Psychological horroranimedoesn’t just try to shock you but makes you question everything that you know is true. This leads to some interesting twists and turns as you slowly begin to uncover the truth behind some horrific incidents.
The genre also loves to shake its main characters to their core as the horrors they face change how they view the world or force them to deal with their inner demons. From a string of murders that just keep repeating themselves to creepy revenge sites where you may have someone sent directly to hell, these are the eight best psychological horror anime.
8Higurashi: When They Cry
Another Day Another Death
Higurashi is a fascinating case. It has its bloody disgusting moments and even some scenes that you will need to look away from, but the story is worth it all. Characters will murder each other only for them to be back in a brand-new story as soon as the previous one ends.
However, everything has a purpose. The mini-arcs are divided between question and answer arcs. Question arcs will provide a scenario where horrible things go down. Meanwhile, answer arcs will provide key details you never got to see from those original arcs. As you get further into the anime, there might just be a way to defy fate.
7Neon Genesis Evangelion
When Mecha Turns Into Horror
Neon Genesis Evangelion starts off like any other mecha anime. Shinji realizes he can pilot a mecha known as an Eva and fights off malevolent creatures known as Angels. The day is saved, and it’s only a matter of time before another one attacks.
It isn’t long before the anime switches tone entirely. The Angels are revealed to be even more sinister than originally thought and psychological trauma from each of the main protagonists starts to bubble up. Even on a shoestring budget, the animation perfectly conveys the external and internal horrors Shinji, Asuka, and Rei need to face. Like the Evas themselves, this is horror in disguise.
6Hell Girl
How Much Is Your Soul Worth?
If you ever find yourself wanting revenge, there is a website you can go to make contact with an entity known as Hell Girl. This is the premise of the anime with the same name. Hell Girl’s plots always revolve around an individual who is facing some horrible situation in their life.
In some cases, they owe money to some devious people, while other times they are tormented by bullies. Hell Girl offers a way to get revenge on those with the condition that you will be doomed to go to Hell at the end of your life. While the individual stories are interesting enough, Hell Girl’s history as a spirit also reveals some secrets best left buried.
5Perfect Blue
A Killer Industry
The acting industry can be quite brutal. Perfect Blue is a psychological horror anime that sheds some light on these problems. When a J-Pop performer, Mima Kirigoe, wants to get into acting, not everyone is thrilled by the news. This spawns one of the most terrifying things anyone with a bit of fame would hate to deal with; a stalker.
This isn’t your ordinary stalker though, as things get deadly and another version of Mima threatens to take her place. As the body count starts to rise and Mima’s paranoia consumes her life, she questions if she has been unknowingly causing all the deaths in her productions.
4Shiki
A Vampire’s Soul
Oneterrifying vampire animethat also delves into the psychology of becoming a bloodsucking ghoul is Shiki. When a mysterious family moves into a Japanese village, the citizens begin disappearing. These murders soon escalate and while this is enough to scare off anyone, it’s the psychological aspect that is even more terrifying.
These vampires may be killers, but Shiki reveals complex layers to the situation. While some embrace the bloodlust, others struggle to latch on to their humanity before finally giving in. It’s really up to you to decide who to side with. Whether you choose humans or vampires, the series and the imagery will stick with you long after the final episode.
3Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Magical Girls Into Witches
Magical Girlsare supposed to embody positive energy and the triumph of good over evil. Puella Magi Madoka Magica takes this concept and gives it a few unexpected twists. On the surface level, the premise is still the same, but the enemies they face and the situations the girls find themselves in are much more dangerous than they appear.
Madoka Magica doesn’t attempt to hit you with grotesque imagery or jumpscares, the true horror comes from the truth behind the Witches that attack Japan. The situation only becomes deadlier when one of their own meets an unfortunate and surprising end, shedding light on the dangers of being a Magical girl.
2Monster
Who Deserves To Live?
Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? It’s a difficult question, but one that neurosurgeon Kenzo Tenma takes it upon himself to decide the answer to. When he saves the life of a pair of twins over the life of a politician, Tenma believes he has made the correct choice.
However, when the boy, Johan, is revealed to be a murderer, Tenma must put a stop to the homicides and make up for his mistake. Monster is not only a good psychological thriller but a horror story as well. Not all monsters look the same and some take the form of the most helpless.
1Elfen Lied
When Humanity Is Chipped Away
Psychic characters are a real treat insupernatural fiction. Some of them can move objects with their minds, while others can blow up your head with a flick of their fingers. Elfen Lied follows an entity known as Lucy, who struggles with the ugliness the world has to offer.
As the last bit of light slips through her fingers, what ensues is a bloodbath of epic proportions. While Lucy might be a monster, you can’t help but sympathize with her as you watch the trauma that made her the way she is. Even then, the anime will leave you shocked to the core, as both good and evil characters are killed off without hesitation.
