Best Horror Anime Movies: For a long time, particularly in the 80s and 90s, American anime was known for the graphic violence it dared to depict. In sharp contrast to the static, child- friendly cartoons that were characteristic of American animation, the lively, adult-oriented films of directors like Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Katsuhiro Otomo might be found on the back shelves of neighborhood video stores.
Many of the one-off “original video animations” (also known as direct-to-video OVAs) enjoyed tales of the supernatural brutality that we simply cannot get enough of during the Halloween season, and there was a lot of blood and nakedness.
With anime being more accessible than ever before, we thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of the top anime horror films and TV series that are now available for streaming or purchase.
Best Horror Anime Movies
1. Another
For those new to Japanese horror, Another is a great place to start. It recounts a string of strange and horrific fatalities involving an enigmatic group of students and has more of a film noir feel than an episodic adventure.
It is the mission of one curious transfer student to discover the cause of the repeated deaths of his classmates. However, there’s a girl with an eyepatch who appears to be the only one with the ability to perceive what might be happening:
She can interact with the supernatural realm and is thus the key to contacting the spirits who are circling them.If you’re new to horror anime, this terrifying story is a fantastic supernatural adventure that you won’t want to miss.
2. Elfen Lied
The horrific and tragic Elfen Lied follows a chain of events that begins with the experimentation of the horned and telekinetically gifted Diclonius. Lucy, the show’s protagonist, has a split personality that allows her to switch between her evil phantom hands and her charming, modest alter ego, Nyu.
Not for the faint of heart, this gory odyssey tells a narrative so tragic that you will be gasping for air when it ends.
3. The Flowers of Evil
A typical high school student, Takao Kasuga enjoys spending time with his friend Nanako Saeki and reading works by Charles Baudelaire. But he still believes that nobody wants to be around him.
Prior to his encounter with the peculiar Sawa Nakamura, Saeki is the sole source of positivity in his life. After Nakamura finds him stealing Saeki’s workout gear, he is both terrified and elated by their exchanges.
In a frightening and personal exploration of Kasuga’s character, she locks him into a “contract” where he must obey her every command. This leads her to obsess over revealing the “layers of skin” that they are both hiding. Even though it’s not a horror film, the stunning Rotoscopic animation will distort your perception as it delves into an intensive character study.
4. Gantz
Following their brutal train deaths, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato find themselves entangled in an unusual new game among other recently deceased individuals.
They are sent on a mission by a gigantic black sphere called Gantz to find and eliminate aliens using cutting-edge weaponry and equipment. If they can follow Gantz’s instructions to the letter, they hope to get 100 points and be allowed to go back to their regular lives at the end.
There are some very upsetting scenes in Gantz, which is among the most horrific anime series available. Still, it holds the audience’s attention right up until the credits roll, so fans of the genre shouldn’t miss it.
5. Junji Ito Collection
When it comes to Japanese horror, Junji Ito is unrivaled. The episodes of this anthology series revolve around the works of the renowned artist, drawing inspiration from both his most famous and lesser-known comics, such as Uzumaki and Tomie.
An absolute masterpiece of Ito’s legendary body of work, the play explores a cursed hamlet where masks are worn by all, introduces a gnarled old woman who attempts in vain to enter into a young man’s bedroom every night, and tells the tale of the demonically gorgeous Tomie.
If you’re interested in Japanese horror or horror in general, this is a fantastic primer.
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6. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is a dangerous city. Fear not, for the night is abounding with both crooks and flesh-eating ghouls that prowl the streets.
When it’s dark, ghouls hunt for food, even though they blend in with humans during the day. The protagonist, Ken Kaneki, becomes the first half-human, half-ghoul hybrid after being the unfortunate target of a stray ghoul out for a nocturnal feast.
He had to give up all the things he loved about being human because he couldn’t escape the unpleasant repercussions of straddling both worlds.
7. Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack
Originally published in Japan as a serial in the weekly manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 2001 to 2002, Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack is a seinen horror manga written and illustrated by Junji Ito. The chapters were collected by Shogakukan between February and May of 2002 and published in two bound volumes.
The protagonists, Tadashi and Kaori, are a couple who must battle an enigmatic legion of evil fish who use an odor called the “death stench” to propel themselves forward. An additional two pieces, “The Enigma of Amigara Fault” and “The Sad Tale of the Principal Post,” round out the collection.
8. The Empire of Corpses
The 2015 Japanese science fiction adventure horror anime film The Empire of Corpses was directed by Ryoutarou Makihara and produced by Wit Studio.References. This film is the pilot in a trilogy adapting novels by Project Itoh; the others are Genocidal Organ and Harmony.
9. King of Thorn
Yuji Iwahara’s King of Thorn is a fantastical manga series set in Japan. Originally serialized in Enterbrain’s seinen magazine Monthly Comic Beam from 2002–2005, the stories were later collected in six volumes.
In North America, it is licensed by Tokyopop, and the last volume was published in November 2008. This anime follows a group of individuals as they are placed in suspended animation to evade a mystery plague that transforms people to stone.
When they awaken, they find a world gone wild with just seven survivors, among them are Marco Owen, a British man, and Kasumi Ishiki, a teenage girl from Japan.
10. Seoul Station
Yeon Sang-ho wrote and directed the adult animated post-apocalyptic horror film Seoul Station, which is located in South Korea. Being both a sequel and a precursor to the Train to Busan film series, it has been released twice.
The aeni delves into the origins of the zombie plague in South Korea prior to the events described in the latter.
11. Paprika
Japanese filmmaker Satoshi Kon directed the 2006 adult animated surrealism scientific fantasy psychological thriller Paprika. in
The film is adapted from the same-titled 1993 book by Japanese writer Yasutaka Tsutsui. Before passing away in 2010, it was Kon’s last feature picture.
12. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Madhouse, Filmlink International, BMG Japan, Movic, Good Hill Vision, and Soft Capital collaborated on the production of the 2000 anime film Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which is characterized by dark fantasy and vampire adventures.
The storyboards, writing, and directing were done by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The characters were designed by Yutaka Minowa, the art director and set designer was Yūji Ikehata, and the music was composed by Marco D’Ambrosio.
The film is adapted from Demon Deathchase, the third book in Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D series.
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