Horrormight be the most underappreciated genre in anime, as we seldom see good manga and light novels adapted into animated form. While there have been many incredible horror anime series over the years, likeAnother,Higurashi: When They Cry, andShiki, when compared to other genres such as fantasy and romance, these are certainly lackluster.
Having said that, there are still plenty of enjoyablehorror anime seriesthat will add eerie excitement to your Halloween binge. This festive season, forget the typical live-action horror films; instead, you may watch some of the finest horror that anime has to offer. So, buckle up your seatbelts and prepare some popcorn for this month’s warm weekends, as Crunchyroll’s got you covered with some spooky, free anime treats.
Another (2012)
Currently Streaming on Crunchyroll
Anotheris perhaps the most popular and spooky horror anime we’ll ever see, given its unique rural setting that allows room for fright. In addition to being an excellent mystery thriller that keeps you on the edge from the get-go, the anime delivers terror throughout, right from the opening theme, which is hauntingly beautiful.
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The story takes place in Yomiyama, a town where Koichi Sakakibara moves in with his grandparents after his father travels for work overseas. After enrolling at a local high school, Sakakibara is inexplicably drawn to Mei Misaki, a girl with an eye patch whom the entire class deems non-existent and refuses to explain why. Intrigued, Sakakibara is determined to uncover a 20-year-old mystery tied to a series of tragic events that have occurred around him. If you’re in the mood for somegood horror for Halloween,Anotheris a fine choice, andit is currently available on Crunchyroll.
Devil May Cry (2007)
While pure horror anime might prove to be a perfect binge-watch for Halloween, how about adding some epic action as a bonus?Devil May Cry, while not necessarily an eerie horror anime, is a supernatural fantasy that deals with the concepts of superhumans, demons, murders, and a variety of other dark aspects that define the genre rather well.
The story is centered around Dante, a half-demon mercenary who lost his parents in a tragedy years ago. With his mastery of gun and sword, Dante runs an odd-job agency (similar to Gintama, but much darker), where he takes on jobs involving demons. However, things take a dark turn when he is tasked with a deadly mission connected to his parents' deaths.Devil May Cryis available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)
Higurashi: When They Cryis an underrated classic, and the anime deserves more attention. Unlike any other anime you’ve seen, this one is divided into arcs, with the initial seasons mostly establishing the characters and plot. As a result, many people don’t quite understand what’s going on at the early stages of the story, but once you get to theWhen They Cry: Kaiarc, everything will make sense, and you’ll realize why it is one of the greatest horror stories ever told.
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In the anime, Keiichi Maebara moves to Hinamizawa, a small, quiet village where everything seems serene and blissful. He quickly forms friendships with his new classmates, Rena, Mion, Satoko, and Rika. But as the village prepares for its annual festival, Keiichi uncovers dark secrets of the town that no one is willing to talk about. As Keiichi digs deeper, he realizes that Hinanizawa is far from what he imagined.Higurashi: When They Cry,which is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, is a must-see horror anime that could be one of your best binge experiences for this Halloween.
The Future Diary (2011-2013)
The Future Diaryleans more into the thriller side of horror, but it will be one of the mostpsychologically disturbing anime seriesyou’ve ever seen. In this survival horror anime, Yukiteru Amano is a shy middle schooler who keeps a digital journal of his daily activities. However, one fateful day, he realizes that certain happenings are preemptively displayed on his smartphone, and many other individuals across the country, including his classmate Yuno Gasai, possess identical journals. It turns out that Amano has been thrown into a survival game with 10 others, with the one who prevails becoming the successor of God.The Future Diarywill be available on Crunchyroll starting Oct. 1.
For a complete list of horror anime that will beavailable on Crunchyrollfor free in October 2024, see below:
