The Dark Trio of Anime – The New Big Three?

The most popular anime from the 2000s were classified as the Big Three – One Piece, Naruto and Bleach and have managed to be in everyone’s list of best shows due to their influence on Shounen anime as a whole as well as their storylines featuring hardworking protagonists who chase their dreams.

With several discussions on what the new generation of Big Three Anime would feature, a new collection, referred to by fans as “The Dark Trio” has been making waves with many even believing that the stories told through these series are better than The Big Three.

Called The Dark Trio because of their gritty storylines, dark and unforgiving setting as well as a drastically new take on Shounen anime, unlike the positive atmosphere we are used to, let us take a look at the anime that make up this list.

1. Chainsaw Man

Denji is a young boy who struggles for survival with his pet, the chainsaw devil Pochita. Together, they slay devils for the yakuza while earning a meagre earning and trying to repay Denji’s father’s debt. However, after being betrayed by their employers and left for dead, Denji fuses with Pochita and becomes Chainsaw Man, a person who uses his body parts as chainsaws to defeat enemies.

Due to this, Denji is recruited by the Public Safety Devil Hunters to take care of nuisances to the world. While facing off against all kinds of devils, he hopes to live a more fulfilling life and achieve all his dreams.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen

In a world that lives under the threat of curses – beings formed from human malice, Yuuji Itadori’s life completely changes when his body begins harboring the King of Curses, Sukuna.

To ensure his own survival and contribute to a better world, he joins the Jujutsu World, a group of sorcerers who fight back against Curses. Through this, he makes several meaningful connections while also discovering more about the terrifying curse in his body.

3. Hell’s Paradise

A genius ninja named Gabimaru and several other criminals are tasked by the Shogunate to travel to a mysterious island and bring back the Elixir of Life. Accompanied by agents of the Shogunate themselves, these criminals are enticed by the opportunity to earn their freedom by completing the mission.

They soon find that it is easier said than done, as the island is filled with dangerous monsters and creatures which can easily kill them. With Gabimaru fighting to be reunited with his wife, will he be able to survive this seemingly impossible task?

Apart from all 3 of the above anime being adapted by MAPPA studios, their storylines also have parallels as we see the protagonists struggling for survival and freedom rather than just chasing after their dreams as we saw in the original Big Three. While the quality and comparison between them is a never-ending debate, there is no doubt that this new era of Shounen anime is a welcome and much-needed change that is sure to attract even larger audiences/