Top 50 Best Psychological Horror Anime Of All Time

Considered as one of the best psychological series, Mushishi also deals with themes like the supernatural and adventure. The series is based on a manga series which is written by Yuki Urushibara.

It tells us the story of a man whose name is Ginko. He has dedicated his life so that he can keep the people of his village protected from a supernatural creature whose name is Mushi.

This story is set in an imaginary time that goes on between the period of Edo and Meiji. The protagonist Ginko has a green eye and is able to see a lot of Mushi and also has the power of attracting them.

At last, he has described Mushi as not the one who is evil but trying to survive like everyone else in the world.

Attack On Titan is definitely one of the best psychological horror anime. It carries the theme of action and dark fantasy and one can get it from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

The story is related to Eren who was a trained soldier but his mother was killed by Titans. He, later on, discovers that he can change into a Titan.

On the other hand, the government tries to use its power and that's how a new kind of Titan emerges and threatens humanity.

With themes like thriller and dark fantasy, the series called the Promised Neverland came in 2019. It follows the story of a thousand years when an agreement called The Promise was done to end the war that was happening between humans and demons.

Through this agreement, humans are allowed to live free from demons and Demons are also living in a world where humans are providing them food.

The character is called Mother who takes care of some orphan children and makes them Intelligent but does not know the outer world.

Instead of getting the adaptation, these children were eaten by the demons and that's how the story goes.

Mononoke is an anime series that was directed by Kenji Nakamura (season 1). With the ghost story and psychological horror, the series also provides mystery to its audience.

The series is related to the character who is a medicines seller. He faces a lot of supernatural occurrences and power around him that make for quite mysterious surroundings.

The story takes place between the period of Edo and Meiji. At that time, Japan was divided into four class systems with samurai being the highest one.

The lowest one is considered to be a Merchant, and when it comes to Samurai then they are also permitted to carry swords.

Known by many as one of the most horrifying series in anime history, we have Mononoke. This series is appreciated by many as the one that will portray the worst of what anime has to offer.

The horror in this show isn't just limited to being focused on jumpscares. Instead, the show hurts you from the inside. 

Coming for the first time in 2006, the series has themes like psychological and action with some horror. The series is the adaptation of its previous release called Hellsing and was based upon a manga of the same name.

The story is related to a creature who is considered very evil and dark. So, to destroy the creature and some supernatural forces, an organization was founded called Hellsing.

They are on a mission of destroying all the existence that is there to threaten the Humanities. The head of this organization is Fairbook Hellsing who can command some powerful military and can give her whole life to this task.

The battle starts and Hellsing proved their appearance to the most.

Erased is also known as Boku Dake ga Inai Machi and came for the first time in 2016. The series is based on a manga series written by Kei Sanbe and one can have access through Aniplus Asia.

The story is related to a young man named Satoru Fujinuma. This young man has an ability which is called Revival.

Through the help of Revival, he was sent back to any time before a big incident, so that he can stop those incidents from happening.

He was sent 18 years back when his mother died and was allowed to save his mother and also save the three friends who were kidnapped in his childhood.

It is an animated performance from Japan that has action and also a psychological thrill in it. The series was written by Gen Urobuchi and came under the direction of Ei Aoki (Season 1).

The strong is related to a Japanese city called Fuyuki City. It tells the story related to the Fourth Holy Grail War.

It is not a tournament where different people, who are said to be Masters, call the servants and different kinds of spirits from all the time.

The spirits who were summoned had a battle and they fought each other to get the Holy Grail. Holy Grail is nothing but a magical thing that can make any wish come true.

Re: Zero - Starting Life In Another World is a series based on a light novel written by Tappei.

Along with the psychological thriller, the story also has adventure and came for the first time in 2016. The focus of the story is on the character Subaru Natsuki.

One day he gets transported to another world when he was going to a convenience store to buy something.

When he arrived in a fantasy world he was killed, suddenly, while helping Emili. Emili is a candidate who will become the next ruler of the kingdom.

When Subaru dies, he realizes he has the power of coming back to life whenever he wants.

From The New World is a Japanese anime series that came out in 2012. Along with psychological horror, the series also goes with adventure and drama.

It is related to the time around 1000 years ago when humanity was living a pastoral life. The character Saki has come of age and has power through meditation and hypnosis.

She joined a class called Unified Class where the learning about power and the world goes on. She, with her friends, has the same curiosity and decided to go after the truth of the Unified Class and the power.

It is a Japanese television series that was directed by Ryutaro Nakamura (season 1). The series has a psychological element with cyberpunk and was written by Chiaki.

It focuses on the character, Lain, who is a girl in Japan. She has a relation to Wired, a global communication network, but not the internet.

The Wired has supported all human communication and was expanded with cyberspace and network. The series explores some philosophical imagery and also covers the topics like reality, communication, and identity.

Akira is an anime series that has a lot of action and psychic powers with science fiction. The series came for the first time in 1988.

Akira is the character who came into the world when a disaster happened. Since everything was destroyed in the City, the character Kaneda and his friend Testsu survived by having the companion of a biker gang.

The story changes when Tetsu was taken away by a person and when he came back he was no longer a weak little boy.

He used to get bullied but now, he shows who is the Boss.

It is an anime series that came for the first time on 11 July 2014. The series have themes like terror and psychological mystery and suspense.

The story revolves around a terrorist attack that happened in Japan and the government is totally devastated by this act.

Police are finding some way to get the terrorist while the public is totally in doubt. After 2 months after this incident, the two boys, Sphinx, challenged the police and threatened to destroy Tokyo.

It has led to a mass panic among the citizens and that's how the investigation started.

It is a psychological thriller which was directed by Satoshi Kon. It is based on a book that came in 1993 and was written by a Japanese author named Yasutaka.

The story is related to 3 scientists who work under the foundation of Psychiatric Research. They have failed to control the device they have made, which is called DC Mini. allows devices to allow people to watch their dreams and also record them.

The device somehow came under the hands of the thief and entered people's minds and distracted their dreams with new dreams made by the machine.

The 3 scientists contacted the police to Identify the thief and to get a hold of that device.

Xxxholic is an anime series based on the Japanese manga written by Clamp (a group). Along with psychology and horror, the series also deals with themes like dark and fantasy.

The story is related to the character Kimihiro Watanuki. He is a student in high school and got disturbed by his own abilities to see some supernatural power and witch.

There is another character who is a very powerful witch named Yuko. She has a wish-granting shop and that is the reason why Kimihiro asked her to remove his ability to see the supernatural people and spirits.

She agreed to fulfill this wish but in return, he has to pay slavery to her.

It is an anime series in Japan that is based on psychological horror and murder mystery. The series is based on a manga series and came for the first time on 4 April 2006.

The story is related to a group of friends who are living in the village of Hinamizawa. The protagonist is Keiichi Maebara who is living in a very peaceful house in his village and making friends with girls.

He arrived in the village when a big festival of the year was happening but unfortunately, something was going out of track for the protagonist.

His suspense grows and he goes to find the dark secrets of his community.

Paranoia Agent is an anime series that was created by Satoshi Kon. The series has mystery, supernatural, and psychological horror in it.

The story is related to a shy designer whose name is Tsukiko Sagi. She created a pink dog named Maromi and went under the pressure of repeating her success.

One day, she was attacked by a schoolboy while she was walking down her home. The case was soon handed over to police detectives who thought it was a lie but, later on, they got the confirmation as they received another case with the same plotting and incident.

Shiki is an anime series that came out for the first time on 9 July 2010. The series has themes like horror and psychology with some demon appearances.

The story is set in a small town called Sotoba. In this town, life is very idealistic and everyone is familiar with everyone.

The story comes when a young girl named Shimizu passes away strangely due to an unknown illness. A lot more deaths occurred in the same village with the same unknown illness and that is the reason why the doctor Toshio started suspecting the whole thing.

There is some kind of sinister thing, more than a disease, around the village that is killing other people.

The doctor with Natsuno went on a mission to reveal this dark mystery that has caused a lot of deaths including Shimizu.

Shiki is another one of the popular horror series that will mess with your mind. While it is no surprise that this anime is a lot more than just your typical psychological horror, the sheer depth and inclusion that this anime has portrayed is beyond comprehension, making it a one-of-a-kind series. 

Ghost Hunt is an anime series that is based on a manga series written by Fuyumi Ono. The series came for the first time in 2006 with themes like horror and is considered one of the best horror psychological anime.

It tells the story of the Research Centre where a teenage manager named Kazuya Shibuya works. There is also another character who is a high schooler and becomes an assistant.

They were joined by a monk and also another character who is a Shrine maiden. The story follows the paranormal abilities that are there in the characters and that's how horror builds.

School-Live is an anime series that came for the first time in 2015. The series has a horror and melancholy theme with school life and survival.

The story goes with Yuki Takeya, who loves her school and has started living in it. She is also a part of a club called School Life Club.

The club consists of 4 girls and a dog who camp at night and also try to grow their food.

Questions like, why Yuki has to attend the classes and why other characters don't want to go home, can only be answered after watching the series.

Monster is an anime series in Japan that is based on a manga series written by Naoki Urasawa. Along with the psychological thriller, the series also has mystery and crime.

The story is related to the character whose name is Kenzo Tenma. He is a Japanese surgeon who is living in a German city.

His life takes a different form when he gets involved with his former patient whose name is Johan Liebert.

The patient is a serial killer and would be doing some harm to the protagonist and his life. He, later on, comes under suspicion of the police but at the same time, he tries to find a lot of information related to the patient to save his life.

It is an anime series that came first on 8 October 2005. The series was directed by Junichi Fujisaku (season 1) and has themes of suspense, horror, and vampire.

The story happens in 2005 on an island in the US. The protagonist whose name is Saya Otonashi was living a life with a blood disorder but she was definitely an ordinary girl.

Everything changed in her life as she was attacked by a bat-like creature. She, later on, realized that she can defeat the creature as she had blood that is different from other human beings.

That is the reason why she started a journey with her family and friends to defeat this vampire.

With themes like action and dark fantasy with vampires, the series came out for the first time on 11 October 2001.

It is based on a Japanese manga series that has been written and also illustrated by Kouta Hirano. The title is based on the Royal Order Of Protestant Knights which was led by Abraham Van Helsing.

Their mission is to search and destroy some of the supernatural forces related to the evil that threatens the country, especially the queen.

This organization is under the control of Sir Integra Fairbook. She inherited the leadership after her father's death. Due to the death of her father, she has turned into a tougher person and went to protect her faithful family.

When it comes to her enemy, then it is Dornez who is considered one of the most powerful vampires ever.

Seraph Of The End is a series that has horror and psychological themes along with the post-apocalyptic and dark fantasy.

The series is based on a manga which is written by Takaya Kagami. The series is related to the world which is almost at the end with the help of a human-made virus.

Due to this virus, the human population is vanishing and only children under the age of 13 were saved.

It is almost the time when the Vampire is going to come on the earth and Darkness is going to prevail on this planet.

There is a character called Yuichiro Hyakuya who joins the vampire to take revenge for the death of his family and get his childhood friend, Mikaela, back from the vampires.

Another is a Japanese adult anime series that came in 2012. The series is based on a novel that came in 2009 and was written by Yukito Ayatsuji.

The story is set in 1998. It is related to the character Koichi Sakakibara who got transferred into a new middle school called Yomiyama Middle School.

He met a curious girl named Mei Misaki. After meeting this person, he gets to know about some mysterious students and people related to senseless death.

When it comes to the mysterious girl Mei then she has already warned him about these events but Koichi has something else to go for.

Ghost Hound is a television series with suspense and supernatural effects. The series is written by Chiaki J. Konaka and came under the direction of Ryutaro (season 1).

The story is set in a small town which is located in a very remote area of the mountain.

The setting is full of spirit and ghost occurrences on an island called Kyushu. The three characters, Masayuki, Taro, and Makoto, have some traumatic experiences at an early age, so they went on an investigation entering this spirit land.

They together became friends with a priest and his daughter named Miyako and started finding out about these occurrences.

It is a mysterious horror television series that came for the first time on 11 July 2016. This psychological thriller is also available on English networks like Animax Asia.

The story is related to the character Makoto and his other classmate. He has defeated Junko and has joined a Foundation called Future Foundation.

In this Foundation, all the members are working to rebuild this world but when it comes to Makoto, then he was assigned to the crime of treason and protecting the Remnants of Despair.

Everyone wants to get a strange bracelet that has the unique and strange power of making anyone sleep anytime but unfortunately, the bracelet was attacked by a traitor.

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales is an anime series of Japan with some horror and mystery. It came in 2006 under the direction of Tetsuo Imazawa (a few episodes).

The story is related to the character Iemon Tamiya. He is a very ambitious Samurai who desires women, especially Oiwa.

He also has a desire for wealth and all kinds of reputation. When it comes to Oiwa, she is a beautiful woman but was killed by her husband Iemon.

The story carries up the three adaptations and each one has horror and mystery in the same range: Yotsuya Kaidan, Tenshu Monogatari, and Bake Neko.

It is an anime series that has dark fantasy and dark themes in it. It came for the first time on 8 April 2016 and was written by Wit Studio.

The series is related to a mysterious virus that came during the period of industrialization. It has transformed or changed humans into a different form, like that of corpses.

These transformed humans can only be killed when their Golden hearts are going to break or finish their body parts.

The main character is a young boy named Ikoma, who has got the opportunity of testing a weapon that would be working against the transformed human creatures.

Coming for the first time in 2012, Sankarea: Undying Love has explored the theme of romance and zombies. It is considered one of the best psychological horror anime and was based on a manga series written by Mitsuru Hattori.

The story is of a male student, Chihiro Furuya, who has an interest in Zombie films and manga series.

And due to this craziness, he carries the desire of kissing a zombie girl. When his pet cat died, he tried to follow a manuscript so that he could revive his cat.

He then met with a girl named Rea, who tries to commit suicide but drinks the resurrection potion made by Chihiro.

It is an anime series that is based on a manga series written by Lynn Okamoto. The series also has some dark fantasy with some science fiction flavor in it.

The story goes on to have interaction and emotional wah with some differences that go on with the human beings and also a different species of human called Diclonii.

This species is different from human beings in terms of horns on their heads and also vectors. The series has a character called Lucy who serves as a protagonist.

She is a teenage girl who was rejected by human beings because of her appearance and that's why she wants to take revenge.

Corpse Princess is again a Japanese series with some thriller and horror in it. The series is based on a manga series which is written by Yoshiichi Akahito.

It deals with the story of Makina Hoshimura who was murdered and turns into a Corpse Princess. She was armed with machine guns and had the task of killing 108 other Corpse Princesses so that she could gain entry into heaven.

To complete this task, she was assisted by Keisei Tagami who is a Buddhist monk. The only goal that is for her is to take revenge on the person who has killed her family and destroyed the whole Corpse Princess.

It is an anime series that came out for the first time on 5 January 2000. Along with the psychological thriller, the series also has urban as well as dark fantasy themes.

The series is happening in a city in Japan. It is related to high school students who have witnessed the incident of having a pillar that appeared in the night sky.

These high school students started to disappear and all blame went to the Urban Legend whose name was Boogiepop.

This Urban Legend is known for his personification of death and the one who represents it.

It is an anime series that was created by Netflix under the direction of Kazuto and Yoshinobu (season 1).

The series has science fiction and came for the first time in 2018. The story is set in a world full of advanced technology.

The city went into chaos because of a serial killer named Killer B. The protagonist Koku came in front and tried to solve this mysterious criminal and his plans.

He is a demi-human and has the ability of flying and other non-human powers. He tries to save his childhood friend, while, on the other hand, Keith, a legendary investigator tries to solve the murder of his sister who died 8 years ago.

It is an anime series that came for the first time on 4th July 2013. The series has the themes like murder and mystery which was along with some horror.

The story is related to a video game called Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. It is also related to a high school student who was locked in his High School called Hope's Peak Academy.

There is also the existence of a bear whose name is Monokuma. This bear has threatened all the students and given them just one chance to leave the academy and that is by murdering another student.

Deadman Wonderland is a television series that is based on a manga series written by Jinsei Kataoka. The series has some dystopian themes with horror and action.

Coming to the story, then it is related to Ganta, who of falsely accused of the murder of entire survivors with him. He is the only survivor and that is the reason why the whole accusation came over him.

He was, later on, sent to a prison that has dangerous games. He has to survive in these games or at least prove his innocence, otherwise, things would go totally different for him.

In this journey, he has to face some of the harshnesses of prisons.

Highschool Of The Dead is a Japanese anime series that is based on a Japanese manga series written by Daisuke Sato.

The series came for the first time in 2010 with some horror and action in it. The story is set in today's world of Japan where the world is dealing with a pandemic that can turn humans into Zombies.

It is related to the story of a high school student and a high school nurse and how they deal with these things.

They try to survive the attack and apocalypse which is considered to be a threat to society. While trying to escape from high school, they deal with a corrupt teacher and also help a little girl.

All the students of the high school had to reach Elementary School which is considered to be a safe zone from the Zombies.

High School of the Dead is a show that has all the elements necessary to make a show entertaining. It has elements such as ecchi, harem, drama, action, comedy, and obviously, psychological horror.

And this combination makes this show, a power-packed combo. 

Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories is an anime series with horror and supernatural elements that came in 2013. The series came for the first time under the direction of Tomoya Takashima.

The story is related to an old man who wears a yellow mask and shows himself in the playground of children.

It tells them the story of the Ghost which is based on some of the urban legends and myths of Japan.

He used to tell the story by sitting on the back of a bicycle, in a very traditional way, almost every week.

The stories featured in this show are a lot more fascinating than what meets the eye. The sheer depiction that this anime has going on for itself is what makes it so fascinating for the audience.

Moreover, the series also manages to shed some light on the animals from the Chinese Zodiac.

Dance In The Vampire Bund is an anime series that came out for the first time on 7 January 2010.

The series is based on a manga series that was written as well as illustrated by Nozomu Tamaki. The story is related to the coming of vampires into the world of humans.

It also explores how fear changes the world and it comes under the conflict of peace. The Bund in the title is nothing but a floating Island in Tokyo.

The protagonist Mina of the series is who has gained permission to create a different kind of place for the Vampire called the Bund.

She built it by paying off the national debt the Japanese government had with her family.

Parasyte is a Japanese series with some science fiction and horror in it. The series is based on a manga series written by Hitoshi Iwaaki.

One can get it from Adult Swim or Animax or Anime Network. It is a 17-year-old-year-old high school student whose name is Shinichi Izumi.

He is right now living with his mother and father in Japan. One day, a person with a face of the drill, called Parasites, arrived on Earth and controlled the brains of humans through their noses and ears.

One day a parasite tried to enter Shinichi but it failed as he woke up. So, instead of entering through the ear or nose, the parasite enters through the arm and the control of the right hand.

So, to prevent parasites from entering his brain they both met with some strange situation and formed a strong bond. 

Parasyte is nothing less than amazing for the audience. Why? For many of them, this is the entry-level psychological horror that will give them a clear-cut idea that anime isn't meant for kids.

And so, the mature themes and approach of Parasyte is always appreciated among fans. 

High-Rise Invasion is an anime series that is based on a manga series written by Tsuina Miura. Along with psychology, the series also has action and survival themes.

The story is related to a high school student whose name is Yuri Honjo. She is transported into a world where there are only skyscrapers and bridges that are connecting these buildings.

She, later on, found that she was under the target of a mysterious figure who wears a mask. When the story continues, she also discovered her brother who is trapped and entangled in this world.

She also finds some other people going in the same situation and it is not clear whether they are enemies or friends.

This anime series marks the first adaptation of 20 stories from Itou's manga, including popular titles like Tomie, Souichi, and Kubitsuri Kikyuu (The Hanging Balloons).

Delving into the realm of psychological horror, the anime employs vivid imagery and psychological tricks to evoke a chilling and disconcerting atmosphere.

It aims to go beyond conventional horror and elicit a profound sense of discomfort and unease in its audience.

Brace yourself for a truly immersive and unsettling experience as the series taps into the deepest corners of your mind.

Fans of the genre can expect an exceptional display of psychological horror that will leave a lasting impression.

It is an anime series that is based on a manga series written by Matsuri. Along with the horror, the series also goes with dark fantasy and romance.

The story is related to Yuki who was attacked by a vampire and later on, got saved by Kaname.

After 10 years, she became my adopted daughter of Kaien and has become a guardian of some Vampire race.

In the story, she is trying to protect her childhood crush whose name is Kaname. He leads a vampire group at a boarding school and that's how the horror and psychological flavor come into the series.

It is an anime series from Japan that came out on 8 July 2011. Coming with some action and horror, the series also provides us with some thrillers and fantasy.

The series focuses on the character Saya Kisaragi. She is a normal teenage girl who is in high school right now.

She is serving as a maiden in a country town and at the same time, she is a skilled swordswoman.

She was charged by her father for this role so that she can defeat a monster named Elder. Elder is a monster who is living on human blood and that is the reason why the battle between the two started.

A lot of people related to Saya became victims of the monster and as a result, she tried to uncover the truth about herself and also the town and her friends.

The series has an abundance of horror and mystery with supernatural elements that serve the best. Coming for the first time on 24 July 2013, the series was directed by Akira Iwanaga.

It is related to the story of 9 students who were bidding farewell to each other. To maintain their friendship forever, they have performed some kind of ritual and custom along with other high school students.

Unknown to the fact that these things are connected to Heavenly Host Academy, the students have performed all the rituals.

Heavenly Host Academy is an elementary school that vanished around years ago. It was closed after a murder that happened and changed the scenario.

The 9 students are totally trapped in a ghost world and they have to find some ways to get out of the place otherwise they will be dead.

It is an American as well as Japanese horror series that came in 2021. The series has action and horror with some psychological impact.

One can get the series from Netflix or any other Sony Entertainment channel. The story is related to the event that took place between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.

The story is from 2006 when the incident of hacking came at the White House. It was Leon S.

Kennedy who was ordered and has got the investigation related to this incident. He met with some zombies while the White House was under the target of a mysterious attack.

He meets another character named Claire. Claire is investigating things related to a strange drawing that was made by a child refugee.

It is an anime series with some horror and suspense. The series was directed by Tomoya Takashima and written by Hiromu Kumamoto.

Coming to the story then it deals with a documentary crew who are on an investigation related to cryptids on an island.

The character Sosuke Banba started the investigation where an unknown creature has killed a video blogger. He had nothing but the word Kagewani which was leading him and he went to the site of the attack.

A new kind of mystery was revealed when he reached the site and found that these threats are closer to home when a company, Sarugaku, started getting involved in this investigation.

At the beginning of his second semester in high school, Makoto Itou becomes infatuated with Kotonoha Katsura, a fellow student he encounters daily on their train ride.

Overwhelmed by his own shyness, Makoto resorts to secretly capturing a photo of her, hoping it will serve as a symbol of his hidden affection.

However, his classmate Sekai Saionji stumbles upon the picture and instead of exposing his secret, offers to assist him in pursuing a relationship with Kotonoha by becoming her friend.

Thus, an unexpected friendship unfolds, setting the stage for a tangled web of emotions and romantic complexities.

School Days delve into the bittersweet experiences of these three teenagers as they navigate the challenges and joys of high school life, leaving an indelible mark on the audience with its poignant blend of romance and melancholy. 

While this anime is not specifically focused on Psychological horror, it does have numerous elements that make it one. 

The Lost Village is a television anime series that was directed by Tsutomu Mizushima (Season 1). The series came for the first time in 2016 and was written by Mari Okada.

The story is related to a group of 30 men and women. This group goes on a tour of a village called Nanaki Village.

The village is considered a dark and also utopian one. They went to the village to start a new life but upon arrival, they discovered that there is not even a single person living in the village.

In reality, they got to know that the village is not utopian but there is quite a mysterious horror story behind it.