After his parents died, Mirai Kakehashi was left in the care of abusive relatives. On the day he graduated from middle school, he decided to end his life. As he jumps off a building, he is saved by Nasse, an angel that wishes to give him happiness and has chosen him as her candidate to become the next God. However, there are twelve other candidates and some among them wish to take the power of a God by force.
Survival game with the moves and countermoves of Death Note. I am here for it. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Platinum End, then head on down below.
Anime Like Platinum End
For Fans of Survival Games
Future Diary
Yukiteru Amano likes to imagine himself as an observer. He spends his days keeping a diary on his cell phone, but not about himself, about everything that goes on around him. At home, he spends his time conversing with his two imaginary friends, Deus Ex Machina, the God of space and time, and Murmur, his assistant. However, one day he discovers his friends are not so imaginary when they imbue him with the power of a diary that tells the future and forces him into a bloody survival game with godhood on the line.
If you enjoyed Platinum End, you will enjoy Future Diary. It is pretty much the same set up, but Future Diary features a lot more graphic violence. Both series are about people picked to potentially become God, Future Diary, though, is less coy about making them fight it out.
Gleipnir
One morning, Shuichi Kagaya woke up as a monster. Complete with brute strength, a strong sense of smell, and big fluffy paws, he struggles to hold onto his humanity. Soon he meets a sadistic girl named Claire Aoki by saving her life. She holds his secret over her head and forces him to help her look for her sister that has also turned into a monster.
Both series feature a rather meek main character who has been given a special power. He then finds himself and his female companion embroiled in a mysterious battle of powers with other oddballs. Gleipnir, however, does lack some of the finesse that Platinum End has with the creation of its game and the goal.
Darwin’s Game
After receiving an invitation, Kaname starts playing a mysterious new mobile game called Darwin’s Game. Unfortunately, when his opponent attacks him in real life, he must fight to survive. After narrowly winning his first fight, he discovers a hidden world of players that kill in order to win points.
Darwin’s Game doesn’t have godhood on the line, but it has a number of just as tempting prizes. It also remains a more structured killing game compared to Platinum End. In both, though, you watch good people team up against perceived bad people while playing their deadly games.
For Fans of God Complexes
Death Note
Light Yagami is a high school prodigy and genius. However, he has an ever-increasing boredom and disdain for the rotten violent world. One day, he happens upon a notebook, called a Death Note, which states that if you write a name in it, the person will die. To his surprise, the notebook’s claims turn out to be true. This Death Note, the property of the Shinigami gods of death, gives Light the power to change this world and he decides to become its new God by executing all criminals.
Like Hiro Mashima just wanted to make Fairy Tail in space with Eden’s Zero, Obata and Ohba just wanted to make Death Note with angels. Sassiness aside, there really is quite a bit of crossover here with the general set up and both do a number of clever things until eventually going off the rails.
Inuyashiki
At only 58 years old, years of overwork and stress has Inuyashiki Ichirou looking like he is well into his 80’s. Ignored and disrespected by his family as well as diagnosed with cancer, all seems hopeless. However, a light descends from the sky and strikes Ichirou where he stands. When he awakens, he finds he is a new man, one augmented with alien technology. He sees this as just the power he needs to become a hero and earn the respect of his family.
What would you do with the power of a god? That is ultimately one of the primary questions in both series. Would you act like a hero or would you just do whatever you want? Seek to grant happiness or simply take your own? Inuyashiki is more sci-fi and it is just two people fighting each other rather than a dozen, though.
Law of Ueki
Unknown to most humans, an otherworldly tournament occasionally takes place to decide the next God of the Heavenly World. In this tournament, god candidates choose human partners to battle with, which grants them powers. For middle schooler Kousuke Ueki, he has been chosen to battle and granted the power to turn trash into trees.
While Law of Ueki is distinctly a more shounen battler type show, it is all centered around characters given powers then told to fight in order to become God. You’ll find a lot of unique characters in Law of Ueki as well as creatively using a power that kind of sucks.
For Fans of Deities Aiding Humans
The Fate / Stay Night Series
The Holy Grail War is a battle royale in one city in Japan among seven magi selected to be Masters. These Masters summon a Servant, a Heroic Spirit of historic or mythical heroes past, and gain command seals to order their Servant to do their bidding. Together, Masters use their Servants to fight a proxy war for the Holy Grail—a magical artifact capable of granting its wielder any wish. In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Rin Toosaka is among the magi entering the competition. With her Servant, Archer, she hopes to obtain the Holy Grail and have her wish granted. However, when Rin’s classmate Emiya Shirou accidentally enters too, things get much more interesting.
While in Fate/Stay, they are fighting over a wish, it does have a very similar set up to Platinum End. Instead of angles, they are accompanied by historical and mythical figures. However, those figures do more fighting than the angels in Platinum End.
The Fate series can be a bit complicated to get into. However, if you want to get into it, check out our Fate / Stay Franchise Watch Order.
Shaman King
There is a battle about to begin in Tokyo, the Shaman Fight. This tournament is held every 500 years where shamans, those who command spirits, test their skills in combat. The winner becomes the Shaman King and gains command of the Great Spirit. Shaman King follows the story of the carefree Yoh Asakura and his spirit Amidamaru.
Much like aforementioned Law of Ueki, Shaman King is a shounen show basically centered around becoming close to a God through a tournement. Unique characters abound and interesting battles all over in both, but Shaman King lacks the same element of cleverness.
Ajin
Immortal humans known as Ajin first appeared in Africa 17 years ago. While they were labeled a threat to mankind, to many they were just an infrequent news item. However, for Kei Nagai, a high schooler studying hard to be a doctor, he discovers he is an Ajin after being fatally hit by a car. Now on the run from the government that wants to imprison him, Kei must find a way to survive.
Ajin isn’t about becoming a God, but it is a bit of a darker take about people who suddenly have a sort of guardian angel appear before them. Ajins are a little less personified, but they make the people unique, different, and dangerous.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Platinum End? Let fans know in the comments section below.
