOU-like zombie apocalypse, with one of them in denial about the awful truth. The contrast between the colorful visuals and the horrifying reality is a heavy emotional blow.
Like The Last of Us, it makes you connect with its characters before placing them in gut-wrenching circumstances. It’s a clever, heartbreaking exploration of trauma, mental survival, and the innocence that so often gets crushed in the face of horror.
4. King of Thorn
- IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 6.86/10
- Episodes: 1 (Film)
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
King of Thorn is a survival horror-thriller full of suspense in a world devastated by a strange virus called Medusa, which petrifies their victims. A group of people wake up from cryogenic sleep to find a world overrun by monstrous creatures, and from there on, the story becomes a suspenseful mystery of trust, memory, and survival.
Even though the infected here are not your typical zombies, the fear, panic, and suffocating sense of dread feel all too real. Like The Last of Us, it balances frightening encounters with emotional depth, pushing characters to their limits in a world that’s decayed and full of secrets.
3. High School of the Dead
If you’re in the mood for a flat-out zombie apocalypse, High School of the Dead does the job. It’s crazy, bloody, and nonstop, with a cast of students trying to hold on while their world collapses around them.
It’s not as emotionally deep or nuanced as The Last of Us, but it does get that crushing feeling of fear and being forced to make impossible decisions. There’s a load of fanservice, naturally, but some hard-core realism too that really makes you appreciate how fragile life and morality can get in a crisis. If you’re in the mood for quick survival with a touch of drama, this one is a perfect pick.
2. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
- IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.74/10
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime, and Netflix
Zom 100 flips the genre on its head, as Akira uses the zombie apocalypse as a chance to live life for himself for the first time since escaping a soul-sucking career. It’s vibrant, humorous, and surprisingly inspirational, but beneath all the gags is a story of self-discovery, purpose, and healing.
While the tone isn’t quite as dark or serious as The Last of Us, it still confronts survival and death on meaningful levels. As Akira checks things off his bucket list, you’ll be amazed at how thoughtful and emotional it gets. It’s an alternate flavor of apocalypse, but one that is still so relatable.
1. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- MyAnimeList Rating: 7.28/10
- Episodes: 12
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll and Netflix
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is the anime equivalent of The Last of Us in tone, style, and emotion. In a steampunk setting where humanity is under siege by kabane, undead creatures with ironclad hearts. Both protagonists, Ikoma and Mumei, are traumatized by their past and are forced to rely on each other in the face of growing threats.
With breathtaking animation, high-stakes action, and themes of trust, sacrifice, and determination, Kabaneri is as if made for the fans of The Last of Us. It’s intense, emotional, and gorgeous to behold.
If The Last of Us got you all excited, these 10 anime walk the same emotional paths in different ways. Some are all action and horror, some are about quiet suffering and human connection. But all of them, in some way, uncover a truth the apocalypse always does: it’s not about surviving, it’s about finding something worth living for.
