With scary TV episodes and movies, there are classics and real stinkers and likewise can be said of anime. Fortunately, horror is a subject in which the medium thrives. Whether Halloween is right around the horizon or you’re just looking for something particularly creepy, we’ve compiled a list of the most spine-chilling, horrifing anime series available. Grab a comfy seat, because you’re about to embark on a journey through the greatest horror anime series of all time.
Also Read: “10 Anime Movies of All Time: A Spectacular Cinematic Journey”
What are the best Horror Anime series?
1.Jujutsu Kaisen (2020- 2023)
No.of Seasons: 2
No.of Episodes: 31
Jujutsu Kaisen is a paranormal action-horror anime series for people who like their eerie viewing to be filled with lightness and laughs. After consuming a couple of his petrified fingers, athletic high schooler Yuuji Itadori becomes the odd host of the world’s most powerful Curse, Ryomen Sukuna. Instead of dying instantly, Yuuji is able to harness Sukuna’s power by training as a jujutsu sorcerer alongside classmates and mentors at a unique high school and organization dedicated to curse abolition. Following a shonen formula—there’s even a baseball episode—the series zigs when you expect it to zag and focuses on the complicated inner lives of its female characters while being both humorous and horrifying.
Where to watch Jujutsu Kaisen?
Watch Jujutsu Kaisen | Netflix
2.The Flowers of Evil (2019)
Takao Kasuga is an average high school student who enjoys reading Charles Baudelaire and socializing with his classmate Nanako Saeki. Nonetheless, he feels isolated by his peers. Until he meets the mysterious Sawa Nakamura, Saeki is one of the sole shining beacons in his life. He is both terrified and delighted by their interactions, particularly when Nakamura sees him stealing Saeki’s exercise clothing. She forces Kasuga to sign a “contract” in which he must do whatever she says, resulting in a highly intimate and horrifying assessment of Kasuga as a person and her own preoccupation with stripping away the “layers of skin” the couple are hiding behind.
3. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba(2019)
No.of Episodes: 26
One of the most popular horror anime series this side of Attack on Titan is also one of the most horrifying, beginning with protagonist Tanjiro Kamado’s complete family, save for his half-demon sister Nezuko, being savagely mauled in the pilot. Though the anime includes softer, melancholy episodes in its arcs to highlight Tanjiro’s profound compassion, the series is truly all about the terrible and gorgeously animated demon battles in which Tanjiro slashes through anyone he must in order to find a means to change Nezuko back into a human.
Where to watch Demon Slayer?
Watch Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba | Netflix
4.Death Note (2006–2007)
No.of Episodes: 37
In this Horror Anime, the shinigami, or death gods’, barren world is tedious. When shinigami Ryuk spills his “Death Note,” a powerful notebook that is capable of killing anyone if the person using it knows the target’s name and face, the living world is thrown into disarray. Light Yagami, a top high school student, happens to find the deadly notebook, and Ryuk enters the human world to encourage Light, who initially experiments with the Death Note with the altruistic goal of eliminating crime, but gradually transforms into a villain as he grows drunk with power and the idea of becoming a god.
Where to watch Death Note?
5.Castlevania (2017–2021)
No.of Seasons: 4:
No.of Episodes in season 1: 4
No.of Episodes in season 2: 8
No.of Episodes in season 3: 10
No.of Episodes in season 4: 10
while the fact that Vlad Dracula Tepes was murdered off at the end of the second season, the spirit of Castlevania’s ancient vampire hung big for two more seasons, while scarcely appearing in them. Dracula was conspicuously absent for more than half of Netflix’s “Horror anime,” but the show never forgot what inspired it all in the first place: the world’s most powerful vampire falling in love, only to have that love stolen from him. Castlevania spent much of its time fleshing out a completely fleshed-out universe that grew more intricate with each season, so it’s logical that world would live on in some manner after four seasons—Netflix is creating a new series set in the same world as Castlevania.
Where to watch Castlevania?
Watch Castlevania | Netflix Official Site
6.Black Butler (2008–2009)
No.of Seasons: 2
No.of Episodes in Season 1: 23
No.of Episodes in Season 2: 12
In this horror Anime, Ciel Phantomhive is the Phantomhive household’s 13-year-old leader. Despite his youth, he is a member of a prominent family that serves England’s Queen Victoria. He’s a great detective a la Sherlock Holmes who assists the Queen’s police in solving crimes in London’s sordid underbelly—but he doesn’t do it alone. He’s made a deal with a demon named Sebastian Michaelis to help Biel identify whoever murdered his parents and wreak revenge. He’ll devour Ciel’s soul after that’s done, but until then, he’ll disguise himself as a butler to protect Biel and his land. Black Butler, as well as some of the scenarios in which the pair finds themselves, is absolutely terrifying.
Where to watch Black Butler?
Watch Black Butler Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)
7.Berserk (1997)
No.of Episodes: 25
Berserk, one of the anime’s most cult-famous and difficult-to-find series, is a rare jewel for anyone willing to go out of the way to find the original 1997 anime. The horror anime series begins in an alt-universe Hundred Years’ War, resulting from a young mercenary known only as Guts, who carries a humorously large sword, joining the feared Band of the Hawk, led by the mysteriously charismatic Griffith. It was taken from Kentaro Miura’s legendary manga, known for its highly detailed art and intricate plots and was ultimately never finished before Miura’s sudden death at 54. What appears to be a well-told drama about the horrors of war quickly devolves into a scary dark fantasy enveloped by demonic powers.
Where to watch Berserk?
8.Parasyte: The Maxim (2014–2015)
No.of Episodes: 24
Are you looking for some body horror anime? Parasyte: The Maxim should be your next stop. A strange extraterrestrial culture strives to conquer humanity by impersonating humans. Shinichi Izumi, the protagonist, sacrifices his hand to one of the parasite shapeshifters after one of the extraterrestrial representatives falls to Earth. After attempting to enter Shinichi’s brain, the alien becomes distracted and settles for merely remaining in his left hand. As they labor together to keep the other parasitic organisms at bay, the duo develops a symbiotic bond. Shinichi and Migi, his parasite, are working together to eradicate the world of alien intruders, but what happens to Shinichi once Migi has completed his mission? That is part of what makes the story so compelling. Prepare to witness some truly bizarre behavior, such as one human’s face spreading up to devour another.
Where to watch Parasyte?
Watch Parasyte: The Maxim | Netflix
9. Devilman Crybaby (2018)
No.of Episodes: 24
Devilman Crybaby is an horror anime series created around Nagai’s anti-war novel Devilman. It follows the narrative of Akira, a teenager who is taken over by the devil Amon and becomes a Devilman, a person with demon might but a human spirit. He and his comrade Ryo, who has a hidden objective, attempt to combat the demons who are overtaking the planet. The series delves into subjects such as brutality, cruelty, and humanity.
Where to watch Devilamn Crybaby?
Watch Devilman Crybaby | Netflix Official Site
Also Read:
Ultimate Netflix Watchlist: Top 10 must watch Netflix Movies 2023
“10 Anime Movies of All Time: A Spectacular Cinematic Journey” – (passportandstilettos.com)
Written by: Anshika Patra
