The popular manga series Chainsaw Man has certainly made an impression on the manga world. It looks terrifying yet wonderful, with its character designs and a story that matches them perfectly. Fans are eagerly waiting for the anime adaptation to come out, after the trailer for it was released.
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While there isn’t a release date for the anime just yet, there are plenty of other anime shows that fans can watch to tide them over. Some might be a little light on the horror elements, but these shows still deliver excellent characters and plot that are worth watching.
Another
One of the most popular horror anime shows, Another is about a high school student named Kouichi Sakakibara who transfers to a new school. He notices that something is off about his class, specifically his classmate, Mei Misaki. He later learns about a curse put on his class and tries to find out more about it. Students and even people around such as family members or school staff are at a high risk of being killed by the curse for just being associated with Kouichi and his class.
For anyone that's looking for a murder mystery with horror elements, this anime is the one to watch. The story has plenty of plots and twists that keep viewers watching to see what happens next. Plus, the wonder of who might be next to get taken out by the curse.
Junji Ito Collection
When some think of Junji Ito's work, horror is definitely one of the first things to come to mind. This anime is an anthology of Junji Ito's work brought to life. Each episode is different from the previous and there's no storyline to follow.
Some scenes will leave viewers cringing and wanting to look away from the screen. Other scenes might make viewers laugh at how over-the-top the horror is. Either way, viewers will be entertained.
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan
This anime might look cute, but there's a lot more to it. Dokuro is an angel sent back in time to assassinate Sakura Kusakabe, a middle school student. This is to prevent him from making an invention that inadvertently makes all humans immortal, but also for less-than-noble reasons. Dokuro doesn't kill him and decides she will distract him so he will never invent it. However, it seems like Dokuro might actually be a bigger threat to Sakura than anything else. With her volatile nature, Dokuro kills Sakura over and over again but is able to bring him back to life.
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This is a little more on the comedy side, but it can be a little unnerving to see Sakura get his head bashed in. Dokuro has very itchy fingers when it comes to using her weapon on him. Sakura could be talking one second then his head might be gone the next.
Sankarea: Undying Love
It might look like a romantic anime, but this takes true love on a horror ride. Chihiro Furuya is a high school student with an obsession with zombies that might make some uncomfortable. After his cat dies, Chihiro decides to try and bring it back to life as a zombie. Rea Sanka, a high school girl, steals the potion Chihiro made to revive his cat and drinks it in hopes that she would die.
Rea becomes a zombie, but appears and still functions normally. She is able to stave off her hunger for living beings by eating hydrangea leaves to survive. This anime is great for anyone wanting to add a little horror to a romantic story. It has some humorous moments, but the darker elements still shine through.
Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress
This is a post-apocalyptic anime with fantasy and steampunk elements. During the Industrial Revolution, a mysterious virus-infected humanity, turning most of them into zombie-like creatures called kabane. The kabane are protected by a layer of iron and most weapons aren't effective against them. Ikoma, an engineer, has invented a weapon that's able to piece their skin, but is bitten in the process.
He is able to keep himself from being fully infected and becomes a human-kabane hybrid. He and a group of survivors travel to find a safe place, fighting hordes of kabane throughout their journey. If viewers are finding themselves wanting a little more from zombie-survival shows, this title is worth the watch. A great story, strong characters, and great animation, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is an excellent treat.
Blood+
The predecessor of popular horror anime Blood-C, Blood+ was one of the darkest anime shows of its time. Saya Otonashi is a high school girl that has no memory of her past but seems normal overall. She is attacked by a mysterious creature that feeds on human blood and learns that she is the only one capable of defeating it and others like it. Saya embarks on a journey to defeat these mysterious creatures and find out more about her past, which might be a lot darker than she's anticipating.
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While Blood+ and Blood-C are a part of the Blood series, they are different shows that share a few similarities. Both series have plenty of action and amazing stories that are worth watching.
Dorohedoro
A post-apocalyptic anime about a man named Caiman, who has the head of a lizard and no memory of his past life after being transformed. Caiman and his friend Nikaido set out to find the sorcerer responsible for this.
They draw attention due to the nature of their investigation. It also doesn't help that Caiman is immune to the magical effects of most sorcerer attacks. The animation and design of the background and characters are unique compared to most anime. All of the characters seem different than most, and give the series some light-hearted moments in between the dark ones.
Witch Hunter Robin
This anime might not be as horrific and bloody as most horror anime, but this one still packs a punch. Robin is a 15-year-old girl who works for a secret organization that hunts down witches.
She also happens to be a witch as well and uses her powers in her job. Throughout the series, Robin begins to question if what she's doing is right while wondering if the organization she works for will hunt her down. This is an anime that is a must-watch for anyone who loves action with supernatural elements.
Claymore
This fantasy anime is about a young woman named Clare, who is a Claymore. Claymore are warrior women that are half-human and half-Yoma. Yoma are shape-shifters that feed on humans and Claymores protect humanity from them. At the beginning of the series, Clare travels with Teresa, a Claymore that serves as her mother figure.
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Teresa is killed in front of her after another Claymore gives into their Yoma side. After this, Clare swears revenge on the one responsible and voluntarily became a Claymore herself. It's a great anime for anyone wanting to watch a good ol' revenge story. It's a little reminiscent of Berserk, but not as violent as it.
Jujutsu Kaisen
One of the most popular anime and manga right now, Jujutsu Kaisen is about a high school named Yuji Itadori. One day, Yuji's school is attacked by creatures known as Curses. To save his friends, he swallows a cursed charm that looks like a rotting finger.
Yuji then becomes possessed by a Curse and helps defeat the Curses, but at the cost of losing control. The series has a lot going for it. There's great characters and character development, alongside an amazing plot, and the perfect combination of action and horror.