Many shows and mangas fill the horror genres, but I have only seen a handful of them. I’ll list below the ones I have seen plus actually read. Horror has always been called to me because of its dark humor through and through. Animated horror has a different feel to it than actual live-action horrors, from what I have noticed. I think this could be because manga and anime didn’t have any boundaries that got in the way of not having the right FX and CGI components for horror shows. The only limit manga and anime had was the limit of how much to put in each volume or how long the episode was supposed to last. Not all the selections I’m adding below will be dark horror shows and mangas.
ANIME
- Tokyo Ghoul - this is a classic horror anime that I love! The show has so many dark points that make it even better. It’s about this race called ghouls that live amongst the humans but unlike humans. Ghouls have to eat human flesh to survive. An organization tries to control the ghouls, but they end up rebelling against them to take down the corrupt organization. It follows a human named Ken Kaneki, who gets ghoul organs surgically implanted into him without his knowledge after a terrible accident that almost killed him and a ghoul named Rize. He is then thrust into the Ghouls’ world while being a unique one-eyed ghoul, which is rare. This show is very bloody, so if you are not into gore and cannibalism in a sense, then do not watch this show!
- Ghost Hunt - is an older show that is about the supernatural. It follows a team of Ghosthunters who work for Shibuya Psychic Research. They follow cases all over Japan that involve ghosts all the way to even demons. This show is not bloody or gory until only one case but I’m not going to say which one. It’s a cool show that I wish gained a second season. It’s much different than the manga since it was during the time that anime companies didn’t feel like waiting for the end of the manga. There is a romantic-like aura in the show but that is pretty much it.
- Castlevania - I know this is based on a video game series but the anime is so amazing! The church killed the human wife of Dracula who had turned his cold heart into a loving heart. His wife was a healer which the church accused her of being a witch because she was using science in order to heal the citizens of Wallachia. She is then burned at the stake because of this accusation which then prompts Dracula to wage war on the humans by sending army creatures from hell to destroy the country. The only hope that the citizens have in order to save them is from a trio who teamed up to defeat the army. Like I said before, I will only be listing the shows that I have seen plus links for horror animes and manga series.
- Goblin Slayer - this is a horror show that involves hunters who go after creatures that afflict the world. This show is set in a King Arthurian-like timeline. It’s a very dark series that I can’t talk about much because it’s not child-friendly. Only watch this show if you are into watching very dark horror that goes over sensitive topics. It’s not for the faint of heart.
- Attack on Titan - this is a horror show which entails another human-like race eating other humans. Though this race is called Titans who are much bigger than humans. They appeared out of nowhere which almost led to the extinction of the human race. The show follows the surviving cadets that have joined the ranks of the different military forces. A new threat of human transforming titans comes to light which causes the human race to take action by recruiting the only other human-titan cadet named Erin Jaeger. He has no idea how he got the ability to transform but he knows it has to do with his father who went missing shorty after their home city was taken over by titans.
MANGA
- Vampire Hunter D - I own one manga from this series sadly. It’s a really good series that follows the Dhampir who is hunting down the dark vampires of the post-apocalyptic world. This is another series I recommend for adults only. It’s a very sexual, gory, and dark storyline but still an amazing series. Actual Summary: In a dark and distant future, when the undead have arisen from apocalyptic ashes, an original story unfolds. Ten thousand years in the future, vampires rule the night. They once ruled outright but their numbers are in decline. Vampire hunters now threaten the vampires with extinction.
- Claymore - another great horror series I have read plus watched. The only issue I have with this series is the way the manga is drawn. They look like cat people!?!? if you read the manga you will see what I mean. Actual Summary: When a shapeshifting demon with a thirst for human flesh, known as “youma,” arrives in Raki’s village, a lone woman with silver eyes walks into town with only a sword upon her back. She is a " Claymore ," a being manufactured as half-human and half-youma, for the express purpose of exterminating these monsters.