What's an anime that is uncomfortable, tense, unsettling and eerie? Kind of like serial experiment lain.

I always liked things along the lines of perfect blue, when they cry and serial experiment lain which are just perfect! I also think another is close but it has a bit too much gore. I've recommended things like paprika but it just doesn't have that same feeling. I need things with uncomfortable silences, eerie houses, too much tension, creepy dolls, old houses, murderous children and insane people! and I don't mean a scary clown chasing you i mean a child staring you down from the top of a hill for you to later see him everywhere you go without fail

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AutoModerator2026-01-19 16:40

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FetchFrosh2026-01-19 16:44

First half of Steins;Gate has a constant sense of unease over exactly what's going on. Really great at handling a soft tension. Second half a lot less so, but you gotta make some trades here and there.

Millennium Actress would also be worth a look. Not really creepy, but a constant sense of "how real is any of what I'm seeing?" You're never quite sure how seriously you should take anything.

Dixenz2026-01-19 16:47

Shin Sekai Yori

At least for me, it gave some uneasyness in their early episodes.

Slow-Occasion18552026-01-19 20:10

Exactly what i was thinking after reading the title

c32dot2026-01-19 22:08

yeah, especially as the show goes on. Probably the most unsettled I've gotten from an anime.

Quiddity1312026-01-20 00:15

Episode 19 of Shin Sekai Yori is about as peak as it gets regarding this topic.

TyraniTEMPESTar2026-01-19 16:49

Happy Sugar Life

Top_Result_15502026-01-19 16:49

im not personally a fan of it but id say paranoia agent.

sc00p4012026-01-19 16:54

Texhnolyze for sure.

confusedkarnatia2026-01-19 17:27

Damn that’s a deep cut, for me uncomfortable would be Bokurano

graphiccsp2026-01-19 16:59

Ghost in the Shell movies. Both are a damn trip and gorgeous.

Akira's a classic post apocalyptic movie that's pretty out there.

Mardock Scramble is a series of 3 movies. Dark Sci fi setting. Rather trippy.

Alichousan2026-01-19 17:17

The summer hikaru died
Summer time render

Inverinate2026-01-19 17:47

Definitely paranoia agent.

whoisfriend2026-01-19 17:54

Without a doubt, Boogiepop Phantom

It was made at about the same time as Lain and has a very similar tone throughout. Eerie as hell. It's about a town where strange disappearances are happening, and it's a great puzzle show where events are told out of order and you get to piece together the story. Can't recommend it enough.

It's up in HD on the REMOW's It's Anime channel: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGamQZtJ7K\_gCOxtut5AAW7PqknP1F61](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGamQZtJ7K_gCOxtut5AAW7PqknP1F61)

jomabu232026-01-19 17:58

If you're up for short snatches of this in an anthology series, try Yamishibai.

OwlProper11452026-01-19 18:18

Shinsekai yori (From the New World)

Texhnolyze

Ergo Proxy

Wolf's Rain

Darker than Black

Monster

Boogiepop

Paranoia Agent

Shiki

Bokura no

The Summer Hikaru Died

Summer Time Render

CrashDunning2026-01-19 18:22

Mushishi

It presents itself as a super chill show, but everything that happens in it is eldritch as fuck and almost every story ends with nothing being able to be done to fix things.

Twigling2026-01-20 11:29

Some episodes are a bit unsettling, but **all** episodes end on a positive note. Also, while Ginko (the MC) can't fully resolve everyone's problems, he fixes most of them or sets things in motion to get them fixed.

CrashDunning2026-01-20 21:41

Ah yeah, a guy [Mushishi spoilers] >!killing himself because he went crazy from refusing to sleep because of what the mushi did to him when he did!< is a very positive note. That's like half of the episodes. Another quarter are how you said, with things getting resolved even if not positively, and the other quarter *maybe* are actual positive endings. I like that it's written this way, so you don't have to act like it's not to defend it

SilentStarSky2026-01-19 18:29

Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain

ArcaneAces2026-01-19 18:56

Raxephon but you might not like it since it's more of a mecha anime.

The Summer Hikaru Died

Shiki(vampires but more grounded)

Kokkoku

Mermaid saga

Heavenly Delusion

Boogiepop Phantom(hard to understand though)

Angels Egg(ditto)

Mononoke

Junji Ito collection

Red Garden

BJGreenDream2026-01-19 19:54

Another

From the New World

Corpse Party

Higurashi When They Cry

Umineko When They Cry

Now and Then, Here and There

Kiriijou2026-01-19 21:57

As an important heads up, **for OP** and anyone else who might be interested in watching Higurashi When They Cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni), make sure you start with either: the [2006 anime](https://myanimelist.net/anime/934/Higurashi_no_Naku_Koro_ni) (and it's [second half Kai](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1889/Higurashi_no_Naku_Koro_ni_Kai)), the original visual novel, or the manga adaptation.

The 2020 anime Higurashi When They Cry: New (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni: Gou), is a sequel to the original story, not a remake. **Don't accidentally start with Gou**, as it's full of spoilers.

Also, the Umineko When They Cry anime only covers the first half of the story. For the full experience, you'll need to read the original Visual Novel, or the manga adaptation.

(_Note: in most (if not all) regions, the only Higurashi anime on Crunchyroll, is Gou. Also, the original Visual Novel is currently available on Steam, under the title"Higurashi When They Cry: Hou", with the first arc being free to download._).

Xealias2026-01-19 20:47

Shiki

Summertime Render

The Promised Neverland (season 1)

LeadershipBudget7442026-01-20 02:02

Try Mayoiga, Summertime Render, Paranoia Agent and Umineko no Naku

Twigling2026-01-20 11:34

Haibane Renmei is unsettling, but in a different way to Lain. Also, the character designer for Lain was the original character designer for Haibane Renmei as well as the writer.

The single self-contained season starts off fairly innocently, but keep watching ........

It's a great story.

TerrinLotsuvas2026-01-21 16:18

not really an exact match, but if you like discomfort, Paranoia Agent was one that I loved when I was younger, although haven't watched it in over 10 years

Vast-Coffee-70582026-01-22 07:52

BETTERMAN

Uma-apreciator2026-01-22 14:06

Takopi Original Sin