It’s that time of the year when things begin to get spookier. Halloween isn’t just the day when we get to do some scary cosplay and go trick-or-treating; it’s also the right time to immerse ourselves in eerie and haunting pieces of media that give us the chills. Apart from the usual movies and TV shows, anime also features a wide variety of horror titles. So, if you are looking for the perfect supernatural, psychological, or pure gore horror, find it in our curated list of the best Halloween anime you should watch in 2025.
10. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
- Release Year: 2016
- Studios: Wit Studio
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Fantasy, Action
- Episodes: 12
Remember the extremely popular Korean zombie drama, Train to Busan? Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is a zombie horror anime that plays out on a similar note as the Train to Busan movie. A zombie-esque virus outbreak led to the birth of kabane, whose target is humans. A group of people on a moving train band together to combat an army of kabane.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is often considered a rip-off of AOT and an anime like Demon Slayer as well. However, it only shares similar themes to the above-mentioned anime. If you want to experience some solid zombie action this Halloween, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is a must-watch. AOT and Vinland Saga fame Wit Studio produced this anime, and you now know it’s going to be an explosive experience.
9. The Summer Hikaru Died
- Release Year: 2025 – Ongoing
- Studios: Cygames Pictures
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
2025 has been a fantastic year for horror anime in general. One creepy and mysterious anime that aired this year and kept fans hooked throughout is the adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died. This horror anime is about the tale of two best friends, Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indou. They lead a happy school life until Hikaru disappears into the mountains on a fateful day.
When everyone thinks Hikaru is gone, he comes back after a week, but Yoshiki immediately notices that something is off about his best friend. With Hikaru’s return, strange phenomena begin to occur in their town. The first season delves into this mystery and is already a blockbuster hit. A second season is on the cards, so you can watch the debut season of The Summer Hikaru Died this Halloween to gear up for the upcoming seasons.
8. Another
- Release Year: 2012
- Studios: P.A. Works
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
Another is another supernatural horror anime set in a high school setting. This anime took the horror genre by storm when it was released in 2012. It still has one of the massive fan bases for a horror anime. Another follows the story of Koichi Sakakibara, who has just moved to a new school and started encountering bizarre and inexplicable things surrounding his classmates.
The only one by his side is a girl with an eye patch, Mei Misaki, and he needs to put an end to a curse before it gets worse. Another is undoubtedly one of the best horror anime to have ever come out. The Final Destination franchise made a comeback this year with the Bloodlines movie (review) and reignited the love for the series. So if you are looking for a Final Destination-esque horror anime, go with Another.
7. Soul Eater
- Release Year: 2008-2009
- Studios: Bones
- Genre: Animation, Supernatural, Dark Fantasy, Comedy
- Episodes: 51
Want to experience the complete Halloween vibes, i.e., characters donning gothic outfits, eerie atmosphere, and dreadful monsters all in one anime? Then, Soul Eater is the go-to destination this Halloween. Although Soul Eater isn’t technically a horror anime, it is a dark fantasy anime that tackles supernatural themes and elements.
Soul Eater follows the lives of Shinigami school students who hunt monsters and witches in order to protect the world from evil and climb up to the ranking of Death Scythes. There is no better time than Halloween to watch this dark fantasy shonen series. There is also a spin-off series titled Soul Eater NOT!, which you can also enjoy if you like the original series.
6. Higurashi: When They Cry
- Release Year: 2006-2021
- Studios: Studio Deen
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
- Episodes: 99
Higurashi: When They Cry was one of the longest-running horror and mystery anime in history, spanning over 15 years. The Higurashi series features several arcs exploring the mystery of Hinamizawa town, where people begin to vanish and die under unpredictable circumstances. Keiichi Maebara unravels this mystery together with his newfound friends, but as he makes discoveries, he spirals into madness.
Horrors and mysteries taking place in a small, quiet town are a thrilling watch, and it is guaranteed in the Higurashi anime, where we have numerous arcs to delve further into this mystery, where we cannot trust anyone. Since it’s a 2000s anime, you can also get the classic nostalgic horror anime vibe as you binge-watch Higurashi. There are many spin-offs and sequels in this franchise, so make sure to watch it in the right order to get the best experience out of it.
5. Tokyo Ghoul
- Release Year: 2014-2018
- Studios: Studio Pierrot
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Action, Fantasy
- Episodes: 48
Tokyo Ghoul needs no introduction if you’re a long-time follower of popular anime. Though the latter seasons of Tokyo Ghoul went downhill, this iconic action-horror anime still holds a special place in everyone’s hearts. It’s the story of Ken Kaneki, who unfortunately ends up as a human x ghoul hybrid when the horrifying creatures take over Tokyo one day.
It also has the right balance of body and psychological horror, making it an intriguing watch during the Halloween season. If you ever feel that you do not like the last seasons, you can always switch to the manga to get the best possible experience.
4. Dandadan
- Release Year: 2024 – Ongoing
- Studios: Science SARU
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Comedy, Supernatural
- Episodes: 24
If you are wondering why we have chosen the recent sensation Dandadan as our Halloween pick, then you must be unaware of this new shonen gem. First of all, Dandadan is not a pure horror anime, but it is a supernatural comedy show centered around ghosts and aliens. Momo Ayase and Okarun get caught in a series of supernatural incidents that they need to solve to find Okarun’s kintama.
Dandadan is one of the best anime to binge-watch this Halloween, as the series explores all kinds of yokais originating from different Japanese folklores. In addition to investigating paranormal activity, Dandadan cracks you up with its hilarious comedies between characters and puts you on a rollercoaster ride with its over-the-top action sequences.
3. Parasyte: The Maxim
- Release Year: 2014-2015
- Studios: Madhouse
- Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural
- Episodes: 24
Steins; Gate is often recommended when people are looking for a sci-fi anime. But if it’s the case of a sci-fi horror anime, then it is Madhouse’s Parasyte: The Maxim. As the title suggests, this anime is about parasitic aliens invading Japan and beginning to infect its citizens. Shinichi Izumi, the main character of Parasyte, is no exception; however, he is only infected in his right hand, unlike others.
With his entire world turned upside down at a young age, Shinichi must find a way to keep moving forward. Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte manga began serialization all the way back in 1989. After two decades, the renowned Seinen manga was turned into a terrific horror anime by Madhouse. People became a fan of Parasyte not just because of its horror elements, but also the thought-provoking themes it handles excellently.
2. Perfect Blue
- Release Year: 1998
- Studios: Madhouse
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Drama, Psychological
- Runtime: 1 hour 21 minutes
If you are new to the anime movies genre, fans would often recommend the works of the legendary Japanese Filmmaker, Satoshi Kon. But did you know that his debut movie is still hailed as his best work to this day? Yes, I’m talking about the psychological horror cum thriller, Perfect Blue, which is regarded as one of the most influential anime of all time.
Perfect Blue is the tale of Mima Kirigoe, a pop singer idol turned actress, who begins to spiral into insanity when a stalker crosses the line. Perfect Blue is not your regular cup of horror, full of jump scares, but it is a psychological horror that blurs the lines of reality. It’s a thrilling and emotional rollercoaster ride that feels just right to watch during this Halloween.
1. Shiki
- Release Year: 2010
- Studios: Daume
- Genre: Animation, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural
- Episodes: 22
Shiki is widely regarded as the best anime in the horror genre, even more than Another, by the horror community. It is based on Fuyumi Ono and Ryuu Fujisaki’s Shiki manga. While this manga stayed underrated, the anime adaptation of Shiki became popular over time and brought in a large fan base.
The story takes place in Sotoba, a tiny and peaceful town. However, tragedies begin to befall this town after the unexpected death of Megumi Shimizu. At first, Toshio Ozaki, the town’s doctor, assumes that the root cause of the sudden deaths is a disease, but he soon realizes that there is more to this than meets the eye.
Shiki does not offer a thrilling ride from the beginning of the series. It’s the complete opposite, where the anime takes its sweet time presenting you with the mystery. And then, when the horror gets unraveled in the final episodes, be prepared to get your minds blown and trembling in fear.
And that’s a wrap to our list of the best horror anime titles we handpicked for you to have the best Halloween times. In case you feel like we missed mentioning any fan favorite horror anime, let us know in the comments below.
There are many horror anime that can be watched on Halloween. But we recommend ‘Another’ anime, which features only 12 episodes and is perfect for a binge-watch on Halloween.
If you are looking for an anime movie this Halloween, Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue or the Vampire Hunter D movies are easily some of the best ones to watch.
