From jump scares to psychological terror, horror anime covers a wide range of themes, revealing our deepest fears. Some of these horror anime feature impressive and imposing monsters, ghosts, and vampires, while others leave the viewer wondering who or what the real terror is. Whatever the case, fans love getting their adrenaline fix with these suspenseful thrillers.
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Best Horror Anime – Top 10
10. Higurashi When They Cry
- MyAnimeList: 7,87
- Japanese title : ひぐらしのなく頃に
- Episodes: 26
- Studio : Studio Deen
Hinamizawa, summer 1983. In short, Keiichi Maebara has just moved into the rural village as the residents prepare for the annual festival honoring the village's patron god, Oyashiro.
Although Keiichi suspects a connection between the festival and the murders and disappearances of recent years, his friends Rena Ryuuguu, Mion Sonozaki, Satoko Houjou, and Rika Furude maintain a suspicious silence on the matter, often cautiously changing the subject when Keiichi presses for answers, which causes him to begin to become paranoid and question his trust in his friends as more strange incidents occur.
09. Perfect Blue
- MyAnimeList: 8,55
- Japanese title : パーフェクトブルー
- Episodes : 01 (Movie)
- Studio : Madhouse
Meanwhile, after two years with the J-pop group CHAM!, Mima Kirigoe decides to retire from idol life to pursue an acting career. Although her fans have mixed feelings about the matter, she lands a role in a crime drama series to gain some serious attention, but it quickly becomes more mentally taxing than she imagined.
When an obsessed fan begins stalking her, a new website begins impersonating her anonymously. With each disturbing detail and development leading Mima to question her sanity, the lines between reality, her role as an actress, and the mysterious impersonator begin to blur.
08. Paranoia Agent
- MyAnimeList: 7,66
- Japanese title : 妄想代理人
- Episodes: 13
- Studio : Madhouse
Attacking people with a golden baseball bat, with unknown motives and impossible to capture while fleeing on roller skates, a mysterious boy known as Lil' Slugger terrorizes the city of Musashino.
After an incident, the boy is suspected of orchestrating the attacks. But only Maromi, the anthropomorphic pink stuffed animal she created the character for, believes in his innocence. As detectives Keiichi Ikari and Mitsuhiro Maniwa investigate Lil' Slugger's cases, paranoia begins to set in as frightening rumors spread.
07. School-Live!
- MyAnimeList: 7,61
- Japanese title : がっこうぐらし！
- Episodes: 12
- Studio : Lerche
Cheerful Yuki Takeya loves school life so much that she loves attending the School Community Club. Led by supervising teacher Megumi Sakura and president Yuuri Wakasa, along with members Kurumi Ebisuzawa, Miki Naoki, and the club's dog, Taroumaru, the club strives to make the most of school life.
The less said about this anime, the better, as it's highly recommended to watch immediately. With incredibly cute girls living their laid-back school life, School-Live! may not seem like it should be on this list, but trust me, you won't be disappointed with the even greater challenges.
06. Mirai Nikki
- MyAnimeList: 7,38
- Japanese title : 未来日記
- Episodes: 26
- Studio : Asread
Yukiteru Amano tends to isolate himself, spending his time writing in a diary on his phone and consulting his "imaginary" friends. One day, Yukiteru discovers that his digital diary is already preemptively filled with the day's entries, soon realizing that the entries correctly predicted the day's events.
He then encounters the god of time and space, whom Yukiteru initially thought was a figment of his imagination, who explains that he and his classmate Yuno Gasai, along with 10 other diary owners, are part of a survival game, and whoever wins will take the deity's place. As Yukiteru and Yuno maintain their partnership and use their Future Diaries to survive, Yukiteru begins to suspect that Yuno may have his own motives and secrets.
Best Horror Anime – Top 5
05. Mieruko-chan
- MyAnimeList: 7,39
- Japanese title : 見える子ちゃん
- Episodes: 12
- Studio : Passione
Miko Yotsuya tries to go about her life normally. But this can be challenging when horrific ghosts no one else can see stare at her. Trying her best not to recognize the monsters and not wanting them to know she sees them is difficult when she constantly witnesses how they disrupt not only her own emotions but also the lives of those around her.
Even though she's scared, Miko does her best to protect her best friend, Hana Yurikawa, from the invisible nuisances, without acknowledging their existence.
04. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls
- MyAnimeList: 6,42
- Japanese title : コープスパーティー Tortured Souls -暴虐された魂の呪叫-
- Episodes: 04
- Studio : Asread
When nine students gather at their school at night to say goodbye to their friend Mayu Suzumoto, who is transferring to a new school, they often perform a ritual using paper dolls to remain friends forever.
Unfortunately, they don't realize that these amulets are connected to Heavenly Host Academy, the former elementary school that their current school, Kisaragi Academy, replaced. The elementary school was destroyed years ago after a series of horrific murders. Trapped in an alternate dimension of the school, the students must work together to escape the vengeful ghosts.
Best Horror Anime – Top 3
03. Dark Gathering
- MyAnimeList: 7,84
- Japanese title : ダークギャザリング
- Episodes: 25
- Studio : OLM
Keitarou Gentouga, a college freshman, has a knack for attracting spirits. After a particularly serious disagreement, his hand became cursed. Encouraged by his childhood friend, Eiko Houzuki, he becomes a private tutor, only to discover that his first client is Yayoi Houzuki, Eiko's cousin.
Thus, since a car accident took her parents, and her mother's soul was kidnapped by a spirit in the process, Yayoi developed two pupils in each eye, allowing her to see the spiritual realm alongside reality. Realizing how Keitarou attracts spirits, she convinces him to help her collect spirits for future use against the one who took her mother away.
02. Hellsing Ultimate
- MyAnimeList: 8,35
- Japanese Title : Hellsing Ultimate
- Episodes: 10
- Studio : Madhouse, Satelight and Graphinica
Hellsing, led by Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates, is an organization specializing in supernatural extermination. When the villagers of Cheddar are tormented by a vampire who transforms them into a horde of ghouls, the vampire Alucard is sent to exterminate the threat.
Thus, armed only with a pistol, Alucard has no problem completely decimating the monsters. But when the enemy vampire holds young police officer Seras Victoria hostage and leaves Alucard no choice but to shoot her directly, Alucard presents her with a choice: die as a human or become a vampire. Seras accepts and becomes the newest vampiric member of Hellsing, struggling with her new immortal life as a non-human.
01. Mononoke
- MyAnimeList: 8,41
- Japanese title : モノノ怪
- Episodes: 12
- Studio : Toei Animation
Finally, in search of evil spirits called mononoke, a man known as the Medicine Seller travels throughout feudal Japan in an attempt to exterminate these monsters. But when he encounters them, it takes more than simply arriving with weapons drawn for even this deadly and mysterious master of the occult to exorcise them.
First, he must learn about the mononoke. Through psychological analysis and careful investigative work, he must discover their Form, their Truth, and their Reason. This will allow him to wield the powerful Sword of Exorcism and exterminate these creatures.
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