A good scare can come from anywhere. When it comes to anime the terrifying moments happen to come from very similar genres, those being supernatural and mystery. Fans of supernatural and mystery anime know all too well of the hidden horrors that lurk around every corner within these series.
Sometimes it's the monsters themselves that bring the horror, but other times the fear is more subtle, creeping in slowly with the reveal of terrifying truth. When it comes to bringing in scares, these series don't need the horror label to keep fans up in the middle of the night.
9 xxxHolic – Yuuko Sells Chilling Tales
Enter the dark side of Japanese folklore with xxxHolic. Kimihiro Watanuki is a high schooler suffering from his ability to see supernatural beings. As fate would have it, the spirits pestering him lead him to a mysterious store only seen by desperate humans, he becoming one of them. Here, one's deepest wish can be granted, but only in exchange for something equal — "Nothing more, nothing less" as said by the store owner Yuuko Ichihara. Kimihiro agrees to work for Yuuko in exchange for lifting the curse of his supernatural power.
xxxHolic tackles philosophical themes (e.g. life's purpose, problems with society), making for a very thought-provoking experience, but the morals are driven by the supernatural catastrophe that ensues. These desperate patrons are made to suffer, and although the series never fully breaks the barrier between thriller and horror, it still comes with plenty of scares.
8 Mushi-Shi – The Horror And Beauty Of Mushi
Body horror is never fun, and yet Mushi-Shi manages to do what no series has done before; make it beautiful. The story focuses on strange, supernatural phenomena caused by "mushi," hidden forms of life that threaten humans. They live among forests, which is where the protagonist Ginko travels to study them as a "mushi-shi," someone who can see the mysterious creatures. Ginko discovers that there is more to these terrifying beings than what people initially thought.
Mushi-Shi has plenty of nightmare fuel, but approaches it with compelling emotion, beautiful animation, and many uplifting philosophical themes. The rather subtle horror elements are paired so well with the quiet mystery of the supernatural that it succeeds to scare when least expected and has haunted fans of the series.
7 Death Parade – Making The After-life Traumatic, One Guest At A Time
In the supernatural world of Death Parade, when two people die simultaneously they are brought to Quindecim, a bar where drinks and judgment are served. Greeted by Decim, arbiter of the after-life, they're introduced to the last game they'll ever play. What these wayward souls don't realize is they're being challenged, and based on how they fare in the game, Decim will decide their fate.
The most frightening aspect is the literal psychological games that bring nothing but madness, pain, and eventually death. There's a great horror in seeing people essentially being tortured, even those who are terribly flawed, but human flaws prove to be the most frightening thing in Death Parade.
6 Soul Eater – Overcoming Supernatural Horrors And School Assignments
Balancing out the good and bad of society, warriors called Weapon Meisters work together with Demon Weapons, humans who can transform into weapons. Soul Eater follows the newest generation of these warriors as they hone their skills and learn the shocking truths of their world, all while aiming to pass their classes.
The setting to Soul Eater looks like the anime version of Halloween Town, and is filled with witches, werewolves, demons, and magic, and has plenty of scares — fans can never forget the terrifying rebirth of the Demon God Asura. The scary moments don't last too long, but do have a lasting effect both on the audience and certainly on the characters.
5 Demon Slayer – Nothing Scarier Than A Bloodthirsty Demon
After returning home from work, 13-year-old Tanjiro Kamado learns his family has been murdered by demons. The sole survivor of the onslaught is his little sister Nezuko, who's been turned into a bloodthirsty demon herself, but not all hope is lost when she shows a small hold of her humanity. Tanjiro is given the opportunity to become a demon slayer with the hopes to cure Nezuko and avenge their family.
While there is a great deal of adventure and comedy throughout Demon Slayer, horror is visibly present when it comes to the demons. Their designs can be so bizarre and grotesque that, when animated, are frightening just took look at, but it's also their naturally bloodthirsty nature on top of all the gore and body horror that has given fans chills.
4 Attack On Titan – The Titans Tower As Frightening Foes
One of the most popular anime ever, Attack On Titan takes place in a world dominated by terrifying giants called Titans. Humanity was pushed to the brink of extinction until the establishment of supposedly impenetrable walls, but after 100 years of peace a new Titan suddenly appears and tears down the outer wall with ease. The fight for survival begins yet again, but this time, an army trained to fight back is sent out to end the Titans for good.
Aside from their garish looks, what makes Attack on Titan so horrifying is the Titans' habit of eating humans alive, and the fact that they relish in it. To make matter worse, they become even more horrific after the heroes realize how difficult it is just to defeat one.
3 Jujutsu Kaisen – These Beasts Are Cursed For More Reasons Than One
Curses and nightmare fuel go hand in hand in Jujutsu Kaisen. The story follows Yuuji Itadori, a high schooler with inhuman strength who finds himself in a battle against a demonic force threatening his closest friends. While harnessing the dangerous, yet powerful, curse of Sukuna Ryoumen helps him win the battle, Yuuji is in danger of being consumed by the ancient evil himself.
The only fighting force against the powerful curses that plague mankind is the Jujutsu Sorcerers, who force Yuuji to help them in their quest. Although upbeat and comedic at times, Jujutsu Kaisen manages to frighten with its terrifying beasts, the cursed spirits. These monstrous creatures look scary, sound scary, and even the way they kill sends chills down the spine.
2 Ergo Proxy – Investigating The Terrors Of Dystopian Society
Thousands of years ago, all life on Earth was nearly destroyed. Now, the only thing holding the modern civilization of Romdeau together is the manufactured androids that keep life moving. The sudden rise of supernatural activity, many accompanied by vicious murders, grabs the attention of Romdeau’s Intelligence Bureau, who assigns Re-L Mayer to investigate. Alongside her own android companion, Re-L learns that not everything is as it appears.
Full of haunting visuals, each episode of Ergo Proxy leaves fans feeling disturbed and excels at being thought-provoking in the most terrifying way. Ergo Proxy emphasizes psychological horrors rather than jump scares, but an eerie and unforgettable journey carries the audience through.
1 Neon Genesis Evangelion – Terrifying Beasts And A Traumatic Ride
The great anime epic Neon Genesis Evangelion takes place in a post-apocalyptic world attacked by celestial beings. The only hope for humanity are three teen mech pilots who must endure the pressure and trauma of being soldiers at war. Each character already has emotional baggage before entering the mechs, and that's a part of what makes the horror in Evangelion even worse.
On top of body horror, bloodthirsty monsters, otherworldly nightmares, and intense amounts of gore, the mech pilots are pushed to points where normal human beings would break, and unlike in most anime, they do. There are mental breaks that the characters do suffer from and are tormented by, which is what makes many scenes uncomfortable for most. As challenging as Neon Genesis Evangelion is for some to watch, the series is still worth the overwhelming, and terrifying, emotional roller coaster.