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In the world of anime, comedy is often synonymous with lighthearted series filled with cheerful, carefree humor. Fans typically turn to these shows when they seek an escape from reality and desire some relaxing and light entertainment. However, the comedy genre also hosts a darker side, where series blend humor with grim and morbid themes, highlighting life’s absurdity amidst sorrowful situations.
Although dark comedy might not be everyone’s preference, these anime series excel at uncovering humor within depressing topics. They manage to make challenging, and sometimes taboo, subjects more palatable through clever wit and laughter. With a sarcastic and edgy tone, these comedies also offer surprisingly thought-provoking content, showcasing a decidedly twisted sense of humor.
Anime often features socially awkward otaku characters who become the target of self-deprecating humor. Yet, no series is as relentless towards its supposedly relatable protagonist as WataMote. In this show, the heroine Tomoko has spent years in isolation, yet she is convinced she can gain popularity in high school thanks to her extensive knowledge of otome games.
WataMote’s Humor Is So Cruel It’s Hard to Stomach
Socially inept otaku characters often become the butt of self-deprecating jokes in anime. However, no series is quite as ruthless to its supposedly relatable main character as WataMote. The series’ heroine, Tomoko, has spent years living as a hermit, yet firmly believes that she can become popular in high school using her expansive knowledge of otome games.
The bleak reality, however, proves that Tomoko is nothing more than a bundle of awkwardness with virtually no social skills. WataMote is exceedingly cruel to Tomoko, dwelling on the discomfiture of her attempts to integrate into society and almost always rewarding her with failure. And while her plights can be admittedly hilarious, they are also remarkably difficult to watch – mostly due to the second-hand embarrassment and pity.
Prison School Is Hilariously Rowdy & Suggestive
Fan service used as a source of humor is common in anime, for which the medium gets its fair share of criticism. Yet, profanity and crudeness amplified to an absurd degree can result in a shockingly hilarious dark comedy show, as proven by Prison School.
Imprisoned by the all-girls Hachimitsu Private Academy’s Underground Student Council, the protagonists of Prison School are subjected to all kinds of over-the-top torture at the hands of scantily clad, sadistic women. And while the suggestive content in Prison School is abundant, the satirical nature of the series’ sexual gags makes it less indulgent and more ridiculously funny.
Humanity Has Declined Is a Lot Darker Than Its Bubbly Visuals Imply
At first glance, it’s easy to mistake Humanity Has Declined for a lighthearted fantasy show. However, the series takes place in a rather dark post-apocalyptic world where the human race is nearing extinction, the new dominant species being the chaotic, sweets-obsessed fairies.
The nameless protagonist of Humanity Has Declined is tasked with arbitrating between the two races, and her grim outlook on life and sarcastic inner monologues drive much of the series’ satirical comedy. Beneath the pastel visuals and surreal worldbuilding, Humanity Has Declined hides very poignant societal commentary, ruthlessly satirizing humanity’s vices.
Dorohedoro Indulges in the Over-the-Top Brutality of Its World
In the ruthless dark fantasy world of Dorohedoro, violence runs the show, and all human dwellers of the Hole and its chaotic slums constantly fear becoming guinea pigs for sorcerers’ experiments – or dying even more pointlessly at the hands of their fellow humans. The grimness of Dorohedoro’s setting, nonetheless, doesn’t stop the series from having fun and reveling in the morbid insanity.
Instead of using extreme gore to shock or horrify viewers, Dorohedoro embraces a grotesquely jovial tone, constantly joking around in the midst of lawlessness and chaos. No matter how gruesome things get, Dorohedoro remains charmingly bizarre and comedic, even if the kind of humor it excels at is extremely macabre.
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan Showcases the Depressing Reality of Adult Life
For fans who no longer see themselves in the bright-eyed teenage heroes anime usually favors, there’s no series more relatable than Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan. The series’ protagonist, Uramichi Omota, is a former gymnast working as a kids’ TV show host. However, his need to be cheerful in front of his young audience constantly clashes with his cynical, depressive outlook on life.
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan is a series that fully embraces the disheartening truths of adulthood. Yet, instead of spiraling in the whirlpool of crushed dreams and bleak mundanity, it laughs in the face of nihilism and finds humor even in its hero’s endless negativity.
Welcome to the N.H.K. Uses Humor to Tackle Serious Psychological Themes
Based on the premise alone, Welcome to the N.H.K. appears to be something in between a slow-burn redemption story and the bleakest of tragedies. The series’ unlikely hero, Tatsuhiro Satou, is a paranoid, conspiratorial shut-in, and Welcome to the N.H.K. depicts Satou’s hikikomori experiences with a realism that borders on distressing frankness.
Nonetheless, Satou’s misery is not without its funny moments, albeit the comedy one can find in the protagonist’s plights is seldom lighthearted. Welcome to the N.H.K. uses humor to further emphasize its psychological drama elements, resulting in a compelling mix of genres that is likely to leave fans laughing through tears.
Hozuki’s Coolheadedness Finds Things to Laugh About Even in the Pits of Hell
What could be a more ironically suitable setting for a dark comedy anime than Hell? However, for Hozuki’s Coolheadedness’s titular protagonist, Hell is not a chamber of eternal torture but a workplace – one that will hardly function without his stern yet effective management.
Hozuki’s Coolheadedness invites viewers to explore the bureaucratic nightmare of Japanese Hell, turning its uniquely unwelcoming setting into a hilarious ground for poking fun at mythological heroes and toxic work environments. However, Hozuki’s dry humor, awe-inspiring competence, and sadistic tendencies make the time spent in the Inferno surprisingly entertaining.
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Is a Masterwork of Bold Dark Comedy
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei turns the classic premise of a high school gag series on its head with its gloomy yet remarkably intelligent take on comedy. The series’ protagonist, high school teacher Nozomu Itoshiki, is the very embodiment of despair, and even the slightest inconvenience can make him reach for the rope.
His all-female class of students is equally as eccentric, consisting of chaotic, exaggerated personalities whose dynamics with Nozomu often lead to absurd hilarity. At its core, however, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei is a very sharp-witted satirical comedy that remorselessly makes fun of different aspects of contemporary Japanese culture, even if its more subtle jokes can fly over the heads of viewers unfamiliar with the cultural context the show satirizes.
The Tatami Galaxy Combines Cynicism & Surrealism With Surprising Depths
A surreal journey of a nameless college student through different parallel realities in search of the elusive “rose-colored campus life,” The Tatami Galaxy is an outstandingly multifaceted series. And while most recognize it for its unorthodox, reality-bending visuals and thought-provoking thematic complexity, dark comedy also plays a huge part in making The Tatami Galaxy one-of-a-kind.
Like the rest of the series, the comedy in The Tatami Galaxy is rapid, mind-boggling, and surprisingly relatable despite its absurdist tone. The protagonist’s inner monologue is filled to the brim with witty, cynical remarks, while the show itself often uses its artsy presentation and surreal situational humor to poke fun at his worldview and anxieties.
No Topic Is Off-Limits For Gintama’s Comedy
There is a reason why Gintama is revered as one of anime’s best comedy titles, and its repertoire of jokes is hardly limited to just absurdist gags, parodies, and pop culture references. When it comes to both comedy and tonal identity, Gintama is a jack of all trades, and its humor can get surprisingly dark.
It’s completely in Gintama’s spirit to start cracking jokes in the middle of a tense, gut-wrenching sequence, make fun of its own characters’ trauma, or center entire episodes around turning a funeral into a farce. Gintama never fears being inappropriate or touching on a sensitive subject, and, despite its recklessness, even the series’ most outlandish jokes never fail to land.
