If there’s one thing anime’s rarely been short on, it’s monsters. From world-destroying titans to sadistic beasts, plenty of monsters have served as major threats to their series protagonists.
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There are some shows, however, that take the presence of monsters in a more collaborative direction.Rather than doing battle with the beasts on hand, the series' heroes go to the painstaking effort of taming and training them. The difficulty of taming huge, eccentric creatures typically serves as a pathway to character development and growth. Other times, it serves as a neat set-up for what monster fans are usually looking for: action.
6Digimon: Digital Monsters Explores The Close-Knit Dynamics Between Monsters And Their Trainers
The digital monsters of the aptly-named Digital World provide viewers with one of the more wholesome takes on creature taming. Rather than being captured or defeated first, the creatures of Digimon befriend and bond with their chosen humans.
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The series follows seven such humans, children who have been transported to the Digital World with the tall task of saving it. Fitted with Digivices, each kid has a specific monster to work with. For fans of monster taming, this popular series from ‘99 provides an in-depth look at training and evolving, with monsters going through the Digivolve process to level up. Initially dismissed as aPokemonknock-off, Digimon ultimately won viewers over with its solid characterizations and inventive take on monsters.
5The Fruit Of Evolution Offers An Unconventional Look At The Potential Impacts Of Monster-Taming
For hapless high schooler Seiichi Hiiragi, being transported to a dangerous fantasy world proves to be a blessing in disguise. It all goes right for Hiiragiwhen he unwittingly munches on the coveted Fruit of Evolution, which reshapes him into a powerful hero.
Exploring the new world around him and getting to know its large number of corrupt, powerful figures, Hiiragi also encounters a gorilla monster who he successfully tames to an almost comical level. Now seemingly in love with the transformed high schooler, the Kaiser Kong species member has the ability to transform into a more human appearance as well. The eyebrow-raising encounter dynamic is just the first of many bizarre interactions with monsters that Hiiragi has during his adventures.
4Zatch Bell! Sees Monsters And Humans Pair Up For An All-Or-Nothing Tournament
Once per millennium, the Mamodo species come to Earth for a tournament to decide the next ruler of their world. To enter into the tournament, they must first team up with a human.
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The room for monster-taming antics is obvious from here, with human partners reading spells to further train and empower their Mamodo companions. The series focuses in particular on the titular Zatch Bell Mamodo and his adolescent human ally Kiyo Takamine as they battle with other Mamodo/human duos.
Through Kiyo’s influence, Zatch Bell’s drive to become a noble leader becomes more evident over time, setting him apart from many of the more brutish Mamodos he encounters.The hard-to-find series' emphasis on the potential bond between monster and human makes it one of the most effective looks at the ups and downs of the taming trope out there.
3Natsume’s Book Of Friends Provides Viewers A Thoughtful Drama Wrapped Up In Fantastical Monster Action
Protagonist Natsume Takashi has a curious issue to contend with: only he alone can see monsters and spirits. Unsurprisingly, he frequently has a hard time convincing anyone of the truth of what he sees around him.
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Everything changes for the hapless Takashi when his grandmother leaves him the Book of Friends, an immensely powerful, supernatural artifact holding hundreds of tamed spirits. The lucrative item leaves Takashi in severe danger due to the multitude of monstrous entities out there who want to get their hands on the book. With a multitude of contracts among the tamed entities within the book to deal with, viewers follow Takashi on a dangerous, volatile ride through a mind-bending world of evil spirits, exorcisms, and unraveling family mysteries.
2That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Offers A Borderline Body-Horror Approach To Taming Monsters
The bizarre journey of Satoru Mikami from Tokyo office worker to shape-shifting slime provides viewers with a variety of looks at the art of monster taming. In Mikami’s self-discovery of his new form and new-found powers, viewers even get a compelling look at a monster essentially taming itself.
Later fused with his dragon pal Veldora, Mikami’s journey into rulership sees himtangle with a variety of monstrous entities. Due to his slime abilities allowing him to absorb other entities and subsequently mimic them, Mikami gradually focuses on building an empire. Through his absorbent powers, he looks to essentially unify all races and species, leading to a variety of hectic taming sequences and scenarios.A smash hit for the Isekai genre, the unconventional series is a must-watch for monster anime lovers.
1Black Summoner Gives Viewers A Rich Fantastical World And Lore To Enjoy On Top Of The Monster Action
Monster taming is a key aspect of this head-spinning fantasy adventure series. Viewers are introduced to Kelvin, a high-level Summoner who sold all of his memories in exchange for new abilities.
Journeying through a colorful, often dangerous new world, Kelvin often puts his Summoner skills to good use by taming the diverse array of monsters he encounters. The monster-taming ability here ensures the creature’s loyalty to the tamer. To acquire more powerful creatures, though, the tamer of course has to have a high rank in the skill. Beyond the monster-taming hijinx, the series' colorful plotting, characters, and villains gallery make it a fun watch for fantasy buffs.
