Whether it's an apocalypse in process or a post-dystopian society, anime has dealt with numerous ways in which characters inhabit a world in the middle or aftermath of a global tragedy. Should the worst come to pass and the real world faces a Walking Dead-like mass zombie attack or a Game of Thrones dragon-led takeover, we'll need to be ready to fight back. Let's study five anime set in post-apocalyptic times and see what crucial lessons we can learn -- you know, just in case.
Attack on Titan
Where better to begin than with the post-apocalyptic smash hit Attack on Titan? 100 years ago, the remaining humans barricaded themselves behind three circular walls to survive in lieu of giant cannibalistic Titans who were said to have decimated the rest of the human race.
Attack on Titan frequently shows the importance of knowing one's personal and world history, and the consequences that stem from trying to rewrite it inaccurately. Relying solely on talented young people with special abilities, which happens in anime of all genres, is not enough -- the cool-headed analysis and experience of older leaders are essential as well. Having a few people who can transform into the very monsters you're fighting doesn't hurt either.
And the only guarantee of a wall? It will fall eventually.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
One of the most iconic anime of all time, this mind-bending psychological drama realistically portrays the mental struggles that come with being one of the select few people tasked with saving the world from total annihilation. To fight the giant monstrous machines called Angels, a set of teenagers with special abilities are enlisted to pilot Evangelions, humanity's only real defense.
Should we survive a global cataclysm like the one that occurs 15 years before the events of Evangelion, we better have some insanely high-tech mecha ready to defend what's left of the planet. And when you see someone you know struggling to cope with their circumstances, reach out and let them know they're not alone. Shinji, Rei and Asuka aid each other in battles both external and internal, showing just how far a little kindness and belief can go.
Dr. Stone
A brilliant flash of light suddenly covers the planet and petrifies the entire human race. 3,700 years later, you're one of the first people to wake up and discover everyone you know has been turned to stone. How do you go about re-creating civilization when technology is non-existent and animals have taken back all the territory they previously lost? Plus, you have to navigate ideological differences with an opposing faction who would rather "purify" the human race by only saving those deemed worthy of contributing in a world ruled by power.
In the event that this unlikely set of circumstances takes place, make sure you have a science genius on hand to lead the charge through your newly primitive world. Find a tribe of open-minded people and teach them how science makes life fundamentally better and helps society function more efficiently. Build a cell phone completely from scratch and develop a concoction to dissolve the stone. Piece of cake, really.
WorldEnd
Can't have a proper set of lessons about the world ending without WorldEnd, can we? Over 500 years after a set of 17 Beasts have ravaged the Earth, the human race is almost completely extinct with the surviving anthropomorphic races leaving the planet to live on a set of islands floating in the sky. Tasked with defeating the Beasts is a set of young girls called Leprechauns with specially powered swords, each with its own set of mysteries and abilities behind it.
The entire premise emphasizes the importance of all races getting along and fighting together as one. Protagonist Willem Kmetsch discovers that the girls' weapons have been woefully maintained by the military, fixing them to give the warriors the best possible chance at victory. As with Attack on Titan, long-forgotten historical knowledge and unraveling old mysteries play a critical role in the battle to survive.
The Promised Neverland
The difference between the previous four titles and The Promised Neverland? At the start, the kids have no idea there's anything abnormal about the world they inhabit. Parentless children are taken in and raised in a picturesque orphanage in the countryside, happy and healthy as can be -- that is until they reach the ideal age for being butchered and sold off as meat to a mysterious group of demons who have taken over the outside world.
The kids with the sharpest minds must now use them for extensive planning to orchestrate their escape while also negotiating with those who can aid them -- regardless of how trustworthy they are. A dark sense of realism stems from the sudden adjustment they must make from a life of comfort and happiness to honing their survival skills and instincts.
Should an apocalypse come to pass and you're somehow still alive, here's a recap of anime's keys to post-apocalyptic survival. Remember world history while seeking out the truth in the case it's been hidden or rewritten. If monsters have taken over, develop a supernatural ability or machine to fight them effectively. Come together as one and show compassion toward one another, regardless of ideological differences. And when humanity is once again at its most desperate, rely on teenagers to somehow get the job done.
As Dragon Ball Z's Goku says just before his universe-deciding battle with Kid Buu, "It'll all work out somehow." Of course, those famous last words came after the Earth had been blown up...
