
Anime Series are a great source of joy. We have a list of horror anime series for horror lovers as well as anime lovers. Anime series are based on the Japanese Manga series and Japan is the origin of anime. There are many genres which audiences can enjoy and the same goes for horror anime. Here is a list of some of the most famous Anime horror series which you should watch.
Checkout: 9 Best Zombie Anime Series for Horror Genre Fans
1: Hell Girls (2005-2017):

Hell Girls is one of the Japanese horror anime series that focuses on revenge. The anime series is based on a supernatural system that allows people to take revenge. These people can send their rivals to hell by using little creatures. However, the twist is, the people who take revenge also go to hell in the end. The themes of this Japanese anime series are revenge, hate and injustice.
2: Terra Formars (2014-2016):

It is one of the anime series which is based on manga of the same name. The series is about human efforts to terraform Mars. Mars is infected by humans like cockroaches which are extremely powerful. They have the ability to evolve rapidly and it is not easy to eradicate them.
The humans think this can be a threat to them so they send a team of genetically modified humans to Mars. The mission of the team is to finish the cockroaches and save the planet. Terraforms have two seasons and each season has 13 episodes. It is one of the popular horror anime series.
3: School-Live (2012-2019):

School Live is a Japanese Manga series and an anime adaptation was aired in 2015. The story revolves around Yuki who is a cheerful high school girl but she is delusional. Zombie outbreaks in the city and everyone including teachers and students are infected with it. Some of Yuri’s friends try their best to save her from infection but she thinks everything is fine and healthy. The number of episodes is 12.
4: Umineko When They Cry (2009):

It is one of the horror anime series adapted from a visual novel. It consists of 26 episodes. The story of “Umineko no Naku Koro ni” focuses on the life of a wealthy family famously known as the Ushiromiya family. They gather on an island to discuss their family inheritance.
However, someone starts murdering the members and they all are stuck on the island. These murders are mysterious and Battler who is the lead character starts investigating the murders and the mystery behind these murders. It is a psychological horror anime with lots of suspense and mystery.
5: Highschool of the Dead :

It is one of the Japanese anime series based on manga of the same name. The genre of the anime is horror-action. The story is set in modern-day Japan where because of a virus humans start turning into Zombies. The anime is about a group of high school students and their school nurse who have to fight for survival and they try to find a safe place.
It is one of the Anime horror series which remained uncompleted because of the sudden death of the manga author.
6: Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust :

It is one of the Japanese anime films and a sequel to the original Vampire Hunter D anime film. The story is about a half-human and half-vampire who is a bounty hunter. He is hired by a wealthy family to save their daughter from the powerful vampire. The bounty hunter is joined on his quest by a group of vampire hunters but they all soon realize that they were underestimating the villain.
It is a critically acclaimed film and is considered one of the best vampire-themed anime films of all time. The genre is fantasy, horror and action.
7: Deadman Wonderland (2011):

The story is set in Tokyo which is destroyed after a massive earthquake. After that, a new prison which is called “Deadman Wonderland” is built. The inmates have to participate in deadly games in order to earn credits and through these credits, they can buy basic necessities.
Ganta is the main character who is falsely accused of murdering his entire class. As a punishment, he is sent to Deadman Wonderland. After reaching there, he discovers that he has a special power which allows him to control his blood and he can use it as a weapon.
Just like other inmates, Gants is forced to participate in the deadly games. The public watch these games for entertainment. He meets with other inmates who have similar powers and they join hands to survive the cruel games. The anime has 12 episodes and it has a dark and intense atmosphere.
8: Corpse Party: Tortured Souls :

It is one of the Horror anime series which is adapted from a survival horror video game “Corpse Party”. The video game was released in 1996. The anime is focused on the lives of a group of high school students who are trapped in an elementary school. The school is hunted and they are trapped because of a ritual which they performed.
The anime has graphic violence and disturbing content and it is not recommended for a younger audience.
9: Elfen Lied (2004) :

It is one of the popular horror anime series. The story revolves around a genetically mutated species of humans called Diclonius. This species possesses telekinetic powers and are being hunted down by the government. The main character of the anime is also a Diclonius named Lucy and she is captivated in a research facility. She manages to escape and is discovered by a young man Kouta.
The series has graphic violence and nudity and it is a revenge anime.
10: Tokyo Ghoul (2014) :

It is one of the popular Japanese anime series which is based on manga of the same name. It has three seasons. Season one and two have 12 episodes while season three has 24 episodes.
The story is focused on a world where ghouls and humanoid creatures live among humans. They disguised themselves as humans so no one would be able to recognize them. The main character of the anime is Ken Kaneki who is a college student. He has become a half-ghoul after having an encounter with one of these creatures. The series focuses on his life and struggles to accept his new identity and survive in a world which hates his kind.
11: Paranoia Agent (2004) :

It is one of the psychological thriller anime series. The story is about a young boy who is rumoured to be attacking people with a golden baseball bat. As the rumour spread, everyone in the city of Tokyo is frightened. The series explores different characters which are connected to the main characters and the way his attacks affect them. The series explores the dark side of human nature. It has 13 episodes.
12: The Promised Neverland (2019-2021):

The Promised Neverland is an anime series adapted from manga of the same name. The story is about a group of orphans who live in an orphanage. The main character of the anime is Emma. They soon realize that their life is actually a lie. The orphanage is a farm where they are being raised as food for demons. Emma and her friends start struggling to escape from the orphanage and they want to expose the truth to the world.
The plot of the anime is suspenseful and it is praised by the audience. There are two seasons of the anime
13: Perfect Blue (1997):

It is one of the psychological thriller anime films. The film is about a former pop singer and her struggle with her identity. She is stalked by a fan and struggles between reality and fantasy. It is considered a masterpiece in the anime genre.
14: Monster (2004):

It is one of the horror anime series which is critically acclaimed. It is based on the manga of the same name. The series is about a talented young doctor Kenzo who saves the life of a young boy Johan. After Kenzo witnesses many mysterious and gruesome events, he realizes that Johan is not an innocent child and there is a monster hidden in him.
Now the purpose of Kenzo life is to reveal the mystery behind Johan’s past and stop him from causing more harm. There are many other interesting and complex characters in the series. It is considered one of the best horror anime and it is a psychological thriller.
15: Another (2012):

“Another” is a horror anime series that was released in Japan in 2012 and consists of 12 episodes. The story is set in a small town called Yomiyama. A curse seems to afflict the local middle school in the town. The curse is known as “Class 3-3,” and it causes students and faculty members to die in mysterious and gruesome ways. The curse is the result of a student death who died many years ago and every year it chooses a new victim.
The main character of the series is Koichi who is a new student in the town and enrolls in the same class. He gets to know about the curse and what it can do to people. Koichi decides to uncover the truth behind the curse to end it. The atmosphere of the anime series is suspenseful and dark and there is graphic violence and disturbing imagery.
16: When They Cry:

It is one of the horror anime series based on a visual novel of the same name. The story is about a young boy Keiichi who moves to a rural village and befriends a group of girls from his school. The story progresses with a dark turn when Keiichi get to know about the town’s past and the strange and horrifying events that occurred there. As he investigates further, he finds himself in a cycle of violence and tragedy which repeat every year. The horror anime is known for its psychological horror and mystery elements.
17: Shiki (2010):

It is one of the anime horror series. The story of this horror anime takes place in the small isolated village of Sotoba. The village is surrounded by mountains and forests. A strange family moves into a long-abandoned mansion. The villagers start getting ill and after illness, they die but rise again as vampires.
A team of a doctor and high school students start investigating the cause of strange deaths. The vampires have taken over the village and there are inner conflicts between them.
18: Hellsing Ultimate (2006-2012):

It is one of the popular horror anime series based on the manga series and consists of 10 episodes. Each episode is 50 minutes long.
The story of Hellsing Ultimate is about Hellsing Organization. It is a secret organization which is led by Integra Hellsing. It is dedicated to protecting England from supernatural threats, particularly vampires. The series has intense action and graphic violence. It is considered a classic in anime. However, due to its graphic violence and themes, it is not recommended for children and sensitive audiences of any age.
19: Parastye: The Maxim:

The story of this horror anime follows the high school student Shinichi Izumi whose right hand is taken over by a parasitic alien named Migi. Due to this, he has acquired power. Together, they must fight off other parasitic aliens which are taking over human hosts.
20: Devilman Crybaby (2018):

Devilman Crybaby is a Japanese anime series which is based on the manga series Devilman. It is one of the Anime horror series which is available on Netflix.
The story is about a king-hearted high school student Akira who becomes a Devilman after merging with a demon named Amon. He gets new abilities but now he has to face lots of challenges. One of the biggest threats is demons. Akira has to deal with his own internal struggles as it is hard for him to deal with his dual identity.
21: Angel’s Egg (1985):

It is one of the philosophical anime films which explores the themes of existentialism, religion and the nature of human existence.
The film revolves around a young girl who is seen carrying a large egg through a desolate and haunting world. She meets a mysterious man who is also wandering through the same world. They move on together to uncover the secrets of the egg and the world around them.
It is one of the famous horror anime which is also considered a classic.
22: Serial Experiments Lain (1998):

It is one of the psychological thriller anime series. It consists of 13 episodes. This anime series explores the blurred lines between virtual reality, reality and the human psyche. The story is about Lain who is a shy and introverted teenager. She becomes fascinated with the global communication network that connects everyone and everything. She becomes curious and delves deeper into the network named Wired. She comes to know that there is a conspiracy involving the nature of reality and the true purpose of the network.
This is our list of best horror anime series, how many have you watched? Do you think, there are some other horror anime which people should watch? You should share them in the comment section.