10 Anime Like Spy x Family That Start Generic But Get Way Darker

Overall, Spy x Family is a funny and lighthearted anime. Most episodes focus on cheerful moments, like Anya’s antics at school or Yor’s cooking mishaps. However, the series can also explore darker themes. While the Cold War setting primarily provides a backdrop for the story and Operation Strix, it also introduces a serious side that viewers are beginning to see.

Fans of Spy x Family recently learned about the difficult experiences young Loid Forger endured during the Westalis-Ostania war, which has changed how they view his character. This technique – starting with a lighthearted story and then introducing heavier themes like drama or tragedy – is common in anime. While some shows, like Attack on Titan, are dark from the beginning, and others, like K-On!, remain consistently cheerful, many anime effectively shift from light to dark, creating a sense of development and keeping viewers engaged.

My Hero Academia is No Longer About Deku’s Misadventures at School

Similar to other anime series that become more serious as they progress, My Hero Academia didn’t completely lose its cheerful moments, but it successfully blended them with much darker themes. Like shows such as Spy x Family, My Hero Academia suggested these darker elements early on, but saved the full impact for later. The series first needed to establish a sense of happier times to make the eventual darkness more meaningful.

Season 6 of My Hero Academia really dove into the darker side of the series, exploring serious issues like the flaws within the hero system and the mental toll being a hero takes on Deku. This led to Deku leaving his friends and classmates, and it took a huge effort from Class 1-A to bring him back. Even after Deku recovered, the world of heroes was crumbling as the villains got closer to winning.

Fruits Basket Eventually Reveals the Full Weight of the Sohma Family’s Suffering

At first, Fruits Basket seemed like a lighthearted and funny anime about Tohru Honda meeting the Sohma family. However, it quickly became much more serious, delving into the complicated and painful issues affecting the entire Sohma clan. Despite learning about their troubles, Tohru remained dedicated to helping them.

Tohru became even more determined to help the Sohmas overcome their problems, even though Akito repeatedly tried to reject her help. The story shifted away from lighthearted everyday moments as Tohru assisted Kyo, Yuki, and the others in battling their personal struggles – including guilt, feelings of inadequacy, and past abuse. She didn’t exclude Akito either, recognizing the damage caused by Akito’s difficult relationship with her mother, Ren.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles Has Introduced its Demon Lord

The humor and playful satire that define Mashle: Magic and Muscles will always be a core part of the show. It’s still essentially a funny take on “Saitama at Hogwarts,” but Mashle seems to be hinting at a more serious tone with its new villains. While it was easy for Mash Burnedead to defeat and ultimately help his classmates, Innocent Zero presents a much greater and more challenging threat.

The Mashle anime is taking a much more serious turn as a powerful enemy, Innocent Zero, puts the entire magical world in danger. Even the headmaster of Easton Magic Academy, Wahlberg, can’t defeat him. What makes things even worse is that Wahlberg has a deeply personal and heartbreaking connection to Innocent Zero, leaving him incredibly distressed as the situation worsens.

Food Wars! Brought in Some Serious Family Drama Later On

The early seasons of Food Wars! focused on the pleasure of cooking, friendly rivalry, and some playful fanservice. However, everything shifted with the introduction of Azami Nakiri. He brought a darker tone to the series as Erina’s strict and domineering father. Azami’s goal was to take control of Totsuki Culinary Academy, driven by his own personal anxieties and desire for power, which he imposed on the school.

After resolving one issue, Erina faced a new challenge with her long-separated mother. Mana Nakiri struggled daily because her incredibly sensitive palate, known as the God Tongue, was overwhelming. This led to feelings of hopelessness about her future in cooking and severely damaged their relationship. Thankfully, Soma encouraged Erina to find a way forward, and the series concluded happily with the Nakiri family reunited.

Made in Abyss Showed Why Nature Should Not Be Taken Lightly

From the start, Made in Abyss hinted at a thrilling and frightening journey as Riko prepared to explore the mysterious Abyss. While viewers anticipated a story of survival against a dangerous environment, the true horrors of the Abyss proved far more intense than expected. Riko and Reg quickly found themselves in a terrifying and surreal struggle, realizing they had underestimated the dangers that lay below.

Adding to the sadness, others have suffered in the Abyss as well, like Nanachi and her companion, Mitty. Mitty’s fate is incredibly tragic and shocking, especially for a fantasy anime that initially seemed lighthearted and focused on two endearing characters discovering a beautiful world. What’s most disturbing is that someone is deliberately conducting cruel experiments at the bottom of the Abyss.

Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It Shocked Fans With Its Male Love Interest

The anime Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It centers around two graduate students, Shinya and Ayame, who attempt to confirm their romantic feelings using the scientific method. While the first season had typical moments of relationship drama, the second season surprised viewers by taking the story in a much more unexpected direction.

Kanade, a likeable supporting character hoping to find romance, experienced a shocking and disturbing event when Naoya, who initially appeared friendly, kidnapped and threatened her. This storyline was significantly darker than anything else in Science Fell in Love, felt jarring, and may have disappointed some viewers.

Dr. Stone Has Evolved Into a Bitter War For Survival

While still maintaining its hopeful spirit and emphasis on teamwork, Dr. Stone has become noticeably more intense since the beginning. The challenges Senku faced in earlier seasons – like his conflict with Tsukasa Shishio or the competition for Ruri’s hand – now seem simple compared to his current struggle. He’s now involved in a full-blown war for survival against someone he once considered a friend.

The world of Dr. Stone has become increasingly complex and morally gray. Dr. Xeno, once Senku’s friend, now opposes him, frustrated by adults misusing his scientific advancements. While Dr. Xeno’s concerns are valid, Senku struggles to reason with him and Stanley Snider, who are both attacking his allies in a pointless conflict. The situation has become dire, with Senku’s friends facing serious danger – even being shot – and only narrowly escaping destruction thanks to a last-minute rescue by a Medusa energy wave.

Your Lie in April Eventually Dealt With Kousei’s Grief

Although Your Lie in April hinted at a tragic outcome for Kaori Miyazono fairly early on, the anime initially kept a relatively hopeful atmosphere. Kousei Arima was struggling with past trauma and his inability to play the piano, but Kaori became a supportive friend who shared his love of music. This dynamic even created a love triangle involving Kousei and his classmate, Tsubaki.

Near the end of Your Lie in April, the focus shifted away from romantic relationships when Kaori tragically passed away, dramatically changing the anime’s mood. Kousei was left to continue his healing process and cope with intense grief on his own. While the anime ultimately offered a hopeful conclusion, fans generally agree that Kousei’s already difficult journey became even more heartbreaking before reaching a brighter point.

Darling in the Franxx Showed the Young Heroes Overthrowing an Oppressive System

Darling in the Franxx started as a typical mecha anime with robots battling monsters, immediately appealing to fans of the genre. But the show quickly expanded, revealing a much deeper and darker story. Hiro discovered that he and the other young pilots lived in a restrictive world built on fear and control, and they were forced to fight for their freedom.

Darling in the Franxx shifted towards a young adult dystopian story, featuring hopeful young people battling a strict, adult-controlled world that feared disorder. Even without considering the later introduction of the villainous VIRM and the secrets of the APE group leading to VAMPIRE, the series evolved beyond just exciting action and teenage romance.

2025-10-23 19:45