Television series
A Certain Dark Side's Item
- Fantasy
- Science fiction
- Very dark
A Certain Dark Side's Item is a spinoff anime following four girls—a Level 5 psychic, a demolitions expert, a power tracker, and a nitrogen manipulator—who work as elite operatives in the shadows of Academy City. It's a character-driven action series that balances camaraderie with moral ambiguity, blending school-life moments with genuinely brutal stakes. For fans of ensemble casts operating in grey zones.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you want a dark, character-driven look at a sci-fi city's hidden underside, and you're happy to sit with a team of capable girls whose bonds are tested by cruelty.
Skip it if you want light, breezy action, since this is heavy, grim and steeped in cruelty and depravity that lingers rather than thrills.
What it asks of you: Twelve half-hour episodes make a short commitment, but each asks you to carry dark material while daily lives play out in calm contrast.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Kill la Kill2013
Wildly inventive action sequences, a chaotic female ensemble, and a show that never apologizes for being exactly what it is. The energy is infectious and the character dynamics crackle.
But The fan service is aggressive and sometimes distracting. If gratuitous costume designs feel exploitative rather than playful to you, this will grate.
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story2020
Girls with extraordinary powers, a tight ensemble cast, and a story that gradually reveals a much darker reality beneath a cute premise. The tonal shift is masterful and earned.
But The first few episodes feel deliberately slow if you're expecting immediate action. Patience is required before the gut-punches land.
Psycho-Pass2012
A morally complex world where authority is questioned at every turn. The female leads are fully realized characters navigating systems designed to control them, with excellent dialogue and tension.
But The philosophical questions can overshadow action sequences. If you want spectacle over substance, the pacing will feel uneven.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from A Certain Dark Side's Item
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Carole & Tuesday2019
Both follow female ensembles operating outside official systems, building genuine bonds while the world works against them. Where Item navigates violence and corruption, Carole & Tuesday navigate commercialism and conformity—different darkness, same refusal to comply.
Two girls form an unlikely partnership on Mars, creating music in a world that has forgotten human creativity. It's about belonging, artistic expression, and fighting systems designed to suppress both. The emotional core rivals any action sequence.
But It's primarily a music-driven drama rather than an action show. If you need explosions and combat, the focus on songwriting and performance will feel entirely wrong for you.
More like this (7)
Black Lagoon2006
Mercenaries, pirates, and criminals operating in lawless spaces. Sharp character writing, stylish action, and a cast that feels lived-in. The dark tone is consistent and never flinches.
But Violence is frequent and graphic. There's no moral redemption arc coming—these people are not heroes, and the show doesn't soften that reality.
A Certain Magical Index2008
The parent series that built Academy City. Necessary context for understanding the world, with compelling supernatural stakes and a protagonist determined to save people through sheer will rather than power ranking.
But The original protagonist is male, which may feel like a tonal shift if you're coming from Item's female-led focus. Some plot threads are deliberately left unresolved.
Michiko e Hatchin2008
A story about two outsiders navigating a hostile world together. The bond between them feels genuine and hard-won, and the art style is distinctive and expressive throughout.
But The pacing is deliberate and contemplative. This is not a high-octane action show; it asks patience and emotional engagement instead.
Claymore2007
An all-female cast of warriors created to be weapons. The series explores what happens when tools develop consciousness and refuse their intended purpose. Atmospheric and thematically rich.
But The animation budget is uneven in later episodes. The middle section drags slightly before the final arc regains momentum.
Darker Than Black2007
Operatives with supernatural abilities working for shadowy organizations in a world where morality is negotiable. Character-driven espionage with a cynical edge and inventive action sequences.
But The narrative structure is intentionally fragmented, and some plot threads are never fully explained. If you need clear answers, this will frustrate you.
Nana2006
Two girls with nothing in common except their name form an unlikely bond. Character development feels earned over time, and the emotional stakes are genuinely high without relying on superpowers.
But It's a shoujo-adjacent drama without action sequences. If you're here for spectacle and battles, this will feel slow and introspective.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners2022
Both are stories about found families of misfits with extraordinary abilities, operating in worlds where institutions view them as expendable. Both understand that loyalty and violence are not opposites—they're sometimes the same choice.
A 10-episode anime about a crew of outcasts in a corporate dystopia. The character dynamics are phenomenal, the world-building is immersive, and the action is genuinely inventive. It devastates you without manipulation.
But The ending is bleak and doesn't offer comfort. If you watch anime to escape, this reinforces every bad thing you feared about the world they live in.
