Horror Anime Series To Watch If You Like Tokyo Ghoul

Horror-genre anime is not so popular due to its heavy gore and the possibility of psychological scarring. So Tokyo Ghoul created a major stride for the anime horror genre when it was popular enough to get its own video games and live action films. Its manga became known as a best seller in Japan and before we knew it, Hot Topic was selling shirts and wallets with the characters faces on them.

For those who like Tokyo Ghoul and are not afraid to dive deeper into the horror-genre of anime, here is a list of other shows to check out. Arguably for some anime fans, these are even better than Tokyo Ghoul.

Future Diary

Also known as Mirai Nikki, Future Diary is a story in which various individuals are aggressively competing in a survival game for the title of god. Every competitor has a diary with different powers and their goal is to kill each other off.

The main character Yuki, is an utter weakling but mentally and psychically. However, he finds that he can manipulate a psychopathic girl, Yuno Gasai, to protect him since she has feelings for him. She’s also a diary holder. What can go wrong?

When They Cry

The less you know when going into this show, the better. The story is told in arcs which are all connected by a big reveal.

What you can know is that a boy, Keiichi Maebara, moves into a rural town and friends his classmates and is off to a great start. However, he is inflicted with paranoia when he finds out the town has a dark history and a ton of secrets. His friends start acting suspicious and from there the show is just a wild ride.

Corpse Party: Tortured Souls

This is actually an anime OVA for the video game, Corpse Party. The four-episode OVA follows the story of the game with a unique (and horrifying) twist of its own at the end.

The game stands alone as an amazing piece of horror with a major cult following. However, you do not have to play the game to enjoy this anime. There is no exposition needed as it starts from the beginning of the story. The story? A bunch of teens get spirited away to a haunted elementary school and they are trying to find a way out.

Another

The story of Another was originally a mystery/horror novel which got a manga adaptation and then the anime. The story is about a student, Kōichi Sakakibara, that transfers to a new middle school. Everyone in the class slowly gets killed off for various reasons and he and his friend, Mei, find out that the reason for this occurrence might be paranormal.

The less said the better, as the plot is revolving around a mystery. It is definitely a horror show as well with a lot of violent imagery, especially when all goes buck-wild towards the end.

Danganronpa 3

We are not mentioning the original Danganronpa anime because it pales in comparison to its amazing game counterpart. If you want to get into the series, the games are the place to start. The original anime tells the story, but with terrible pacing and it does not let you do the investigations, hangout with your favorite characters, the trials, or anything that makes the story fun.

However, Danganronpa 3, the anime with no game counterpart, is the conclusion to the thrilling mystery-horror game series. It has good pacing and it’s not a game because it does not have the murder mystery trials.

Hell Girl

Hell Girl follows a different formula from most horror anime. Each episode tells a different story that leads a character to want revenge. What ties them all together is what is known as “Hell Girl” who is a spirit that will send your enemy to Hell if you are willing to sacrifice the future of your soul when you die.

There is an overarching story among all these little ones too. For example, answering the big question: Who is Hell Girl? She also has paranormal servants with very different powers and personalities. Who are they? The overarching plot is learning their very fascinating stories.

Berserk

This anime different a lot from the others listed because it is also an action-adventure-fantasy. It’s just so dark that it deserves horror squeezed in there with those genres though. The emotionally sensitive may have a difficult time watching this anime for its gore and intense violence. A mere taste of how Guts, the main character, was born is enough to give this anime a spot on a horror list. He was born out of a hanging corpse. So yes, this anime is not exactly family TV.

Elfen Lied

This story is a marriage between horror and dark science fiction. The story revolves around a species known as “Diclonii” which look human except for the little horns on their heads. What’s horrifying is what you do not see though, which are invisible arms on Diclonii’s backs that have the strength to stop, break, or do anything. One of their only limits are the number and length of invisible arms.

So as one can imagine, they are a major threat to the human race. The anime takes all this information and shows us a tragic love story.

Death Note

Any anime fan’s jaw would drop if they heard that you like Tokyo Ghoul but have never watched Death Note. Death Note is an anime classic. Its horror relies less on violence and more on the psychological.

A smart student, Light Yagami, finds a notebook in which any person’s name he writes in it will die. It’s a book for a death god, who dropped it and decided to see what would happen. Light gets the idea to use the book for good by killing off all criminals. But is justice ever that clean-cut and true?

Shiki

This is an anime about vampires, and don’t worry, it is definitely not a romance. In fact, it’s an about an all-out human versus vampire war filled with death. It takes place in a rural village where suddenly a lot of people are dying mysteriously. We soon learn that they are not actually dead and there is something more going on.

What is most interesting about the show is how different characters handle the situation. Some side with the vampires while others become their own kind of monster. Be warned though, this show has a really slow pace.