Exorcisms are hot right now in anime — though, to be fair, they always have been. Killing demons and banishing some spirits back to where they belong is often an interesting sight.Exorcism animetend toblend actionand horrorin that regard due to the manner of their subject matter. And when two genres coexist well in one medium, it’s always a treat for the viewers.
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If said anime has awesome visuals and takes away plenty from other successful titles, then that’s all the more reason to watch it.Jujutsu Kaisenis one such anime and admittedly a simple formula where people from all walks of life risk their lives to exorcise some uglies. Too bad that one’s ending but fret not, as there are more anime about exorcism to maintain the momentum.
Updated on June 09, 2025, by Sid Natividad:Jujutsu Kaisen ended its first season on June 27, 2025. The anime was a success, comfortably ranking among the best shows of both 2020 and 2021. A second season has yet to be announced, although it seems unlikely that MAPPA will opt against continuing this story consideringJujutsu Kaisen’s popularity. While this show covered the topic better than most, Jujutsu Kaisen was hardly the first property to tackle exorcism; in fact, the subject often comes up in anime and western media. The wait for more adventures starring Yuji Itadori might prove to be a rather long one, so what better way to pass the time than by checking out some of thebestanime about exorcists?
Now, with Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 just around the corner, it’s high time to take a look back at what makes exorcism such an action-packedsub-genre in anime. It’s mostly thanks to the anime themselves that feature humans and their war with demons, ghosts, and other paranormal beings. These binge-worthy anime about exorcism ought to prepare you for more ofJujutsu Kaisen Season 2’s upcoming action.
20Jujutsu Kaisen
For anyone who lovesNaruto, Bleach, Fairy Tale,and most other tried-and-testedshonenanime, thenJujutsu Kaisenis the end result of such pop-culture overload. It makes many pages from other anime and puts its own twist on top ofinsane actionand animation.
The result is everything you love inshonenbut still relatively fresh.Jujutsu Kaisen’s plot and premise are also simple; a young man named Itadori Yuji was compelled to become a vessel for an old godlike demon or curse. From there on, it’s up to Itadori to use his newfound powers for good, but the catch is that he’ll have to kick the bucket someday after becoming too powerful. The journey’s certainly fun, though.
19Dororo (Reboot)
The originalDororowas an interesting tale of vengeance, but it lacked the dark ominousness the show needed to convey the struggles of its protagonists. Thankfully, the2019 rebootchanged the tone. It’s a tale about a young disabled man namedHyakkimaruwhose body parts were consumed and kept hostage by demons after his father sacrificed him.
Hyakkimaru, with the help of prosthetics and his newfound friend and companion, Dororo, must now set out to slay the very demons who took his body parts. The premise alone makes this demon-slaying show worth watching; one doesn’t see exciting formulas like that these days.
18Twin Star Exorcists
Twin Star Exorciststells a standard story about a couple of young and talented exorcists whose job is to purge the impurities ofMagano, a parallel realm full of monsters and demons. A prophecy foretells of a fabled pair of talented exorcists who will cleanse Magano of all its impurities.
Apparently, this prophecy falls into the laps of prodigies Benio and Rokuro. The two must set aside their differences and work together in order to fulfill their prophecy or perish and fail in their destiny.
17Kyoukai no Rinne
For something a little more lighthearted compared to the usual high-octane exorcism,Kyoukai no Rinne,or justRin-Nein English, offers a comedic change of scenery. It’s about the titular character whose still inhigh school,but instead of sports orschool clubs,his extracurricular activities involve helping spiritsget to the other side.
Due to this, Rinne often doesn’t have money for his necessities and finds himself gradually failing at school. To make matters worse, Rinne also has an esper classmate who claims that only she can see him, leading both to believe that Rinne might be a ghost. The whole anime deals with their misadventures and efforts to learn about Rinne’s true nature.
16Nisemonogatari
TheMonogatariseries is filled with plenty of supernatural stuff, but exorcism was at its height during theNisemonogatarichapter in the show. This lighthearted comedy with plenty of fan service tackles exorcism like some kind of side dish since it involves several girls surviving spiritual entities and vampire attacks.
At the heart of it, all isKoyomi Araragi,who, in this chapter, gets kidnapped and tied up by his own girlfriend as some kind of elaborate plot to keep him safe. At times, the whole anime can feel directionless and pointless, but that’s its whole schtick with some exorcism sprinkled in.
15Ushio and Tora
Ushio and Toraportray a story similar to that ofJujutsu Kaisen. It’s about a young man who reluctantly has torely on an old evilbeing in order to save people (initially just his family). This all began after Ushio, the young man in question, happened upon an imprisoned demon named Tora in his father’s temple.
Ushio had to release this destructive demon in order to save his family due to a youkai outbreak. In order to keep Tora in check, Ushio kept the imprisonment spear nearby as the two, and their unlikely alliance waged war against the youkai of the spiritual realm.
14Zenki
Speaking of old, imprisoned demons, there’s plenty of that inZenki.This old classic follows the adventures of Chiaki and her shaman family as they hunt evil using evil itself, namely a tamed demon lord named Zenki. Their family struck a one-sided deal withZenkilong ago tokeep the demon fedwith the spirits of his defeated kind.
It just so happens that these spirits were mobilizing en masse in the modern world, so they once again needed Zenki’s help with the purge. This classic 1990s anime action is filled with some old signature tropes that ought to be a nostalgic trip for many anime fans.
13The Morose Mononokean
One day, Hanae Ashiya finds himself in a rather sticky situation; apparently, ademon has latched onto the high schooler, making him sick. Luckily for Hanae, an exorcist, Haruitsuki Abeno, happens to be a student at his school. Naturally, this sparks a strained but ultimately beautiful friendship.
Split into two seasons;The Morose Mononokeanis less action-driven than something likeJujutsu Kaisen,as the anime’s focus is primarily on world and character building. The series also appreciates a good laugh, particularly in its first season. While a bit slow-paced,The Morose Mononokeanis a pretty fun series, with Haruitsuki being a great protagonist. Hanae is more of an acquired taste.
12Mononoke
Mononokeis an artful mystery series that expertly utilizesunsettling visualsand sound design to create a constant sense of discomfort. Split into five arcs; each one revolves around the Medicine Seller, a being who investigates cases where aspirit has attached itself to a human. In order to exorcise the Mononoke, the Medicine Seller must learn its Form, Truth, and Reason.
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Mononokedives deep into the possessed humans, exploring the situations and emotions that led to the spirit’s arrival. The anime’s fluid structure allows it to play around with its settings, themes, and pacing – creating a show that never ceases to surprise, terrify, and captivate.
11Beyond The Boundary
Meet cutes do not typically involve one character stabbing their future partner with a sword, but love works in mysterious ways.Beyond the Boundaryis a bit all over the place; a hodgepodge of (great) action, (silly) humor, (depressing) backstories, and (awkward but ultimately likable) romance.
The action part comes courtesy of Mirai’s role as aSpirit World Warrior, which means she fights youmu to keep the clueless humans safe. While thesespirits are born from negative emotions, they are not necessarily evil or dangerous; however, some do need to be taken out.
