10 Best Anime Swordsmen Who Aren't From Shonen Series, Ranked

Shonen is the most popular anime genre because it is primarily aimed at a young male audience. A lot of Shonen characters have unique skills and supernatural abilities, and many of them are powerful swordsmen. While most of the anime's iconic swordsmen are from the Shonen series, several master swordsmen from other genres also deserve recognition.

The Seinen and Isekai genres have produced many great swordsmen, and a few can be found in dark fantasy series. Most of these swordsmen are men, but several women have also trained to become master swordsmen. Most of these swordsmen rely on their swordsmanship, but a few of them can enhance their combat skills and cutting power with magic and magical items.

10 PHOTOS

10. Saeko Busujima Can Take Down Zombies And Adult Humans With A Single Strike
A High School Student Who Has Mastered The Art Of Kendo

Saeko Busujima is the main female character in High School of the Dead and serves as the unofficial point man of Takashi's survivor group. Before the zombie apocalypse, Saeko was a student at Fujimi High School and captain of the school's Kendo Club. Saeko is a very kind, caring, and reliable person who follows the Bushido code of her samurai ancestors. That said, she has a sadistic and violent side which allows her to fight better.

Saeko is an athletic fighter who specializes in melee combat, making her one of the group's most effective fighters. She initially wielded a wooden sword but eventually upgraded to a double-edged katana. Regardless of the weapon, Saeko can defeat a full-grown man with a single strike, and she can cut through a group of zombies effortlessly. In the heat of battle, Saeko transforms into one of anime’s most fearless and skilled female swordsmen.

9. Askeladd Is A Manipulative, Cunning, And Charismatic Swordsman
A Welsh-Danish Viking Who Commanded A Brutal Mercenary Band Of Vikings

Vinland Saga is one of the best Seinen anime of all time, and Askeladd was the driving force behind the series' beloved first season. Askeladd claims to be a descendant of Lucius Artorius Castus, the legendary warrior who inspired the King Arthur legend. Whether this is true or not does not matter because Askeladd was an elite warrior in his own right.

Askeladd is a master tactician and manipulator who turned a group of pirates into a highly effective Viking mercenary group. When the time came, Askeladd eliminated most of these mercenaries himself despite being outnumbered and surrounded. He later used his incredible swordsmanship skills to kill King Sweyn and most of his royal guards. Vinland Saga is a brutal series, and Askeladd stands out in many of its most acclaimed action scenes.

8. The Captain Is A Gold-Ranked Adventurer Who Defeated The Demon Lord
A Samurai-Like Swordsman With Some Spellcasting Ability

The Captain may have had a minor role in Goblin Slayer’s second season, but fans still got a glimpse of his abilities. The Captain is a gold-ranked Adventurer who leads a party of six gold-ranked Adventurers into the Dungeon of the Dead. While there, they fought and killed the Demon Lord. The Captain wears samurai-like armor and carries a pair of swords into battle.

The Captain is a master swordsman who can sever a powerful demon's arm with a single slash, but he can also use spells during combat. He can shoot magic missiles at creatures and put them to sleep. More importantly, he can burn enemies to a crisp with spells like Fireball and Firebolt. The Captain does not flaunt his skills like other swordsmen, but he is more than capable of fighting some of the world's most dangerous threats.

7. Saizō Kirigakure Is The Leader Of The Sanada Ten Braves
An Assassin Who Wields A Large Kunai-Like Blade

Saizō Kirigakure is the main protagonist of Brave 10, a short yet very entertaining ninja anime. As a ninja, Saizō was forced to kill many people, which caused him to become cold-hearted, but everything changed when he met a young priestess named Isanami. Like most ninja, Saizō uses kunai and hidden blades during battle, but his primary weapon is the Mari-Blade, a black sword that looks like a massive kunai.

By spinning the Mari-Blade, Saizō can block enemy projectiles and deflect them back at his opponents. He can create after-images of himself and throw invisible knives by bending light. Saizō's Secret Technique, Instant Light can slice through multiple opponents with incredible speed, but it can also deal multiple injuries on a single target in an instant. Thanks to the Mari-Blade, Saizō can fend off and defeat some of feudal Japan's best warriors.

6. Raphtalia The Sworn Sword Of The Shield Hero
A Demi-Human Who Became The Katana Hero

Raphtalia is the main heroine of The Rising of the Shield Hero anime series. She is the first real companion of the Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, and is fiercely loyal to him. He saved Raphtalia from a life of slavery and put a sword in her hand. It took time, but Raphtalia leveled up and increased her strength to the point that she could fight powerful monsters on Naofumi's behalf.

With a standard sword, Raphtalia can perform magical surprise attacks and enhance her strikes by coating the blade in light. After traveling to another world, Raphtalia became the Katana Hero, making her one of the strongest warriors within the anime's multiverse. With this legendary sword, Raphtalia can perform a variety of magical sword strikes which allow her to fight on par with other legendary heroes.

5. Ryūko Matoi Wields The Red Half Of The Scissor Blade
A High School Student With Superhuman Strength And Regeneration

Ryūko Matoi is the main protagonist of Kill la Kill and her goal was to find the person who killed her father. This quest led Ryūko to Honnōji Academy, where she confronts Student Council President Satsuki Kiryūin, who ultimately turns out to be her younger sister. Ryūko's signature weapon is the Scissor Blade, but for most of the series, she only possessed the red half.

She wielded the red blade like a one-handed, single-edged longsword and used it to cut through Life Fibers, which are supposed to be indestructible extraterrestrial parasitic organisms. Ryūko possesses superhuman strength, which allows her to perform devastating slashes, and her body can regenerate almost any injury because it is infused with Life Fibers. Kill la Kill is known for its revealing character designs, but Ryūko's swordsmanship skills also make it an impressive battle anime.

4. Afro Is An Iconic Anti-Hero With Master Sword Skills
A Cold-Blooded Warrior Who Seeks The Number One Headband

Afro is the anti-hero of Afro Samurai, an anime that centers around revenge and cinematic sword battles. Afro was a happy and cheerful child, but that all changed when he witnessed his father's execution. He vowed to avenge his father and became a cold-blooded killer in the process. To achieve this vengeance, Afro trained to become a master swordsman who could challenge for the Number One Headband.

Afro is skilled enough to deflect crossbow bolts and shatter bullets with his blade, and he can create new combat techniques in the middle of fights by using his subconscious. Most of his fights occur on the ground, but he is capable of fighting in the air as well. Afro can slice through thugs and other warriors effortlessly, and he can use his enhanced speed and agility to cut an RPG Missile in two. By the end of the series, Afro obtains the Number One Headband, which signifies his position as the world's strongest fighter.

3. Kirito May Be The Best Isekai Swordsman Of All Time
An Avid Gamer With A Background In Kendo

Sword Art Online helped breathe new life into the Isekai genre and Kirito has been the franchise's main character since the beginning. The first season is still considered the best because it saw Kirito and hundreds of other players trapped in a game that would kill them in real life. This experience made Kirito more mature and selfless, instilling a willingness to sacrifice himself to protect those he loves.

Kirito has a Kendo background, but he is not much of a swordsman in real life. That said, Kirito is arguably the best virtual swordsman in the world. He can fight anyone with a single sword, but he is an exceptionally skilled dual-wielder. Thanks to his in-game skills, Kirito can defeat powerful bosses and other players who possess high stats legendary weapons, and resistances.

2. Artoria Pendragon Is One Of The Strongest Heroic Spirits To Ever Fight In The Holy Grail War
A Saber-Class Servant Who Wields The Legendary Excalibur

Artoria Pendragon is one of the many Heroic Spirits who appear in the Fate franchise. Like other Heroic Spirits, Artoria competes in the Holy Grail War, an epic battle royal that is used to determine the ownership of the Holy Grail. Artoria belongs to the Saber class, known for agile and powerful melee warriors skilled in swordsmanship, generally considered the strongest of the seven Servant classes.

Artoria wields the mighty Excalibur because she is the King Arthur of legend, but she uses magic to conceal its true length and shape from her opponents. This golden sword can release a powerful blast of magical energy that can vaporize almost anything in its path. Artoria also wears a suit of anti-magic armor which is very useful during battle. Thanks to her incredible skills, Artoria can battle epic heroes like Hercules and Gilgamesh.

1. Guts Wields The Iconic Dragon Slayer With Incredible Skill
A Brutal Swordsman Who Has Defeated Many Demons And Monsters

Berserk is a dark fantasy series that has captivated fans since 1989, and it has turned Guts into one of anime's most iconic swordsmen. Guts embodies resilience and unyielding determination, relentlessly battling the demonic forces that once traumatized him and now threaten the world. Guts wears Berserker Armor which is designed to boost all of his physical capabilities to superhuman levels.

Guts wields the iconic Dragon Slayer sword, which can cleave humans and demons alike. The Dragon Slayer is so big that it can absorb the blunt force of an enemy's attacks. Guts have been through several brutal and gruesome battles and can cut down hordes of massive monsters. While using the Dragon Slayer and Berserker armor, Guts can overpower Apostles in their released forms.