Horror is subjective, that's one of the beauties of the genre. What might scare the pants off of you, might not even make others wince. Many factors come into play to make a horror story actually scary, such as an unsettling setting, deceptive and morally unjust characters, and plots filled with anxiety provoking content not even your worst nightmares could come up with. As far as anime goes, how many of the horror anime's are really that scary? This list of scary anime will surely haunt your nightmares for weeks so get ready to be ACTUALLY scared.
10) Devilman Crybaby
Akira Fudo is sort of a wimp, and can be a crybaby. When a childhood best friend of his named Ryou Akasa tries to help him grow up a little, however, he does it in the worst way possible by asking Akira to help him with a little devil problem. Soon after Akira himself finds a demon awake within him and he becomes Devilman. This Netflix Original series is quite bloody and trippy, not for the faint of heart and is sure to give you a nightmare or two.
Akira, in a very trippy sequence where he runs out of a demon's mouth.
9) Higurashi: When They Cry
Keiichi Maebrara is new to the village of Hinamizawa, where he quickly begins to make new friends and prepare for the yearly village festival. However, he learns about every time the festival comes around, so do missing persons cases and murders. He starts to wonder if he can trust his own friends, who seem to be reluctant to talk about the strange happenings within the village. He begins to fear for his own safety, and the safety of those he's grown close to.
Shion laughing after another character is killed. Very out of character for her.
8) Shiki
In Sotoba, a quaint small Japanese town, things aren’t as they appear once the Kirishiki family moves into a creepy mansion just outside of town. Not long after they arrive, deaths begin happening, including the suspicious death of Megumi Shmizu, a young girl with a promising future. A local doctor and a good friend of Megumi’s team up together in hopes of putting an end to the reign of vampires that will surely take over the town.
Sunaki Kirishiki has blacked out eyes, due to being a “shiki” also known as a corpse demon
7) Blood-C
This series follows the split life of Saya Kisaragi, who spends her days studying away at school and her nights fighting fearsome monsters. With a sword given to her by her father, she is tasked with protecting their village from the monsters who attack it. Suddenly things in the village do not appear to be what they seem, and Saya begins to have strange visions as her world begins to crumble.
Saya Kisaragi covered in blood, presumebly from a battle.
6) Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl)
Hell Girl cover art, A close up on Ai Enma and her red eyes.
5) Hellsing
The mission of the group called Hellsing Organization, is to deal with supernatural forces and take them out. Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, The leader of the Hellsing Organization, dispatches the groups most powerful asset Alucard the strongest vampire of all time. It is up to Alucard and the other members of Hellsing to stop the evil plaguing the the world from ghouls, to vampires, to nazi’s, something deadly always awaits in this anime’s story.
Alucard, armed with his single custom made handgun, ready to dispose of any supernatural threat.
4) Perfect Blue
The spotlight can be a scary place, something Mima Kirigoe knows all too well. After leaving her J-pop band to pursue a career in acting, some of Mima’s fans aren’t too happy about her “good girl” persona changing. After a very creepy stalker starts sending her creepy letters, and a website goes up that describes her every move. Her paranoia increases and after people she loves begin to drop like flies, she wonders if her own life is in danger and if she can separate illusion from reality.
Mima on the Perfect Blue cover art, notice the pained and defeted look in her eyes.
3) Paranoia Agent
After popular character desginer Tsukiko Sagi becomes the first victim in a series of serial attacks by a child with a baseball bat the media names “Lil Slugger” detectives become suspicious of her story. The detectives believe maybe she is behind all this. However as time goes on more and more people fall victim to the attacks and yet none of his victims can remember his face. Paranoia begins to fill the streets as detectives race against the clock to figure out the identity of this assailant.
Just one of many victims Lil Slugger has taken from this world.
2) Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories
Even though the episodes are a few minutes each, Yamishibai is filled with traditional Japanese urban legends that’ll terrify you to your core. Every episode starts with a man in a yellow mask who comes to the local playground every dusk to tell local children ghost stories based on Japanese folklore. The masked man presents the story in a traditional kamishibai, which explains the paper-esque art style of the series.
1) Corpse Party: Tortured Souls
Corpse Party: Tortured Souls greusome cover art, it really shows you what you will be in for.
