Top 30 Scariest Anime of All Time

Script written by Jonathan Alexander

Top 30 Scariest Anime of All Time

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most terrifying anime ever.

#30: “Hell Girl” (2005-17)

Hell hath no fury like a spirit girl scorned. Especially when said spirit girl is the one sending people down below. Yeah, you don’t get a name like “Hell Girl” for nothing. Each episode features Ai Enma living up to her name by sending all sorts of miscreants to their doom. She’s not a monster, though. Ai always offers a chance to repent, and only once they fail do they get sent to the fire and brimstone. It’s usually deserved, but that doesn't make it a pleasant watch by any means. Their screams will haunt your nightmares for weeks.

#29: “Junji Ito Collection” (2018)

In the market for a reliable horror writer? you won’t find anyone better than Junji Ito. His work in the genre is so prolific, they didn’t even have to name the anime adaptation of his work. Ito’s name speaks for itself. The twelve-episode series is a squirm-inducing anthology that will have you retching, shivering, reaching for the remote, or all three at the same time. It’s genuinely impressive how Ito manages to make each story more uniquely disturbing than the last. No wonder his work is so beloved; he really knows how to get under your skin.

#28: “Detective Conan” (1996-)

Okay, hear us out. We know “Detective Conan” doesn’t seem like it’d be a scream-worthy scarefest, but there’s some truly unnerving cases mixed in with its procedural case work. The spine-tingling bandaged man comes to mind, as does the murderous library arc. You want more? There’s plenty. Every now and then, “Detective Conan” airs an episode that feels like a straight-up horror film brought to life. The fact that it comes from a show that’s usually family-friendly just makes it even more shocking. There’s no mystery here, “Detective Conan” is seriously creepy. Don’t say we didn’t want you.

#27: “Ghost Hunt” (2006-07)

You’d think being surrounded by experienced paranormal investigators would keep the scares in check. It doesn’t. As Mai learns throughout “Ghost Hunt,” there’s no amount of preparation or fancy plans that can stop the innate fear of staring a spirit in the eyes. If anything, the show’s grounded approach to the genre makes the threat feel closer than ever before. While “Ghost Hunt” leans a lot on Mai’s growing relationship with her partner, Kazuya, there’s still plenty of ghoulish cases to keep you on the edge of your seat. Especially once Mai’s work starts becoming literal nightmare fuel.

#26: “Gantz: 0” (2016)

When waves of monsters overrun the city, Kato and his team have two hours to purge them, or they’ll be the ones getting buried. They don’t have a second to waste, and neither does “Gantz: 0.” Instead, the movie throws you right into all kinds of bloody mayhem. If you’re the type of person who gets queasy around monster guts, this is your warning to start watching something else. In “Gantz: 0,” the creatures are grotesque, the deaths are brutal, and the action never lets up. Seriously, some of these scenes should’ve come with a barf bag. Or, better yet, or a blindfold.

#25: “Kaiji” (2007-11)

No, “Kaiji” isn’t a traditional horror series. But, it’s definitely horrifying. As it turns out, gambling is scary. So is walking between skyscrapers on a rickety steel beam. Kaiji just doesn’t know when to cash out, and that puts him in a never-ending cycle of tense scenarios. Some of which end up costing him his fingers, or worse. It’s basically impossible to make it through an episode of “Kaiji” without your heart rate spiking at least a couple of times. The debts Kaiji pays are so severe, you’ll have no choice but to take a breather before hitting “play next.”

#24: “Terra Formars” (2014-16)

We only need two, small words to pitch this show: mutant cockroaches. They say the suckers can survive anything up to a nuclear apocalypse, and apparently, that also includes the colonization of Mars. But, now that they’ve evolved into apex predators, the roaches have decided to get revenge on humanity in the grossest way possible. Moral of the story; don’t get attached to any characters, even if they’re leads. No one lasts very long here. To make matters worse, the fights here aren’t just scary, they’re downright disgusting. “Terra Formars” will definitely bug you out, that’s for sure.

#23: “From the New World” (2012-13)

In this thriller, what you don’t know is much more frightening than what you do. On the surface, Saki is a young girl who is sent to a special academy to make friends and master her powers. But, in the background,“From the New World” slowly unveils a terrifying conspiracy involving murder, deceit, and brainwashing. Divulging any more would ruin the show, but take our word for it, this series will chill you to your core. Even the quiet moments evoke so much mounting dread, it almost physically hurts. And yet, the gasp-worthy payoff is somehow so much worse.

#22: “Mieruko-chan” (2021)

Miko is not a fan of being scared. But, against her wishes, she wakes up one day capable of seeing all kinds of fiendish ghosts. So, naturally, she ignores it all and hopes it goes away. When that doesn’t work, Miko realizes she’s the only one capable of helping the deceased pass on. No matter how revolting they look. “Mieruko-chan” does a great job at putting you in Miko’s shoes - that is, terrifying you silly, lulling you into a false sense of security, and then scaring you all over again. It’s a vicious cycle, but at least we’re in it with Miko.

#21: “Monster” (2004-05)

Despite the name, there aren't any devilish creatures in “Monster.” No, there’s something much, much worse: Johan Liebert. He’s a cunning serial killer like none other, and when surgeon Kenzo Tenma defies orders to give him a life-saving operation, the series turns into a nail-biting moral thinkpiece. Albeit, one with a whole morgue full of victims. “Monster” has plenty of graphic imagery for genre diehards - especially where Johan is concerned - but really, it all hinges upon his and Tenma’s fraught dynamic. Their opposing views on human life prove one unforgettable fact; Johan isn’t just a criminal. He’s a monster.

#20: “The Flowers of Evil” (2013)

Because no amount of anime monsters can compare to the stress and depravity that only high school can deliver. After being caught doing something he really shouldn’t, a helpless student is blackmailed into fulfilling the tasks of a classmate, where it doesn’t take long for the lines between fear, love, hate and shame to all mingle together in one thrilling package. The rotoscoping effect might not be to everyone’s taste, but the ordeals these youths put themselves through easily pushes past the visuals to make for an unsettling watch.

#19: “Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories” (2013-)

If you’re in the mood for some authentic Japanese horror, then look no further than this anthology that’s still going strong to this day. The Theatre of Darkness plays host to a series of five-minute spooky spectacles, and while the animation might seem limited at first, the minimalist approach allows the creepy narratives to shine all the stronger. Goes to show how with the right tools, a lot can be done with very little – which in this case means they scare the bejesus out of us on a frighteningly low budget!

#18: “Erased” (2016)

A great mystery can lead the way to some tremendous storytelling, and in that same vein – a hell of a lot of tension. After being transported back in time to when he was a child, Satoru has to not only find a way to prevent his mother’s murder, but go about altering the past to change the fate of his abused friend Kayo. And to top it all off, there’s a child kidnapper/killer to contend with. Few have managed to combine the classic trappings of a whodunit with time travel as well as this seminal outing.

#17: “Elfen Lied” (2004)

You know a person has to be a special kind of scumbag when the audience is actively rooting for the mass murderer who tears people apart with invisible, psychic arms. Relentless in her revenge, Lucy’s rampage is one born of a lifetime of prejudice against her due to the fact she’s a Diclonius, and while her frequent slaughter-fests can be hard to stomach, knowing what she endured and the depths the so-called civilized people resorted to just to get a rise out of her – makes it a tad easier to swallow. This anime has pre-pubescent kids who happily bludgeon a dog to death! You’re damn right they deserved a vector to the face!

#16: “Mononoke” (2007)

While it presents itself as more of an episodic, supernatural affair with tinges of action, you’d be hard pressed to not be unnerved by the Medicine Seller’s journeys as he battles and exorcizes the demonic spirits known as Mononoke. The way in which these otherworldly horrors influence and trample on the lives of the innocent and guilty alike, whether it be through delusions, pregnancy or outright murder, was pretty chilling to watch unfold. Especially when combined with the anime’s psychedelic animation style!

#15: “Hellsing Ultimate” (2006-12)

Did someone call for hyper violent gunslinging vampires? Good, because one way or another, Alucard’s gonna show up. As the Hellsing Organization’s ace in the hole, the former count now spends his time blasting away everything else that goes bump in the night. While the violence is certainly crowd-pleasing at times, there are elements here that are as dark as you can get. Between Seras’ tormented history, the gruesome demise of numerous innocents, as well as the abundance of Nazi vampires, there is no stone this anime won’t touch in order to turn up the fear factor.

#14: “Corpse Party: Tortured Souls” (2013)

While many will point you in the direction of the original game, this OVA is still a great time if you want to see the bloody highlights, or just happen to be in the mood to see a group of unfortunate students find themselves transported into a haunted school. And unluckily for them, these particular ghosts prefer to do their hauntings via relentless stabbing. The brutality here is certainly on another level, making it for a very macabre viewing, but at least Sachiko is an entertaining villain…as far as homicidal ghost girls go!

#13: “School-Live!” (2015)

Anime high schools and zombie apocalypses tend to go hand in hand, though few have added a twist quite like this one. While Yuki believes herself to be enjoying another day at school with her close-knit friend group, the truth of the matter is that the world has gone to shit, and in effort to spare her already fractured mental-state, Yuki’s friends are doing everything possible to keep the truth away from her…while struggling to survive against the encroaching undead horde. Two types of dread for the price of one!

#12: “Devilman Crybaby” (2018)

Taking a classic famed for its unrelenting darkness and bringing it into the modern age is a timed and true practice for the medium, with middling results. Devilman stands at the very top, not only for its major upgrade in visuals, but for how it so fluidly conveyed the utter wretchedness of the world Akira inhabits. No other anime has painted such a bleak picture of humanity’s paranoia, aggressiveness, and madness. It’s certainly tough to watch at times, to the extent that by the end you’ll be begging to go back to watching Devilman ripping apart demons in a nightclub

#11: “Made in Abyss” (2017-22)

Don’t let the adorable designs of its main cast fool you, it’s just another tool that this beautifully horrific anime uses to inspire grief as they descend further into the titular abyss. Between the monsters they encounter, the effects of the curse and the lapsing morals of its denizens, there is no shortage of unsettling and upsetting vistas that Riko and Reg are forced to endure as they descend ever deeper in search of her missing mother. Just when you think you’ve gotten over everything that happened to Nanachi, Faputa enters the picture, and the cycle of trauma starts all over. And yet we still keep watching!

#10: “Umineko When They Cry” (2009)

Sharing its name with a much more iconic horror anime that we’ll get into later, "Umineko" is a respectable adaptation of 07th Expansion's visual novel. The story revolves around the Ushiromiya family, who meet up on an island retreat due to the patriarch being on his deathbed. This then springs into a murder mystery that’s heavy on mind-games and supernatural shenanigans. Sprinkling in several shockers and unanswered questions along the way, the anime's scares may be diluted, but when it hits, it hits pretty hard.

#9: “Shiki” (2010)

A slow-moving thriller about a group of vampires trying to take over a human village who refuse to acknowledge their existence, this one is not for the faint of heart. While only sporadically terrifying, "Shiki" rewards patience with an unforgettable final stretch of episodes that are unapologetically nihilistic and graphic. With challenging themes and realistic, if not necessarily likable characters, it subverts expectations by recontextualizing the idea of good and evil. Humanity and the shiki's capacity for horrific acts fuel the anime's psychological terror, culminating in a last act that is unsettling in its openness.

#8: “Angel's Egg” (1985)

Before directing the likes of "Ghost in the Shell," Mamoru Oshii released the almost impenetrable "Angel's Egg." Following a girl who lives in a desolate world and guards an egg, this bizarre classic is heavy on the symbolism and light on story or dialogue. As hard as the movie can be to decipher, it does feature a nightmarishly beautiful art style that is haunting on a primal level. The visuals are its most immediately gripping feature but the theme of lost faith also adds to the film's sense of isolation.

#7: “The Promised Neverland” (2019-21)

If you hadn’t guessed, we’re only talking about the first season. Centered around a group of orphans living at the seemingly idyllic Grace Field House, their image of a peaceful life goes up in flames when the oldest learn that their home is actually a farm that raises children as food for a monstrous species lurking just out of sight. With their own mother figure serving as an additional antagonist, heroes who have yet to hit puberty, and some of the creepiest facial expressions in anime, "The Promised Neverland" delivers its scares through constant suspense and an ever-present feel that something could and likely will go wrong at any second.

#6: “Parasyte” (2014-15)

Horror comes in many shapes and styles, with this series being the forerunner when it comes to gore and body disfiguration. When parasitic aliens take to using human bodies as makeshift homes, a timid teenager ends up with a talkative right hand. A character-driven psychological thriller with a lot of action and even bigger body count "Parasyte" does a great job balancing its separate elements, resulting in an anime that is accessible but also unique. While being scary is not always its main focus, "Parasyte" frequently ramps up the terror through its effective monster designs and blood-soaked kills.

#5: “Midori-Ko” (2010)

“The other” is a common theme in the horrorscape, but it usually comes in the form of an outsider interacting with the familiar. Putting aside a somewhat cute intro, "Midori-ko" is entirely devoted to the strange, crafting a world where everything is surreal and there are only traces of recognizable reality, mainly concerning the female main character. Grotesque entities, both human and vegetable-hybrids, populate Keita Kurosaka's ambitious and gorgeous work of art,presenting a universe where hunger has run rampant. The art style is already unsettling, but paired with its terrific sound design it becomes something that will make your blood chill.

#4: “Another” (2012)

Ever since a middle school student passed away, this class has been subjected to some rather peculiar incidents, even gaining a reputation for being cursed. Naturally, new transfer student Koichi transfers into said class, finding himself drawn to the enigmatic, eye-patch wearing Mei Misaki. And then the killing starts. "Another's" death scenes are so graphic and abundant that it could be dismissed as nothing more than a gorefest, but that is not completely fair. Its core mystery is sturdy enough that it will keep you roped in, all the while it conjures up more and more creative ways to have these unlucky souls meet an early grave. Don’t forget your umbrella.

#3: “Serial Experiments Lain” (1998)

An anime so ahead of its time that it was borderline prophetic in its prediction of the online world's influence on identity. While a lonely and timid girl in real life, Lain soon finds herself morphing into a destructive and cruel person on "The Wired," which is basically the internet on steroids. While perhaps not frightening in the traditional sense, it is consistently disconcerting, be it through its sparse but effective music, existential themes, or unexpected divergences. "Serial Experiments Lain" is unpredictable, unusual, but also strangely relatable, which makes the whole experience all that more unnerving.

#2: “Higurashi When They Cry” (2006-21)

In a nutshell - cute girls doing horrifying things. An anime that follows multiple timelines revolving around different and oh so dangerous waifus, Keiichi Maebara moves to a rural village that seems perfectly ordinary at first, but that could not be further from the truth. While the second season leans away from horror, "Higurashi’s" opening run features a constant cycle of bowls-emptying imagery, alarming reveals, foreboding, and flashes of visually-striking violence, with characters who seem capable of disturbing acts of insanity at any instance. Don’t eat the rice balls.

#1: “Perfect Blue” (1997)

Satoshi Kon's classic thriller is a tense look into the entertainment industry and the way a divide can occur between a person's reality and the characters they inhabit. When Mima decides to leave a pop idol group and become an actress, she is greeted with resistance from fans, a stalker, and internal conflict. "Perfect Blue's" biggest scares come courtesy of Me-Mania, Mima's hair-raising predator, whose relationship with reality is loose at best. Mima also grows increasingly incapable of distinguishing reality from fiction, which the film portrays to perfection, lending itself to transitions guaranteed to shatter psyches!


Did we miss any of your spine-tingling favorites? Let us know in the comments below!