Top 10 Anime Horrors Scarier Than Your Average Hollywood Movie

1. "Perfect Blue" (1997)

Satoshi Kon's debut film, "Perfect Blue," is a mind-bending blend of psychological horror and suspense. Pop idol Mima Kirigoe quits her successful music career to pursue acting. But, as she sheds her innocent image, a terrifying stalker emerges, her grip on reality loosens, and a string of murders unravel around her. This anime film does a brilliant job exploring the dark side of fame and the damaging effects of obsession. "Perfect Blue" has a chilling plot so fascinating, even Darren Aronofsky reportedly acquired the rights to create a live-action adaptation – although it has yet to materialize.

2. "Gantz: O" (2016)

"Gantz: O" is a wild, violent, and visually stunning ride. Based on a specific arc from the "Gantz" manga, the film revolves around a group of recently deceased people brought back to life to participate in a game. Their mission? To fight off a horde of monsters attacking Osaka. The CGI animation is a visual treat, and the film doesn't shy away from blood, gore, and disturbing imagery, so thread carefully with this one.

3. "Paranoia Agent" (2004)

Again from the dark depths of Satoshi Kon's mind, "Paranoia Agent" is a mini-series that explores the collective fear and mass hysteria of a city. When a mysterious youth named Lil' Slugger starts attacking seemingly unrelated victims, two detectives try to unravel the enigma. The plot of this chilling psychological horror spirals into an eerie narrative of paranoia, delusion, and societal critique. Its Rotten Tomatoes score is an impressive 100%, a testament to its hair-raising appeal.

4. "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" (2000)

This anime film takes us back to classic horror with its titular vampire and other nocturnal monsters. Set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic future where vampires rule the night, "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" follows D, a dhampir (half-vampire, half-human), hired to rescue a girl kidnapped by a vampire noble. The line between good and evil blurs as D fights his inner nature and external foes in beautifully animated Gothic landscapes. Notably, the film is one of the few anime features with an English dub recorded before the Japanese version.

5. "Hell Girl" (2005-2006)

"Hell Girl" presents a unique horror anthology. If you access a mysterious website at midnight, you can input the name of the person you hold a grudge against, and Hell Girl will take them to the underworld. But there's a catch – when you die, you're destined for Hell too. It's an exploration of morality, revenge, and the human capacity for both good and evil. In one of those strange life-imitates-art moments, a fan created a real "Hell Correspondence" website following the anime's release.

6. "Wicked City" (1987)

If you thought your job was bad, try being Taki Renzaburo. This seemingly ordinary businessman has a side hustle as a "Black Guard" in "Wicked City." Now, these aren't your average security guards. They're responsible for maintaining peace between the human world and the "Black World," a parallel dimension filled with all sorts of creatures that could star in your worst nightmares. Taki is assigned to protect Giuseppi Mayart, a 200-year-old mystic, ahead of a critical peace treaty signing. Oh, and did we mention that Taki is partnered with a Black Worlder who can turn into a deadly spider-woman? "Wicked City" might not win any awards for subtlety, but its blend of horror, film-noir, and adult themes make it a quite entertaining watch.

7. "Another" (2012)

"Another" is an anime that is, at its heart, a classic ghost story. Based on a popular novel, it follows Kouichi Sakakibara, a new student in a cursed class 3-3. He befriends a strange girl named Mei Misaki, who seems to be ignored by everyone else. It doesn't take long for things to go awry. Students start dying in increasingly gruesome and unexpected ways, and Kouichi must uncover the truth behind the curse. This isn't just a horror story, but also a mystery and a tragedy. The twist at the end might just knock you off your seat, and no, we won't spoil it here. You'll have to watch it to find out!

8. "Blood: The Last Vampire" (2000)

Saya, the protagonist of "Blood: The Last Vampire," is not your typical schoolgirl. For one, she's been a teenager for a hundred years, and for another, she works for a covert government agency that hunts down demons. Armed with her trusty katana, she's dispatched to a US military base in Japan where she must root out and destroy shape-shifting monsters. The film seamlessly blends traditional Japanese animation with early CGI, creating a unique and somewhat unsettling visual style. This was one of the first anime films to be released in Japan, the UK, and the US at the same time.

9. "Tokyo Ghoul" (2014)

Based on the popular manga, the "Tokyo Ghoul" anime tells a horrific tale where ghouls – flesh-eating creatures who look like humans – live among us. Our protagonist, Ken Kaneki, is turned into a half-ghoul after a date gone terribly wrong. Now, he must navigate his new life, caught between the human world and the ghoul world, struggling to keep his ghoul nature a secret while wrestling with his newfound hunger. As much as it is a horror, "Tokyo Ghoul" also explores questions of identity, humanity, and what it means to be a monster. But still, it's a gore-y enough watch to make your skin crawl.

10. "Akira" (1988)

While "Akira" is not a traditional horror, its dystopian setting, grotesque body transformations, and wanton violence undoubtedly tip it into the genre. Set in 2019 (they were a little off on the fashion), Neo-Tokyo is a city on the brink of collapse. When a biker gang member, Tetsuo, gains telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle crash, he threatens to unleash the imprisoned psychic, Akira, resulting in catastrophic consequences. "Akira," with its iconic red motorcycle and dramatic Neo-Tokyo backdrop, has been influential not just in anime, but in the wider sci-fi genre. Visuals are so detailed that it's one of the few anime films where characters' lips are synchronized with their voices.