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Based on Naughty Dog's action-adventure video game, The Last of Us television adaptation by HBO has become one of the most highly lauded TV series of 2023. The Last of Us is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a mutant Cordyceps fungus, which turns humans into mindless aggressive creatures known as the Infected.
The series follows Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal), a contrabandist tasked with smuggling and protecting the 14-year-old Ellie Williams (played by Bella Ramsey), who is stated to be the last key to humanity's survival. HBO's The Last of Us is said to be one of the most awaited live-action television adaptations of all time.
The Last of Us is adored by many anime enthusiasts who expect the series to inspire an anime adaptation in the near future. However, as it won't be happening soon, fans can switch to the anime listed below, which is presumed to pack a punch.
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Highschool of the Dead and seven other anime that fans of The Last of Us shouldn't miss out on
1) Highschool of the Dead
Daisuke Sato's Highschool of the Dead is regarded as one of the underrated horror-supernatural thrillers about classic zombie survival elements akin to The Last of Us. The story centers on a group of high school students who are determined to fight back against these creatures called "They."
Besides hoping to reunite with their family members, the members have also set themselves on a path to unfurl the cause of the outbreak that led to this deadly pandemic. Taking the phrase "teamwork makes the dream work" seriously, each person contributes their expertise in a specific field, which increases their chance of survival.
Members eventually learned that zombies wouldn't be the only monsters, as many cynical and ruthless survivors are inclined to exploit them, just like the Fireflies and the Pittsburgh Hunters from The Last of Us franchise.
2) Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Wit Studio's Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is stated to be one of the best post-apocalyptic dark fantasy series. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress won several Newtype Anime Awards for Best TV Anime, Best Soundtrack, Best Character Design, Best Screenplay, and Best Studio, which speaks volumes about the anime series.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress takes place in a dystopian future where the world is overrun by the corpses called "Kabane." Humans have banded together to survive this eternal hell and form stronghold settlements, unbreakable even against a massive horde of Kabane.
Fans of The Last of Us will be surprised by a minor similarity between the reanimated corpses of both words. Like how the characters in The Last of Us have to deal with overpowered variants of Infected like Clickers, characters in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress can't put down a Kabane easily due to their steel-coated hearts, their only weakness.
3) God Eater
Fans of The Last of Us franchise will be delighted to learn that the God Eater anime series is based on an action role-playing video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games. The story takes place in the dystopian future of 2071, where humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction after the emergence of Aragami (Violent God), vicious man-eating creatures that come in many sizes and forms.
The only individuals who are humanity's last hope are the God Eaters, a special class of elite humans infused with powerful Oracle Cells (semi-sentient single-celled organisms that make up an Aragami). Oracle Cells grants these individuals the ability to wield God Arcs, the Aragami killing weapons.
In The Last of Us, Joel and Ellie don't have the luxury to get their hands on such futuristic weapons. However, their proficiency in conventional weapons makes them exceptional surviving duos.
4) Seraph of the End
Unlike The Last of Us, the world of Seraph of the End is dominated by vicious vampires. These malevolent creatures have emerged from the recesses of earth to claim the planet as theirs after a deadly artificial virus plagued the world, killing everyone and excluding children below the age of thirteen. The vampires have decided to enslave the remnants of humanity by occupying the top of the food chain.
Yuichiro, Mikaela, and a few other children who didn't want to bend their knees to these evil creatures' tyranny chose to flee from their captivity, which they called "protection," which came at the cost of donating blood. Yuichiro managed to escape, albeit at Mikaela sacrificing herself.
After being saved by the Moon Demon Company (an extermination unit of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army created to eliminate the vampire kind), Yuichiro takes an oath to eliminate the vampires from the face of the earth.
5) Empire of corpses
Ryoutaro Makihara's Empire of Corpses is set in an alternate 18th Century Britain where humanity has developed a unique technology for reanimating corpses. Doctor Victor Frankenstein, the person behind this invention, has even managed to fuse artificial souls called "Necroware" to make the corpses more functioning. However, they still can't talk, feel, or think for themselves.
Unlike The Last of Us, the Empire of Corpses deals with the "living dead" situation very differently. The former's world is overrun by bloodthirsty revenants, whereas the latter sees neutral undead creatures which humans have programmed to act as laborers in specific occupations. The Empire of Corpses is more drama-based, catering to the thriller genre that The Last of Us fanatics can binge on immediately.
6) Corpse Princess
In The Last of Us, there have been no reports regarding an Infected who might have retained consciousness since the parasitical Cordyceps brain infection completely takes over the host's body. However, the world of Corpse Princess sees the undead called "Shikabane" retaining some degree of intelligence and memory. The creatures possess superhuman strength and a unique, innate ability called a "Curse."
The series follows Makina Hoshimura, the titular Corpse Princess, who rose from the dead to avenge Shikabane, who massacred her entire family. With the desire to enter the gates of heaven, she has set herself on the path of eliminating 108 Shikabane. On this journey, she is assisted by Keisei Tagami, a member of the Anti-Corpse organization called Kogan Sect.
7) GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack
Junji Ito's supernatural-horror film, GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack, is one of the most critically acclaimed anime films produced by Ufotable. The film follows Kaori Sawahara, a college student whose delightful excursion to Okinawa Prefecture became a never-ending nightmare after the sea creatures emerged to the surface with their newly generated legs and started wreaking havoc.
Caught up in this onslaught, Kaori and her two friends, Erkia and Aki, are trying their best to survive this pandemic. However, the situation worsened after the mutated creatures started emitting an unbearable odor called the "Death Stench." For The Last of Us fans, GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack will be like a change of scenery where they will see rampaging aquatic creatures instead of the undead.
8) School-Live!
Norimitsu Kahio's School-Live! centers on the School Living Club, a group comprising four students: Yuki Takeya, Kurumi Ebisuzawa, Yuuri Wakasa, and Miki Naoki. The club was formed after a zombie apocalypse engulfed the entire world in its doom. Like other extracurricular activity clubs, SLC members also abide by specific rules indisputably.
Amidst a long list of guidelines, the only rule that no member should break is leaving the school premises. Unlike the other club members, Yuki is oblivious to the present situation. However, Kurumi, Yuuri, and Takeya taking Yuki's responsibility as her "Big Sisters," will keep it that way to protect her and her frangible mental state.
School Living Club Members of School-Live! aren't strong enough to go against the undead like Ellie and Joel from The Last of Us. Despite their young age, the characters show great courage and intelligence while surviving this nightmare.
