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Anime isn’t always cute or colorful — some series are deeply disturbing and unsettling.
In this video, we count down the Top 10 creepiest anime ever made, featuring horrifying visuals, psychological terror, and stories that will stay with you long after watching.

From mind-bending horror to pure nightmare fuel, these anime prove the medium can be truly terrifying.
⚠️ Viewer discretion advised.

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Transcript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 creepiest anime
00:14ever made. Skin crawling does not begin to describe some of these works.
00:1810. Cat Soup On the surface, Cat Soup might appear adorable,
00:29but Nyata and Nyako's faces do inspire some unsettling feelings in our stomachs. The story,
00:35on the other hand, adds a whole other layer of disturbing to the mix. Cat Soup follows Nyata,
00:47as they venture into the depths of the underworld in order to save Nyako's soul.
00:58Many moments will paint a bleak picture in your head, almost to an uneasy degree. But
01:03what will haunt you for years is the way the movie ends, which may invoke some uncomfortable
01:08existential thoughts. All in all, do not watch this thinking, oh, what a fun-looking cat movie.
01:179. Dundadan Though not always leaning into its horror side,
01:21Dundadan is still deserving of being called one of the creepiest anime to have ever graced our screens.
01:34For starters, the designs of the monsters are super distorted with jagged lines and warped body parts,
01:42enough to make anyone a bit squeamish. Sandwiched in between all the adorable romance and hilarious comedy,
01:48you've got some of the eeriest ghosts and messed-up-looking extraterrestrials on this side of anime.
01:54And let's just say that these supernatural beings' intentions are usually beyond disturbing.
02:07Nevertheless, if you've been wanting a new show about spirits, superpowers, and other planes of existence,
02:14this is a damn fine anime to jump into.
02:168. The Flowers of Evil Obsession is the main theme of this anime.
02:31The Flowers of Evil focuses its story on a middle school student named Kasuga, the girl he is crushing on,
02:38and the girl who winds up manipulating him in the most humiliating ways imaginable.
02:54Throughout all 13 episodes, the Flowers of Evil gets more and more grim,
02:58as Kasuga struggles in keeping his perversion of Psyche a secret from her.
03:03While some were critical of the rotoscope animation upon its release,
03:08it really does add to the disturbing nature of the series.
03:247. Puppy the Performer
03:26If you've ever found yourself creeped out by dolls like Elf on the Shelf,
03:30then you'd be better off skipping this anime entirely.
03:39Poppy the Performer is a show made specifically for children,
03:43showing a group of circus performers dubbed The Wolf Circus partaking in various activities.
03:55While the barren environments and clean character models are enough to give most folks
04:00nightmares, the most disturbing aspects of the show lie in the lack of voice acting
04:05and the sometimes violent scenarios the characters are put in.
04:15It's found itself a cult following over the years who can't help but be allured by its creepiness.
04:216. Yamashibai – Japanese Ghost Stories
04:25Before we continue, let us preface this by saying Yamashibai is one of the most unique
04:30horror anime you can watch right now.
04:40Since 2013, this long-running series has captured the spirit of Kamashibai,
04:46a form of Japanese street theatre where the performer would narrate a story while displaying different
04:52illustrations. Yamashibai encapsulates the art scene in these performances while telling some of the
05:04most horrifying stories imaginable. The episodes Farewell Confession and The Dripping in particular
05:11will plague your mind long after your initial viewing.
05:225. Made in Abyss Much like Cat Soup,
05:25Made in Abyss is one of those shows that look like it should be a fun and whimsical adventure. Alas,
05:31there is a dark underbelly that the naive would never expect.
05:358. This is a story about a child looking for her mother in a dismal and visceral world,
05:45often coming within a hair's inch of death, courtesy of the evil she encounters.
05:59The backstories of characters like Weiko and Nanachi are especially disturbing to learn about.
06:05This is very much an anime that is not for the faint of heart. Viewer discretion is heavily advised.
06:214. Serial Experiments Lane
06:24Considering the amount of time that's passed since its airing, Serial Experiments Lane feels uncomfortably
06:30prophetic in retrospect. The show follows a young girl who becomes increasingly familiar with the
06:42dangers of the online world known as The Wired. A lot of the subject matter hits close to home as it
06:58predicts the harsh effects the internet has inflicted since becoming a huge part of our daily lives.
07:04Paranoia, antisocial behavior, alienation, and persecution are just a handful of topics that
07:11Serial Experiments Lane explores.
07:133. Perfect Blue
07:22Speaking of anime that feels too real, Perfect Blue is a movie that explores another aspect of
07:2821st century living, dangerously accessible information about specific individuals.
07:44Perfect Blue tells the story of a former pop idol trying to become an actress only to find herself being
07:50stalked. Between the focus on parasocial relationships and the lengths people go to for info on celebrities,
08:06this movie was practically warning us about how the world would turn out in the 2020s and beyond.
08:13No one listened, and now Perfect Blue looks as prophetic as Serial Experiments Lane.
08:182. The Summer Hikaru Died
08:26A title like this is already bound to raise alarms, though it mostly stems from intrigue. However,
08:46the Summer Hikaru Died will likely leave you in a depressed mesmerization. After his best friend is
08:53fatally wounded, Yoshiki discovers that a mysterious entity has possessed his late best friend's body.
09:06Although this body snatcher wants to remain close with Yoshiki, the world and his own feelings may make that
09:12impossible. Garish does not begin to describe the imagery seen in The Summer Hikaru Died. It may not be
09:18as explicit as our other entries with violence and viscera, but there are still plenty of moments that
09:25are stomach churning.
09:33Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about
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09:501. Higurashi When They Cry Series
09:53It doesn't matter which of the time loops you're experiencing in the Higurashi series,
09:57odds are you're going to be witness to some of the most deeply disturbing anime moments
10:02you could ever subject yourself to. There are a lot of grisly murders shown, violent moments
10:16between the cast members, and a constant sense of dread as you wonder who's going to let loose
10:21without warning. That said, Higurashi isn't just blood and guts. Ryukishi weaved one of the most
10:40engaging visual novel narratives, and it translates beautifully to the TV screen. Just be sure that
10:46you can handle the anxiety that comes with the package. What is the creepiest anime you've ever
11:03seen? Let us know down in those comments below.
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