17. Angels of Death
Based on an adventure horror video game of the same name, theAngels of Deathanime series features a survival game-like setting to which Rachel is confined, with each floor level having different obstacles and challenges to pass—including Zack, a serial killer.
The plot may seem like a normal anime series on paper, but there’s a darker edge beneath their motivations for going forward and escaping the building. Also, there’s a pact made that only Zack will kill Rachel, leading to an unusual relationship dynamic within the chaotic plot.
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16. Neon Genesis Evangelion
At first, you might just assumeNeon Genesis Evangelionis your typical mecha anime with giant robots fighting for Earth. And sure, that does describe its basic plot, but there’s so much more to it than that.
Neon Genesis Evangelioncenters on humanity’s last stand against the incoming “angels” that aren’t actually holy angels from heaven but monsters that destroy worlds.
Earth has one last line of defense: the Evas, which are robotic creatures piloted by individuals who are often way too young.
Neon Genesis Evangelionis a visual treat with badass fights and cool mecha designs, but if you dig into the story, you’ll find pieces of lore that add up to a surprisingly dark premise.
From the truth about the Second Impact and the Human Instrumentality Project to the psychological trauma experienced by the characters from their own losses and depression,Neon Genesis Evangelionreally is one of the darkest anime series.
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15. Made in Abyss
No one knows what the “Abyss” has in store, yet people keep sending others to dive deep down—all without any care as to whether they come back alive or not.
This plot in theMade in Abyssseries is what makes it dark, featuring ideas like the “Curse of the Abyss,” “Birthday Death Disease,” and human experimentation to find out what’s beyond the unknown.
Made in Abyssis the anime adaptation of the manga series of the same name that was written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi.
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14. Attack on Titan
You’ve probably heard ofAttack on Titan. It’s popular, it’s badass, and it’s violent. The story about Titans threatening the last remnants of humanity is based on Hajime Isayama’s manga of the same name.
There are a number of elements that makeAttack on Titandarker than most anime series, including the gruesome deaths of many Corps members and the gory depictions of Titans eating humans. If you can’t stomach body horror, you may not be able to watch this one.
Later on in the story, there’s a lot of political intrigue and psychological exploitation that injects an even deeper level of darkness.
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13. Tokyo Ghoul
The blood and gore inTokyo Ghoulmay not be as bad as some other series—likeAttack on Titan—but the battle of Ken Kaneki in his own mind contributes to the psychologically disturbing element of the series.
There are also other characters who have the same kind of trauma, including Hinami, Amon, and Kurona, who have witnessed the disturbing deaths of their loved ones.
The seriesTokyo Ghoulwas based on the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Sui Ishida.
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12. Happy Sugar Life
One of the ways a dark anime series hides its true nature is to incorporate cute characters into the story. For example,Happy Sugar Life. This anime is an adaptation of the manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Tomiyaki Kagisora.
Happy Sugar Lifefeatures Sato Matsuzaka, a teenage girl who loves a young girl named Shio and is dedicated to doing anything for her. This simple story masks the mystery and darkness of the plot, which is filled with hidden murderous and suicidal intents.
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11. Berserk
While the animation in the 2016 anime adaptation ofBerserklooks modern and cool, the 1997 anime adaptation comes across as much darker because of its classic art style.
That said, both adaptations feature tons of brutal and disturbing scenes, accompanied by a heavy and oppressive ambiance.
The story revolves around Guts, a mercenary who hunts evil beings and monsters, especially the high ranking ones (the so-called God Hand). It explores the trauma of being sacrificial humans as well as the stories of his fellow mercenaries and their dark backstories.
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10. Higurashi: When They Cry
Want to dive into murder mystery stories that are far darker and more chaotic than what you’d find in traditional murder mystery anime series? ThenHigurashi: When They Cryis the anime series for you.
Higurashi: When They Cryis adapted from a visual novel game of the same name, and it covers the story arcs of those games.
It has tons of violent and disturbing scenes, from murders and rage to people losing their sanity. It also creatively combines superstition, science fiction, and mystery to give us unexpected plot twists.
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9. Redo of Healer
Redo of Healeris an anime adaptation of the light novel series written by Rui Tsukiyo and illustrated by Shiokonbu. It centers on Keyaru, a healing mage who was abused—physically, mentally, and sexually—by several heroes and guards in his life.
Unbeknownst to them, the low-level healing mage finds a way to turn the tables and exact revenge on everyone who did harm to him—by using the Philosopher’s Stone to go back in time four years.
TheRedo of Healeranime series features many scenes that you’d never see in typical shonen anime, including explicit content.
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8. Another
If you’re into paranormal horror,Anotheris a must-watch anime series. It’s based on a horror novel of the same name by Yukito Ayatsuji.
The story follows Koichi Sakakibara and his encounter with a mysterious girl.
The animation is both unsettling and disturbing, which makes the series thrilling in a dark way. The plot is one of the creepiest you’ll encounter in anime, made creepier by its setting and sound design.
The horror in the series makes it not suitable for young audiences, as it involves topics mainly surrounding death.
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7. Devilman Crybaby
Devilman Crybabyis an original net animation based on the manga seriesDevilmanby Go Nagai. It features a world where demons freely roam, disguising themselves as human beings through possession.
But some people manage to overpower the demon possessing them and take control of their powers. These people are the Devilmen.
The series' unconventional animation features disturbing and explicit scenes and graphic content, along with the violence in the plot and story, making it a truly dark anime.
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6. The Future Diary
Love, survival, and death. These three elements are the major focal points of theFuture Diaryanime series, which centers on a survival game that’s run by the God of Time and Space.
The deaths and the body horror—like when Yuno Gasai goes on her frequent killing sprees—are badass yet brutal. On top of that, you have a dark plot that involves emotional trauma and psychological horror, full of twists up until the very last episode.
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5. Hellsing Ultimate
Wherever there’s a vampire, there’s also blood. And given thatHellsingcenters on vampiric characters, you can expect tons of blood here, making it a perfect entry among dark anime series.
Apart from its bloody premise theme,Hellsingis also packed with intense fights where Alucard does what he does best: killing his victims while laughing maniacally, the last thing they ever hear.
If you’re going to watchHellsing, you should definitely watchHellsing Ultimateinstead, which was a rebooted effort that stuck more closely to the story in the original manga and more faithfully brought out the full darkness in its premise.
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4. Hell Girl
Death and revenge are the two main topics featured in theHell Girlanime series. What makes this series even darker is how it twists both death and revenge in unusual ways.
Hell Girlcenters on the character of Ai Enma, a girl who runs a website called Hell Correspondence. Its clients are people who want to exact revenge on those who have done them harm.
And as if by magic, they get what they wish for when they submit requests to Hell Correspondence: their targets experience traumatic, agonizing pain (courtesy of Ai Enma’s team) before they die.
However, this comes with a great cost: when the client dies, they will also be sent to hell. What goes around comes around, right?
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3. Aoi Bungaku
Aoi Bungakuis an anthology anime series that features some of Japan’s best literary stories. More specifically, six stories are portrayed across the twelve episodes of the series.
InAoi Bungaku, you’ll encounter themes of isolation, being cast aside, fear, desires, guilt, greed, and suicide, which are all rooted in the following Japanese stories:
Aoi Bungakustarts off like any normal anime, but beware! As the story goes on, unsettling twists start to unfold.Aoi Bungakugives us an easy way to appreciate these well-known works of Japanese art.
2. Monster
Naoki Urasawa’sMonsteris a work of art when it comes to horror anime because the horror in this series isn’t supernatural or paranormal.
Instead,Monsteris disturbing in the way it explores ideas of humanity’s morals, greed, guilt, innocence, and flaws, which are all exploited by the “monster” who toys with the people around him.
From triggering suicide and persuading murder to pulling off the perfect crimes, the titular “monster” of the series—Johan Liebert—manipulates others and plays with their lives while showing no remorse for their sufferings and deaths.
Johan Liebert is one of the most tragic and darkest characters in all of anime, andMonsteris one of the most brutal anime series out there.
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1. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
Junji Ito, who’s famous for his terrifying manga stories, has finally been getting the recognition he deserves thanks to the work of Studio Deen in bringing his stories to life in anime form.
Back in 2018, we got theJunji Ito Collectionanthology, which adapted 24 of his stories into 12 episodes, plus an additional OVA that adapted one of his most famous stories of all time:Tomie.
In 2023, we got another anthology inJunji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, which is available to stream on Netflix. This one adapted another 19 stories into 12 episodes.
While Junji Ito is most known for his horrifically disturbing art style, these stories are all darkened further by the unsettling psychological horror that brews beneath the surface.
What if you were stuck in a never-ending dream? Or turned into a doll? Or if there was actually a Souichi stalking you? These might all sound tame, but the genius of Junji Ito rests in how he infuses all these ideas with a terrifying energy that infects your mind.
If you’re looking for the darkest anime series, it’s hard to think of anyone who could go darker than Junji Ito himself.
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