Viewer discretion is advised.
Anime may get pretty unhinged sometimes, which is one of the reasons we love this type of media so much. We’re not always in the mood for something chill and relaxing. And if this time’s come for you, here’s a list of great series you might want to try out.
- Elfen Lied (2004)
Although this anime is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, it doesn’t mean it should be forgotten. This is a true anime horror classic that you just have to watch if you’re into the genre.
Lucy is a Diclonius, a special breed of humans with supernatural abilities. Her invisible telekinetic hands can become deadly to a poor soul who wishes her harm.
Lucy was tortured and experimented on, so once she gets a chance to escape, she takes it, leaving a trail of blood and corpses behind her.
MyAnimeList score: 7.47
- Made in Abyss (2017)
This anime is notorious for being one of the most disturbing series out there. Although it might not feel this way when you first start watching it, give it a chance, and Made in Abyss will surprise you with all sorts of horrors.
Abyss is a giant hole stretching deep into the Earth. Only the bravest Divers are ready to explore this place.
Riko lives just beside the Abyss and dreams of exploring the depths of it, just like her mother. When an unsettling message arrives, Riko has no choice but to travel to the Abyss, accompanied by a boy robot, Reg.
MyAnimeList score: 8.65
- Deadman Wonderland (2011)
Fans are still upset that this anime never got Season 2, they wanted the madness to keep going.
Ganta and his class are getting ready for a class field trip to Deadman Wonderland, a prison amusement park. The trip goes terribly wrong as all of his classmates are massacred by a mysterious man in red. Framed for the incident and sentenced to death, Ganta is sent to the very jail he was supposed to visit.
MyAnimeList score: 7.14
- Tokyo Ghoul (2014)
We’re sure you’ve heard that Tokyo Ghoul is a terrible anime adaptation and the manga is better. While these accusations are mostly true, Season 1 of the series is still worth watching.
Kaneki used to be a regular college student, who just wanted to take a girl out for dinner. But the evening went unexpectedly wrong, and Kaneki became dinner himself, when his date, Rize, revealed herself to be a ghoul.
Kaneki managed to get away, while Rize met her death. The boy was taken to a hospital, where doctors transplanted Rize’s organs into his body, turning him into a half-ghoul.
MyAnimeList score: 7.79
- Another (2012)
If you’re into supernatural horrors with lots of mysteries and secrets, this one might be just for you.
Kouichi wasn’t in class for a month because of his illness. When he finally recovers and comes back to school, a new classmate catches his interest. Mei is quiet and very mysterious, but what’s even more puzzling is that other classmates don’t seem to acknowledge her existence. Meanwhile, strange and frightening things start to happen.
MyAnimeList score: 7.47
Keiichi’s just moved to a new village, where he was quick to make new friends. But his seemingly peaceful life is clouded by a dark turn of events. The village holds an annual festival, which is accompanied by a series of mystical and grim incidents.
When Keiichi asks his new friends about them, they seem suspiciously quiet. He starts questioning everything, but is eager to learn the truth about this mystery and uncover some dark secrets, which lead him to the origin of the festival and the local god it is dedicated to.
MyAnimeList score: 7.88
- The Future Diary (2011)
This anime used to be a big deal back in the day. Although now a lot of fans consider it overly-edgy, they still can’t forget one of the craziest and most entertaining female leads, Yuno.
Yukiteru is a normal shy school student with a hobby of writing down everything that happens to him in his phone diary. But one day he discovers that his diary can actually predict the future, and he’s dragged into a battle royale with other diary users.
Who would’ve thought that the eccentric and absolutely insane Yuno is his best ally now, since her diary can predict Yukiteru’s future.
MyAnimeList score: 7.40
- Shiki (2010)
Outstanding suspense, vampires, deaths and gore ― you’ll find all of that in Shiki, and you’re going to love the anime for how dark it truly is.
A small town, where everyone knows each other, a mysterious death, and tons of secrets. Shiki has everything a respectful horror should have.
Megumi is a young girl who dies unexpectedly from an unnamed illness. But she’s not the only one, others follow suit, and the town’s doctor starts suspecting that something more than a simple illness is going on here.
MyAnimeList score: 7.73
- Dark Gathering (2023)
If you’re looking for something rather new, then you should try out Dark Gathering.
Due to an encounter with a spirit, Keitarou’s right hand is cursed now. But this is not the beginning of Parasyte, this series is different.
Keitarou doesn’t want the curse to dictate his life, so he tries to be as normal as possible. His friend encourages him to become a private tutor, and his first client turns out to be Yayoi, a girl with two pupils in each eye, who can see into the spirit world.
MyAnimeList score: 7.85
- Chainsaw Man (2022)
If you still haven’t seen one of the best modern shounens out there, then what are you waiting for? Chainsaw Man will definitely shock you with a lot of explicit content, but you’ll enjoy every bit of it.
Denji’s struggling with life. He has no friends, no family, and his only companion is a pet devil Pochita, who helps him deal with small devils and make a living.
When Denji is betrayed by the mafia he’s been working for, he’s on the verge of death. But Pochita merges with the man, turning him into a devil hybrid.
MyAnimeList score: 8.51