Halloween is finally upon us, and it’s the most wonderful time of year for lovers of all things horror. It’s the season of slashers, found-footage movies, and creature features, and everyone has their own little stable of horror classics on standby for the spooky season. But chances are, none of those movies or shows are anime. While modern anime love to use horror aesthetics to depict their worlds, like Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) or Chainsaw Man (2022), very few of them actually try to scare you or make your skin crawl. Even then, not all horror anime is actually scary, lest we forget the disaster that was Uzumaki (2024).
So if you’re searching through Crunchyroll or HIDIVE for something to dig up on All Hallows’ Eve, then consider these 10 spooky anime. Some of them are scary, gruesome, or unnerving to an uncomfortable degree, while others are shlocky trash that you can’t help but laugh at. Either way, consider these 10 shows highly recommended.
Dark Gathering (2023-Present)
Ghost stories are some of the oldest horror stories out there, but nowadays, they’re somewhat of a rarity. If you’ve been hunting for a modern ghost story that is solely focused on scaring you, then consider seeking out Dark Gathering.
Each of the ghosts present in Dark Gathering is terrifying. They’re shown as unfathomable beings that can’t be reasoned with and solely wish to cause harm to others. Because of that, the atmosphere is tense and filled with dread whenever these ghosts appear on screen. Yet, even when they’re gone, the human characters all have their own dark tendencies that make them almost as frightening as the spirits they contend with. There’s little levity in Dark Gathering, with ghosts that are as visually disturbing as the spirits from Ju-On: The Grudge (2002). With a second season on the way, if you wanted to get a head start on the 24-episode first season this Halloween, it certainly would fit the creepy mood of the season.
Pet Shop of Horrors (1999)
Pet Shop of Horrors excels at crafting dread. It’s the kind of anime where you know something terrible will happen in each of the show’s four episodes, but you’re not quite sure what that is until it’s too late.
Much like other anthological horror shows like The Twilight Zone (1959) or Tales From the Crypt (1989), each episode centers on a new person who enters the pet shop of Count D to find a new inhuman companion. Count D is a wonderful Faust analogue, always taking complete control of every scene he’s in and clearly and concisely explaining the care needed for each of his rare and monstrous animals. There’s an artistry and humanity present in each episode, making this a great series for those looking for simple yet elegant character pieces. And, of course, the karmic justice delivered when these animals are mistreated is simply delicious.
Hellsing: Ultimate (2006-2012)
Horror and action tend to go hand in hand, and over the course of Hellsing: Ultimate’s 10 episodes, horror fans are treated to a glorious war between vampires, psychotic Catholic priests, and Nazis. Hellsing: Ultimate is excessive, not only with the amount of violence on screen, but also for the sheer amount of curses characters will throw around at the drop of a hat. While the series starts slow, by the time it reaches the fourth episode, a full-on holy war begins, and every episode refuses to let up with one bombastic and sadistic action scene after another.
At the end of the day, the thing that keeps me coming back to Hellsing: Ultimate is how vile its villains are. The Major is one of the most hateable Nazis in all of fiction, right up there with Hans Landa from Inglorious Basterds (2009) and Amon Goeth from Schindler’s List (1993), and there’s nothing quite like watching our protagonists mutilate some Nazis. If you want some good ol’ Nazi slaying action this Halloween, Hellsing: Ultimate has you covered.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2001)
Hellsing: Ultimate may depict vampires as horrifying monsters, but it also presents them as awesome badasses. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is the exact opposite. In this hour and 45-minute movie, they’re shown as villains first and foremost, capable of unspeakable evil, who need to be eliminated.
What immediately strikes you when you first start Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is its beautiful Gothic imagery. The dark shadows, large looming buildings, and orchestral score all paint a stunning picture that will wash over you in much the same way Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) does. Not only is it a movie for vampire lovers, but fans of dark romances will also love the romance that develops between its vampiric villain and the heroine who loves him. There’s no getting around it: Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a beautiful and haunting anime that elevates the genre into a genuine art form.
Perfect Blue (1998)
Satoshi Kon was a master of psychological horror, and while he may have died way before his time, at the very least, he was able to leave us with one of the best anime psychological horror films of all time, Perfect Blue.
Perfect Blue is a slow-burning thriller where you, alongside the protagonist Mima, begin to question what’s real and what isn’t. It’s a surrealist look at the music industry that doesn’t hold back at just how awful it is. While it’s easy to compare the psychological degradation of its lead to Black Swan (2010), it actually has more in common with movies like The Neon Demon (2016), where the focus is on the darkness of the world rather than the darkness of the self. Things can get straight up bleak in Perfect Blue to the point where you really sympathize with Mima and the ordeal she’s put through and want her to survive, even if it's looking increasingly grim as the movie keeps going. It’s a wonderful psychological thriller that fans of dreamlike movies will easily gravitate toward.
Another (2012)
Something’s charming about movies like Final Destination Bloodlines (2025). They take themselves so seriously, but whenever they decide to kill off their cast, it’s always in the most over-the-top and ludicrous ways possible to the point of comedy. Another is basically an anime Final Destination movie, and that statement tells you everything you need to know about it.
Much like Hellsing: Ultimate, while Another takes some time to really get going, once the large cast of characters begin to meet their grizzly end, it soars. The deaths range from being grounded and tragic to relentlessly unrestrained. Each death is ultimately shocking, but they all feed into a larger mystery surrounding a curse that will keep you hooked and eager to figure out just what’s going on with Class 3-3. Yes, there are a fair share of plot holes that may leave you scratching your head, but if you just want to see comically violent deaths, Another has that in spades.
Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
Discussing Serial Experiments Lain isn’t exactly easy. That isn’t because of any particular grim imagery within the show, but rather because of how complex and overwhelming some of its themes can be.
Serial Experiments Lain is what you get if Blade Runner (1982) decided to wallow in nihilism. Reality seems to break down on a scene-by-scene basis, where audiences are constantly questioning if this shattering of perception is inherently good or not. The world of Serial Experiments Lain feels numb and lacking in meaning, but that’s all by design. It’s a show that only becomes more and more relevant each day as the prevalence of the internet grows and the use of AI is increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, whether we like it or not. It's a series that leaves a sinking feeling in your stomach that lingers far after its 13 episodes are over. Its bizarre imagery may not be for everyone, but if it clicks for you, you’ll be wired into it and unable to break away.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
If there’s one thing that’s abundantly clear after watching all 10 episodes of Devilman Crybaby, it’s that it hates the world and tries so hard to make you agree with its misanthropic attitude. And, more often than not, it’s successful.
While there are demons that slaughter innocent people in Devilman: Crybaby, the true villains of the show are mankind. People are frequently selfish, quick to violence, and if given the choice to give in to their basest desires, they will in a heartbeat. The philosophical discussions on humanity and the nature of good vs. evil help elevate this series from its trashy roots to paint a picture of abject misery. If you thought that the ending of The End of Evangelion (1997) was soul-crushing, you haven’t seen the ending of Devilman: Crybaby. It’s a brilliant tragedy that will evoke so many emotions that it deserves to be seen by anyone looking to feel emotionally dead inside this Halloween.
Parasyte -The Maxim- (2014-2015)
You don’t necessarily see anime body horror all too often, but those in search of inhuman anime monstrosities owe it to themselves to watch Parasyte -The Maxim-. Compared to most other horror anime on this list, Parastye -The Maxim- seems somewhat tame. Outside of a graphic introduction and a handful of freaky transformations, you won’t exactly see the same kind of mutations that made The Thing (1982) as memorable as it is. No, the real secret sauce of Parasyte -The Maxim- is in its psychological drama, which attempts to humanize its put-upon main character and the aliens attempting to invade Earth.
It’s a series that isn’t afraid to ask existential questions about what it means to be human, much in the same way that Death Parade (2015) frequently posits its own questions about the nature of humanity. It’s a thinking man’s horror series, and those willing to engage with the show’s deeper questions about life and death will find a lot to enjoy with Parasyte -The Maxim-.
Ghost Stories (2000-2001)
Okay, I’ll admit, Ghost Stories is rarely, if ever, scary. There’s plenty of spooky imagery, but it’s all relatively tame considering that the original Japanese version of the series was meant to be approachable for children. And then the Americans got hold of Ghost Stories, and it became something else entirely.
If you watch the English dub of Ghost Stories, you’ll be greeted with one of the most politically incorrect, messed-up comedies that does everything in its power to make you laugh. And it’s an absolutely magical experience. This is a series where a kid yells at his younger brother to run as if Michael Jackson is chasing him. The English dub throws offensive joke after joke at the wall just to see what sticks, and it isn’t afraid about who takes issue with it. If you’ve become tired of how South Park (1997) is more interested in social commentary than just telling foul jokes, and you just want a comedy that revels in poor taste, then Ghost Stories will easily fill that void.
