Absolute Duo is a relatively low-rated anime that aired in 2015. Over 300 000 MAL users rated it and it received only a 6.44 rating. Nevertheless, the series falls under the harem and ecchi genres, so you shouldn’t have too high expectations in terms of plot or character development. Instead, you can hope for some good humor, enjoyment, and fanservice. Even after 8 years, fans are looking for more anime like Absolute Duo to quench their thirst. So, despite the low rating, the anime has a dedicated fanbase.
For readers who haven’t watched it, the show centers around Tor Kokonoe, a high school student who enrolls in a school that teaches students how to control a weapon that’s formed out of their souls, known as a “Blaze.” Along the way, he meets a girl named Julie Sigtuna and they become partners in battle.
Here are 10 captivating anime like Absolute Duo!
10. Guilty Crown
A high school student named Shu Ouma gets caught up in a rebellion against a government organization known as the GHQ. He gains the ability to extract “voids,” unique weapons that can only be wielded by certain individuals, and uses them to fight against the GHQ. Along the way, he meets a girl named Inori Yuzuriha and they become partners in battle.
Guilty Crown is an anime that’s pretty similar to Absolute Duo in terms of its action and fantasy elements. Both anime involve high school students who are thrown into a world of battles and conflicts. There is a strong focus on the main characters’ relationships and development. They also both focus on some kind of unique weapons. So if you’re looking for an anime like Absolute Duo, Guilty Crown is definitely worth checking out.
9. Assassins Pride
Melida Angel is a high-born girl who has been unable to manifest her mana, a magical energy that is necessary for those of noble blood to utilize their powers. Melida’s father hires a powerful assassin, Kufa Vampir, as her tutor. However, his true objective is to find out if she is truly a noble or not. As Kufa teaches Melida how to use her mana and hone her skills, they get involved in a power struggle between different noble families, and Melida must face the truth about her own identity.
If you’re a fan of anime that takes place in a fantasy school setting and features combat, whether it be with swords or magic, then you’ll likely enjoy both Absolute Duo and Assassin’s Pride. Furthermore, both girls are lolis.
8. Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid
Another ecchi anime like Absolute Duo is Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid. It’s a show that also features characters who can become weapons based on the user’s personality.
Mamori Tokonome is sent to the island of Mermaid, which is where young women who have the capacity to “Armour”—or transform into weapons—are kept. She encounters Mirei Shikishima there, a young lady who helps save her from attackers. Together, they must battle other females to survive on the island and learn the truth about the enigmatic group that controls it.
The anime focuses heavily on the relationships between the characters and combines action, fantasy, and fanservice themes.
7. Unbreakable Machine-Doll
Raishin Akabane is a puppeteer, capable of controlling automatons, or “machine-dolls,” in battle. He enrolls in a school for puppeteers in order to become the strongest puppeteer and take revenge for the death of his family. He brings with him a machine-doll named Yaya, who is his loyal companion. Together they face off against other students in battles in order to prove his strength and uncover the truth behind the mysterious incidents happening in the school.
Like Absolute Duo, this anime features characters who possess unique powers and work as partners.
6. Hundred
Hundred is an anime with a mix of action, harem, and fantasy elements. The series follows a young man named Hayato Kisaragi who enrolls in a school for those who possess the ability to wield powerful weapons called “Hundred”. They use these weapons to combat mysterious creatures.
The anime shares similarities with Absolute Duo in terms of its action and fantasy elements, as well as its focus on a battle academy and the main character’s personal goals. Additionally, both series feature the main character surrounded by multiple chicks that fit into typical stereotypes.
5. Soul Eater
Similar to Absolute Duo, Soul Eater is an anime series about duos fighting together in an academic setting.
Soul Eater is set in Death City, a fictional city located in Nevada, United States. Death, a God of Death, is in charge of the Death Weapon Meister Academy. The academy trains “Meisters,” or students with the power to control weapons developed by humans that can take human form. In order for the weapon to transform into a “Death Scythe,” a weapon suitable for use by Death himself, the Meisters must gather 99 evil human souls and one witch soul.
The main characters of the series are Maka Albarn, a Scythe Meister, and her weapon partner Soul Eater Evans, a scythe. Along with their fellow Meisters and weapons, they battle against evil humans and witches who threaten the city and the world. The series also follows the adventures of other Meisters and their weapon partners as they strive to become Death Scythes.
4. The Rising of the Shield Hero
The Rising of the Shield Hero and Absolute Duo were both adapted from light novels into successful anime. They fall under the genre of action, fantasy, comedy, and drama. The protagonists use a shield for fighting and have a girl around them who fights as “a sword”.
The Rising of the Shield Hero focuses on a young man named Naofumi Iwatani, who is summoned to a fantasy world as one of four legendary heroes tasked with saving the kingdom from destruction. However, the other heroes betray Naofumi and he ends up falsely accused of a crime. This leads to him becoming a hated and reviled figure in the kingdom. Not too long after, he acquires a slave girl named Raphtalia and together they set out to clear his name and bring justice to the kingdom.
3. The Asterisk War
In a similar vein to Absolute Duo, The Asterisk War is an anime that takes place on academic grounds with a female protagonist who is a princess. What’s more, it also belongs to the action and harem genres.
The story of The Asterisk War takes place in a world where humanity has developed superpowers called “Genestella”. It follows the journey of Ayato Amagiri, a transfer student who enrolls in a school for Genestella students called the Seidōkan Academy. He meets a student named Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld and together they take part in the student-run Phoenix Festa tournament. This tournament pits pairs of Genestella against each other in battle. As Ayato and Julis progress through the tournament, they uncover a conspiracy involving the school’s administration and the city’s ruling powers.
2. Trinity Seven
Both Trinity Seven and Absolute Duo are harem anime that follow the characters as they look for strength after losing a loved one. They are easy to consume and cater to ecchi fans with their lewd ecchi content.
Tooru from AD is a unique example of Blazers, the irregular, who is coupled with Julie, a princess. Their goal is to gain the power to avenge their lost loved ones. Arata from TS winds up in a similar situation, plus he is accompanied by a harem of beautiful girls.
1. Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Chivalry of a Failed Knight is the most similar anime to Absolute Duo. Not only does it check off the same magical academy battle harem boxes Chivalry of a Failed Knight does, but it also features a powerful main character who can materialize a part of their soul into a weapon.
Ikki Kurogane is a young man who is considered a failure among his peers at the Hagun Academy, a school for students with special abilities called “Blazers.” Despite his status, Ikki is determined to prove himself and become the strongest Blazer in the academy. He meets a girl named Stella Vermillion, a powerful and talented Blazer who becomes his rival and eventual partner in battle.
At every opportunity, he defies expectations by defeating powerful opponents, winning tournaments, and working towards his goal of becoming strong despite his perceived lack of potential. He strives to prove that even those who are considered weak can become strong.
