Creatures that go bump in the night. Presences that are felt, not seen or heard. Those that live in stories long past but have made a name for themselves in the modern world. Japanese folklore calls such creatures yōkai, or collectively, ayakashi.
Yōkai are supernatural creatures, monsters, demons, or spirits that live among us, and just like us, some are good and some are bad. Not all of them are monsters. Many are lonely creatures, even outcasts. They're misunderstood by humans and sometimes by each other. Some of the more famous representations of yōkai anime include Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Kamisama Kiss, Inuyasha, and Gugure! Kokkuri-san. Check out the following anime to sate your yōkai curiosities.
10 Mononoke
A character known as the medicine-seller wanders around and uses his abilities to destroy Mononoke: an unnatural ayakashic spirit lingering in the human world and bound by negative emotions. The medicine-seller cannot immediately strike down his opponent but follows a simple recipe: form, truth, and reason. By understanding these three components, the medicine-seller is then able to unsheathe his sword and fend off the monstrous spirit.
This nameless wanderer is depicted across 5 different plots. From a woman protecting her child at an inn and battling ayakashic forces at sea, to helping a woman find freedom from her rich husband, this medicine-seller is a man of many skills.
9 Earl And Fairy
Set in Victorian Britain, Lydia Carlton is a Fairy Doctor able to communicate with those others cannot see. This makes others give her a sideways glance, but not Edgar J.C Ashenbert - the Blue Knight Earl. Ashenbert seeks the help of a Fairy Doctor to find his birthright, the Merrow's Sword, in order for society to recognize him as the rightful Earl.
During this journey, Lydia is never afraid to jump headfirst into affairs that surround fairies and humans, even going so far as to endanger herself for other's sakes. This foolhardy girl is a basket case of fun as she interacts with fairies and other creatures we've come to know as yōkai.
8 The Eccentric Family
This anime follows yōkai families, such as the Shimogamo, which are a family of Tanuki or raccoon dogs. This yōkai has the ability to transform into any animate or inanimate object, and they can even change into the likeness of humans. In this way, the Shimogamo family lives each day to the fullest as they form new connections and stay afloat of their neighbors.
However, the Friday Fellows pose a danger to their existence. This group celebrates the end of the year with a tanuki hot-pot, which means the Shimogamo family is on high alert, but that doesn't stop the Friday Fellows from carrying out their yearly meal.
7 Natsume Yuujinchou
Natsume's Book of Friends is considered strange by everyone's standards, except his grandmother. Born with the ability to see spirits, he's often haunted by both good and bad yōkai. They haunt him for his Book of Friends, which contains contracts with powerful yōkai. Anyone in possession of this book can control the yōkai within, which makes those with a contract eager to destroy it.
On the run, Natsume stumbles across a powerful yōkai, Madara, later dubbed Nyanko-sensei. During this time, Madara promises to guard Natsume in the hopes that one day he'll get his paws on the Book of Friends.
6 Inu X Boku: Secret Service
Maison de Ayakashi is the home of ayakashi and their secret service partners. In this establishment, Ririchiyo Shirakiin hopes to overcome her sharp tongue, which she believes is her one bad habit. Or, at the least, she hopes to isolate herself so that she doesn't have to hear herself speak the opposite of what she means. It's a dilemma that makes it hard for her to interact with others.
As Ririchiyo adjusts to her new life and the presence of her secret service agent Sōshi Miketsukami, the two begin to remove the emotional barriers that bind them to their "bad habits" and allow them to accept themselves for who they are.
5 Kakuriyo -Bed And Breakfast For Spirits-
Aoi Tsubaki has had the ability to see ayakashi from the time she was a child, causing her mother to abandon her at an orphanage and for her grandfather to later adopt her. During this time, her grandfather taught her how to cook to the ayakashi's tastes and when he passes away, she has no choice but to continue forward.
When she gives an ogre her bento, or lunchbox, he graciously accepts the meal before whisking her off to his realm. It's here that he declares their impending marriage in order to clear her grandfather's debt. Aoi refuses this claim and uses her own powers to work in order to repay the debt. It's an ayakashi's world in this exciting anime.
4 Nura: Rise Of The Yokai Clan
This yōkai tale follows Rikuo Nura who's 3/4 human and 1/4 yōkai. Rikuo remains human during the day and transforms during the night. He takes pride in both sides of his identity, but does not wish to prey upon humans like most of his ancestry does.
Rikuo is slated to take over as head of the Nura clan. His goal is to help humans, not hurt them. This brings about controversies throughout other yōkai clans and other powers who wish to usurp his position. However, he gathers friends and allies to his side in the name of using his powers to help others.
3 Mushi-shi
Ginko is a Mushi master who travels to keep them at bay. Mushi are supernatural creatures, and Ginko describes them as living beings trying to survive in the world just like everyone else. Ginko is fascinated by their existence and is more often than not researching them and the various phenomena they create.
The story is set between the Edo and Meiji periods, which help create this rich story. Mushi-shi does not follow a solid storyline but is created on an episode by episode basis, each one a story of Mushi and how they affect the natural world around us.
2 Otome Yokai Zakuro
In a time where spirits and humans co-exist, not everyone is happy about this intermingling of species. A Ministry of Spirits is established to help maintain harmony, even if the main characters Zakuro and Kei Agemaki have their misgivings. Zakuro is not inclined to trust humans, while Agemaki is astonishingly afraid of spirits.
As the world is transitioning and accepting practices of western cultures, both species must adapt. Together, Zakuro and Kei begin to accept the other and overcome their differences as they face off against dangerous creatures and enemies from their pasts.
1 Elegant Yokai Apartment Life
Yūshi Inaba suffers a bit of misfortune as his high school dormitory burns down. With family circumstances keeping him from returning to anything resembling a warm household, Inaba begins the search for a new place to call home, eventually finding Kotobuki-sō - an apartment - only for 25,000 yen, or approximately $232.
His luck seems to be turning around, but little does he know that this apartment is filled with beings better left to the imagination. This anime follows the adventures surrounding Inaba, his budding abilities, the yōkai in Kotobuki-sō, and their circumstances.