Dororo to Hyakkimaru

Episodic series about a travelling swordsman and his young companion going around eradicating monsters that threaten people. 

It's like Dororo's atmosphere and world-feel in Jamurai Jack's robot setting and episodic-ness with a sprinkle of [Mushishi] introspection in places. And fuck tonnes of post-apocalypse [Angel's Egg] darkness. 

Both main charechters are weak/dead/ reason to be hated by people because of their father. Both MC brothers hates them for some reason the sidecarechters are the main reason for the mc to continue figthing and also their only truth friend. you easily can see the similarity between the series. 

Historical setting and set in Japan, those anime follow a katana-wielder and we see how he meets various people and the various fates of these people are being told in this episodic format. 

Protagonist who parental fighre failed, historical setting, big influence by buddhism and musings about morality. 

both of these series were made at the very end of the classic black and white era of anime (dororo to hyakkimaru was actually the last one made in black and white) - both are atmospheric, ahead of their time, and have dark themes including demons and yokai - both were originally from grandmasters of manga (dororo by osamu tezuka and gegege no kitaro by shigeru mizuki) - and both are great! 

Stories of struggling swordsman in a country where people have been affected by war and demons. Guts & Hyakkimaru are very tragic characters who are destined to battle the evils of men and demon alike. 

Both series feature alternate stories to the tormented character Hyakkimaru. Despite the differences in age and animation I believe the tragic content manages to be portrayed effectively.  

60's black and white anime that appeal to an older audience.