Goblin Slayer

Goblin Slayer is a dark fantasy anime (Season 1 aired in 2018, with a sequel season later) set in a grim RPG-like world where adventurers take on quests.

The story follows a stoic, silver-ranked adventurer known only as Goblin Slayer, who obsessively dedicates his life to exterminating goblins— no matter how small or "low-level" the threat seems to others. He views them as far more dangerous and vile than people realize, using brutal, pragmatic, and often ruthless tactics (traps, poison, fire, anything that works) rather than flashy heroics.

The series begins with a tragic first episode where a naive young Priestess joins a rookie adventuring party for what should be an easy goblin-slaying quest, only for things to go horribly wrong. She's rescued by Goblin Slayer, and eventually joins his small circle as he continues his single-minded goblin-hunting crusade.

The tone is very dark, gritty, and violent (with graphic content, especially regarding goblins' cruelty), deliberately subverting typical lighthearted fantasy tropes. It's less about grand world-saving adventures and more about the ugly, unglamorous reality of dealing with "weak" monsters that can still destroy lives.

If you're into grimdark fantasy, tactical monster-slaying, and a protagonist who's efficient rather than overpowered, it's a memorable (if controversial) watch. Just note it starts very heavy and doesn't pull punches.