Shonen Jump’s Darkest Anime Ever Is Finally Live, and It’s Not For Fans Faint of Heart

Warning: Contains spoilers for Takopi’s Original Sin episode #1.While Shonen Jump stories are ostensibly for children, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to being dark. Violence, death, and gore are a given, but it’s not uncommon for shonen stories in and out of Shonen Jump to touch on serious and realistic themes many children’s stories tend to shy away from, and any that can do so maturely are all the better for them.

Dark Shonen Jump anime are far more common than people think, and a shining example comes from one of the latest anime of the summer 2025 anime season, Takopi’s Original Sin. On a surface level, the series comes off as another goofy, slice-of-life anime and something of a modern Doraemon remake, but surprisingly, Takopi’s Original Sin is an unflinchingly dark story that isn’t for the faint of heart. That, of course, is what makes it so great, and it’s a series every person should watch as soon as possible.

Takopi’s Original Sin Has A Beautifully Dark Opening Unlike Any Other

Anime Series By Enishiya; Based On The Manga By Taizan 5

Takopi’s Original Sin is an incredibly dark anime, and it does little to hide that from the very start. The human protagonist, Shizuka, is the victim of cruel and relentless bullying from her classmates, and while Takopi is innocently ignorant of it all, the viewers can easily tell how much she’s struggling to hold on, and sure enough, it all builds to Takopi discovering Shizuka’s corpse after she kills herself, ironically with a gadget Takopi wanted to use to make her happy.

Another one of Takopi’s gadgets lets him turn back time to prevent Shizuka’s suicide, but things still aren’t too great. That action allowed Takopi and the audience to see the full extent of Shizuka’s bullying, and sure enough, it’s nonstop verbal and physical abuse as Marina and other kids constantly lay into Shizuka over her mother being a prostitute. It’s a story that’s been told time and time again, but that doesn’t make it any less hard to watch, especially for anyone who’s experienced these things themselves.

What helps sell those ideas even better is, ironically, the artwork and animation. Despite the dark subject matter, Takopi’s Original Sin has a surprisingly cute art style that’s further emphasized by the fluidity of the animation, so if anything, Takopi’s Original Sin’s dark storytelling works because of how much of a contrast it strikes with the visual presentation. It’s an incredibly effective practice, judging by Takopi’s impressive IMDb score, and it’s only going to get better from here on out.

What Makes Takopi’s Original Sin So Special?

Why People Need To Watch Takopi’s Original Sin

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Takopi’s Original Sin had a phenomenal premiere, and it’s only going to get better from here. In addition to its realistic depictions of bullying and domestic abuse, Takopi’s Original Sin has very detailed depictions of depression and suicide that could be triggering and all-around uncomfortable, especially since the victims are all children no older than 10. It’s a story that isn’t for the faint of heart, and that will be just as true for the anime, if not more.

More importantly, as dark as the writing can get, it’s used in the service of reminding people that it’s never too late to find happiness, no matter how bleak things may seem, so overall, Takopi’s Original Sin is great not for being dark, but for using that to tell a truly engaging story about finding happiness. All of that will become more apparent as the series goes on, and by the end of it all, Takopi’s Original Sin will surely go down as one of the best anime of summer 2025, if not the best.

Takopi’s Original Sin releases new episodes Saturdays on Crunchyroll.