10 Terrifying Anime Horror Series to Watch with the Lights On

Higurashi: When They Cry

If you've been yearning for an anime that will make you pull your blanket up to your chin, Higurashi: When They Cry could be your next binge. Set in the 1980s in the rural village of Hinamizawa, it follows a group of friends as their idyllic life is shattered by a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances, linked to the annual Watanagashi Festival. As the villagers' paranoia grows, so does the body count. The series is based on a visual novel that has eight different story arcs, each providing a different perspective on the same events. But brace yourself, because this is not a series for the faint-hearted.

Corpse Party: Tortured Souls

Now here's a horror anime that's not pulling any punches. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls is based on a survival horror video game, and let's just say it's not an anime you'll be watching for the warm, fuzzy feelings. It tells the terrifying tale of a group of students who perform a ritual for fun, only to find themselves trapped in an alternate dimension where the Heavenly Host Elementary School, a site of gruesome murders, still stands. The story is essentially their desperate attempt to survive and escape from this horrifying predicament.

Another

If Final Destination were to take a Japanese anime form, it would be Another. In this chilling series, we're introduced to Koichi Sakakibara who transfers to a cursed class at Yomiyama Middle School, where he befriends Mei Misaki. The twist? Mei is supposed to be "nonexistent" to ward off a curse that brings death to the students and their families. Curiously, the curse is also linked to a student who died in the 1970s, and the class's inability to accept their peer's demise.

Shiki

Shiki is a horror anime series that kicks the genre up a notch with its slow-burn creepiness and atmospheric tension. Set in the isolated village of Sotoba, a series of mysterious deaths plague the community. As the local doctor begins to suspect an epidemic, he soon realizes they're dealing with something far more terrifying: vampires. Shiki means "corpse demon" in Japanese. That's cheerful, right? If you're in the mood for a chilling and suspenseful series, then Shiki is an anime that will have you sleeping with one eye open.

Paranoia Agent

Have you ever been so afraid that your fear actually manifests into a physical entity? In Paranoia Agent, that's exactly what happens. When citizens of Musashino City are targeted by the mysterious Shounen Bat, a kid who rollerblades around hitting people with a bent, golden baseball bat, social and psychological horror ensues. This is Satoshi Kon's only television series, and it's a doozy. The series uses surreal horror to explore the darkest corners of human psyche.

Hell Girl

If you could send the person who wronged you straight to Hell, would you do it? In Hell Girl, people can access a mysterious website at midnight, allowing them to enter anyone's name and have that person be ferried off to Hell by the Hell Girl, Ai Enma. But beware, as the price of revenge is steep – after death, the avengers will also find themselves in Hell. A disturbing exploration of revenge and morality, this series won't just leave you scared, but also philosophically unsettled.

Ghost Hunt

Now, Ghost Hunt is not your typical spook show; it's an anime series that weaves a fantastic web of supernatural mystery and spine-chilling thrills in just the right proportions to keep you hooked and slightly uncomfortable in the best possible way. The story follows Mai Taniyama, a high school student who becomes involved with the Shibuya Psychic Research team after a chance encounter with its charismatic manager, Kazuya Shibuya. Together, they investigate various paranormal phenomena across Japan, each case increasing in complexity and horror. This slow-boiling, hair-raising series masterfully uses suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Word to the wise – those creaky noises in your house? After watching Ghost Hunt, you might start to see them in a very different, much creepier light.

Elfen Lied

When it comes to Elfen Lied, it's probably best to keep your guard up and your lights on. This series strikes an intriguing balance between psychological horror and heartrending drama, all laced with a level of gore that's certainly not for the squeamish. The plot revolves around the character Lucy, a Diclonius – a newly evolved, more advanced species with telekinetic abilities. Lucy escapes from a research facility and ends up with two college students, Kouta and Yuka. However, the trauma from her captivity has left her with a split personality: one innocent and childlike, the other vengeful and deadly. Oh, and about the title: "Elfen Lied" is German for "Elf Song". Quite the contrast for a series that's anything but sweet and lyrical, wouldn't you agree?

Mononoke

Mononoke is a unique horror anime that brilliantly combines traditional Japanese folklore and an unconventional art style to create a story that's as visually stunning as it is horrifying. It follows a mysterious Medicine Seller who travels across feudal Japan, battling malevolent spirits known as Mononoke. However, before he can slay these entities, he must first learn their Form, Truth, and Reason. Mononoke is actually a spin-off from the "Bakeneko" arc of another anime series, Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales. So, if you enjoy this series, you know where to head next!

Serial Experiments Lain

Serial Experiments Lain is a psychological horror anime that explores the blurred lines between reality and the digital world. The story starts when Lain Iwakura, an introverted teenage girl, receives an email from her classmate Chisa Yomoda – who recently committed suicide. The email leads Lain into the Wired, a virtual world that's eerily similar to the internet. The deeper she delves into the Wired, the more the boundary between it and reality begins to crumble. Serial Experiments Lain isn't your typical horror series – it's a slow-burning, cerebral exploration of identity, reality, and technology that will leave you with more questions than answers.