Anime that contains an unsettling plot, psychological horror, twisted mysteries, and chilling darkness like no other is called dark anime. Don’t you realize that the price for searching and finding such twisted dark anime is your very soul?
Are you one of those types of anime fans who are looking for the darkest anime, which are out there, then we bring you the best darkest anime of all time. Here are the top 10 dark anime.
10. Happy Sugar Life
In Happy Sugar Life, a high school girl who falls in love with another high school girl. Sounds super interesting, right? She loves her so much, I’d say with all her heart! Even though she looks innocent, this girl is ready to do anything to protect her beloved. She goes to great lengths to keep their happy sugar life intact.
Happy sugar life is a psychological horror that pushes normal people to their limits. It’s not a happy sugar life, it’s pretty dark, you know? It makes you wonder if it’s really okay and if we’re the baddies. And why do I find myself rooting for this person? There’s not much violence shown, but the story makes up for it.
It delves deep into dark themes, which is not so common in some anime. All the characters in the anime want their happy sugar life, but they don’t realize that in their pursuit of happiness, they leave behind despair. And when they finally find their so-called ideal life, they’re confused about why they’re not happy.
| Japanese Name | Happy Sugar Life |
| Genre | Drama, Girls Love, Horror |
| Studio | Ezόla |
| Dubbed | No |
You may also like
09. Cosette No Shouzo
There’s this Japanese art student working in an antique shop. One day, out of the blue, he spots a beautiful doll-like girl trapped in an antique glass bought by his uncle from France. She seems to exist in a whole world inside the glass.
After that, he can’t get her out of his head and totally becomes obsessed with this girl. If all this crazy stuff happened to me, I’d need a psychiatrist for sure! But then, a mysterious Italian artist recognizes a picture of the girl drawn by the main character. He learns her name is Cossette, and she, along with her family, was tragically murdered. And one night, after he closes the shop, the girl finally speaks to him.
What happens next? You’ll have to watch and see! It’s a very dark horror anime. There are many ways to frighten people, and this anime nails horror perfectly! Even if you don’t care much about the story, you can’t ignore the eerie atmosphere it creates.
It gives you chills and keeps you hooked. A real success in horror! So, if you’re into this kind of anime, you should totally give it a shot!
| Japanese Name | Cosette No Shouzo |
| Genre | Drama, Horror, Romance, Supernatural |
| Studio | Daume |
| Dubbed | Yes |
08. Talentless Nana
In Talentless Nana, crazy creatures suddenly appear all over the world. And guess what? Teenagers are gifted with super cool powers called Talents! To help them train these powers, an academy is set up on a secluded island. But our MC, Nana, is totally different from others. He’s got no Talent at all.
With all those talented teenagers around him, he’s an easy target for bullies. But he doesn’t give up! He still pushes through his training. Just when everyone starts fitting in and becoming comrades, boom! Mysterious disappearances threaten the whole class. And let me tell you, there’s this pink-haired yandere girl and a bunch of thrilling characters who add to the psychological vibes.
They’re here to stay, and they’re definitely not dumb. Especially Nana Hiragi, the badass female lead. She gets sent from the human side to this anime-like version of Hogwarts, a hidden island filled with heroes who look like they’re from My Hero Academia.
You might think she is blindly following others orders, but trust me, you are not more wrong. Now, I won’t tell you if Talentless Nana is good or bad because it depends on your taste, you know?
Some people love the unreal stuff this show does, while others hate it. But one thing’s for sure: this anime have mind-blowing plot twists and cliffhangers that leave you craving for more and more. So, if you’re into dark anime, you must watch this one.
| Japanese Name | Munou na Nana |
| Genre | Supernatural, Suspense |
| Studio | Bridge |
| Dubbed | Yes |
07. Red Garden
Red Garden story begins in New York, where something strange happens with suicides. There is this Four girls, all are from the same school, and when thay wake up one day feeling tired and dizzy, they can’t able to remember anything about the last night.
Later at school, they find out that one of their classmates committed suicide. School’s canceled, but instead of going home, they’re drawn to a park by butterflies that only they can see. Suddenly, a man and a woman approach them, saying they all died last night. So, you see, Red Garden is a creepy horror story with four girls – or rather, four dead girls.
Despite being dead, they get a chance at life, but they must fight unnatural beings wherever and whenever they appear. As they try to lead normal lives, they’re also searching for what happened that night when their normal lives ended. And believe me, it’s just the beginning of the mystery.
If you’re into proper horror mysteries, this anime might be perfect for you!
| Japanese Name | Red Garden |
| Genre | Drama, Mystery, Supernatural |
| Studio | Gonzo |
| Dubbed | Yes |
06. Le Chevalier D’eon
In 18th century Paris, the story unfolds with our main character D’eon finding his sister’s brutal murder. Determined to catch her killer, he joins the secret police. But things take a supernatural twist as he gets possessed by his sister’s vengeful spirit, turning it into a spooky horror mystery.
Some may call the anime old-fashioned, but Le Chevalier D’eon was beautiful right from the start. Production I.G, the animation company, did a fantastic job with the visuals. The plot was well researched and had amazing depth, but sadly, it lost its way with pacing and characterization.
To be honest, it had a great plot, but there was too much boring talking and a lack of intensity. The characters were hard to connect with, except for the eventual growth of some cast members, which saved the day.
Despite these flaws, the anime ends on a very high note, leaving us wanting more. If you’re into this kind of anime, give it a shot. You won’t regret it!
| Japanese Name | Le Chevalier D’eon |
| Genre | Mystery, Supernatural |
| Studio | Production I.G |
| Dubbed | Yes |
05. Un-Go
What’s your take, comforting lies or the bitter truth? This question pops up a lot in anime. Many stories lean towards the truth, but they soften the impact through careful planning, making the bitterness less severe than expected. However, this one takes a unique approach.
Set in a dystopian future, our main character, known as the Defeated Detective, solves mysteries in Tokyo. With the help of their eccentric sidekick, they have a knack for cracking cases, especially homicides. They’ve solved numerous mysteries and caught culprits, but there’s something sinister about their partner, and their true identity and motives remain mysterious.
If you’re looking for supernatural horror, this isn’t the anime for you. The anime only has two supernatural elements: the sidekick’s nature and a magic tool. Apart from that, Un-Go falls more into the science fiction genre.
It showcases futuristic technology and hints at a dystopian future. It even explores the concept of how far artificial intelligence can evolve on its own and questions whether treating them as mere machines is morally right. So, if dark anime interests you, give it a try!
| Japanese Name | Un-Go |
| Genre | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural |
| Studio | Bones |
| Dubbed | Yes |
04. Metropolis
No, I’m not talking about the city Superman’s Metropolis, but rather a futuristic city in which humans and robots live together. Every day, the unrest and violence keep increasing. Two detectives come to the city to find a criminal scientist. However, instead of the scientist, they meet a girl.
She doesn’t remember her past and is being chased by the ruler of the city. What happens next? You’ll have to watch it to find out. Metropolis movie is set in a world where humans and robots live together. Although the theme of robots against humanity is commonly used, it works really well here.
It’s not even the main plot, but it’s still great. The story is well-written and captivates the viewers easily. However, your opinion about the movie will depend on you alone.
After watching it, each viewer will reason their way through the plot, loaded questions, and metaphors. If you want to know the opinion of a anime nerd like me, then don’t waste your time and go watch it right now.
| Japanese Name | Metropolis |
| Genre | Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Dubbed | Yes |
03. Aoi Bungaku
After finishing the series, I’ve learned that the world and its society can be really cruel, filled with violence, madness, and betrayal. If you haven’t heard of this anime, don’t be ashamed; it’s a very underrated anime. Aoi Bungaku is a collection of stories from classic Japanese literature.
The most famous one is No Longer Human, covered in episodes 1 through 4. The story revolves around a tortured young artist who suffered sexual and emotional abuse as a child. He feels disconnected from society and hides his true emotions from others, wearing a mask until he becomes empty and feels no longer human. He meets a girl who is also deeply saddened, and they decide to end their lives together.
Unfortunately, she dies during the attempt, leaving the narrator haunted by guilt. He tries to live normal, but that guilt continues to haunt him.
When he finally meets another woman who makes him feel like a normal person, just after that he discovers that she has been having an affair with his boss just to keep him employed. Talk about bad luck! So, whenever you feel unlucky, remember this character and the series’ existence.
| Japanese Name | Aoi Bungaku |
| Genre | Drama, Suspense |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Dubbed | No |
02. From The New World
The story happens in Japan, a thousand years in the future, in a utopia where some people possess a special power known as psychokinesis. We follow a group of five children right from the start as they grow up in the anime.
We witness their development within a community that has strict rules, and we see how the decisions they make impact their lives and the entire society they reside. The show’s plot smoothly progresses from one episode to another, and just when we reach the climax, there’s a surprising plot twist.
From that point onwards, the storyline takes an unexpected turn that you would never anticipate. While many viewers may have seen futuristic interpretations of societies like psychopaths, ergo proxy, or textilize, this series has a unique setting.
At first, it may not appear to fit in dark genre, but it truly does. It’s an exceptionally remarkable anime. So don’t hesitate—go ahead and watch it without a second thought.
| Japanese Name | Shinsekai yori |
| Genre | Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Dubbed | Yes |
01. Rainbow
Don’t mistake with the name; it’s nothing like a beautiful rainbow. The anime story takes place in Japan in 1955. The main character arrives at Special Reform School, along with five other teenagers arrested for serious crimes.
They end up in the same cell where they meet an older inmate, a former boxer, and together, they form a strong bond. They make a pact to meet again after completing their sentences and face the cruel suffering and humiliation inflicted upon them by a sadistic guard and a doctor who takes pleasure in tormenting them.
In the face of this hellish ordeal, their only goal is to survive until their sentences are over. But even then, what kind of lives await them? After watching episode 1, I found myself holding my breath, and upon finishing the series, I finally exhaled.
The gripping story kept me hooked, making me forget to breathe at times. This series was an emotional roller coaster, never hesitated for a second.
It delves into questions about friendship—its true meaning and the sacrifices one is willing to make for friends. Rainbow is raw, mature, and dark, making it one of the darkest anime you’ll ever see.
| Japanese Name | Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin |
| Genre | Drama, Suspense |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Dubbed | No |
Similar Stories
10 Most Awesome Anime Fights of Spring 2023
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates & top 10s.
Explore our full Top10 categories
Do you agree with our list of the best dark anime? Tell us your favorite darkest anime of all time in the comment below.
