Looking for horror animes

Hi i am very sick of all 'horror animes' nowadays just being dehumanising women and young girls. I am looking for good psychological horror animes like Perfect Blue and Digital Rose please! Extra points if theres doomed yuri. I dont mind heavy topics as long as its handled well

Voir le contenu lié

Commentaires

AutoModerator2026-01-20 14:35

Hi alicethrowaway11, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!

The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^

[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")

You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.

The following may be of interest:

* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)

* [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search)

* [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me)

* [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order)

* [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites)

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Niceguy1256jj2026-01-20 14:39

I personally would say Serial Experiments Lain is pretty good at making uncomfortable feelings, my personal horror anime favorite is Dark Gathering.

irene_magase2026-01-20 14:47

I recently finished dark gathering and it was so good

No_Willingness45182026-01-20 15:35

The Dark Gathering is really good! Although I'm not into horror, it has a pretty good story; right now I'm watching the one about the kindergarten girl who eliminates ghosts.

irene_magase2026-01-20 14:47

If you’re looking for psychological horror that treats its characters (especially women) with care and intent, I’d recommend:

Shiki, Higurashi, Another, Paranoia Agent, Serial Experiments Lain, Haibane Renmei, Shinsekai Yori, Texhnolyze, Mononoke, Boogiepop Phantom, Angel’s Egg, Girls’ Last Tour, Wonder Egg Priority, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Casshern Sins,Elfen Lied,Ergo Proxy, and Ghost in the Shell (1995).

Most of these focus more on identity, trauma and existential dread rather than shock value.

TheMacarooniGuy2026-01-20 14:54

Are many of these even really horror though? Just because it's psychological and a bit creepy, doesn't necessarily mean they're *psyhological horror*.

irene_magase2026-01-20 14:57

I disagree. Psychological horror isn’t defined by monsters or shock tactics it’s defined by how fear is produced. Horror that comes from identity collapse, paranoia, loss of agency, or existential terror is still horror, even if it isn’t traditional or gory.

Perfect Blue(which op has mentioned) is a psychological thriller and horror at the same time, and works like Paranoia Agent, Lain, or Texhnolyze operate in the same space: they aim to unsettle and destabilize the viewer mentally rather than scare them moment to moment. That’s still psychological horror, just not the jump-scare kind.

TheMacarooniGuy2026-01-20 15:21

What I'm saying isn't that psychological horror needs "jump-scares" or "scary parts", or similar. What I mean, is that you need something that's *out* for you. It cannot quite be a simple description of people in a certain situation, where you as the viewer understand the mental situation of the characters involved, and feeling like it's scary in some way. How would you classify Welcome to the N.H.K! or similar? For that show is very much a *creepy* show in many regards. Yet, is it a *horror*? No.

For actual *horror* \- rather than something purely being *creepy* \- you need *something* that in *some way* is out to get you. Being a "misfit" or "seeing the world for how it really is" and similar, isn't necessarily horror. It's like calling George Orwell's 1984 a "horror" because it's a very scary book. It is, but nothing's "hunting you", and nothing's "after you" in the same vein. You do not feel *horror*, you feel *scared*. It's a different form of feeling in its core.

Psychological horror then precisely has to be horror, that focuses on the terror - the anticipatory - but something must still be *out for you*, something must still be hostile to you, otherwise it's just *psychological*.

Kiriijou2026-01-20 16:49

As an important heads up, **for OP** and anyone else who might be interested in watching Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Higurashi When They Cry), 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 no Naku Koro Ni: Gou (Higurashi When They Cry: New), is a sequel to the original story, not a remake. **Don't accidentally start with Gou**, as it's full of spoilers.

(_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._).

gameking78232026-01-20 20:14

Amazing call out. This is one of my favorite series. Its a bit rough pacing in the first episodes of each arc but it gets so good as you get into it. Dont let the initial fluffiness be a detractor.

Emeraldpanda1682026-01-20 14:51

Doomed Yuri you say?

*This Monster Wants to Eat Me* is an excellent toxic yuri mixed with psychological horror.

If you’re fine with yaoi instead of yuri, then *The Summer Hikaru Died* is also an excellent horror anime.

Though it doesn’t have romance, *Ghost Hound* is also a good horror anime that focuses heavily on eerie and creepy atmosphere.

Of course *Higurashi: When They Cry* is a classic horror anime. It has a reputation of being nothing but torture and suffering, but those scenes are far and few between; the main focus is on psychological horror and paranoia.

alicethrowaway112026-01-21 13:59

I read Hikaru ga shinda natsu when the manga was still being released i didnt know it had an anime now!! omg!!

Emeraldpanda1682026-01-21 14:04

Came out just two seasons ago. It was animated by Cygames, so great animation due to all that gacha money.

TheMacarooniGuy2026-01-20 14:51

>very sick of all 'horror animes' nowadays

There *is* horror anime nowadays? I barely know a handful honestly.

>just being dehumanising women and young girls

This is kind of what you do get though if you are watching something that's intentionally "psychological horror". I don't think there's honestly that much psychological horror in general that doesn't "dehumanize women and young girls".

You should probably start by looking into manga if you want horror. I read Another recently, and while the anime does look a bit ridiculous by turning it into more of a splatter, I did actually find the manga pretty decent and with a bit of a special vibe to it.

8andahalfby112026-01-20 14:57

Urasekai Picnic. Cosmic horror (but not Lovecraft). No male lead. Both FLs struggling with personal issues. Gets to Yuri outside of the adapted material but you see bits and pieces in the show.

alicethrowaway112026-01-21 13:58

Thankuou!!

Oma2662026-01-20 15:24

It’s been a few years since I watched it, but isn’t Perfect Blue almost entirely about dehumanizing a young woman?

XxpostmodernegirlxX2026-01-20 15:37

I think they mean in a fan service way and not in a way that critiques society

alicethrowaway112026-01-21 13:58

Yes! I mean in a fan service way, Perfect Blue wasnt fan service

XxpostmodernegirlxX2026-01-20 15:35

There are a few adaptions of Junji Ito’s works that might scratch that psychological horror itch as he does a range of horror genres for his mangas. He also never resort to objectifying fan-service of women in his mangas which has basically applied to the adaptations.

Serial Experiments Lain is one of my favourite animes that is a psychological techno-horror that has only become more and more relevant in society since its 1998 release. I think if you’re a fan of Perfect Blue, this one might appeal to you too.

SuperSlacker4202026-01-20 15:45

Vampire Hunter D

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Castlevania (on Netflix)

Castlevania: Nocturne (also on Netflix)

filimaua132026-01-20 15:53

Higurashi

alicethrowaway112026-01-21 13:58

I love higurashi!! I watched it when i was a kid

MagDorito2026-01-20 18:46

Mononoke

AppropriatFly5170new2026-01-20 21:42

Maybe try these:

Pet shop of horrors

Hell girl

Ghost hunt

Shiki

X

Vampire Princess Miyu (both OVA and tv show are good)

Angels of Death

Twilight of the dark master

Psychic detective Yakumo

Top Secret: the Revelation

TipAfraid47552026-01-23 11:19

Lord of Mysteries