For those who enjoy anime, there are very important nuances when determining what makes for a good horror anime—and two of them are length of and pacing of the story. The difference between a horror show versus a horror movie mainly is the fact that horror movies usually entail a smaller main cast, with only one story/goal to resolve. A show it's more likely to have a larger cast and multiple character arcs.
To be clear, there aren't that many specifically scary horror anime movies, at least not traditionally horror in the sense that we may think of horror. For this reason, for the sake of this article, I will also take into account avant-garde films and thrillers.
20. Nekojiru-sou/Cat Soup
Cat Soup (2001) Trailer
Nyatta, an anthropomorphic kitten, has a sister who suffers an illness that nearly kills her. Nyatta proceeds to go to the world of the dead to bring her back to life.
So, this type of ‘horror’ isn't exactly that scary—it’s avant-garde, so it's more unsettling than anything, making it perfect for people who like horror but don't want to be really, really scared.
What I personally love about this movie is that it isn't too much while not being much at all—at only about a half hour (so a short film), it’s a great short experience. It’s also very cute, with not very much gore (barely any) so if you get turned off by gore and need something for a half hour, or if you want to introduce someone to horror anime, you're in for a treat with Cat Soup.
I also personally love how deep the relationship is between Nyatta and his sister—even with all of the hurdles he had to jump, he still went on his adventure to save his sister, lovingly feeding and caring for her half-alive body during the entire journey. It’s very sweet.
19. Angel’s egg
Mamoru Oshii's 'Angel's Egg' | Teaser
A girl devotes her life to caring for her egg in a post-apocalyptic world. That’s pretty much it, that’s the movie.
This avant-garde film is a nice, unsettling treat.
While not inherently horror, this art film still elicits feelings of unease—from the sound design to the dark imagery and color palettes to the listless expressions and character designs, this film breeds an air of paranoia.
What I'll say about this film is that it’s not as simple as a monster flick or psychological horror, which is part of why it falls so low on this list; you have to put in a little bit of work if you want to understand the meaning. But if you're just here for vibes, you made a pretty good choice with Angel’s Egg.
18. Paprika
PAPRIKA [2007] - Official Trailer (HD)
Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a scientist who created, alongside her colleague, the DC Mini, which can access dreams and provide therapy options. However, when the DC Mini is stolen and a string of suicides and strange behavior arise from patients who use the DC Mini for therapy, she enlists Detective Konakawa Toshimi to help her dream persona, Paprika, find the person responsible.
This acid trip of a movie is the perfect addition to movie night and I'm going to explain why;
As just a movie in general, Paprika is a fun and fascinating story-line following the world of our dreams. The art style is breathtaking, the animation is so smooth, and the depth of the bonds between characters make for an enjoyable experience, regardless of whether or not you’re watching for the scare factor.
On a horror movie level, it isn't exactly that frightening—not in a traditional sense, but more conceptually. The movie, itself, capitalizes on the malleability of the human mind; how easy are we, as people, to control? What does it take to really get into someone's mind, and do we really need machines to do so?
Aside from these things that set the movie apart and give it its identity, words just can't describe how beautiful the animation of this movie is. While not inherently scary, despite being marked as a horror movie, it will still leave a lasting impression!
17. GYO
GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack! Movie Trailer
Kaori, on a graduation vacation with her friends Erika and Aki, is caught in an impromptu phenomena; fish with mechanical legs are invading the land and attacking people, infecting them with disease that deforms their bodies and ultimately kills them.
Ah, yes. Reverse mermaids.
Would it surprise you at all if I said this was an iteration of one of Junji Ito’s works? No? Thought so. Only a guy with the most messed up manga can create a concept like this.
I mean that in a positive way, of course; I love Junji Ito’s work but damn if it isn't nightmare fuel.
Personally, I love body horror and I love gore, so while this movie isn't my favorite, it’s still a fun little time killer. The action scenes are very good, and if you're watching horror to get scared, there are a few good scenes (example: the “leaving the train station” scene when Kaori and the journalist first see the carnage). The slow transformation from human to inhuman is also a point I personally like for the aforementioned body horror element.
I also feel like I need to mention Erika’s character arc really quickly (even though it really isn't one); she's an unlikable character, granted, but it’s actually kind of satisfying what happened to her. On this note, I feel like I have to warn you that I would personally mark this as a horror-comedy movie since even though it might be a little freaky for some, it’s also kind of funny in that it’s a little ridiculous.
16. Bio Hunter
Bio Hunter - Trailer
Two scientists embark on a mission to counteract a virus that is turning people into demons. When one of them gets infected, it becomes a race against time to both fight his demon instincts and find a cure.
What I personally like about this movie is the near seamless transition from ‘normal every day things’ to ‘horrific nightmare’ within the first two minutes. This movie wastes zero time.
Okay, look—before I go into it, before I break it down for you, I'm gonna mention this; if you sit down to watch this movie, do not do it with family or children in the room because this movie opens to a full on sex scene. I feel like I shouldn't have to say that, but I'm saying it anyway just in case because when I watched this movie, I was absolutely bamboozled.
The opening aside, this movie is a real treat for folks who a) like gore, b) enjoy supernatural elements, and/or c) just really like good character chemistry (which I mean, who doesn't like that?). In a way, it almost reminds me of a more modern version of Kimetsu no Yaiba, instead following two scientists trying to find a counter to the virus causing people to become demons.
I also feel like I need to mention that the body horror elements and sound design/voice acting is top tier. It feels like just enough—not too much and not too little. The action scenes are generally very good, too!
15. King of Thorn
King of Thorn - Available on BD/DVD Combo 9.18.12 - Trailer
A disease called “Medusa” ravages the entire world, turning people to stone and ultimately killing them. Kasumi Ishiki is one of 160 people selected for an experimental treatment that involves being put into cryosleep for 100 years—but when they wake up, their resting place is infested with monsters and large vines. Time is running out before their fates are decided—so they work quickly to find a way out, and maybe even uncover the secrets about Medusa’s origin.
Okay, okay—this is technically a thriller and not a horror—but that doesn't change the quality of this film.
Going into it, the magnitude of this concept is very tragic—the people chosen for the experiment are essentially being told that, until a cure is found, they will be locked away, most likely never seeing their loved ones again. Had the experiment been successful, this would leave the survivors in a world far divorced from the one they knew—by themselves and uncertain about how to navigate the new circumstances that they were forced into.
But, what makes this movie so good is that there is complexity to the characters; they're not written to be likable, they're written for the sake of telling the story—hence why this movie received mixed reviews. As a movie, barring the genre specific qualities, the pacing is very good, the art is very good, and the action scenes are entertaining (some might argue they're cringey, especially in the dub but I digress).
We’re met pretty quickly with the sight of the survivors being mauled and picked off one by one by the monsters, which is really where the horror lies—we are watching the survivors fight to—well, survive but the thing is that the reality is bleak. They're pretty much all screwed from the very start.
14. Belladonna of Sadness
Belladonna of Sadness Official US Release Trailer (2016) - Drama HD
A young woman marries the love of her life, only to suffer at the cruel hands of society in Medieval France. When she finally has had enough, she makes a deal with the devil to get revenge on all who have harmed her.
Okay, this movie is really messed up in a tragic way, but what makes it horrifying is the way in which the turmoil our Jeanne faces after her assault is portrayed.
The way the movie is presented, we are shown her downfall; in a ritual carried out by elder nobles, she is gang-raped in a ritual deflowering ceremony, and instead of being kind to her, her husband strangles her into a state of unconsciousness before fleeing in shame—leaving Jeanne to spiral.
This works as a horror movie because as the movie gets increasingly foul and depraved (poor Jeanne suffers so much throughout this film), the animation reflects it; it starts calmly and happily, prim, proper and put together—coherent, even—but gradually, the animation and art become chaotic to represent Jeanne’s rueful decent, especially following her deal with the devil.
This is not the kind of movie you watch to feel good about yourself—it will leave you with a sense of innate dread. A very visceral feeling of dread.
13. Demon City Shinjuku
1993 official trailer for "Demon City Shinjuku "
Kyoya Izayoi is tasked with defending the planet from the onslaught of a demon invasion.
I feel like Demon City Shinjuku is pretty top tier anime, for the reason that for all of it’s negative moments (not that there are many) the movie, overall, nails a lot of the key points that makes a good movie, not just for a horror movie, but in general.
The emotional atmosphere, the ambience, the sound design and score choice all make for a very thoroughly enjoyable ride through a story about a person trying to defend what matters—the earth, and the people inhabiting it. Despite the fact that there aren't that many scares in this movie, it keeps you on edge and alert for the next twist or turn through the story—it isn't a matter of being afraid but of being prepared for what's to happen next.
I personally loved the way the art conveyed the story; the animation is pretty good, but beyond that, the color palettes used help to give the viewer some semblance of danger.
12. Twilight of the Dark Master
Twilight of the Dark Master - Trailer
Demons launch an attack on earth for the first time in eons. There exists only one guardian left to defend the earth, with the fate of the human race hanging in the balance.
Okay, I'm gonna say it; this is probably my favorite rendition of a specifically demon-based anime.
Granted, this is a short film/OVA based specifically on a manga, but my point still stands; in terms of being scary, this is probably the actual scariest demon anime.
The reason I say it’s so scary is that the ambience combined with the sound design, the voice actor’s choices acting-wise, and the designs of the characters make for a pretty immersive experience. Personally, I love the voice acting in this OVA—even though at times it can feel a little bit over-the-top in terms of drama, it’s also eerie and even somewhat realistic (especially the screams of terror in the beginning—they'll send a chill down your spine).
I do have to say that it's weirdly overtly sexual so if you don't want horror with a lot of sexual innuendo, this is not the movie for you.
11. Darkside Blues
Trailer: Darkside Blues [Central Park Media]
A small renegade group, run by a stranger, works together to thwart a government plot to conquer the planet.
Y’know what the sad thing is? This movie doesn't really feel all that far off from the future.
With the state that the world is in, with corruption and corporate greed bleeding into every facet of our lives, without any escape, it isn't hard to imagine that a corporation might want to conquer the planet.
One of my favorite parts about this movie is the musical score. Towards the beginning of the movie, one of the characters, himself, performs the song that plays in the background during the very first face off with the corporation—easily one of my favorite movie openings.
Of course, the prior point is just a small part of what makes this movie good; this is the kind of movie that you could watch and be certain that extra care and love went into making it. Compared to other anime movies, what I feel this one does well is the choice in dialogue. I don't mean the voice acting; I mean that a point about this movie that stands it
10. The Empire of Corpses
Project Itoh: The Empire of Corpses - Official Trailer
In 19th century London, a young medical student is tasked with finding Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s work to aid in the reanimation of corpses for manual labor.
HOT DAMN.
Where do I even begin? I'll start with the most basic thing about this movie that stands out to me; art style. Okay, I know in many of my other spots, I've mentioned that having a nice art style is a big plus—but this anime really has such a pretty art style. It’s eye catching, at least in my opinion, in a way that makes it hard to look away.
I also generally love the concept; it’s a very refreshing take on zombies, in a way, in the sense that the danger doesn't lie in an illness but in how corpses can be weaponized, which is a special kind of evil when you think about all the unique ways that corpses can be weaponized.
What I like about this movie is that it plays with a lot of unique concepts that I feel like anime doesn't touch on enough, such as the morality of man—What do we gain from reanimation? What kind of person do you have to be to be able to reanimate the dead to turn into your slave or servant? How do the families and friends of these corpses deal with the fact that this person is no longer their friend, or family member, but a shell that's slowly decomposing?
Not to mention the voice acting feels so much more natural in the English dub than in other English dubbed anime—it flows very smoothly but does not overdo itself. So if you prefer dub, this movie’s a treat.
9. Blood: The Last Vampire
Blood: The Last Vampire 2000 Trailer HD | Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Saya Kisaragi is a vampire who works in conjunction with a secret government organization that locates and exterminates demons. Her next mission leads her to a school on a military base to find the next demon in disguise.
This short film is an OVA from Blood+, which follows Saya, a demon slayer. Personally, of the OVAs, and even the anime, this is easily my favorite one.
First thing’s first; the animation? Chef’s kiss. The animation style lends itself to an exceptional execution of storytelling; it’s horrifying and exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. My favorite part is the initial vampire reveal within the first ~20ish minutes.
Because this is a vampire movie, I should note that it's very bloody, so if that isn't your thing, this isn't for you—and if you haven't seen the anime it came from, then you might also want to check out Blood+, just to get more context about what's going on.
There is a continuous uneasy feeling throughout the movie, which contributes to the effectiveness of the story, especially given that we get to see parallels between Saya’s fight scenes and the v people around her simply enjoying their lives, enjoying a Halloween party of all things, oblivious to the horror lurking around them.
8. Ninja Scroll
Ninja Scroll Official Trailer
After being manipulated into killing his own clan, swordsman Juubei becomes a hitman for hire. He finds, in his travels, two companions: a female ninja named Kagero and a shogun spy named Dakuan—and with them, he is to face off against the Devils of Kimon, who are trying to overtake the Japanese government.
Ninja Scroll is what all ninja anime wishes they could be.
No, I'm not kidding; this movie is so raw and rife with action, with gore, with drama, that I would be a fool not to praise it even above hit anime like Naruto. Granted, I'm a fan of Naruto, it was one of my first anime that I really got into. But this movie?
Holy hell.
First thing’s first, this anime captures a more realistic (I use that term loosely) feel for what life is as a ninja. It’s horrifying. Despite this movie being marketed as an action/adventure/romance movie, here are what makes it so horrific:
The sound effects for the deaths sound incredibly real. The gore is heavy (not surprising considering that the lifestyle of a ninja was often bloody, with death always being close by. The voice acting also does it so much justice—there is no half-assing, the screams are genuinely horror filled. It’s hard to find voice acting of this quality, especially now.
The protagonist is also very charming and reels you in immediately, which is a big plus; protagonists who are charming like Juubei do wonders for allowing a real connection between the viewer and the anime.
Character design, too? Top tier!
7. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust - Official Trailer
D, an infamous vampire hunter and powerful dhampir (human-vampire hybrid), is tasked with locating and rescuing Charlotte, a young woman from a noble family who has been kidnapped by a vampire named Meier Link.
Yet another vampire entry? Yet another vampire entry.
In a lot of modern anime, vampires are portrayed in a very particular, oftentimes benevolent way. They may be portrayed as cute girls, such as in Rosario Vampire, or poor helpless people hunted down unjustly, such as in Shiki. In the vampire boom, a phenomena where there was a sudden boom of vampire related content, the qualities of a vampire were dumbed down to their sex appeal, their abilities downplayed into practically nothing.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust does not do that.
What I love about this movie is the unashamed return to vampire roots—they are not your friends, they are not always merciful, and they are violent.
That being said, I need to comment on the amazing sound design. Perhaps I'm biased, but sound design is the main thing I look for in a good movie; if even the little sounds can move me, then it’s a good indication that it’s a quality movie.
6. Wicked City
Wicked City (1987) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Humans and demons have been at each other’s throats for years—and even after a peace treaty has been signed, there still needs to be a special operative force known as “The Black Guard” to maintain and uphold the conditions of said peace agreement. Renzaburō Taki, one such member of said group, is a human paired with a demon for a partner, Makie. Together, they are tasked with keeping the peace until the treaty can be renewed—only to realize that their mutual attraction might be the key to maintaining peace between demons and humans.
First thing’s first: the visual and story effects—beautiful. The way it’s filmed is immersive—the head-hopping camera POV does wonders, especially during fight scenes, which are exciting and unpredictable. The imagery, too, contributes to a greater horror experience—my favorite example being the scene involving the old man and the masseuse demon, where she absorbs (or rather starts to absorb) him.
A nice plus is the chemistry between Makie and Taki—it makes you want to see them make it to the end. Overall, it’s a nice little horror/romance story. Horromance, if you will. Did I just make up a word? Absolutely. It doesn’t detract from the fact that this is a solid movie.
I do have to say that it’s super overtly sexual, with sex being a BIG theme throughout this movie, so if that’s a turn off for you, then this isn’t for you—but otherwise, go nuts.
5. Memories
Memories (1995) BLU-RAY RELEASE TRAILER [HD 1080p]
From the maker of Akira, Memories is a collection of three short films in one: Magnetic Rose, following engineers on a spacecraft discovering an abandoned space station and encounter paranormal phenomena; Stink Bomb, following a young lab worker who accidentally ingests a chemical weapon; and Cannon Fodder, following a young boy and his father fighting to survive in a pseudo-soviet city that’s heavily monitored.
I have to say as a preface that it’s basically a triple feature with three short films, and as a result, there are a lot of good things about it.
I have to say that for a movie as old as Memories (granted 1995 isn't that old), the animation is very good, and the art style is beautiful. I would say that the art style almost reminds me of Studio Ghibli, if Hayao Miyazaki had decided to pursue making horror movies instead of slice of life/coming of age movies.
Overall, what this movie does well is that in a very short period of time, a connection is established between the characters and the viewer. Immediately, we’re introduced to characters that we can support and join on their emotional journey—we are essentially presented with the stakes and magnitude of the situation three stories very quickly.
To be real, part of what makes this film so good is that it’s both horrifying and heartbreaking at the same time. In all three of the stories, the protagonists, who we’ve established a strong connection with, don’t fully understand the horror they’re being subjected to. They have to find out the hard way how dire their situation is.
This movie is also pretty light on gore, so if gore isn’t your thing, this is for you!
4. Seoul Station (Korean)
SEOUL STATION - Official UK Trailer - In cinemas now
Hye-Sun is stranded in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, not fully understanding what’s going on. Her father and her boyfriend are on a wild goose chase to find her before it’s too late.
We all love a good zombie movie. We love a good zombie movie that can genuinely make you afraid. That’s exactly the case with this one—or at least that was my personal experience.
I’m going to preface this by saying that the ending will make you unreasonably angry, not because the ending is bad (it’s pretty good, actually) but because it feels so hopeless. To be fair, the best horror movies have hopeless endings—but the circumstances that Hye-Sun finds herself in at the end are both heartbreaking and horrifying.
The sound design is very good, which adds to the eerie atmosphere. The sounds that the zombies make don’t sound very fake—the sounds they make sound closer to what I assume a zombie would sound like. In other words, this movie isn’t just some try-hard piece of cinema, but rather an experience closer to realism than, say, The Walking Dead (which, in my opinion, was good at first but slowly began to lose its quality the longer it went on but I digress).
I’m going to warn you now, however, and maybe my bias is showing here, but the big twist at the end will hurt. If you’re like me and get too attached to movie characters, you will be upset at the reveal.
Overall, this movie is a wild ride and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
3: Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell (1995 Movie) Official IMAX Trailer - Mamoru Oshii, Masamune Shirow
Makoto Kusanagi is a cyborg in the year 2029. Her task is to find and stop a hacker called “The Puppet Master” who is illegally hacking into human-cyborg hybrids to access their minds and alter their memories. As a result, Makoto is forced to examine herself, and what life would be like if she had more human traits.
Body horror is arguably a fascinating branch of psychological horror.
Okay, maybe they're not exactly the same—but they definitely go hand in hand and that's especially true for this movie. Ghost in the Shell is one of those movies that kind of sticks with you—and I would argue that now, in 2024, an event similar to those in this movie almost doesn't seem that far off, which adds to why it’s so creepy.
But what really makes it for me is the fact that we see Makoto Kusanagi, our protagonist, grapple with her sense of self, her sense of humanity. Despite being a mostly robotic Cyborg, she still possesses human cells, traits that make her human when she largely isn't. Despite being treated like a person, like a human being, she largely no longer has what makes her human—she's a shell of who she was before, the ghost of who she was as a person being the only thing remaining. Hence the name.
The horror lies, too, in the fact that this movie plays with the idea of false memories and other forms of psychological torment in a way lots of other horror movies try and fail at—for example, at the start, a man with a slight brain augmentation had false memories implanted in his brain that totally erased some of his other memories without any hope of retrieving them—and now he is left wondering how much of his life is real and how much of it is fake.
This movie is a technological nightmare—in a good way, and the implications behind the events of the movie are terrifying to consider in real life, such as the idea of our minds (especially with brain augmentations) being hacked, or false memories implanted, or the idea that it’s normal not to be fully human. It’s that uncanny valley effect and it’s glorious.
I will say that I haven't seen the series version of this anime, and that this movie is really just part of a larger franchise, so if you are interested in seeing this movie, it might be beneficial also to watch the series. But as a standalone, this movie is very top tier.
2. Akira
Akira (1988) Trailer
In 1988, the city of Tokyo saw destruction on a massive scale after a child with psychic abilities escaped the lab that he was being kept in for scientific experimentation. In 2019, Tetsuo, a bike gang member, develops destructive psychic abilities and is taken for experimentation, leaving his best friend and bike gang leader, Kaneda, to fight against the government to save him and expose the secret experiments for what they are.
There’s a reason that Akira is a cult classic and I’m about to explain why right now.
This is one of my favorite movies—for several reasons. The sound design is incredible and the storytelling is so carefully and precisely carried out that you will find yourself very quickly invested. If you’re into explosions, too, then this is right up your alley.
The first thing that caught my attention about this movie was the ambience; there is a constant feeling of dread throughout the film, because neither the characters in the film nor the viewers fully understand at first what’s happening. The film does a very good job building up to the big explanation, steadily raising the stakes.
I would also argue that this movie is like some version of body horror, in the sense that Tetsuo, while not physically transforming, is still experiencing horrifying, unexplainable changes. He has little control over this change, and he has little understanding of what it will entail for him. We are watching him slowly descend into the depravity that comes with Akira’s, the original psychic child’s, agenda.
I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention the art/animation style. For a 1988 movie, the animation is so smooth. The character design is well thought out, too. Overall, this movie is an artistic masterpiece, as well as telling a tense, action packed movie.
1) Perfect Blue
Perfect Blue - Official Trailer
Mima Kirigoe takes the brave leap from being a J-Pop idol with girl group CHAM! to being an actress, despite the mixed reactions from her fans. Upon realizing that she’s being stalked, however, Mima spirals into a web of paranoia—how much of her life is real? Is she Mima, or Mima-rin, her idol persona?
This movie is a real treat.
The fact that it was released so long ago and still remains relevant, even now, in 2024, is mind boggling.
On surface level, this movie looks kind of cute—there isn't really an outward threat right away. This is to emphasize the psychological torment involved. There is no physical threat until the very end—everything throughout this movie revolves around the unseen dangers and threats.
The thing to note about this movie is that the filming method used is executed in a way to not only express how thin the line between reality and non-reality has come for Mima, but to make the viewer feel as though they're going insane, too.
My favorite thing about this movie is that, no matter how many times you watch it, you'll likely find something new that you didn't notice before each time. It’s a movie that forces you to really think, to really consider your circumstances—but the ending is also very reassuring, as the movie has a positive conclusion—which I would say is rare in horror movies in general.
