Who doesn’t love horror? Whether it be the spooky season before Halloween or those hot summer nights when you want to watch something creepy and scary that will send a chill down your spine. These shows will leave you restless and make you shudder at every small noise behind you.
So MyAnimeGuru has curated a list of the 17+ Best Horror Anime of All-time. The list includes everything from Psychological horror which will keep your heart pacing to straight-up hack-n-slash body horror which will leave you scarred. So without wasting any time, let’s start.
From the feeling of dread to anticipating what happens next to straight-up blood and violence horror has something for everyone. Japan in particular has mastered the art of making great horror media, whether it be shows or movies. Of course, this mastery also extends to horror anime.
List of Best Horror Anime
This List will be based on how scary or disturbing the story is, the overall storyline and plot, and the general popularity of the anime. The likeability of the characters will also be taken into consideration. So let’s start this list of best horror anime.
20. Meiruko-Chan
Episodes – 12 | Year: 12
In one of the more light-hearted entries on this list, we see Miko Yotsuba, a regular high-school girl living her daily life. But suddenly everything changes for her when she starts seeing the dead. , Yes you heard that right, she can see dead people and spirits.
But what she can see isn’t limited to human spirits as she can see all kinds of ominous spiritual entities and some of them are very dangerous. Can Miko pretend that she can’t see any of that or will the spirits catch up to her feint? Watch is one of the best horror anime which also has comedy.
19. Ghost Stories
Episodes – 20 | Year: 2000
Another horror-comedy entry, Ghost Stories follows young Satsuki and her lil brother who after the death of their mother relocate to the hometown of their dad. Here they enroll in the school their parents once studied in, but it seems the old school building is haunted.
They quickly make some friends but as they are attacked and chased by a dangerous spirit, Satsuki finds an old notebook written by her mom on how to defeat the ghosts. Does Satsuki have what it takes to defeat these spirits? See it in one of the best horror anime.
18. Devil-man Crybaby
Episodes – 10 | Year: 2018
Akira Fuudo is a kind boy but when he learns from his friend Ryou that an ancient demon race has broken free of their icy prison, it’s time for a change. Ryou tells Akira that the only way to defeat demons is to become one yourself and thus Akira decides to unite with a devil called Amon.
This turns him into the Devil-man and thus starts his battle to defeat the devils on a path painted with treachery, betrayal, and pain. Will Akira be able to use his powers for good or will he be corrupted by the demonic entities, see in one of the best horror anime.
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17. Tokyo Ghoul
Episodes – 48 | Year: 2015-2018
Tokyo is inhabited by human-like monsters called ghouls. These look exactly like humans but can modify their bodies to make weapons that they use to hunt and eat humans. One of these ghouls named Rize lures a college student named Kaneki to her hunting grounds to eat him.
But when a freak accident occurs, Rize finds herself being crushed by a Steel beam, saving Kaneki who passes out from shock. But when Kaneki wakes up, he finds that he is now a half-ghoul. How will he come to terms with his new reality, find out in one of the best horror anime.
16. Ghost Hunt
Episodes – 25 | Year: 2006
Mai Taniyama is a regular high-school girl who likes to tell ghost stories along with her friends. One day she hears about the old school building which is supposed to be haunted and decides to give it a visit. There she notices a video camera and accidentally breaks it. This camera belongs to Kazuya.
Kazuya is a psychic who was hired by the school to investigate the ghosts and other rumors about the school. Mai as a penalty for breaking the camera has to work under Kazuya and help him in his work. She soon realizes that something is horrifying behind these rurumorsIt is one of the best horror anime.
15. Perfect Blue
Duration – 82 Minutes | Year: 1998
Miwa used to be a pop star but she quit to pursue a new career as an actress but her fans can’t seem to accept that. When she takes up a role on a TV show, suddenly her handlers and colleagues start dying or being murdered by someone.
As her survivor’s guilt piles on and her past catches up with her present, she is split into thinking about what is reality and what is not. As the stalker is getting nearer, Miwa has to figure out how to survive and deal with her demons. It is one of the best horror anime films ever.
14. Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories
Episodes – 130 | Year: 2013-2022
During summer evenings, a strange man comes on his cycle to tell old ghost stories. Yamishibai is a series based on old Japanese street storytellers who used to tell kids scary stories during prpre-televisionays using paper theater.
Yamishibai is an anthology based and each episode is a short episode of scary and disturbing tales of urban legends and similar stories told in a paper theatre style. The unique style of animation and the old-school vibes make it creepy and one of the best horror anime.
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13. Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
Episodes – 12 + 1 OVA | Year: 2012
60 years ago a young woman was left to do on the campus of Seikyou Academy. Since then rumors have crept up that her spirit is still haunting the place. These rumors are so popular that there is an entire paranormal investigation club for them. Teiichi is a freshman and part of that club.
Unknown to Teiichi and other members, the founder of the club is the ghost herself. Since he can see her spirit, she latches onto him, and they both try to uncover the mysteries behind her death and the reason why she can’t leave the place. It is one of the best horror anime.
12. Hell Girl
Episodes – 90 | Year – (2005-2018)
It is rumored that somewhere on the internet there is a website called Jigoku Tsushin where the disgruntled can post their grudges. This site can only be accessed at midnight and once you share the name of your tormentor, they’ll be dragged to hell by the Jigoku Shoujo.
Little is known about this girl, other than that whoever gets help from her will have their soul transported to hell once they die. To know more watch one of the best horror anime.
11. Elfen Lied
Episodes – 13 + 1 OVA | Year – 2004
Diclonius are mutants who were once human but were chosen by god and gained dangerous telekinetic powers which will eventually one day mark them as the end of mankind. To prevent this, the Gov. has captured them in labs until one day one of them breaks free brutally killing all her guards.
As she is escaping, she is hit by a bullet on the back of her head and falls into the ocean. From there she drifts to the nearby beach, where 2 teenagers found her unconscious not knowing that the girl they just rescued a is bloodthirsty mutant. See what happens to them in one of the best horror anime.
10. Mononoke
Episodes – 12 | Year – 2007
Mononoke follows the mysterious medicine seller Kusuriuri on his travels and he saves the people of Feudal Japan from the strange happenings of the Mononoke or otherworldly spirits, interfering with the world of the living.
He slays these Mononoke once he has uncovered its form (Katachi), the truth behind its appearance (Makoto), and the reason for its unusual behavior (Kotowari). It is easily one of the best horror anime.
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9. Junji Ito Collection
Episodes – 12 | Year – 2018
This anime adapts the various manga authored by Horror specialist Junji Ito. It is an anthology series with each episode covering a unique creepy tale that will leave shivers down your spine. Junji Ito is known for his exceptional horror which always has a sense of impending doom to them.
While people are most familiar with his other works like Uzumaki and Tomie, there is no doubt that he has many more breathtaking stories under his belt ranging from psycho-thriller to body gore. This makes this one of the best horror anime.
8. Spooky Kitaro(2018)
Episodes -97 | Year – 2018
Perhaps the most famous horror anime, it is the one which started the horror craze and aired first in 1968. Since then multiple iterations have been produced showing the peculiar ghost boy Kitaro with the most recent coming in 2018. This one is set in a modern world where have forgotten about Yokai.
The anime which started the Yokai popularity sees Kitaro along with his eyeball father protect the people of Japan from rogues and maintain a balance between humans and monsters and spirits. It is one of the best horror anime and perfectly embodies Japanese culture.
7. Chainsaw Man
Episodes – 12 | Year – 2022
CSM follows the young devil-hunter Denji. He owes the Yakuza money and hunts devils too to pay his debt and is helped by the devil Pochita. One day he is betrayed by the Yakuza, who under the influence of the Zombie devil, leave both Denji and Pochita for death.
Just before dying Pochita fuses with Denji, in the process healing him and making him the chainsaw man. Now Denji is up for revenge against all who treated him badly while also being on one radar of the Public Safety Commission and its leader Makima. What’ll happen to Denji, see you in one of the best horror anime.
6. Ajin: Demi-Human
Episodes – 26 Episodes + 3 Movies | Year – 2016
Ajin is a race of immortal demi-humans and is impervious to normal injuries. So when Kei survives an accident that should’ve killed and without any injuries, he realizes he is an Ajin.
Now with the world on his trail with an international bounty on his head who only see him as a specimen to be taken, Kei finds himself on the run and the only way to survive is to learn how to use all the terrifying techniques that come with this new body. It is one of the best horror anime.
5. Umineko: When they cry
Episodes – 26 | Year – 2009
On the island of Rokkenjima, owned by the wealthy Ushiromiya, all the members of the family gather to discuss the financial condition of each other. The topic of discussion this year is regarding the family head since he is not long for the world, everyone is interested in the inheritance process and his will.
But contrary to this, the head decides to summon the spirit of his one true love one last time; the golden witch, Beatrice. However, when a violent typhoon hits the island trapping everyone and a series of murders happen, the members somehow survive the killer. It is one of the best horror anime.
4. Another
Episodes – 12 | Year – 2012
Kouichi transfers to a new school after a long hospital visit and sees that his new class is shrouded in deep mysteries and a sense of impending terror. At the center of this sits the eye-patch-wearing Mei Misaki, a girl who seems to be ignored by her classmates as if she doesn’t exist.
Immediately drawn to her Keiichi gets warned by his friends that it is better to ignore the girl since if he doesn’t something terrible will happen. He soon realized that the warning was real as the calamity struck.
As their classmates start dying one by one can Kouichi and Mei maintain their sanity and survive, to the bottom of all mysteries, find in one of the best horror anime.
3. Hellsing/Hellsing Ultimate
Episodes – 23 + 3 OVA | Year – 2006
Perhaps the single best vampire fiction in anime while also being one of the best adaptations of Count Dracula, it tells the story of Hellsing, a British organization that has been battling supernatural monsters and vampires to protect the people. It is one of the best horror anime.
This org is overseen by Integra Hellsing and she commands her army but her strongest weapon is none other than Alucard, the strongest vampire himself. See how he fends off the ghouls while also battling the Vatican as well as a group aiming for world domination named Millenium.
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2. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls
Episodes – 4 | Year – 2013
A group of 9 students decide to stay late after school to bid farewell to a friend who was relocating. In an attempt to make sure their friendship lasts forever, they perform the Sachiko Ever After ritual using charms, not knowing these charms are connected to an alternate world.
This alternate world is inhabited by the heavenly host academy, a school that was demolished years ago after a string of gruesome murders there. And this school stood at the very spot where these students’ current school is.
Now trapped in an alternate dimension with vengeful ghosts of the murder victims, these students must find a way to survive or be dammed forever in one of the best horror anime.
1. Shiki
Episodes – 22 | Year – 2010
In a hot summer, a family moves into a small village occupying a villa nearby. Once this family comes, strange things start happening in the village, with people going missing and a strange disease spreading throughout the village, which kills hundreds of people.
It’s the survivors however who are to be feared however since they have now become undead vampires known as Shiki. Can the village doctor who uncovers the truth with the local priest save the people or are the people doomed to be turned into undead? Find out in one of the best horror anime.
Conclusion
And Thus folks, this was our list of the 17+ Best Horror Anime of all time (Ranked). It took a long time to curate this list since we decided to include both popular titles and hidden gems so that when you want to watch the best horror anime, you’ll get a varied list.
So we hope you liked this list and till the next article comes, please stay connected and binge on the best horror anime while you wait for more cool lists. Till then, see ya.
Source – Anilist
FAQ Section
Best Horror anime according to IMDb?
According to IMDB, Monster(2004) is the best horror anime rated a 8.7/10.
Which horror anime was banned?
Shoujo Tsubaki is a 1992 anime that was banned by most countries and even in Japan due to too graphic and traumatic material.
Is Berserk considered Horror?
While Berserk by Kentaro Miura and all its anime adaptations are considered action-adventure and dark fantasy, it has also been given in horror tag many times due to its graphic scenes.
