It's always exciting to watch disaster shows from the comfort of our own homes. It keeps us on the edge of our seats and raises our anxiety. That said, if you enjoy watching this kind of anime genre, then here are 13 disaster-filled anime that show the world’s end.
It is said that there are two types of disasters: natural and man-made. In this article, we’ve covered both types, so it’s up to you to pick your poison!
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Suzume
Another masterpiece from Makoto Shinkai, Suzume is a disaster-filled anime that revolves around a 17-year-old high school girl named Suzume Iwato, along with a young stranger named Souta Munakata.
Set in fictional Japan, Suzume and Souta team up in order to close and lock doors that sprang out of nowhere in abandoned places.
These doors are keeping various disasters at bay and, at the same time, holding the key for a powerful supernatural worm to wreak havoc in the world. Thus, Suzume and Souta’s journey of closing doors begins!
Suzume is a stunning film with phenomenal direction, scenic visuals, beautiful music, and a moving story!
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
One of the most popular disaster-filled anime to date, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is also an iconic anime that never gets old.
This anime perfectly captures the horror brought upon by a massive earthquake that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
It is also very emotional, so we suggest preparing a box of tissues before starting the anime!
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 centers on the Onozawa siblings, as well as the motorcycle courier and single mother, Mari Kusakabe.
In the aftermath of a massive earthquake that hit Tokyo 25 km under the sea with a magnitude of 8.0, our three main characters will go above and beyond to reunite with their loved ones.
Japan Sinks 2020
Yet another disaster anime brought upon by a massive and terrifying earthquake, Japan Sinks 2020 shows the sinking of the Japan archipelago!
It is an anime that will make the viewers hold their breaths as the terror unfolds in every part of the country, despite its plain visuals.
Honestly, the simplicity of the animation made the disaster more realistic and immersive.
Japan Sinks 2020 brings Japan into a state of emergency shortly after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a series of massive earthquakes.
It then centers on an ordinary family of four who are put to the test in their attempt to survive one tragedy after another.
This disaster anime has some good and bad moments, but overall, Japan Sinks 2020 is a great watch!
Barefoot Gen
This is a warning that Barefoot Gen is not for the fainthearted, unlike other shows on the list.
In fact, it is disturbing and horrifying, even more so knowing that 70% of the anime are based on true events, as experienced by the author (Keiji Nakazawa) during the Hiroshima atomic bombing.
Still, if you’re planning to see this one, then you’ll be in awe of what really went down in Hiroshima.
Barefoot Gen doesn’t hold back when it comes to its animation, visuals, sound, commentaries, and so on, despite having been released in 1983.
Barefoot Gen is set in 1945, in the midst of World War II. It follows a young boy named Gen Nakaoka and his family as they barely make ends meet due to the impact of the war between the US and the Japanese forces.
Unfortunately, Gen and his family are a hopeless case, as the US atomic bomb called "Little Boy" has already sealed their tragic fate.
Drifting Home
A family-friendly anime that has a unique storyline, Drifting Home is a must-watch for all of its visuals, vintage references, and themes it explores.
It is a beautiful movie, perfect for a Sunday watch with the family. Do note that this anime is also very emotional, especially at the end!
Drifting Home centers on a group of middle school children who get trapped in an apartment complex that is about to be demolished.
Due to an unknown phenomenon, the children find themselves adrift in what seems to be an endless sea!
To make things worse, the children have to fend for themselves against the various disasters that come their way while dealing with their hunger and thirst.
Will they be able to return to their real world?
A Spirit of the Sun
A Spirit of the Sun is the perfect example of a disaster-filled anime due to the number of catastrophes the characters faced in the anime.
There are large-scale earthquakes and tsunamis brought on by the eruption of Mt. Fuji, which in turn send Japan into mayhem and chaos.
Worse, another earthquake hit the country, which resulted in a massive divide! The tragedies do not end there, as both China and the United States are now governing the northern and southern parts of Japan.
15 years later, the story follows Genichiro Ryu, one of the few who miraculously survived Japan’s catastrophes and is now residing in Taiwan.
Unfortunately, Genichiro faces a new problem as he gets entangled in the conflict between the Japanese refugees and the Taiwanese citizens, who are fighting over jobs and living conditions.
The Orphans of Simitra
An underrated disaster anime, The Orphans of Simitra has been overlooked by fans, most likely because of its number of episodes.
It has a total of 52 episodes, but the anime has done a good job of dividing its storyline into different arcs, from the mundane lives of the protagonists to the sudden earthquake that changed their lives and the aftermath of the disaster.
The Orphans of Simitra starts with the Patagos family, who are living a peaceful life in the Grecian countryside.
Everything was going well for them, as Porfy and Mina were going to school together and having a lot of fun.
Their parents are also busy building their service station, which will help secure their future.
Unfortunately, a massive earthquake hit their location and changed the lives of the Patagos family.
The Day the Earth Moved
Released in 1997, The Day the Earth Moved is a disaster-filled anime movie set during Japan’s worst earthquake in the 20th century: the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe.
Although it was released years ago, The Day the Earth Moved is still an anime worth watching that will teach you a lot of lessons and make you realize the most important aspects of life.
It is emotional, so if you’re a crybaby, then you’ll probably shed a tear at this movie.
The Day the Earth Moved follows Tsuyoshi Takashi, a sixth-grader, and his family in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that struck Kobe.
Thankfully, Tsuyoshi's family was able to survive, but the days of living comfortably are long gone.
The Takashi family gradually adjusts to their new life as they try to rebuild what the earthquake has taken away!
Natsunagu!
How far would you go to see a friend? A disaster-stricken prefecture will not prevent Natsuna Keyaki from seeing her dearest online friend, Itsuki, to ensure that she is alive and well.
Natsunagu! is set in the aftermath of an earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, and it follows Natsuna on her quest to find a friend she met in an online game.
Natsuna will go to any length, from getting lost to asking strangers for help, to find out what happened to Itsuki, despite having only her friend's name and old address.
With a total of 12 episodes running for four minutes each, Natsunagu! is a short and simple anime, but it had good plot development and a refreshing art style, contrary to what one would expect from a disaster anime.
Typhoon Noruda
Typhoon Noruda is a short disaster anime with a runtime of only 26 minutes, resulting in poor story progression and buildup.
It should have been made into a movie to further explore the dynamics of the characters, their motivations, and so on.
This disaster anime takes place at a Japanese middle school on an isolated island, where a group of students and teachers are waiting for a storm to pass out.
The story then centers on Azuma, a young boy who quit baseball after playing it his whole life.
He is in conflict with his best friend, Saijo, and has a lot on his plate when he encounters a girl named Noruda.
Noruda’s eyes are red, and she wears a red necklace. That’s when a huge typhoon hits Azuma’s school, and it looks like Noruda has something to do with it!
It’s up to Azuma to help Noruda, who seems to be in trouble, all while trying to fix his relationship with Saijo.
Shangri-La
In the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Japan, the Japanese government came up with a solution to manage the everyday lives of the survivors.
This solution is called "Project Atlas", in which the government will build a utopian city that will replace Tokyo. However, it is not a productive plan, for it aims to segregate the people!
Because of this, a rebel movement called "Metal Age" was created to stop the Japanese government from segregating the remaining population.
Shangri-La is an underrated anime that needs more attention. It has beautiful visuals, likable characters, and an interesting plot that will keep viewers guessing from time to time.
Isewan Taifuu Monogatari
Isewan Taifuu Monogatari is yet another commemorative anime produced during the 30th anniversary of the tragedy caused by Super Typhoon #15, also known as Vera, that hit Japan on September 26, 1959. It claimed the lives of 5,000 people, and it also left 30,000 injured.
When a typhoon strikes Japan, Kyosuke is transported into a magical world where he encounters a mysterious girl named Mai.
Apparently, Mai is the only one who can help Kyosuke return home. But before he can do it, he has to team up with Mai to overcome monsters, solve difficult puzzles, and many more that come along the way.
I Found it in Shichigahama
I Found it in Shichigahama deviates from the usual disaster anime plot, where the main highlight is the earthquake, tsunami, or typhoon that hits the characters.
Rather, this anime doesn’t have a shock factor but relies on the character portrayals of Japanese people trying to rebuild what they lost. After all, reconstruction is the main theme of the anime.
This anime is a short-type ONA released by the town of Shichigahama in the Miyagi Prefecture to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Since it’s a short anime, don’t expect much about its visuals and production. It looks like amateur anime, but this doesn’t mean the show is boring or has no entertaining value.
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