Top 30 Dark Anime Series List [Best Recommendations] ⋆ Anime & Manga

Dark Anime is more than just blood, guts and monsters, so let’s take a look at some of the best dark anime out there. From psychological thrillers to dystopian societies with subtle, twisted elements that give these shows a morbid, bleak or downright twisted atmosphere.

31. Monster

Kenzou Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon in Germany, had it all: incredible skill at his work, a rich and beautiful fiancee, and a promising career at his hospital.

However, after becoming disenchanted by hospital politics, he chose to save the life of a young boy who got shot in the head over the life of the mayor.

As a result he lost the support of the hospital director, as well as his position in the hospital and his fiance.

A short time later, the hospital director and the doctors that replaced him were murdered, and once again he was catapulted back onto the top.

But as the chief suspect of the murders, Tenma did not get a easy life. As a matter of fact, it seems that the boy he saved was much more than he had appeared to be…

Now to clear his name and to correct his past mistake, Tenma must get to the bottom of these and other murders, and investigate the truth of the Monster who is behind all of this

Genre: Horror, Seinen, Thriller, Vampire, Dark Anime

30. School Live ( GAKKOU GURASHI! )

Takeya Yuki is in love with the school. For her, it’s a wonderful place, where she enjoys her school activities, especially the activities of her club: School Life Club.

The club has Rii-chan as the president, Kurumi-chan as another member, and the teacher, Megu-nee, always there for them.

Yes, she is in love with her school… on her mind. Because, for her, the reality of the school and their club’s activities is way too hard to be perceived…

Genre: Horror, Mystery, School, Seinen, Slice of Life, Supernatural, Dark Anime

29. Aoi Bungaku: Ningen Shikkaku (Blue Literature: No Longer Human)

An animated adaptation of six classical Japanese literature pieces, including No Longer Human (Ningen Shikaku) and Run, Melos (Hashire, Melos) by Osamu Dazai, Kokoro by Natsume Souseki, Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) .

This brief animation follows the crumbling life of an alienated high school student through adulthood, and eventually his death.

He is an individual ridden with depression and a bit of narcissism and finds it difficult, if not impossible, to relate to other humans at all.

He thinks he is a failure at being human, hence the title, ‘No Longer Human’. Ningen Shikkaku tells his tale in a most despairing manner, and leaves a crawling, off-kilter feeling at the end.

It’s tragic, with themes of alcohol abuse and mental illness, and unnerving with the life it breathes into the little humanoid monsters which personify the main character’s fears and self-image.

If that’s not dark, I don’t know what is!

Genre: Drama, Historical, Psychological, Seinen, Thriller, Dark Anime

28. KINO NO TABI: THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Composed in the form of a series of short stories, this is the story of the travels and observations of the human Kino and the talking motorbike Hermes.

Kino and Hermes visit various fantastic countries – a country that can’t coexist with others due to the development of telepathy; a country striving to make everything equal, whose residents are extremely united; and so on.

Small ripples are formed in the everyday lives of the people living in the various countries by the appearances of the unusual Kino.

These ripples gradually become a major influence, rattling the foundations of their normal lives.

What will Kino and Hermes see in their travels? And what will be left in the hearts and minds of the people they encounter?

Genre: Action, Adventure, Slice of Life, Dark Anime

27. Death Note

Everyone Know about Death note and if you are someone who still didn’t watched this anime then dude do your self a favor and watch it right now.

Yagami Light is an ace student with great aspects who’s bored out of his mind. One day he finds the Death Note, a notebook held by a shinigami (Death God).

With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create a perfect world. A world without crime or criminals.

However when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorities send the legendar… more Yagami Light is an ace student with great aspects who’s bored out of his mind.

One day he finds the Death Note, a notebook held by a shinigami (Death God). With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create a perfect world. A world without crime or criminals.

However when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer.

And there are many fan fiction theories about death note ending that you should read.

Genre: Mystery, Police, Psychological, Supernatural, Thriller, Dark Anime

26. Shiki

During a fiercely hot summer in Sotoba, a peaceful and quiet village with a population of 1300 people, a series of bizarre deaths begin to occur.

At the same time, a strange family moves into a long abandoned mansion in the region.

Hospital dean Toshio Ozaki cannot figure out the cause of death in the deceased, initially suspecting an epidemic.

As investigations continue between the hospital staff and the residents, it turns out that the village is being attacked by vampires.

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Thriller, Vampire, Dark Anime

25. VAMPIRE HUNTER D

10,000 years in the future, the world has become a very different place; monsters roam the land freely, and people, although equipped with high-tech weapons and cybernetic horses, live a humble life reminiscent of millennia past.

A small hamlet is plagued by monster attacks, living under the shadow of rule by Count Magnus Lee, a powerful vampire lord who has ruled the land for thousands of years.

When a young girl is bitten by the Count and chosen as his current plaything, she seeks out the help of a quiet wandering stranger, D.

It so happens that D is a renowned vampire hunter, and he takes it upon himself to cut through the Count’s many minions, and put an end to the his rule.

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Vampire, Dark Anime

24. HIGURASHI NO NAKU KORO NI

After moving into the quiet town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi spends his days blissfully in school often playing games with his local friends.

However, appearances can be deceiving. One fateful day, Keiichi stumbles upon news of a murder that had occurred in Hinamizawa.

From this point on, horrific events unfold in front of Keiichi, as he soon learns his close friends may not be all that they seem.

Based on the amateur mystery game by 7th Expansion, the story is told in a series of different scenarios.

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Thriller, Dark Anime

23. HELLSING ULTIMATE

Vampires exist. It is the duty of Hellsing, a secret organization sponsored by the British government, to hide that frightening fact and protect the blissfully unaware populace.

Along with its own personal army, Hellsing has secret weapons. Alucard, an incredibly powerful vampire, has been controlled by Hellsing for years.

It is unclear how he feels about being a servant to the Hellsing family, but he certainly enjoys his job as a vampire exterminator.

Seras is a fledgling vampire and former police woman. Although reluctant to embrace her new self, she is a valued member of the organization.

Integra Hellsing, the current leader, is usually fully capable of fulfilling her duty, but lately, vampire activity has been on the rise.

Unfortunately, the cause is more alarming than anything she could have imagined.

A group long thought dead has been plotting in secret since their apparent destruction over 50 years ago.

Genre: Action, Horror, Military, Seinen, Supernatural, Vampire, Dark Anime

22. MIRAI NIKKI

Yukiteru always rejects offers to go out with friends, preferring to spend the time writing a diary on his cell phone.

He has what he believes is an imaginary friend called Deus Ex Machina. However, one day Deus asks him to play a survival game along with eleven others.

The winner becomes the next Deus Ex Machina. In order to win, the contestants must use their diaries of the future to eliminate one another.