I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the best thing about anime is the massive variety it offers fans. With every new season, there’s literally something for everyone, no matter what mood you’re in, wanting action, dark fantasy themes, fresh story ideas or visual fan service. As October 31st approaches, let’s look at the best Halloween anime series to re-watch during Spooky Season!
What Makes a Good Halloween Anime?
There are many places you could start — when choosing a great anime to watch, or re-watch if you’ve seen it before — this October. Do you want to be scared silly? Are you looking for thrills but with a lighter touch? Would you like to enjoy the trappings of horror or monsters in a more comfortable context, such as slice-of-life or harem? Do you want to enjoy zombies alongside jiggling boob physics? You can have it all!
What Are the Best Halloween Anime to Re-Watch This Year?
Without further delay, let’s jump right into J-List’s top picks for spooky anime to enjoy this Halloween!
The Promised Neverland Season 1
Season one of this chilling anime really delivered. In an alternate world where children are raised with love and care to eventually serve as a delicacy for demons, how can the children possibly hope to escape? It’s a shame this anime never got a second season…
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Interviews with Monster Girls
It’s got “monster” in the title, but it’s not scary. This is an anime about what kind of world we’d have if demi-humans (vampires, snow women, succubuses and headless Dullahan) lived alongside normal humans, and one teacher’s dedication to understanding his demi-human students. If you haven’t watched it, you totally should!
Death Note
The anime that taught the world the phrase keikaku doori (“just as planned”). It was so well written that it made me actively hate many modern series with inferior structure and writing. When Light Yagami ends up with a demonic notebook that can be used to kill anyone, he upends the world order with his desire to create a more just world.
Rosario + Vampire
If you like your horror anime with a side of jiggling boobs and pantsu, then Rosario + Vampire is for you. It’s a harem anime about a normal human boy who accidentally gets sent to a school for monster girls, after which sexy hijinx ensue.
Highschool of the Dead
Another legendary Halloween anime for sexy anime fans is HOTD, which combined great zombie apocalypse action with sexy boob jiggling and panty shots. It’s one of the great tragedies of anime that writer Daisuke Sato died before the promised season 2 could be made.
Mieruko-chan
What would you do if you became a ghost? Be honest! You’d probably peep at girls while they’re taking a bath. That’s the premise behind this fan service-heavy sexy anime about horror and sexy camera angles.
Gakkou Gurashi: School Live
A super-cute moe anime about girls living in their school. It’s totally not about a zombie apocalypse, and the stress this puts on the girls, giving them PTSD. The anime is by Nitroplus, creators of Madoka Magica, so you know the story will be good.
Elfin Lied
One of the most horrific mind-fucks in the history of anime. No matter how weird you think it will be going in, it’s even weirder. And yet…it’s also one of the great examples of super-cute moe anime from the early 2000s.
Why are “depressing anime” usually some of the best anime series? Read this blog post!
Higurashi: When They Cry
The anime and visual novel that proved that a story can have no porn in it but still be NSFW. This is the story of a village in rural Japan with a curse that forbids its residents from leaving, on pain of death. Best of all, the village the anime is set in is one of the most famous anime “holy lands” you can visit on your next trip to Japan.
Another
The closest thing Japan has made to a traditional American horror slasher is Another. I watched it for the character designs by Noizi Ito, and really enjoyed the story.
Hell Girl
Another fun horror-esque show was Jigoku Shoujo, about a certain website that you can access exactly at midnight and use to damn anyone who has wronged you to hell. Because doing that is a sin itself, you yourself will also be sent to hell when you die. After watching a few episodes, listening to Mamiko Noto say her “Ippen…shinde miru? ” line becomes quite intoxicating.
Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories
Finally, one Halloween anime many won’t have seen is Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories. Japan has always had a rich tradition of chilling ghost stories involving yokai or magical ghost-like creatures. They were first recorded by the Father of Japan Blogging Lafcadio Hearn back in 1904. The stories will all give you the heebie-jeebies with their unique visual approach and surprise story twists.
Thanks for reading this blog post about the best Halloween anime to watch, or re-watch, this October. Got any more creepy and spooky anime we should know about? Tell us in the comments below!
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Halloween is almost here, and we’ve got great news for everyone: the J-List Halloween sale! You get $20 off shipping-from-Japan orders of $100 or more using code HALLOWEEN23! And best of all, you get a cool limited Megumi Halloween sticker with orders (while they last). Start shopping now!
