For Horror Fans: Top 5 Creepiest Anime That Will Keep You Up At Night

Japanese filmmakers have always been a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre, and the anime industry is not lagging behind in this area. Most animated horror isn’t considered scary scary in the same way as, for example, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is. You won’t find a lot of blood-spilling maniacs and jumpscares in the genre. Instead, animators put stock in creating an unnerving atmosphere and unsettling imagery that stays with you.

Here are some of the best examples of J-horror anime that are guaranteed to freak you out.

5. Serial Experiments Lain (1998)

This sci-fi series is about a girl named Lain who spends a bit too much time online. It can be intense and terrifying, but more on an existential level, as the themes it tackles are philosophical in nature.

4. Shiki (2010)

Taking us back to the 90s, Shiki tells a tale of a group of villagers confronted with a series of bizarre deaths. At first, a local doctor blames the deaths on some sort of epidemic, but it soon becomes clear that something, or rather, someone much more dangerous is lurking in the shadows. Born out of the vampire craze started by Twilight, this series is far from your typical gothic fantasy. Shiki is dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.

3. Perfect Blue (1997)

Considered to be more of a thriller than a straight-up horror, this paranoid, trippy masterpiece follows a young idol-turned-actress Mima and her gradual descent into madness. This film is a tense psychological slow burn that will have you frantically shutting down all the curtains and double-checking all the locks.

2. Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)

Starting out as a typical shoujo high school story, this anime lulls you into a false sense of security with its quiet music and low-stakes drama. Then, all hell breaks loose, shocking the audience and leaving it wondering just what on earth happened that turned a bunch of normal, unassuming kids into... Well, see for yourself.

1. Made in Abyss (2017)

Another slow-burn entry on the list, Made in Abyss is real nightmare fuel. The anime follows the journey of two little children, Riko and Reg, as they venture into the world of the Abyss to find Riko's mother. This world is meticulously crafted with diverse environments and creatures, each creepier than the other. The design of the two protagonists in the anime is offensively cute, which somehow makes the horror at its epicenter all the more disturbing.

Japanese horror anime is often praised for its ability to build tension and create a sense of unease with atmospheric visuals, music, and sound effects. While not all of the anime mentioned above may instill deep dread into your soul, they will definitely make you lose sleep for a night or two.