The season 4 finale of Invincible has left fans reeling, delivering a cliffhanger that manages to dwarf the planetary stakes of previous seasons. Since its 2021 debut, the series has proven that Western animation can punch just as hard as live-action juggernauts like The Boys. By 2026, it stands as a pillar of Prime Video’s lineup, but with the next chapter not expected until at least 2027, fans are facing a long, Viltrumite-sized wait.
Fortunately, the DNA of Invincible, be it its brutal deconstruction of heroes, its deep-seated family trauma, or its “power at a price” philosophy, is shared by some of the best anime in the industry. For those looking to fill the void, these three series offer the perfect blend of high-octane action and emotional weight.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Gets Violently Emotional
If you enjoyed the visceral shock of Invincible, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is essential viewing. This 10-episode standalone series, based on the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, manages to pack more emotional devastation into one season than most shows do in five.
It follows David Martinez, a bright kid in the neon-soaked hellscape of Night City who, after losing everything, decides to survive by chrome-plating his body and becoming an outlaw.
Much like Mark Grayson, David is a protagonist whose moral compass is constantly under fire. The show doesn’t shy away from the physical or mental toll of living in a hyper-violent society. The action is frantic and beautifully animated by Studio Trigger, but it’s the stakes that will keep you hooked.
While Invincible often focuses on the macro-level threat of planetary conquest, Edgerunners offers a micro-level look at how individuals are crushed by the systems they live in. It is a sprint of a series that ends with a gut-punch every bit as powerful as Omni-Man‘s betrayal.
To Be Hero X Tears Down Superheroes With a Brutal Reality Check
For fans who appreciate the way Invincible deconstructs the “perfect hero” archetype, the 2025 breakout hit To Be Hero X is a revelation.
This donghua (Chinese animation) co-production presents a futuristic society where heroes are ranked by “Trust Value,” a social scoring system that literally dictates their power level. It is a cynical, fascinating look at what happens when heroism becomes a popularity contest governed by the masses.
The series is a masterclass in genre-bending, utilizing a non-linear format and a stunning mix of 2D and 3D art styles. The story kicks off with a mystery that mirrors the dark undercurrents of the Guardians of the Globe: a top hero dies under suspicious circumstances, his identity is stolen, and his personal life is found in ruins.
It is a brutal reality check for the superhero genre, trading predictable brawls for a deep, investigative narrative that questions what it truly means to be a “hero” when the world is watching your every move for a social score.
READ MORE: Are Grand Regent Thragg And Nolan Grayson Brothers? The Complex Viltrumite Lineage Explained
Dragon Ball Z Is the Ultimate Parallel to the Viltrumite Saga
It is impossible to watch Invincible without seeing the fingerprints of Dragon Ball Z. If you have never dived into the adventures of Goku and the Z-Fighters, now is the time to see where the “warrior race” trope was perfected.
The parallels between the Viltrumites and the Saiyans are uncanny; both are near-extinct races of conquerors who travel through the cosmos to subjugate planets, and both possess a biological drive to grow stronger through near-death experiences.
The dynamic between Mark and Nolan Grayson finds its spiritual ancestor in the relationship between Gohan and Vegeta (or even Goku’s own Saiyan roots). Dragon Ball Z offers the same sense of escalating scale, where a fight might start in a city and end with the literal destruction of a planet.
While it lacks the R-rated gore of Invincible, the tension of watching a small group of defenders stand against an overwhelming interstellar threat is identical. For anyone missing the cosmic stakes of Invincible Season 4, DBZ provides hundreds of episodes of high-stakes, legendary combat to tide you over.