Animes about viruses and epidemics

In the last few weeks, the topic everywhere has been the coronavirus. A certain fear and panic have taken over the entire world. And this has made people more tuned in to news and information about this virus. This interest has led people to seek out movies, games, and even animes that talk about epidemics or viruses.

Just out of curiosity, in recent weeks, the 2011 film called “Contagion” by Steven Soderbergh has been at the top of the iTunes downloads. So let’s move on to a list of animes that deal with topics like epidemics or viruses.

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In a not-so-distant future, humans have been defeated by a virus known as Gastrea. The remaining population has been exiled to a small territory, living in despair and fear. In this world engulfed in darkness, a “civil security” force is formed, and a boy named Rentaro, a resident of Tokyo, stands out. This security organization specializes in combating the virus in its various forms. Along with his precocious assistant named Enju, using their peculiar powers, they try to eliminate the virus to save Tokyo from this terrible threat.

The anime has 13 episodes and was made by the studio Kinema Citrus, which is a renowned studio when it comes to the technical aspect of animation, meaning visually the anime is well above average.

Genres: Action, science fiction, seinen, mystery (and a bit of lolis for those who like it lol)

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The story takes place in an alternate future, where Japan faces a biological risk known as the apocalypse virus. This causes the entire nation to revolt after an incident called “The Lost Christmas”. An organization known as GHQ controls the country with the support of the United Nations. However, the virus continues to devastate humanity, with little or no hope of ending.

The protagonist of the anime is Shu Ouma, a pretty ordinary high school student. Anti-social and very shy, he spends a good part of his time enjoying his favorite internet singer. This is Inori Yuzuriha, the vocalist of the band known as EGOIST. One day he ends up meeting Inori and discovers that she is a key piece of a faction of the terrorist resistance known as the “Gravekeepers.”

In this encounter, Shu accidentally acquires a powerful ability through a genetic weapon called the Void Genome. This ability or power that Shu receives by accident allows him to extract the minds of people, materializing them in physical form, often as weapons. From there, he finds himself caught in a conflict between GHQ and the Gravekeepers, not to mention the consequences of the virus in the country.

Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Romance – 22 episodes

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In 2012, an unknown virus devastated humanity, except for children under 12 years old. At the same time, vampires began to dominate the world and imprison those who survived in underground cities. Hyakuya Yuuichirou, a young survivor, along with other orphans, decide to counterattack this situation. They devise a plan that consists of obtaining a map and weapons, reaching the surface, and escaping. However, they are caught, and Yuuichirou is the only one who manages to escape.

Having to abandon and live far from his family and friends, Yuuichirou vows revenge on the vampires who caused this situation. He then joins the Imperial Japanese Army Extermination Unit and begins intense training to fulfill his life purpose.

Genre: Action, Drama, Shounen, Supernatural – 12 episodes

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Amidst the industrial revolution, a mysterious virus appears, rapidly infecting people. The virus transforms people into hostile creatures that cannot be defeated unless their hearts are pierced. And most of the weapons used by soldiers are ineffective against them. On a certain island, people live behind walls and have built railway stations to move around. It is on this island that a boy named Ikona emerges, who creates his own equipment to defeat the creatures.

This anime is written by Ichirō Ōkouchi (大河内), the same person who created the famous franchise Code Geass. The animation from the studio Wit Studio, Inc. stands out significantly.

Genre: Action, horror, supernatural, drama, fantasy – 12 episodes

Other animes about Viruses and Epidemics

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• School-Live!
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Have you watched any of the mentioned animes? Do you know others to add to the list? Share with friends and leave your opinion or suggestions in the comments!

Kevin: Before finishing, I personally want to recommend a lesser-known series from Syfy that is one of my favorite series and deals with viruses, pandemics, and another favorite genre, time travel. It’s called 12 Monkeys, I recommend watching it.