While there are many ways to scare an audience, anime tends to use the plot and sheer creepiness of its characters to spook viewers. Jump scares aren't exactly common in anime, but they occasionally make rare appearances, depending on the series.
The success of jump scares in anime is heavily attributed to their rarity. Even in the best horror anime, there may not be any jump scares. Surprisingly, a few of the best jump scares appear in anime focused more on action, suspense, or comedy, rather than horror.
10 An AI Jumps In For A Scare (The Pet Girl Of Sakurasou)
The lightheartedness of The Pet Girl Of Sakurasou may make people think that there's nothing in the show that could be considered scary. Sorata Kanda would say otherwise, however, as he was scared out of his chair while on the computer.
An AI named Maid popped up on his screen while he was messaging and scared him so bad that he flew back in his chair and fell onto his floor. While this wasn't so much a scary jump scare, it sure was unexpected and was very surprising.
9 A Rock Causes The Ayano Family To Drive Off The Road (Another)
Another revolves around a curse and the effects it has on class 3-3 at Yomiyama North Middle School. Another is certainly no stranger to gruesome deaths, but the deaths of Aya Ayano and her family were so horrific that they weren't fully shown to the audience.
As they drive away from Yomiyama in an attempt to escape the curse, a rock falls from the mountain and hits their windshield, causing them to swerve and drive through the railing and off the road. The unexpectedness of this moment effectively catches audiences off guard.
8 Bluebeard Pretends To Let A Child Hostage Escape (Fate/Zero)
Fate/Zero features seven mages who summon servants, who are legendary souls from either a real historical event or a mythical story. These mages summon servants to fight for the Holy Grail. Notably, not all of the souls summoned as servents for the Holy Grail war are heroes.
Gilles de Rais, also known as Bluebeard, is a Caster class servant summoned by a serial killer. His master gives him a child as a gift after the summoning. Bluebeard let the child think he can go free right before Bluebeard casts a spell that results in the boy being ripped apart.
7 Shinichi Makes Eye Contact With His Teacher (Parasyte: The Maxim)
Parasyte: The Maxim focuses on a race of extraterrestrial beings that found their way to earth in order to take over human bodies and use them as their own. Aptly called "parasites," these alien lifeforms have the ability to sense when their own kind is around.
Shinichi and his parasite, Migi, have a unique bond, since Migi was not able to take over Shinichi's brain and got stuck bonding with his arm instead. Reiko Tamura, a teacher controlled by a parasite, joins Shinichi's school during the series. Migi tells Shinichi not to make eye contact with her, but Shinichi can't resist. Once Reiko notices him, she emits a frightening aura.
6 Zombies Appear In The First Few Seconds Of The First Episode (Highschool Of The Dead)
Zombies, survival, and violence fill the lives of the teenagers burdened with a zombie apocalypse in Highschool of the Dead. Through all of the horror caused the zombies and sometimes even humans, the biggest jump scare in the show happens when it was least expected.
Audiences aren't exactly expecting a jump scare during the first few seconds of the first episode of an anime. Takashi begins the first episode by speaking one sentence, as if he were going to lead into a longer monologue. Before he can finish his monologue, however, a zombie flashes on the screen not once, but twice.
5 The Colossal Titan Appears Behind Eren (Attack On Titan)
Fear in Attack on Titan usually comes through how unsettling Titans look and act. As the Scouts fight for survival and to protect the lives of everyone inside the walls, they face creepy Titans every time they're on a mission.
Eren and the other Scouts are standing on the wall as Eren is finishing an inner monologue that is meant to inspire hope. Suddenly, there's a flash of lightning behind his back and the Colossal Titan appears behind him. There aren't many things that could scare the Scouts as much as an unprecedented 60 meter Titan.
4 A Radio Story Goes From Sad To Scary (Gintama)
Gintama is in a class of its own when it comes to comedy. The pop-culture references, fourth-wall breaking, and all-around goofiness of the characters charm fans. Accordingly, Gintama is not adept at horror or jump scares, but it does attempt to use one in a comedic manner.
Gintoki is listening to a radio program telling a story about a dog waiting for a girl to come back. The dog sits for so long that it passes away right after she returns. The old man that was with her tells her that the dog isn't dead. When she turns around and asks where the dog is, the man turns into a monster. Gintoki's reactions while listening to the story are priceless.
3 Sasuke Prepares To Attack Danzo (Naruto Shippuden)
Naruto Shippuden almost never has any genuinely scary moments. Ninjas fighting for their nation or their own benefit don't really need any scary scenes, but one particular moment stands out as distinctly unsettling. During Sasuke's fight with Danzo, Danzo takes Karin hostage and uses her as a shield.
Danzo thinks he has the upper hand and Karin thinks Sasuke is going to save her while Tobi is watching the fight. Sasuke tells Karin not to move and she looks as if she is relieved. After a quick glimpse of Danzo, Sasuke's face is shown again, appearing as if he's lost all of his humanity. He stares through Karin at Danzo, as if she's nothing more than a weak piece of armor.
2 Someone With A Skull Face Ambushes Robert And Hiraga (Vatican Miracle Examiner)
Investigating miracles and solving murder cases for the Vatican while clashing with another secret organization is commonplace for Robert and Hiraga in Vatican Miracle Examiner. The nature of their job would warrant one or two jump scares, and that's exactly what they get.
As they hide behind some bushes and watch some students conducting seances, the students are spooked by something and begin to run away. Hiraga and Robert attempt to follow the students before someone in a skull face mask jumps out at them with a knife and stabs one of them.
1 Mother Finds Something Suspicious (The Promised Neverland)
The Promised Neverland is no stranger to thrill and suspense. As the children at the orphanage discover the truth about their home, they begin strategizing an escape plan. The series quickly becomes a cat and mouse game between mother and the oldest children.
At the end of the first episode, there's beautiful background music playing as Norman and Emma are talking about what they've discovered. Before the episode ends, audiences see mother holding the stuffed animal they tried to return to the girl given to the demons. The look on mother's face, her demeanor, and the overall suddenness of the scene cut are as scary as it gets.